Objective To explore the causal relationship between immune cells and heart failure (HF), and the mediating role of serum metabolites, in order to identify potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Methods We employed a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis method based on genome-wide association study (GWAS) data, analyzing the direct and indirect effects of 731 types of immune cells and 1 400 metabolites on HF. We selected valid instrumental variables and conducted statistical analyses using R software. The primary analysis was performed using the inverse variance weighted method, supplemented by MR-Egger analysis and weighted median method. The stability of the results was assessed through tests such as Cochran’s Q test. Results Our research found a negative causal relationship between PD-L1 on CD14−CD16+ and HF. Sensitivity analysis supported this result. The reverse MR analysis did not find an effect of HF on PD-L1 on CD14−CD16+, indicating that PD-L1 on CD14−CD16+ might play a unidirectional role in reducing the risk of HF. Further mediation MR analysis showed that PD-L1 on CD14−CD16+ might influence the risk of HF onset by regulating the levels of sphingomyelin (d17:1/14:0, d16:1/15:0), with a mediation effect ratio of 6.7%. Conclusion PD-L1 on CD14−CD16+ may reduce the risk of HF by elevating the levels of sphingomyelin (d17:1/14:0, d16:1/15:0), which provides a new perspective for understanding the pathogenesis of HF.

Objective:This meta-analysis compares the postoperative outcomes of the double-flap technique (DFT) versus esophagogastrostomy (EG), jejunal interposition (JI), double-tract reconstruction (DTR), and gastric tube anastomosis (GTA) following proximal gastrectomy for gastric cancer.Methods:Prospective and retrospective studies published from database inception until June 2025 were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, CNKI, and Wanfang databases. Studies reporting at least one predefined outcome with extractable data were included. Outcomes of interest consisted of incidence of gastroesophageal reflux, overall postoperative complications, anastomotic leakage, anastomotic stenosis, and digestive reconstruction time. Two investigators independently performed literature screening, data extraction, and quality assessment. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were evaluated with the Cochrane ROB 2.0 tool, retrospective cohort studies with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS), and single-arm studies with the JBI critical appraisal tool. Dichotomous outcomes were pooled using risk ratios (RRs), and continuous variables were summarized with standardized mean differences (SMDs), using fixed- or random-effects models based on I2 statistics. Publication bias was assessed via funnel plots and Egger's test.Results:A total of 55 studies published between 2007 and 2025 were included, comprising 5 RCTs and 50 retrospective studies. Among 4,380 patients, 732 underwent EG, 454 GTA, 1,480 DTR, 468 JI, and 1,246 DFT. Quality assessment indicated that all except six retrospective cohort studies (rated as moderate quality) were of high quality or had low risk of bias. Among the five reconstruction methods, DFT showed the lowest incidence of gastroesophageal reflux (6.6%, 82/1,246) and overall postoperative complications (11.6%, 144/1,246). JI had the lowest rate of anastomotic leakage (1.3%, 6/468), followed by DFT (1.4%, 18/1,246), and DTR had the lowest rate of anastomotic stenosis (2.4%, 36/1,480), followed by DFT (7.5%, 94/1,246). DFT required the longest operative time for reconstruction ([141.2 ± 597.6] minutes), and DTR required the shortest ([50.1 ± 39.0] minutes). Compared to EG, DFT was associated with a significantly lower risk of gastroesophageal reflux (RR=0.13 ,95%CI: 0.03-0.55, P = 0.01), and no significant differences were observed in overall complications (RR=0.98, 95%CI: 0.55-1.74, P = 0.93), anastomotic leakage (RR = 0.81, 95%CI: 0.04-18.43, P = 0.90), or anastomotic stenosis (RR = 0.75, 95%CI: 0.09-6.39, P = 0.79). Compared to JI, DFT showed no significant differences in gastroesophageal reflux (RR = 0.36, 95%CI: 0.10-1.25, P=0.11), overall complications (RR=2.06, 95%CI: 0.30-14.11, P=0.46), anastomotic leakage (RR=2.05, 95%CI: 0.26-16.18, P=0.49), or anastomotic stenosis (RR=0.83, 95%CI: 0.10-7.17, P=0.87). Similarly, compared to DTR, DFT had a lower risk of overall complications (RR=0.70, 95%CI: 0.50-0.98, P=0.04) but a longer reconstruction time (SMD: 2.55, 95%CI: 0.31-4.79, P=0.03). No significant differences were found in gastroesophageal reflux (RR = 0.68, 95%CI: 0.35-1.30, P=0.24), anastomotic leakage (RR=0.59, 95%CI: 0.16-2.17, P=0.43), or anastomotic stenosis (RR=2.44 , 95%CI: 0.44-13.64, P=0.31). Compared to GTA, DFT was associated with a significantly lower risk of gastroesophageal reflux (RR = 0.53, 95%CI: 0.33-0.88, P=0.01), but again there were no significant differences in overall complications (RR = 0.69, 95%CI: 0.41-1.16, P=0.16), anastomotic leakage (RR = 0.25, 95%CI: 0.03-2.14, P=0.21), or anastomotic stenosis (RR=0.65, 95%CI: 0.24-1.76, P=0.40). No significant publication bias was detected in the analysis (Egger's test P>0.05). Conclusions:Among the five common anastomotic methods after proximal gastrectomy, DFT demonstrates superior anti-reflux efficacy, outperforming EG and GTA in particular in preventing gastroesophageal reflux. DFT also exhibits a lower overall complication risk compared with DTR but maintains anastomotic safety comparable with that of the other techniques.

Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of digital 3D technology assisted and traditional one-hole split endoscopic surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis with degenerative scoliosis(LSS-DS).Methods Clinical data of 42 patients with LSS-DS who underwent one-hole split endoscopic surgery from January 2022 to December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.Among them,20 cases were treated with digital 3D technology assisted one-hole split endoscopic surgery(3D group),and 22 cases were treated with traditional one-hole split endoscopic surgery(traditional group).The operation time,intraoperative blood loss,lateral articular surface preservation rate,Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)of lower extremity pain,Oswestry Disability Index(ODI)and modified MacNab criteria at the last follow-up were compared between the two groups.Results Both groups of patients were operated successfully.The operation time of the 3D group and the traditional group was(73.3±24.0)min and(65.7±23.8)min,respectively,with no significant difference(t=1.020,P=0.314).The intraoperative blood loss was(65.3±14.7)ml and(66.7±17.1)ml,respectively,with no significant difference(t=-0.298,P=0.767).The retention rate of lateral articular surface in the 3D group[(88.2±6.3)%]was significantly higher than that in the traditional group[(82.7±4.6)%,t=3.201,P=0.003].One patient in the traditional group had dural tear and was cured after conservative treatment.There were 3 cases of calf muscle venous thrombosis in the 3D group and 4 cases in the traditional group.All the 7 patients were given anticoagulant therapy and appropriately delayed time of ambulation.In the3D group,20 cases were followed up for6-13 months,with a mean of(8.2±2.0)months;in the traditional group,22 cases were followed up for 6-12 months,with a mean of(7.7±1.7)months.According to the modified MacNab criteria,the excellent and good rate was 95.0%(19/20)in the 3D group and 90.1%(20/22)in the traditional group at the last follow-up,and there was no significant difference between the two groups(Z=-0.311,P=0.756).The VAS score and ODI of the two groups were significantly improved at 3 months and 6 months after operation(all P=0.000),but there was no significant difference between the two groups at each time point(P>0.05).Conclusion The short-term efficacy of digital 3D technology assisted one-hole split endoscopic surgery in the treatment of LSS-DS is definite,and the symptoms of patients are significantly improved.

We report a 30-year-old woman who presented with intermittent gross hematuria and left flank pain，and CT revealed a left staghorn stones. The initial percutaneous nephrolithotomy（PCNL）left a 6 mm fragment，and both stone and urine cultures yielded extended-spectrum β-lactamase（ESBL）-producing Escherichia coli. Seven months later，the stone increased to 6 cm and urine culture revealed Proteus mirabilis. Endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery（ECIRS）achieved complete clearance. At 6-month follow-up，the patient remained asymptomatic，culture-negative，and stone-free. This case highlights that small residual fragments after PCNL may rapidly enlarge with secondary urease-producing infection，underscoring the need for early re-intervention and standard follow-up.

