BACKGROUND: The available evidence regarding the benefits of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on patients receiving dialysis with coronary artery disease (CAD) is limited and inconsistent. This study aimed to evaluate the association between PCI and clinical outcomes as compared with medical therapy alone in patients undergoing dialysis with CAD in China. METHODS: This multicenter, retrospective study was conducted in 30 tertiary medical centers across 12 provinces in China from January 2015 to June 2021 to include patients on dialysis with CAD. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and non-fatal stroke. Secondary outcomes included all-cause death, the individual components of MACE, and Bleeding Academic Research Consortium criteria types 2, 3, or 5 bleeding. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the association between PCI and outcomes. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) and propensity score matching (PSM) were performed to account for potential between-group differences. RESULTS: Of the 1146 patients on dialysis with significant CAD, 821 (71.6%) underwent PCI. After a median follow-up of 23.0 months, PCI was associated with a 43.0% significantly lower risk for MACE (33.9% [ n  = 278] vs . 43.7% [ n  = 142]; adjusted hazards ratio 0.57, 95% confidence interval 0.45-0.71), along with a slightly increased risk for bleeding outcomes that did not reach statistical significance (11.1% vs . 8.3%; adjusted hazards ratio 1.31, 95% confidence interval, 0.82-2.11). Furthermore, PCI was associated with a significant reduction in all-cause and cardiovascular mortalities. Subgroup analysis did not modify the association of PCI with patient outcomes. These primary findings were consistent across IPTW, PSM, and competing risk analyses. CONCLUSION This study indicated that PCI in patients on dialysis with CAD was significantly associated with lower MACE and mortality when comparing with those with medical therapy alone, albeit with a slightly increased risk for bleeding events that did not reach statistical significance.
Humans ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Coronary Artery Disease/drug therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Renal Dialysis/methods* ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; China ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Treatment Outcome

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) can lead to organ dysfunction and tissue necrosis in the liver, kidney, myocardium and spinal cord, and there is currently a lack of effective treatment options. Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (HUC-MSC) and their derivatives have anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, reactive oxygen species scavenging, mitochondrial and endothelial function improvement properties, and are ideal gene therapy carrier cells, providing new possibilities for the treatment of IRI in different organs. This article reviews the concept and mechanisms of IRI, the biological characteristics of HUC-MSC and their derivatives and their comparison with mesenchymal stem cells from other sources, and the mechanisms of HUC-MSC in treating IRI in different organs. It also summarizes and analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of HUC-MSC in protecting different organs from IRI, and prospects future research directions to explore more valuable research paths.

Objective:To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of pancreatic cancer (PC) patients with fatty pancreas (FP).Methods:The retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 116 patients with PC who underwent surgery at Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from January 2013 to January 2022 were collected. There were 85 males and 31 females, aged 60(54,65)years. Observation indicators: (1) clinicopathological characteristics of PC patients with FP; (2) influencing factors for FP in PC patients; (3) prognosis of PC patients with FP. Comparison of count data between groups was conducted using the Pearson chi-square test. Multivariate analysis was conducted using the Logistic regression model. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot survival curve and calculate survival rate, and Cox proportional hazard model was used for survival analysis.Results:(1) Clinicopathological characteristics of PC patients with FP. Of the 116 PC patients, there were 43 cases with FP and 73 cases without FP. Cases with tumor location at pancreatic head were 36 in PC patients with FP and 46 in PC patients without FP. Cases with tumor location at pancreatic body or tail were 7 in PC patients with FP and 27 in PC patients without FP. Cases with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ≥1.04 mmol/L were 14 in PC patients with FP and 34 in PC patients without FP. Cases with dyslipidemia were 33 in PC patients with FP and 36 in PC patients without FP. There were significant differences in tumor location, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and plasma lipid between PC patients with and without FP ( χ2=5.600, 4.588, 5.165, P<0.05). (2) Influencing factors for FP in PC patients. Results of multivariate analysis showed that no correlation was found between tumor location, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, plasma lipid and FP in PC patients ( P>0.05). (3) Prognosis of PC patients with FP. Eighty of the 116 PC patients were followed up for 30.8(15.1,57.5)months, with the median overall survival time of 24.0 months. Among them, 54 patients with FP had a median overall survival time of 19.5 months, 26 patients without FP had a median overall survival time of 24.6 months, showing no significant difference in survival between them ( hazard ratio=1.031, P>0.05). Conclusions:There are differ-ences in tumor location, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and plasma lipid between PC patients with and without FP, but no correlation is found between the above indicators and FP in PC patients. There is no significant difference in prognosis between patients with and without FP.

