To investigate the role of the DPP4-nestin axis in liver fibrosis induced by alveolar cyst infection,a murine model was established using C57BL/6 mice via hepatic portal vein injection.Liver histopathological changes were assessed using HE staining,while immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were employed to evaluate the expression levels of nestin and DPP4 in infected mouse livers.In vitro,J S1 cell line was stimulated with recombinant DPP4 protein to es-tablish a cellular model,and qPCR,Western blot,and shRNA lentivirus interference techniques were utilized to examine the involvement of the DPP4-nestin axis in hepatic stellate cell activation.The findings demonstrated that compared to the Sham group,liver tissue structure disruption and collagen deposition were evident along with significantly increased expressions of nestin and DPP4(P＜0.050 0),which colocalized with nesin and α-SMA.Furthermore,stimulation with recombi-nant DPP4 protein significantly enhanced JS1 cell activation(P＜0.050 0)as well as upregulated nestin expression(P＜0.050 0)when compared to control group cells.Notably,shRNA lentivirus-mediated inhibition of nestin expression effectively suppressed the activating effects exerted by re-combinant DPP4 protein on JS1 cells(P＜0.050 0).Collectively,these results highlight the crucial regulatory role played by the DPP4-nestin axis in hepatic stellate cell activation triggered by alveo-lar infection;thus,targeting this axis may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for treating alveo-lar infection-induced liver fibrosis.

Objective To investigate the influencing factors for the short-term prognosis of patients with alcohol-related liver diseases-acute-on-chronic liver failure(ALD-ACLF)comorbid with infection.Methods A total of 89 ALD-ACLF patients with infection who were admitted to the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital from January 2019 to December 2021 were enrolled as subjects,and related clinical data were collected at baseline(time of patient enrollment).According to the 28-day survival status of patients,they were divided into survival group with 53 patients and death group with 36 patients,and baseline clinical data were compared between the two groups.The t-test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between groups,and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between groups;the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups.A non-conditional Logistic regression analysis was used to perform the multivariate analysis.The Z-test was used for comparison of the area under the ROC curve(AUC),and the diagnostic value of the model was assessed.Results Compared with the survival group,the death group had significantly higher hemoglobin(t=-2.397,P=0.019),alanine aminotransferase(Z=-3.437,P=0.001),gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase(Z=-2.617,P=0.009),creatinine(Z=-3.938,P<0.001),blood urea nitrogen(Z=-3.423,P=0.001),NH3(Z=-4.406,P<0.001),international normalized ratio(Z=-3.428,P=0.001),C-reactive protein(Z=-2.128,P=0.033),procalcitonin(Z=-2.441,P=0.015),Model for End-Stage Liver Disease(MELD)score(t=-4.817,P<0.001),incidence rate of acute kidney injury(χ2=21.602,P<0.001),incidence rate of pulmonary infection(χ2=4.866,P=0.027),and incidence rate of shock(χ2=16.285,P<0.001),as well as significantly lower albumin(Z=-2.473,P=0.013)and incidence rate of abdominal infection(χ2=5.897,P=0.015).The multivariate analysis showed that NH3(odds ratio[OR]=1.027,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.006-1.049,P=0.012),MELD score(OR=1.103,95%CI:1.011-1.203,P=0.027],and the incidence rate of shock(OR=6.326,95%CI:1.533-26.101,P=0.011)were independent risk factors for 28-day mortality in ALD-ACLF patients comorbid with infection.Based on these factors,a predictive model was established as Y=0.027×NH3+0.098×MELD score+1.845×shock-4.111.The ROC curve analysis showed that the new model had an AUC of 0.861,a sensitivity of 77.78%,and a specificity of 88.68%,while MELD score had an AUC of 0.776,a sensitivity of 77.78%,and a specificity of 67.92%,suggesting that the new model had a significantly higher diagnostic value than MELD score(Z=2.136,P=0.032 6).Conclusion ALD-ACLF patients with infection tend to have a poor short-term prognosis,and MELD score,NH3,and shock are influencing factors for the short-term prognosis of such patients.The combination of these three factors has a high value in predicting short-term prognosis.

