Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of non-retrograde intubation combined with selectively tubeless percutaneous nephrolithotomy(NR-ST-PCNL).Methods A retrospective analysis included 213 patients with upper urinary tract stones and hydronephrosis(renal pelvic separation>10 mm)undergoing PCNL at our hospital from October 2023 to June 2025.Patients were divided into Group A(non-retrograde intuba-tion,n=109)and Group B(retrograde intubation,n=104).Primary endpoint was postoperative complications and secondary endpoints included operative time,stone-free rate(SFR),visual analog scale(VAS)pain scores,postoperative hospital stay,and hospitalization costs.Results Group A demonstrated significantly lower rates of postoperative complications[7.3%(8/109)vs.18.2%(19/104),P=0.017],shorter operative time[51.00(37.00,65.00)min vs.71.50(55.00,90.75)min,P<0.001],lower postoperative VAS scores[1.00(0.00,1.00)vs.1.00(0.00,2.00),P=0.008],shorter hospital stay[3.00(2.00,3.00)days vs.4.00(4.00,4.00)days,P<0.001],and lower hospitalization costs[17 028.00(15 178.05,17 934.50)RMB vs.20 653.00(19 176.25,22 630.00)RMB,P<0.001]compared with Group B.There was no significant difference in SFR between groups(P>0.05).Conclusion For patients with upper urinary tract stones and renal pelvic separation>10 mm,NR-ST-PCNL performed by experienced surgeons achieves comparable stone clearance to conventional techniques while reducing complication risk,shortening operative and hospitalization times,and lowering costs.It represents a safe,efficient,and optimized clinical approach.

Objective To compare the efficacy and safety of flexible ureteral lithotripsy(FURL)and non-retrograde percutaneous nephrolithotomy(NR-PCNL)for treating1.5-2.0 cm upper ureteral stones.Methods We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of 130 patients with upper ureteral stones treated between October 2022 and October 2024.Sixty-two patients underwent FURL and 68 underwent NR-PCNL.Comparisons included operative time,pre-and postoperative changes in white blood cells(WBC),hemoglobin(Hb),and creatinine(Cr),postoperative C-reactive protein(CRP)levels,stone-free rate after primary surgery,postoperative hospitalization duration,pain scores,complications,and need for auxiliary treatments.Results Compared to the FURL group,the NR-PCNL group demonstrated advantages in operative time[54.0(44.3,69.3)min vs.82.5(66.0,101.0)min,Z=-5.565,P<0.001],WBC elevation[1.9(0.5,3.5)×109/L vs.4.5(3.0,6.0)×109/L,Z=-4.528,P<0.001],and secondary surgery rate[0%(0/68)vs.14.5%(9/62),P<0.001].The FURL group showed lower Hb reduction[3.0(2.0,6.3)g/L vs.8.0(5.0,11.0)g/L,Z=-4.262,P<0.001],less postoperative Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)pain scores[1.0(1.0,2.0)points vs.2.0(1.0,2.0)points,Z=-2.840,P=0.005],and shorter hospitalization duration[2.0(1.0,2.0)d vs.3.0(2.0,3.0)d,Z=-5.815,P<0.001].No significant differences were observed in Cr elevation,CRP levels,stone-free rate after primary surgery,complications,or analgesic requirements(P≥0.05).Conclusions Both NR-PCNL and FURL are safe and effective for 1.5-2.0 cm upper ureteral stones.FURL offers better patient comfort,while NR-PCNL shows superior overall safety.

Thermal ablation (TA) is a widely applied minimally invasive treatment for benign thyroid nodules and low-risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma. Compared to conventional surgery, TA offers advantages such as minimal trauma, rapid recovery, and no scarring. However, this procedure may lead to various complications, including intraoperative pain, nerve injury, hemorrhage, tracheal injury, skin burns, vasovagal reactions, nodule rupture, and thyroid dysfunction. Although TA demonstrates excellent safety and efficacy, further standardization of procedural protocols is necessary to minimize the incidence of complications.

