ObjectiveTo analyze the expression level of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 （TREM-1） in serum and ascites of patients with cirrhotic ascites， and to investigate its correlation with clinical features and inflammatory markers and its role in the diagnosis of infection and prognostic evaluation. MethodsA total of 110 patients with cirrhotic ascites who were hospitalized in The Fifth Hospital of Shijiazhuang from January 2019 to December 2020 were enrolled， and according to the presence or absence of intra-abdominal infection， they were divided into infection group with 72 patients and non-infection group with 38 patients. The patients with infection were further divided into improvement group with 38 patients and non-improvement group with 34 patients. Clinical data and laboratory markers were collected from all patients. Serum and ascites samples were collected， and ELISA was used to measure the level of TREM-1. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups； the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups， and the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison between multiple groups； the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. A Spearman correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation between indicators. A multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the influencing factors for the prognosis of patients with cirrhotic ascites and infection. The receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic efficacy of each indicator， and the Delong test was used for comparison of the area under the ROC curve （AUC）. ResultsThe level of TREM-1 in ascites was significantly positively correlated with that in serum （r=0.50， P<0.001）. Compared with the improvement group， the non-improvement group had a significantly higher level of TREM-1 in ascites （Z=-2.391， P=0.017） and serum （Z=-2.544， P=0.011）， and compared with the non-infection group， the infection group had a significantly higher level of TREM-1 in ascites （Z=-3.420， P<0.001）， while there was no significant difference in the level of TREM-1 in serum between the two groups （P>0.05）. The level of TREM-1 in serum and ascites were significantly positively correlated with C-reactive protein （CRP）， procalcitonin （PCT）， white blood cell count， and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio （r=0.288， 0.344， 0.530， 0.510， 0.534， 0.454， 0.330， and 0.404， all P<0.05）. The ROC curve analysis showed that when PCT， CRP， and serum or ascitic TREM-1 were used in combination for the diagnosis of cirrhotic ascites with infection， the AUCs were 0.715 and 0.740， respectively. The multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that CRP （odds ratio ［OR］=1.019， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 1.001‍ ‍—‍ ‍1.038， P=0.043） and serum TREM-1 （OR=1.002， 95%CI： 1.000‍ ‍—‍ ‍1.003， P=0.016） were independent risk factors for the prognosis of patients with cirrhotic ascites and infection， and the combination of these two indicators had an AUC of 0.728 in predicting poor prognosis. ConclusionThe level of TREM-1 is closely associated with the severity of infection and prognosis in patients with cirrhotic ascites， and combined measurement of TREM-1 and CRP/PCT can improve the diagnostic accuracy of infection and provide support for prognostic evaluation.

Medication adherence is an important indicator for assessing whether patients follow medical advice during treatment， and its level directly affects disease control and the quality of life of patients. Therefore， accurate and effective assessment is essential for chronic disease management and intervention. This paper takes chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD） and asthma， two types of chronic respiratory diseases， as representative to review the existing measurement methods and current application status of medication adherence. It is found that the existing assessment methods for medication adherence can be categorized into objective measurement methods and subjective measurement methods. Objective measures include drug concentration monitoring， pill counting， and electronic medication devices， which generally offer high accuracy. Subjective measures include physician assessments， inhalation technique evaluations， and questionnaires. While these methods are straightforward and easy to implement， their accuracy is often influenced by the subjective factors of assessors of patients， which may lead to biased results. Currently， there is still a lack of a universally accepted “gold standard” for evaluating medication adherence. Selecting the appropriate measurement method requires a comprehensive consideration of factors such as research objectives， disease type， patient characteristics， and data availability to ensure the validity and reliability of the assessment results.

