Objective To investigate the correlation between spread through air space (STAS) of sub-centimeter non-small cell lung cancer and clinical characteristics and radiological features, constructing a nomogram risk prediction model for STAS to provide a reference for the preoperative planning of sub-centimeter non-small cell lung cancer patients. Methods The data of patients with sub-centimeter non-small cell lung cancer who underwent surgical treatment in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from January 2022 to October 2023 were retrospectively collected. According to the pathological diagnosis of whether the tumor was accompanied with STAS, they were divided into a STAS positive group and a STAS negative group. The clinical and radiological data of the two groups were collected for univariate logistic regression analysis, and the variables with statistical differences were included in the multivariate analysis. Finally, independent risk factors for STAS were screened out and a nomogram model was constructed. The sensitivity and specificity were calculated based on the Youden index, and area under the curve (AUC), calibration plots and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the performance of the model. Results A total of 112 patients were collected, which included 17 patients in the STAS positive group, consisting of 11 males and 6 females, with a mean age of (59.0±10.3) years. The STAS negative group included 95 patients, with 30 males and 65 females, and a mean age of (56.8±10.3) years. Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that male, anti-GAGE7 antibody positive, mean CT value and spiculation were associated with the occurrence of STAS (P＜0.05). Multivariate regression analysis showed that associations between STAS and male (OR=5.974, 95%CI 1.495 to 23.872), anti-GAGE7 antibody positive (OR=11.760, 95%CI 1.619 to 85.408) and mean CT value (OR=1.008, 95%CI 1.004 to 1.013) were still significant (P＜0.05), while the association between STAS and spiculation was not significant anymore (P=0.438). Based on the above three independent predictors, a nomogram model of STAS in sub-centimeter non-small cell lung cancer was constructed. The AUC value of the model was 0.890, the sensitivity was 76.5%, and the specificity was 91.6%. The calibration curve was well fitted, suggesting that the model had a good prediction efficiency for STAS. The DCA plot showed that the model had a good clinically utility. Conclusion Male, anti-GAGE7 antibody positive and mean CT value are independent predictors of STAS positivity of sub-centimeter non-small cell lung cancer, and the nomogram model established in this study has a good predictive value and provides reference for preoperative planning of patients.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) serves as a treasure trove of ancient knowledge, holding a crucial position in the medical field. However, the exploration of TCM's extensive information has been hindered by challenges related to data standardization, completeness, and accuracy, primarily due to the decentralized distribution of TCM resources. To address these issues, we developed a platform for TCM knowledge discovery (TCMKD, https://cbcb.cdutcm.edu.cn/TCMKD/). Seven types of data, including syndromes, formulas, Chinese patent drugs (CPDs), Chinese medicinal materials (CMMs), ingredients, targets, and diseases, were manually proofread and consolidated within TCMKD. To strengthen the integration of TCM with modern medicine, TCMKD employs analytical methods such as TCM data mining, enrichment analysis, and network localization and separation. These tools help elucidate the molecular-level commonalities between TCM and contemporary scientific insights. In addition to its analytical capabilities, a quick question and answer (Q&A) system is also embedded within TCMKD to query the database efficiently, thereby improving the interactivity of the platform. The platform also provides a TCM text annotation tool, offering a simple and efficient method for TCM text mining. Overall, TCMKD not only has the potential to become a pivotal repository for TCM, delving into the pharmacological foundations of TCM treatments, but its flexible embedded tools and algorithms can also be applied to the study of other traditional medical systems, extending beyond just TCM.

Purpose To investigate the predictive value of MRI-based peritumoral edema(PE)of lymph node(LN)metastasis burden in patient with invasive breast cancer.Materials and Methods A total of 213 patients in Sichuan Cancer Hospital with invasive breast cancer confirmed by pathology after surgery were enrolled retrospectively from September 2017 to February 2019.Based on the status and number of LN metastases proved by axillary surgery pathology,all patients were divided into high-burden LN metastasis group(n=47 cases,total number of metastatic LN greater than 2)and low-burden LN metastasis group(n=166 cases,total number of metastatic LN less than or equal to 2).T2WI features,including PE type and PE degree,were analyzed.On DCE-MRI,MRI features of breast cancer were analyzed based on BI-RADS.The predictive value of T2WI features and MRI features for LN metastasis burden was assessed by univariate analysis,and the statistically significant features identified by univariate analysis were further subjected to multivariate Logistic regression analysis to establish a prediction model.The model's performance for LN metastasis burden prediction was evaluated via receiver operating characteristic curve,and the predictive metrics were calculated based on the Youden index.Results The rate of high-burden LN metastasis was 22.1%(47/213).The results of univariate analysis showed that PE degree(OR=18.70,P＜0.001),PE type(OR=16.00,P＜0.001),tumor maximum diameter(OR=1.40,P=0.025),and tumor minimum diameter(OR=2.01,P=0.003)were predictive features for high-burden LN metastasis.The multivariate regression analysis showed that the peritumoral edema features,including PE degree(OR=8.02,P＜0.001)and PE type(OR=5.53,P=0.001)were independent predictive features for high-burden LN metastasis.The area under the curve of the final predictive model was 0.842.The diagnostic sensitivity was 0.766,the specificity was 0.861,the positive predictive value was 0.610,and the negative predictive value was 0.929.Conclusion The PE on preoperative MRI have good predictive performance for LN metastasis burden prediction in patient with invasive breast cancer,particularly for low-burden LN metastasis.

