ObjectiveTo explore the effect of oral sodium butyrate on skeletal muscle atrophy in CT26 tumor mice through the gut microbiota-skeletal muscle axis and its potential mechanism. MethodsSixty SPF BALB/c male mice aged 8 weeks were randomly divided into a normal control group (NC, n=18) and a ABX-depleted group (ABX, n=42). The ABX mice were pretreated with a quadruple antibiotic cocktail via oral gavage (0.2 ml per administration, once daily, 6 d per week, for 2 weeks), whereas NC received an equal volume of sterile water. The quadruple antibiotic cocktail consisted of metronidazole (1 g/L), vancomycin (0.5 g/L), ampicillin (1 g/L), and gentamicin (1 g/L). Following successful pretreatment, six mice from each group were randomly selected for gut microbiota sequencing analysis and designated as the Abx group and the NC0 group, respectively. Theremaining mice in ABX were subcutaneously inoculated in the dorsum with 0.2 ml of CT26 cell suspension (at a cell density of 1×10⁷/ml). Then these mice were randomly allocated into three subgroups: a control tumor bearing model group (0_NaB, n=12), a tumor-bearing model group receiving low-dose oral sodium butyrate (L_NaB, n=12), a tumor-bearing model group receiving high-dose oral sodium butyrate (H_NaB, n=12). And mice in NC were inoculated at the same site with 0.2 ml of normal saline. The administration dose for L_NaB was 0.3 g/(kg·d), that for H_NaB was 0.5 g/(kg·d), while NC and 0_NaB were given the same volume of normal saline (0.2ml per time, once daily, 6 d per week, for 4 weeks). The general condition of mice was monitored, and forelimb grip strength gastrocnemius muscle mass and its muscle fiber cross-sectional area were measured for each group. The structural changes in gut microbiota were assessed by 16S rRNA sequencing of cecal contents. Pathological alterations in the intestinal wall were examined via HE staining. Serum and gastrocnemius muscle levels of TNF‑α, IL-6, IL-1β, and LPS were quantified using ELISA. The protein expression of ZO-1 and occludin in the small intestine, as well as proteins associated with the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway in the gastrocnemius muscle, were detected by Western blot analysis. Results(1) The alpha-diversity in Abx was significantly lower than that in NC0 (P<0.01), a significant decrease of the mass and muscle fiber cross-sectional area of the gastrocnemius (P<0.01), with the majority of gut microbiota being effectively depleted. (2) Compared with NC, the subcutaneous tumors of mice in 0_NaB were prominent, a significant increase of the mass and muscle fiber cross-sectional area of the gastrocnemius, accompanied by a significant decrease in body weight at the end of the 3th and 4th week (P<0.05), and a significant weakening of the forelimb grasping strength at the 5th and 6th week (P<0.01). Compared with 0_NaB, the tumor mass of mice in L_NaB and H_NaB showed a significant decreasing trend, and the grip strength of the forelimbs significantly increased at the 5th and 6th week (P<0.05, P<0.01). (3) Compared with 0_NaB, the Shannon and Observed species indices in α diversity of L_NaB and H_NaB were significantly increased (P<0.05). At the genus level, compared with 0_NaB, L_NaB exhibited a significant decrease in the relative abundance of Parasutterella (P< 0.01), while H_NaB showed significant reductions in the relative abundances of both Escherichia-Shigella and Parasutterella (P < 0.01). (4) Compared with 0_NaB, the small intestinal tissue structure in L_NaB and H_NaB was more intact, the infiltration of inflammatory cells was significantly reduced, and the capillaries were slightly dilated. The expression levels of ZO-1 and occludin proteins in L_NaB were significantly increased (P<0.01). (5) The LPS concentration in the gastrocnemius muscle and the protein expression levels of TLR4, MyD88, p-IκBα, and p-NF‑κB p65 in L_NaB and H_NaB were significantly lower than those in 0_NaB (P<0.05). The serum TNF‑α concentration in H_NaB and TNF-α concentration in the gastrocnemius muscle of the L_NaB and H_NaB were significantly lower than those in 0_NaB (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.01). ConclusionOral administration of NaB can improve gut microbiota α diversity, adjusting its composition, improving intestinal mucosal barrier function, reducing the LPS-induced pro-inflammatory response, and delaying skeletal muscle atrophy. The underlying mechanism may involve down regulation of TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling in skeletal muscle.

