Objective:To investigate the value of electrical cardiometry(EC),a noninvasive hemodynamic testing technique,in the di-agnosis of heart failure(HF)in adults.Methods:A prospective study was conducted among the adult patients who were hospitalized in Department of Cardiology,The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University,from September 2022 to May 2024,and the patients who were diagnosed with HF were enrolled as HF group,while those who were excluded from the clinical diagnosis of HF were enrolled as control group.The two groups were compared in terms of general clinical data and related parameters measured by EC,in-cluding stroke volume variation(SVV),systolic time ratio(STR),pre-ejection period(PEP),index of contractility(ICON),ICON varia-tion(VIC),left ventricular ejection time(LVET),and left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF).A multivariate logistic regression model established by the forward method was used to investigate the factors associated with HF.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was plotted for the hemodynamic parameters measured by EC in the diagnosis of HF,and the area under the ROC curve(AUC)was calculated.Results:A total of 239 patients were enrolled,with 126 in the HF group and 113 in the control group.Compared with the control group,the HF group had significantly higher SVV,STR,PEP,VIC,and age and significantly lower ICON,LVET,and LVEF(all P<0.001).The multivariate logistic regression model estab-lished by the forward method showed that STR(odds ratio[OR]=1.199,95%CI=1.110-1.294,P<0.001),VIC(OR=1.176,95%CI=1.090-1.269,P<0.001),and age(OR=1.068,95%CI=1.010-1.128,P<0.05)were positively correlated with HF,and ICON(OR=0.968,95%CI=0.941-0.996,P<0.05)and LVEF(OR=0.854,95%CI=0.798-0.913,P<0.001)were negatively correlated with HF.The ROC curve analysis showed that STR,VIC,and ICON had an AUC of 0.887(95%CI=0.848-0.927),0.891(95%CI=0.851-0.932),and 0.718(95%CI=0.654-0.782),respectively,in the diagnosis of HF,with an optimal cut-off value of 37.5%,19.5%,and 49.3,respec-tively,a sensitivity of 91.3%,73.8%,and 50.0%,respectively,and a specificity of 61.4%,93.8%,and 86.7%,respectively.Among these indicators,STR combined with VIC had an AUC of 0.940(95%CI=0.912-0.967)in the diagnosis of HF,with a sensitivity of 83.3%and a specificity of 91.2%.Conclusion:The EC method can effectively assess the cardiac functional status of adult patients,and STR combined with VIC has some clinical value for the diagnosis of heart failure.

