Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of the Corheart 6 left ventricular assist system in patients with end-stage heart failure. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on patients with end-stage heart failure who were treated with Corheart 6 left ventricular assist system from March 2022 to June 2024 in 4 hospitals in Jiangsu Province. The efficacy of the device was evaluated by comparing changes in clinical indicators at preoperative, discharge, 3-month postoperative, and 6-month postoperative timepoints, including the New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD). The safety of the device was assessed by analyzing the intraoperative position and orientation of the blood pump inlet cannula, as well as the incidence of adverse events. Results In this study, 39 patients were collected, including 34 males and 5 females with a mean age of (56.4±12.5) years, ranging from 20 to 75 years. There was no operative death. There was no death in postoperative 3 months with a survival rate of 100.0%. There were 3 deaths in 6 months postoperatively, with a survival rate of 92.3%. All patients had a preoperative NYHA cardiac function classification of class Ⅳ. The NYHA cardiac function class of the patients improved (P<0.05) at discharge, 3 and 6 months after surgery when compared to the preoperative period. LVEF was significantly higher at 3 months after surgery than that during the preoperative period (P<0.05). LVEDD was significantly smaller at discharge, 3 and 6 months after surgery than that during the preoperative period (P<0.05). The safety evaluation's findings demonstrated that all 39 patients' intraoperative blood pump inlet tubes were oriented correctly, the artificial blood vessel suture sites were appropriate, there were no instances of device malfunction or pump thrombosis, or instances of bleeding or hemolysis, and the rate of the remaining adverse events was low. Conclusion With a low rate of adverse events and an excellent safety profile, the Corheart 6 left ventricular assist system can efficiently enhance cardiac function in patients with end-stage heart failure. It also has considerable clinical uses.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the levels of NOD like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3(NLRP3),nuclear factor κB(NF-κB)and Caspase-1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with recur-rent spontaneous abortion(RSA)and reproductive tract infection(RTI),and the relationship between above inde-xes and pregnancy outcome.METHODS A total of 136 patients with RSA and RTI who were admitted to Nanyang First People's Hospital from Mar.2021 to Apr.2024 were selected as the study group,70 patients with RSA but without RTI during the same period were selected as the control group,and those patients with RSA and RTI who were pregnant again were divided into the continued pregnancy group and the abortion group based on their preg-nancy outcomes.The levels of NLRP,NF-κB and caspase-1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were compared between the study group and the control group,Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes in patients with RSA and RTI.Receiver's operating characteristic(ROC)curves were used to evaluate the value of NLRP,NF-κB,and Caspase-1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in predicting pregnancy outcomes of patients with RSA and RTI.RESULTS The levels of NLRP,NF-κB and caspase-1 in the study group were(1.93±0.49),(1.82±0.41)and(2.23±0.41)respectively,which were higher than those in the control group(P＜0.05).The proportion of abortion in the study group was 39.79％,which was higher than that in the control group(P=0.036).Pre-pregnancy body mass index(BMI)and the levels of glycated hemoglobin,triacylglycerol,NLRP,NF-κB and Caspase-1 in the abortion group were higher than those in the continued pregnancy group.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that NLRP3(OR=4.721,95％CI:1.336-16.680,P=0.016),NF-κB(OR=4.669,95％CI:1.495-14.58,P=0.008),caspase-1(OR=4.358,95％CI:1.260-15.070,P=0.023)and pre-pregnancy BMI(OR=2.927,95％CI:1.280-6.693,P=0.011)were risk factors affecting pregnancy outcomes of patients with RSA and RTI(P＜0.05).ROC curves indicated that the area under the curve(AUC)of NLRP,NF-κB and Caspase-1 for pregnancy outcome in patients with RSA combined with RTI was 0.846,0.885 and 0.938.CONCLUSION The NLRP,NF-κB and Caspase-1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells is highly expressed in patients with RSA and RTI,and the high expression of the above indicators is closely related to the adverse pregnancy of patients,which can be used as a predictor of pregnancy outcomes in patients with RSA and RTI.

Cerebrovascular diseases such as cerebral embolism and atherosclerosis can lead to ischemic or hemorrhagic brain injury,and clinically,cognitive impairment has been observed in certain patients.Many previous studies have focused on cerebral hypoperfusion caused by arterial system abnormalities and explored the association between it and cognitive impairment.As an important vascular component for maintaining brain functional homeostasis,the cerebral venous system may also play a role in the development of cognitive impairment when there is venous reflux disorder.This paper explores the clinical association between non-thrombotic cerebral venous reflux disorder and cognitive impairment,and proposes that venous system abnormalities affect cognitive function through mechanisms such as neuroinflammation and metabolic disorders,suggesting that cerebral venous reflux disorder may be a potential independent cause of cognitive impairment.