ObjectiveTo investigate the association of liver fibrosis scores and inflammation markers with gallstones in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease （MAFLD）， as well as the mediating role of liver fibrosis scores in the relationship between inflammation markers and gallstones. MethodsA total of 14 567 patients who received physical examination and were diagnosed with MAFLD in Subei People’s Hospital from January 2014 to June 2023 were enrolled in this study， and according to the results of abdominal color Doppler ultrasound， they were divided into gallstone group with 1 724 patients and non-gallstone group with 12 843 patients. Related clinical data were collected from all patients， including demographic data， medical history， family history， physical examination， Color Doppler ultrasound， and biochemical parameters. The biomarkers associated with metabolic disorders and insulin resistance included triglyceride-glucose index （TyG）， TyG-body mass index （BMI） index， atherogenic index of plasma （AIP）， and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio （NHHR）； the biomarkers associated with inflammation and nutritional status included neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio （NLR）， neutrophil percentage-to-albumin ratio （NPAR）， and monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio （MLR）； the biomarkers for assessing liver fibrosis degree and liver function included albumin-bilirubin （ALBI） score， NAFLD fibrosis score （NFS）， fibrosis-4 （FIB-4） index， and aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index （APRI）. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups， while the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups； the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis， restricted cubic spline analysis， and mediating effect analysis were used to assess the association of liver fibrosis markers and inflammation markers with the risk of gallstones. ResultsThe prevalence rate of gallstones was 11.8% among the MAFLD patients. There were significant differences between the gallstone group and the non-gallstone group in sex， age， smoking history， diabetes， hypertension， lymphocytes， platelets， glucose， albumin， serum uric acid， alanine aminotransferase， aspartate aminotransferase， red blood cell， NLR， NPAR， MLR， NFS， FIB-4 index， and ALBI score （all P<0.05）. The multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that NLR （odds ratio ［OR］=1.091， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 1.028　—　1.160， P<0.05）， NPAR （OR=1.073， 95%CI： 1.042　—　1.105， P<0.05）， MLR （OR=1.142， 95%CI： 1.057　—　1.232， P<0.05）， NFS （OR=1.239， 95%CI： 1.190　—　1.291， P<0.05）， and FIB-4 index （OR=1.326， 95%CI： 1.241　—　1.417， P<0.05） were influencing factors for the prevalence rate of gallstones. The restricted cubic spline analysis showed a significant non-linear association between NFS/FIB-4 index and the risk of gallstone （non-linear P<0.05）. The mediating effect analysis further showed that the association of NLR， MLR， and NPAR with gallstones was partially mediated by NFS or FIB-4 index， with a mediating effect accounting for 36.79%、28.09%、29.67% and 18.31%、17.70、11.57%， respectively. ConclusionNFS and FIB-4 index have a non-linear association with the prevalence rate of gallstones in MAFLD patients， and they also mediate the association of NLR， NPAR， and MLR with the risk of gallstone.

Objective To analyze the effect of releasing the lower pulmonary ligament on right residual lung expansion after right upper lobe resection under different body mass index (BMI) levels. Methods The clinical data of patients who underwent thoracoscopic right upper lobe resection in the First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University from 2021 to 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into a group A (17 kg/m2＜BMI≤23 kg/m2), a group B (23 kg/m2＜BMI≤29 kg/m2) and a group C (BMI＞29 kg/m2) according to BMI. The presence of residual cavity was judged by chest X-ray at 7-10 days after operation, the degree of compensation change of the right main bronchus angle was measured, and the changes in lung volume were determined by CT three-dimensional reconstruction. Results A total of 157 patients who underwent thoracoscopic right upper lobe resection were included, including 71 males and 86 females, with an average age of (59.7±11.2) years. There were 50 patients in the group A, 75 patients in the group B, and 32 patients in the group C. In the group A, compared with those without releasing the lower pulmonary ligament, patients with releasing had a lower incidence of postoperative residual cavity (P=0.016), greater changes in bronchus angle (P<0.001), and smaller changes in lung volume (P<0.001). In the group B and C, there was no significant effect of releasing the lower pulmonary ligament on postoperative residual cavity, bronchus angle, and lung volume changes (P>0.05). Conclusion For patients with thin and long body shape and low BMI, releasing the lower pulmonary ligament is helpful to promote the expansion of the residual lung after right upper lobe resection and reduce the occurrence of postoperative residual cavity in patients.

