Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of vericiguat combined with the new"Quadruple Therapy"for treating heart failure with reduced ejection fraction(HFrEF)and to explore its impact on left ventricular reverse remodeling(LVRR)in patients with different baseline characteristics.Methods A total of 87 patients with chronic heart failure treated with vericiguat at the Department of Cardiology,Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from June 2022 to March 2024,were consecutively enrolled as the observation group.These patients were matched at 1:1 by age,sex,and left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)with 87 patients who received the standard quadruple therapy without vericiguat as the control group.Propensity score matching was used to further balance confounding factors,resulting in 64 patients in each group for final analysis.Changes in echocardiographic parameters,liver and kidney function,electrolyte levels,and blood pressure were analyzed at baseline and during the 6-month follow-up to assess the efficacy and safety of vericiguat.The primary efficacy endpoint was the occurrence of LVRR.Subgroup analyses were conducted based on baseline characteristics such as age and sex.Interaction analysis was utilized to evaluate the heterogeneity of vericiguat's efficacy.Results After 6 months of treatment,the vericiguat group showed significant improvements in cardiac structure and function compared to the control group.The left ventricular end-diastolic diameter was significantly reduced[-0.43(-1.00,-0.10)mm vs.-0.22(-0.53,0.02)mm,P=0.002],and the LVEF was significantly increased[8.45％(1.40％,16.50％)vs.2.75％(0,11.00％),P=0.002].The percentage of patients in the vericiguat group who achieved LVRR was significantly larger than in the control group(46.4％vs.27.4％,P=0.011).Multivariate logistic regression revealed that the combination of vericiguat was an independent predictor of LVRR(Model 2:OR=2.54,95％CI:1.29～5.01,P=0.007).The reverse remodeling effect remained consistent across different subgroups and was not significantly influenced by specific baseline characteristics(Pinteraction>0.05).Vericiguat did not affect blood pressure,liver and kidney function,or electrolyte levels,achieving satisfactory safety,despite its significantly higher incidence of gastrointestinal reactions(16.1％vs.5.7％,P<0.001).Conclusion The addition of vericiguat to the quadruple therapy significantly improves cardiac function and promotes left ventricular reverse remodeling in HFrEF patients while maintaining a favorable safety profile.

With the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence(GAI)technologies,their widespread application in academic research and writing is continuously expanding the boundaries of sci-entific inquiry.However,this trend has also raised a series of ethical and regulatory challenges,inclu-ding issues related to authorship,content authenticity,citation accuracy,and accountability.In light of the growing involvement of AI in generating academic content,establishing an open,controllable,and trustworthy ethical governance framework has become a key task for safeguarding research integrity and maintaining trust within the academic community.This expert consensus outlines ethical requirements across key stages of AI-assisted academic writing-including topic selection,data management,citation practices,and authorship attribution.It aims to clarify the boundaries and ethical obligations surrounding AI use in academic writing,ensuring that technological tools enhance efficiency without compromising in-tegrity.The goal is to provide guidance and institutional support for building a responsible and sustainable research ecosystem.

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of vericiguat combined with the new"Quadruple Therapy"for treating heart failure with reduced ejection fraction(HFrEF)and to explore its impact on left ventricular reverse remodeling(LVRR)in patients with different baseline characteristics.Methods A total of 87 patients with chronic heart failure treated with vericiguat at the Department of Cardiology,Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from June 2022 to March 2024,were consecutively enrolled as the observation group.These patients were matched at 1:1 by age,sex,and left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)with 87 patients who received the standard quadruple therapy without vericiguat as the control group.Propensity score matching was used to further balance confounding factors,resulting in 64 patients in each group for final analysis.Changes in echocardiographic parameters,liver and kidney function,electrolyte levels,and blood pressure were analyzed at baseline and during the 6-month follow-up to assess the efficacy and safety of vericiguat.The primary efficacy endpoint was the occurrence of LVRR.Subgroup analyses were conducted based on baseline characteristics such as age and sex.Interaction analysis was utilized to evaluate the heterogeneity of vericiguat's efficacy.Results After 6 months of treatment,the vericiguat group showed significant improvements in cardiac structure and function compared to the control group.The left ventricular end-diastolic diameter was significantly reduced[-0.43(-1.00,-0.10)mm vs.-0.22(-0.53,0.02)mm,P=0.002],and the LVEF was significantly increased[8.45％(1.40％,16.50％)vs.2.75％(0,11.00％),P=0.002].The percentage of patients in the vericiguat group who achieved LVRR was significantly larger than in the control group(46.4％vs.27.4％,P=0.011).Multivariate logistic regression revealed that the combination of vericiguat was an independent predictor of LVRR(Model 2:OR=2.54,95％CI:1.29～5.01,P=0.007).The reverse remodeling effect remained consistent across different subgroups and was not significantly influenced by specific baseline characteristics(Pinteraction>0.05).Vericiguat did not affect blood pressure,liver and kidney function,or electrolyte levels,achieving satisfactory safety,despite its significantly higher incidence of gastrointestinal reactions(16.1％vs.5.7％,P<0.001).Conclusion The addition of vericiguat to the quadruple therapy significantly improves cardiac function and promotes left ventricular reverse remodeling in HFrEF patients while maintaining a favorable safety profile.

