Objective:To investigate the efficacy of radiotherapy in patients with advanced esophageal cancer receiving first-line chemoimmunotherapy.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the data of 137 patients with Stage Ⅳ esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) treated at our hospital from January 2018 to May 2023. These patients were divided into two groups: a group treated with first-line chemoimmunotherapy combined with radiotherapy (chemoimmunotherapy + radiotherapy group, n = 43) and a group treated with only chemoimmunotherapy ( n = 94). Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was applied to balance baseline characteristics between the groups. With overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) as study endpoints, the survival data were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method, the log-rank test, and the Cox regression method. Results:Before calibration, the chemoimmunotherapy + radiotherapy group significantly outperformed the sole chemoimmunotherapy group in median PFS (13.6 months vs. 7.0 months; HR: 0.501, 95% CI: 0.309-0.811, P = 0.005). After calibration using the COX proportional-hazards model for age, gender, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, smoking history, T/N/M stage, and tumor location, the chemoimmunotherapy + radiotherapy group still had significant advantages in PFS (14.7 months vs. 7.0 months; HR: 0.441, 95% CI: 0.261-0.745, P = 0.002). IPTW analysis further confirmed this trend (13.9 months vs. 7.0 months; HR: 0.492, 95% CI: 0.304-0.795, P < 0.001). Specifically, the median OS of the chemoimmunotherapy + radiotherapy group demonstrated significant improvement in all analyses: pre-calibration (29.5 months vs. 18.0 months; HR: 0.507, 95% CI: 0.297-0.867, P = 0.013), after calibration using the Cox model (27.5 months vs. 16.7 months; HR: 0.470, 95% CI: 0.266-0.830, P = 0.009), and after calibration using IPTW (29.5 months vs. 16.9 months; HR: 0.448, 95% CI: 0.262-0.764, P < 0.001). Conclusions:The combination of radiotherapy and first-line chemoimmunotherapy can significantly improve survival outcomes of patients with advanced ESCC, suggesting its potential as a standard treatment strategy.

ObjectiveThis study aims to observe the effect of sinomenine （SIN） on fatty acid binding protein 4 （FABP4） in synovial tissue of rats with osteoarthritis （OA） and investigate the therapeutic mechanism of SIN on OA， further providing new ideas for the management of osteoarthritis by traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. MethodsAn OA rat model was constructed and randomly divided into a control group， an OA group， an OA + SIN-L group （50 mg·kg^-1）， an OA + SIN-M （100 mg·kg^-1）， an OA + SIN-H （200 mg·kg^-1）， and an OA + prednisone （PDN） group （5 mg·kg^-1）. Following surgical modeling for three weeks， an appropriate medication was administered for four weeks. During modeling and administration， a hot plate test was performed to detect the pain and swelling of the knee joints of the rats. The periarticular tissue was collected for arthropathological observation at the end of drug administration. The expression of cleaved Caspase-3， B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2 associated X protein （Bax）， and FABP4 in the synovial tissue of rats was detected by Western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）， and the expression and distribution of FABP4 protein in the synovial membrane were detected by immunofluorescence. ResultsCompared with those in the control group， the levels of inflammatory factors and FABP4 in the serum of rats in the OA group were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and joint swelling was significantly elevated （P<0.01）. The thermal pain threshold was significantly reduced （P<0.01）， and the expression of FABP4 protein and the fluorescence intensity were significantly increased （P<0.01）. The synovial tissue exhibited significantly increased inflammatory infiltration， proliferated fibroblasts， and an elevated apoptotic index （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with those in the OA group， the serum lipid metabolism indexes of rats in the SIN administration group gradually returned to normal （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while the levels of inflammatory factors and FABP4 in the serum of rats in the SIN-administered group were significantly reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and joint swelling was significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The thermal pain threshold was significantly elevated （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the expression of FABP4 protein and fluorescence intensity in the synovial tissue were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The synovial tissue displayed significantly reduced inflammatory infiltration and a decreased apoptotic index （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionThe therapeutic effect of SIN on OA may be related to the down-regulation of FABP4 expression， reduction of apoptosis， and inhibition of inflammatory factor expression.

