Background/Aims: Liver transplantation (LT) following total hepatectomy is a life-saving treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The HCC recurrence after LT hinders the effectiveness of the procedure. The objective of this study is to develop a pre-operative risk stratification model based on a liquid biopsy. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive multi-omics study of 260 HCC patients from three centers, including clinical data, low-coverage whole-genome sequencing of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from plasma, as well as whole-exome, single-nucleus RNA, and spatial transcriptomics from matched tumor and non-tumor tissues. Results: We identified cfDNA-derived copy number alteration (CNA) signatures associated with post-transplant recurrence. By integrating cfDNA-derived CNA profiles with single-cell transcriptomic data, we traced recurrence-associated cfDNA to a distinct subpopulation of malignant cells within the primary tumor. These cells were embedded in a pro-metastatic microenvironment of specialized endothelial subtypes and cancer-associated fibroblasts. Notably, most recurrence-associated lesions were detectable in cfDNA prior to liver transplantation (LT). Building on these insights, we developed the ZJU Criteria based on CNA fragments and tumor markers, a pre-LT risk prediction tool that integrates conventional clinical factors with cfDNA-derived CNA signatures, and validated it using internal and independent external cohorts. Conclusion Our findings suggest that post-transplant recurrence commonly originates from advanced subclones that emerge late during tumor evolution. The ZJU Criteria provides an accurate, non-invasive strategy that significantly improves pre-LT risk stratification and clinical decision-making for patients with HCC.

ObjectiveTo construct a large language model （LLM）-based intelligent pre-consultation system for traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） to improve efficacy of clinical practice. MethodsA TCM large language model was fine-tuned using DeepSpeed ZeRO-3 distributed training strategy based on YAYI 2-30B. A weighted undirected graph network was designed and an agent-based syndrome differentiation model was established based on relationship data extracted from TCM literature and clinical records. An agent collaboration framework was developed to integrate the TCM LLM with the syndrome differentiation model. Model performance was comprehensively evaluated by Loss function， BLEU-4， and ROUGE-L metrics， through which training convergence， text generation quality， and language understanding capability were assessed. Professional knowledge test sets were developed to evaluate system proficiency in TCM physician licensure content， TCM pharmacist licensure content， TCM symptom terminology recognition， and meridian identification. Clinical tests were conducted to compare the system with attending physicians in terms of diagnostic accuracy， consultation rounds， and consultation duration. ResultsAfter 100 000 iterations， the training loss value was gradually stabilized at about 0.7±0.08， indicating that the TCM-LLM has been trained and has good generalization ability. The TCM-LLM scored 0.38 in BLEU-4 and 0.62 in ROUGE-L， suggesting that its natural language processing ability meets the standard. We obtained 2715 symptom terms， 505 relationships between diseases and syndromes， 1011 relationships between diseases and main symptoms， and 1 303 600 relationships among different symptoms， and constructed the Agent of syndrome differentiation model. The accuracy rates in the simulated tests for TCM practitioners， licensed pharmacists of Chinese materia medica， recognition of TCM symptom terminology， and meridian recognition were 94.09%， 78.00%， 87.50%， and 68.80%， respectively. In clinical tests， the syndrome differentiation accuracy of the system reached 88.33%， with fewer consultation rounds and shorter consultation time compared to the attending physicians （P＜0.01）， suggesting that the system has a certain pre- consultation ability. ConclusionThe LLM-based intelligent TCM pre-diagnosis system could simulate diagnostic thinking of TCM physicians to a certain extent. After understanding the patients' natural language， it collects all the patient's symptom through guided questioning， thereby enhancing the diagnostic and treatment efficiency of physicians as well as the consultation experience of the patients.