Aim To explore the mechanism of Epimedii folium-Astmgali radix activating the SCF/c-kit signa-ling pathway to activate the PI3K/Akt signaling path-way and its effect on sperm production and vitality in oligoasthenospermia.Methods Sixty male SD rats were used to establish a model of oligoasthenospermia with cyclophosphamide.They were randomly divided into six groups:experimental group(further divided into high,medium,and low dose group),model group,control group and blank group.The oligoasthenosper-mia model was established by using cyclophosphamide in experimental group,levocarnitine group and model group.The rats in the high,medium,and low dose group of the experimental group were orally adminis-tered Epimedii folium-Astmgali radix extract at doses of 800,400,and 200 mg·kg-1,respectively,Once daily for 35 days.Rats of the control group were orally ad-ministered 250 mg·kg-1·d-1 of levocarnitine,Once daily for 35 days.ELISA was used to detect serum of T,E2,FSH,and LH.Western blot and IHC staining were used to detect the expression of SCF,c-kit,Bcl-2,Bax,PI3K,and Akt proteins in rat testicular tissues.Sperm activity is examined by microscopy.The testicu-lar tissue structure and cell morphology of rats in each group were observed.Results Compared with the model group,Epimedii folium-Astmgali radix increased the sperm density,total viability rate,and vitality(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),decreased sperm apoptosis rate and LH,T,and E2 levels(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),decreased Bax protein expression in testicular tissue(P＜0.01),and increased Bcl-2,SCF,c-Kit,PI3K,and Akt protein expression(P＜0.05,P＜0.01);it increased the number of germ cells,thickened basement membrane,and significantly improved seminiferous tubule mor-phology,even showing germ cells at different develop-mental stages and mature sperm.Conclusions Epi-medii folium-Astmgali radix has a significant therapeu-tic effect on oligoasthenospermia in rats.Its mechanism may be related to the activation of the SCF/c-kit signa-ling pathway to activate the PI3K/Akt signaling path-way promoting the proliferation and differentiation of germ cells,and promoting sperm production,maturation and motility.

The Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2025 Edition added the 9213 Guideline for validation,verification,and transfer of microbiological analytical methods.Based on the characteristics of pharmaceutical microbiological analyt-ical methods and practical applications,it specified definitions of relevant terms and application scenarios,estab-lished technical indicators and acceptance criteria for methodological evaluation,and introduced key statistical tools and evaluation principles.This article systematically elaborates on the drafting background and process of the Guideline,and interprets its key content,aiming to offer theoretical guidance and practical reference for relevant practitioners in applying this guideline.This guideline strengthens the foundation of pharmaceutical microbial analytical methods in China and enhances the scientificity and accuracy of the pharmaceutical microbial standards system.