Objective·To investigate the effects of liraglutide on liver fibrosis in mice with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)and the underlying mechanisms.Methods·Twenty 8-week-old C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a normal chow diet group(Chow group)and a methionine-choline-deficient(MCD)diet group(MCD group),with 10 mice per group.The MCD diet was used to induce NAFLD.Each group was further divided into two subgroups,resulting in four subgroups:Chow+saline,Chow+liraglutide,MCD+saline,and MCD+liraglutide group.After daily intraperitoneal injection of liraglutide(400 μg/kg)or an equivalent volume of saline for 4 weeks,an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test(IPGTT)was performed.Serum levels of aspartate transaminase(AST),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TAG),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)were measured.Liver tissues were collected post-euthanasia to assess TAG content.Histopathological changes,lipid deposition,and fibrosis were evaluated via hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining,Oil Red O staining,and Masson staining.Real-time quantitative PCR(qPCR)and Western blotting were used to analyze the expression of α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA),fibronectin(FN),collagen type Ⅰ α(COL1A),matrix metalloproteinase 9(MMP9),tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1(TIMP1),transforming growth factor β(TGF-β),SMAD3,and phosphorylated SMAD3(pSMAD3).Results·The IPGTT revealed that liraglutide intervention reduced blood glucose levels at 15,30,and 60 min,with a decreased area under the curve(AUC)(both P<0.05).Biochemical analysis showed that liraglutide lowered AST and ALT levels(both P<0.001),increased TC and HDL-C levels(both P<0.05),but had no significant effect on TAG or LDL-C in MCD mice.HE staining and Oil Red O staining revealed reduced lipid droplets,ballooning degeneration,and inflammatory infiltration in hepatocytes after liraglutide treatment.Masson staining indicated decreased collagen fiber deposition in the liver.qPCR and Western blotting analysis demonstrated upregulated expression of α-SMA,FN,COL1A,TIMP1,TGF-β,and pSMAD3/SMAD3,alongside downregulated MMP9 in MCD mice.Liraglutide reversed these changes,lowering α-SMA,FN,COL1A,TIMP1,TGF-β,and pSMAD3/SMAD3 expression while increasing MMP9 expression.Conclusion·Liraglutide ameliorates liver injury,lipid deposition,and fibrosis in NAFLD mice,through modulation of the TGF-β/SMAD3 pathway and regulating fibrosis-associated protein expression.

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)serves as a treasure trove of ancient knowledge,holding a crucial position in the medical field.However,the exploration of TCM's extensive information has been hindered by challenges related to data standardization,completeness,and accuracy,primarily due to the decen-tralized distribution of TCM resources.To address these issues,we developed a platform for TCM knowledge discovery(TCMKD,https://cbcb.cdutcm.edu.cn/TCMKD/).Seven types of data,including syndromes,formulas,Chinese patent drugs(CPDs),Chinese medicinal materials(CMMs),ingredients,targets,and diseases,were manually proofread and consolidated within TCMKD.To strengthen the integration of TCM with modern medicine,TCMKD employs analytical methods such as TCM data mining,enrichment analysis,and network localization and separation.These tools help elucidate the molecular-level commonalities between TCM and contemporary scientific insights.In addition to its analytical capabilities,a quick question and answer(Q&A)system is also embedded within TCMKD to query the database efficiently,thereby improving the interactivity of the platform.The platform also provides a TCM text annotation tool,offering a simple and efficient method for TCM text mining.Overall,TCMKD not only has the potential to become a pivotal repository for TCM,delving into the pharmaco-logical foundations of TCM treatments,but its flexible embedded tools and algorithms can also be applied to the study of other traditional medical systems,extending beyond just TCM.

