Objective To analyze the role and mechanism of Xiaoqinglong decoction in alleviating the pathological process of pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH),and to observe the effect of Xiaoqinglong decoction on endothelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)in human pulmonary arterial endothelial cell(HPAEC)and the involvement of the Toll-like receptor/nuclear factor-κB/hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(TLR/NF-κB/HIF-1α)pathway in this mechanism.Methods Thirty-six male Sprague Dawley(SD)rats and HPAEC were randomly divided into control group,model group,Xiaoqinglong decoction plus Earthworm group,Bosentan tablet group,dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO)group,and monophosphoryl lipid A(MPL)group.PAH rat models and HPAEC models were established by hypoxic exposure.The Xiaoqinglong decoction plus Earthworm group received intragastric administration Xiaoqinglong decoction plus Earthworm(5 g·kg-1·d-1)or cultured with 10%corresponding drug serum,the Bosentan group received Bosentan(100 mg·kg-1·d-1)by gavage or cultured with 10%corresponding drug serum,the MPL group received 1 μg MPL,and the DMSO group received an equivalent volume of the DMSO and corn oil mixed solvent as a negative control for the MPL group.The hemodynamic parameters,including mean pulmonary arterial pressure(mPAP),right ventricular systolic pressure(RVSP),and the maximum rate of right ventricular pressure(+dp/dt max),were measured via right heart catheterization.After euthanasia,lung and heart tissues were collected to assess the right ventricular hypertrophy index(RVHI);hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining was used to observe the degree of right ventricular cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and to calculate the average intima-media thickness(IMT)in small pulmonary arteries;Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA),CD68,TLR4,NF-κB,HIF-1α,vascular endothelial cadherin,and vimentin;cell counting kit-8(CCK-8),Transwell,and scratch assays were used to observe cell proliferation and migration;Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to measure the levels of interleukins(IL-8,IL-6),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),endothelin-1(ET-1),and nitric oxide(NO).Results Compared with the model group,the Xiaoqinglong decoction plus Earthworm group showed significant reductions in mPAP,RVSP,RVHI,and IMT in PAH rats[mPAP(mmHg,1 mmHg≈0.133 kPa):22.17±1.94 vs.42.00±4.90,RVSP(mmHg):34.67±3.20 vs.52.83±3.76,RVHI:0.402±0.057 vs.0.822±0.101,IMT:(37.85±2.49)%vs.(62.06±4.52)%,all P<0.05],and a significant increase in+dP/dT max(mmHg/s:2 730.83±137.89 vs.1 718.33±148.36,P<0.05).Western blotting and ELISA results showed that compared with the model group,the Xiaoqinglong decoction plus Earthworm group had significantly lower protein expression of PCNA and CD68 in lung tissue,and levels of inflammatory factors(IL-6,IL-8,TNF-α)in rat serum[lung tissue:PCNA protein expression(PCNA/GAPDH)was 1.56±0.08 vs.2.20±0.26,CD68 protein expression(CD68/GAPDH):1.46±0.09 vs.2.60±0.23;serum:IL-8(ng/L)was 39.67±6.28 vs.149.17±7.49,IL-6(ng/L):81.00±6.63 vs.211.00±25.31,TNF-α(ng/L):213.17±24.86 vs.799.50±43.51,all P<0.05].In vitro experiments,compared with the model group,Xiaoqinglong decoction plus Earthworm inhibited abnormal proliferation(A value:2.052±0.087 vs.2.242±0.057,P<0.05)and migration[number of migrating cells(per field):101.33±12.01 vs.226.67±17.56,P<0.05]of HPAEC,and reversed the EMT process,manifested as upregulation of vascular endothelial cadherin protein expression levels(vascular endothelial cadherin/GAPDH:0.39±0.06 vs.0.12±0.03,P<0.05)and downregulation of vimentin protein expression(vimentin/GAPDH:4.96±0.33 vs.7.89±0.44,P<0.05).Western blotting results indicated that compared with the model group,the protein expression levels of TLR4,the ratio of phosphorylated p65 to total p65,and HIF-1α in both lung tissue and HPAEC were significantly reduced in the Xiaoqinglong decoction plus Earthworm group[lung tissue:TLR4 protein expression(TLR4/GAPDH)was 3.13±0.20 vs.4.38±0.30,p-p65/p65 ratio:7.11±0.81 vs.12.73±1.80,HIF-1α protein expression(HIF-1α/GAPDH):2.37±0.32 vs.4.45±0.34;HPAEC:TLR4 protein expression(TLR4/GAPDH)was 1.42±0.03 vs.2.43±0.05,p-p65/p65 ratio:6.01±1.84 vs.11.28±1.06,HIF-1α protein expression(HIF-1α/GAPDH)was 3.24±0.17 vs.5.50±0.44,all P<0.05],accompanied by upregulated vascular endothelial cadherin protein expression(vascular endothelial cadherin/GAPDH:0.66±0.03 vs.0.49±0.03,P<0.05)and downregulated vimentin protein expression(vimentin/GAPDH:1.81±0.12 vs.2.47±0.10,P<0.05),indicating that Xiaoqinglong decoction plus Earthworm inhibits the EMT process in endothelial cells by suppressing the activation of the TLR/NF-κB/HIF-1α pathway.Experiments with a TLR agonist further confirmed that activation of the TLR pathway reverses the protective effects of Xiaoqinglong decoction plus Earthworm,as shown by the MPL group compared to the DMSO group having significantly increased protein expression of the p-p65/p65 ratio and HIF-1α[p-p65/p65 ratio:2.17±0.35 vs.1.08±0.14,HIF-1α/GAPDH:3.96±0.25 vs.1.03±0.10,both P<0.05],further decreased vascular endothelial cadherin protein expression(vascular endothelial cadherin/GAPDH:0.66±0.04 vs.0.99±0.02,P<0.05),further increased vimentin protein expression(vimentin/GAPDH:1.53±0.12 vs.0.93±0.07,P<0.05),along with enhanced cell migration capacity[number of migrating cells(per field):176.67±17.50 vs.107.00±11.14;cell migration rate in scratch assay:(34.32±2.82)%vs.(22.71±2.49)%,both P<0.05]and increased proliferation activity(48 hours A value:2.156±0.044 vs.1.810±0.088,P<0.05).Conclusions Xiaoqinglong decoction combined with Pheretima not only significantly reduces pulmonary artery pressure,improves cardiac function and mitigates pulmonary vascular fibrosis in PAH rats,but also alleviates pulmonary vascular remodeling by inhibiting inflammatory responses and EMT.It can further decrease the content of ET-1,increase the level of NO,and ameliorate vascular stenosis.This result further indicates that exterior-relieving medicines exert a significant dilating and supporting effect on the narrowed meridians and collaterals.

