Objective:To investigate the regulatory effect of leptin via the JAK2/STAT3 pathway on the core-binding factor β-subunit (CBFβ) and its molecular mechanism in promoting chondrocyte apoptosis.Methods:A total of five patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty due to knee osteoarthritis (OA group) and five patients undergoing amputation due to trauma (amputation group) were enrolled, and knee cartilage samples were obtained intraoperatively. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression levels of leptin, CBFβ, matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP1), and MMP13. Flow cytometry was performed to determine the optimal treatment duration and concentration of leptin. Chondrocytes were divided into the following groups based on treatment conditions: control group (untreated chondrocytes), leptin group (chondrocytes treated with 50 ng/ml leptin), negative leptin group (chondrocytes transfected with a non-targeting sequence as a control), and leptin+shCBFβ group (chondrocytes transfected with shCBFβ to inhibit CBFβ expression). Apoptosis and the expression levels of MMP1 and MMP13 were analyzed in the four groups. Additionally, chondrocytes were categorized into the following groups for further analysis: control group (untreated cells), leptin group (cells stimulated with 50 ng/ml leptin for 48 h), AG490 group (cells treated with the JAK2/STAT3 inhibitor AG490), and leptin+AG490 group (cells pretreated with AG490 for 2 h followed by 50 ng/ml leptin stimulation for 48 h). The protein expression levels of CBFβ, MMP1, and MMP13, as well as the apoptosis rate, were examined in the four groups.Results:The relative expression levels of leptin, CBFβ, MMP1, and MMP13 in the amputation group were 0.66±0.06, 0.69±0.06, 0.74±0.05, and 0.41±0.03, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the OA group (1.04±0.10, 1.06±0.09, 0.95±0.04, and 0.99±0.09, respectively) ( P<0.05). The optimal treatment duration and concentration of leptin were determined to be 48 h and 50 ng/ml, respectively. The expression levels of MMP1 and MMP13 significantly differed among the control, leptin, negative leptin, and leptin+shCBFβ groups ( P<0.05). Specifically, the leptin group showed higher expression levels compared to the control group, while the leptin+shCBFβ group exhibited lower expression levels than the leptin group ( P<0.05). The apoptosis rates of chondrocytes in the four groups were 4.55%±1.30%, 22.52%±2.03%, 22.03%±2.01%, and 5.15%±0.91%, respectively, with significant differences ( F=114.066, P<0.001). The apoptosis rate in the leptin group was significantly higher than that in the control group, while the leptin+shCBFβ group exhibited a significantly lower apoptosis rate than the leptin group ( P<0.05). Similarly, significant differences were observed in the expression levels of CBFβ, MMP1, and MMP13 among the control, leptin, AG490, and leptin+AG490 groups ( P<0.05). The expression levels in the leptin group were higher than those in the control group, while the leptin+AG490 group exhibited lower expression levels compared to the leptin group ( P<0.05). The apoptosis rates of chondrocytes in the control, leptin, AG490, and leptin+AG490 groups were 5.19±0.94%, 31.52±2.63%, 5.51±1.41%, and 10.47±0.85%, respectively, with significant differences ( F=117.104, P<0.001). The apoptosis rate in the leptin group was significantly higher than that in the control group, while the leptin+AG490 group exhibited a significantly lower apoptosis rate than the leptin group ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Leptin promotes CBFβ expression via the JAK2/STAT3 pathway, leading to chondrocyte apoptosis and extracellular matrix degradation.

