ObjectiveTo investigate the value of liver stiffness measurement （LSM） and spleen stiffness measurement （SSM） measured by two-dimensional shear wave elastography （2D-SWE） in the diagnosis of severe portal hypertension （SPH） and high-risk varices （HRV）， and to provide a basis for noninvasive assessment of portal hypertension. MethodsA prospective study was conducted among 78 patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension who were treated in Liver Research Center of Beijing Friendship Hospital， Capital Medical University， from December 2019 to April 2023. According to hepatic venous pressure gradient （HVPG）， the patients were divided into 6 mmHg≤HVPG<12 mmHg group， 12 mmHg≤HVPG<20 mmHg group， and HVPG ≥20 mmHg group. All patients underwent gastroscopy and 2D-SWE within 1 week after HVPG measurement， and SWE-LSM and SWE-SSM measured by 2D-SWE were recorded. A one-way analysis of variance or the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison of continuous data between multiple groups， and the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. With HVPG and gastroscopy findings as the gold standard， the receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve was plotted and the area under the ROC curve （AUC） was calculated to evaluate diagnostic performance， while the DeLong test was used for comparison of AUC. The Pearson or Spearman correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation between variables， and the linear regression analysis and the Logistic regression analysis were used to investigate the influencing factors for HVPG and HRV. ResultsThe mean HVPG was 18.1±6.4 mmHg for the patients enrolled in this study， and HRV was observed in 62 patients （79.5%）. Both SWE-LSM and SWE-SSM were significantly positively correlated with HVPG （r=0.413 and 0.633， both P<0.001）， with an AUC of 0.812 and 0.902， respectively， in the diagnosis of HVPG≥12 mmHg and an AUC of 0.804 and 0.789， respectively， in the diagnosis of HVPG≥20 mmHg （all P>0.05）. The multivariate linear regression analysis showed that SWE-SSM was an independent influencing factor for HVPG （β=0.17， P<0.001）. In the diagnosis of HRV， only SWE-SSM showed a significant positive correlation with HRV （r=0.432， P<0.001）， with a better diagnostic performance than SWE-LSM in terms of AUC （0.808 vs 0.642， Z=2.775， P=0.006）. The multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that platelet count was an independent influencing factor for HRV （odds ratio=0.97， P=0.014）. ConclusionSWE-SSM is closely correlated with both HVPG and HRV， showing a good performance in the diagnosis of SPH and HRV， and therefore， it is expected to become an effective noninvasive tool for assessing portal hypertension.

Objective:To investigate the effect of CT-derived fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) measurement sites on the values and the diagnostic performance, and to determine the optimal measurement site for CT-FFR using invasive FFR as the reference standard.Methods:This study was part of the CT-FFR CHINA clinical trial. Patients with suspected coronary artery disease who were scheduled for invasive coronary angiography (ICA) were prospectively recruited from five clinical centers across the country from November 2018 to March 2020. Each enrolled patient underwent coronary CT angiography (CCTA), CT-FFR, ICA, and invasive pressure wire-based FFR assessments sequentially within one week. Four groups of CT-FFR values were obtained on each enrolled target vessels according to different CT-FFR measurement locations: 1, 2, 3 cm distal to the target lesion, and terminal vessel groups. Spearman and Bland-Altman analyses were used to explore the correlation and consistency of CT-FFR values and FFR values at different measurement sites. The measurement deviation of CT-FFR was also compared. Diagnostic accuracy and performance of CT-FFR, including sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), in discriminating myocardial ischemia were analyzed across all measurement site groups on a per-vessel level, using FFR as the reference standard.Results:A total of 289 patients with 345 target lesion vessels were included. According to CCTA, there were 51 target vessels (14.8%) with<50% stenosis, 106 vessels (30.7%) with 50%-69% stenosis, and 188 vessels (54.5%) with stenosis≥70%. At per-vessel level, CT-FFR and FFR values at each measurement position group were highly positively correlated: 1 cm distal to target lesion group, r=0.734 ( P<0.001); 2 cm distal to target lesion group, r=0.732 ( P<0.001); 3 cm distal to target lesion group, r=0.737 ( P<0.001); terminal vessel group was 0.719 ( P<0.001). At per-vessel level, CT-FFR and FFR values of all measurement sites were in good agreement (Bland-Altman analysis results): 1 cm distal to target lesion group, 0.014 (95% LoA 0.002-0.026); 2 cm distal to target lesion group, 0.026 (95% LoA 0.015-0.038); 3 cm distal to target lesion group, 0.040 (95% LoA 0.039-0.051); terminal vessel group, 0.075 (95% LoA 0.064-0.087). And at per-vessel level, the accuracy of diagnosing myocardial ischemia with CT-FFR at 1 cm was highest [84.6% (95% CI 80.4%-88.3%)], and the lowest accuracy in the terminal vessel group [67.0% (95% CI 61.7%-72.0%)]. However, there was no significant difference in the diagnostic accuracy of CT-FFR at 1 cm, 2 cm [80.6% (95% CI 76.1%-84.6%)] and 3 cm [77.5% (95% CI 72.6%-81.7%)]. AUC of CT-FFR at 1 cm distal to the lesion were both highest for global level and moderately stenosis (50%-69%) lesions [0.85 (95% CI 0.81-0.89), 0.84 (95% CI 0.77-0.90)]. And the differences were statistically significant among the four measurement location groups (all P<0.05). Conclusions:The deviation of CT-FFR increases with measurement site distance distal to target lesions. One centimeter distal to the target lesion is the optimal measurement site, and the CT-FFR value here shows the highest diagnostic performance for myocardial ischemic lesions, especially for moderate stenosis.