Objective:To evaluate the predictive role of ultrasound, genetic testing, and clinical features in the malignancy risk of Bethesda Ⅲ thyroid nodules, and to explore strategies for optimizing treatment decisions.Methods:This retrospective study included 227 Bethesda Ⅲ thyroid nodules from patients who underwent surgical treatment at the Thyroid Surgery Department of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital between Jan. 2020 and Dec. 2023. All patients underwent ultrasound evaluation and fine-needle aspiration. For nodules diagnosed as ultrasound, genetic testing, and clinical features were analyzed using univariate and multivariate regression to assess their association with malignancy.Results:Among the 227 nodules, 214 were malignant, resulting in a malignancy rate of 94.2%. The malignancy rate of thyroid nodules was 94.2%. In univariate analysis, age ( P=0.016), BRAF V600E gene mutation ( P<0.001), nodule size ( P=0.002), and TIRADS ( P<0.001) were significantly associated with malignancy in Bethesda Ⅲ thyroid nodules. Multivariate analysis confirmed that age ( OR=0.939, P=0.049) and BRAF V600E gene mutation ( OR=24.641, P<0.001) were significantly associated with thyroid nodule nature and served as independent predictive factors for malignancy. Conclusions:Genetic testing is an important method for predicting the malignancy of Bethesda Ⅲ thyroid nodules, and ultrasound also has high clinical value in assessing the malignancy risk of nodules. While some clinical features are highly correlated with nodule characteristics, they may not be practical in clinical application. For nodules classified as TIRADS 3 through ultrasound evaluation and negative for BRAF mutations, continued observation may be considered, whereas TIRADS 5 nodules or nodules with BRAF mutations should be prioritized for surgical treatment.

Thermal ablation (TA) is a widely applied minimally invasive treatment for benign thyroid nodules and low-risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma. Compared to conventional surgery, TA offers advantages such as minimal trauma, rapid recovery, and no scarring. However, this procedure may lead to various complications, including intraoperative pain, nerve injury, hemorrhage, tracheal injury, skin burns, vasovagal reactions, nodule rupture, and thyroid dysfunction. Although TA demonstrates excellent safety and efficacy, further standardization of procedural protocols is necessary to minimize the incidence of complications.

Objective:To evaluate the predictive role of ultrasound, genetic testing, and clinical features in the malignancy risk of Bethesda Ⅲ thyroid nodules, and to explore strategies for optimizing treatment decisions.Methods:This retrospective study included 227 Bethesda Ⅲ thyroid nodules from patients who underwent surgical treatment at the Thyroid Surgery Department of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital between Jan. 2020 and Dec. 2023. All patients underwent ultrasound evaluation and fine-needle aspiration. For nodules diagnosed as ultrasound, genetic testing, and clinical features were analyzed using univariate and multivariate regression to assess their association with malignancy.Results:Among the 227 nodules, 214 were malignant, resulting in a malignancy rate of 94.2%. The malignancy rate of thyroid nodules was 94.2%. In univariate analysis, age ( P=0.016), BRAF V600E gene mutation ( P<0.001), nodule size ( P=0.002), and TIRADS ( P<0.001) were significantly associated with malignancy in Bethesda Ⅲ thyroid nodules. Multivariate analysis confirmed that age ( OR=0.939, P=0.049) and BRAF V600E gene mutation ( OR=24.641, P<0.001) were significantly associated with thyroid nodule nature and served as independent predictive factors for malignancy. Conclusions:Genetic testing is an important method for predicting the malignancy of Bethesda Ⅲ thyroid nodules, and ultrasound also has high clinical value in assessing the malignancy risk of nodules. While some clinical features are highly correlated with nodule characteristics, they may not be practical in clinical application. For nodules classified as TIRADS 3 through ultrasound evaluation and negative for BRAF mutations, continued observation may be considered, whereas TIRADS 5 nodules or nodules with BRAF mutations should be prioritized for surgical treatment.

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of non-retrograde intubation combined with selectively tubeless percutaneous nephrolithotomy(NR-ST-PCNL).Methods A retrospective analysis included 213 patients with upper urinary tract stones and hydronephrosis(renal pelvic separation>10 mm)undergoing PCNL at our hospital from October 2023 to June 2025.Patients were divided into Group A(non-retrograde intuba-tion,n=109)and Group B(retrograde intubation,n=104).Primary endpoint was postoperative complications and secondary endpoints included operative time,stone-free rate(SFR),visual analog scale(VAS)pain scores,postoperative hospital stay,and hospitalization costs.Results Group A demonstrated significantly lower rates of postoperative complications[7.3%(8/109)vs.18.2%(19/104),P=0.017],shorter operative time[51.00(37.00,65.00)min vs.71.50(55.00,90.75)min,P<0.001],lower postoperative VAS scores[1.00(0.00,1.00)vs.1.00(0.00,2.00),P=0.008],shorter hospital stay[3.00(2.00,3.00)days vs.4.00(4.00,4.00)days,P<0.001],and lower hospitalization costs[17 028.00(15 178.05,17 934.50)RMB vs.20 653.00(19 176.25,22 630.00)RMB,P<0.001]compared with Group B.There was no significant difference in SFR between groups(P>0.05).Conclusion For patients with upper urinary tract stones and renal pelvic separation>10 mm,NR-ST-PCNL performed by experienced surgeons achieves comparable stone clearance to conventional techniques while reducing complication risk,shortening operative and hospitalization times,and lowering costs.It represents a safe,efficient,and optimized clinical approach.