Objective To develop a CT radiomics-based prediction model for prognosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC)in order to provide evidence for individualized treatment decisions.Methods A retrospective study was carried on 118 PDAC patients admitted in the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University between January 2020 and December 2023.They were assigned into a training group(n=83)and a validation group(n=35)at a 7∶3 ratio.ITK-SNAP software was used to perform 3-D segmentation on the preoperatively enhanced arterial phase CT images,and radiomic features were extracted using pyradiomics.High-reproducibility features were selected through ICC analysis(>0.85),and core features were determined using LASSO regression to construct the Rad-score.Cox regression analysis was employed to develop both a radiomics model and a model integrating radiomic and clinical features for predicting overall survival in PDAC patients.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves and calibration curves were plotted to evaluate the prognostic models for survival prediction.Results From 1 453 extracted radiomic features,7 core features were finally selected to construct the Rad-score.The radiomics prediction model based on the Rad-score achieved an AUC value of 0.796(95%CI:0.702～0.890)and 0.744(95%CI:0.589～0.899)for 1-year survival prediction in the training and validation groups,respectively.The integrated model combining 2 types of features together demonstrated improved performance with an AUC value of 0.906(95%CI:0.842～0.970)and 0.872(95%CI:0.753～0.992)in the 2 groups.Calibration curve analysis indicated good prediction accuracy for both models.Conclusion Both the CT radiomics-based model and the integrated model incorporating clinical features demonstrate good predictive performance for survival outcomes.

Objective:This aims to investigate the diagnostic and evaluative value of MRI for lymphatic malformations in the head, neck, and facial regions of children. Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the MRI imaging data of 31 cases of head, neck, and facial lymphatic malformations in children admitted to the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, from January 2022 to January 2024. Results:The MRI images of this group of cases primarily displayed irregular morphology（80.6%, 25/31）, thin-walled cysts（80.6%, 25/31）, and compression of surrounding tissues. The boundaries were clear（100%, 31/31）, with characteristics of invasive and drill-like growth（93.5%）. The cyst walls or internal septa exhibited high signal intensity on T1WI, low signal intensity on T2WI, and mild to moderate enhancement（100%）. The contents of the cysts showed low signal intensity on T1WI, high signal intensity on T2WI, and no enhancement（35.5%, 11/31）. Mixed signals with varying degrees of enhancement were observed in 20 cases（64.5%）. There were 29 cases of multilocular cysts（93.5%, 29/31）, and 11 cases of fluid-fluid levels（35.5%）. The MRI diagnostic accuracy for this group of cases was 100%. Conclusion:Lymphatic Malformations of head, neck and facial region in children have very characteristic features on MRI, such as typical thin wall, clear boundaries, irregular shapes, invasive growth, no enhancement, multilocular cystic masses, fluid-fluid level, etc. Furthermore, it is more appropriate for children with lymphatic malformations owing to its non-radiation and non-invasive benefits. Diagnosing lymphatic malformations in the head, neck, and facial region in children should begin with this.
Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Lymphatic Abnormalities/diagnostic imaging* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neck/diagnostic imaging* ; Head/diagnostic imaging* ; Face/diagnostic imaging* ; Child ; Male ; Female ; Child, Preschool ; Adolescent ; Infant

Objective This research aims to establish a scientific research performance evaluation indicator system for public hospital staff,providing evaluation standards and assessment criteria for their research performances.Methods An indica-tor pool was developed through literature review.The indicators were determined through two rounds of Delphi expert consultations.Analytic Hierarchy Process(AHP)was used to calculate their weights and thus establish an indicator system.Results The indica-tor system consists of 8 primary indicators-research projects(0.193 3),talent cultivation(0.264 3),patents(0.046 2),publica-tions(0.118 5),monographs(0.068 1),awards(0.147 2),standards(0.094 3),and research errors(0.068 1)-encompassing 29 secondary indicators.The response rate of the second-round expert consultation was 0.85;the authority coefficient was 0.94;the importance rating of indicators was 4.44,and Kendall's coefficient was 0.260(P＜0.05).The consistency index(CI)and consistency ratio(CR)values were＜0.1,indicating good results.Conclusion The indicator system demonstrates scientifically good validity and feasibility.Thus it can be used to evaluate the research performances of public hospital staff,providing decision support for resource allocation and the optimization of incentive mechanisms.

