Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a rapid and effective therapy for major depressive disorder; however, there is significant variability in therapeutic outcomes both within and across individuals, with approximately 50% of patients showing no response to rTMS treatment. Many studies have personalized the stimulation parameters of rTMS (e.g., location and intensity of stimulation) according to the anatomical and functional structure of the brain. In addition to these parameters, the internal states of the individual, such as circadian rhythm, behavior/cognition, neural oscillation, and neuroplasticity, also contribute to the variation in rTMS effects. In this review, we summarize the current literature on the interaction between rTMS and internal states. We propose two possible methods, multimodal treatment, and adaptive closed-loop treatment, to integrate patients' internal states to achieve better rTMS treatment for depression.
Humans ; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation/methods* ; Depressive Disorder, Major/physiopathology* ; Neuronal Plasticity/physiology* ; Brain/physiopathology*

ObjectiveTo investigate the ameliorative effect of Xingpi capsules on functional dyspepsia（FD） and the potential mechanism. MethodsSixty SPF-grade male SD neonatal rats（7 days old） were randomly divided into the normal group（n=12） and the modeling group（n=48）， and the FD model was prepared by iodoacetamide gavage in the modeling group. After the model was successfully prepared， the rats in the modeling group were randomly divided into the model group， the low-dose and high-dose groups of Xingpi capsules（0.135， 0.54 g·kg^-1） and the domperidone group（3 mg·kg^-1）， with 12 rats in each group. Rats in the normal and model groups were gavaged with distilled water， and rats in the rest of the groups were gavaged with the corresponding medicinal solution， once a day for 7 d. The general survival condition of the rats was observed， and the water intake and food intake of the rats were measured， the gastric emptying rate and the small intestinal propulsion rate were measured at the end of the treatment， the pathological damage of the rat duodenum was examined by hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining， and the expressions of colonic tight junction protein（Occludin） and zonula occludens protein-1（ZO-1） were detected by immunofluorescence. The differentially expressed genes in the duodenal tissues of the model group and the normal group， and the high-dose group of Xingpi capsules and the model group were detected by transcriptome sequencing after the final administration， and Gene Ontology（GO） and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes（KEGG） enrichment analyses were carried out. The transcriptomic results were validated by Western blot， immunofluorescence， and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR）， and the active ingredients of Xingpi capsules were screened for molecular docking with the key targets. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the general survival condition of rats in the model group was poorer， and the water intake， food intake， gastric emptying rate and small intestinal propulsion rate were all significantly reduced（P<0.05）， inflammatory infiltration was seen in duodenal pathology， and the fluorescence intensities of Occludin and ZO-1 in the colon were significantly reduced（P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the general survival condition of rats in the high-dose group of Xingpi capsules improved significantly， and the water intake， food intake， gastric emptying rate and small intestinal propulsion rate were all significantly increased（P<0.05）， the duodenal pathology showed a decrease in inflammatory infiltration， and the fluorescence intensities of colonic Occludin and ZO-1 were significantly increased（P<0.01）. Transcriptomic results showed that Xingpi capsules might exert therapeutic effects by regulating the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase（PI3K）/protein kinase B（Akt） through the key genes such as Slc5a1， Abhd6. The validation results showed that compared with the normal group， the phosphorylation levels of PI3K and Akt proteins， the protein expression level of interleukin（IL）-1β， and the fluorescence intensities of IL-6 and IL-1β were significantly increased in the model group（P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the mRNA levels of Slc5a1， Abhd6， Mgam， Atp1a1， Slc7a8， Cdr2， Chrm3， Slc5a9 and other key genes were significantly increased（P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the phosphorylation levels of PI3K and Akt， the protein expression level of IL-1β and the fluorescence intensities of IL-6 and IL-1β in the high-dose group of Xingpi capsules were significantly reduced（P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the mRNA levels of Slc5a1， Abhd6， Mgam， Atp1a1， Slc7a8， Cdr2， Chrm3 and Slc5a9 were significantly reduced（P<0.05）. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis and molecular docking results showed that E-nerolidol and Z-nerolidol in Xingpi capsules were well bound to ABDH6 protein， and linarionoside A， valerosidatum and senkirkine were well bound to Slc5a1 protein. ConclusionXingpi capsules can effectively improve the general survival and gastrointestinal motility of FD rats， its specific mechanism may be related to the inhibition of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway to alleviate the low-grade inflammation of duodenum， and E-nerolidol， Z-nerolidol， linarionoside A， valerosidatum and senkirkine may be its key active ingredients.