Objective To compare the efficacy and safety of flexible ureteral lithotripsy(FURL)and non-retrograde percutaneous nephrolithotomy(NR-PCNL)for treating1.5-2.0 cm upper ureteral stones.Methods We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of 130 patients with upper ureteral stones treated between October 2022 and October 2024.Sixty-two patients underwent FURL and 68 underwent NR-PCNL.Comparisons included operative time,pre-and postoperative changes in white blood cells(WBC),hemoglobin(Hb),and creatinine(Cr),postoperative C-reactive protein(CRP)levels,stone-free rate after primary surgery,postoperative hospitalization duration,pain scores,complications,and need for auxiliary treatments.Results Compared to the FURL group,the NR-PCNL group demonstrated advantages in operative time[54.0(44.3,69.3)min vs.82.5(66.0,101.0)min,Z=-5.565,P<0.001],WBC elevation[1.9(0.5,3.5)×109/L vs.4.5(3.0,6.0)×109/L,Z=-4.528,P<0.001],and secondary surgery rate[0%(0/68)vs.14.5%(9/62),P<0.001].The FURL group showed lower Hb reduction[3.0(2.0,6.3)g/L vs.8.0(5.0,11.0)g/L,Z=-4.262,P<0.001],less postoperative Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)pain scores[1.0(1.0,2.0)points vs.2.0(1.0,2.0)points,Z=-2.840,P=0.005],and shorter hospitalization duration[2.0(1.0,2.0)d vs.3.0(2.0,3.0)d,Z=-5.815,P<0.001].No significant differences were observed in Cr elevation,CRP levels,stone-free rate after primary surgery,complications,or analgesic requirements(P≥0.05).Conclusions Both NR-PCNL and FURL are safe and effective for 1.5-2.0 cm upper ureteral stones.FURL offers better patient comfort,while NR-PCNL shows superior overall safety.

Objective:To investigate the role of vitamin D analogue paricalcitol in activating vitamin D receptor/glutathione peroxidase 4 (VDR/GPX4) pathway in ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI).Methods:Twenty-four male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into control group, high tidal volume (HVT) induced VILI model group (HVT group), paricalcitol control group (P group), and paricalcitol pretreatment group (P+HVT group), with 6 mice in each group. The mice were endotracheal intubated and ventilated at 40 mL/kg tidal volume to prepare VILI model, while those in the control group were intubated without ventilation. The mice in the P+HVT group were intraperitoneally injected with paricalcitol 0.2 μg/kg once a day 1 week before modeling, while those in the P group were intraperitoneally injected paricalcitol 0.2 μg/kg once a day for 1 week before the experiment. After ventilation for 4 hours, the mice were sacrificed for lung tissue collection. Lung injury was evaluated by wet/dry (W/D) ratio, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and Masson staining. The expressions of VDR and GPX4 were determined by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) contents were determined by micro method.Results:After HVT for 4 hours, compared with the control group, lung injury score and W/D ratio were significantly higher (lung injury score: 0.430±0.035 vs. 0.097±0.025, lung W/D ratio: 4.860±0.337 vs. 3.653±0.332, both P < 0.05), collagen fiber deposition was significantly increased, the content of MDA in lung tissue was significantly increased (nmol/g: 212.420±8.757 vs. 97.073±5.308, P < 0.05), GSH content and the protein expressions and immunoreactive score (IRS) of VDR and GPX4 were significantly decreased [GSH (μg/g): 44.229±1.690 vs. 70.840±0.781; VDR protein (VDR/GAPDH): 0.518±0.029 vs. 0.762±0.081, GPX4 protein (GPX4/GAPDH): 0.452±0.032 vs. 0.649±0.034; IRS score: VDR was 4.168±0.408 vs. 10.167±0.408, GPX4 was 4.333±1.033 vs. 10.333±0.516; all P < 0.05], which meant that the mice in HVT group showed obvious lung injury. After VDR was activated by paricalcitol, compared with the HVT group, lung injury score and W/D ratio were significantly decreased (lung injury score: 0.220±0.036 vs. 0.430±0.035, lung W/D ratio: 4.015±0.074 vs. 4.860±0.337, both P < 0.05), collagen fiber deposition was reduced, MDA content in lung tissue was decreased (nmol/g: 123.840±8.082 vs. 212.420±8.757, P < 0.05), GSH content and the protein expressions and IRS score of VDR and GPX4 were significantly up-regulated [GSH (μg/g): 63.094±0.992 vs. 44.229±1.690; VDR protein (VDR/GAPDH): 0.713±0.056 vs. 0.518±0.029, GPX4 protein (GPX4/GAPDH): 0.605±0.008 vs. 0.452±0.032; IRS score: VDR was 9.000±0.632 vs. 4.168±0.408, GPX4 was 8.833±0.408 vs. 4.333±1.033; all P < 0.05], which meant that lung injury in P+HVT group was significantly improved. Conclusion:Vitamin D analogue paricalcitol ameliorates pulmonary oxidation-reduction imbalance by activating the VDR/GPX4 pathway, thereby alleviating VILI.