Objective:To visualize and analyze the literature on the application of negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in the field of wounds in the Web of Science core collection, and to explore the current status, frontiers, and trends of related research.Methods:The Web of Science core collection was used as the data source, and the search time period was from June 30, 2019 to June 30, 2024. Visual bibliometric analysis of the included literature was performed using VOSviewer 1.6.20 and CiteSpace 6.2.R4 for the number of publications, country and institution of publication, and keywords.Results:A total of 941 papers were included, with an increasing and then decreasing trend in the number of publications. The country with the largest number of publications was the United States (245), and although China ranked 2nd in the number of publications (208), the average number of citations in the literature was low. There was no strong cooperation network among publishing institutions. The proportion of articles published by core authors was 47.61% (448/941), with no significant core group of authors. In the past 5 years, research on NPWT in the field of wounds focused on chronic wound nursing and treatment, acute surgical incision complications and their prevention, wound closure and skin reconstruction, and risk factors for NPWT.Conclusions:The clinical application scope of NPWT has been expanded from simple wounds to complex wounds, tissue regeneration, and other fields. Researchers can carry out multi-center, large-sample, high-quality randomized controlled studies, enhance inter-institutional cooperation, and focus on interdisciplinary intersections and the formulation of NPWT care plans.

AIM:This study aims to investigate the potential mechanism of cell division cycle protein 42(Cdc42)in acute lung injury(ALI).METHODS:(1)The levels of Cdc42 and IQ motif-containing GTPase-activating protein 1(IQGAP1)in ALI were analyzed using the Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)database.(2)The plasma samples were collected from 30 patients diagnosed with ALI and 30 healthy controls between January 2022 and December 2023.The bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF)from ALI patients was also collected.Eighteen male C57BL/6 mice were ran-domly divided into control(CON)group,lipopolysaccharide(LPS)group,and LPS+ML141(Cdc42 inhibitor)group,with 6 mice in each group.After 72 h,the mice were euthanized,and the BALF was collected for analysis,including cell enumeration and protein concentration determination using the bicinchoninic acid method.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the levels of Cdc42 and inflammatory cytokines[interleukin-6(IL-6),IL-1β and tumor necro-sis factor α(TNF-α)]in human plasma and mouse BALF.Lung damage in mouse tissue sections was evaluated by HE staining.(3)Mouse pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells(PMVECs)were isolated by magnetic bead-based cell sorting and were divided into CON,LPS and LPS+ML141 groups.Vascular ring formation assay was conducted to assess the an-giogenic potential of PMVECs,and calcium ion imaging technology was employed to measure calcium ion concentrations in PMVECs.The levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS)were assessed using a ROS detection kit.Western blot was uti-lized to analyze the protein levels of Cdc42,VE-cadherin,intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1),myosin light chain(MLC),phosphorylated MLC(p-MLC)and IQGAP1 in PMVECs.RESULTS:(1)The GEO database analysis re-vealed significant up-regulation of Cdc42 expression in ALI model(P<0.01).(2)Clinical assessments showed markedly elevated plasma levels of Cdc42 and pro-inflammatory cytokines(IL-6,IL-1β and TNF-α)in ALI patients(P<0.01),with subsequent reductions after treatment(P<0.05).Neutrophil counts in the BALF of ALI patients were significantly in-creased.In ALI animal models,cell count,protein concentration and inflammatory mediator levels in BALF,and lung tis-sue damage scores were significantly elevated(P<0.01),all of which were notably reduced after treatment with Cdc42 in-hibitor ML141(P<0.05).(3)The PMVECs in LPS group exhibited significant increases in Cdc42,ICAM-1,p-MLC,IQGAP1,ROS,and calcium ion concentrations(P<0.01),alongside significant decreases in VE-cadherin expression and angiogenic capacity(P<0.01).All parameters were significantly improved after ML141 treatment(P<0.05).CON-CLUSION:The Cdc42 may influence IQGAP1 by modulating calcium levels in PMVECs,playing a critical role in pulmo-nary vascular barrier injury during ALI.