Objective To investigate whether aberrant DNA methylation of ubiquinol-cytochrome C reductase core protein 1(UQCRC1)is related to cognitive impairment caused by neonatal sevoflurane exposure.Methods A total of 94 SPF C57 mice of either sex,aged 6 d,and weighing 4～6 g,were randomly divided into 7 groups:control group(Con,n=6),sevoflurane-6 and-24 h exposure groups(Sev-6 and-24 h,n=6),control+DMSO group(Con+DMSO,n=19),control+5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine(5-AZA,methylation inhibitor)group(Con+5-AZA,n=19),sevoflurane+DMSO group(Sev+DMSO group,n=19),and sevoflurane+5-AZA group(Sev+5-AZA group,n=19).From 6 to 8 d after birth,the mice of the Sev-6 and-24 h exposure groups were exposed to 3％sevoflurane daily(with 97％oxygen,2 L/min,2 h per day),while those from the Con groups were given exposure of 100％oxygen(2 L/min,2 h per day).For the mice of the 5-AZA and DMSO groups,1 mg/kg of 5-AZA or an equal volume of DMSO was injected intraperitoneally 30 min before daily exposure.In 6 and 24 h after the last exposure to sevoflurane,6 mice from the Con,Sev-6 h,and Sev-24 h groups were euthanized for biochemical analysis,and in 24 h post-exposure,6 mice from the Con+DMSO,Con+5-AZA,Sev+DMSO,and Sev+5-AZA groups were randomly selected for biochemical analysis,while another 3 mice from above each group were also randomly selected for morphological analysis.The remaining 10 mice in these groups underwent behavioral testing(open field test,novel object test,and Y-maze test)at 30～33 d after birth to assess cognitive function,and were euthanized in 24 h after the final behavioral test.RT-qPCR and Western blotting were used to detect the hippocampal expression of UQCRC1,DNA methyltransferases(Dnmts),and methyl CpG binding protein 2(Mecp2)at mRNA and protein levels,respectively.Immunofluorescence assay was employed to observe the distribution and expression of UQCRC1 in the hippocampus.Bisulfite sequencing PCR(BSP)was applied to measure the methylation in the UQCRC1 promoter region.Results Compared with the Con group,the mRNA and protein levels of UQCRC1 were down-regulated(P<0.05),and the mRNA level of Dnmts was up-regulated(P<0.05)in both the Sev-6 h and Sev-24 h exposure groups,while the methylation level in the UQCRC1 promoter region was enhanced in the Sev-24 h exposure group(P<0.05).Additionally,the Sev+5-AZA group had obviously increased mRNA and protein levels of UQCRC1(P<0.05),and notable improvement in cognitive impairment(P<0.05)when compared with the Sev+DMSO group.Conclusion Hypermethylation of UQCRC1 promoter region and thus down-regulating its mRNA and protein expression might be the main mechanism by which repeated neonatal sevoflurane exposure induces cognitive impairment later in life.

Objective To analyze the burden of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease(ASCVD)attributable to lifestyle and metabolic factors in China from 1990 to 2021 and predict its future trends,providing evidence for public health prevention and control.Methods Based on the Global Burden of Disease(GBD)2021 database,we extracted disability-adjusted life years(DALYs)of ASCVD attributable to 7 key risk factors:dietary,low physical activity,smoking,high body mass index(BMI),high fasting blood glucose,high low-density lipid cholesterol(LDL-C),and hypertension.Age-standardized DALY rates(ASDR)were also calculated to account for variations in age structure,and an ARIMA model was applied to predict future trends.Results ① Overall trend analysis showed the leading risk factor for ischemic heart disease(IHD)shifted from dietary risks in 1990 to hypertension in 2021,while hypertension and smoking remained the primary risk factors for ischemic stroke(IS)and peripheral artery disease(PAD),respectively.② In BRICS nations,hypertension was the dominant risk factor for both IHD and IS,whereas in China,smoking and high fasting blood glucose continued to be the major drivers of PAD burden.③ Sex-specific analysis revealed that hypertension was the leading risk factor for IHD and IS in both males and females.For PAD,smoking was the main risk factor in males,while high fasting blood glucose was for females.Age-stratified analysis revealed that in the 15-49 age group,dietary,high LDL-C and smoking were the primary factor for IHD,IS and PAD,respectively;in the 50-69 group,dietary predominated IHD risk,hypertension IS,and smoking PAD;and among those aged≥70 years,hypertension was the leading risk factor for both IHD and IS,and high fasting blood glucose was for PAD.④ ARIMA model forecasted that by 2035,DALYs for IHD,IS,and PAD will increase to 82.816 million,46.808 million,and 0.192 million person-years,respectively.Conclusion The ASCVD burden attributable to lifestyle and metabolic factors continues to rise in China from 1990 to 2021,and is projected to further increase by 2035.Countermeasures We suggest that current prevention and control priorities are enhanced management of metabolic factors,tailored interventions by sex and age,promotion of healthy lifestyles and tobacco control,and establishment of an integrated system of prevention-treatment-rehabilitation-research.