Objective:To explore the latent categories of barriers to PhaseⅡ cardiac rehabilitation in patients after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), and to analyze the influencing factors of different latent classes.Methods:A total of 340 CABG patients in PhaseⅡ cardiac rehabilitation were recruited by convenience sampling from two Class Ⅲ Grade A hospitals in Shanghai between January and August 2024. Data were collected using a general information questionnaire, the Cardiac Rehabilitation Barriers Scale (CRBS), and the Fear of Exercise Scale for Cardiac Patients. Latent profile analysis was used to classify the cardiac rehabilitation barriers, and multinomial Logistic regression was conducted to identify influencing factors for different latent classes.Results:Of the 340 questionnaires distributed, 319 valid responses were obtained after excluding incomplete or patterned questionnaires, with a valid response rate of 93.82% (319/340). The cardiac rehabilitation barriers among the 319 CABG patients were classified into three latent profiles: low-barrier, active rehabilitation type; moderate-barrier, poor-functioning type; and moderate-barrier, insufficient-perception type. Multinomial logistic regression analysis indicated that smoking, comorbidities, age, educational level, and fear of exercise were statistically significant influencing factors for different barrier profiles ( P<0.05) . Conclusions:Cardiac rehabilitation barriers in CABG patients exhibit heterogeneity. Medical staff should adopt targeted intervention strategies based on the specific barrier profiles, reduce patients' fear of exercise, and thereby improve rehabilitation outcomes.

Objective:To explore the latent categories of barriers to PhaseⅡ cardiac rehabilitation in patients after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), and to analyze the influencing factors of different latent classes.Methods:A total of 340 CABG patients in PhaseⅡ cardiac rehabilitation were recruited by convenience sampling from two Class Ⅲ Grade A hospitals in Shanghai between January and August 2024. Data were collected using a general information questionnaire, the Cardiac Rehabilitation Barriers Scale (CRBS), and the Fear of Exercise Scale for Cardiac Patients. Latent profile analysis was used to classify the cardiac rehabilitation barriers, and multinomial Logistic regression was conducted to identify influencing factors for different latent classes.Results:Of the 340 questionnaires distributed, 319 valid responses were obtained after excluding incomplete or patterned questionnaires, with a valid response rate of 93.82% (319/340). The cardiac rehabilitation barriers among the 319 CABG patients were classified into three latent profiles: low-barrier, active rehabilitation type; moderate-barrier, poor-functioning type; and moderate-barrier, insufficient-perception type. Multinomial logistic regression analysis indicated that smoking, comorbidities, age, educational level, and fear of exercise were statistically significant influencing factors for different barrier profiles ( P<0.05) . Conclusions:Cardiac rehabilitation barriers in CABG patients exhibit heterogeneity. Medical staff should adopt targeted intervention strategies based on the specific barrier profiles, reduce patients' fear of exercise, and thereby improve rehabilitation outcomes.

Glutamate-ammonia ligase (GLUL, also known as glutamine synthetase) is a crucial enzyme that catalyzes ammonium and glutamate into glutamine in the ATP-dependent condensation. Although GLUL plays a critical role in multiple cancers, the expression and function of GLUL in gastric cancer remain unclear. In the present study, we have found that the expression level of GLUL was significantly lower in gastric cancer tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues, and correlated with N stage and TNM stage, and low GLUL expression predicted poor survival for gastric cancer patients. Knockdown of GLUL promoted the growth, migration, invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, and vice versa, which was independent of its enzyme activity. Mechanistically, GLUL competed with β-Catenin to bind to N-Cadherin, increased the stability of N-Cadherin and decreased the stability of β-Catenin by alerting their ubiquitination. Furthermore, there were lower N-Cadherin and higher β-Catenin expression levels in gastric cancer tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. GLUL protein expression was correlated with that of N-Cadherin, and could be the independent prognostic factor in gastric cancer. Our findings reveal that GLUL stabilizes N-Cadherin by antagonizing β-Catenin to inhibit the progress of gastric cancer.

OBJECTIVE To construct a clinical model of motion sickness(MS),provide a relatively objective diagnostic model for MS research,and provide a basis for further clinical intervention of the disease.METHODS A total of 60 subjects were included and divided into experimental group and control group according to the presence or absence of MS.The MS clinical model was established using SRM-IV rotating chair.Peripheral blood was collected before and after acceleration exposure,and the contents of adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH),growth hormone(GH),prolactin(PRL),follicle stimulating hormone(FSH),luteinizing hormone(LH),thyroid stimulating hormone(TRH)and gastrin-17(G-17),acetylcholine(ACH)and 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT)were detected,Graybiel scale was used to evaluate the severity of MS.The correlation between MS symptoms and signs and peripheral blood indexes was analyzed by multiple linear regression,and the diagnostic model was established.construct a clinical model of MS and a diagnostic model based on blood parameters,so as to provide a reliable clinical model and an objective diagnostic model for MS research,and to provide a basis for further clinical intervention of the disease.RESULTS After acceleration exposure,the Graybiel scores,ACH,5-HT,ACTH,GH and PRL levels in peripheral blood of the experimental group were higher than those before exposure,and were significantly different from those of the control group(P<0.001).There was no significant difference in FSH,LH,TRH and G-17 between the two groups before and after acceleration exposure(P>0.05).Multi-index combined diagnostic model:Graybiel scores=-9.32+0.131×ACTH+0.055×ACH+0.041×5-HT.CONCLUSION The levels of ACH,5-HT,ACTH,GH and PRL increased during the onset of MS.The multi-index combined diagnosis model can provide a certain basis for the objective diagnosis of MS in clinical practice.