Objective:To investigate the effect of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) on acute lung injury in septic mice and its underlying molecular mechanism.Methods:Twenty SPF male C57BL/6J mice aged 6-8 weeks were randomly (random number) divided into the sham-operated group, sham-operated + IGF-1 group, sepsis group and sepsis + IGF-1 group, with 5 mice in each group. IGF-1 [60 μg/(kg·d)] was injected via the tail vein for 3 consecutive days in the sham-operated + IGF-1 group and sepsis + IGF-1 group, and mice in the sham-operated group and sepsis group were injected with an equal volume of saline. The tissue of the upper lobe of the right lung was taken to calculate the wet-to-dry ratio, and the upper lobe of the left lung was subjected to HE staining to analyze pathological changes and evaluate lung injury. The levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum of mice were detected by ELISA. The expression of p-PI3K, PI3K, p-AKT and AKT in lung tissues was determined via Western blotting. The quantitative data with a normal distribution and homogeneity of variance were compared between the two groups by two independent sample t test. Results:Lung volume was reduced in the sepsis group than in the sham-operated group, obvious surface congestion, dark red color, large bruises and hemorrhagic foci were observed under the pericardium, and the wet-to-dry ratio was significantly elevated ( P<0.05). Compared with the sepsis group, the sepsis + IGF-1 group had slightly increased lung volume, less congestion, darker red color, fewer bruises and hemorrhagic foci, and a lower wet-to-dry ratio ( P<0.05). There was no significant change in lung tissue morphology in the sham-operated + IGF-1 group compared with the sham-operated group. HE staining and lung histopathological scores showed that lung tissue was significantly damaged in the sepsis group than the sham-operated group ( P<0.001), and the pathological score of lung tissue was less damaged in the sepsis + IGF-1 group compared with the sepsis group ( P<0.01). The ELISA results demonstrated that the serum levels of IL-6 and IL-1β were markedly decreased in the sepsis + IGF-1 group than in the sepsis group [(26.22±1.60) pg/mL vs. (45.61±7.85) pg/mL, P<0.05; (87.99±11.80) pg/mL vs. (181.26±10.11) pg/mL, P<0.001]. Moreover, the IL-6 and IL-1β contents in the BALF of the sepsis + IGF-1 group were notably lower than those in the BALF of the sepsis group [(7.67±0.42) pg/mL vs. (20.25±0.43) pg/mL, P<0.001; (17.00±6.08) pg/mL vs. (108.61±5.18), pg/mL P <0.001]. Western blot analysis revealed that the expression of p-PI3K, PI3K, p-AKT and AKT in the lung tissues of mice in the sepsis+IGF-1 group were markedly lower than that in the sepsis group [(0.71±0.05) vs. (1.21±0.09), P<0.05; (0.57±0.08) vs. (1.24±0.22), P<0.01; (0.29±0.07) vs. (1.10±0.04), P<0.001; (0.65±0.17) vs. (1.19±0.07), P<0.01]. Conclusion:IGF-1 ameliorates sepsis-induced acute lung injury in mice, and its protective effect may be achieved by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT pathway.