AIM:To evaluate the characteristics of ocular biometric parameters and the distribution of corneal astigmatism(CA)in patients with high myopia before cataract surgery.METHODS:A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted, and 695 cataract patients(695 eyes)with high myopia [defined as an axial length(AL)≥26.00 mm] scheduled to undergo cataract surgery at our hospital from January 2022 to December 2024 were consecutively enrolled, another 695 cataract patients(695 eyes)with normal ALs(22.00 mm ≤AL≤25.00 mm)who underwent cataract surgery at our hospital during the same period were included in the control group. For patients with both eyes eligible, the right eye was used for analysis. Before cataract surgery, IOL Master 700 was used to measure the ocular biometric parameters of both eyes for each patient in the two groups. The medical records and ocular biometric data in the two groups were recorded and collected.RESULTS:There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in genger, age, corneal diameter, and central corneal thickness(all P>0.05). In the high myopia group, the mean AL was 29.20±2.61 mm, and 252 eyes(34.1%)had AL ≥30.00 mm(extremely high myopia). The mean anterior chamber depth(ACD), lens thickness, vitreous chamber depth(VCD), CA, AL/corneal radius of curvature and VCD/AL in the high myopia group were 3.45±0.40, 4.41±0.47, 21.34±2.60 mm, 1.18±0.78 D, 3.79±0.38, and 0.73±0.03, respectively, which were all greater than those in the control group(all P<0.01). In the high myopia group, 350 eyes(50.4%)had CA ≥1.00 D, 192 eyes(27.6%)had CA ≥1.50 D, and 94 eyes(13.5%)had CA ≥2.00 D, which were all higher than those in the control group(32.8%, 15.1%, and 6.6%, respectively; all P<0.001). In the high myopia group, 87 eyes(12.5%)had flat corneas, 424 eyes(61.0%)had moderate CA, and 40 eyes(5.8%)had high CA. These proportions were all higher than those in the control group(6.0%, 46.9%, and 2.9%, respectively; all P<0.001). In the high myopia group, ACD and ACD/AL were negatively correlated with AL(r=-0.162 and -0.661, respectively; all P<0.001), while both ACD and ACD/AL in the control group were positively correlated with AL(r=0.338 and 0.105, respectively; both P<0.01). In the high myopia group, CA increased with age when the patient's age was ≥50 years(r=0.197, P<0.001), which was consistent with the control group.CONCLUSION: The standardized ocular biometric data of cataract patients with high myopia before cataract surgery are helpful for ophthalmologists to accurately calculate the intraocular lens(IOLs)power and select the appropriate IOL type. The majority of high myopia patients need simultaneous correction of CA during cataract surgery.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of aspirin versus other anticoagulants in the prevention of thromboembolism after orthopedic surgery. METHODS Retrieved from PubMed， Embase， the Cochrane Library， CNKI， Wanfang data and VIP， randomized controlled trials （RCTs） and cohort studies about aspirin （trial group） versus other anticoagulants （control group） were collected during the inception and June 1st， 2023. After literature screening， data extraction and quality evaluation， the meta-analysis was conducted by using RevMan 5.4 software. RESULTS A total of 22 studies were included， involving 9 RCTs and 13 cohort studies. RCT results showed that the incidences of deep vein thrombosis （DVT） [RR＝1.81， 95%CI（1.36， 2.40）， P＜0.000 1] and postoperative pulmonary embolism （PE） [RR＝1.55， 95%CI（1.01， 2.40）， P＝0.05] in trial group were significantly higher than control group. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidences of postoperative massive bleeding， postoperative surgical site infection， all-cause death， or any bleeding after surgery between 2 groups. In the cohort study， the incidence of any bleeding in trial group was significantly lower than control group [RR＝0.71，95%CI （0.64， 0.79）， P＜0.000 1]， while the differences in other indicators were not statistically significant （P＞0.05）. The results of subgroup analysis based on different anticoagulants showed that in RCT， the incidences of DVT and PE after surgery in patients using low-molecular-weight heparin （LMWH） were significantly lower than using aspirin （P＜0.05）； in the cohort study， the incidences of DVT and PE after surgery were significantly lower in patients using direct oral anticoagulants （DOAC） than using aspirin （P＜0.05）. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of major bleeding between patients using aspirin and using DOAC and LWMH （P＞0.05） in both RCT and cohort study. CONCLUSIONS Aspirin is equally safe as other anticoagulants for the prevention of thromboembolism after orthopedic surgery， but its efficacy may not be as good as other anticoagulants. After orthopedic surgery， other anticoagulants should be preferred to prevent venous thromboembolism， and aspirin should be carefully considered.

Objective To develop a two-dimensional liquid chromatographic method for rifapentine blood concentration determination.Methods The blood concentration of rifapentine was determined by a novel two-dimensional liquid chromatography(2D-LC)with a one-dimensional column:Aston SC2T(3.5 mm ×50.0 mm,5 μm);a two-dimensional column:Aston SCB(4.6 mm ×250.0 mm,5 μm);the temperature of the column was 40 ℃;the flow rate was 1.0 mL·min-1;the detection wavelength was 335 nm;the injection volume was 300 μL.The specificity,standard curve and lower limit of quantification,precision and recovery,and stability of the method were investigated.The method was used to determine the blood concentration of rifapentine in tuberculosis patients.Results Rifapentine showed good linearity within 0.33-18.62 μg·mL-1 with the standard curve equation of y=2.68 x 105x-5 850.36(r=0.997),the recoveries were 99.81％-105.08％,and the intra-and inter-day precision were ≤4.84％.The results of rifapentine blood concentration measurements in tuberculosis patients were in the range of 0.10-54.70μg·mL-1,and 64.74％were within the therapeutic window concentration range(8-30 μg·mL-1).Conclusion The method is easy to operate,has high sensitivity,low detection limit and high specificity,and is suitable for clinical blood concentration determination.Individual differences in the administration of rifapentine in tuberculosis patients are large,and blood concentration monitoring is required for individualized treatment.