Objective:To investigate the completion rate of tumor evaluation at initial assessment and after neoadjuvant therapy for mid and low rectal cancer patients in the national multicenter real-world database.Methods:The prospective real-world study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 1 074 patients who underwent surgical treatment for mid and low rectal cancer in 47 national medical institutions, including Peking Union Medical College Hospital et al, from May 12,2023 to May 11,2024 were collected. Observation indicators: (1) clinical characteristics of patients with mid and low rectal cancer; (2) initial colonoscopy and pathologic evaluation of tumors in patients with mid and low rectal cancer; (3) initial imaging evaluation of patients with mid and low rectal cancer; (4) imaging evaluation after neoadjuvant therapy for patients with mid and low rectal cancer. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M( Q1, Q3). Count data were described as absoluter numbers and/or percentages. Results:(1) Clinical characteristics of patients with mid and low rectal cancer. Of the 1 074 patients, there were 713 males and 361 females, aged 63(56,70)years. The body mass index of 1 074 patients was 24(21,26)kg/m 2.For American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, there were 147 cases of stage Ⅰ, 641 cases of stage Ⅱ, 157 cases of stage Ⅲ, 2 cases of stage Ⅳ, and there were 127 cases missing data. (2) Initial colonoscopy and pathologic evaluation of tumors in patients with mid and low rectal cancer. Of the 1 074 patients, there were 787 cases (73.28%) undergoing complete colonoscopy, and there were only 197 cases (18.34%) undergoing immunohistochemical evaluation of all four mismatch repair proteins. (3) Initial imaging evaluation of patients with mid and low rectal cancer. Of the 1 074 patients, there were 842(78.40%) patients completing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or ultrasound evaluation, and there were 914(85.10%) patients completing chest, abdomen, and pelvis enhanced computed tomography (CT) evaluation. In the 149 patients completing rectal ultrasound evaluation, there were 122 cases (81.88%) comple-ting T staging evaluation, and there were 81 cases (54.36%) completing N staging evaluation. In the 808 patients completing rectal MRI evaluation, there were 708 cases (87.62%) completing T staging evaluation, and there were 590 cases (73.02%) completing N staging evaluation. (4) Imaging evalua-tion after neoadjuvant therapy for patients with mid and low rectal cancer. Of the 388 patients with neoadjuvant therapy, there were 332 patients (85.57%) completing MRI or ultrasound evaluation, and there were 327 patients (84.28%) completing chest, abdomen, and pelvis enhanced CT evalua-tion. In the 70 patients completing rectal ultrasound evaluation, there were 65 cases (92.86%) com-pleting T staging evaluation, and there were 49 cases (70.00%) completing N staging evaluation. In the 327 patients completing rectal MRI evaluation, there were 246 cases (75.23%) completing T staging, and there were 228 cases (69.72%) completing N staging evaluation. Conclusion:The com-pletion rate of tumor imaging evaluation at initial assessment and after neoadjuvant therapy for mid and low rectal cancer patients on a national scale is relatively good.

Background and Aims:Surgical treatment is a cornerstone of breast cancer management;however,the physical trauma and psychological burden associated with surgery may adversely affect patients'quality of life(QoL).Based on data from a prospective cohort,this study was conducted to evaluate changes in postoperative QoL among breast cancer patients and to identify mediating factors influencing QoL,thereby providing evidence for perioperative rehabilitation strategies.Methods:Female breast cancer patients who underwent local surgical treatment at Suining Central Hospital between June 2024 and January 2025 were enrolled.The Constant-Murley Shoulder Score,EORTC QLQ-C30,and QLQ-BR23 questionnaires were used pre-and postoperatively to assess shoulder joint function,and QoL.Paired t-tests were used to analyze changes in scores before and after surgery.A mediation model was applied to explore the indirect pathways through which surgery impacts QoL.Additionally,subgroup analyses were conducted to compare QoL changes across different surgical modalities.Results:A total of 148 patients were included,with median age of 54(46-60)years old Postoperative psychological health significantly improved,while shoulder function and overall QoL scores markedly declined(all P<0.001).According to QLQ-C30,functional domains such as physical and role functioning worsened,while symptom burden increased.The QLQ-BR23 revealed significantly higher scores for breast and upper limb symptoms postoperatively(both P<0.001).Subgroup analyses showed that patients undergoing axillary lymph node dissection experienced greater declines in shoulder function and QoL compared to those receiving sentinel lymph node biopsy(both P<0.05).QoL deterioration was comparable between mastectomy and breast-conserving surgery,although the former was associated with more prominent pain and breast symptoms.Mediation analysis indicated that shoulder function,breast symptoms,and physical functioning served as mediators in the impact of surgery on QoL,while better psychological health exerted a protective effect.Conclusion:Surgical treatment significantly affects postoperative QoL in breast cancer patients,with local functional impairment and symptom exacerbation serving as key mediators.Different surgical approaches have varying impacts on QoL.Enhancing postoperative shoulder rehabilitation,symptom management,and psychological support may improve patients'QoL.