Objective:To investigate the gut microbiota and metabolic profiles of patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD), and to identify potential microbial biomarkers with diagnostic values.Methods:A total of 16 NMOSD patients, 6 MOGAD patients, and 22 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were recruited from Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology since June 2024. Fecal samples were subjected to metagenomic sequencing and untargeted metabolomics. Differential microbes were identified using LEfSe (linear discriminant analysis effect size), and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to evaluate diagnostic potential. Spearman correlation analysis was used to assess relationships between key microbes, metabolites, and serum antibody titers.Results:Distinct alterations in gut microbiota were observed in both disease groups compared with healthy controls. Ligilactobacillus salivarius was significantly enriched in both NMOSD and MOGAD patients and exhibited robust diagnostic accuracy (area under the curve=0.779 P=0.005). Metabolomics revealed that levels of ethosuximide and lysine-proline were elevated, while free fatty acids (15∶1) and 5, 6-dihydrothymine were reduced in the disease groups. Analysis results indicated that Ligilactobacillus salivarius abundance was positively correlated with aquaporin 4 antibody titers in NMOSD patients ( r=0.522, P=0.046). Conclusions:Patients with NMOSD and MOGAD have characteristic alterations in gut microbial and metabolic profiles.

In protein engineering, while computational models are increasingly used to predict mutation effects, their evaluations primarily rely on high-throughput deep mutational scanning (DMS) experiments that use surrogate readouts, which may not adequately capture the complex biochemical properties of interest. Many proteins and their functions cannot be assessed through high-throughput methods due to technical limitations or the nature of the desired properties, and this is particularly true for the real industrial application scenario. Therefore, the desired testing datasets, will be small-size (∼10-100) experimental data for each protein, and involve as many proteins as possible and as many properties as possible, which is, however, lacking. Here, we present VenusMutHub, a comprehensive benchmark study using 905 small-scale experimental datasets curated from published literature and public databases, spanning 527 proteins across diverse functional properties including stability, activity, binding affinity, and selectivity. These datasets feature direct biochemical measurements rather than surrogate readouts, providing a more rigorous assessment of model performance in predicting mutations that affect specific molecular functions. We evaluate 23 computational models across various methodological paradigms, such as sequence-based, structure-informed and evolutionary approaches. This benchmark provides practical guidance for selecting appropriate prediction methods in protein engineering applications where accurate prediction of specific functional properties is crucial.

