Cardiac fibrosis is characterized by an elevated amount of extracellular matrix (ECM) within the heart. However, the persistence of cardiac fibrosis ultimately diminishes contractility and precipitates cardiac dysfunction. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are emerging as important regulators of cardiac fibrosis. Here, we elucidate the functional role of a specific circular RNA CELF1 in cardiac fibrosis and delineate a novel feedback loop mechanism. Functionally, circ-CELF1 was involved in enhancing fibrosis-related markers' expression and promoting the proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), thereby exacerbating cardiac fibrosis. Mechanistically, circ-CELF1 reduced the ubiquitination-degradation rate of BRPF3, leading to an elevation of BRPF3 protein levels. Additionally, BRPF3 acted as a modular scaffold for the recruitment of histone acetyltransferase KAT7 to facilitate the induction of H3K14 acetylation within the promoters of the Celf1 gene. Thus, the transcription of Celf1 was dramatically activated, thereby inhibiting the subsequent response of their downstream target gene Smad7 expression to promote cardiac fibrosis. Moreover, Celf1 further promoted Celf1 pre-mRNA transcription and back-splicing, thereby establishing a feedback loop for circ-CELF1 production. Consequently, a novel feedback loop involving CELF1/circ-CELF1/BRPF3/KAT7 was established, suggesting that circ-CELF1 may serve as a potential novel therapeutic target for cardiac fibrosis.

Objective To investigate the radiological features of intracranial white epidermoid cysts(WECs).Methods A retro-spective analysis was conducted on the CT and MRI findings of 7 patients pathologically confirmed with WECs.All patients under-went plain CT and MRI scans,and six patients underwent enhanced MRI scans.Results All cases were solitary lesions,located in the right middle cranial fossa(2 cases),suprasellar area(2 cases),left cerebellopontine angle(1 case),right cerebellar vermis(1 case),and cerebellomedullary cistern(1 case),respectively.The lesions appeared oval or irregular in shape with clear boundaries and no perile-sional edema.The CT scans predominantly showed high density in 7 cases,with calcification in 1 case.On T1WI,7 cases exhibited high signal with mixed signals in some areas;6 cases showed primarily low signal on T2WI and fluid attenuated inversion recovery(FLAIR),with 1 case predominantly showed high signal;all 7 cases demonstrated low signal on diffusion weighted imaging(DWI).The margins of 1 lesion appeared"curly",and another exhibited a"swirl"pattern.5 cases had no enhancement,while 1 case had mild marginal enhancement.Conclusion Intracranial WECs has certain imaging characteristics.When a cystic lesion shows high density on CT,predominantly high signal on T1WI,and mostly no enhancement,considering the possibility of WECs.

Objective To explore the trend of lung cancer prevalence and influencing factors in a Hospital of Zigong from 2019-2023. Methods Select 2 835 lung cancer patients in Zigong region admitted to the Zigong Fourth People's Hospital from January 2019 to December 2023, and analyze the changes in the clinical characteristics and age strata of patients in different time periods in this group. Three thousand non-cancer respiratory patients in the same time period were included to compare the differences in patient data and to analyze the influencing factors affecting the changes in the characteristics of lung cancer in this region. Results There was an upward trend in the number of patients with pneumonia included between 2019 and 2023, with the highest volume of patients included in 2021 (609 cases). Over the 5-year period, the percentage of patients aged 0-39 years did not change significantly and accounted for a relatively low percentage. The proportion of patients aged 40-49 years increased (APC=0.69%, t=2.990, P<0.05), and the proportion of patients over 60 years old decreased, but to a lesser extent (APC=-0.25%, t=2.210, P<0.05). There were no significant differences in male percentage, lesion site, distant metastasis, smoking history and tumor diameter among patients in different years (all P>0.05). There were significant differences in TNM stage and lymphatic metastasis among patients in different years (all P<0.05). Compared with 2019, the proportion of early stage and patients with lymph node metastasis showed an upward trend within five years (χ²_{early stage}=9.153, P_{early stage}=0.002; χ²_{lymph node metastasis}=5.848, P_{lymph node metastasis}=0.016). The factor associated with the change in age of lung cancer patients in different years was family history of lung cancer (P<0.01). Factors associated with histologic changes in lung cancer patients in different years were age, family history of lung cancer and smoking history (all P<0.05). Factors associated with changes in TNM distribution in lung cancer patients in different years were age, tumor diameter, family history of lung cancer and lymph node metastasis (all P<0.05). Factors associated with changes in lymph node metastasis in lung cancer patients in different years were tumor diameter and TNM stage (all P<0.05). Conclusion From 2019 to 2023, the age of patients with lung cancer in a Hospital in Zigong area showed a decreasing trend, which may be influenced by family history of lung cancer.Patients with TNM early stage and lymph node metastasis increased respectively, which influenced each other and were interfered by factors of age, tumor diameter, and family history of lung cancer.

Pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma (PACC) is a rare exocrine tumor of the pancreas with distinct clinical and pathological features. In recent years, advancements in molecular biology techniques have led to a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying PACC. Progress in imaging, endoscopic, and molecular diagnostic technologies has improved the early detection rate of PACC. The primary treatment modalities for PACC include surgical resection, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy; however, the therapeutic efficacy still requires further improvement. This article reviews the current research status of PACC, covering its epidemiology, pathological characteristics, molecular alterations, diagnostic methods, and treatment strategies, and discusses the controversies and future directions in PACC research.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic etiology of a Chinese pedigree affected with Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD). METHODS: A child who presented at the ENT Department of Zhengzhou University Children's Hospital in March 2024 due to secretory otitis media, chronic sinusitis, adenoid hypertrophy, dextrocardia, and bronchiectasis was selected as study subject. Relevant clinical data were collected. Peripheral blood samples from the child and her family members were collected. Following DNA extraction, whole exome sequencing was carried out. Candidate variants were validated by Sanger sequencing, and the correlation between the variants and phenotype was analyzed. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Hospital (Ethics No.: 2024-K-135). RESULTS: The child and her elder siblings exhibited similar clinical manifestations including recurrent cough, secretory otitis media, chronic sinusitis, tracheobronchitis, and pneumonia. The child also presented with bronchiectasis and visceral situs inversus. Genetic testing results indicated that the child and her elder siblings had all harbored compound heterozygous variants of the DNAH11 gene, namely c.3000 1G>A and c.5775C>G (p.Tyr1925*), which were respectively inherited from their phenotypically normal parents. Both variants can affect mRNA splicing and protein translation integrity. Based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, both variants were classified as likely pathogenic. It was predicted that they may jointly lead to a functional defect in axonemal dynein, resulting in the phenotype of PCD, conforming to an autosomal recessive inheritance. CONCLUSION The compound heterozygous variants c.3000 1G>A and c.5775C>G (p.Tyr1925*) of the DNAH11 gene probably underlay the pathogenesis of PCD in this pedigree. The same variant in different individuals may lead to different clinical phenotypes, which has reflected significant heterogeneity in genetic background and clinical phenotype. Above findings have enriched the mutational spectrum of PCD gene and have important implications for the accurate diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and genetic counseling.
Humans ; Pedigree ; Female ; Axonemal Dyneins/genetics* ; Male ; Child ; Asian People/genetics* ; Kartagener Syndrome/genetics* ; Mutation ; Phenotype ; China ; Adult ; East Asian People

Purpose To explore the predictive value of hepatosplenic hemodynamic indexes obtained by dual-energy CT combined with clinical features in non-invasive assessment of high-risk esophageal varices(EV)in cirrhosis.Materials and Methods We retrospectively collected 93 patients with cirrhosis from March 2022 to May 2023 in Zengcheng Branch of Nanfang Hospital.All patients underwent epigastric enhanced energy spectrum scan and gastroscopy.EV severity as assessed by gastroscopy(none,EV0;mild,EV1;medium,EV2;severe,EV3)were divided into low-risk EV group(EV0 and EV1)and high-risk EV group(EV2 and EV3).Age,gender,Child-Pugh grade,ascites and platelet of the two groups were collected,and dual-energy CT parameters including liver and spleen volume,mean iodine content in liver and spleen and liver and spleen iodine volume were measured.The difference of parameters between the low-risk EV and the high-risk EV group were analyzed,and the model was constructed by Logistic regression analysis.Receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the model for high-risk EV.Results There were significant differences in age,Child-Pugh grade,ascites,platelet,liver and spleen volume,liver and spleen iodine volume between low-risk EV and high-risk EV groups(Z/χ2=-5.921-16.343,all P<0.05).Ascites,platelet,liver and spleen volume,liver and spleen iodine volume were included in multivariate regression analysis to construct regression models,and the results showed that spleen iodine volume(OR=1.002,P<0.001),ascites(OR=5.319,P=0.009),platelet(OR=0.99,P=0.062)were independent risk factors for predicting the high risk of EV.Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed that the regression model fit the observed values well(P=0.303),with accuracy of 83.9%,sensitivity of 78.6%,specificity of 88.2%,positive prediction rate of 84.6%and negative prediction rate of 83.3%.The area under the curve of this regression model was 0.894.Conclusion Spleen iodine content based on dual-energy CT,platelet and ascites can noninvasively predict high-risk EV.

