Objective To screen and analyze biomarkers of comorbidity in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)and colorectal cancer(CRC)based on bioinformatics so as to explore the mechanism of comorbidity.Methods After data related to NAFLD and CRC were downloaded from the public database(GEO),gene set enrichment analysis(GSEA)was performed for all genes to screen the expression pathways,and the common differentially expressed genes of both genes were annotated by GO and KEGG functions.Subsequently,PPI protein interaction network was constructed using STRING online database to screen key genes,and transcription factor-gene regulatory network was constructed based on key genes,and biomarker genes were identified using LASSO regression.Finally,the transcription factor prediction analysis of key genes and SCD was conducted through Network Analyst database,and the transcription factor network was constructed.Results GSEA analysis revealed that signaling pathways such as TNF-α and IL-6-JAK-STAT3 were activated in NAFLD patients.The 17 common differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in biological processes such as bivalent inorganic cation homeostasis and neutrophil chemotaxis in GO analysis.KEGG pathway analysis showed that common differentially expressed genes were mainly concentrated in IL-17 signaling pathway.The protein interaction network screened out five key genes:TREM1,FPR1,IL1RN,S100A9,and S100A8.IL1RN and SCD,identified by LASSO regression,were validated as biomarker genes using external datasets and immunohistochemistry data from the human protein atlas(HPA)database,showing high expression in CRC tissues.A transcription factor-key comorbidity gene regulatory network was constructed using Network Analyst.Conclusion The genes for comorbidities between NAFLD and colorectal cancer discovered by bioinformatics reveal the potential pathogenesis of comorbidities,and provide ideas for cancer screening and early diagnosis of colorectal cancer in NAFLD patients.

BACKGROUND:With the continuous advancement of medical technology,the combination of oblique lumbar interbody fusion and percutaneous pedicle screw fixation has become a common method for treating lumbar degenerative diseases;however,there is still a lack of in-depth research on the relationship between changes in anterior convexity angles at different postoperative segments and fusion device settlement.OBJECTIVE:To explore the relationship between changes in anterior convexity angle of different segments and Cage subsidence after oblique lumbar interbody fusion combined with percutaneous pedicle screw fixation surgery.METHODS:Patients(93 cases)with lumbar degenerative diseases who underwent oblique lumbar interbody fusion combined with percutaneous pedicle screw fixation surgery in Weifang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from February 2019 to April 2023 were selected as the research subjects.According to the postoperative disc height loss value,they were divided into Cage subsidence group(25 cases,＞2 mm)and non-Cage subsidence group(68 cases,＜2 mm).Multiple Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors for cage subsidence.Stepwise regression was utilized to evaluate the relationship of each risk factor and Cage subsidence.Risk prediction model was built and evaluated.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)After adjusting for confounding factors,there was still independent correlation between lumbar lordosis loss value and segmental lordosis improvement value and Cage subsidence risk(P＜0.05).(2)Age,oswestry disability index,disc height improvement value,segmental lordosis improvement value,and lumbar lordosis loss value were all independent influencing factors for the occurrence of Cage subsidence(P＜0.05).Among them,age,lumbar lordosis loss value,disc height improvement value,and segmental lordosis improvement value were most closely related to Cage subsidence.(3)The results of multivariate Logistic regression model analysis showed that when P=0.80,the Jordan index was the highest and the prediction effect was the best,with accuracy of 89.27％,sensitivity of 86.67％,and specificity of 89.89％.The model evaluation results showed that it had good discrimination and high accuracy.(4)As the lumbar lordosis loss value and segmental lordosis improvement value increase,the risk of Cage subsidence increases,which affects clinical efficacy.(5)It is indicated that age,lumbar lordosis loss value,disc height improvement value,and segmental lordosis improvement value are most closely related to Cage subsidence,and clinical doctors should pay more attention.