Objective:To analyze the values of platelet transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and SMAD family member 2 (Smad2) in patients′ peripheral platelets for CRC diagnosis and staging.Methods:Retrospective case-control study. Tumor tissues, paratumor tissues and peripheral blood samples were collected from 248 CRC patients (147 males, 101 females; age 21-93 years) diagnosed in the First Hospital of Jilin University from October 10th, 2020, to March 10th, 2025. Peripheral blood samples were also collected from 40 colorectal adenomatous polyp patients (21 males, 19 females; age 22-74 years) and 75 healthy individuals (43 males, 32 females; age 18-81 years) during the same period. Tissue homogenates and platelets were isolated using tissue disruption and gradient centrifugation, respectively. Total RNA was respectively extracted from tissues and platelets, and the expression levels of TGF-β and Smad2 were quantified by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) expressed as relative quantity 2 -ΔΔCt. Differences of TGF-β and Smad2 expression were compared between CRC tissues and adjacent tissues, as well as among CRC patients, polyp patients, and healthy controls. The relationship of platelet TGF-β and Smad2 expression with pathological features includingtumor stage, pathological type, and metastasis were analyzed. The efficiency of platelet TGF-β, Smad2, and their combination in diagnosing CRC was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results:The expression levels of TGF-β and Smad2 in CRC tumor tissues[1.09 (0.45, 2.00), 2.93 (0.78, 6.73)] were significantly higher than those in adjacent tissues[0.81 (0.27, 1.50), 1.29 (0.40, 2.63)] ( Z TGF-β=4.54, Z Smad2=6.67, both P<0.001). The expression levels of TGF-β and Smad2 in platelets of CRC patients[2.73(1.53, 4.38), 3.16 (1.58, 4.38)] were significantly higher than those in the colorectal polyp group[1.23(0.70, 2.54), 1.16(0.78, 2.27)] and the healthy control group[0.96(0.51, 1.88), 0.92 (0.55, 1.88)] ( H TGF-β=59.71, H Smad2=78.74, both P<0.001). Platelet TGF-β expression increased progressively with tumor stage (stage 1-4) ( P<0.05), while platelet Smad2 levels were higher in metastatic CRC compared with non-metastatic cases ( P<0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) for diagnosing CRC when combining platelet TGF-β and Smad2 was 0.81[95%Confidence interval( CI) 0.77—0.86], which was 0.90 (95% CI 0.86—0.93) if adding serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Conclusion:Platelet TGF-β and Smad2 expression correlates with the diagnosis and staging of CRC, demonstrating potential as liquid biopsy biomarkers for colorectal malignancies.

Objective To analyze the role and mechanism of Xiaoqinglong decoction in alleviating the pathological process of pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH),and to observe the effect of Xiaoqinglong decoction on endothelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)in human pulmonary arterial endothelial cell(HPAEC)and the involvement of the Toll-like receptor/nuclear factor-κB/hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(TLR/NF-κB/HIF-1α)pathway in this mechanism.Methods Thirty-six male Sprague Dawley(SD)rats and HPAEC were randomly divided into control group,model group,Xiaoqinglong decoction plus Earthworm group,Bosentan tablet group,dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO)group,and monophosphoryl lipid A(MPL)group.PAH rat models and HPAEC models were established by hypoxic exposure.The Xiaoqinglong decoction plus Earthworm group received intragastric administration Xiaoqinglong decoction plus Earthworm(5 g·kg-1·d-1)or cultured with 10%corresponding drug serum,the Bosentan group received Bosentan(100 mg·kg-1·d-1)by gavage or cultured with 10%corresponding drug serum,the MPL group received 1 μg MPL,and the DMSO group received an equivalent volume of the DMSO and corn oil mixed solvent as a negative control for the MPL group.The hemodynamic parameters,including mean pulmonary arterial pressure(mPAP),right ventricular systolic pressure(RVSP),and the maximum rate of right ventricular pressure(+dp/dt max),were measured via right heart catheterization.After euthanasia,lung and heart tissues were collected to assess the right ventricular hypertrophy index(RVHI);hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining was used to observe the degree of right ventricular cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and to calculate the average intima-media thickness(IMT)in small pulmonary arteries;Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA),CD68,TLR4,NF-κB,HIF-1α,vascular endothelial cadherin,and vimentin;cell counting kit-8(CCK-8),Transwell,and scratch assays were used to observe cell proliferation and migration;Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to measure the levels of interleukins(IL-8,IL-6),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),endothelin-1(ET-1),and nitric oxide(NO).Results Compared with the model group,the Xiaoqinglong decoction plus Earthworm group showed significant reductions in mPAP,RVSP,RVHI,and IMT in PAH rats[mPAP(mmHg,1 mmHg≈0.133 kPa):22.17±1.94 vs.42.00±4.90,RVSP(mmHg):34.67±3.20 vs.52.83±3.76,RVHI:0.402±0.057 vs.0.822±0.101,IMT:(37.85±2.49)%vs.