The Piezo protein is a non-selective mechanosensitive cation channel that exhibits sensitivity to mechanical stimuli such as pressure and shear stress. It converts mechanical signals into bioelectric activity within cells, thus triggering specific biological responses. In the digestive system, Piezo protein plays a crucial role in maintaining normal physiological activities, including digestion, absorption, metabolic regulation, and immune modulation. However, dysregulation in Piezo protein expression may lead to the occurrence of several pathological conditions, including visceral hypersensitivity, impairment of intestinal mucosal barrier function, and immune inflammation.Therefore, conducting a comprehensive review of the physiological functions and pathological roles of Piezo protein in the digestive system is of paramount importance. In this review, we systematically summarize the structural and dynamic characteristics of Piezo protein, its expression patterns, and physiological functions in the digestive system. We particularly focus on elucidating the mechanisms of action of Piezo protein in digestive system tumor diseases, inflammatory diseases, fibrotic diseases, and functional disorders. Through the integration of the latest research findings, we have observed that Piezo protein plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of various digestive system diseases. There exist intricate interactions between Piezo protein and multiple phenotypes of digestive system tumors such as proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis. In inflammatory diseases, Piezo protein promotes intestinal immune responses and pancreatic trypsinogen activation, contributing to the development of ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and pancreatitis. Additionally, Piezo1, through pathways involving co-action with the TRPV4 ion channel, facilitates neutrophil recruitment and suppresses HIF-1α ubiquitination, thereby mediating organ fibrosis in organs like the liver and pancreas. Moreover, Piezo protein regulation by gut microbiota or factors like age and gender can result in increased or decreased visceral sensitivity, and alterations in intestinal mucosal barrier structure and permeability, which are closely associated with functional disorders like irritable bowel sydrome (IBS) and functional consitipaction (FC). A thorough exploration of Piezo protein as a potential therapeutic target in digestive system diseases can provide a scientific basis and theoretical support for future clinical diagnosis and treatment strategies.

Objective To investigate the relationship between the expression of long non-coding RNA C-terminal binding protein 1 antisense RNA2(LncRNA CTBP1-AS2)and microRNA-140-5p(miR-140-5p)levels in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues and the radiotherapeutic effect and prognosis.Methods A total of 222 nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients diagnosed in Nantong Cancer Hospital from March 2018 to March 2020 were collected as the nasopharyngeal carcinoma group.The clinical data of these patients were recorded,the radiotherapeutic effect and prognosis were evaluated,and they were grouped into the survival group(n=194)and the death group(n=28).Meanwhile,another 219 patients with nasopharyngeal inflammation were collected as the control group.Correlation between LncRNA CTBP1-AS2 and miR-140-5p expression levels in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients was calculated using Pearson correlation analysis.Kaplan-Meier survival curve was applied to analyze the relationship between the expression levels of LncRNA CTBP1-AS2 and miR-140-5p in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissue and prognosis.Multivariate analysis was conducted on the prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients using Cox proportional risk regression model.Results The expression level of LncRNA CTBP1-AS2 in the tissues of patients in nasopharyngeal carcinoma group(2.25±0.46)was higher than that in the control group(1.02±0.22),while the expression level of miR-140-5p(0.67±0.19)was lower than that in the control group(1.01±0.23),and the differences were statistically significant(t=35.742,16.934,all P<0.001).There was a negative correlation between LncRNA CTBP1-AS2 and miR-140-5p expression levels in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients(r=-0.624,P<0.001).The total effective rate(74.11%)and 3-year survival rate(77.68%)of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with high expression of LncRNA CTBP1-AS2 after radiotherapy were lower than those with low expression(93.64%,97.27%),and the differences were statistically significant(χ2=15.578,19.331,all P<0.001).The total effective rate(93.58%)and 3-year survival rate(96.33%)of patients with high expression of miR-140-5p after radiotherapy were higher than those of patients with low expression(74.34%,78.76%),and the differences were statistically significant(χ2=15.119,15.538,all P<0.001).The magnetic resonance amide proton transfer(APT)value(2.10±0.26),the proportion of patients with radiotherapy failure(85.71%),high expression of LncRNA CTBP1-AS2(89.29%),and low expression of miR-140-5p(85.71%)in the death group were higher than those in the survival group(1.82±0.31,6.19%,44.85%,45.88%),and the differences were statistically significant(t/χ2=4.551,108.127,19.331,15.538,all P<0.001).The level of LncRNA CTBP1-AS2 was a risk factor for mortality within 3 years in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients(HR=2.762,95%CI:1.510～5.051,P=0.001),while the level of miR-140-5p was a protective factor for mortality within 3 years in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients(HR=0.817,95%CI:0.718～0.930,P=0.002).Conclusion LncRNA CTBP1-AS2 was highly expressed,while miR-140-5p was lowly expressed in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissue,indicating the two may be closely related to the radiotherapeutic effect and prognosis.