ObjectiveTo investigate the association between noninvasive liver fibrosis markers and carotid plaque （CP） in patients with lean metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease （MAFLD）， and to provide a basis for screening high-risk populations. MethodsA total of 957 patients with lean MAFLD who underwent physical examination in Subei People’s Hospital from January 2021 to June 2023 was enrolled as the observation cohort， with the presence or absence of CP as the outcome， and fibrosis-4 （FIB-4） index and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score （NFS） were used to assess liver fibrosis degree. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups， and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups； the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. The multivariate logistic regression analysis， the restricted cubic spline analysis， the receiver operating characteristic curve， and the mediation effect analysis were used to investigate the association between liver fibrosis degree and CP. ResultsThe prevalence rate of CP was 36.6% in the lean MAFLD population. Compared with the non-CP group（n=607）， the CP group （n=350） had a significantly higher proportion of male patients， a significantly higher proportion of patients with smoking/diabetes/hypertension， and significantly higher levels of age， creatinine， blood urea nitrogen， triglycerides， fasting blood glucose， aspartate aminotransferase， aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase ratio， NFS， and FIB-4 index， as well as significantly lower levels of platelet count and albumin （all P<0.05）. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that after adjustment for confounding factors， FIB-4 index （odds ratio［OR］=2.979， 95% confidence interval［CI］：2.141 — 4.219， P<0.001） and NFS （OR=1.747， 95%CI： 1.499 — 2.046， P<0.001） were positively correlated with CP. Both FIB-4 index and NFS had a good value in predicting CP. Hypertension had a significant indirect effect on the prevalence rate of CP through its impact on liver fibrosis markers， and its mediating effect accounted for 39.5% — 40.8% of the total effect （P<0.001）. ConclusionIn patients with lean MAFLD， NFS and FIB-4 index are significantly positively correlated with the prevalence rate of CP， and they can be used as potential epidemiological predictive indicators. Liver fibrosis markers may play a mediating role in the association between hypertension and CP. Interventions targeting hypertension and liver fibrosis markers may help to prevent and delay the progression of CP.

Background: and Purpose Vertebrobasilar fusiform aneurysms (VBFAs) carry substantial morbidity and mortality, but optimal management for unruptured VBFAs remains unclear. We compared the safety and efficacy of conservative management (CM), stent-assisted coiling (SAC), and flow diverters (FDs) in patients with unruptured VBFAs, focusing on long-term prognosis. Methods: This study included data from a nationwide Chinese cohort of patients with vertebrobasilar dissecting aneurysms. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) balanced confounders across groups. The primary outcome was poor prognosis (modified Rankin Scale score >2). Secondary outcomes included aneurysm rupture, ischemic stroke, compression symptoms, and VBFA-related deaths. Logistic regression estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: Among 1,115 patients with unruptured VBFAs, 838 (median age, 54 years; 655 men) were included. After IPTW, baseline characteristics were balanced. Median follow-up was 54 months. FD was associated with a lower risk of poor prognosis than CM (OR, 0.48 [95% CI, 0.30 to 0.77]; p=0.002), with no difference between CM and SAC. FD also reduced aneurysm rupture (OR, 0.20 [95% CI, 0.07 to 0.60]; p=0.004) and compression symptoms (OR, 0.30 [95% CI, 0.13 to 0.68]; p=0.004) versus CM. Time-to-event analyses further revealed significant differences in vertebral artery lesions and Type I–II VBFAs, whereas no significant differences were observed in basilar or vertebrobasilar junction lesions or in Type III–IV VBFAs. Conclusions Compared with CM, FD was associated with improved long-term outcomes in unruptured VBFAs, particularly in vertebral artery lesions and Type I–II VBFAs, although residual confounding cannot be excluded.