Objective To observe the efficacy of occlusive dressing therapy combined with infra-red lamp irradiation on skin lesions in patients with synovitis-acne-pustulosis-hyperostosis-osteomyeli-tis(SAPHO)syndrome.Methods A total of 52 patients with SAPHO syndrome were selected as study subjects.They were randomly divided into control group and observation group using random number table method,with 26 patients in each group.The control group received conventional treat-ment,while the observation group received occlusive dressing therapy combined with infrared lamp ir-radiation on the basis of the control group.The skin lesion scores,Dermatology Life Quality Index(DLQI)scores,Self-rating Anxiety Scale(SAS)scores,and Self-rating Depression Scale(SDS)scores of the two groups were compared.The clinical efficacy and adverse reactions of the two groups were also statistically analyzed.Results One and two months after treatment,the skin lesion scores of both groups were lower than those before treatment,and the scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group(P＜0.05).After treatment,the DLQI,SAS,and SDS scores of both groups were lower than those before treatment,and the scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group(P＜0.05).The total effective rate in the observation group was 96.15％,which was higher than 80.77％ in the control group(P＜0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups(P＞0.05).Con-clusion Occlusive dressing therapy combined with infrared lamp irradiation can significantly improve the symptoms of skin lesions and the psychological state of patients with SAPHO syndrome,as well as enhance their quality of life and the therapeutic effect of the disease.

Prolonged disorders of consciousness(pDoC)are complex and prolonged conditions that severely impact patient prognosis and remain a clinical treatment challenge.In recent years,neural regulation-based awakening therapies have been widely applied in the assessment and treatment of pDoC patients.Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS)technology can regulate neural activity and improve patients'consciousness states,demonstrating positive awakening effects for pDoC patients.However,the optimal stimulation parameters and awakening mechanisms of rTMS remain unclear.This article reviews the pathological mechanisms of pDoC,clinical applications of rTMS at different targeting sites and stimulation frequencies,and focuses on exploring how rTMS promotes consciousness recovery through neural mechanisms such as altering neural pathways,reshaping brain networks,promoting synaptic plasticity and neurotransmitter release,regulating neurotrophic factor expression,and modulating cerebral hemodynamics.Based on artificial intelligence,the article also prospects the future clinical research applications of rTMS.

Objective:To develop and evaluate the efficacy and safety of a three-dimensional (3D) digestive endoscope for gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) through animal experiments.Methods:Two Dutch pigs were utilized from the Zhengzhou University Animal Experiment Center for the study. ESD procedures were performed by two senior endoscopists, one using 3D glasses and the other utilizing a 3D high-definition head display. The success of ESD was assessed based on predefined criteria, including completion of surgical steps, complete detachment of the presumptive lesion, and effective bleeding control during and after the surgery. The number of successful procedures and incidences of perforation were recorded. The stereoscopic experience of the endoscopists, including both the primary endoscopist and the assistant, was also evaluated. Furthermore, the assessment encompassed any reported symptoms of eye discomfort, such as eye fatigue, ocular pain, and blurred vision. Additionally, the confidence level of the endoscopists in the mechanical aspects of the operation, as well as encountered issues during the endoscopic procedures, were documented.Results:Two ESD were successful and no perforation occurred. Feedback from endoscopists suggested that 3D digestive endoscopy offered clear images with enhanced three-dimensionality during surgery, clear sense of distance and layering, allowing for a precise judgment of bleeding points, which surpassed 2D capabilities. No eye discomfort was experienced by endoscopists or assistants during or after the procedures. While endoscopists exhibited high confidence in 3D digestive endoscopy, they noted issues with image blurring when the camera was positioned less than 10 mm from the gastrointestinal tract wall.Conclusion:Preliminary results show that 3D digestive endoscopes can provide excellent stereo imaging, improved positioning accuracy, and safety during live animal stomach ESD procedures, without significantly increasing endoscopists' eye discomfort. Nevertheless, efforts are needed to address image blurring concerns when the camera is close to the gastrointestinal tract wall.