Objective:To investigate the status of vitamin D deficiency in middle aged and elderly patients at an orthopedic department.Methods:The data of 25-hydroxy vitamin D[25(OH)D]in patients aged over 55 years at an orthopedic department in Beijing Hospital from November 2014 to January 2020 were collected.The differences in serum 25(OH)D status were compared in different gender and age.Results:A total of 3004 subjects were included with 725 males and 2279 females, ranged from 55 to 102 years old with an average of(71.1±9.7)years.The average serum 25(OH)D level was(17.77±9.92)ng/ml, which was diagnosed as vitamin D deficiency status.Serum 25(OH)D levels were(19.66±9.77)μg/L, (18.34±9.78)μg/L, (16.19±9.51)μg/L and (14.74±10.49)μg/L, at different age groups of 55-64, 65-74, 75-84, 85 years and over, respectively, with statistically significant differences( F=29.357, P<0.05). Serum(OH)D levels of patients were severely deficient, deficient, insufficient and sufficient, with their proportion of 21.3%, 44.6%, 23.3% and 10.8%, respectively.The proportion of patients achieving from vitamin D levels severe deficiency to deficiency to insufficient to sufficient were 18.2%, 44.8%, 25.1% and 11.9% in men, and 22.2%, 44.6%, 22.7% and 10.5% in women, respectively. Conclusions:The deficiency of vitamin D is prevalent in elderly patients visiting at orthopedic department.Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D has a decreased trend along with age increasing, showing an increased trend of vitamin D deficiency.Patients with severe vitamin D deficiency are the focus for the intervention.

Objective To explore the role and mechanism of HMGB1 in the fatty acid metabolism reprogramming and mitochondrial fusion/fission of hypoxic and nutrient-poor pancreatic cancer cells. Methods The correlation between the expression level of HMGB1 in pancreatic cancer tissue and the survival rate of pancreatic cancer patients were analyzed by GEPIA database. CCK-8 assay was used to measure cell proliferation rate, and scratch test and Transwell chamber method were carried out to detect the effects of endogenous HMGB1 on the invasion and migration abilities of human pancreatic cancer cell line Patu8988 after hypoxic and nutrient-poor treatment. Laser confocal microscope was used to observe the changes of mitochondrial morphology of Patu8988 cells. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of mitochondrial fusion/fission and de novo fatty acid synthesis-related proteins. Results GEPIA database analysis results showed that HMGB1 was highly expressed in pancreatic cancer tissues (P < 0.01), and the expression level was negatively correlated with the survival time of pancreatic cancer patients (P=0.00097). Knockdown of HMGB1 expression could inhibit the proliferation, invasion and migration abilities of Patu8988 cells under hypoxic and nutrient-poor conditions. However, mitochondrial fission in patu8988 cells was increased. Knockdown of HMGB1 in Patu8988 cells increased the expression of fission-related protein FIS1 while decreased the expression of p-DRP1(Ser637) and fusion-related protein MFN1 and MFN2 in hypoxic and nutrient-poor environment; ACLY, p-ACLY and FASN protein expression levels were down-regulated. Conclusion Endogenous HMGB1 can promote the fusion and inhibit the fission of mitochondria in hypoxic and nutrient-poor Patu8988 cells, maintain mitochondrial morphology and function, and thereby up-regulate ACLY protein expression and phosphorylation level, promote FA synthesis, and maintain the proliferation, invasion and migration abilities of pancreatic cancer cells.

