The role of fluid as a fundamental substance in the organism, encompassing its physiology, characteristics, and function, is widely recognized in medical practice. However, the specific distribution path of fluid remains unclear. Most scholars traditionally characterize the circulation of fluid in the category of qi and blood collaterals, a generalized viewpoint that may limit the refinement of treatment strategies based on syndrome differentiation. Therefore, this paper proposes the concept of fluid collaterals as an independent framework for exploration and discussion. This study investigates the origin and flow of similar concepts of fluid collaterals in ancient Chinese medicine texts. Integrating insights from Western medicine, we analyzed the origin and development of fluid collaterals to clarify that the fluid collaterals are the core of the fluid. Fluid collaterals are proposed as the core regulatory mechanism of fluid, where the collaterals serve as a structural framework. Their physiological functions include storing and transforming fluids, linking yingfen (nutritive level) and weifen (defensive level), and mediating the interplay between fluids and blood. Fluid collaterals are conceptualized as a network system that integrates function, structure, and information transmission, enabling seamless connection and coordination between blood and qi collaterals. From this perspective, two pathological conditions are proposed: fluid collateral stagnation and malnutrition. Drawing on the clinical experiences of our team, we presented novel therapeutic approaches for fluid-related diseases, emphasizing treatments tailored to these specific pathological conditions.

BACKGROUND: The available evidence regarding the benefits of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on patients receiving dialysis with coronary artery disease (CAD) is limited and inconsistent. This study aimed to evaluate the association between PCI and clinical outcomes as compared with medical therapy alone in patients undergoing dialysis with CAD in China. METHODS: This multicenter, retrospective study was conducted in 30 tertiary medical centers across 12 provinces in China from January 2015 to June 2021 to include patients on dialysis with CAD. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and non-fatal stroke. Secondary outcomes included all-cause death, the individual components of MACE, and Bleeding Academic Research Consortium criteria types 2, 3, or 5 bleeding. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the association between PCI and outcomes. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) and propensity score matching (PSM) were performed to account for potential between-group differences. RESULTS: Of the 1146 patients on dialysis with significant CAD, 821 (71.6%) underwent PCI. After a median follow-up of 23.0 months, PCI was associated with a 43.0% significantly lower risk for MACE (33.9% [ n  = 278] vs . 43.7% [ n  = 142]; adjusted hazards ratio 0.57, 95% confidence interval 0.45-0.71), along with a slightly increased risk for bleeding outcomes that did not reach statistical significance (11.1% vs . 8.3%; adjusted hazards ratio 1.31, 95% confidence interval, 0.82-2.11). Furthermore, PCI was associated with a significant reduction in all-cause and cardiovascular mortalities. Subgroup analysis did not modify the association of PCI with patient outcomes. These primary findings were consistent across IPTW, PSM, and competing risk analyses. CONCLUSION This study indicated that PCI in patients on dialysis with CAD was significantly associated with lower MACE and mortality when comparing with those with medical therapy alone, albeit with a slightly increased risk for bleeding events that did not reach statistical significance.
Humans ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Coronary Artery Disease/drug therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Renal Dialysis/methods* ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; China ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Treatment Outcome

Pristimerin, which is one of the compounds present in Celastraceae and Hippocrateaceae, has antitumor effects. However, its mechanism of action in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the efficacy and mechanism of pristimerin on ESCC in vitro and in vivo. The inhibitory effect of pristimerin on cell growth was assessed using trypan blue exclusion and colony formation assays. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry. Gene and protein expressions were analyzed through quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) was employed to identify significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Cell transfection and RNA interference assays were utilized to examine the role of key proteins in pristimerin?s effect. Xenograft models were established to evaluate the antitumor efficiency of pristimerin in vivo. Pristimerin inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis in ESCC cells. Upregulation of Noxa was crucial for pristimerin-induced apoptosis. Pristimerin activated the Forkhead box O3a (FoxO3a) signaling pathway and triggered FoxO3a recruitment to the Noxa promoter, leading to Noxa transcription. Blocking FoxO3a reversed pristimerin-induced Noxa upregulation and cell apoptosis. Pristimerin treatment suppressed xenograft tumors in nude mice, but these effects were largely negated in Noxa-KO tumors. Furthermore, the chemosensitization effects of pristimerin in vitro and in vivo were mediated by Noxa. This study demonstrates that pristimerin exerts an antitumor effect on ESCC by inducing AKT/FoxO3a-mediated Noxa upregulation. These findings suggest that pristimerin may serve as a potent anticancer agent for ESCC treatment.
Forkhead Box Protein O3/genetics* ; Humans ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma/physiopathology* ; Esophageal Neoplasms/physiopathology* ; Pentacyclic Triterpenes ; Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/genetics* ; Mice ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Mice, Nude ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Triterpenes/pharmacology* ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Male ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects*