Objective To investigate the efficacy of Xingpi Huazhuo Prescription in treating pre-diabetic patients with phlegm-damp constitution and its impacts on blood glucose levels and renal func-tion indicators.Methods A total of 104 pre-diabetic patients with phlegm-damp constitution admitted to the hospital between January 2021 and December 2023 were selected and randomly divided into west-ern medicine group(n=52)and combined group(n=52)using a random number table method.The western medicine group received metformin treatment,while the combined group received metformin combined with Xingpi Huazhuo Prescription.Clinical efficacy was recorded after 3 months of treatment,and blood glucose indexes such as[fasting blood glucose(FPG),glycated hemoglobin(HbA1c),and 2-h plasma glucose(2 hPG)]levels,lipid indicators[triglycerides(TG),total cholesterol(TC),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)],and renal function indicators[serum creatinine(Scr),urea nitrogen(BUN),β2-microglobulin(β2-MG)]were compared before and after 3 months of treatment.Results After 3 months of treatment,the total clinical effectiveness in the combined group was higher than that in the western medicine group(P＜0.05).After 3 months of treatment,the levels of FPG,HbA1c,and 2 hPG decreased in both groups,and the combined group showed lower levels than the western medicine group(P＜0.05).After 3 months of treatment,the levels of TG,TC,and LDL-C decreased in both groups compared with before treatment,and the combined group showed lower levels than the western medicine group(P＜0.05);the levels of HDL-C increased in both groups,and the combined group showed higher levels than the western medicine group(P＜0.05).After 3 months of treatment,the levels of Scr,BUN,and β2-MG decreased in both groups,with the combined group showing lower levels than the western medicine group(P＜0.05).Conclusion In pre-diabetic patients with phlegm-damp con-stitution,metformin combined with Xingpi Huazhuo Prescription can effectively improve blood glu-cose levels and exert renal protective effects.

Objective To investigate the status of self-management ability in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)in community,and to analyze the influencing factors using structural equation model.Methods A convenient sampling method was used to investigate patients aged 65 years and above with T2DM in Hongkou district of Shanghai.The patients were assessed using diabetes self-management questionnaire(DSMQ),Beck depression inventory(BDI),diabetes management self-efficacy scale(DMSES),and diabetes distress scale(DDS).Spearman correlation analysis was conducted to explore the relationship among the variables.A structural equation model was constructed to analyze the effect of depression,self-efficacy,and diabetes distress on self-management levels among the patients.Results A total of 588 elderly patients with T2DM were included in this survey,the DSMQ score was 32.00(28.00,38.00),the DMSES score was 158.50(135.25,172.00),the BDI score was 0.00(0.00,2.00),and the DDS score was 23.00(18.00,31.00).The final model demonstrated good fit to the sample data,self-efficacy had a positive impact on self-management levels(β=0.558,P＜0.001),and depression had a positive impact on diabetes distress(β=0.599,P＜0.001).Conversely,depression had a negative impact on self-efficacy(β=-0.314,P＜0.001),and diabetes distress also had a negative impact on self-efficacy(β=-0.267,P＜0.001).Self-efficacy had the greatest impact on self-management level(the total effect was 0.558),and it was a direct impact.Depression(the total effect was-0.264)and diabetes distress(the total effect was-0.149)had indirect effects.Self-efficacy played a mediating role between depression and self-management,with an indirect effect of-0.175,accounting for 66.3%of the total effect.Self-efficacy and diabetes distress played a chain mediating role between depression and self-management,with an indirect effect of-0.089,accounting for 33.7%of the total effect.Conclusion Self-efficacy has the greatest effect on the self-management level of elderly patients with diabetes mellitus.Depression and diabetes distress indirectly affect self-management levels through the mediating role of self-efficacy.Community and clinical healthcare workers should focus on enhancing the self-efficacy of patients with diabetes mellitus and implementing targeted interventions for their symptoms of depression and diabetes distress,so as to improve their self-management capabilities.