Objective:To develop a treatment-related quality of life scale for Chinese patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and to test its reliability and validity.Methods:The initial scale was constructed through a literature search, Delphi expert correspondence, and cognitive testing. This study conducted a preliminary survey of 379 patients with MM and a formal survey of 865 patients from the hematology departments of 155 hospitals nationwide from February 2024 to March 2024. The final scale was obtained after conducting item analysis and reliability and validity tests on the initial scale.Results:The constructed scale contains 36 items covering six domains: physiological, psychological, social, treatment side effects, general health, and others. In the preliminary survey, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of each item ranged from 0.597 to 0.939, and the test-retest reliability was 0.747 ( P<0.001). Exploratory factor analysis extracted eight common factors with a cumulative variance contribution of 60.058%. In the formal survey, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of each item ranged from 0.484 to 0.930, and the test-retest reliability was 0.835 ( P<0.001). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a comparative fit index of 0.750, a root-mean-square error of approximation of 0.090, and a root-mean-square residual of 0.067. Conclusion:The treatment-related quality of life scale for Chinese patients with MM designed in this study exhibited good reliability and validity, reflecting the impact of treatment on the quality of life of patients. This scale can provide a reference to clinicians for assessing the disease status of patients.

Objective:To develop a treatment-related quality of life scale for Chinese patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and to test its reliability and validity.Methods:The initial scale was constructed through a literature search, Delphi expert correspondence, and cognitive testing. This study conducted a preliminary survey of 379 patients with MM and a formal survey of 865 patients from the hematology departments of 155 hospitals nationwide from February 2024 to March 2024. The final scale was obtained after conducting item analysis and reliability and validity tests on the initial scale.Results:The constructed scale contains 36 items covering six domains: physiological, psychological, social, treatment side effects, general health, and others. In the preliminary survey, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of each item ranged from 0.597 to 0.939, and the test-retest reliability was 0.747 ( P<0.001). Exploratory factor analysis extracted eight common factors with a cumulative variance contribution of 60.058%. In the formal survey, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of each item ranged from 0.484 to 0.930, and the test-retest reliability was 0.835 ( P<0.001). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a comparative fit index of 0.750, a root-mean-square error of approximation of 0.090, and a root-mean-square residual of 0.067. Conclusion:The treatment-related quality of life scale for Chinese patients with MM designed in this study exhibited good reliability and validity, reflecting the impact of treatment on the quality of life of patients. This scale can provide a reference to clinicians for assessing the disease status of patients.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of percutaneous pedicle screw combined with unilateral nail placement combined with bone cement strengthening and bilateral nail placement in the treatment of osteoporotic thoracic and lumbar fractures. METHODS: A retrospective case-control study was used to analyze the clinical data of 78 patients with osteoporotic thoracic and lumbar fractures admitted from October 2017 to May 2019. According to the surgical method, it was divided into percutaneous pedicle screw combined with unilateral nail placement combined with unilateral bone cement strengthening group(bone cement group) and percutaneous pedicle screw combined with bilateral nail placement(screw group). In the bone cement group, 40 patients included 16 males and 24 females, with a mean age of (62.1±8.1) years old. In the screw group, 38 patients included 18 males and 20 females with a mean age of (65.1±9.3) years old. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, length of hospital stay and postoperative complications were compared between two groups. The kyphosis Cobb angle, anterior edge height ratio, central height ratio and pain visual analogue score(VAS) were compared. RESULTS: All patients were followed up for 25 to 36 months. The operation time (70.1±17.3) min of the cement group was shorter than that of the screw group (78.6±18.2) min(P<0.05). There were no significant differences in intraoperative blood loss and length of hospital stay(P>0.05). The VAS in the cement group 1 year 1.5±0.5 and the latest follow-up 0.5±0.3 after operation were lower than 1 year 1.8±0.3 and the latest follow-up 0.8±0.4 in the screw group(P<0.05). The kyphosis Cobb angle, anterior edge height ratio, central height ratio in bone cement group, 1 year (6.2±1.2)°, (86.6±3.5)%, (91.1±2.5)%, the last follow-up (6.4±0.7)°, (85.5±3.3)%, (90.5±6.3)% were better than that of the screw group 1 year (6.8±1.4)°, (83.1±2.4)%, (89.9±3.4)% and the latest follow-up (7.1±1.1)°, (82.6±4.1)%, (87.6±5.9)%(P<0.05). There were 3 cases of bone cement leakage in the cement group, all of which had no clinical symptoms;and 2 cases of pedicle screws were extracted in the screw group, and the screws were removed at the last follow-up. CONCLUSION Percutaneous pedicle screw combined with unilateral nail placement combined with bone cement strengthening and bilateral nail placement in the treatment of osteoporotic thoracic and lumbar compression fractures in the elderly can achieve satisfactory efficacy and effectively relieve the pain of patients, but the former internal fixation system is more stable, and the long-term follow-up can effectively maintain the height of the anterior middle column and the correction of kyphosis deformity, and the incidence of chronic low back pain is lower.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Aged ; Bone Cements ; Middle Aged ; Thoracic Vertebrae/surgery* ; Lumbar Vertebrae/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fractures/surgery* ; Osteoporotic Fractures/surgery* ; Case-Control Studies ; Bone Nails ; Pedicle Screws