ObjectiveTo investigate the ameliorative effect of Xingpi capsules on functional dyspepsia（FD） and the potential mechanism. MethodsSixty SPF-grade male SD neonatal rats（7 days old） were randomly divided into the normal group（n=12） and the modeling group（n=48）， and the FD model was prepared by iodoacetamide gavage in the modeling group. After the model was successfully prepared， the rats in the modeling group were randomly divided into the model group， the low-dose and high-dose groups of Xingpi capsules（0.135， 0.54 g·kg^-1） and the domperidone group（3 mg·kg^-1）， with 12 rats in each group. Rats in the normal and model groups were gavaged with distilled water， and rats in the rest of the groups were gavaged with the corresponding medicinal solution， once a day for 7 d. The general survival condition of the rats was observed， and the water intake and food intake of the rats were measured， the gastric emptying rate and the small intestinal propulsion rate were measured at the end of the treatment， the pathological damage of the rat duodenum was examined by hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining， and the expressions of colonic tight junction protein（Occludin） and zonula occludens protein-1（ZO-1） were detected by immunofluorescence. The differentially expressed genes in the duodenal tissues of the model group and the normal group， and the high-dose group of Xingpi capsules and the model group were detected by transcriptome sequencing after the final administration， and Gene Ontology（GO） and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes（KEGG） enrichment analyses were carried out. The transcriptomic results were validated by Western blot， immunofluorescence， and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR）， and the active ingredients of Xingpi capsules were screened for molecular docking with the key targets. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the general survival condition of rats in the model group was poorer， and the water intake， food intake， gastric emptying rate and small intestinal propulsion rate were all significantly reduced（P<0.05）， inflammatory infiltration was seen in duodenal pathology， and the fluorescence intensities of Occludin and ZO-1 in the colon were significantly reduced（P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the general survival condition of rats in the high-dose group of Xingpi capsules improved significantly， and the water intake， food intake， gastric emptying rate and small intestinal propulsion rate were all significantly increased（P<0.05）， the duodenal pathology showed a decrease in inflammatory infiltration， and the fluorescence intensities of colonic Occludin and ZO-1 were significantly increased（P<0.01）. Transcriptomic results showed that Xingpi capsules might exert therapeutic effects by regulating the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase（PI3K）/protein kinase B（Akt） through the key genes such as Slc5a1， Abhd6. The validation results showed that compared with the normal group， the phosphorylation levels of PI3K and Akt proteins， the protein expression level of interleukin（IL）-1β， and the fluorescence intensities of IL-6 and IL-1β were significantly increased in the model group（P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the mRNA levels of Slc5a1， Abhd6， Mgam， Atp1a1， Slc7a8， Cdr2， Chrm3， Slc5a9 and other key genes were significantly increased（P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the phosphorylation levels of PI3K and Akt， the protein expression level of IL-1β and the fluorescence intensities of IL-6 and IL-1β in the high-dose group of Xingpi capsules were significantly reduced（P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the mRNA levels of Slc5a1， Abhd6， Mgam， Atp1a1， Slc7a8， Cdr2， Chrm3 and Slc5a9 were significantly reduced（P<0.05）. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis and molecular docking results showed that E-nerolidol and Z-nerolidol in Xingpi capsules were well bound to ABDH6 protein， and linarionoside A， valerosidatum and senkirkine were well bound to Slc5a1 protein. ConclusionXingpi capsules can effectively improve the general survival and gastrointestinal motility of FD rats， its specific mechanism may be related to the inhibition of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway to alleviate the low-grade inflammation of duodenum， and E-nerolidol， Z-nerolidol， linarionoside A， valerosidatum and senkirkine may be its key active ingredients.