Objective:This meta-analysis compares the postoperative outcomes of the double-flap technique (DFT) versus esophagogastrostomy (EG), jejunal interposition (JI), double-tract reconstruction (DTR), and gastric tube anastomosis (GTA) following proximal gastrectomy for gastric cancer.Methods:Prospective and retrospective studies published from database inception until June 2025 were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, CNKI, and Wanfang databases. Studies reporting at least one predefined outcome with extractable data were included. Outcomes of interest consisted of incidence of gastroesophageal reflux, overall postoperative complications, anastomotic leakage, anastomotic stenosis, and digestive reconstruction time. Two investigators independently performed literature screening, data extraction, and quality assessment. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were evaluated with the Cochrane ROB 2.0 tool, retrospective cohort studies with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS), and single-arm studies with the JBI critical appraisal tool. Dichotomous outcomes were pooled using risk ratios (RRs), and continuous variables were summarized with standardized mean differences (SMDs), using fixed- or random-effects models based on I2 statistics. Publication bias was assessed via funnel plots and Egger's test.Results:A total of 55 studies published between 2007 and 2025 were included, comprising 5 RCTs and 50 retrospective studies. Among 4,380 patients, 732 underwent EG, 454 GTA, 1,480 DTR, 468 JI, and 1,246 DFT. Quality assessment indicated that all except six retrospective cohort studies (rated as moderate quality) were of high quality or had low risk of bias. Among the five reconstruction methods, DFT showed the lowest incidence of gastroesophageal reflux (6.6%, 82/1,246) and overall postoperative complications (11.6%, 144/1,246). JI had the lowest rate of anastomotic leakage (1.3%, 6/468), followed by DFT (1.4%, 18/1,246), and DTR had the lowest rate of anastomotic stenosis (2.4%, 36/1,480), followed by DFT (7.5%, 94/1,246). DFT required the longest operative time for reconstruction ([141.2 ± 597.6] minutes), and DTR required the shortest ([50.1 ± 39.0] minutes). Compared to EG, DFT was associated with a significantly lower risk of gastroesophageal reflux (RR=0.13 ,95%CI: 0.03-0.55, P = 0.01), and no significant differences were observed in overall complications (RR=0.98, 95%CI: 0.55-1.74, P = 0.93), anastomotic leakage (RR = 0.81, 95%CI: 0.04-18.43, P = 0.90), or anastomotic stenosis (RR = 0.75, 95%CI: 0.09-6.39, P = 0.79). Compared to JI, DFT showed no significant differences in gastroesophageal reflux (RR = 0.36, 95%CI: 0.10-1.25, P=0.11), overall complications (RR=2.06, 95%CI: 0.30-14.11, P=0.46), anastomotic leakage (RR=2.05, 95%CI: 0.26-16.18, P=0.49), or anastomotic stenosis (RR=0.83, 95%CI: 0.10-7.17, P=0.87). Similarly, compared to DTR, DFT had a lower risk of overall complications (RR=0.70, 95%CI: 0.50-0.98, P=0.04) but a longer reconstruction time (SMD: 2.55, 95%CI: 0.31-4.79, P=0.03). No significant differences were found in gastroesophageal reflux (RR = 0.68, 95%CI: 0.35-1.30, P=0.24), anastomotic leakage (RR=0.59, 95%CI: 0.16-2.17, P=0.43), or anastomotic stenosis (RR=2.44 , 95%CI: 0.44-13.64, P=0.31). Compared to GTA, DFT was associated with a significantly lower risk of gastroesophageal reflux (RR = 0.53, 95%CI: 0.33-0.88, P=0.01), but again there were no significant differences in overall complications (RR = 0.69, 95%CI: 0.41-1.16, P=0.16), anastomotic leakage (RR = 0.25, 95%CI: 0.03-2.14, P=0.21), or anastomotic stenosis (RR=0.65, 95%CI: 0.24-1.76, P=0.40). No significant publication bias was detected in the analysis (Egger's test P>0.05). Conclusions:Among the five common anastomotic methods after proximal gastrectomy, DFT demonstrates superior anti-reflux efficacy, outperforming EG and GTA in particular in preventing gastroesophageal reflux. DFT also exhibits a lower overall complication risk compared with DTR but maintains anastomotic safety comparable with that of the other techniques.