Microwave thermochemotherapy (MTC) has been applied to treat lip squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), but a deeper understanding of its therapeutic mechanisms and molecular biology is needed. To address this, we used single-cell transcriptomics (scRNA-seq) and spatial transcriptomics (ST) to highlight the pivotal role of tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) among tumor-infiltrating immune cells and their therapeutic response to MTC. MNDA⁺ TANs with anti-tumor activity (N1-phenotype) are found to be abundantly infiltrated by MTC with benefit of increased blood perfusion, and these TANs are characterized by enhanced cytotoxicity, ameliorated hypoxia, and upregulated IL1B, activating T&NK cells and fibroblasts via IL1B-IL1R. In this highly anti-tumor immunogenic and hypoxia-reversed microenvironment under MTC, fibroblasts accumulated in the tumor front (TF) can recruit N1-TANs via CXCL2-CXCR2 and clear N2-TANs (pro-tumor phenotype) via CXCL12-CXCR4, which results in the aggregation of N1-TANs and extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition. In addition, we construct an N1-TANs marker, MX2, which positively correlates with better prognosis in LSCC patients, and employ deep learning techniques to predict expression of MX2 from hematoxylin-eosin (H&E)-stained images so as to conveniently guide decision making in clinical practice. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that the N1-TANs/fibroblasts defense wall formed in response to MTC effectively combat LSCC.
Humans ; Neutrophils/metabolism* ; Single-Cell Analysis ; Lip Neoplasms/genetics* ; Hyperthermia, Induced/methods* ; Microwaves/therapeutic use* ; Transcriptome ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/immunology* ; Tumor Microenvironment

Objective:This study aimed to evaluate whether intra-articular delivery of conditioned medium(CM)derived from stem cells of human exfoliated deciduous teeth(SHED)could influence the progression of condylar cartilage degeneration in a rat model of temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis(TMJ OA).Methods:Sixty 8-week-old male SD rats were randomly divided into control group(CON group),intraarticular injection of MIA induced TMJ OA model group(MIA group),and injection of SHED condi-tioned medium 1 week after MIA modeling for treatment group(SHED-CM group),with 20 animals in each group.Histological sec-tions,HE,Safranine O-solid green staining,Col Ⅱ immunohistochemical staining,and TUNEL staining were performed 2 and 4 weeks after the start of treatment.Western blotting and RT-qPCR were used to detect the key molecules of apoptosis,cleaved-CASP3,BAX and BCL2,pro-inflammatory related factors IL-1β,IL-6,TNFα,MMP3,ADAMTS5,and the MAPK pathway-related molecules p-ERK,ERK,p-P38 and P38.Results:Compared with the CON group and SHED-CM group,the condyle chondrocytes in the MIA group had disordered arrange-ment,interrupted layers,significantly thickened fibrous layers(P＜0.001),and significantly increased Mankin's OA histological score(P＜0.001).In the MIA group,both the Safranin O-positive area ratio and the proportion of ColⅡ-positive regions were markedly reduced compared with the CON and SHED-CM groups(P＜0.001).Conversely,the proportion of TUNEL-positive cells was substantially higher than in the other two groups(both P＜0.001).Western blot analysis further demonstrated that apoptotic markers(cleaved-CASP3,BAX/BCL2)and MAPK pathway-related proteins(p-ERK,ERK,p-P38,P38)were expressed at significantly elevated levels in the MIA group relative to CON and SHED-CM groups(BAX/BCL2:P＜0.05;cleaved-CASP3:P＜0.01;p-P38/P38:P＜0.001;p-ERK/ERK:P＜0.01).Similarly,qRT-PCR revealed upregulated expression of inflammatory mediators,including IL-1 β(P＜0.001),IL-6(P＜0.01),TNFα(P＜0.01),MMP3(P＜0.001),and ADAMTS5(P＜0.05),in the MIA group compared with the CON and SHED-CM groups.Conclusion:SHED-CM treatment can ef-fectively reverse MIA-induced condylar cartilage degeneration of TMJ OA in rats.