OBJECTIVE:Prolonged sedentary behavior can acutely reduce peripheral and central vascular function,thereby increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.Interrupting sedentary behavior may be a potential practical strategy to prevent vascular dysfunction caused by prolonged sitting.However,current research findings on its acute effects are inconsistent,and specific application recommendations have not yet been established.This study aims to perform a Meta-analysis on the acute effects of interrupting sedentary behavior on peripheral and central vascular function in adults and to explore its regulatory factors.METHODS:Following PRISMA reporting guidelines,literature search was conducted in March 2024 using the keywords of"interrupting,""sedentary,"and"vascular function"in the Web of Science Core Collection,PubMed,and China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI)databases.Acute randomized crossover trials addressing the acute effects of interrupting sedentary behavior on peripheral and central vascular function in adults were included.Risk of Bias 2 developed by Cochrane was used to assess bias risk,and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment,Development,and Evaluation(GRADE)system was used to evaluate the evidence level.The"meta"and"metaphor"packages in R(version 4.2.0)were used for main effect aggregation(Hedge's g acted as the effect size indicator),publication bias testing,subgroup analysis,and regression analysis.RESULTS:Twenty-two randomized crossover trials involving 364 subjects(aged 21 to 70 years)were included.Meta-analysis results showed that compared with prolonged sitting,interrupting sedentary behavior acutely improved peripheral vascular blood flow volume(Hedge's g=0.48,95%confidence interval:0.14-0.82,P<0.01,I2=63%,low evidence level),shear stress(Hedge's g=0.65,95%confidence interval:0.37-0.93],P<0.01,I2=54%,moderate evidence level),and flow-mediated dilation(Hedge's g=0.43,95%confidence interval:0.15-0.72,P<0.01,I2=61%,moderate evidence level).Disease had a significant moderating effect on the main effect aggregation for blood flow volume(P=0.01 between subgroups),while the mode(P=0.01 between subgroups)and frequency(P=0.02 between subgroups)of interruptions had significant moderating effects on shear stress.Improvements in peripheral vascular shear stress from interrupting sedentary behavior were affected by age(β=-0.02,95%confidence interval:-0.03-0.01,P=0.09)and body mass index(β=-0.10,95%confidence interval:-0.18 to-0.02,P<0.01).Improvements in flow-mediated dilation were influenced by the total number of interruptions(β=-0.09,95%confidence interval:-0.17 to-0.01,P=0.03)and the duration of sitting during the control period(β=-0.21,95%confidence interval:-0.34 to-0.09,P<0.01).Each additional hour of sitting was associated with a 0.67%reduction in the acute improvement effect of flow-mediated dilation from interrupting sedentary behavior(P<0.01),and acute benefits disappeared when sitting control time exceeded 6 hours.A qualitative systematic review found that interrupting sedentary behavior did not significantly affect pulse wave velocity in various populations but could effectively prevent central vascular function decline in older adults due to prolonged sitting.CONCLUSION:Interrupting sedentary behavior acutely improves peripheral vascular blood flow volume(low evidence level),shear stress(moderate evidence level),and flow-mediated dilation(moderate evidence level)in adults and may prevent or protect against central vascular function decline in older adults due to prolonged sitting(very low evidence level).Characteristics of subjects(disease factors,sex,age,and body mass index),interruption intervention schemes(mode,frequency,total number of interruptions),and duration of sitting control all influence the acute improvement effects of interrupting sedentary behavior on vascular function.It is recommended that adults interrupt sedentary behavior with exercises involving large muscle groups,such as stair climbing,at high frequencies(e.g.,once every 40 minutes)with at least 5 minutes of moderate-to low-intensity activity each time,and limit the cumulative duration of prolonged sitting to no more than 6 hours per day.