This study systematically collated and textual researched realgar from aspects such as name,origin,and quality by consulting ancient herbal texts,classic medical books,and modern literature.The textual research shows that current herbal works all take"realgar"as the official name,with aliases including"Huangshi shi","Shihuang","Tianyang shi","Jiguan shi","Xunhuang","Chouhuang",and"Mingxiong",etc.Ancient herbal records indicate that Xunhuang,Chouhuang,and Shuiku Realgar are all Realgar,while Orpiment is its associated mineral.In ancient times,the main production areas of Realgar were in Gansu,with outputs also seen in Shandong and Hunan.Nowadays,it is mainly produced in Hunan,Guizhou,Hubei,Gansu,Yunnan,Sichuan and other regions.Ancient herbal works mentioned characteristics like"cockscomb color","non-stinky","solid","red and bright"in their quality evaluation,while modern herbal works mostly evaluate its quality by color and texture,such as"red color","large blocks","brittle texture","glossy".The traditional efficacy of Realgar is to dry dampness,kill insects,detoxify various poisons,treat sores and activate blood.Modern studies have shown it also has anti-tumor,antibacterial and antiviral effects.Processing methods in past dynasties included water grinding,vinegar processing,refining,etc.,and currently,water grinding and acid water grinding are commonly used.This paper observed the properties of Realgar,detected the content of As?S?,and analyzed the microscopic characteristics and far-infrared spectral characteristics of qualified batches of Realgar.It was finally found that the As?S? content of qualified batches of Realgar was all more than 90%;under the scanning electron microscope,it showed massive shape,uniform distribution,obvious particles,and no agglomeration;a small amount of associated mineral Orpiment crystals were observed under the polarizing microscope;the characteristic peaks of Realgar(343-344 cm?1,224-225 cm?1,372-374 cm?1,367-369 cm?1,359 cm?1,207-208 cm?1,193-194 cm?1,168-170 cm?1)and Orpiment(390 cm?1,380 cm?1,347 cm?1,311 cm?1,300 cm?1,201 cm?1,182 cm?1,158 cm?1 and 139 cm?1)were determined."Red color and glossy"can be used as property references,"Realgar is a sulfide mineral of the Realgar family,with the main chemical component As?S?,associated with Orpiment"can be used as origin references,and"Shimen in Hunan,Wanshan in Guizhou,Yunnan,Gansu,Sichuan"can be used as production area references,which are consistent with the results of herbal textual research.This study provides a basis for the identification and analysis of Realgar,with a view to better guiding clinical medication and resource utilization.

We report a 30-year-old woman who presented with intermittent gross hematuria and left flank pain，and CT revealed a left staghorn stones. The initial percutaneous nephrolithotomy（PCNL）left a 6 mm fragment，and both stone and urine cultures yielded extended-spectrum β-lactamase（ESBL）-producing Escherichia coli. Seven months later，the stone increased to 6 cm and urine culture revealed Proteus mirabilis. Endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery（ECIRS）achieved complete clearance. At 6-month follow-up，the patient remained asymptomatic，culture-negative，and stone-free. This case highlights that small residual fragments after PCNL may rapidly enlarge with secondary urease-producing infection，underscoring the need for early re-intervention and standard follow-up.

Objective To observe the value of dual-low dose protocol(low tube voltage and low contrast agents)combined with iterative model reconstruction(IMR)in CT angiography(CTA)of ophthalmic artery.Methods Totally 100 patients who underwent head and neck CTA were retrospectively enrolled and divided into observation group(n=50,dual-low dose protocol+IMR)and control group(n=50,conventional protocol+filtered back projection[FBP]).Subjective and objective evaluations on image quality were performed,radiation doses and dosage of contrast agents were calculated,and the outcomes were compared between groups.Results Signal-to-noise ratio(SNR)and contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR)of ophthalmic artery on CTA were both higher(both P＜0.001),while noise(SD)of optic nerve,volume CT dose index(CTDIvol),dose-length product(DLP)and effective dose(ED)in observation group were all lower than those in control group(all P＜0.001).No significant difference of subjective scoring of image quality,CT values of ophthalmic artery nor optic nerve was found between groups(all P＞0.05).Compared with control group,CTDIvol,DLP,ED,iodine dosage and iodine flow rate in observation group decreased by 69.85%,70.17%,70.28%,43.24%and 43.24%,respectively.Conclusion Dual-low dose protocol combined with IMR could reduce radiation dose and contrast agents dosage in CTA of ophthalmic artery under the condition of ensuring image quality.