Objective To explore the risk factors associated with the development of acute respir-atory distress syndrome(ARDS)in patients with severe traumatic brain injury(sTBI)and to construct and validate a risk prediction model for ARDS in these patients.Methods Clinical data from 371 sTBI patients admitted to Yangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University between January 2017 and December 2023 were retrospectively collected.Patients were randomly divided into modeling group(n=259)and validation group(n=112)at a 7-to-3 ratio.A nomogram model was constructed after screening for risk factors using the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator(LASSO)and multivariate Logistic regression analysis.Model performance was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve,area under the curve(AUC),Hosmer-Lemeshow test,calibration curve,and deci-sion curve analysis(DCA).Results Statistically significant differences were observed in heart rate,respiratory rate,pupil size,percutaneous oxygen saturation(SpO2),Glasgow Coma Scale(GCS)score,Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation Ⅱ(APACHE Ⅱ)score,head Ab-breviated Injury Scale(AIS)score,chest AIS score,emergency intubation,pulmonary infection,associated chest trauma,midline shift,blood transfusion within 12 hours of admission,fluid intake within 24 hours of admission,shock,mechanical ventilation,hemoglobin level,hematocrit,white blood cell count,prothrombin time,international normalized ratio,total protein,albumin,serum calcium,oxygenation index,and base excess between the two groups(P＜0.05).Multivariate Lo-gistic regression analysis revealed that SpO2,pulmonary infection,and fluid intake within 24 hours of admission were predictors of ARDS in sTBI patients.The Hosmer-Lemeshow test results for the modeling and validation groups showed good fit(x2=10.373,P=0.240;x2=13.21,P=0.105).DCA results for both groups indicated net benefit at threshold probabilities ranging from 0％to 72％and 0％to 50％,respectively.Conclusion SpO2,pulmonary infection,and fluid in-take within 24 hours of admission are risk factors for ARDS in sTBI patients.The model constructed using these factors demonstrates good performance and provides a reliable tool for clinical screening of high-risk ARDS populations among sTBI patients.

Objective:To evaluate the impact of postoperative radiotherapy (RT) and associated risk factors on the prognosis of patients undergoing postmastectomy breast reconstruction (PMBR) for breast cancer.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 1593 breast cancer patients who underwent PMBR at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital between January 2010 and October 2023. Patients were divided into an RT group ( n = 351) and a non-RT group ( n =1242) based on whether postoperative radiotherapy was administered. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), and the secondary endpoint was the incidence of revision surgery. Propensity score matching (PSM) and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) were used for pairing. Continuous variables were compared between the two groups using the independent samples t-tests, while categorical variables were compared using chi-square tests, and survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze survival influencing factors, and include propensity factors with P<0.2 in univariate analysis into multivariate analysis. Results:In the RT group, there were 3 deaths (0.9%) and 21 cases of disease progression (6.0%); in the non-RT group, 7 patients died (0.56%) and 40 experienced disease progression (3.22%). The median OS was 20.1 months (range: 0.1-164.9), and the median PFS was 19.5 months (range: 0.1-160.9). Pregnancy-associated breast cancer and higher N stage were identified as significant risk factors for OS, while neoadjuvant therapy, absence of adjuvant chemotherapy or endocrine therapy, and higher T stage were significant risk factors affecting patients' PFS. Radiotherapy significantly reduced the survival risk for PMBR patients with pregnancy-associated breast cancer or those receiving neoadjuvant therapy ( P=0.019, 0.027). Compared with other reconstruction methods, implant-based reconstruction was associated with a lower incidence of postmastectomy revision surgery(10.5% vs. 17.0%, P<0.001). Even after radiotherapy, the revision surgery incidence for implant-based reconstruction remained lower than that of other methods (12.2% vs. 14.2%, P=0.591). Compared with other reconstruction types, expander-based reconstruction was associated with an increased incidence of revision surgery (31.9% vs. 10.9%, P<0.001). Conclusions:Postmastectomy radiotherapy can reduce survival risk in PMBR patients with pregnancy-associated breast cancer or who received neoadjuvant therapy, showing positive effects on OS and PFS in high-risk patients. Pregnancy, higher T/N stage, and specific treatment strategies are critical factors influencing the prognosis of PMBR patients. Implant-based reconstruction is associated with a lower incidence of revision surgery, which remains low even after RT, whereas expander-based reconstruction may increase the long-term risk of revision surgery.