Objective:To investigate the long-term efficacy, safety and prognostic factors of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) for narrow-margin (resection margin < 1 cm) hepatectomy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during radical surgery.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted. The data of primary HCC patients undergoing radical surgery and narrow-margin hepatectomy IORT in the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from November 2009 to February 2019 were collected. IORT applied 6 MeV or 9 MeV electron beams and a single irradiation was given to the margin. Kaplan-Meier method was used for the overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) analysis; log-rank test was used for survival comparison among subgroups. The recurrence patterns and adverse reactions were recorded. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyze the factors influencing the OS and DFS.Results:A total of 64 patients were enrolled, with the median age [ M ( Q1, Q3)] of 57 years (49, 63) years. All patients included 55 males (85.9%) and 9 females (14.1%). The median dose of IORT was 15 Gy (range: 12-17 Gy). The median follow-up time was 83.3 (64.4, 91.9) months. The 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, 7-year, 10-year OS rates were 90.4%, 80.6%, 75.5%, 71.4% and 47.6%, respectively; the 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, 7-year,10-year DFS rates were 77.8%, 68.1%, 59.6%, 57.6% and 38.4%, respectively. Univariate Cox regression analysis indicated that preoperative serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) > 400 ng/ml was an independent risk factor for poor OS (> 400 ng/ml vs. ≤ 400 ng/ml: HR = 6.57, 95% CI: 2.16-19.96, P < 0.001), while not the independent influencing factor of poor DFS ( HR = 1.71, 95% CI: 0.65-4.52, P = 0.277). The age ≤ 60 years or not, gender, viral hepatitis or not, American Joint Committee on Cancer stage, tumor diameter (> 5 cm or not), tumor number, degree of tumor differentiation, microvascular invasion or not, microsatellite nodules or not, anatomical liver resection or not, and the dose of IORT ≤15 Gy or not were not the independent influencing factors of poor OS and DFS (all P > 0.05). Kaplan-Meier method analysis showed that patients with preoperative serum AFP ≤ 400 ng/ml (48 cases) had better OS compared with those with preoperative serum AFP>400 ng/ml (16 cases) (5-year OS rate: 84.8% vs. 44.9%; 7-year OS rate: 79.9% vs.37.4%), and the difference was statistically significant ( P = 0.002). There was no statistically significant difference in the DFS between the 2 groups ( P = 0.134). During the follow-up, 28 patients (43.8%) relapsed, including 17 cases (26.6%) of early recurrence and 11 cases (17.2%) of late recurrence. No marginal recurrence was observed. There were 22 cases (34.4%) of intrahepatic recurrence alone, 2 cases (3.1%) of extrahepatic recurrence and 4 cases (6.3%) of stimutaneous recurrence inside and outside the liver. The 1-, 3-, 5- and 7-year cumulative recurrence rates inside the liver were 19.0%, 27.2%, 37.4% and 39.3% respectively, and the cumulative recurrence rates outside the liver were 6.4%, 8.0%, 9.6% and 9.6% respectively. There were no adverse reactions above grade 3 in the entire group. There were no surgery-related deaths within 30 d after the operation, and no radiation-induced liver disease occurred. Conclusions:Narrow-margin IORT helps HCC patients receiving hepatectomy to achieve favorable long-term survival and adverse reactions are tolerable. It can be used as a safe and effective adjuvant therapy alternative.

Autoimmune glial fibrillary acidic protein astrocytopathy(A-GFAP-A)is an autoimmune-mediated central nervous system disease.Its symptoms and cerebrospinal fluid changes are often similar to those of central nervous system infectious diseases,particularly tuberculous meningitis(TBM),making it clinically challenging to differentiate between them.This article collects data on the clinical manifestations,auxiliary examinations,diagnosis and treatment of four patients with A-GFAP-A,who were suspected as TBM and subsequently admitted to Department of Infectious Diseases,Huashan Hospital,Fudan University from Jan 2020 to Sep 2023.Additionally,relevant literature is reviewed and the key points of differential diagnosis is discussed in order to enhance clinicians'understanding of A-GFAP-A.