Chronic bronchitis （CB） is a common respiratory system disease that is classified as a lung disease in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） and is closely related to lung dysfunction. Lung Yang is the Yang Qi of the lungs，which drives the physiological activities within the lungs. It has physiological functions such as warming the lung system，regulating lung fluid，and dispersing the protective Yang. It can be distributed on the surface of the airway's Yin skin through sweat pores in the form of airflow and fluid，playing a protective and nourishing role. If the protective Yang fails to guard the Yin skin or if the lung fluid cannot nourish the Yin skin，the structural integrity of the airway's Yin skin may be compromised. This may weaken lung Yang's functions， such as clearing phlegm turbidity，dispersing lung fluid，and resisting external pathogens. Consequently， the retention of phlegm turbidity，insufficient nourishment of the Yin skin，and invasion by external pathogens all damage the lung Yang，burn the lung fluid，and exacerbate the pathological state of Yin skin unprotected，forming a vicious cycle that ultimately results in lung Yang asthenia and then the onset of CB. Based on the intrinsic connection between "Yin skin unprotected" and "lung Yang asthenia"，this paper interprets the etiology and pathogenesis of CB. It proposes that "Yin skin unprotected" in the airway is the basic cause of CB and "lung Yang asthenia" caused by "Yin skin unprotected" is the core pathogenesis of CB. By integrating micro differentiation indicators with macro differentiation syndromes， the study explores its modern biological basis. Guided by the theory of "warming the lung Yang and protecting the Yin skin" and based on modern pharmacology research，this study further explores the scientific connotation of single TCM and compound formulations for treating TCM by warming the lung Yang and protecting the Yin skin. Furthermore， it proposes methods for dispelling pathogenic factors and protecting the Yin skin during the acute exacerbation phase，as well as nourishing and warming lung Yang during the remission phase，in order to provide new ideas for the early prevention and treatment of TCM.

Pyroptosis is the programmed death of cells accompanied by an inflammatory response and is widely involved in the development of a variety of diseases, such as infectious diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegeneration. It has been shown that cellular scorching is involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension ( PAH) in cardiovascular diseases. Patients with PAH have perivascular inflammatory infiltrates in lungs, pulmonary vasculopathy exists in an extremely inflam-matory microenvironment, and pro-inflammatory factors in cellular scorching drive pulmonary vascular remodelling in PAH patients. This article reviews the role of cellular scorch in the pathogenesis of PAH and the related research on drugs for the treatment of PAH, with the aim of providing new ideas for clinical treatment of PAH.

Objective To explore the application value of echocardiography in the differential diagnosis of transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis(ATTR-CA)and immunoglobulin light chain cardiac amyloidosis(AL-CA).Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of echocardiographic parameters of 50 confirmed CA patients diagnosed between November 2021 and January 2024 at The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University,including 6 cases of ATTR and 44 cases of AL.Parameters that could potentially distinguish between the two subtypes were selected using t-tests and x2 tests,and the diagnostic capabilities of these parameters for the two subtypes were analyzed using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves.Results There were no statistically significant differences in general characteristics,global longitudinal strain(GLS),ratio of apical to basal strain,ejection fraction to GLS ratio(EFSR),maximum thickness of left ventricular myocardium,relative thickness of left ventricular wall,presence of thickened atrioventricular valves,or presence of enlarged atria between ATTR and AL groups(P＞0.05).The interventricular septal thickness was greater than in ATTR group than in AL group(P＜0.05),and the E/e'ratio(ratio of spectral Doppler early diastolic peak velocity to tissue Doppler early diastolic peak velocity)was greater in ATTR group than in AL group(P＜0.05).ROC curve analysis showed that the areas under the curve for distinguishing between the two subtypes based on interventricular septal thickness and E/e'ratio were 0.891(95％CI:0.792-0.991)and 0.826(95％CI:0.698-0.955),respectively,with a sensitivity of 100.00％and specificity of 95.24％for combined diagnosis.Conclusion Echocardiographic parameters,including E/e'ratio and interventricular septal thickness,may have clinical significance in distinguishing between the two main subtypes of CA in patients.