Objective:To evaluate the clinical utility of an intelligent endoscope transportation system in the digestive endoscopy center.Methods:A parallel-group controlled trial was conducted at Digestive Endoscopy Center of Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from June 1st to December 31st 2024, comparing robotic intelligent endoscope transport (experimental group) versus manual transport (control group). Performance metrics, including response time, transportation speed, labor efficiency, contamination prevention, closed-loop traceability, and nursing staff satisfaction, were statistically analyzed. Full-time equivalent (FTE) was introduced to quantify the operational efficiency of the experimental group.Results:The study included a total of 60 206 instances of intelligent endoscope transportation and 60 485 instances of manual transportation data. The robotic group demonstrated significantly shorter response times versus manual group for initial dispatch (51.08±14.97 seconds VS 54.44±13.61 seconds, t=35.8, P<0.001) and recovery response time (32.52±11.26 seconds VS 40.20±11.40 seconds, t=103.93, P<0.001). During the 148 days operational period, the success rate was 99.83% (60 104/60 206) and the failure rate was 0.17% (102/60 206) for robotic transports. Primary failure causes were wireless disconnection, pathfinding errors, and mechanical faults, averaging 1.05 malfunctions/month with no adverse events. The success and failure rate was 99.26% (60 043/60 485) and 0.74% (442/60 485) respectively for manual transports. Staff satisfaction was significantly higher for robotic transport in endoscopic transportation (4.65±0.55 scores VS 3.97±0.98 scores, t=96.5, P<0.001) and delivery process (4.71±0.59 scores VS 3.90±1.04 scores, t=210.3, P<0.001). and workload intensity was significantly lower (4.06±0.77 scores VS 4.48±0.63 scores, t=59.9, P=0.025). The system reduced labor requirements by 3.68 FTE, yielding annual savings of ￥657 000. Conclusion:The robotic intelligent endoscope transport system improves work efficiency, reduces nursing labor costs and physical workload, enhances job experience and satisfaction, and enables full-process smart traceability, providing a validated solution for endoscopy center logistics.

Objective To investigate the clinical features of chronic hepatitis C(CHC)patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 3(HCV GT3)infection and the risk factors for disease progression.Methods A multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted among 1 002 CHC patients from 11 clinical centers in Northwest China from December 2017 to November 2023,and according to their genotype,they were divided into GT1,GT2,GT3,and GT6 groups.Clinical features were compared between the patients with different genotypes.The one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between groups,and the Scheffe test was used for further comparison between two groups.The Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison of data with skewed distribution between groups;the chi-square test or Fisher test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups.The multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore the influencing factors for the progression of CHC to liver cirrhosis.Results In terms of the genotype,there were 427 patients with GT1 infection,242 with GT2 infection,299 with GT3 infection(210 patients with GT3a infection,87 with GT3b infection,and 2 with unclassified genotype),and 34 with GT6 infection.The patients with GT3 infection had a significantly younger age than those with GT1 infection(51.3±0.5 years vs 53.2±0.6 years,P<0.05)or GT2 infection(51.3±0.5 years vs 53.7±0.8 years,P<0.05),and for the patients with liver cirrhosis,the patients with GT3 infection had a significantly younger age than those with GT1 infection(52.1±0.5 years vs 59.4±0.9 years,P<0.001)or GT2 infection(52.1±0.5 years vs 58.1±1.1 years,P<0.001).Among the patients with GT3 infection,male patients accounted for 77.9%and the patients with liver cirrhosis accounted for 46.2%,which were significantly higher than those among the patients with GT1,GT2 or GT6 infection(all P<0.001).At baseline,the patients with GT3 infection had significantly higher levels of alanine aminotransferase(ALT)and aspartate aminotransferase(AST)than those with GT1 or GT2 infection,significantly higher aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index(APRI)and fibrosis-4(FIB4)than those with GT1,GT2 or GT6 infection,a significantly lower platelet count(PLT)than those with GT2 or GT6 infection,a significantly higher level of alpha-fetoprotein than those with GT2 or GT6 infection,and a significantly lower level of albumin(Alb)than those with GT6 infection(all P<0.05).There were no significant differences between the patients with GT3a infection and those with GT3b infection in age,sex,the proportion of patients with liver cirrhosis,comorbidities,HCV RNA quantification,PLT,ALT,AST,alkaline phosphatase,Alb,APRI,and FIB-4(all P>0.05).The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that PLT≤150×109/L(odds ratio[OR]=10.72,95%confidence interval[CI]:5.76-35.86,P<0.001)and Alb≤35 g/L(OR=3.74,95%CI:1.22-11.45,P=0.021)were risk factors for liver cirrhosis.Conclusion Most CHC patients with GT3 infection are male in Northwest China,and compared with the patients with other genotypes,such patients tend to have a younger age of onset and higher degrees of liver inflammation activity and fibrosis.Low PLT and a low level of Alb are risk factors for progression to liver cirrhosis in CHC patients with GT3 infection.