ObjectiveTo investigate the independent risk factors for decompensation in patients with liver cirrhosis， to construct a nomogram-based risk assessment model， and to assess its risk assessment performance and clinical value by comparing it with Model for End-Stage Liver Disease （MELD）， MELD combined with serum sodium concentration （MELD-Na）， and MELD 3.0 scoring system. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for 514 patients with liver cirrhosis who attended The First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from January 2020 to May 2025， and related data were collected， including demographic data and laboratory markers. According to the presence or absence of decompensation， the patients were divided into compensation group with 275 patients and decompensation group with 239 patients. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups， and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis was used for screening of variables， and the multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors for decompensated liver cirrhosis and construct a nomogram model. The receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve， calibration curve， and decision curve analysis were used to assess the discriminatory ability， calibration， and net clinical benefit of the model. ResultsThe multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that low hemoglobin （odds ratio ［OR］=0.984， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 0.969　—　0.999， P<0.05）， low lymphocytes （OR=0.564， 95%CI： 0.383　—　0.830， P<0.05）， high international normalized ratio （OR=3.131， 95%CI： 1.242　—　7.891， P<0.05）， and low serum sodium （OR=0.922， 95%CI： 0.872　—　0.975， P<0.05） were independent risk factors for decompensation events in patients with liver cirrhosis. Construct the prediction model equation： Logit（P）=intercept value－0.016×hemoglobin－0.573×lymphocytes+1.141×INR－0.081×serum sodium. The nomogram constructed based on these factors had a good discriminatory ability， with an area under the ROC curve （AUC） of 0.787， a specificity of 77.8%， and a sensitivity of 67.4%， and it had significantly better predictive performance than MELD score （AUC=0.718）， MELD-Na score （AUC=0.719）， and MELD 3.0 score （AUC=0.725）. The calibration curve showed good consistency between the probability of risk assessed by the model and the observed probability. The decision curve analysis showed that compared with the MELD-based scores， this model provided higher net clinical benefit across a wide range of risk thresholds. ConclusionThis study successfully constructed and validated a nomogram risk assessment model incorporating hemoglobin， international normalized ratio， lymphocytes， and serum sodium. This model has good clinical practicability and can help to achieve early identification of high-risk patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis and optimize intervention strategies in clinical practice.

Objective: To examine the relationship between self-management behaviors and time perspective among patients with comorbid diabetes, so as to provide the evidence for improving self-management behaviors among patients with comorbid diabetes. Methods: The patients with comorbid diabetes who were registered in the chronic disease health management system of Minhang District, Shanghai Municipality in 2021, followed up regularly, and lived in Meilong Town were recruited. Demographic information and family history of diabetes were collected through questionnaire surveys. Time perspective and self-management behaviors were assessed using the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory and Diabetes Self-Management Behavior Scale, respectively. The relationship between self-management behaviors and time perspective was analyzed using a multivariable ordinal logistic regression model. Results: A total of 907 patients with comorbid diabetes were enrolled, including 472 males (52.04%) and 435 females (47.96%). There were 652 cases aged 65 years and above, accounting for 71.89%. In terms of the types of time perspective, 280 patients were future-oriented (30.87%), 236 were balanced (26.02%), 162 were sensation-seeking (17.86%), 123 were fatalistic (13.56%), and 106 were negative (11.69%). In terms of the self-management behaviors, 46 patients were good (5.07%), 643 were moderate (70.89%), and 218 were poor (24.04%). Multivariable ordinal logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for age, gender, educational level, marital status, occupation status, monthly income, and family history of diabetes, the patients with comorbid diabetes who had a future-oriented time perspective had better self-management behaviors (OR=1.874, 95%CI: 1.204-2.915). Conclusion The self-management behaviors among patients with comorbid diabetes are moderate to poor, and patients with a future-oriented time perspective can better engage in self-management behaviors.

