ObjectiveAge-related macular degeneration （AMD） is one of the leading causes of low vision and blindness in people over 50 years old， and dry AMD （dAMD） is one type for which there is currently no clear treatment. On the basis of the diagnosis and clinical characteristics of dAMD in traditional Chinese and Western medicine， this paper evaluated the fitting degrees of existing animal models of dAMD with clinical characteristics according to the evaluation methods of animal models， and put forward suggestions and prospects. MethodsLiterature on animal models of dAMD was searched against database， and the characteristics of the models were assigned according to the diagnosis criteria of diseases and syndromes of traditional Chinese and Western medicine， and the fitting degrees of the models with clinical characteristics were analyzed and evaluated. ResultsAt present， the animal models of dAMD are mainly established targeting complement factors， chemokines， oxidative damage， lipid/glucose metabolism， and natural strains. Most of the models can simulate the major pathological changes of dAMD， showing the fitting degree of 25%-50% with clinical characteristics in Western medicine. However， the evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndromes， especially the evaluation of secondary syndromes， is missing， and the models present low fitting degrees with the clinical characteristics in TCM. ConclusionExisting animal models of dAMD are mostly established under the guidance of Western diagnostic standards， which reproduce the main disease characteristics of Western medicine and lack observation of TCM syndromes. Future studies can pay attention to the intervention factors and evaluation systems of spleen deficiency Qi deficiency and liver-kidney Yin deficiency syndrome and build the animal model of dAMD with integration of disease and syndrome based on clinical characteristics of traditional Chinese and Western medicine.

ObjectiveAge-related macular degeneration （AMD） is one of the leading causes of low vision and blindness in people over 50 years old， and dry AMD （dAMD） is one type for which there is currently no clear treatment. On the basis of the diagnosis and clinical characteristics of dAMD in traditional Chinese and Western medicine， this paper evaluated the fitting degrees of existing animal models of dAMD with clinical characteristics according to the evaluation methods of animal models， and put forward suggestions and prospects. MethodsLiterature on animal models of dAMD was searched against database， and the characteristics of the models were assigned according to the diagnosis criteria of diseases and syndromes of traditional Chinese and Western medicine， and the fitting degrees of the models with clinical characteristics were analyzed and evaluated. ResultsAt present， the animal models of dAMD are mainly established targeting complement factors， chemokines， oxidative damage， lipid/glucose metabolism， and natural strains. Most of the models can simulate the major pathological changes of dAMD， showing the fitting degree of 25%-50% with clinical characteristics in Western medicine. However， the evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndromes， especially the evaluation of secondary syndromes， is missing， and the models present low fitting degrees with the clinical characteristics in TCM. ConclusionExisting animal models of dAMD are mostly established under the guidance of Western diagnostic standards， which reproduce the main disease characteristics of Western medicine and lack observation of TCM syndromes. Future studies can pay attention to the intervention factors and evaluation systems of spleen deficiency Qi deficiency and liver-kidney Yin deficiency syndrome and build the animal model of dAMD with integration of disease and syndrome based on clinical characteristics of traditional Chinese and Western medicine.

Lung cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related morbidity and mortality worldwide, and its treatment continues to face major challenges such as therapeutic resistance and tumor recurrence. Pyroptosis, a newly characterized form of programmed cell death, induces tumor cell death through gasdermin-mediated membrane pore formation and is accompanied by the release of inflammatory mediators, thereby playing complex roles in lung cancer initiation, progression, and modulation of the tumor microenvironment. Active components and herbal formulas derived from traditional Chinese medicine can modulate pyroptosis-related signaling pathways through multi-target mechanisms, showing potential advantages in inducing lung cancer cell death, inhibiting proliferation and migration, and reversing chemoresistance. This review systematically summarizes relevant studies from domestic and international sources, focusing on the molecular mechanisms of pyroptosis, its roles in lung cancer development and tumor microenvironment remodeling, and the current research progress on traditional Chinese medicine-based interventions targeting pyroptosis, with the aim of providing references for the prevention and treatment of lung cancer using traditional Chinese medicine.