The traditional web version of cancer screening information management platform can not fully meet the complex requirements of current early cancer diagnosis and treatment pro-grams,due to its functional limitation,low efficiency of data processing and difficulties in up-grading screening acceptability and effectiveness.This paper analyzes the informational require-ment for cancer early diagnosis and early treatment programs;introduces the design and construc-tion of an intellectualized management information platform;elaborates the roles of digital intelli-gence technology in the whole-process management,including intelligent health management;emphasizes the importance of improving the supervision and evaluation system for its high-quality development.The paper also discusses economic barriers and other issues related to the applica-tion of digital intelligence technology.

Purpose To explore the predictive value of hepatosplenic hemodynamic indexes obtained by dual-energy CT combined with clinical features in non-invasive assessment of high-risk esophageal varices(EV)in cirrhosis.Materials and Methods We retrospectively collected 93 patients with cirrhosis from March 2022 to May 2023 in Zengcheng Branch of Nanfang Hospital.All patients underwent epigastric enhanced energy spectrum scan and gastroscopy.EV severity as assessed by gastroscopy(none,EV0;mild,EV1;medium,EV2;severe,EV3)were divided into low-risk EV group(EV0 and EV1)and high-risk EV group(EV2 and EV3).Age,gender,Child-Pugh grade,ascites and platelet of the two groups were collected,and dual-energy CT parameters including liver and spleen volume,mean iodine content in liver and spleen and liver and spleen iodine volume were measured.The difference of parameters between the low-risk EV and the high-risk EV group were analyzed,and the model was constructed by Logistic regression analysis.Receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the model for high-risk EV.Results There were significant differences in age,Child-Pugh grade,ascites,platelet,liver and spleen volume,liver and spleen iodine volume between low-risk EV and high-risk EV groups(Z/χ2=-5.921-16.343,all P<0.05).Ascites,platelet,liver and spleen volume,liver and spleen iodine volume were included in multivariate regression analysis to construct regression models,and the results showed that spleen iodine volume(OR=1.002,P<0.001),ascites(OR=5.319,P=0.009),platelet(OR=0.99,P=0.062)were independent risk factors for predicting the high risk of EV.Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed that the regression model fit the observed values well(P=0.303),with accuracy of 83.9%,sensitivity of 78.6%,specificity of 88.2%,positive prediction rate of 84.6%and negative prediction rate of 83.3%.The area under the curve of this regression model was 0.894.Conclusion Spleen iodine content based on dual-energy CT,platelet and ascites can noninvasively predict high-risk EV.

Objective To investigate the radiological features of intracranial white epidermoid cysts(WECs).Methods A retro-spective analysis was conducted on the CT and MRI findings of 7 patients pathologically confirmed with WECs.All patients under-went plain CT and MRI scans,and six patients underwent enhanced MRI scans.Results All cases were solitary lesions,located in the right middle cranial fossa(2 cases),suprasellar area(2 cases),left cerebellopontine angle(1 case),right cerebellar vermis(1 case),and cerebellomedullary cistern(1 case),respectively.The lesions appeared oval or irregular in shape with clear boundaries and no perile-sional edema.The CT scans predominantly showed high density in 7 cases,with calcification in 1 case.On T1WI,7 cases exhibited high signal with mixed signals in some areas;6 cases showed primarily low signal on T2WI and fluid attenuated inversion recovery(FLAIR),with 1 case predominantly showed high signal;all 7 cases demonstrated low signal on diffusion weighted imaging(DWI).The margins of 1 lesion appeared"curly",and another exhibited a"swirl"pattern.5 cases had no enhancement,while 1 case had mild marginal enhancement.Conclusion Intracranial WECs has certain imaging characteristics.When a cystic lesion shows high density on CT,predominantly high signal on T1WI,and mostly no enhancement,considering the possibility of WECs.

The traditional web version of cancer screening information management platform can not fully meet the complex requirements of current early cancer diagnosis and treatment pro-grams,due to its functional limitation,low efficiency of data processing and difficulties in up-grading screening acceptability and effectiveness.This paper analyzes the informational require-ment for cancer early diagnosis and early treatment programs;introduces the design and construc-tion of an intellectualized management information platform;elaborates the roles of digital intelli-gence technology in the whole-process management,including intelligent health management;emphasizes the importance of improving the supervision and evaluation system for its high-quality development.The paper also discusses economic barriers and other issues related to the applica-tion of digital intelligence technology.