Objective:To explore the clinical characteristics and risk factors for the progression of severe scrub typhus in children.Methods:Clinical data, laboratory and auxiliary examination results, treatment and prognosis data of children with scrub typhus admitted to Xiamen Children's Hospital from July 2014 to March 2024 were collected. The clinical characteristics of scrub typhus in children were analyzed, and the study subjects were divided into severe group and mild group according to their condition. The relevant risk factors for progression to severe cases were analyzed.Results:A total of 42 cases were included, with 34 cases (80.95%) in the mild group and 8 cases (19.05%) in the severe group. All patients(100%) had fever, with the highest incidence of eschar or ulceration (95.24%), followed by lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly. All 42 patients improved or recovered after treatment with azithromycin or doxycycline, with no deaths reported. Compared with the mild group，the severe group had a higher incidence of cough, lymphadenopathy，and hepatomegaly, with statistically significant differences( P<0.05). Compared with the mild group, the severe group showed a decrease in hemoglobin(Hb), platelet, and fibrinogen(Fib) levels, while serum C-reactive protein(CRP), procalcitonin, aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase MB, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels increased, with statistically significant differences( P<0.05). Multivariate Tobit model analysis showed that a decrease in Hb ( OR -0.006，95% CI -0.012-0.000， P<0.05), an increase in CRP ( OR 2.72，95% CI 0.001-0.008， P=0.010), an increase in LDH ( OR 1.76，95% CI 0.000-0.000， P=0.027), and a decrease in Fib ( OR -3.78，95% CI -0.309-0.093， P=0.001) were risk factors for scrub typhus progressing to severe cases. Conclusion:During the epidemic season of scrub typhus, fever accompanied by eschar or ulceration, along with splenomegaly and lymphadenopath aids in the diagnosis of scrub typhus. Decreased Hb and Fib, as well as elevated CRP and LDH, are risk factors for the development of severe scrub typhus in children.

Objective To screen and analyze biomarkers of comorbidity in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)and colorectal cancer(CRC)based on bioinformatics so as to explore the mechanism of comorbidity.Methods After data related to NAFLD and CRC were downloaded from the public database(GEO),gene set enrichment analysis(GSEA)was performed for all genes to screen the expression pathways,and the common differentially expressed genes of both genes were annotated by GO and KEGG functions.Subsequently,PPI protein interaction network was constructed using STRING online database to screen key genes,and transcription factor-gene regulatory network was constructed based on key genes,and biomarker genes were identified using LASSO regression.Finally,the transcription factor prediction analysis of key genes and SCD was conducted through Network Analyst database,and the transcription factor network was constructed.Results GSEA analysis revealed that signaling pathways such as TNF-α and IL-6-JAK-STAT3 were activated in NAFLD patients.The 17 common differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in biological processes such as bivalent inorganic cation homeostasis and neutrophil chemotaxis in GO analysis.KEGG pathway analysis showed that common differentially expressed genes were mainly concentrated in IL-17 signaling pathway.The protein interaction network screened out five key genes:TREM1,FPR1,IL1RN,S100A9,and S100A8.IL1RN and SCD,identified by LASSO regression,were validated as biomarker genes using external datasets and immunohistochemistry data from the human protein atlas(HPA)database,showing high expression in CRC tissues.A transcription factor-key comorbidity gene regulatory network was constructed using Network Analyst.Conclusion The genes for comorbidities between NAFLD and colorectal cancer discovered by bioinformatics reveal the potential pathogenesis of comorbidities,and provide ideas for cancer screening and early diagnosis of colorectal cancer in NAFLD patients.

