Objective To investigate the feasibility of selectively omitting ureteral stent placement after ureteroscopic lithotripsy(URL).Methods A total of 118 patients with distal ureteral calculi undergoing URL from 2021 to 2024 were enrolled.Patients were divided into a control group(indwelling ureteral stent for 2 weeks,n=86)and an observation group(no ureteral stent placement,n=32).General data,operation time,hospital stay,and total medical costs were compared between the two groups.Patients were followed 2 weeks postoperatively for assessment of flank pain visual analogue scale(VAS)scores,bladder irritation symptoms,hematuria,and incidence of urinary tract infection.Hydronephrosis was evaluated by ultrasonography 3 months after surgery.Results There was no significant difference in the general information and operation time between the two groups(P>0.05).The length of hospital stay and total treatment cost in the observa-tion group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).Two weeks after surgery,the VAS scores of low back pain on the affected side and occurrence rates of bladder irritation symptoms,hematu-ria,and urinary tract infection in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.01).Three months after operation,no hydronephrosis was observed in both groups.Conclusion It is safe and feasible to avoid indwelling ureteral stent after URL in appropriate cases.

Objective To investigate the functional changes of dendritic cells(DCs)in patients at different stages of hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection and analyze the mechanisms underlying DC dysfunction.Methods Single-cell RNA sequencing dataset GSE182159 was downloaded from the GEO database and classified into healthy control(HC),immune active(IA),and immune tolerant(IT)groups based on infection stage.Peripheral blood samples were collected from 7 IA patients,7 IT patients,and 12 healthy controls.Flow cytometry was used to isolate classical dendritic cells(cDC)and plasmacytoid dendritic cells(pDC).The expression levels of transcription factors in cDC and pDC were measured by quantitative real-time PCR(qRT-PCR).Bioinformatics analyses were per-formed using R and Python package.Results The proportions of DCs in IA and IT groups were higher than that in HC group.Func-tional enrichment analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes(DEGs)of cDCs in the IA group were primarily enriched for the processes,such as inflammatory response,MHC classⅡantigen processing and presentation,cell migration,signal transduction,metabolism,and immune response.In contrast the IT group exhibited lower enrichment intensity and a significant reduction in interfer-on responses.The DEGs of pDC in the IA group were enriched in the processes of MHC-Ⅱantigen presentation,Fc receptor signal transduction,and metabolism,whereas those in the IT group were showed enrichment only in Fc receptor signal transduction and me-tabolism with a lower intensity.Both groups exhibited reduced synthesis of typesⅠandⅡinterferons in pDC,with the IT group showing a more pronounced downregulation.Cell-cell communication analysis demonstrated enhanced interactions between myeloid cells(except pDC)and T cells in the IA group,whereas the interactions between cDC/pDC and T cells in the IT group were reduced.Transcription factor analysis revealed that STAT2,STAT3,IRF1,and IRF5 were highly expressed in the IA group but their expression exhibited low-er expression levels in the IT group.In contrast,BHLHE40 was broadly upregulated in both cDC and pDC subsets within the IT group.The qRT-PCR results were consistent with the findings from the single-cell transcription factor analysis.Conclusion The IT phase of hepatitis B infection represents a critical period for cDC dysfunction,characterized by significant suppression of MHCⅡantigen presen-tation,metabolism,and interferon responsiveness.The functional impairment of pDC precedes that of cDC,as evidenced by a marked downregulation of interferon synthesis capacity observed during the IA phase.

Aim To explore the role and mechanism of epimedokoreanin B(EKB)in HepaRG cell pyroptosis through endoplasmic reticulum stress and NLRP1-me-diated pyroptosis pathway.Methods The effect of EKB on the viability of HepaRG cells at different con-centrations was determined by MTT assay,and the cell growth status was recorded by Incucyte.Four groups of HepaRG cells were set up.The control group was cul-tured with complete medium for 24 h;the drug admin-istration group was cultured with three concentration gradients of 6.25,12.5 and 25 μmol·L-1 of EKB for 24 h.Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins and pyroptosis-related proteins in the cells of each group.Results HepaRG cells showed cytotoxicity at a concentration of 6.25 μmol·L-1 for 24 h,and the half maximal inhibitory concentration(IC50)was 12.41 μmol·L-1.Incucyte recordings of the cell growth status showed that the cells in the control group were in good growth status,and the vesicular pyropto-sis cells appeared in the different concentrations of EKB and the cells swelled and ruptured after 24 h.Western blot showed that the protein expression levels of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins pERK,eIF-2α,ATF-4,GRP78,and CHOP significantly in-creased in HepaRG cells at 25 μmol·L-1 of EKB compared with the control group.The proteins of the classical pathway of cellular pyroptosis mediated by NLRP1,caspase-1,cleaved caspase-1,GSDMD,GS-DMD-N significantly increased in HepaRG cells.Con-clusion EKB administration induces HepaRG cell py-roptosis,and EKB activates HepaRG cells to undergo endoplasmic reticulum stress and activates the NLRP1/caspase-1/GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis pathway.