Cerebrovascular diseases such as cerebral embolism and atherosclerosis can lead to ischemic or hemorrhagic brain injury,and clinically,cognitive impairment has been observed in certain patients.Many previous studies have focused on cerebral hypoperfusion caused by arterial system abnormalities and explored the association between it and cognitive impairment.As an important vascular component for maintaining brain functional homeostasis,the cerebral venous system may also play a role in the development of cognitive impairment when there is venous reflux disorder.This paper explores the clinical association between non-thrombotic cerebral venous reflux disorder and cognitive impairment,and proposes that venous system abnormalities affect cognitive function through mechanisms such as neuroinflammation and metabolic disorders,suggesting that cerebral venous reflux disorder may be a potential independent cause of cognitive impairment.

Objective To investigate the predictive value of pre-transfer serum fibroblast growth factor 21(FGF-21),anti-Müllerian hormone(AMH),and neuropilin-1(NRP-1)for early pregnancy loss at 6 weeks following in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer(IVF-ET),and to establish an early predictive model based on serum biochemical markers.Methods This prospective study consecutively enrolled 322 women who achieved clinical pregnancy after IVF-ET at our center between September 2022 and September 2024.Participants were randomly divided into a modeling cohort(n=225)and a validation cohort(n=97)at a 7:3 ratio.According to ultrasound findings at 6 weeks of gestation,patients in the modeling cohort were classified into an early pregnancy loss group(n=59)and an ongoing pregnancy group(n=166).Baseline clinical characteristics and pre-transfer serum levels of FGF-21,AMH,and NRP-1 were collected.Multivariate logistic regression was applied to identify inde-pendent risk factors for early pregnancy loss and to construct a predictive model.Model discrimination,calibra-tion,and stability were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves,the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test,and bootstrap resampling in both cohorts.Results Univariate analysis revealed that the FSH/LH ratio,antral follicle count,and number of retrieved oocytes were significantly associated with early pregnancy loss(P<0.001).Compared with the ongoing pregnancy group,women with early loss showed significantly elevated pre-transfer serum FGF-21 levels,whereas AMH and NRP-1 levels were markedly reduced(P<0.001).Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated that an FSH/LH ratio<1.8(OR=1.629,P=0.002)and higher FGF-21 levels(OR=1.338,P=0.002)were independent risk factors,while higher AMH(OR=0.741,P=0.010)and NRP-1 levels(OR=0.874,P=0.007)were protective.Stratified analysis indicated that among patients with FSH/LH≥1.8,FGF-21 levels were significantly higher and AMH and NRP-1 levels significantly lower(all P<0.001).Interaction analysis further suggested that the FSH/LH ratio significantly modified the associations between these biomarkers and pregnancy loss risk(P for interaction<0.05).Specifically,in the higher FSH/LH subgroup,the risk effect of FGF-21 was amplified,while the protective effects of AMH and NRP-1 were more pronounced.The combined predictive model achieved C-indices of 0.869(95%CI:0.826～0.926)in the modeling cohort and 0.835(95%CI:0.811～0.907)in the validation cohort.Its AUC for predicting early pregnancy loss was 0.934 in the modeling co-hort and 0.909 in the validation cohort,both significantly outperforming individual markers(AUCs:FGF-21=0.867,AMH=0.881,NRP-1=0.853;Z=2.024,1.831;P<0.001).Decision curve analysis showed that the model provided consistent net clinical benefit across threshold probabilities of 0.1～0.4,underscoring its clinical utility.Conclusions Elevated pre-transfer serum FGF-21 and reduced AMH and NRP-1 levels are strongly associ-ated with early pregnancy loss at 6 weeks after IVF-ET.The predictive model developed in this study demonstrates robust accuracy and stability,offering substantial clinical application value for early risk stratification.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the levels of NOD like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3(NLRP3),nuclear factor κB(NF-κB)and Caspase-1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with recur-rent spontaneous abortion(RSA)and reproductive tract infection(RTI),and the relationship between above inde-xes and pregnancy outcome.METHODS A total of 136 patients with RSA and RTI who were admitted to Nanyang First People's Hospital from Mar.2021 to Apr.2024 were selected as the study group,70 patients with RSA but without RTI during the same period were selected as the control group,and those patients with RSA and RTI who were pregnant again were divided into the continued pregnancy group and the abortion group based on their preg-nancy outcomes.The levels of NLRP,NF-κB and caspase-1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were compared between the study group and the control group,Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes in patients with RSA and RTI.Receiver's operating characteristic(ROC)curves were used to evaluate the value of NLRP,NF-κB,and Caspase-1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in predicting pregnancy outcomes of patients with RSA and RTI.RESULTS The levels of NLRP,NF-κB and caspase-1 in the study group were(1.93±0.49),(1.82±0.41)and(2.23±0.41)respectively,which were higher than those in the control group(P＜0.05).The proportion of abortion in the study group was 39.79％,which was higher than that in the control group(P=0.036).Pre-pregnancy body mass index(BMI)and the levels of glycated hemoglobin,triacylglycerol,NLRP,NF-κB and Caspase-1 in the abortion group were higher than those in the continued pregnancy group.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that NLRP3(OR=4.721,95％CI:1.336-16.680,P=0.016),NF-κB(OR=4.669,95％CI:1.495-14.58,P=0.008),caspase-1(OR=4.358,95％CI:1.260-15.070,P=0.023)and pre-pregnancy BMI(OR=2.927,95％CI:1.280-6.693,P=0.011)were risk factors affecting pregnancy outcomes of patients with RSA and RTI(P＜0.05).ROC curves indicated that the area under the curve(AUC)of NLRP,NF-κB and Caspase-1 for pregnancy outcome in patients with RSA combined with RTI was 0.846,0.885 and 0.938.CONCLUSION The NLRP,NF-κB and Caspase-1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells is highly expressed in patients with RSA and RTI,and the high expression of the above indicators is closely related to the adverse pregnancy of patients,which can be used as a predictor of pregnancy outcomes in patients with RSA and RTI.