(62.06±4.52)%,all P<0.05],and a significant increase in+dP/dT max(mmHg/s:2 730.83±137.89 vs.1 718.33±148.36,P<0.05).Western blotting and ELISA results showed that compared with the model group,the Xiaoqinglong decoction plus Earthworm group had significantly lower protein expression of PCNA and CD68 in lung tissue,and levels of inflammatory factors(IL-6,IL-8,TNF-α)in rat serum[lung tissue:PCNA protein expression(PCNA/GAPDH)was 1.56±0.08 vs.2.20±0.26,CD68 protein expression(CD68/GAPDH):1.46±0.09 vs.2.60±0.23;serum:IL-8(ng/L)was 39.67±6.28 vs.149.17±7.49,IL-6(ng/L):81.00±6.63 vs.211.00±25.31,TNF-α(ng/L):213.17±24.86 vs.799.50±43.51,all P<0.05].In vitro experiments,compared with the model group,Xiaoqinglong decoction plus Earthworm inhibited abnormal proliferation(A value:2.052±0.087 vs.2.242±0.057,P<0.05)and migration[number of migrating cells(per field):101.33±12.01 vs.226.67±17.56,P<0.05]of HPAEC,and reversed the EMT process,manifested as upregulation of vascular endothelial cadherin protein expression levels(vascular endothelial cadherin/GAPDH:0.39±0.06 vs.0.12±0.03,P<0.05)and downregulation of vimentin protein expression(vimentin/GAPDH:4.96±0.33 vs.7.89±0.44,P<0.05).Western blotting results indicated that compared with the model group,the protein expression levels of TLR4,the ratio of phosphorylated p65 to total p65,and HIF-1α in both lung tissue and HPAEC were significantly reduced in the Xiaoqinglong decoction plus Earthworm group[lung tissue:TLR4 protein expression(TLR4/GAPDH)was 3.13±0.20 vs.4.38±0.30,p-p65/p65 ratio:7.11±0.81 vs.12.73±1.80,HIF-1α protein expression(HIF-1α/GAPDH):2.37±0.32 vs.4.45±0.34;HPAEC:TLR4 protein expression(TLR4/GAPDH)was 1.42±0.03 vs.2.43±0.05,p-p65/p65 ratio:6.01±1.84 vs.11.28±1.06,HIF-1α protein expression(HIF-1α/GAPDH)was 3.24±0.17 vs.5.50±0.44,all P<0.05],accompanied by upregulated vascular endothelial cadherin protein expression(vascular endothelial cadherin/GAPDH:0.66±0.03 vs.0.49±0.03,P<0.05)and downregulated vimentin protein expression(vimentin/GAPDH:1.81±0.12 vs.2.47±0.10,P<0.05),indicating that Xiaoqinglong decoction plus Earthworm inhibits the EMT process in endothelial cells by suppressing the activation of the TLR/NF-κB/HIF-1α pathway.Experiments with a TLR agonist further confirmed that activation of the TLR pathway reverses the protective effects of Xiaoqinglong decoction plus Earthworm,as shown by the MPL group compared to the DMSO group having significantly increased protein expression of the p-p65/p65 ratio and HIF-1α[p-p65/p65 ratio:2.17±0.35 vs.1.08±0.14,HIF-1α/GAPDH:3.96±0.25 vs.1.03±0.10,both P<0.05],further decreased vascular endothelial cadherin protein expression(vascular endothelial cadherin/GAPDH:0.66±0.04 vs.0.99±0.02,P<0.05),further increased vimentin protein expression(vimentin/GAPDH:1.53±0.12 vs.0.93±0.07,P<0.05),along with enhanced cell migration capacity[number of migrating cells(per field):176.67±17.50 vs.107.00±11.14;cell migration rate in scratch assay:(34.32±2.82)%vs.(22.71±2.49)%,both P<0.05]and increased proliferation activity(48 hours A value:2.156±0.044 vs.1.810±0.088,P<0.05).Conclusions Xiaoqinglong decoction combined with Pheretima not only significantly reduces pulmonary artery pressure,improves cardiac function and mitigates pulmonary vascular fibrosis in PAH rats,but also alleviates pulmonary vascular remodeling by inhibiting inflammatory responses and EMT.It can further decrease the content of ET-1,increase the level of NO,and ameliorate vascular stenosis.This result further indicates that exterior-relieving medicines exert a significant dilating and supporting effect on the narrowed meridians and collaterals.

Objective:To analyze the values of platelet transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and SMAD family member 2 (Smad2) in patients′ peripheral platelets for CRC diagnosis and staging.Methods:Retrospective case-control study. Tumor tissues, paratumor tissues and peripheral blood samples were collected from 248 CRC patients (147 males, 101 females; age 21-93 years) diagnosed in the First Hospital of Jilin University from October 10th, 2020, to March 10th, 2025. Peripheral blood samples were also collected from 40 colorectal adenomatous polyp patients (21 males, 19 females; age 22-74 years) and 75 healthy individuals (43 males, 32 females; age 18-81 years) during the same period. Tissue homogenates and platelets were isolated using tissue disruption and gradient centrifugation, respectively. Total RNA was respectively extracted from tissues and platelets, and the expression levels of TGF-β and Smad2 were quantified by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) expressed as relative quantity 2 -ΔΔCt. Differences of TGF-β and Smad2 expression were compared between CRC tissues and adjacent tissues, as well as among CRC patients, polyp patients, and healthy controls. The relationship of platelet TGF-β and Smad2 expression with pathological features includingtumor stage, pathological type, and metastasis were analyzed. The efficiency of platelet TGF-β, Smad2, and their combination in diagnosing CRC was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results:The expression levels of TGF-β and Smad2 in CRC tumor tissues[1.09 (0.45, 2.00), 2.93 (0.78, 6.73)] were significantly higher than those in adjacent tissues[0.81 (0.27, 1.50), 1.29 (0.40, 2.63)] ( Z TGF-β=4.54, Z Smad2=6.67, both P<0.001). The expression levels of TGF-β and Smad2 in platelets of CRC patients[2.73(1.53, 4.38), 3.16 (1.58, 4.38)] were significantly higher than those in the colorectal polyp group[1.23(0.70, 2.54), 1.16(0.78, 2.27)] and the healthy control group[0.96(0.51, 1.88), 0.92 (0.55, 1.88)] ( H TGF-β=59.71, H Smad2=78.74, both P<0.001). Platelet TGF-β expression increased progressively with tumor stage (stage 1-4) ( P<0.05), while platelet Smad2 levels were higher in metastatic CRC compared with non-metastatic cases ( P<0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) for diagnosing CRC when combining platelet TGF-β and Smad2 was 0.81[95%Confidence interval( CI) 0.77—0.86], which was 0.90 (95% CI 0.86—0.93) if adding serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Conclusion:Platelet TGF-β and Smad2 expression correlates with the diagnosis and staging of CRC, demonstrating potential as liquid biopsy biomarkers for colorectal malignancies.