Turning to critical illness is a common stage of various diseases and injuries before death. Patients usually have complex health conditions, while the treatment process involves a wide range of content, along with high requirements for doctor′s professionalism and multi-specialty teamwork, as well as a great demand for time-sensitive treatments. However, this is not matched with critical care professionals and the current state of medical care in China. Telemedicine, which shortens the distance of medical professionals and the gap of disease diagnosis and treatments in various regions through electronic information, can effectively solve the current problem. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a standardized, high-quality visualization telemedicine round system .Therefore, experts have been organized to search domestic and foreign literature on telemedicine round for critically ill patients and to form this consensus based on clinical experiences so as to further improve the level of critical care treatments in regions.

Turning to critical illness is a common stage of various diseases and injuries before death. Patients usually have complex health conditions, while the treatment process involves a wide range of content, along with high requirements for doctor′s professionalism and multi-specialty teamwork, as well as a great demand for time-sensitive treatments. However, this is not matched with critical care professionals and the current state of medical care in China. Telemedicine, which shortens the distance of medical professionals and the gap of disease diagnosis and treatments in various regions through electronic information, can effectively solve the current problem. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a standardized, high-quality visualization telemedicine round system .Therefore, experts have been organized to search domestic and foreign literature on telemedicine round for critically ill patients and to form this consensus based on clinical experiences so as to further improve the level of critical care treatments in regions.

Aim To explore the role and mechanism of epimedokoreanin B(EKB)in HepaRG cell pyroptosis through endoplasmic reticulum stress and NLRP1-me-diated pyroptosis pathway.Methods The effect of EKB on the viability of HepaRG cells at different con-centrations was determined by MTT assay,and the cell growth status was recorded by Incucyte.Four groups of HepaRG cells were set up.The control group was cul-tured with complete medium for 24 h;the drug admin-istration group was cultured with three concentration gradients of 6.25,12.5 and 25 μmol·L-1 of EKB for 24 h.Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins and pyroptosis-related proteins in the cells of each group.Results HepaRG cells showed cytotoxicity at a concentration of 6.25 μmol·L-1 for 24 h,and the half maximal inhibitory concentration(IC50)was 12.41 μmol·L-1.Incucyte recordings of the cell growth status showed that the cells in the control group were in good growth status,and the vesicular pyropto-sis cells appeared in the different concentrations of EKB and the cells swelled and ruptured after 24 h.Western blot showed that the protein expression levels of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins pERK,eIF-2α,ATF-4,GRP78,and CHOP significantly in-creased in HepaRG cells at 25 μmol·L-1 of EKB compared with the control group.The proteins of the classical pathway of cellular pyroptosis mediated by NLRP1,caspase-1,cleaved caspase-1,GSDMD,GS-DMD-N significantly increased in HepaRG cells.Con-clusion EKB administration induces HepaRG cell py-roptosis,and EKB activates HepaRG cells to undergo endoplasmic reticulum stress and activates the NLRP1/caspase-1/GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis pathway.

Objective To investigate the functional changes of dendritic cells(DCs)in patients at different stages of hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection and analyze the mechanisms underlying DC dysfunction.Methods Single-cell RNA sequencing dataset GSE182159 was downloaded from the GEO database and classified into healthy control(HC),immune active(IA),and immune tolerant(IT)groups based on infection stage.Peripheral blood samples were collected from 7 IA patients,7 IT patients,and 12 healthy controls.Flow cytometry was used to isolate classical dendritic cells(cDC)and plasmacytoid dendritic cells(pDC).The expression levels of transcription factors in cDC and pDC were measured by quantitative real-time PCR(qRT-PCR).Bioinformatics analyses were per-formed using R and Python package.Results The proportions of DCs in IA and IT groups were higher than that in HC group.Func-tional enrichment analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes(DEGs)of cDCs in the IA group were primarily enriched for the processes,such as inflammatory response,MHC classⅡantigen processing and presentation,cell migration,signal transduction,metabolism,and immune response.In contrast the IT group exhibited lower enrichment intensity and a significant reduction in interfer-on responses.The DEGs of pDC in the IA group were enriched in the processes of MHC-Ⅱantigen presentation,Fc receptor signal transduction,and metabolism,whereas those in the IT group were showed enrichment only in Fc receptor signal transduction and me-tabolism with a lower intensity.Both groups exhibited reduced synthesis of typesⅠandⅡinterferons in pDC,with the IT group showing a more pronounced downregulation.Cell-cell communication analysis demonstrated enhanced interactions between myeloid cells(except pDC)and T cells in the IA group,whereas the interactions between cDC/pDC and T cells in the IT group were reduced.Transcription factor analysis revealed that STAT2,STAT3,IRF1,and IRF5 were highly expressed in the IA group but their expression exhibited low-er expression levels in the IT group.In contrast,BHLHE40 was broadly upregulated in both cDC and pDC subsets within the IT group.The qRT-PCR results were consistent with the findings from the single-cell transcription factor analysis.Conclusion The IT phase of hepatitis B infection represents a critical period for cDC dysfunction,characterized by significant suppression of MHCⅡantigen presen-tation,metabolism,and interferon responsiveness.The functional impairment of pDC precedes that of cDC,as evidenced by a marked downregulation of interferon synthesis capacity observed during the IA phase.