BACKGROUND:Research suggests that exercise interventions may be more advantageous than pharmacologic treatments or dietary restriction alone for fat loss,but fewer studies have simultaneously examined the effects of training modalities and training cycles on visceral and subcutaneous fat in obese populations. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the impact of training modalities and training cycles on visceral and subcutaneous fat in recessive obesity female college students. METHODS:Sixty-three female college students with hidden obesity(body mass index<24 kg/m2 and body fat content percentage≥30%)were recruited from Zhengzhou College of Commerce and Industry,and were randomly divided into a high-intensity intermittent training group(n=32)and a moderate-intensity continuous training group(n=31)using the lottery method.Subjects in both groups performed exercise training of corresponding intensity on a running platform and ensured that the exercise volume of both groups was equal,3 times per week,every 4 weeks as one training cycle for 16 weeks.Before training and at the end of each training cycle,subjects'visceral fat,subcutaneous fat,and overall fat were measured using the corresponding test devices. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The repeated measures F results indicated that the main effects of training cycles on visceral fat area,visceral fat index,abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness,percentage of body fat and body mass index were significant,while the main effects of training modalities were significant for subcutaneous fat thickness in the triceps brachii and scapula regions.All the interaction effects between training modalities and training cycles were significant(P<0.05).Results from the simple effect tests revealed that the significant simple effects of training modalities at the 4th and 12th weeks for visceral fat area and visceral fat index,at the 8th and 12th weeks for subcutaneous fat thickness in the triceps brachii,scapula region,and abdominal regions,and at the 8th week for the percentage of body fat and body mass index.Simple effects of training cycles were significant for all measures within each group.(3)The results of multiple comparison tests indicated that in the high-intensity intermittent training group,visceral fat area,visceral fat index,percentage of body fat,body mass index and abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness decreased sequentially at the 4th,8th,12th,and 16th weeks,and subcutaneous fat thickness of the triceps brachii and scapula decreased sequentially at the 8th,12th,and 16th weeks(P<0.05).In the moderate-intensity continuous training group,visceral fat area,visceral fat index,subcutaneous fat thickness of the triceps brachii and scapula,percentage of body fat and body mass index decreased successively at the 8th,12th,and 16th weeks,while abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness decreased successively at the 4th,8th,12th,and 16th weeks(P<0.05).To conclude,both training modalities and training cycles are factors influencing visceral and subcutaneous fat in recessive obesity female college students.Training modality primarily affects subcutaneous fat in the triceps brachii and scapular region,but the fat loss effects may converge over a longer training cycle;training cycle primarily affects visceral fat area,visceral fat index,abdominal subcutaneous fat,body fat content,and body mass index.

This study established a droplet digital PCR(ddPCR)EvaGreen assay and probe methods for Schistosoma japonicum detection,and evaluated their application in detecting early infections in the S.japonicum host oncomelania and mice.Primers and corresponding probes for both ddPCR methods were designed and synthesized,and plasmids containing target sequences were constructed.The sensitivity of the two methods was tested through detection of the corresponding plasmids,and infectious and mixed oncomelania genomic DNA.Their specificity was evaluated by the detection of genomic DNA of negative oncomelania,Schistosoma mansoni,Clonorchis sinensis,Spirometra mansoni,and S.japonicum(as a positive control).The ddPCR probe method was evaluated by detection of early infection of oncomelania exposed tomiracidium with various ratios and incubation times,and the early migration and distribution of cercaria or schistosomula in mouse hosts infected with 200 cercaria via abdominal skin contact.According to standard curves constructed through the detection of plasmid serial dilutions,the regression equation for the EvaGreen assay was y=-0.839 9x+7.050 9,with a correlation coefficient R2=0.988 1,and the regression equation for the probe method was y=-1.047 5x+7.255 1,with a correlation coefficient R2=0.999 8.The lowest limit of plasmid detection with the probe method was between 38.94 cp/μL and 194.74 cp/μL.Both methods successfully detected positive reactions in the genomic DNA samples of infectious oncomelania at concentrations above 0.002 ng/μL and in the genomic DNA of each group of oncomelania mixtures.No significant differences between probe methods were observed in the detection values in the control group and the genomic DNA of negative oncomelania,S.mansoni,C.sinensis,and S.mansoni.However,the detection value of genomic DNA of negative oncomelania(291 ng/μL)with the EvaGreen assay was(20.3±4.39)cp/μL,a value significantly higher than the(1.5±0.1)cp/μL observed in the control group.For detection of early infection in oncomelania,the probe method detected Schistosoma japonicum DNA after 30 s incubation at room temperature with a≥5∶1 ratio of miracidium to oncomelania;the detection value peaked after a short time(5 min),and the peak value showed a fold increase similar to the increase in the miracidium to oncomelania ratio.Detection of early stage infection in mice with the probe method revealed that the schistosomula entered the lungs on day 2 and the liver on day 4,and continually migrated within the organs with abundant blood supply(spleen,kidney,and brain)in the first 9 days;moreover,a tendency toward ectopic parasitism was observed in the heart and pancreas on day 9,and a constantly negative control level was observed in the testes.The ddPCR probe method was more accurate and specific than the EvaGreen assay in the detection of plasmids,and infectious and mixed oncomelania,and the latter showed non-specific reactions in negative oncomelania detection.In a practical application,the probe method was demonstrated to be sensitive,to effectively reflect the early infection of oncomelania,and to reveal schistosomula migration and distribution in multiple organs of infected mice.