Objective To investigate the application value of systemic inflammatory response index(SIRI)in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure(ACLF)and co-infection.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 579 ACLF patients with co-infection who were diagnosed and treated in The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2014 to March 2016,including demographic features,laboratory markers,and complications,and SIRI,Model for End-Stage Liver Disease(MELD)score,MELD combined with serum sodium concentration(MELD-Na)score,and Child-Pugh score were calculated.According to the results of follow-up on day 90,the patients were divided into survival group with 210 patients and death group with 369 patients.The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups;the Mann-Whitney U rank sum test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups;the chi-square test were used for comparison of categorical data between two groups.The binary logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the independent risk factors for 90-day death.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve and the area under the ROC curve(AUC)were used to assess the performance of SIRI,MELD-Na score,and Child-Pugh score in predicting the prognosis of ACLF patients with co-infection.The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed based on the optimal cut-off value of SIRI.Results Among the 597 ACLF patients with co-infection,384(66.32%)had HBV-related ACLF and 114(19.69%)had alcohol-related ACLF;as for the main infection sites,316(54.58%)had abdominal infection and 133(22.97%)had pulmonary infection;the 90-day mortality rate was 63.73%.The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that SIRI(odds ratio[OR]=1.177,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.117-1.239,P<0.05),blood ammonia(OR=1.009,95%CI:1.001-1.018,P<0.05),MELD-Na score(OR=1.047,95%CI:1.016-1.080,P<0.05),Child-Pugh score(OR=1.351,95%CI:1.054-1.730,P<0.05),age(OR=1.045,95%CI:1.021-1.070,P<0.05),comorbidity with hepatic encephalopathy(OR=2.269,95%CI:1.305-3.946,P<0.05),and comorbidity with acute kidney injury(OR=1.730,95%CI:0.990-3.023,P<0.05)were independent risk factors for 90-day death in ACLF patients with co-infection.The Pearson correlation analysis showed that SIRI was positively correlated with MELD-Na score(r=0.282,P<0.001)and Child-Pugh score(r=0.168,P<0.001).SIRI,MELD-Na score,and Child-Pugh score had an AUC of 0.855,0.734,and 0.690,respectively,in predicting 90-day death,and SIRI had a higher predictive efficiency than MELD-Na score and Child-Pugh score(Z=4.922 and 6.289,both P<0.001),with a sensitivity of 76.7%and a specificity of 82.9%.In addition,SIRI combined with MELD-Na score or Child-Pugh score improved the predictive efficiency of MELD-Na score(0.854 vs 0.734,Z=6.899,P<0.001)and Child-Pugh score(0.858 vs 0.690,Z=8.725,P<0.001).The patients with high SIRI(≥4.08)had a 90-day survival rate of 11.29%(36/319),which was significantly lower than that in the patients with low SIRI(<4.08)(χ2=225.24,P<0.001).Conclusion SIRI is an independent risk factor for death in ACLF patients with co-infection and has a good clinical value in predicting prognosis,with the advantages of convenience and low costs.