Objective:To summarize and investigate the ultrasound manifestations, clinical characteristics, causes, and prognosis of hepatic portal vein gas (HPVG) after liver transplantation in children.Methods:A case series study. Clinical data of 9 pediatric recipients diagnosed with HPVG by ultrasound after liver transplantation between January 2012 and August 2023 were collected, and the ultrasound manifestations, causes, clinical features, and prognosis of HPVG were analyzed.Results:A total of 1,850 pediatric liver transplantations were performed during the same period in Tianjin First Central Hospital, among which 9 cases (0.48%) developed HPVG; 6 cases occurred within 1 month after surgery, and 3 cases occurred more than 1 month after surgery; the duration ranged from 2 to 15 days, with a median of 7 (4.5, 9.0) days. HPVG was first detected by ultrasound in all cases, with common ultrasound manifestations including bubble-like or punctate strong echoes flowing with blood in the portal vein, and patchy strong echoes with unclear borders in the liver parenchyma. Among the 9 patients, 3 had diarrhea with intestinal flora imbalance, 2 had abdominal distension with incomplete intestinal obstruction, 1 had colonic fistula with repeated replacement of Li's tube and concurrent abdominal distension, 1 was experiencing acute T-cell-mediated rejection of the transplanted liver, and the remaining 2 were asymptomatic. Patients with diarrhea and intestinal dysbiosis were treated with Bifidobacterium Lactobacillus triple viable tablets to regulate flora and montmorillonite powder to relieve diarrhea, which gradually subsided. Patients with abdominal distension and incomplete intestinal obstruction were treated with fasting, intravenous nutrition, and enema, and the obstruction gradually resolved, along with disappearance of HPVG.Conclusion:HPVG after liver transplantation has characteristic ultrasound manifestations, and its occurrence may be related to intestinal gas, obstruction, dysbiosis, or mucosal damage. Treatment may be conservative or surgical depending on the underlying cause and severity.

BACKGROUND:The adjustment of force lines in open wedge high tibial osteotomy can affect the retroversion of the knee joint and the height of the patella.In addition,the adjustment of force lines in open wedge high tibial osteotomy is also different according to different varus deformity.At present,the difference of weight bearing line adjustment is still controversial for the correlation index of knee joint and the function of knee joint after surgery.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of line adjustment area on postoperative knee function and joint kinematics during open wedge high tibial osteotomy.METHODS:Totally 76 patients with knee osteoarthritis who received open wedge high tibial osteotomy in Binzhou People's Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University from March 2022 to March 2023 were selected,including 33 males and 43 females,all on one knee.The lateral border of the tibial plateau was considered as 100％.The position of the central intercondylar ridge of the knee joint was 0％.The weight bearing line of the affected limb was divided into two groups according to the difference of the lateral plateau area of the affected limb:the area of the force line passing through the lateral plateau of the tibial plateau(0-29％)was classified as group A(n=39),and the area of the lateral plateau of the tibial plateau was classified as group B(n=37)by 30％to 40％.The changes of tibiofemoral angle,medial proximal tibial angle,posterior inclination of tibia,and patellar height before and after operation were analyzed.The symptoms and function of the knee were evaluated by the Numeric Rating Scale score and the Hospital for Special Surgery knee score.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)At 1 year after surgery,the posterior inclination of tibia and the medial angle of proximal tibia were increased in both groups(P＜0.05),and the tibiofemoral angle was reduced and patellar height was decreased in both groups(P＜0.05).The posterior inclination of tibia,medial proximal tibial angle,tibiofemoral angle,and patellar height were significantly different between the two groups at 1 year after surgery(P＜0.05).(2)The Hospital for Special Surgery knee scores of the two groups of patients at all times after surgery were better than those before surgery,and showed a gradually increasing trend(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in the Hospital for Special Surgery knee scores 1 week and 3 months after surgery between the two groups(P＞0.05).Hospital for Special Surgery knee score of group B at 6 and 12 months after surgery was better than that of group A(P＜0.05).(3)The Numeric Rating Scale score after surgery showed a gradual downward trend(P＜0.05).No significant difference was detected between the two groups(P＞0.05).(4)The results show that the knee function and symptoms were significantly improved in the early and middle period after open wedge high tibial osteotomy,and the knee joint related parameters changed with the outward shift of weight bearing line.At 1-year follow-up,the functional recovery of knee joint in group B was better than that in group A.Long-term knee function and clinical differences after surgery need further follow-up study.