Body weight abnormalities, including overweight, obesity, and underweight, have become a dual public health challenge in Chinese adults: overweight and obesity lead to a variety of chronic complications, while underweight increases the risks of malnutrition, sarcopenia, and organ dysfunction. To systematically address these issues, multidisciplinary experts in endocrinology, sports science, nutrition, and psychiatry from various regions have held multiple weight management seminars. Based on the latest epidemiological data and clinical evidence, they expanded the guideline to include assessment and intervention strategies for underweight, in addition to the core content of obesity management. This guideline outlines the etiological mechanisms, evaluation methods, and multidimensional management strategies for overweight and obesity, covering key areas such as diagnosis and assessment, medical nutrition therapy, exercise prescription, pharmacological intervention, and psychological support. It is intended to provide a scientific and standardized approach to weight management across the adult population, aiming to curb the rising prevalence of obesity, mitigate complications associated with abnormal body weight, and improve nutritional status and overall quality of life.

Objective To investigate the clinical prognosis of untreated residual coronary artery dissection treated with drug coated balloon(DCB).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical and imaging data of patients with primary coronary artery lesions(2.5-4.0 mm)treated with DCB under angiography guidance at Xuzhou Cancer Hospital,Xuzhou New Health Geriatric Hospital,and Peixian Guotai Hospital from September 2017 to April 2023.According to the observation of coronary artery dissection through angiography,the patients were divided into a dissection group and a non dissection group.The main endpoint of this study was the major adverse cardiovascular event(MACE)during a 12-month follow-up.Results A total of 381 patients were enrolled in the three research centers,with 30 cases(30 lesions)in the dissection group and 351 cases(367 lesions)in the non dissection group.There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of age,gender,hypertension,hyperlipidemia,diabetes,smoking,previous myocardial infarction,previous percutaneous coronary intervention,coronary artery bypass grafting and other baseline clinical characteristics(all P＞0.05).Except for the reference vessel diameter(P=0.049)and DCB pressure(P=0.032),there was no statistically significant difference in the characteristics of coronary angiography lesions between the two groups of patients(both P＞0.05).During a 12-month follow-up,there was no statistically significant difference(P＞0.05)in the incidence of MACE between the dissection group and the non dissection group after DCB treatment for primary coronary artery lesions in situ.Conclusions Untreated residual dissection after DCB treatment of de novo coronary lesions does not lead to an increase in clinical MACE.

Background and Aims:Conversion therapy offers initially unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)patients a chance for curative resection.However,the optimal margin width following conversion remains unclear.This study aimed to evaluate the impact of surgical margin width on prognosis and identify independent prognostic factors in HCC patients undergoing hepatectomy after conversion therapy.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on 413 patients with initially unresectable HCC who received conversion therapy and underwent radical resection at Cancer Prevention and Control Center of Sun Yat-sen University between February 2015 and June 2022.According to the intraoperatively measured pathological margin,patients were classified into two groups:tumor margin<1 cm and≥1 cm,and further divided into subgroups with margins of 0 cm,0.1 cm,and>0.1 cm to compare survival differences among groups.The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards model were used to evaluate disease-free survival(DFS),overall survival(OS),and their influencing factors.Results:The 3-year OS and DFS showed no significant difference between the<1 cm and≥1 cm groups(both P>0.05).However,patients with a 0 cm margin had significantly worse OS than those with a 0.1 cm margin(P=0.048).No significant survival difference was observed in OS and DFS between the 0.1 cm and>0.1 cm groups(both P>0.05).Multivariate analysis identified multiple tumors,poor differentiation,and microvascular invasion as independent adverse prognostic factors for both OS and DFS(all P<0.05),whereas targeted therapy was an independent protective factor for DFS(P=0.014).Conclusion:A pathological margin≥0.1 cm provides comparable survival to wider margins and can be considered a safe threshold for HCC patients undergoing hepatectomy after conversion therapy.The conventional 1 cm margin standard offers no additional benefit.Multiple tumors,poor differentiation,and microvascular invasion predict poor prognosis,while targeted and immunotherapy during conversion may improve long-term outcomes.