OBJECTIVE:Prolonged sedentary behavior can acutely reduce peripheral and central vascular function,thereby increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.Interrupting sedentary behavior may be a potential practical strategy to prevent vascular dysfunction caused by prolonged sitting.However,current research findings on its acute effects are inconsistent,and specific application recommendations have not yet been established.This study aims to perform a Meta-analysis on the acute effects of interrupting sedentary behavior on peripheral and central vascular function in adults and to explore its regulatory factors.METHODS:Following PRISMA reporting guidelines,literature search was conducted in March 2024 using the keywords of"interrupting,""sedentary,"and"vascular function"in the Web of Science Core Collection,PubMed,and China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI)databases.Acute randomized crossover trials addressing the acute effects of interrupting sedentary behavior on peripheral and central vascular function in adults were included.Risk of Bias 2 developed by Cochrane was used to assess bias risk,and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment,Development,and Evaluation(GRADE)system was used to evaluate the evidence level.The"meta"and"metaphor"packages in R(version 4.2.0)were used for main effect aggregation(Hedge's g acted as the effect size indicator),publication bias testing,subgroup analysis,and regression analysis.RESULTS:Twenty-two randomized crossover trials involving 364 subjects(aged 21 to 70 years)were included.Meta-analysis results showed that compared with prolonged sitting,interrupting sedentary behavior acutely improved peripheral vascular blood flow volume(Hedge's g=0.48,95%confidence interval:0.14-0.82,P<0.01,I2=63%,low evidence level),shear stress(Hedge's g=0.65,95%confidence interval:0.37-0.93],P<0.01,I2=54%,moderate evidence level),and flow-mediated dilation(Hedge's g=0.43,95%confidence interval:0.15-0.72,P<0.01,I2=61%,moderate evidence level).Disease had a significant moderating effect on the main effect aggregation for blood flow volume(P=0.01 between subgroups),while the mode(P=0.01 between subgroups)and frequency(P=0.02 between subgroups)of interruptions had significant moderating effects on shear stress.Improvements in peripheral vascular shear stress from interrupting sedentary behavior were affected by age(β=-0.02,95%confidence interval:-0.03-0.01,P=0.09)and body mass index(β=-0.10,95%confidence interval:-0.18 to-0.02,P<0.01).Improvements in flow-mediated dilation were influenced by the total number of interruptions(β=-0.09,95%confidence interval:-0.17 to-0.01,P=0.03)and the duration of sitting during the control period(β=-0.21,95%confidence interval:-0.34 to-0.09,P<0.01).Each additional hour of sitting was associated with a 0.67%reduction in the acute improvement effect of flow-mediated dilation from interrupting sedentary behavior(P<0.01),and acute benefits disappeared when sitting control time exceeded 6 hours.A qualitative systematic review found that interrupting sedentary behavior did not significantly affect pulse wave velocity in various populations but could effectively prevent central vascular function decline in older adults due to prolonged sitting.CONCLUSION:Interrupting sedentary behavior acutely improves peripheral vascular blood flow volume(low evidence level),shear stress(moderate evidence level),and flow-mediated dilation(moderate evidence level)in adults and may prevent or protect against central vascular function decline in older adults due to prolonged sitting(very low evidence level).Characteristics of subjects(disease factors,sex,age,and body mass index),interruption intervention schemes(mode,frequency,total number of interruptions),and duration of sitting control all influence the acute improvement effects of interrupting sedentary behavior on vascular function.It is recommended that adults interrupt sedentary behavior with exercises involving large muscle groups,such as stair climbing,at high frequencies(e.g.,once every 40 minutes)with at least 5 minutes of moderate-to low-intensity activity each time,and limit the cumulative duration of prolonged sitting to no more than 6 hours per day.

As a severe clinical manifestation of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease， nonalcoholic steatohepatitis （NASH） is characterized by lipid deposition and inflammatory damage in the liver. At present， clinical medications for NASH are still in the exploratory phase， and it is urgent to make progress. Recent studies have shown that the pathogenesis of NASH is associated with circadian rhythm disorders in the liver， with the specific manifestation of dysregulated expression of liver clock genes such as BMAL1， which increases hepatic lipogenesis， reduces fatty acid oxidation， and activates pro-inflammatory factors. Therefore， improving circadian rhythm of the liver and regulating the expression of liver clock genes are feasible strategies for the prevention and treatment of NASH. Currently， some medications for NASH via activating the proteins encoded by clock genes have been applied in animal experiments， for example， the REVERB full-agonist SR9009 can inhibit the development of liver inflammation， which confirms the possibility of NASH treatment by targeting the proteins encoded by clock genes. This article summarizes the role of hepatic clock genes in regulating lipid metabolism and the development and progression of inflammation in the liver and elaborates on the recent advances in medications targeting clock genes and the proteins encoded by clock genes， in order to provide new targets for the treatment of NASH.