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic value of high-resolution magnetic resonance black blood technology imaging (MRBTI) and CT angiography (CTA) in detecting carotid plaque in predicting stroke.Methods:A prospective study was conducted on 135 patients with carotid artery disease diagnosed and treated in Handan Central Hospital from January 2020 to June 2022, all patients underwent cervical MRBTI and CTA examinations. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was used as the gold standard to compare the diagnostic value of the two detection methods for carotid plaque properties. Patients were followed up for 2 years and divided into stroke and non-stroke according to the result of follower-up. Imaging indexes of the two groups were compared, and the predictive value of MRBTI combined with CTA for stroke was evaluated by receiver operation characteristic (ROC) curve.Results:The relevant data of 134 patients were included in statistical analysis. For severe carotid stenosis and ulcerative plaques, the accuracy of CTA examination was 85.11% and 84.91% separately, that of MRBTI examination was 91.49% and 92.45%, the combined examination was 95.74% and 96.23%, and the above three examination methods was not statistically significant ( P>0.05). The detection accuracy rates of CTA for mild, moderate carotid artery stenosis and smooth, irregular plaque, were 73.08%, 86.89%, 73.91% and 86.21%, those of MRBTI detection were 92.31%, 91.80%, 86.96% and 93.10%, and those of combined detection were 100.00%, 98.36%, 100.00% and 98.28%, the combined detection was higher than those of CTA and MRBTI alone ( P<0.05); there was no statistically significant difference in the level of tube wall area between the stroke patients and the non-stroke patients ( P>0.05), but the total vascular area and lumen area in stroke patients were significantly higher than those in non-stroke patients: (103.48 ± 22.48) mm 2 vs. (92.51 ± 16.26) mm 2, (46.18 ± 11.03) mm 2 vs. (41.32 ± 10.52) mm 2, and normal wall index was significantly lower: (0.54 ± 0.12) mm 2 vs. (0.61 ± 0.09) mm 2 ( P<0.05); ROC curve analysis showed that MRBTI combined with CTA had the best predictive efficacy for stroke, with area under the curve (AUC) value as high as 0.82, and its sensitivity (79.00%) was significantly higher than that predicted by MRBTI indexes (total vascular area, lumen area and normal wall index) (51.90%, 39.50%, 56.80%) or CTA (30.90%) alone, with statistically significant difference ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The combination of MRBTI and CTA can improve the diagnostic efficiency of carotid artery disease and the prediction efficiency of stroke, and can be used as an auxiliary examination means of DSA to provide a more reliable clinical basis for the assessment of plaque characteristics in patients with carotid artery disease and the prediction of stroke.

Rare diseases are a collective term for diseases with extremely low prevalence and incidence rates.Up to now,China has released two lists identifying a total of 207 rare diseases.Given that most rare diseases do not have drugs with corresponding indications,physicians frequently resort to using off-label drugs when treating patients with rare diseases.However,there is currently no systematic guideline or expert consensus for the use of off-label medications in China.To comprehensively collect existing evidence of off-label drug use for rare diseases,fully analyze and evaluate the rationality of off-label drug use for rare diseases,and standardize the management of off-label drug use for rare diseases,the Rare Disease Branch of Beijing Medical Association,Chinese Pharmaceutical Association,Beijing Pharmaceutical Association,and the School of Public Health,Peking University have jointly initiated the drafting of the Expert Consensus on Off-label Use of Drugs for Rare Diseases.This consensus refer to the WHO Handbook for Guideline Development,the Guidelines for Developing/Revising Clinical Diagnostic and Treatment Guidelines in China(2022 Edition),the AGREE Ⅱ and the STAR tools.This protocol outlines the background and purpose of consensus,as well as the comprehensive framework for consensus development,encompassing panel formation,clinical issue identification,evidence retrieval,data extraction,and evidence-based recommendation formulation.