Aim To investigate the serum levels of thrombin-antithrombin complex(TAT),tissue type plas-minogen activator-inhibitor complex(t-PAIC)and thrombomodulin(TM)in patients with intracranial atherosclerotic steno-sis(ICAS),and their correlations with the degree of stenosis.Methods A total of 196 ICAS patients(ICAS group)who underwent treatment in Cangzhou People's Hospital from January 2021 to February 2023 were enrolled as research sub-jects.Based on the degree of vascular stenosis,they were separated into three groups:mild group(n=78),moderate group(n.=64),and severe group(n=54).A group of 196 healthy outpatient with similar clinical basic data to ICAS patients was selected as controls.The serum levels of TAT,t-PAIC,and TM in each group were compared;Spearman method was applied to analyze the correlation between serum levels of TAT,t-PAIC,TM and stenosis severity in ICAS pa-tients;Multivariate Logistic regression was applied to analyze the influencing factors of severe stenosis in ICAS patients;ROC curve was applied to analyze the predictive value of serum TAT,t-PAIC,TM and total cholesterol(TC)levels for se-vere stenosis in ICAS patients.Results Compared with the control group,the serum levels of TAT,t-PAIC,and TM were significantly increased in the ICAS group(P＜0.05);the levels of serum TAT,t-PAIC,TM,and TC in the mild,moderate,and severe groups increased accordingly(P＜0.05).Spearman analysis showed that the serum levels of TAT,t-PAIC,and TM in ICAS patients were positively correlated with the degree of stenosis(r=0.574,0.695,0.628;all P＜0.05).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that TAT,t-PAIC,TM,and TC were independent risk factors for severe stenosis in ICAS patients(P＜0.05).The ROC curve showed that the AUC of severe stenosis in ICAS patients predicted by combination of TAT,t-PAIC,TM,and TC was 0.927,with a sensitivity of 83.33％and a specificity of 86.62％,which was superior to the independent prediction of TAT,t-PAIC,TM and TC(Zcombined detection-TAT=4.617,Zcombined deteetion-t-PAIC=4.024,Zcombined detection-TM=4.004,Zcombined detection-TC=7.078,all P=0.000).Conclusion The ser-um levels of TAT,t-PAIC,and TM in the ICAS group were significantly increased,and were positively correlated with the severity of stenosis.The combination of the three and TC has a high predictive value for the occurrence of severe stenosis in ICAS patients.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical application of urine sediment score (USS) in early diagnosis, etiological differentiation, staging and prognosis of acute kidney injury (AKI), and to investigate the diagnostic efficacy of independent USS and its combination with blood urea nitrogen(Bun) serum creatinine(sCr) and uric acid(UA) in AKI.Methods:From August 23 to September 28, 2023, 9 020 morning urine samples of hospitalized patients in the First Hospital of Jilin University were detected by Sysmex UF5000.A total of 3 226 ssamples with small and round cell (SRC) > 1/μl and/or CAST>1/μl were screened for microscopic examination, and 404 cases with positive renal tubular epithelial cells and/or cast were enrolled in this study. There were 218 males and 186 females, aged 59.5 (49.0, 71.0) years. The 404 cases were divided into the USS AKI group (345 cases) and the USS non-AKI group (59 cases) according to the USS results based on the microscopic findings. According to Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria, they were divided into KDIGO criteria AKI group (63 cases) and KDIGO criteria non-AKI group (341 cases), and the AKI group was divided into renal AKI group (33 cases) and non-renal AKI group (30 cases). According to the clinical diagnosis recorded in the medical records, they were divided into clinically diagnosed AKI group (29 cases) and clinically diagnosed non-AKI group (375 cases).The χ 2 test or Fisher exact test was used to compare USS in different AKI causes and stages. Logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio of renal AKI and stage 3 AKI. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of USS, sCr, UA and Bun alone and in combination in the diagnosis of AKI, and the best cut-off value, sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of AKI were calculated. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:The USS was used to identify the etiology of KDIGO standard AKI group,and there were significant differences in USS between renal AKI group and non-renal AKI group (χ 2=11.070, P<0.001). Compared to USS=1, the odds ratio of renal AKI was 8.125 when USS≥2 (95% CI 2.208—29.901). There was a statistically significant difference in the comparison of USS between groups in each stage of the AKI staging study based on USS (χ 2=15.724, P<0.05). Compared to USS=1, the odds ratio of stage 3 AKI was 9.714 when USS≥2 (95% CI 1.145-82.390). The AUC of independent USS in the diagnosis of AKI was 0.687 (95% CI 0.618-0.757, P<0.001), the specificity was 65.7% and the sensitivity was 61.9%. The AUC of USS combined with Bun, sCr, UA in the diagnosis of AKI was 0.794 (95% CI 0.608-0.980, P<0.05), the specificity was 82.4%, and the sensitivity was 88.9%. Conclusions:There wasan increased likelihood of renal AKI or stage 3 AKI while USS≥2,and whose combination with Bun, sCr and UA will improve the diagnostic efficiency of AKI.