PURPOSE: To investigate the incidence and influencing factors of bone loss in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS: A retrospective case-control study was conducted. Patients with SCI in our hospital from January 2019 to March 2023 were collected. According to the correlation between bone mineral density (BMD) at different sites, the patients were divided into the lumbar spine group and the hip joint group. According to the BMD value, the patients were divided into the normal bone mass group (t > -1.0 standard deviation) and the osteopenia group (t ≤ -1.0 standard deviation). The influencing factors accumulated as follows: gender, age, height, weight, cause of injury, injury segment, injury degree, time after injury, start time of rehabilitation, motor score, sensory score, spasticity, serum value of alkaline phosphatase, calcium, and phosphorus. The trend chart was drawn and the influencing factors were analyzed. SPSS 26.0 was used for statistical analysis. Correlation analysis was used to test the correlation between the BMD values of the lumbar spine and bilateral hips. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to explore the influencing factors of osteoporosis after SCI. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The incidence of bone loss in patients with SCI was 66.3%. There was a low concordance between bone loss in the lumbar spine and the hip, and the hip was particularly susceptible to bone loss after SCI, with an upward trend in incidence (36% - 82%). In this study, patients with SCI were divided into the lumbar spine group (n = 100) and the hip group (n = 185) according to the BMD values of different sites. Then, the lumbar spine group was divided into the normal bone mass group (n = 53) and the osteopenia group (n = 47); the hip joint group was divided into the normal bone mass group (n = 83) and the osteopenia group (n = 102). Of these, lumbar bone loss after SCI is correlated with gender and weight (p = 0.032 and < 0.001, respectively), and hip bone loss is correlated with gender, height, weight, and time since injury (p < 0.001, p = 0.015, 0.009, and 0.012, respectively). CONCLUSIONS The incidence of bone loss after SCI was high, especially in the hip. The incidence and influencing factors of bone loss in the lumbar spine and hip were different. Patients with SCI who are male, low height, lightweight, and long time after injury were more likely to have bone loss.
Humans ; Spinal Cord Injuries/complications* ; Male ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Incidence ; Adult ; Bone Density ; Middle Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Osteoporosis/etiology* ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic/etiology* ; Aged ; Risk Factors

Nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA), one of the most severe types of male infertility, etiology often remains unclear in most cases. Therefore, this study aimed to detect four biallelic detrimental variants (0.5%) in the minichromosome maintenance domain containing 2 ( MCMDC2 ) genes in 768 NOA patients by whole-exome sequencing (WES). Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) demonstrated that MCMDC2 deleterious variants caused meiotic arrest in three patients (c.1360G>T, c.1956G>T, and c.685C>T) and hypospermatogenesis in one patient (c.94G>T), as further confirmed through immunofluorescence (IF) staining. The single-cell RNA sequencing data indicated that MCMDC2 was substantially expressed during spermatogenesis. The variants were confirmed as deleterious and responsible for patient infertility through bioinformatics and in vitro experimental analyses. The results revealed four MCMDC2 variants related to NOA, which contributes to the current perception of the function of MCMDC2 in male fertility and presents new perspectives on the genetic etiology of NOA.
Humans ; Male ; Azoospermia/genetics* ; Meiosis/genetics* ; Spermatogenesis/genetics* ; Adult ; Exome Sequencing ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins/genetics* ; Alleles ; Infertility, Male/genetics*