Aim To investigate the high expression of LINC00626 in colorectal cancer,and explore the effects of LINC00626 on the proliferation,apoptosis,and drug sensitivity of colorectal cancer SW480 cells,as well as its underlying mechanisms.Methods Flu-orescence in situ hybridization(FISH)was used to de-tect the expression levels of LINC00626 in 38 colorec-tal cancer tissues and their corresponding adjacent nor-mal tissues.The JASPAR database was utilized to pre-dict co-expressed genes and their possible binding sites.Cell transfection technology was employed to knockdown LINC00626.Western blot and qRT-PCR techniques were used to verify the transfection efficien-cy.CCK-8 assay,cell apoptosis and necrosis staining,and Western blot were used to detect the changes in the proliferation,apoptosis,drug sensitivity,and ap-optotic proteins of SW480 cells,respectively.Results The FISH results indicated that LINC00626 was highly expressed in colorectal cancer tissues(P＜0.05).The expression of LINC00626 was not associat-ed with the age or gender of patients,but was related to the TNM stage and the presence of lymph node me-tastasis($ P＜0.05 $).The results of CCK-8 assay and cell apoptosis and necrosis staining showed that af-ter knockdown of LINC00626,the proliferation ability of SW480 cells decreased,the apoptosis level in-creased,and the drug resistance decreased(P＜0.05).Western blot results showed that with the de-crease in the expression level of LINC00626,the ex-pression of caspase-3 protein decreased,the expression of cleaved caspase-3 protein increased,and the expres-sion of Bcl-2 protein decreased(P＜0.05).Conclu-sions LINC00626 is highly expressed in colorectal cancer and is associated with the TNM stage and the presence of lymph node metastasis.LINC00626 can af-fect the proliferation,apoptosis,and drug sensitivity of SW480 cells and alter the expression of apoptotic pro-teins.

Aim To investigate the expression levels of cytoplasmic FMR1-interacting protein-1(CYFIP1)in colorectal cancer and assess the impact of CYFIP1 interaction on the proliferation and apoptosis of colorec-tal cancer cell HT29,along with its potential mecha-nisms.Methods Immunohistochemistry was em-ployed to assess CYFIP1 expression in 32 colorectal cancer tissues and adjacent tissues.Coexpressed genes were identified using the GEPIA2 website to predict potential correlations and binding sites.Following the construction of a siRNA-CYFIP1,alterations in cell proliferation,apoptosis,and levels of apoptosis-related proteins were evaluated through CCK-8 assay,Hoechst 33342/PI double staining assay,and Western blot a-nalysis,respectively.Results The immunohisto-chemical findings revealed a significantly elevated level of CYFIP1 expression in colorectal cancer tissues com-pared to paracancer tissues(P＜0.05).The expres-sion of CYFIP1 did not show any correlation with age and gender,but exhibited associations with TNM stage and lymph node metastasis(P＜0.05).A conserved TP53 binding site was predicted in the 3kbps DNA re-gion upstream of the CYFIP1 gene using GEPIA2,JASPAR databases,and rVista 2.0 promoter prediction software.Following transfection of HT29 cells with siRNA-CYFIP1,the clonogenesis and proliferation of cells significantly decreased(P＜0.05).Additional-ly,the levels of cleaved caspase-3 were elevated,while the expression levels of caspase-3 and Bcl-2 were reduced after transfection with siRNA-CYFIP1(P＜0.05),which might be related to the interaction be-tween CYFIP1 and TP53.Conclusions The upregu-lation of CYFIP1 in colorectal cancer is associated with TNM stage and lymph node metastasis.Upon silen-cing,CYFIP1 demonstrates the ability to suppress pro-liferation in HT29 cells and modulate the expression of apoptotic proteins.