Antibody-drug conjugates(ADCs)are commonly heterogeneous and require extensive assessment of exposure-efficacy and exposure-safety relationships in preclinical and clinical studies.In this study,we report the generation of a monoclonal antibody against monomethyl auristatin E(MMAE)and the development,validation,and application of sensitive and high-throughput enzyme-linked immunosor-bent assays(ELISA)to measure the concentrations of MMAE-conjugated ADCs and total antibodies(tAb,antibodies in ADC plus unconjugated antibodies)in cynomolgus monkey sera.These assays were suc-cessfully applied to in vitro plasma stability and pharmacokinetic(PK)studies of SMADC001,an MMAE-conjugated ADC against trophoblast cell surface antigen 2(TROP-2).The plasma stability of SMADC001 was better than that of similar ADCs coupled with PEG4-Val-Cit,Lys(m-dPEG24)-Cit,and Val-Cit linkers.The developed ELISA methods for the calibration standards of ADC and tAb revealed a correlation be-tween serum concentrations and the OD450 values,with R2 at 1.000,and the dynamic range was 0.3-35.0 ng/mL and 0.2-22.0 ng/mL,respectively;the intra-and inter-assay accuracy bias％ranged from-12.2％to-5.2％,precision ranged from-12.4％to-1.4％,and the relative standard deviation(RSD)was less than 6.6％and 8.7％,respectively.The total error was less than 20.4％.The development and validation steps of these two assays met the acceptance criteria for all addressed validation parameters,which suggested that these can be applied to quantify MMAE-conjugated ADCs,as well as in PK studies.Furthermore,these assays can be easily adopted for development of other similar immunoassays.

Objective:To investigate the surgical indications of gallbladder polyps.Methods:The retrospective case-control study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 2 272 patients with gallbladder polyps who underwent cholecystectomy in 11 medical centers from January 2015 to December 2019 were collected, including 585 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi′an Jiaotong University, 352 in No. 215 Hospital of Shaanxi Nuclear Industry, 332 in the First People′s Hospital of Xianyang, 233 in Shaanxi Provincial People′s Hospital, 152 in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi′an Jiaotong University, 138 in Xianyang Hospital of Yan′an University, 137 in People′s Hospital of Baoji, 125 in Hanzhong Central Hospital, 95 in Baoji Central Hospital, 72 in Ankang Central Hospital, 51 in Yulin No.2 Hospital. There were 887 males and 1 385 females, aged (48±12)years, with a range from 12 to 86 years. Observation indicators: (1) surgical treatment, pathological examination and hospitalization; (2) follow-up and complications; (3) comparison of clinicopathological data between patients with non-neoplastic polyps and neoplastic polyps; (4) comparison of clinicopathological data among patients who had gallbladder polyp diameter of 7 to 9 mm, 10 to 12 mm, or ≥13 mm without cholecystolithiasis; (5) analysis of influence factors for the incidence of neoplastic polyps in patients who had gallbladder polyp diameter of 10 to 12 mm without cholecystolithiasis; (6) construction and evaluation of nomogram prediction model for neoplastic polyps of patients who had gallbladder polyp diameter of 10 to 12 mm without cholecystolithiasis. Follow-up using outpatient examination or telephone interview was conducted to detect complications and survival of patients up to April 2020. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and comparison between groups was analyzed using the t test. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M (range), and comparison between groups was analyzed using the rank-sum test. Ordinal data was analyzed using the rank-sum test of multi-samples. Analysis of influence factors for the incidence of neoplastic polyps was conducted after excluding missing data of CEA and CA19-9. Univariate analysis was conducted using the chi-square test or rank-sum test of multi-samples, and multivariate analysis was conducted using Logistic regression model. Based on Logistic regression model multivariate analysis, the nomogram prediction model was constructed using the R 3.6.0 version software. Results:(1) Surgical treatment, pathological examination and hospitalization: of the 2 272 patients, 2 199 cases underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy, 43 cases underwent open cholecystectomy, 28 cases underwent radical resection for gallbladder carcinoma, and 2 cases underwent laparoscopic gallbladder preservation and polypectomy. There were 1 050 of the 2 272 patients undergoing intraoperative frozen section examination. Results of pathological examination showed that 1 953 of the 2 272 patients had non-neoplastic polyps including 1 681 cases with cholesterol polyps and 272 cases with inflammatory polyps; 319 cases had neoplastic polyps including 274 with benign polyps (93 cases with adenoma, 66 cases with adenomyoma, 81 cases with adenoma-like hyperplasia, 34 cases with adenoma combined with intraepithelial neoplasia); and 45 cases had malignant polyps including 43 cases with adenocarcinoma, 1 case with adenosquamous carcinoma and 1 case with sarcomatoid