Objective·To investigate the effects of liraglutide on liver fibrosis in mice with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)and the underlying mechanisms.Methods·Twenty 8-week-old C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a normal chow diet group(Chow group)and a methionine-choline-deficient(MCD)diet group(MCD group),with 10 mice per group.The MCD diet was used to induce NAFLD.Each group was further divided into two subgroups,resulting in four subgroups:Chow+saline,Chow+liraglutide,MCD+saline,and MCD+liraglutide group.After daily intraperitoneal injection of liraglutide(400 μg/kg)or an equivalent volume of saline for 4 weeks,an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test(IPGTT)was performed.Serum levels of aspartate transaminase(AST),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TAG),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)were measured.Liver tissues were collected post-euthanasia to assess TAG content.Histopathological changes,lipid deposition,and fibrosis were evaluated via hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining,Oil Red O staining,and Masson staining.Real-time quantitative PCR(qPCR)and Western blotting were used to analyze the expression of α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA),fibronectin(FN),collagen type Ⅰ α(COL1A),matrix metalloproteinase 9(MMP9),tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1(TIMP1),transforming growth factor β(TGF-β),SMAD3,and phosphorylated SMAD3(pSMAD3).Results·The IPGTT revealed that liraglutide intervention reduced blood glucose levels at 15,30,and 60 min,with a decreased area under the curve(AUC)(both P<0.05).Biochemical analysis showed that liraglutide lowered AST and ALT levels(both P<0.001),increased TC and HDL-C levels(both P<0.05),but had no significant effect on TAG or LDL-C in MCD mice.HE staining and Oil Red O staining revealed reduced lipid droplets,ballooning degeneration,and inflammatory infiltration in hepatocytes after liraglutide treatment.Masson staining indicated decreased collagen fiber deposition in the liver.qPCR and Western blotting analysis demonstrated upregulated expression of α-SMA,FN,COL1A,TIMP1,TGF-β,and pSMAD3/SMAD3,alongside downregulated MMP9 in MCD mice.Liraglutide reversed these changes,lowering α-SMA,FN,COL1A,TIMP1,TGF-β,and pSMAD3/SMAD3 expression while increasing MMP9 expression.Conclusion·Liraglutide ameliorates liver injury,lipid deposition,and fibrosis in NAFLD mice,through modulation of the TGF-β/SMAD3 pathway and regulating fibrosis-associated protein expression.

Purpose To investigate the predictive value of MRI-based peritumoral edema(PE)of lymph node(LN)metastasis burden in patient with invasive breast cancer.Materials and Methods A total of 213 patients in Sichuan Cancer Hospital with invasive breast cancer confirmed by pathology after surgery were enrolled retrospectively from September 2017 to February 2019.Based on the status and number of LN metastases proved by axillary surgery pathology,all patients were divided into high-burden LN metastasis group(n=47 cases,total number of metastatic LN greater than 2)and low-burden LN metastasis group(n=166 cases,total number of metastatic LN less than or equal to 2).T2WI features,including PE type and PE degree,were analyzed.On DCE-MRI,MRI features of breast cancer were analyzed based on BI-RADS.The predictive value of T2WI features and MRI features for LN metastasis burden was assessed by univariate analysis,and the statistically significant features identified by univariate analysis were further subjected to multivariate Logistic regression analysis to establish a prediction model.The model's performance for LN metastasis burden prediction was evaluated via receiver operating characteristic curve,and the predictive metrics were calculated based on the Youden index.Results The rate of high-burden LN metastasis was 22.1%(47/213).The results of univariate analysis showed that PE degree(OR=18.70,P＜0.001),PE type(OR=16.00,P＜0.001),tumor maximum diameter(OR=1.40,P=0.025),and tumor minimum diameter(OR=2.01,P=0.003)were predictive features for high-burden LN metastasis.The multivariate regression analysis showed that the peritumoral edema features,including PE degree(OR=8.02,P＜0.001)and PE type(OR=5.53,P=0.001)were independent predictive features for high-burden LN metastasis.The area under the curve of the final predictive model was 0.842.The diagnostic sensitivity was 0.766,the specificity was 0.861,the positive predictive value was 0.610,and the negative predictive value was 0.929.Conclusion The PE on preoperative MRI have good predictive performance for LN metastasis burden prediction in patient with invasive breast cancer,particularly for low-burden LN metastasis.