Objective To clone and identify the heat shock factors(HSFs)of Schistosoma japonicum and analyze its molec?ular structure and alternative splicing pattern. Methods The New Zealand rabbits were infected with the cercariae of Schistoso?ma japonicum and were killed and dissected 42 days post?infection,and the adult worms of S. japonicum and the livers of the rabbits were harvested. Then,the total RNA was extracted by using Trizol reagent. The Sj?hsf open reading frame(ORF)and the alternative splicing fragments were amplified by RT?PCR from the female,male and egg samples,then cloned and verified by enzyme digestion and sequencing. DNAMAN 8.0,InterPro,Mega 6 combined with the Internet databases were utilized to clarify the gene structure,functional domains,alternative splicing pattern,and the homology and phylogenetic tree of HSFs. Re?sults Sj?hsf ORF and the alternative splicing fragments were amplified from the female,male and egg samples of S. japonicum by RT?PCR. After cloning,the positive recombinant plasmids pBSjHSFf?F,pBSjHSFf?M,pBSjHSFf?E containing Sj?hsf ORF, pBSjHSFs?F,pBSjHSFs?M,pBSjHSFs?E with Sj?hsf alternative splicing fragments were identified by enzyme digestion and se?quencing. Three alternative splicing Sj?hsf isoforms were observed through sequence analysis:Sj?hsf?isoform1(2 050 bp),Sj?hsf ?isoform2(2 086 bp)and Sj?hsf?isoform3(2 111 bp);the GenBank accession numbers were KU954546,KX119143 and KX119144,respectively. All the three isoforms located in the same Contig SJC_S000780 of S. japonicum genome and all ex?pressed at female,male and egg stages,but Sj?hsf?isoform1 with a high?level expression. Sj?HSF?isoform1(671 aa)and Sj?HSF?isoform2(683 aa)had DBD(DNA binding domain),HR?A/B and HR?C domains,while Sj?HSF?isoform3(282 aa)stopped in advance without HR?C domain. Phylogenetic tree analysis of HSFs illustrated that Sj?HSFs belonged to HSF1 family,with a close phylogenetic relationship to Sm?HSFs. Conclusions There are three alternative splicing isoforms of Sj?HSF existing in the female,male and egg stages of S. japonicum,but Sj?HSF?isoform1 expresses in a high?level. This study lays the foundation for further study on molecular mechanisms of Sj?HSFs in regulating the heat shock response system.

OBJECTIVETo examine the expression profile and immunofluorescence localization of the major egg antigen p40 of Schistosoma japonicum (Sjp40) during granuloma formation in the liver of infected New Zealand white rabbits.

METHODSNew Zealand white rabbits were infected with S. japonicum cercariae, and the livers were harvested at 29 and 45 days post-infection (dpi). The total RNA of the liver tissues was extracted for expression profiling of Sjp40 by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) with GAPDH of S. japonicum as the endogenous reference gene. The expression of Sjp40 in the liver were detected by Western blotting using anti-Sjp40 monoclonal antibody (mAb) 9G7 or anti-Toxoplasma gondii tSAG1 mAb Y3A8 (control) as the primary antibody. Paraffin sections of the liver were prepared for observing egg granuloma formation using HE staining and for indirect immunofluorescence assay of Sjp40 location in the trapped eggs and egg granulomas.

RESULTSThe level of Sjp40 mRNA in the eggs trapped in rabbit livers was significantly higher at 45 dpi than that at 29 dpi (P<0.05), and Western blotting confirmed the presence of Sjp40 protein in the rabbit livers at both 29 and 45 dpi. Immunofluorescence assay demonstrated localized expression of Sjp40 in the immature eggs in the rabbit liver at 29 dpi, but at 45 dpi fluorescence was detected in clusters of mature eggs containing miracidium and in the surrounding egg granulomas.

CONCLUSIONSThe transcriptional levels of Sjp40 significantly increased with the maturation of eggs trapped in the rabbit livers. Sjp40 protein spread from the eggs to the surrounding egg granuloma at 45 dpi when acute liver granulomatous lesions occur, suggesting that Sjp40 plays a key role in egg granulomas formation in the livers of infected New Zealand white rabbits.

Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Antigens, Helminth ; metabolism ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Granuloma ; parasitology ; Helminth Proteins ; metabolism ; Liver ; parasitology ; RNA, Messenger ; Rabbits ; Schistosoma japonicum ; Schistosomiasis japonica