Objective:To investigate the role and regulatory mechanism of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cell 2 (TREM2) in mice lung ischemia/reperfusion injury (LIRI).Methods:Thirty-six healthy male C57BL/6 mice were divided into six groups according to the random number method ( n = 6): normal control group, and LIRI 2, 6, 12, 24, 48 hours group. Mice LIRI models were established by clamping the left hilum. The wet/dry weight ratio (W/D) of left lung tissue was measured. Lung injury was observed and evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and electron microscopy. The levels of interleukins (IL-1β, IL-18) in lung tissue were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mRNA expressions of TREM2 and caspase-1 were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The protein expressions of TREM2, caspase-1, Gasdermin-D (GSDMD) were determined by Western blotting. Results:At 2 hours after LIRI, lung injury began to appear, the lung ultrastructure changed, and the lung injury score increased; at 6 hours, the degree of lung injury was the most serious; after 12 hours, the lung injury gradually reduced and the lung injury score gradually decreased. Compared with the normal control group, lung W/D ratio and lung injury score of LIRI 2, 6, 12, 24, 48 hours groups were significantly higher, the differences were statistically significant (lung W/D ratio: 7.06±0.52, 8.34±0.17, 6.42±0.35, 5.34±0.25, 5.59±0.45 vs. 4.69±0.23; lung injury score: 5.50±0.54, 9.75±0.89, 5.88±0.84, 3.63±0.74, 4.13±0.64 vs. 1.13±0.35, all P < 0.05). Compared with the normal control group, the levels of IL-1β and IL-18 in lung tissue were significantly increased at 2 hours after LIRI, reached a peak at 6 hours [IL-1β (ng/L): 502.76±12.25 vs. 56.50±8.07, IL-18 (ng/L): 414.02±10.75 vs. 81.63±5.29, both P < 0.05], then decreased gradually, and were still significantly higher than the normal control group at 48 hours. The PCR and Western blotting showed that the expression of TREM2 was significantly lower than that in the normal control group at 2 hours after LIRI, and reached a valley at 6 hours [TREM2 mRNA (2 -ΔΔCt): 0.47±0.05 vs. 1.02±0.05, TREM2/GAPDH: 0.23±0.13 vs. 0.48±0.17, both P < 0.05], then gradually increased, and reached the peak at 24 hours [TREM2 mRNA (2 -ΔΔCt): 3.98±0.15 vs. 1.02±0.05, TREM2/GAPDH: 0.71±0.17 vs. 0.48±0.17, both P < 0.05]. The trend of expression of caspase-1 and GSDMD were opposite to that of TREM2, which increased at first and then decreased, and reached a peak at 6 hours after reperfusion [caspase-1 mRNA (2 -ΔΔCt): 2.20±0.13 vs. 1.01±0.02, caspase-1/GAPDH: 0.64±0.02 vs. 0.20±0.06, GSDMD/GAPDH: 1.23±0.01 vs. 0.87±0.02, all P < 0.05]. Conclusions:TREM2 might be involved in LIRI in mice. The mechanism may be related to the effect of TREM2 on caspase-1-mediated pyroptosis.