Objective:To compare the clinical efficacy of rotator cuff repair combined with transposition of the long head of the biceps tendon in the treatment of massive rotator cuff tears with or without subscapularis injury.Methods:A total of 73 patients with massive rotator cuff tears who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair combined with transposition of the long head of the biceps tendon in the Department of Upper Arm, Sichuan Orthopaedic Hospital from January 2019 to September 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, including 35 males and 38 females, aged 58.8±7.6 years (range, 46-73 years). There were 11 cases on the left side and 62 cases on the right side. Causes of injuries: 6 cases of car accidents, 13 cases of fall injuries, 54 cases of no obvious cause of injury. The patients were divided into subscapularis injury group (37 cases) and no subscapularis injury group (36 cases) according to the subscapularis injury or not. The visual analogue scale (VAS), Constant - Murley score, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) shoulder score and range of motion were used to evaluate shoulder pain and functional improvement. MRI of the shoulder was taken at the final follow-up and the rotator cuff was assessed for retear using Sugaya grading.Results:All patients successfully completed the operation. The VAS score at 1 year postoperatively in the group without subscapularis injury was 0.58±0.87, which was less than 1.16±1.14 in the group with subscapularis injury ( t=-2.426, P=0.018). The Constant-Murley score and UCLA score at 1 year postoperatively in the group without subscapularis injury were 94.03±6.19 and 32.94±2.59, respectively, which were greater than those of the group with subscapularis injury, which were 86.51±11.96 and 30.38±3.33, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Anterior flexion and body external rotation at 1 year postoperatively in the group without subscapularis injury were 137.22°±26.79° and 54.72°±13.20°, which were greater than those in the group with subscapularis injury of 121.08°±22.83° and 38.65°±17.19°, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05), and the difference between the two groups in body internal rotation was not statistically significant ( P>0.05). The subacromial spacing at 1 year postoperatively was 9.4±1.3 mm in the group without subscapularis injury and 9.0±1.5 mm in the group with subscapularis injury, and the difference was not statistically significant ( t=1.318, P=0.192). There were 2 cases of rotator cuff retear 1 year after surgery without subscapular muscle injury and 5 cases of subscapular muscle injury. Conclusion:The clinical efficacy of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair combined with transposition of the tendon of the long head of the biceps tendon in the treatment of massive rotator cuff tears with or without subscapularis muscle injury is satisfactory, and the improvement of pain and function is more obvious in patients without subscapularis muscle injury.

Objective:To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of FibroScan combined with various noninvasive diagnostic models for liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) complicated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and to establish a new predictive model with common clinical indicators.Methods:From January 2016 to May 2024, the clinical data of 118 CHB patients complicated with NAFLD from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, who underwent liver biopsy and FibroScan examination were respectively analyzed. According to the Scheuer scoring system, different diagnostic endpoints were set based on the degree of liver fibrosis (S0 to S1, ≥S2, ≥S3, and S4), fibrosis stage ≥S2 was designated as the criterion for significant liver fibrosis. Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) to platelet ratio (GPR), GGT-age-platelet-international normalized ratio (GAPI) model, S index, King index and Forns index were calculated according to the common clinical indicators. The independent t test or Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the two groups. Spearman rank correlation was used to analyze the correlation between each noninvasive diagnostic method and the degree of liver fibrosis. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was plotted, and the DeLong test was performed to compare the area under the curve (AUC), and to evaluate the predictive value of FibroScan combined with various noninvasive diagnostic models for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis. The laboratory indicators were compared between patients with non-significant liver fibrosis and patients with significant liver fibrosis. And the indicators with statistically significant differences ( P<0.05) in the univariate analysis were further analyzed by multivariate logistic regression to establish a new predictive model for liver fibrosis. Hosmer-Lemeshow test was used to assess the model′s goodness of fit. Results:The results of Spearman rank correlation showed that FIB-4, GPR, FibroScan, GAPI model, S index, King index, and Forns index were positively correlated with the stage of liver fibrosis ( r=0.413, 0.458, 0.512, 0.473, 0.533, 0.380 and 0.478, all P<0.001). The results of ROC analysis indicated that among combination of FibroScan and other diagnostic models, the AUC values of FibroScan+ FIB-4, FibroScan+ Forns index were relatively high in ≥S2 and ≥S3, which were 0.804 and 0.907, respectively. The platelet count ((200.65±50.89)×10 9/L vs. (169.96±63.68)×10 9/L), total cholesterol ((4.69±0.77) mmol/L vs. (4.32±1.00) mmol/L), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (1.28 (1.05, 1.46) mmol/L vs. 1.08 (0.92, 1.21) mmol/L), total protein (74.00 (70.63, 77.08) g/L vs. 68.80 (64.60, 73.55) g/L), albumin (47.06 (44.65, 48.81) g/L vs. 44.70 (41.55, 46.20) g/L), and globulin (26.80 (24.48, 29.70) g/L vs. 25.80 (23.05, 27.60) g/L) of the non-significant liver fibrosis group were higher than those of the significant liver fibrosis group, and the differences were statistically significant ( t=2.74, 2.09; Z=-3.30, -3.88, -3.95, -2.01; P=0.007, =0.040, =0.001, <0.001, <0.001, =0.044). GGT (27.50 (17.00, 41.75) U/L vs. 37.00 (22.50, 87.00) U/L), the liver stiffness measurement (LSM) in the non-significant hepatic fibrosis group was lower than the significant liver fibrosis group (6.85 (5.60, 9.26) kPa vs. 11.60 (7.08, 17.26) kPa), and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=-2.73, -4.39; P=0.006, <0.001). The result of multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that globulin, albumin, HDL, and LSM were independent factors of liver fibrosis ( OR (95% confidence interval)=0.865 (0.759 to 0.985), 0.804 (0.691 to 0.935), 0.128 (0.023 to 0.711), and 1.251 (1.091 to 1.433), respectively; P=0.029, 0.025, 0.019, 0.001). A novel model, GLAH, was established with globulin, LSM, albumin, and HDL. The AUC for diagnosing liver fibrosis degree ≥S2, ≥S3, and S4 was 0.847, 0.938, and 0.909, respectively, which were higher than those of the above models. The positive predictive value for diagnosing liver fibrosis degree ≥S2 with GLAH>1.12 as the cutoff value was 95.8%. The negative predictive value for excluding fibrosis stage ≥S2 with GLAH<-1.41 was 92.3%. This approach could reduce the number of liver biopsies by 48.3% (57/118), with an accuracy of 94.7% (54/57). Conclusions:The clinical value of FibroScan combined with FIB-4 or Forns index is better in the diagnisis of fibrosis stage ≥S2 and ≥S3. The GLAH model has higher diagnostic value and can accurately predict the degree of liver fibrosis in CHB patients complicated with NAFLD, thus reducing the need for liver biopsy.

Objective:To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of FibroScan combined with various noninvasive diagnostic models for liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) complicated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and to establish a new predictive model with common clinical indicators.Methods:From January 2016 to May 2024, the clinical data of 118 CHB patients complicated with NAFLD from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, who underwent liver biopsy and FibroScan examination were respectively analyzed. According to the Scheuer scoring system, different diagnostic endpoints were set based on the degree of liver fibrosis (S0 to S1, ≥S2, ≥S3, and S4), fibrosis stage ≥S2 was designated as the criterion for significant liver fibrosis. Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) to platelet ratio (GPR), GGT-age-platelet-international normalized ratio (GAPI) model, S index, King index and Forns index were calculated according to the common clinical indicators. The independent t test or Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the two groups. Spearman rank correlation was used to analyze the correlation between each noninvasive diagnostic method and the degree of liver fibrosis. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was plotted, and the DeLong test was performed to compare the area under the curve (AUC), and to evaluate the predictive value of FibroScan combined with various noninvasive diagnostic models for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis. The laboratory indicators were compared between patients with non-significant liver fibrosis and patients with significant liver fibrosis. And the indicators with statistically significant differences ( P<0.05) in the univariate analysis were further analyzed by multivariate logistic regression to establish a new predictive model for liver fibrosis. Hosmer-Lemeshow test was used to assess the model′s goodness of fit. Results:The results of Spearman rank correlation showed that FIB-4, GPR, FibroScan, GAPI model, S index, King index, and Forns index were positively correlated with the stage of liver fibrosis ( r=0.413, 0.458, 0.512, 0.473, 0.533, 0.380 and 0.478, all P<0.001). The results of ROC analysis indicated that among combination of FibroScan and other diagnostic models, the AUC values of FibroScan+ FIB-4, FibroScan+ Forns index were relatively high in ≥S2 and ≥S3, which were 0.804 and 0.907, respectively. The platelet count ((200.65±50.89)×10 9/L vs. (169.96±63.68)×10 9/L), total cholesterol ((4.69±0.77) mmol/L vs. (4.32±1.00) mmol/L), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (1.28 (1.05, 1.46) mmol/L vs. 1.08 (0.92, 1.21) mmol/L), total protein (74.00 (70.63, 77.08) g/L vs. 68.80 (64.60, 73.55) g/L), albumin (47.06 (44.65, 48.81) g/L vs. 44.70 (41.55, 46.20) g/L), and globulin (26.80 (24.48, 29.70) g/L vs. 25.80 (23.05, 27.60) g/L) of the non-significant liver fibrosis group were higher than those of the significant liver fibrosis group, and the differences were statistically significant ( t=2.74, 2.09; Z=-3.30, -3.88, -3.95, -2.01; P=0.007, =0.040, =0.001, <0.001, <0.001, =0.044). GGT (27.50 (17.00, 41.75) U/L vs. 37.00 (22.50, 87.00) U/L), the liver stiffness measurement (LSM) in the non-significant hepatic fibrosis group was lower than the significant liver fibrosis group (6.85 (5.60, 9.26) kPa vs. 11.60 (7.08, 17.26) kPa), and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=-2.73, -4.39; P=0.006, <0.001). The result of multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that globulin, albumin, HDL, and LSM were independent factors of liver fibrosis ( OR (95% confidence interval)=0.865 (0.759 to 0.985), 0.804 (0.691 to 0.935), 0.128 (0.023 to 0.711), and 1.251 (1.091 to 1.433), respectively; P=0.029, 0.025, 0.019, 0.001). A novel model, GLAH, was established with globulin, LSM, albumin, and HDL. The AUC for diagnosing liver fibrosis degree ≥S2, ≥S3, and S4 was 0.847, 0.938, and 0.909, respectively, which were higher than those of the above models. The positive predictive value for diagnosing liver fibrosis degree ≥S2 with GLAH>1.12 as the cutoff value was 95.8%. The negative predictive value for excluding fibrosis stage ≥S2 with GLAH<-1.41 was 92.3%. This approach could reduce the number of liver biopsies by 48.3% (57/118), with an accuracy of 94.7% (54/57). Conclusions:The clinical value of FibroScan combined with FIB-4 or Forns index is better in the diagnisis of fibrosis stage ≥S2 and ≥S3. The GLAH model has higher diagnostic value and can accurately predict the degree of liver fibrosis in CHB patients complicated with NAFLD, thus reducing the need for liver biopsy.

Objective:To investigate the feasibility of tube potential of 80 kV combined with personalized contrast agent protocol in carotid artery CT angiography (CTA).Methods:A total of 136 consecutive patients undergoing neck CTA were prospectively enrolled in this study. The patients were randomly divided into Groups A, B, C and D. Tube potential of 100 kV and 15 s contrast agent injection protocol was used for Group A (53 cases) as conventional group, while tube voltage of 80 kV and 10 s contrast agent injection protocol was used for Groups B, C and D as experimental groups, with the contrast agent dosages of 20, 25 and 30 ml used according to the body weights of ≤50 kg(Group B, 20 cases), 50-70 kg (Group C, 38 cases), and 70-90 kg (Group D, 25 cases), respectively. The subjective and objective evaluation results of image quality and the effective doses were compared among the four groups.Results:The effective doses in Groups B, C and D were 1.54±0.91, 1.89±1.08 and 2.14±1.27 mSv, respectively, significantly lower than that in Group A [(5.66±0.56) mSv] ( F=169.34, P<0.05). The image quality of four groups met the requirements of clinical diagnosis. No significant differences were found in subjective evaluation and diagnostic efficacy of the four groups ( P>0.05). The CT number of carotid artery, signal-to-noise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio of the neck region were significantly lower in Groups B, C and D compared with Group A ( F=14.9, 12.94, 14.43, P<0.05). The CT numbers of target carotid vessel were all higher than 250 HU. Conclusions:The scanning protocol of low tube potential (80 kV) combined with 10 s contrast agent injection protocol could not only reduce the doses of radiation and contrast agent, but also preserve the diagnosis effect. Thus, this scanning protocol was feasible and valuable in clinical application.