carcinoma. The duration of postoperative hospital stay of 2 272 patients was 3 days(range, 1 to 27 days). (2) Follow-up and complications: of the 2 272 patients, 1 932 were followed up for 3.5 to 63.5 months, with a median follow-up time of 31.0 months. During the follow-up, 180 patients had short-term complications and 170 patients had long-term complications. (3) Comparison of clinicopathological data between patients with non-neoplastic polyps and neoplastic polyps: cases with age ≤50 years or >50 years, cases with time from first discovery of polyp to operation <1 year, 1-3 years, >3 years and ≤5 years or >5 years, CEA, CA19-9, CA125, cases with single or multiple polyps in preoperative ultrasonography examination, cases with diameter of polyps in preoperative ultrasonography examination as 1-6 mm, 7-9 mm, 10-12 mm or ≥13 mm, cases with pedicled or broad based polyp wall in preoperative ultrasonography examination, cases with polyp morphology in preoperative ultrasono-graphy examination as nodular, papillary, globular or mulberry-like, cases undergoing or not undergoing intraoperative frozen section examination, cases with diameter of polyps in postoperative pathological examination as 1-6 mm, 7-9 mm, 10-12 mm or ≥13 mm, cases with gallbladder wall thickness in postoperative pathological examination as ≤4 mm or >4 mm of the 1 953 patients with non-neoplastic polyps were 1 118, 835, 1 027, 422, 230, 274, 2.0 mg/L(range, 0.2-8.6 mg/L), 14.5 U/mL(range, 2.6-116.4 U/mL), 10.5 U/mL(range, 1.2-58.7 U/mL), 658, 1 295, 674, 741, 413, 125, 1 389, 564, 407, 1 119, 292, 135, 832, 1 121, 698, 774, 385, 96, 1 719, 234, respectively. The above indicators of the 319 patients with neoplastic polyps were 160, 159, 204, 55, 26, 34, 2.9 mg/L(range, 0.2-28.8 mg/L), 19.7 U/mL(range, 3.5-437.1 U/mL), 15.0 U/mL(range, 1.0-945.0 U/mL), 203, 116, 49, 59, 100, 111, 154, 165, 92, 153, 49, 25, 218, 101, 53, 85, 90, 91, 263, 56, respectively. There were significant differences in the above indicators between the non-neoplastic polyps and neoplastic polyps patients ( χ2=5.599, Z=-3.668, -2.407, -3.023, -3.403, χ2=104.474, Z=-13.367, χ2=65.676, 12.622, 73.075, Z=-11.874, χ2=7.649, P<0.05). (4) Comparison of clinicopathological data among patients who had gallbladder polyp diameter of 7 to 9 mm, 10 to 12 mm, or ≥13 mm without cholecystolithiasis: after excluding 311 of the 2 272 patients with cholecystolithiasis, there were 706 cases with gallbladder polyp diameter of 7 to 9 mm, 459 cases with gallbladder polyp diameter of 10 to 12 mm, and 205 cases with gallbladder polyp diameter ≥13 mm, respectively. Cases with time from first discovery of polyp to operation <1 year, 1-3 years, >3 years and ≤5 years or >5 years, CEA, CA19-9, cases with single or multiple polyps in preoperative ultrasonography examination, cases with pedicled or broad based polyp wall in preoperative ultrasonography examination, cases with polyp morphology in preoperative ultrasonography examination as nodular, papillary, globular or mulberry-like, cases with echo intensity of preoperative ultrasonography examination as slightly strong, medium or weak, cases undergoing or not undergoing intraoperative frozen section examination, and cases with pathological types of polyps as non-neoplastic polyps, benign polyps or malignant polyps of the 706 patients with gallbladder polyp diameter of 7 to 9 mm were 291, 170, 107, 138, 2.2 mg/L(range, 0.5-8.6 mg/L), 21.0 U/mL(range, 2.8-116.4 U/mL), 207, 499, 620, 86, 118, 463, 75, 50, 252, 410, 44, 379, 327, 657, 49, 0, respectively. The above indicators of the 459 patients with gallbladder polyp diameter of 10 to 12 mm were 267, 85, 43, 64, 1.6 mg/L(range, 0.4-9.3 mg/L), 10.4 U/mL(range, 3.3-354.0 U/mL), 205, 254, 237, 222, 158, 223, 51, 27, 222, 213, 24, 263, 196, 373, 79, 7, respectively. The above indicators of the 205 patients with gallbladder polyp diameter ≥13 mm were 128, 38, 20, 19, 2.1 mg/L(range, 0.6-28.8 mg/L), 10.2 U/mL(range, 3.6-307.0 U/mL), 120, 85, 75, 130, 68, 97, 22, 18, 98, 95, 12, 148, 57, 113, 71, 21, respectively. There were significant differences in the above indicators among patients who had gallbladder polyp diameter of 7 to 9 mm, 10 to 12 mm, or ≥ 13 mm ( χ2=46.482, 8.093, 39.504, 66.971, 277.043, 60.945, 19.672, 22.340, 197.854, P<0.05). (5) Analysis of influence factors for the incidence of neoplastic polyps in patients who had gallbladder polyp diameter of 10 to 12 mm without cholecystolithiasis: of the 459 patients who had gallbladder polyp diameter of 10 to 12 mm without cholecystolithiasis, there were 373 cases with non-neoplastic polyps, and 86 cases with neoplastic polyps, respectively. Results of univariate analysis showed that CEA, CA19-9, the number of polyps in preoperative ultrasonography examination, diameter of polyps in preoperative ultrasonography examination, polyp wall in preoperative ultrasonography examination were influence factors for the incidence of neoplastic polyps in patients who had gallbladder polyp diameter of 10 to 12 mm without cholecystolithiasis ( χ2=10.342, 5.616, 20.009, Z=-4.352, χ2=6.203, P<0.05). Results of multivariate analysis showed that CEA>5.0 mg/L, CA19-9>39.0 