BACKGROUND:With the continuous advancement of medical technology,the combination of oblique lumbar interbody fusion and percutaneous pedicle screw fixation has become a common method for treating lumbar degenerative diseases;however,there is still a lack of in-depth research on the relationship between changes in anterior convexity angles at different postoperative segments and fusion device settlement.OBJECTIVE:To explore the relationship between changes in anterior convexity angle of different segments and Cage subsidence after oblique lumbar interbody fusion combined with percutaneous pedicle screw fixation surgery.METHODS:Patients(93 cases)with lumbar degenerative diseases who underwent oblique lumbar interbody fusion combined with percutaneous pedicle screw fixation surgery in Weifang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from February 2019 to April 2023 were selected as the research subjects.According to the postoperative disc height loss value,they were divided into Cage subsidence group(25 cases,＞2 mm)and non-Cage subsidence group(68 cases,＜2 mm).Multiple Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors for cage subsidence.Stepwise regression was utilized to evaluate the relationship of each risk factor and Cage subsidence.Risk prediction model was built and evaluated.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)After adjusting for confounding factors,there was still independent correlation between lumbar lordosis loss value and segmental lordosis improvement value and Cage subsidence risk(P＜0.05).(2)Age,oswestry disability index,disc height improvement value,segmental lordosis improvement value,and lumbar lordosis loss value were all independent influencing factors for the occurrence of Cage subsidence(P＜0.05).Among them,age,lumbar lordosis loss value,disc height improvement value,and segmental lordosis improvement value were most closely related to Cage subsidence.(3)The results of multivariate Logistic regression model analysis showed that when P=0.80,the Jordan index was the highest and the prediction effect was the best,with accuracy of 89.27％,sensitivity of 86.67％,and specificity of 89.89％.The model evaluation results showed that it had good discrimination and high accuracy.(4)As the lumbar lordosis loss value and segmental lordosis improvement value increase,the risk of Cage subsidence increases,which affects clinical efficacy.(5)It is indicated that age,lumbar lordosis loss value,disc height improvement value,and segmental lordosis improvement value are most closely related to Cage subsidence,and clinical doctors should pay more attention.

Objective:To explore the clinical characteristics and risk factors for the progression of severe scrub typhus in children.Methods:Clinical data, laboratory and auxiliary examination results, treatment and prognosis data of children with scrub typhus admitted to Xiamen Children's Hospital from July 2014 to March 2024 were collected. The clinical characteristics of scrub typhus in children were analyzed, and the study subjects were divided into severe group and mild group according to their condition. The relevant risk factors for progression to severe cases were analyzed.Results:A total of 42 cases were included, with 34 cases (80.95%) in the mild group and 8 cases (19.05%) in the severe group. All patients(100%) had fever, with the highest incidence of eschar or ulceration (95.24%), followed by lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly. All 42 patients improved or recovered after treatment with azithromycin or doxycycline, with no deaths reported. Compared with the mild group，the severe group had a higher incidence of cough, lymphadenopathy，and hepatomegaly, with statistically significant differences( P<0.05). Compared with the mild group, the severe group showed a decrease in hemoglobin(Hb), platelet, and fibrinogen(Fib) levels, while serum C-reactive protein(CRP), procalcitonin, aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase MB, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels increased, with statistically significant differences( P<0.05). Multivariate Tobit model analysis showed that a decrease in Hb ( OR -0.006，95% CI -0.012-0.000， P<0.05), an increase in CRP ( OR 2.72，95% CI 0.001-0.008， P=0.010), an increase in LDH ( OR 1.76，95% CI 0.000-0.000， P=0.027), and a decrease in Fib ( OR -3.78，95% CI -0.309-0.093， P=0.001) were risk factors for scrub typhus progressing to severe cases. Conclusion:During the epidemic season of scrub typhus, fever accompanied by eschar or ulceration, along with splenomegaly and lymphadenopath aids in the diagnosis of scrub typhus. Decreased Hb and Fib, as well as elevated CRP and LDH, are risk factors for the development of severe scrub typhus in children.