Objective:To investigate the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of eso-phageal fistula (EF) after radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for atrial fibrillation.Methods:The retrospective and descriptive study was conducted. The clinical data of 15 patients with EF after RFCA for atrial fibrillation who were admitted to Beijing Anzhen Hospital of Capital Medical University from January 2020 to December 2024 were collected. There were 11 males and 4 females, aged (64±7)years. All patients underwent surgical treatment. Observation indicators: (1) diagnosis and surgery; (2) postoperative situations; (3) follow-up. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean±SD, measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M (range), and count data were represented as absolute numbers. Results:(1) Diagnodid and surgery. Of the 15 patients, radiofrequency catheter ablation included pulmonary vein isolation plus linear ablation in 13 cases and pulmonary vein isolation alone in 2 cases. The time to postoperative symptom onset of EF in 15 patients was (13±8)days. The main clinical manifestations included persistent chest pain in 14 cases, fever in 12 cases, dysphagia in 2 cases, and neurological symptoms in 2 cases (the same patient could have multiple symptoms). All patients presented with signs of infection of varying severity. Contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography (CT) or pulmonary vein CT angio-graphy revealed mediastinal emphysema, pneumopericardium with pericardial effusion, localized esophageal wall thickening with exudation, abnormalities in the posterior wall of the left atrium, or contrast extravasation in all patients. Cerebral imaging examination showed newly developed cerebral infarcts in 2 patients. The time from symptom onset to surgical intervention was 2(range, 1-10)days.All 15 patients underwent surgical treatment immediately after being diagnosed or highly suspected of EF via multidisciplinary collaboration. Among them, 11 patients with atrial-esophageal fistula (AEF) underwent left atrial defect repair plus left thoracic esophageal repair under cardio-pulmonary bypass through a median sternotomy, 3 patients with simple EF underwent left thoracic esophageal repair, 1 patient with AEF underwent atrial repair plus esophageal exclusion and drainage due to severe mediastinal infection. The diameter of the left atrial defect in the 15 patients was (12±5)mm, and the diameter of the esophageal defect was (11±4)mm. There was no patient cured with conservative treatment or converted to surgical treatment after failed conservative treatment.(2)Postoperative situations.Of the 15 patients, 3 cases developed pulmonary infection and were improved after anti-infective treatment. The duration of postoperative hospital stay was (21±5)days. (3) Follow-up. All 15 patients were followed up for 11(range, 3-18)months. Two of 15 patients died. One patient undergoing atrial repair plus esophageal diversion and drainage died postoperatively due to sepsis and multiple organ failure, and one patient undergoing left thoracic esophageal repair died of acute cardiac tamponade one week after surgery. The remaining 13 patients recovered well, without recurrence or new complications.Conclusions:The main clinical features of esophageal fistula after RFCA for atrial fibrillation include persistent chest pain, fever, accompanying signs of infection. Early contrast-enhanced chest CT or pulmonary vein CT angiography is helpful for diagnosis, and active surgical treatment after confirmation via multidisciplinary collaboration can improve patient prognosis.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of percutaneous trans-hepatic choledochoscopic lithotripsy (PTCSL) in the treatment of recurrent hepatobiliary calculi under enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) mode.Methods:Clinical data of 88 patients with recurrent hepatobiliary calculi, who were treated with PTCSL at Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University and the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University between June 2022 and June 2024 were retrospectively analyzed, including 34 males and 54 females, aged (52.0±13.8) years. The scheme includes preoperative education, prophylactic antibiotic application, ensuring the quality of surgery, early postoperative feeding and activity, etc. The operation can be divided into two fashions: percutaneous transhepatic cholangial drainage and PTCSL, which can be completed in one stage (one-stage expansion method) or in two stages (staged expansion method). Clinical data such as gender, age, operative time, intraoperative