Inguinal hernia is one of the most common surgical diseases, mainly in men and elderly people, and its occurrence and development are related to many risk factors. At present, inguinal hernia can only be cured with surgery, which requires the selection of surgical methods based on patients′ conditions, medical resources and surgeons′ skills. With the aging of the popula-tion, it is expected that the number of inguinal hernia patients will continue to increase. The authors review the epidemiology, risk factors and characteristics of surgical treatment mode of inguinal hernia based on the epidemiological studies of inguinal hernia in recent years.

Bupleuri radix is the dried root of Bupleuri radix or narrow-leaved Bupleuri radix of the umbelliferae family,and it is the most commonly used traditional Chinese medicine,which was first published in Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica.It has a variety of pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammatory,antioxidant,hepatoprotective,antitumor,antidepressant,et al.In the modern study,the extract of Bupleuri radix mainly includes a variety of chemical components such as Bupleuri radix saponin,flavonoids and volatile oil.By reviewing the relevant literature at home and abroad,this paper summarizes the research progress on the chemical composition and pharmacological effects of Bupleuri radix,and points out the future research direction to provide a certain reference basis for the subsequent research.

Objective To study the clinicopathological features of ovarian clear cell carcinoma to pro-vide a basis for the differential diagnosis of whether it originates from endometrioid cyst.Methods A total of 30 patients with ovarian clear cell carcinoma receiving treatment in Jinjiang Municipal Hospital from January 2009 to December 2022 were collected as the research subjects.The patients not originating from endometrioid cysts were included in the control group(n=15)and the patients originating from endometrioid cysts were in-cluded in the observation group(n=15).Macroexamination,microscopic examination,hematoxylin-eosin stai-ning and immunohistochemical staining were used to analyze the clinicopathological characteristics.The gener-al data and pathological examination results of the two groups were statistically analyzed.Results Among the two groups,there were 22 cases(73.33％)of clear cells,3 cases(10.00％)of shoe-tack like cells,2 cases(6.67％)with about half of each cell type,and 3 cases(10.00％)of hyaline bodies or eosinophils.There were 27 cases(90.00％)of aspartic acid peptidase A(Napsin-A)positive and 29 cases(96.67％)of hepatocyte nu-clear factor-1β(HNF-1β)positive.Staging,ascites,lymph node metastasis,abdominal/pelvic metastasis,CA125,complicating endometrioid cyst,coffee-colored fluid in the sac,uneven thickness of the cyst wall,men-strual disorders and infertility all were the influencing factors of ovarian clear cell carcinoma originating from endometrioid cyst(P＜0.05).Conclusion The relevant pathological features could provide an important ref-erence base for the clinical differential diagnosis of whether ovarian clear cell carcinoma originates from endo-metrioid cysts,and it is of great significance to improve the detection rate of ovarian clear cell carcinoma.

Objective To investigate the electrophysiological characteristics of hamster primary cortical neurons by using the whole-cell patch-clamp recordings in a Mg2+-free cell model of epilepsy.Methods The cerebral cortex were isolated for primary neuron culture from neonatal Syrian hamsters 1-2 days after birth.After 12 days,primary neurons were exposed to normal external(Mg2+group)or Mg2+-free external(Mg2+-free group)respectively for 3 hours,followed by a 24-hour incubation in normal culture medium.Excitatory postsynaptic currents(EPSC)and excitatory postsynaptic potentials(EPSP)were recorded in voltage clamp mode and current clamp mode using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings,respectively.Results Compared to Mg2+group,the frequency of EPSC[(124.38±75.15)Hz vs.(33.93±22.32)Hz,P<0.001](P<0.001)and EPSP[(37.05±38.37)Hz vs.(5.63±9.52)Hz,P<0.01]in primary cortical neurons from the Mg2+-free group increased significantly.Meanwhile,there were no statistically significant differences in the amplitude,area under the curve and half-width of EPSC and EPSP between the two groups(P>0.05).Conclusion The present study demonstrates an increase in excitability of primary hamsters cortical neurons after Mg2+depletion,suggesting that these neurons can be utilized to use to create cell models of epilepsy.