Objective:To evaluate the impact of postoperative radiotherapy (RT) and associated risk factors on the prognosis of patients undergoing postmastectomy breast reconstruction (PMBR) for breast cancer.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 1593 breast cancer patients who underwent PMBR at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital between January 2010 and October 2023. Patients were divided into an RT group ( n = 351) and a non-RT group ( n =1242) based on whether postoperative radiotherapy was administered. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), and the secondary endpoint was the incidence of revision surgery. Propensity score matching (PSM) and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) were used for pairing. Continuous variables were compared between the two groups using the independent samples t-tests, while categorical variables were compared using chi-square tests, and survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze survival influencing factors, and include propensity factors with P<0.2 in univariate analysis into multivariate analysis. Results:In the RT group, there were 3 deaths (0.9%) and 21 cases of disease progression (6.0%); in the non-RT group, 7 patients died (0.56%) and 40 experienced disease progression (3.22%). The median OS was 20.1 months (range: 0.1-164.9), and the median PFS was 19.5 months (range: 0.1-160.9). Pregnancy-associated breast cancer and higher N stage were identified as significant risk factors for OS, while neoadjuvant therapy, absence of adjuvant chemotherapy or endocrine therapy, and higher T stage were significant risk factors affecting patients' PFS. Radiotherapy significantly reduced the survival risk for PMBR patients with pregnancy-associated breast cancer or those receiving neoadjuvant therapy ( P=0.019, 0.027). Compared with other reconstruction methods, implant-based reconstruction was associated with a lower incidence of postmastectomy revision surgery(10.5% vs. 17.0%, P<0.001). Even after radiotherapy, the revision surgery incidence for implant-based reconstruction remained lower than that of other methods (12.2% vs. 14.2%, P=0.591). Compared with other reconstruction types, expander-based reconstruction was associated with an increased incidence of revision surgery (31.9% vs. 10.9%, P<0.001). Conclusions:Postmastectomy radiotherapy can reduce survival risk in PMBR patients with pregnancy-associated breast cancer or who received neoadjuvant therapy, showing positive effects on OS and PFS in high-risk patients. Pregnancy, higher T/N stage, and specific treatment strategies are critical factors influencing the prognosis of PMBR patients. Implant-based reconstruction is associated with a lower incidence of revision surgery, which remains low even after RT, whereas expander-based reconstruction may increase the long-term risk of revision surgery.

Objective To investigate the presence of pepsin and trypsin in the middle ear effusion of children with acute suppurative otitis media(ASOM).Methods Middle ear effusion samples were collected from 71 children with ASOM at Children's Hospital of Xuzhou.According to the characteristics of the middle ear effusions,the effu-sion was divided into serous and mucous types.The pH testing,Western Blotting(WB),and enzyme-linked immu-nosorbent assay(ELISA)were performed.Results ① There were 49.29％(35/71)of ASOM patients had a posi-tive RSI score(＞13).② The positive rate of pepsin in ASOM children was 49.29％(35/71),and the positive rate of trypsin was 42.25％(30/71).In addition,the positive rate of pepsin in RSI-positive children was 100％(35/35),and the positive rate of trypsin was 60％(21/35).There was no significant difference in the positive rate of pepsin and trypsin between serous and mucous middle ear effusion(P＞0.05).③ The pepsin concentration was 47.80(39.80,69.30)ng/ml and the trypsin concentration was 291.87±20.45 ng/ml in middle ear effusion of chil-dren with ASOM who had a positive WB test,and the trypsin concentration was significantly higher than pepsin(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference between the pepsin and the trypsin concentrations in serous and mu-cous middle ear effusion(P＞0.05).④ The pH value of mucous middle ear effusion was 7.39±0.28,and the pH value of serous middle ear effusion was 7.36±0.26.There was no significant difference between the pH value in se-rous and mucous middle ear effusion(P＞0.05).Conclusion The detection rates of pepsin and trypsin in middle ear effusion of children with ASOM were high which has important diagnostic value for children with ASOM combined with LPRD.