Objective:To explore the application value of right-opening single flap valvuloplasty based on tubular stomach in gastrointestinal reconstruction after laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy.Method:Use a linear cutting stapler to make a parallel curve from the angle of the stomach to the junction of the gastric fundus to remove the lesser curvature of the stomach, and detach the gastric body about 5 cm away from the tumor to create a tubular stomach. Use a marker pen to draw a C-shaped seromuscular flap area with a width of 2.5 cm and a height of 3.5 cm 1.5 cm below the residual stomach closure nail, and create a free muscle flap in the gap between the plasma muscle layer and the submucosal layer. Make a transverse incision of 3 cm at the lower edge of the mucosal bed, and intermittently suture the entire lower edge of the gastric wall with 3 stitches. Under laparoscopy, use 4-0 barbed wire to suture the 1 cm wide muscular layer at the top of the tubular stomach and the posterior wall of the esophagus about 5 cm away from the esophageal stump with 3 stitches. Push the upper end of the tubular stomach into the mediastinum, and then tighten the barbed wire to ensure a tight fit between the stomach and the posterior wall of the esophagus. Use an ultrasonic scalpel to remove the esophageal stump, suture the entire posterior wall of the esophagus with the gastric mucosa, and use barbed wire to suture the anterior wall from left to right. The anastomotic site is completely covered with a free muscle flap, and the barbed line is used to continuously suture the muscle flap along the C-shaped line to the gastric pulp muscle layer at the edge of the mucosal bed, embedding the anastomotic site and completing the reconstruction of the digestive tract.Results:Clinical data of 23 patients (18 from the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University and 5 from the Quzhou Hospital affiliated with Wenzhou Medical University) who underwent laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy, tubular gastroesophageal anastomosis, and pure manual right flap reconstruction surgery for esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma and proximal gastric cancer from October 2023 to August 2024. There were 15 males and 8 females, with an age of (65.3±7.7) years, the BMI was (22.9±2.8) kg/m 2. All patients in the group successfully completed the surgery, with a surgery time of (218.5±38.1) minutes, including (73.5±19.2) minutes for anastomosis, intraoperative blood loss of (64.5±15.4) ml, postoperative passage of gas on (3.4±0.5) days, first consumption of liquid food after surgery of (3.9±1.1) days, and postoperative hospital stay of (9.1±0.8) days. One patient developed anastomotic stenosis (grade I) after surgery, presenting with mild swallowing obstruction, which returned to normal after dietary adjustment, and there were no cases of secondary surgery. The median follow-up time for the entire group was 4.0 (0.7-7.0) months, during which there were no deaths or tumor recurrence or metastasis, no complications such as anastomotic stenosis or gastric emptying disorders, and no complaints of acid reflux or heartburn. At one month of postoperative follow-up, the reflux symptom index (RSI) score was (3.1±2.9) points, and at three months, the RSI score was (2.4±1.4) points. Conclusions:The application of right-opening single flap valvuloplasty based on tubular stomach for gastrointestinal reconstruction after laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy is safe,feasible,and has satisfactory short-term efficacy.