blood loss, residual stone, and surgical complications were recorded.Results:All 88 patients underwent PTCSL under ERAS mode successfully, including 52 cases using one-stage expansion method and 36 cases using staged expansion method. The operative time was (53±20) min, the intraoperative blood loss was (9.7±3.8) ml, the postoperative hospital stay was (3.6±1.7) d, and the hospitalization cost was (17 500±4 700) yuan. Sixty-nine patients (78.4%, 69/88) had one-time stone removal in the first PTCSL. A total of 19 cases of residual stones were managed again by percutaneous sinus soft choledochoscopy, of which 12 cases were managed by one-time choledochoscopy, five cases by two-time choledochoscopy, and two cases by three-time choledochoscopy. The rate of residual stone was significantly higher in one-stage expansion method compared to staged expansion method [28.8% (15/52) vs. 11.1% (4/36), P=0.040]. No death, conversion to open surgery, or severe complications such as intra-abdominal hemorrhage or bile leakage occurred in the patients. No residual stones or recurrence were found during the follow-ups of (7.5±2.1) months after discharge. Conclusion:PTCSL under ERAS mode is safe and effective in the treatment of recurrent hepatobiliary calculi.

AIM To investigate the repair effects of tauroursodeoxycholic acid(TUDCA)combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(BMSCs)transplantation on spinal cord injury(SCI)in rats.METHODS The rats were randomly divided into the sham operation group,the model group,the TUDCA group,the BMSCs transplantation group and the combination therapy of TUDCA and BMSCs transplantation group,with the SCI rat model established by Allen's method.The next day after modeling,the rats of TUDCA and combination therapy groups were given 200 mg/kg TUDCA by gavage.On the 3rd day after modeling,rats in BMSCs transplantation group and combination therapy group were injected with 1 mL tuned bone marrow BMSCs(the 3rd generation,1× 106/mL)via tail vein.Rats in the sham operation group and the model group were given gastric perfusion of normal saline and injection of 1 mL PBS through tail vein.On the 3rd,7th and 14th day after modeling,the rats had their motor function of hind limbs observed and BBB score determined.After the corresponding drug administration,the rats had their movement track of hind limbs recorded by footprint experiment;their the protein expressions of IL-6,IL-10,Arg-1,PI3K and Akt in spinal cord tissue detected by Western blot;their pathological changes of spinal cord tissue observed by HE staining and Nissl staining;and their expressions of MAP2,GAP43 and GFAP detected by immunofluorescence staining.RESULTS Compared with the model group,the groups intervened with TUDCA,or BMSCs transplantation,or combination therapy shared improved hind limb function and spinal cord histomorphology(P＜0.05);increased fluorescence intensity of MAP2 and GAP43,and protein expressions of IL-10,Arg-1,p-PI3K and p-Akt(P＜0.05);decreased fluorescence intensity of GFAP and IL-6 protein expressions(P＜0.05);among which the combination therapy group took the lead(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION The combination therapy of TUDCA and BMSCs transplantation may restore the function of the rat model of SCI by reducing inflammatory reaction,alleviating secondary injury,and promoting axon and myelin regeneration via PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy and prognosis of mechanical lithotripsy, laser lithotripsy under direct peroral cholangioscopy, and their combination in the treatment of difficult common bile duct (CBD) stones.Methods:Clinical data of 345 patients with difficult CBD stones treated at the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shandong Provincial Third Hospital, Shandong University, between January 2020 and December 2024 were retrospectively analyzed, including 176 males and 169 females, aged (71.2±14.2) years. Patients were categorized into three groups based on the lithotripsy technique used: mechanical lithotripsy group ( n=275), laser lithotripsy group under direct peroral cholangioscopy ( n=34), and combined lithotripsy group ( n=35). Operative time, hospitalization costs, stone clearance rate, and postoperative complications were recorded. Follow-ups were conducted through outpatient visits and telephone reviews to monitor stone recurrence. Propensity score matching (PSM) at a 1: 3 nearest-neighbor ratio with a caliper of 0.02 was performed, using lithotripsy method as the dependent variable, and age, sex, stone size, and bile duct diameter as independent variables, resulting in well-balanced mechanical and laser lithotripsy groups. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to assess recurrence-free survival, with comparisons performed using the log-rank test. Results:Before PSM, there were significant differences in age, sex, stone length, and bile duct diameter between the groups (all P<0.05). After PSM, 40 patients were included in the mechanical lithotripsy group, 34 in the laser group, and 35 in the combined group, with no significant differences in baseline or preoperative clinical characteristics (all P>0.05). The combined group had a significantly longer operative time compared to the mechanical group [71.0 (66.0, 92.0) min vs. 50.5 (40.4, 56.5) min, Z=-5.02, P<0.001] and the laser group [71.0 (66.0, 92.0) min vs. 53.0 (26.5, 73.5) min, Z=-2.61, P=0.001]. The laser group also had a longer operative time than the mechanical group [53.0 (26.5, 73.5) min vs. 50.5 (40.4, 56.5) min, Z=-2.27, P=0.023]. Hospitalization costs were significantly higher in the combined group compared to the mechanical group [43 000(33 000, 50 000) yuan vs. 30 000(26 000, 37 000) yuan; Z=-3.43, P<0.001]. The single-session stone clearance rates were 80.0% (32/40) for the mechanical group, 85.3% (29/34) for the laser group, and 62.9% (22/35) for the combined group. Postoperative complication rates were 20.0% (8/40), 11.7% (4/34), and 11.4% (4/35), respectively, with no statistically significant differences among the three groups (all P>0.05). There were also no significant differences in cumulative recurrence-free survival among the groups ( χ2=0.06, P=0.970). Conclusions:For endoscopic management of difficult CBD stones, combined lithotripsy is associated with longer operative time and higher hospitalization costs compared to mechanical and laser lithotripsy alone. Laser lithotripsy also requires more operative time than mechanical lithotripsy. However, the three lithotripsy strategies show no significant differences in postoperative complications or cumulative recurrence-free survival.

OBJECTIVE: To report the blood group antigen and antibody specificity identification methods for a patient with high-frequency antibodies, and the process of finding and providing compatible blood for the patient. METHODS: A patient sent from the Blood Transfusion Department of Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital to Blood Transfusion Technology Research Laboratory of Taiyuan Blood Center in November 2022 was selected for the study. Classical serological methods were used to determine the patient's blood type, screen for unexpected antibodies, identify antibodies, and perform crossmatching. High-frequency antibody identification was carried out using red blood cells treated with various enzymes. Blood group genotyping was conducted using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) and Sanger sequencing. Multiple strategies were employed to address the patient's blood source problem. The study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Taiyuan Blood Center [Ethics No. 2024 Ethics Review No.(2)]. RESULTS: The patient's blood type was B, RhD positive. Initial screening of the patient's serum with multiple screening cells and antibody identification cells in saline medium was negative, but positive in antiglobulin medium. The patient's serum showed varying reaction intensities with red blood cells treated with different enzymes. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and Sanger sequencing revealed a homozygous nonsense variant c.376C>T (p.Gln126Ter) in the ABCG2 gene, resulting in the Jr(a-) phenotype. During family donor selection, the patient's son was found to have a heterozygous variant c.376C>T (p.Gln126Ter), and another heterozygous variant c.421C>A (p.Gln141Lys), which predicted a Jr(a+w) phenotype. Crossmatch tests confirmed the compatibility of blood from the patient's son, which was used to address the urgent blood requirement. Later, rare blood from a Jr(a-) donor from the Guangzhou Blood Center was used for the patient's ongoing treatment, saving the patient's life. CONCLUSION Combining classic serological testing with blood group gene typing techniques successfully identified the rare Jr(a-) blood type and high-frequency anti-Jra antibodies. Enzyme-treated red blood cell identification methods confirmed the presence of anti-Jra antibodies. By searching within the family and seeking help from other blood centers, compatible blood was found. This approach may provide insights for resolving similar complex blood matching problems in the future.
Humans ; Blood Grouping and Crossmatching/methods* ; Blood Group Antigens/immunology* ; Blood Transfusion ; Male ; Isoantibodies/blood* ; Female ; Genotype