Objective To explore the effects and therapeutic mechanism of electroacupuncture on the levels of polarization markers and inflammatory factors interleukin(IL)-6,IL-4,tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α),and IL-10 in rats with para-chlorophenylalanine-induced insomnia(PCPA).Methods Fifty healthy specific-pathogen free grade Sprague-Dawley rats,half male and half female,were randomly divided into a blank group(n=10)and a model reserve group(n=40),in which insomnia was induced by intraperitoneal injection of a 500 mg/kg PCPA suspension.Using the random number table method,the 30 successfully modeled rats were divided into three treatment groups of 10 rats/group:model,electroacupuncture,and estazolam.The estazolam group was given estazolam 0.2 mg/(kg·d)by gavage;the electroacupuncture group was given once-daily electroacupuncture at the"Shenmen"and"Sanyinjiao"acupoints,and stimulation at the"Baihui"and"Benshen"acupoints,20 minutes each time,for 7 consecutive days.Following treatment,serum and hypothalamic levels of TNF-α,IL-6,IL-4,and IL-10 were detected using ELISA and Western blot,while immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the presence of Iba-1 in hypothalamic microglia and the co-expression of CD86 and CD163,which are markers for the M1 and M2 subtypes of microglial cells,respectively.Results Compared with the blank group,the model group exhibited prolonged sleep latency(SL)(P＜0.01),shortened sleep duration(ST)(P＜0.05),significantly higher serum and hypothalamic protein levels of IL-6 and TNF-α(P＜0.01),and significantly lower levels of IL-4 and IL-10(P＜0.01).Compared with the model group,the electroacupuncture and estazolam groups exhibited significantly shorter SL(P＜0.01),prolonged ST(P＜0.01),significantly lower serum and hypothalamic protein levels of IL-6 and TNF-α(P＜0.01),and significantly higher IL-4 and IL-10 levels(P＜0.01).IL-6 content was lower in the electroacupuncture group than in the estazolam group(P＜0.05).Compared with the blank group,the model group exhibited significantly enhanced Iba-1/CD86(M1 type)co-expression(P＜0.01)alongside significantly weakened Iba-1/CD163(M2 type)co-expression(P＜0.01).Under electroacupuncture or estazolam intervention,Iba-1/CD86 co-expression was significantly weakened(P＜0.01),and Iba-1/CD163 co-expression was significantly enhanced in the model group(P＜0.05).Conclusions Electroacupuncture effectively improved sleep disturbances in rats,with an underlying mechanism that may involve regulation of microglial polarization,downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine levels,upregulation of anti-inflammatory cytokine levels,and alleviation of neuroinflammation,thereby ameliorating sleep.

Purpose To investigate the diagnostic value of 7T ultra-high field MRI in deep medullary venography.Materials and Methods This prospective controlled study enrolled 47 healthy subjects from the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University from May to August 2022.All participants underwent susceptibility-weighted imaging scans on both 7T and 3T MRI systems on the same day.Subjective image quality was evaluated using a Likert 5-point scale,while deep medullary vein visualization was assessed via a visual quartile grading system.Objective metrics,including signal-to-noise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio,were used to evaluate venous image quality.Results There were statistically significant differences in subjective Likert 5-point scores between the 7T and 3T MRI group[5(5,5)vs.4(3,4);Z=234.50,P<0.001].Deep medullary vein visual quartile scores also showed significant differences between 7T and 3T MRI[0(0,0)]vs.[1(1,2);Z=47.00,P<0.001].Signal-to-noise ratio in the 7T group(1.50±0.35)was lower than that in the 3T group(5.45±1.83),while contrast-to-noise ratio(7.64±1.70)was higher than that in the 3T group(5.44±2.11),with both differences being statistically significant(t=14.54,-5.68,P<0.001).Conclusion 7T ultra-high field MRI demonstrates superior image quality for deep medullary venography visualization compared to 3T MRI.