Objective:To compare the immunogenicity of the prefusion (PreF) and postfusion (PostF) conformations of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) F protein.Methods:The expression of PreF and PostF recombinant proteins was analyzed by SDS-PAGE and Western blot. The binding affinity between F protein and its specific antibodies was detected by Octet. The binding antibodies and neutralizing antibodies in immune serum were detected after immunizing mice with PreF or PostF recombinant protein.Results:PreF protein was stable in the form of a trimer after modification with higher binding affinity with monoclonal antibodies such as D25, 8897, AM14, Palivizumab and Motavizumab. PostF protein lacked the antigenic site ? and showed a monomer conformation. Besides, it was unable to bind to D25, 8897 and AM14 antibodies. Animal experiments showed that AS01 adjuvant was better than aluminum adjuvant in inducing binding antibodies and neutralizing antibodies against RSV Long strains. The binding antibodies induced by PreF and PostF recombinant proteins had similar binding ability to PreF protein, while the binding antibodies induced by PostF recombinant protein showed stronger binding ability to PostF than to PreF.Conclusions:PreF has more epitopes and the trimer form of PreF recombinant protein after modification is more stable and can induce stronger neutralizing antibodies. Moreover, the immunopotentiating effect of AS01 adjuvant is better than that of aluminum adjuvant. Therefore, stabilization-based trimer structure modification of PreF and the development of adjuvants are crucial for the development of RSV vaccines.

Objective:To systematically review the predictive model for de novo stress urinary incontinence (de novo SUI) after pelvic organ prolapse (POP) surgery, with the aim of providing reference for preventing the occurrence of de novo SUI.Methods:Literature on the prediction model of de novo SUI after POP surgery was electronically retrieved in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang, and VIP. The search period was from the establishment of the database to December 31, 2023, and the language was limited to Chinese and English. Two researchers independently screened literature, extracted data, and used the prediction model risk of bias assessment tool (PROBAST) to evaluate the quality of the models.Results:A total of 13 articles were included, including 13 de novo SUI risk prediction models. One literature was a prospective study, one literature was a secondary analysis of data, and the rest were retrospective studies. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve in nine models ranged from 0.595 to 0.842, and the C-index of three models ranged from 0.710 to 0.738. Five models were not validated or only internally validated after construction. Six models were validated in one external population. The predictive performance of one model was validated in six external populations. The overall applicability of the 13 prediction models was good, but there was a certain risk of bias in all of them. Conclusions:There is a significant difference in the predictive performance of the de novo SUI risk prediction model after POP surgery, and the number is relatively small, indicating that it is still in the development stage. Future research should continuously optimize existing models and conduct external validation, and construct predictive models suitable for postoperative de novo SUI in POP patients in China.

Objective:To investigate the clinical and genetic characteristics and predictive role of the severe liver disease phenotype in patients with hepatolenticular degeneration (HLD).Methods:Inpatients with HLD confirmed at Xinhua Hospital affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from January 1989 to December 2022 were selected as the research subjects. Clinical classification was performed according to the affected organs. Patients with liver disease phenotypes were classified into the liver disease group and further divided into the severe liver disease group and the ordinary liver disease group. The clinical characteristics and genetic variations were compared in each group of patients. The predictive indicators of patients with severe liver disease were analyzed by multiple regression. Statistical analysis was performed using the t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, or χ2 test according to different data. Results:Of the 159 HLD cases, 142 were in the liver disease group (34 in the severe liver disease group and 108 in the ordinary liver disease group), and 17 were in the encephalopathy group. The median age of onset was statistically significantly different between the liver disease group and the encephalopathy group [12.6 (7.0, 13.3) years versus 16.9 (11.0, 21.5) years, P<0.01]. 156 ATP7B gene mutation sites were found in 83 cases with genetic testing results, of which 54 cases carried the p.Arg778Leu gene mutation (allele frequency 46.2%). Compared with patients with other types of gene mutations ( n=65), patients with homozygous p.Arg778Leu mutations ( n=18) had lower blood ceruloplasmin and albumin levels, a higher prognostic index, Child-Pugh score, an international normalized ratio, and prothrombin time ( P<0.05). Hemolytic anemia, corneal K-F ring, homozygous p.Arg778Leu mutation, and multiple laboratory indexes in the severe liver disease group were statistically significantly different from those in the ordinary liver disease group ( P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the predictive factors for severe liver disease were homozygous p.Arg778Leu mutation, total bilirubin, and bile acids ( ORs=16.512, 1.022, 1.021, 95% CI: 1.204-226.425, 1.005-1.039, and 1.006-1.037, respectively, P<0.05). The drawn ROC curve demonstrated a cutoff value of 0.215 3, an AUC of 0.953 2, and sensitivity and specificity of 90.91% and 92.42%, respectively. Conclusion:Liver disease phenotypes are common in HLD patients and have an early onset. Total bilirubin, bile acids, and the homozygous p.Arg778Leu mutation of ATP7B is related to the severity of liver disease in HLD patients, which aids in predicting the occurrence and risk of severe liver disease.