This study compared the clinical characteristics of brucellosis,tuberculosis,and their co-infections,to improve dif-ferential diagnosis and disease management.A retrospective analysis was conducted on 41 patients with brucellosis,38 co-infected pa-tients,and 95 patients with tuberculosis admitted to Beijing Chest Hospital,Capital Medical University,between January 2017 and December 2024.Clinical manifestations,laboratory findings,and complications were analyzed statistically.Brucellosis and tuberculo-sis shared clinical similarities,such as presentation with prolonged fever.However,patients with brucellosis tended to exhibit muscle pain,night sweats,and loss of appetite,whereas patients with tuberculosis frequently presented with cough,sputum production,and lymphadenopathy.Co-infected patients had a higher fever incidence,and elevated hs-CRP and ESR levels.Whereas spinal spondyli-tis was more frequent in brucellosis,pulmonary infections and pleural effusion were predominant in tuberculosis.Co-infected patients exhibited characteristics of both diseases,and showed more severe systemic inflammation and prolonged illness.In conclusion,al-though elevated hs-CRP and ESR might aid in differentiation,pathogen detection is crucial for accurate diagnosis.Strengthening screening in patients with persistent fever and systemic inflammation may improve early identification,optimize treatment,and en-hance outcomes.

Objective:This study aimed to evaluate whether intra-articular delivery of conditioned medium(CM)derived from stem cells of human exfoliated deciduous teeth(SHED)could influence the progression of condylar cartilage degeneration in a rat model of temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis(TMJ OA).Methods:Sixty 8-week-old male SD rats were randomly divided into control group(CON group),intraarticular injection of MIA induced TMJ OA model group(MIA group),and injection of SHED condi-tioned medium 1 week after MIA modeling for treatment group(SHED-CM group),with 20 animals in each group.Histological sec-tions,HE,Safranine O-solid green staining,Col Ⅱ immunohistochemical staining,and TUNEL staining were performed 2 and 4 weeks after the start of treatment.Western blotting and RT-qPCR were used to detect the key molecules of apoptosis,cleaved-CASP3,BAX and BCL2,pro-inflammatory related factors IL-1β,IL-6,TNFα,MMP3,ADAMTS5,and the MAPK pathway-related molecules p-ERK,ERK,p-P38 and P38.Results:Compared with the CON group and SHED-CM group,the condyle chondrocytes in the MIA group had disordered arrange-ment,interrupted layers,significantly thickened fibrous layers(P＜0.001),and significantly increased Mankin's OA histological score(P＜0.001).In the MIA group,both the Safranin O-positive area ratio and the proportion of ColⅡ-positive regions were markedly reduced compared with the CON and SHED-CM groups(P＜0.001).Conversely,the proportion of TUNEL-positive cells was substantially higher than in the other two groups(both P＜0.001).Western blot analysis further demonstrated that apoptotic markers(cleaved-CASP3,BAX/BCL2)and MAPK pathway-related proteins(p-ERK,ERK,p-P38,P38)were expressed at significantly elevated levels in the MIA group relative to CON and SHED-CM groups(BAX/BCL2:P＜0.05;cleaved-CASP3:P＜0.01;p-P38/P38:P＜0.001;p-ERK/ERK:P＜0.01).Similarly,qRT-PCR revealed upregulated expression of inflammatory mediators,including IL-1 β(P＜0.001),IL-6(P＜0.01),TNFα(P＜0.01),MMP3(P＜0.001),and ADAMTS5(P＜0.05),in the MIA group compared with the CON and SHED-CM groups.Conclusion:SHED-CM treatment can ef-fectively reverse MIA-induced condylar cartilage degeneration of TMJ OA in rats.

Objective:To explore the effectiveness of nursing based on the Roy model in patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) .Methods:Convenience sampling was used to select 55 patients with GBS at the First People's Hospital of Shangqiu between January 2020 and May 2024 as study subjects. Patients were divided into an intervention group ( n=28) and a control group ( n=27). Control group received conventional nursing, while intervention group received nursing based on Roy adaptation model. The recovery time, psychological state, and social support of the two groups of patients were compared. Results:Intervention group demonstrated shorter recovery times, lower anxiety and depression scores, and higher Social Support Rating Scale scores compared to control group, with all differences being statistically significant ( P<0.05) . Conclusions:The Roy model nursing in this study of GBS patients, effectively improves recovery outcomes, psychological state, and social support among GBS patients through comprehensive assessment, personalized nursing intervention, and ongoing evaluation.