U/mL, single polyp in preoperative ultrasonography examination, polyp diameter of 11 mm in preoperative ultrasonography examination, polyps of broad base in preoperative ultrasonography examination were independent risk factors for the incidence of neoplastic polyps in patients who had gallbladder polyp diameter of 10 to 12 mm without cholecystolithiasis ( odds ratio=8.423, 0.082, 0.337, 3.694, 2.318, 95% confidence interval: 1.547-45.843, 0.015-0.443, 0.198-0.575, 1.987-6.866, 1.372-3.916, P<0.05). (6) Construction and evaluation of nomogram prediction model for neoplastic polyps of patients who had gallbladder polyp diameter of 10 to 12 mm without cholecystolithiasis: CEA, CA19-9, the number of polyps in preoperative ultrasonography examination, diameter of polyps in preoperative ultrasonography examination, polyp wall in preoperative ultrasonography examination were imported into R 3.6.0 version software to establish the nomogram prediction model for neoplastic polyps. The results showed the score for CEA>5.0 mg/L, CA19-9>39.0 U/mL, cases with single polyp in preoperative ultrasonography examination, cases with polyp diameter of 10 mm in preoperative ultrasonography examination, cases with polyp diameter of 11 mm in preoperative ultrasonography examination, cases with polyp diameter of 12 mm in preoperative ultrasonography examination, polyps of broad base in preoperative ultrasonography examination were 25, 27, 100, 0, 26, 72, 98 in the nomogram prediction model, respectively. The C-index of nomogram prediction model was 0.768. Result of nomogram prediction model showed that the incidence of tumor polyps was 0, 6% and 10% in patients with multiple and pedicled gallbladder polyps with diameter of 10, 11, 12 mm and with CEA ≤5.0 mg/L and CA19-9 ≤39.0 U/mL, the incidence of tumor polyps was 43%, 53% and 70% in patients with single and broad base gallbladder polyps with diameter of 10, 11, 12 mm. The calibration curve showed that the probability of the nomogram prediction model predicting neoplastic polyps was nearly consistent with the actual probability. Conclusions:CEA>5.0 mg/L, CA19-9>39.0 U/mL, single polyp in preoperative ultrasonography examination, polyp diameter of 11 mm in preoperative ultrasonography examination, polyps of broad base in preoperative ultrasonography examination are independent risk factors for the incidence of neoplastic polyps in patients who had gallbladder polyp diameter of 10 to 12 mm without cholecystolithiasis. Cholecystectomy should be performed in time for patients with single and broad based gallbladder polyps with diameter of 10, 11, 12 mm.

Objective To explore the image quality and radiation dose for coronary angiography using DSCT (dual-source computed tomography) under lower tube voltage and lower contrast agent concentration ('double low').Methods A total of 160 patients with suspected coronary artery disease underwent dual-source CCTA.80 patients (BMI ＜ 25 kg/m2) were randomly assigned to group A (270 mg I/ml-80 kV) and B (350 mg I/ml-120 kV).The other 80 patients (25 ≤ BMI ＜30 kg/m2) were randomly assigned to group C (270 mg I/ml-100 kV) and D (350 mg I/ml-120 kV),sonogram affirmed iterative reconstruction technology and 270 mg I/ml contrast agent were applied to group A and C ; FBP technology and 350 mg I/ml contrast agent were applied to group B and D.Adaptive cardio-sequence prospective ECG-gated technology was applied in all patients,while the acquisition phase was 65％-75％ RR interval (when heart rate ＜ 75 beats / min) or 40％-50％ RR interval at when heart rate ≥ 75 beats/min.Volume CT dose index (CTDIvol),dose length product (DLP),effective dose (E),size specific dose estimates (SSDE),image noise,CT value,signal-to-noise ratio (SNR),and contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR) were all evaluated for each patient.Results There was not statistical difference in scan length among groups A and B,C and D.There was statistical difference in tube current between group A and B (t =8.932,P ＜0.05).There was not statistical difference in tube current between group C and D (tCD =-1.212,P ＞ 0.05).There was statistical difference in CTDIvol,DLP,E and SSDE between group A and B,C and D (tCTDIvol =-16.141,-11.440 ; tDLP =-17.454,-10.521 ; t =-17.444,-10.523 ;tSSDE =-13.032,-9.119,P ＜0.05).Compared to group B,the SSDE in group A decreased by 64.4％.Compared to group D,the SSDE in group C decreased by 39.3％.There was no statistical difference in image noise between group A and B,C and D (P ＞ 0.05).There was statistical difference in CT value,SNR and CNR between group A and B (t =0.436,4.623,3.272,P ＜ 0.05).There was no statistical difference in CT value and CNR between group C and D,while there was statistical difference in SNR between group C and D (t =2.981,P ＜0.05).There was no statistical difference in image quality scores between group A and B,C and D (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion Compared with conventional DSCT coronary angiography,'double low' DSCT coronary scanning solution can significantly reduce the radiation dose and contrast agent,and could provide the effective coronary images which meet the clinical diagnostic needs.