ObjectiveTo investigate the pathogenic spectrum and epidemiological characteristics of diarrheal disease in Fengxian District of Shanghai, and to provide scientific basis for the prevention and control of diarrheal diseases. MethodsBasic information of the initial adult cases visited diarrheal disease surveillance sentinel hospital in Fengxian District, Shanghai, was collected from August 2013 to 2023, and fecal samples were collected at 1∶5 sampling intervals to isolate and identify 5 kinds of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC), Salmonella (SAL), Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Campylobacter, Vibrio cholerae, Shigella and Yersinia enterocolitica (YE). Simultaneously, nucleic acid detection was performed for 3 kinds of rotavirus, 2 kinds of norovirus, intestinal adenovirus, astrovirus and sapovirus. ResultsA total of 1 861 cases of newly diagnosed diarrheal disease were reported, with the peak in July to August. Additionally, 704 surveillance samples were detected, with a total positive detection rate of 50.57%. The detection rates of bacterial, viral and mixed infection were 25.14%, 21.02% and 4.40%, respectively. Among the pathogens detected, DEC accounted for the highest (17.61%, 124/704), followed by norovirus (16.48%, 116/704), rotavirus (6.39%, 45/704), SAL (5.97%, 42/704) and Campylobacter (3.84%, 27/704). DEC detected were mainly enteroaggregative Escherichia coli and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, with no detection of Vibrio cholerae, Shigella and YE. The highest total pathogen detection rate was observed from June to September, and the detection peaks of norovirus were from March to June and from October to December, whereas that of DEC was from June to October. The detection rate of rotavirus peaked from January to February, but which was not detected between 2020‒2023. The SAL positive rate peak was in September, whereas that of Campylobacter was from July to September. ConclusionThe main pathogens detected in Fengxian District from 2013‒2019 are DEC, norovirus, rotavirus, SAL and Campylobacter. Different pathogens have different detection peaks, with bacteria predominating in summer and viruses in winter and spring. Prevention and control measures should be carried out according to the epidemiological characteristics of different seasons.

Ferroptosis of chondrocytes is a significant contributor to osteoarthritis (OA), for which there is still a lack of safe and effective therapeutic drugs targeting ferroptosis. Here, we screen for anti-ferroptotic drugs in Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug library via a high-throughput manner in chondrocytes. We identified a group of FDA-approved anti-ferroptotic drugs, among which vitamin K showed the most powerful protective effect. Further study demonstrated that vitamin K effectively inhibited ferroptosis and alleviated the extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation in chondrocytes. Intra-articular injection of vitamin K inhibited ferroptosis and alleviated OA phenotype in destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) mouse model. Mechanistically, transcriptome sequencing and knockdown experiments revealed that the anti-ferroptotic effects of vitamin K depended on growth arrest-specific 6 (Gas6). Furthermore, exogenous expression of Gas6 was found to inhibit ferroptosis through the AXL receptor tyrosine kinase (AXL)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT serine/threonine kinase (AKT) axis. Together, we demonstrate that vitamin K inhibits ferroptosis and alleviates OA progression via enhancing Gas6 expression and its downstream pathway of AXL/PI3K/AKT axis, indicating vitamin K as well as Gas6 to serve as a potential therapeutic target for OA and other ferroptosis-related diseases.