Objective To investigate the clinical features of chronic hepatitis C(CHC)patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 3(HCV GT3)infection and the risk factors for disease progression.Methods A multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted among 1 002 CHC patients from 11 clinical centers in Northwest China from December 2017 to November 2023,and according to their genotype,they were divided into GT1,GT2,GT3,and GT6 groups.Clinical features were compared between the patients with different genotypes.The one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between groups,and the Scheffe test was used for further comparison between two groups.The Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison of data with skewed distribution between groups;the chi-square test or Fisher test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups.The multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore the influencing factors for the progression of CHC to liver cirrhosis.Results In terms of the genotype,there were 427 patients with GT1 infection,242 with GT2 infection,299 with GT3 infection(210 patients with GT3a infection,87 with GT3b infection,and 2 with unclassified genotype),and 34 with GT6 infection.The patients with GT3 infection had a significantly younger age than those with GT1 infection(51.3±0.5 years vs 53.2±0.6 years,P<0.05)or GT2 infection(51.3±0.5 years vs 53.7±0.8 years,P<0.05),and for the patients with liver cirrhosis,the patients with GT3 infection had a significantly younger age than those with GT1 infection(52.1±0.5 years vs 59.4±0.9 years,P<0.001)or GT2 infection(52.1±0.5 years vs 58.1±1.1 years,P<0.001).Among the patients with GT3 infection,male patients accounted for 77.9%and the patients with liver cirrhosis accounted for 46.2%,which were significantly higher than those among the patients with GT1,GT2 or GT6 infection(all P<0.001).At baseline,the patients with GT3 infection had significantly higher levels of alanine aminotransferase(ALT)and aspartate aminotransferase(AST)than those with GT1 or GT2 infection,significantly higher aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index(APRI)and fibrosis-4(FIB4)than those with GT1,GT2 or GT6 infection,a significantly lower platelet count(PLT)than those with GT2 or GT6 infection,a significantly higher level of alpha-fetoprotein than those with GT2 or GT6 infection,and a significantly lower level of albumin(Alb)than those with GT6 infection(all P<0.05).There were no significant differences between the patients with GT3a infection and those with GT3b infection in age,sex,the proportion of patients with liver cirrhosis,comorbidities,HCV RNA quantification,PLT,ALT,AST,alkaline phosphatase,Alb,APRI,and FIB-4(all P>0.05).The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that PLT≤150×109/L(odds ratio[OR]=10.72,95%confidence interval[CI]:5.76-35.86,P<0.001)and Alb≤35 g/L(OR=3.74,95%CI:1.22-11.45,P=0.021)were risk factors for liver cirrhosis.Conclusion Most CHC patients with GT3 infection are male in Northwest China,and compared with the patients with other genotypes,such patients tend to have a younger age of onset and higher degrees of liver inflammation activity and fibrosis.Low PLT and a low level of Alb are risk factors for progression to liver cirrhosis in CHC patients with GT3 infection.

Objective:To explore the application value of right-opening single flap valvuloplasty based on tubular stomach in gastrointestinal reconstruction after laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy.Method:Use a linear cutting stapler to make a parallel curve from the angle of the stomach to the junction of the gastric fundus to remove the lesser curvature of the stomach, and detach the gastric body about 5 cm away from the tumor to create a tubular stomach. Use a marker pen to draw a C-shaped seromuscular flap area with a width of 2.5 cm and a height of 3.5 cm 1.5 cm below the residual stomach closure nail, and create a free muscle flap in the gap between the plasma muscle layer and the submucosal layer. Make a transverse incision of 3 cm at the lower edge of the mucosal bed, and intermittently suture the entire lower edge of the gastric wall with 3 stitches. Under laparoscopy, use 4-0 barbed wire to suture the 1 cm wide muscular layer at the top of the tubular stomach and the posterior wall of the esophagus about 5 cm away from the esophageal stump with 3 stitches. Push the upper end of the tubular stomach into the mediastinum, and then tighten the barbed wire to ensure a tight fit between the stomach and the posterior wall of the esophagus. Use an ultrasonic scalpel to remove the esophageal stump, suture the entire posterior wall of the esophagus with the gastric mucosa, and use barbed wire to suture the anterior wall from left to right. The anastomotic site is completely covered with a free muscle flap, and the barbed line is used to continuously suture the muscle flap along the C-shaped line to the gastric pulp muscle layer at the edge of the mucosal bed, embedding the anastomotic site and completing the reconstruction of the digestive tract.Results:Clinical data of 23 patients (18 from the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University and 5 from the Quzhou Hospital affiliated with Wenzhou Medical University) who underwent laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy, tubular gastroesophageal anastomosis, and pure manual right flap reconstruction surgery for esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma and proximal gastric cancer from October 2023 to August 2024. There were 15 males and 8 females, with an age of (65.3±7.7) years, the BMI was (22.9±2.8) kg/m 2. All patients in the group successfully completed the surgery, with a surgery time of (218.5±38.1) minutes, including (73.5±19.2) minutes for anastomosis, intraoperative blood loss of (64.5±15.4) ml, postoperative passage of gas on (3.4±0.5) days, first consumption of liquid food after surgery of (3.9±1.1) days, and postoperative hospital stay of (9.1±0.8) days. One patient developed anastomotic stenosis (grade I) after surgery, presenting with mild swallowing obstruction, which returned to normal after dietary adjustment, and there were no cases of secondary surgery. The median follow-up time for the entire group was 4.0 (0.7-7.0) months, during which there were no deaths or tumor recurrence or metastasis, no complications such as anastomotic stenosis or gastric emptying disorders, and no complaints of acid reflux or heartburn. At one month of postoperative follow-up, the reflux symptom index (RSI) score was (3.1±2.9) points, and at three months, the RSI score was (2.4±1.4) points. Conclusions:The application of right-opening single flap valvuloplasty based on tubular stomach for gastrointestinal reconstruction after laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy is safe,feasible,and has satisfactory short-term efficacy.