Objective:To investigate the value of ultrasonic measurement of the ratio of optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) to eyeball transverse diameter(ETD) in the diagnosis and prognosis of intracranial hypertension in patients with craniocerebral trauma.Methods:A total of 120 patients with craniocerebral trauma treated in the Xingtai General Hospital of North China Medical and Health Group from December 2021 to January 2023 were perspectively selected, and they were divided into normal intracranial pressure group (73 cases) and intracranial hypertension group (47 cases) according to the results of intracranial pressure measurements, and the intracranial hypertension group was divided into good prognosis group (20 cases) and poor prognosis group (27 cases) according to the follow-up prognosis. The efficacy of ONSD, ETD and ONSD/ETD in intracranial hypertension diagnosis and prognosis assessment were analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Kaplan-Meier method was used to evaluate the 6-month risk of adverse prognosis of patients, and the comparison was made by Log-rank test.Results:The levels of intracranial pressure, ONSD, ONSD/ETD in the normal intracranial pressure group were lower than those in the intracranial hypertension group: (130.73 ± 23.63) mmH 2O (1 mmH 2O = 0.009 8 kPa) vs. (270.11 ± 35.78) mmH 2O, (5.47 ± 0.29) mm vs. (5.78 ± 0.44) mm, 0.246 ± 0.018 vs. 0.263 ± 0.018, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). The scores of Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), intracranial pressure, ONSD, ONSD/ETD in the good prognosis group were lower than those in the poor prognosis group: (5.50 ± 1.24) scores vs. (6.41 ± 1.34) scores, (256.15 ± 30.23) mmH 2O vs. (280.44 ± 36.56) mmH 2O, (5.62 ± 0.40) mm vs. (5.90 ± 0.44) mm, 0.254 ± 0.014 vs. 0.270 ± 0.017, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). ROC curve analysis results showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of ONSD and ONSD/ETD for diagnosing intracranial hypertension in patients with craniocerebral trauma were 0.718 and 0.765, respectively, and the critical values were 5.87 mm and 0.263, respectively. The AUC of ONSD and ONSD/ETD predicting prognosis of intracranial hypertension patients was 0.677 and 0.763, respectively, and the critical values were 5.90 mm and 0.267, respectively. Grouped by the threshold of ONSD/ETD for the prognosis of intracranial hypertension (0.267), the incidence of adverse prognosis in ONSD/ETD > 0.267 group was higher than that in the ONSD/ETD≤0.267 group, there was statistical difference ( P<0.05). Conclusions:ONSD/ETD can be used as an index for diagnosis and prognosis of intracranial hypertension.

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in blood,present at low abundance,serves as a critical biomarker for cancer. Precise detection of ctDNA is of great significance for early diagnosis,disease monitoring,and prognosis evaluation. In this study,a microfluidic chip-based entropy-driven bipedal DNA walker combined with dendritic hybridisation chain reaction was designed as a cascade signal amplification strategy for detection of ctDNA in blood in a microfluidic chip. In the presence of the target,toehold A interacted with target and triggerd a bidirectional strand displacement reaction with the aid of fuel strand F,thereby releasing the target and the 8-17 DNAzyme active centre. Among them,the released target was recycled in a new round of entropy-driven chain replacement reaction. Meanwhile,8-17 DNAzyme active center activated by Pb2+would act on the cleavage site of the substrate hairpin at the microbead surface,exposing the capture probes on the surface of the microbead. The numerous capture probes induced a dendritic hybridization chain reaction,which resulted in fluorescent signals being concentrated on the surface of the microbeads. With the breast cancer mutant gene PIK3CAE545K as the target model,under the optimal experimental conditions,the linear range of sensor was 50-10000 fmol/L,the detection limit was 0.94 fmol/L (LOD,3σ),and the regression equation was y=31.65 lgCT+474.08 (CT is the concentration mutant gene PIK3CAE545K sequence,fmol/L). This method showed spiked recoveries between 98.8％ and 106.5％ when applied to detection of mutant gene PIK3CAE545K in human serum. Characterized by its sensitivity,specificity,anti-interference capability,high throughput,and one-step operation,this method was ideally suited for the rapid analysis of complex samples.

The distal femoral fracture, tibial plateau fracture and patellar fracture may all develop into traumatic knee arthritis, which is probably associated with knee dysfunction problems. Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is an effective treatment for end-stage knee arthritis. The distal femoral valgus cut angle (VCA) is an important reference for distal femoral resection in TKA and significantly affects postoperative prosthesis position and lower extremity alignment after TKA. For VCA, the specific methods for definition, measurement methods, clinical application and influencing factors are currently controversial. Hence, the authors review the research progress in the role of VCA in TKA from the above-mentioned four aspects, hoping to provide a reference for accurate preoperative planning and intraoperative performance of TKA.