Objective:To investigate the eosinophil-to-platelet ratio (EPR) in predicting the prognosis of patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD).Methods:Based on the prognosis within 3 months after discharge, 158 patients with AECOPD admitted to Wenzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine from February 2020 to February 2024 were divided into a good prognosis group and a poor prognosis group. General data, eosinophil count, platelet count, eosinophil-to-platelet ratio (EPR), procalcitonin (PCT) level, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), were retrospectively collected from both groups. The factors influencing prognosis within 3 months after discharge were analyzed using a multivariate logistic regression model. The predictive value of these factors for poor prognosis was assessed through receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.Results:Among the 158 patients with AECOPD, 23 had a poor prognosis, 127 had a good prognosis, and 8 were lost to follow-up or died unexpectedly. The eosinophil count and EPR in the peripheral blood of patients with a poor prognosis were significantly lower than those in patients with a good prognosis ( t = 3.22, 4.11, both P < 0.05). The eosinophil count [ OR = 5.709, 95% CI: (2.653, 12.285)] and EPR [ OR = 19.747, 95% CI: (8.352, 46.686)] were independent risk factors for a poor prognosis in patients with AECOPD at 3 months after discharge (both P < 0.05). The results of the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that the area under the curve for eosinophil count and EPR in predicting a poor prognosis in patients with AECOPD at 3 months after discharge was 0.706 [95% CI: (0.596, 0.815)] and 0.730 [95% CI: (0.630, 0.829)], respectively. The cut-off values were 109.20 counts/μL for eosinophil count and 1.06 for EPR, with corresponding sensitivities and specificities of 43.48% and 88.19%, and 82.61% and 59.06%, respectively. Conclusions:EOS and EPR have good predictive value for the adverse prognosis of patients with AECOPD within 3 months after discharge, and EPR has better efficacy.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of radiotherapy in patients with advanced esophageal cancer receiving first-line chemoimmunotherapy.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the data of 137 patients with Stage Ⅳ esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) treated at our hospital from January 2018 to May 2023. These patients were divided into two groups: a group treated with first-line chemoimmunotherapy combined with radiotherapy (chemoimmunotherapy + radiotherapy group, n = 43) and a group treated with only chemoimmunotherapy ( n = 94). Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was applied to balance baseline characteristics between the groups. With overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) as study endpoints, the survival data were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method, the log-rank test, and the Cox regression method. Results:Before calibration, the chemoimmunotherapy + radiotherapy group significantly outperformed the sole chemoimmunotherapy group in median PFS (13.6 months vs. 7.0 months; HR: 0.501, 95% CI: 0.309-0.811, P = 0.005). After calibration using the COX proportional-hazards model for age, gender, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, smoking history, T/N/M stage, and tumor location, the chemoimmunotherapy + radiotherapy group still had significant advantages in PFS (14.7 months vs. 7.0 months; HR: 0.441, 95% CI: 0.261-0.745, P = 0.002). IPTW analysis further confirmed this trend (13.9 months vs. 7.0 months; HR: 0.492, 95% CI: 0.304-0.795, P < 0.001). Specifically, the median OS of the chemoimmunotherapy + radiotherapy group demonstrated significant improvement in all analyses: pre-calibration (29.5 months vs. 18.0 months; HR: 0.507, 95% CI: 0.297-0.867, P = 0.013), after calibration using the Cox model (27.5 months vs. 16.7 months; HR: 0.470, 95% CI: 0.266-0.830, P = 0.009), and after calibration using IPTW (29.5 months vs. 16.9 months; HR: 0.448, 95% CI: 0.262-0.764, P < 0.001). Conclusions:The combination of radiotherapy and first-line chemoimmunotherapy can significantly improve survival outcomes of patients with advanced ESCC, suggesting its potential as a standard treatment strategy.