On August 31， 2025， the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver （APASL） updated and released management of acute variceal bleeding： updated APASL guidelines （2025 edition）， which systematically elaborates on the definition， diagnosis， assessment， and treatment of acute variceal bleeding. This article gives an excerpt of the recommendations in this guideline.

ObjectiveTo understand the prevalence of tobacco use among residents aged 15 years old and above in Jiading District of Shanghai, and to provide a scientific basis for formulating effective regional tobacco control policies. MethodsThe Probability Proportional to Size (PPS) sampling method was employed to select one neighborhood committee (village) from each of Jiading District’s 11 subdistricts as survey monitoring sites. From the household registry of each selected neighborhood committee (village), 50 residential households were randomly sampled, resulting in a total of 550 households surveyed. Within each selected household, one permanent resident aged 15 years old or above was randomly chosen to complete the questionnaire. The content covered general information, exposure to secondhand smoke, awareness of tobacco related health hazards, etc. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 27.0 software. ResultsA total of 550 questionnaires were distributed, with 549 valid responses collected, and the effective response rate was 99.82%. The survey findings revealed that in 2023, the current smoking rate among individuals aged 15 years old and above in Jiading District of Shanghai was 18.76%, with males accounting for 38.93% and females accounting for 2.62%. Male gender was identified as a relative factor for smoking (OR=34.108, 95%CI: 14.440‒80.722), whereas higher education attainment emerged as a protective factor against smoking (OR=0.388, 95%CI: 0.184‒0.820). Among non-smokers aged 15 years old and above in Jiading District, the secondhand smoke exposure rate was 46.86%, with statistically significant differences observed across different age groups and occupations (P<0.001). Restaurants exhibited the highest secondhand smoke exposure rate of 42.14%, followed by households bearing (36.79%). The overall awareness rate among individuals aged 15 years old and above in Jiading District regarding four smoking-related diseases, namely stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and impotence, was 48.45%, while the awareness rate for three secondhand smoke-induced diseases, namely adult heart disease, pediatric pulmonary disease, and adult lung cancer, was 64.29%. ConclusionThere is still room for reduction in the prevalence of tobacco use among individuals aged 15 yeas old and above in Jiading District. The exposure to secondhand smoke is severe, and residents have low awareness of the harm of tobacco. Tobacco control law enforcement should be strengthened, smoke-free-home health education should be included in tobacco control efforts, and targeted health education should be carried out.