Objective To explore the effect of Xiongcan Yishen Formula on ferroptosis in testicular tissue of male rats with late-onset hypogonadism(LOH).Methods A total of 48 male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 6 months were randomly divided into model group,low-dose and high-dose Xiongcan Yishen Formula groups and propionate testosterone group,with 12 rats in each group.An additional 6 male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 8 weeks were set as the normal group.Except for the normal group,the rats were intraperitoneally injected with Cyclophosphamide at a dose of 20 mg/(kg·d)for 5 consecutive days to establish the LOH model,while the normal group received an equal volume of physiological saline for 5 days.The normal group and model group were given equal volumes of distilled water by gavage,while the low-dose and high-dose Xiongcan Yishen Formula groups were administered concentrated decoction at doses of 10.4 g and 41.6 g/kg/d respectively,and the propionate testosterone group received intramuscular injections of 5.21 mg/kg/d propionate testosterone,all for 28 consecutive days.ELISA was used to detect serum testosterone levels in rats,HE staining and transmission electron microscopy were used to observe the gross morphology of testicular tissue and the ultrastructure of Leydig cells,and RT-qPCR and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of ferroptosis-related genes and proteins in testicular tissue.Results The LOH model rats exhibited pathological changes such as atrophy of seminiferous tubules,structural disorder,and reduced spermatocytes in the lumen,as well as ultrastructural changes in Leydig cells including altered nuclear morphology,increased mitochondrial density,and reduced cristae.After intervention with Xiongcan Yishen Formula and propionate testosterone,the pathological changes in testis and the ultrastructure of Leydig cells were improved.Compared with the normal group,serum testosterone levels in the model group were significantly decreased(P＜0.05),the expression of ROS,ACSL4 mRNA and protein in testicular tissue was significantly increased,while the expression of FTH1,GPX4,and SLC7A11 mRNA and protein was significantly decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,ser-um testosterone levels in the low-dose and high-dose Xiongcan Yishen Formula groups and the propionate testosterone group were significantly increased(P＜0.05),and the expression of ROS,ACSL4 mRNA and protein was significantly decreased(P＜0.05);the high-dose Xiongcan Yishen Formula group showed significantly increased expression of FTH1,GPX4,and SLC7A11 mRNA and protein(P＜0.05).Conclusion Ferroptosis in testicular tissue is increased in LOH rats,and Xiongcan Yishen For-mula can elevate serum testosterone levels and improve pathological changes and ultrastructure in testicular tissue of LOH rats,possibly related to the inhibition of ferroptosis in testicular tissue of LOH rats.

With the rapid development of competitive sports, the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is on the rise. Such injuries may shorten athletes′ career and lead to other long-term adverse consequences. Although athletes generally recover well after ACL reconstruction, many still struggle to return to their pre-injury performance levels. Advances in the understanding of ACL anatomy and injury mechanisms, along with the evolution of surgical techniques and rehabilitation methods, have provided more individualized and tailored options for athletes following ACL injuries. However, there is currently no consensus in China regarding surgical and rehabilitation strategies for competitive athletes aiming to return to sports after ACL injuries. To this end, the Sports Medicine Committee of the Chinese Research Hospital Association and the Editorial Board of the Chinese Journal of Trauma jointly formulated the Expert consensus on surgical treatment and rehabilitation for competitive sports athletes returning to sports after anterior cruciate ligament injury ( version 2025), and presented 14 recommendations covering surgical indications, preoperative rehabilitation, surgical timing, surgical strategies and postoperative rehabilitation strategies, aiming to improve the surgical treatment and rehabilitation system for ACL injuries in competitive athletes and facilitate their return to high-level sports performance after injury.

Objective:To explore the dosimetry optimization strategy based on filter thickness and shape selection for the bulb superficial X-ray radiotherapy unit.Methods:Monte Carlo code TOPAS was used to model tubular equipment, and the dose distribution from six X-ray energies (50-150 kV) and five conventional aluminum filters (0.5-3.0 mm) with different thickness were simulated in the water model. The percentage depth dose (PDD) curve along the central axis, the center-axis profile dose at different depths, and the lateral dose distribution were analyzed. The dose distribution of three different designs of aluminum filters (conventional cylindrical, conical and oblique cylindrical filters) was compared to evaluate the effect of dosimetric optimization of different filter shapes.Results:Under the same energy, increasing the thickness of the filter can optimize the superficial skin dose, and the optimization effect of depth dose uniformity can be increased by 26% at a depth of 5.5 mm at 70 kV energy. The raised, flat and inclined dose distribution modes can be achieved by using conventional cylindrical, conical and inclined aluminum filters.Conclusions:By selecting the appropriate X-ray energy and filter thickness, an ideal dose distribution matching the tumor depth can be achieved. The application of personalized filters is also of great significance for diverse target areas.