Objective·To explore the diagnostic and treatment methods for patients with cystic fibrosis(CF)complicated by allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis(ABPA),and to enhance clinicians'understanding of these two diseases.Methods·A retrospectively analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 5 patients with CF complicated by ABPA admitted to the Department of Respiratory Medicine,Shanghai Children's Hospital,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine,from July 2023 to August 2024.A literature search was performed in PubMed,Web of Science,Cochrane Library,and CNKI for studies published in the past 10 years regarding the co-existence of these diseases.Clinical manifestations,treatment courses,and current epidemiological research were summarized and analyzed.Results·Common symptoms of patients with CF complicated by ABPA included aggravated cough and expectoration,wheezing,fever,and dyspnea.Whole-exome aequencing indicated mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator(CFTR)gene,and an increase in the concentration of chloride ions in sweat.The levels of total serum immunoglobulin E(IgE)and Aspergillus fumigatus-specific IgE increased,and chest computed tomography(CT)showed bronchiectasis and mucus plugging.CF complicated by ABPA is often missed or misdiagnosed for asthma.In China,ABPA is often diagnosed before CF,whereas in Caucasian populations CF is typically diagnosed first.Initial treatment usually involves long-term oral administration of antifungal drugs such as voriconazole combined with glucocorticoids such as prednisone.For patients with frequent relapses or severe side effects,alternative antifungal agents or omalizumab therapy may be considered.Co-infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa is common,often requiring intravenous antibiotics such as cefoperazone-sulbactam.Current epidemiological research focuses mainly on clinical characteristics,treatment regimens,and novel diagnostic methods.Conclusion·ABPA and CF have overlapping symptoms.Accurate diagnosis of CF complicated by ABPA requires genetic testing,sweat chloride measurement,chest CT,and serological tests.The coexistence of these diseases often leads to missed,delayed,or incorrect diagnosis,increasing patient burden.Present epidemiological studies mainly address clinical characteristics with a lack of targeted clinical drug trials for this patient population.

BACKGROUND:The adjustment of force lines in open wedge high tibial osteotomy can affect the retroversion of the knee joint and the height of the patella.In addition,the adjustment of force lines in open wedge high tibial osteotomy is also different according to different varus deformity.At present,the difference of weight bearing line adjustment is still controversial for the correlation index of knee joint and the function of knee joint after surgery.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of line adjustment area on postoperative knee function and joint kinematics during open wedge high tibial osteotomy.METHODS:Totally 76 patients with knee osteoarthritis who received open wedge high tibial osteotomy in Binzhou People's Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University from March 2022 to March 2023 were selected,including 33 males and 43 females,all on one knee.The lateral border of the tibial plateau was considered as 100％.The position of the central intercondylar ridge of the knee joint was 0％.The weight bearing line of the affected limb was divided into two groups according to the difference of the lateral plateau area of the affected limb:the area of the force line passing through the lateral plateau of the tibial plateau(0-29％)was classified as group A(n=39),and the area of the lateral plateau of the tibial plateau was classified as group B(n=37)by 30％to 40％.The changes of tibiofemoral angle,medial proximal tibial angle,posterior inclination of tibia,and patellar height before and after operation were analyzed.The symptoms and function of the knee were evaluated by the Numeric Rating Scale score and the Hospital for Special Surgery knee score.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)At 1 year after surgery,the posterior inclination of tibia and the medial angle of proximal tibia were increased in both groups(P＜0.05),and the tibiofemoral angle was reduced and patellar height was decreased in both groups(P＜0.05).The posterior inclination of tibia,medial proximal tibial angle,tibiofemoral angle,and patellar height were significantly different between the two groups at 1 year after surgery(P＜0.05).(2)The Hospital for Special Surgery knee scores of the two groups of patients at all times after surgery were better than those before surgery,and showed a gradually increasing trend(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in the Hospital for Special Surgery knee scores 1 week and 3 months after surgery between the two groups(P＞0.05).Hospital for Special Surgery knee score of group B at 6 and 12 months after surgery was better than that of group A(P＜0.05).(3)The Numeric Rating Scale score after surgery showed a gradual downward trend(P＜0.05).No significant difference was detected between the two groups(P＞0.05).(4)The results show that the knee function and symptoms were significantly improved in the early and middle period after open wedge high tibial osteotomy,and the knee joint related parameters changed with the outward shift of weight bearing line.At 1-year follow-up,the functional recovery of knee joint in group B was better than that in group A.Long-term knee function and clinical differences after surgery need further follow-up study.