Objective This research aims to establish a scientific research performance evaluation indicator system for public hospital staff,providing evaluation standards and assessment criteria for their research performances.Methods An indica-tor pool was developed through literature review.The indicators were determined through two rounds of Delphi expert consultations.Analytic Hierarchy Process(AHP)was used to calculate their weights and thus establish an indicator system.Results The indica-tor system consists of 8 primary indicators-research projects(0.193 3),talent cultivation(0.264 3),patents(0.046 2),publica-tions(0.118 5),monographs(0.068 1),awards(0.147 2),standards(0.094 3),and research errors(0.068 1)-encompassing 29 secondary indicators.The response rate of the second-round expert consultation was 0.85;the authority coefficient was 0.94;the importance rating of indicators was 4.44,and Kendall's coefficient was 0.260(P＜0.05).The consistency index(CI)and consistency ratio(CR)values were＜0.1,indicating good results.Conclusion The indicator system demonstrates scientifically good validity and feasibility.Thus it can be used to evaluate the research performances of public hospital staff,providing decision support for resource allocation and the optimization of incentive mechanisms.

AIM:This study aims to investigate the potential mechanism of cell division cycle protein 42(Cdc42)in acute lung injury(ALI).METHODS:(1)The levels of Cdc42 and IQ motif-containing GTPase-activating protein 1(IQGAP1)in ALI were analyzed using the Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)database.(2)The plasma samples were collected from 30 patients diagnosed with ALI and 30 healthy controls between January 2022 and December 2023.The bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF)from ALI patients was also collected.Eighteen male C57BL/6 mice were ran-domly divided into control(CON)group,lipopolysaccharide(LPS)group,and LPS+ML141(Cdc42 inhibitor)group,with 6 mice in each group.After 72 h,the mice were euthanized,and the BALF was collected for analysis,including cell enumeration and protein concentration determination using the bicinchoninic acid method.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the levels of Cdc42 and inflammatory cytokines[interleukin-6(IL-6),IL-1β and tumor necro-sis factor α(TNF-α)]in human plasma and mouse BALF.Lung damage in mouse tissue sections was evaluated by HE staining.(3)Mouse pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells(PMVECs)were isolated by magnetic bead-based cell sorting and were divided into CON,LPS and LPS+ML141 groups.Vascular ring formation assay was conducted to assess the an-giogenic potential of PMVECs,and calcium ion imaging technology was employed to measure calcium ion concentrations in PMVECs.The levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS)were assessed using a ROS detection kit.Western blot was uti-lized to analyze the protein levels of Cdc42,VE-cadherin,intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1),myosin light chain(MLC),phosphorylated MLC(p-MLC)and IQGAP1 in PMVECs.RESULTS:(1)The GEO database analysis re-vealed significant up-regulation of Cdc42 expression in ALI model(P<0.01).(2)Clinical assessments showed markedly elevated plasma levels of Cdc42 and pro-inflammatory cytokines(IL-6,IL-1β and TNF-α)in ALI patients(P<0.01),with subsequent reductions after treatment(P<0.05).Neutrophil counts in the BALF of ALI patients were significantly in-creased.In ALI animal models,cell count,protein concentration and inflammatory mediator levels in BALF,and lung tis-sue damage scores were significantly elevated(P<0.01),all of which were notably reduced after treatment with Cdc42 in-hibitor ML141(P<0.05).(3)The PMVECs in LPS group exhibited significant increases in Cdc42,ICAM-1,p-MLC,IQGAP1,ROS,and calcium ion concentrations(P<0.01),alongside significant decreases in VE-cadherin expression and angiogenic capacity(P<0.01).All parameters were significantly improved after ML141 treatment(P<0.05).CON-CLUSION:The Cdc42 may influence IQGAP1 by modulating calcium levels in PMVECs,playing a critical role in pulmo-nary vascular barrier injury during ALI.