Objective To investigate the incidence and adverse prognosis of late onset sepsis(LOS)in neonates in neonatal intensive care unit(NICU).Methods A retrospective study was conducted to collect and analyze the peri-natal condition,underlying diseases,invasive procedures,and adverse prognosis of neonates in NICU of a regional maternal and child healthcare hospital from 2019 to 2023.According to whether LOS occurred during hospitaliza-tion,neonates were divided into LOS group and non-LOS group.The LOS group was divided into 5 subgroups based on whether invasive procedures were performed:LOS plus umbilical vein catheter(UVC)group,LOS plus peripherally inserted central catheter(PICC)group,LOS plus sequential catheter group,LOS plus tracheal intuba-tion group,and LOS plus lumbar puncture group,the relationship between LOS and adverse prognosis was ana-lyzed.Results Among 2 945 neonates in NICU,354(12.02％)developed LOS.Comparison between LOS groups and non-LOS group were as follows:in term of perinatal condition of neonates,there were statistically significant difference in weight,gestational age,and whether they were twins between the two groups(all P＜0.001);in term of underlying diseases,there were statistically significant differences in the number of cases of maternal gestational hypertension,neonatal asphyxia,neonatal congenital heart disease,neonatal ventricular dilation,neonatal pneumo-nia,neonatal hyperthyrotropinemia,and neonatal anemia,as well as five invasive procedures between the two groups(all P＜0.05).Compared with the non-LOS group,the incidences of retinopathy of prematurity(ROP),neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis(NNEC),bronchopulmonary dysplasia(BPD),and neonatal respiratory distress syndrome(NRDS)in LOS group were all higher(all P＜0.001).Regression analysis showed that compared with the non-LOS groups,the risk of ROP increased in the LOS group and its subgroups,with the LOS plus sequential catheter group having a 2.27-fold higher risk of ROP than non-LOS group;the risk of NNEC increased in the LOS group and its subgroups,with the LOS plus UVC group having an 8.29-fold higher risk of NNEC than the non-LOS group.Except for the LOS plus UVC group,the risk of BPD increased in the LOS group and other subgroups,with the LOS plus PICC group and LOS plus sequential catheter group having 4.68-and 4.64-fold higher risk of BPD than the non-LOS group,respectively;the risk of NRDS in the LOS plus PICC group was 6.84-fold higher than the non-LOS group(all P＜0.05).The top three pathogens causing LOS were coagulase negative Staphylococcus,Klebsiella pneumoniae,and Escherichia coli.Conclusion LOS can significantly increase the risks of ROP,NNEC,BPD,and NRDS.LOS plus invasive procedures can further increase the risk of adverse prognosis.

Objective: To construct and validate a prognostic model for lung cancer based on acrolein-related genes using bioinformatics methods . Methods: Lung cancer datasets GSE30219 and GSE68465 were obtained from the GEO database , and acrolein-related gene sets were retrieved from the CTD database . Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between cancer and adjacent tissues were identified in the GSE30219 dataset. The intersection of these DEGs and acrolein-related genes was then used to identify candidate genes . Gene set variation analysis ( GSVA) was performed to assess functional alterations based on the intersection genes . A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed based on the STRING database to identify core hub genes . Subsequently , support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) and LASSO-Cox regression analyses were employed to develop a prognostic model based on acrolein-related genes , which was independently validated using the GSE68465 dataset. The CIBERSORT algorithm was applied to evaluate the immune cell infiltration characteristics between high- and low-risk groups , and functional enrichment analysis of DEGs between the two groups was conducted to further ex- plore the potential molecular mechanisms underlying the prognostic model . Results : A total of 361 acrolein-related DEGs were identified in lung cancer , and 7 key genes were selected for model construction . Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that patients in the high-risk group had significantly lower survival rates compared to those in the low-risk group (P < 0. 000 1) . Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated that the mod- el possessed good predictive performance . Moreover , immune infiltration analysis indicated that the risk score was closely associated with multiple immune cell subsets , suggesting a potential role of acrolein-related genes in modula- ting the lung cancer immune microenvironment. Conclusion The prognostic model for lung cancer based on acro- lein-related genes demonstrates significant application value in predicting the prognosis of lung cancer , providing new insights into the potential mechanisms of acrolein in the onset and progression of lung cancer.

B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) is an inhibitory immune checkpoint, which typically interacts with herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM) and plays a crucial role in regulating immune balance. BTLA interacts with its ligand HVEM in a cis manner on the surface of the same immune cell to maintain immune tolerance, while trans interactions on the surface of different immune cells mediate immunosuppressive effects. Dysregulation of the BTLA/HVEM axis can impair the functions of immune cells, particularly T lymphocytes, promoting immune escape of tumor cells and ultimately leading to tumor progression. Researchers have found that BTLA and HVEM are abnormally expressed in various tumors and are associated with prognosis, suggesting that they may be potential targets for tumor immunotherapy. This review summarizes the molecular structures of BTLA and HVEM, immunomodulatory mechanisms, recent advances in hematologic malignancies, potential inhibitors of BTLA/HVEM interaction, and their applications in immunotherapy for hematologic malignancies.
Humans ; Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 14/chemistry* ; Receptors, Immunologic/immunology* ; Hematologic Neoplasms/genetics* ; Immunotherapy/methods* ; Animals