Objective:To summarize and investigate the ultrasound manifestations, clinical characteristics, causes, and prognosis of hepatic portal vein gas (HPVG) after liver transplantation in children.Methods:A case series study. Clinical data of 9 pediatric recipients diagnosed with HPVG by ultrasound after liver transplantation between January 2012 and August 2023 were collected, and the ultrasound manifestations, causes, clinical features, and prognosis of HPVG were analyzed.Results:A total of 1,850 pediatric liver transplantations were performed during the same period in Tianjin First Central Hospital, among which 9 cases (0.48%) developed HPVG; 6 cases occurred within 1 month after surgery, and 3 cases occurred more than 1 month after surgery; the duration ranged from 2 to 15 days, with a median of 7 (4.5, 9.0) days. HPVG was first detected by ultrasound in all cases, with common ultrasound manifestations including bubble-like or punctate strong echoes flowing with blood in the portal vein, and patchy strong echoes with unclear borders in the liver parenchyma. Among the 9 patients, 3 had diarrhea with intestinal flora imbalance, 2 had abdominal distension with incomplete intestinal obstruction, 1 had colonic fistula with repeated replacement of Li's tube and concurrent abdominal distension, 1 was experiencing acute T-cell-mediated rejection of the transplanted liver, and the remaining 2 were asymptomatic. Patients with diarrhea and intestinal dysbiosis were treated with Bifidobacterium Lactobacillus triple viable tablets to regulate flora and montmorillonite powder to relieve diarrhea, which gradually subsided. Patients with abdominal distension and incomplete intestinal obstruction were treated with fasting, intravenous nutrition, and enema, and the obstruction gradually resolved, along with disappearance of HPVG.Conclusion:HPVG after liver transplantation has characteristic ultrasound manifestations, and its occurrence may be related to intestinal gas, obstruction, dysbiosis, or mucosal damage. Treatment may be conservative or surgical depending on the underlying cause and severity.

Objective:To evaluate strategies for screening and diagnosing Lynch syndrome associated endom-etrial carcinoma(LS-EC)in clinical practice and analyze clinicopathological characteristics of LS-EC.Methods:A total of 258 patients with endometrial carcinoma who underwent surgery in The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2019 to January 2022 were included.All enrolled patients underwent postoperative immu-nohistochemical testing for mismatch repair(MMR)proteins.Based on the expression status of the four MMR proteins,the patients were divided into deficient mismatch repair(d-MMR)group(57 cases)and proficient mis-match repair(p-MMR)group(201 cases).Among them,23 patients in the d-MMR group underwent germline gene testing for Lynch syndrome(LS).According to germline gene testing results,these patients were further classified into LS-EC(n=8)and non-LS-EC(n=15)groups.Clinicopathological features of LS-EC patients were analyzed.Results:Among the 258 endometrial carcinoma patients,57cases(22.1%)exhibited d-MMR,with MLH1 and PMS2 co-deletion being the most common(61.4%,35/57).Among the23 d-MMR patients who under-went genetic testing,8 cases(34.8%)were identified as having LS-EC,including 5 cases(62.5%)of MLH1 gene mutation,1 case(12.5%)of MSH2 gene mutation,1 case(12.5%)of PMS2 gene mutation and 1 case(12.5%)of MSH6 gene mutation.Compared with the non-LS-EC group,the LS-EC patients showed significant familial aggregation and higher pathological grade(P<0.05).Conclusions:Immunohistochemical analysis of MMR proteins combined with family history represents an effective screening strategy for LS-EC,however defini-tive diagnosis requires germline genetic testing.Among LS-EC cases,MLH1 is the most frequently mutated gene.LS-EC patients are characterized by familial clustering and high pathological grade.Discrepancies between immu-nohistochistochemistry and genetic testing results present challenges in the definitive diagnosis of LS-EC.