1.Pre-operative risk assessment of hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence in liver transplant recipients by non-invasive detection of pre-existing genetic lesions
Suqin YANG ; Sunbin LING ; Jianhua LI ; Yan WANG ; Jiapei WANG ; Qiwei HUANG ; Fanming LIU ; Yiqi ZHUANG ; Yingyu ZHENG ; Rui WANG ; Zhe YANG ; Xiaoping ZHENG ; Kai WANG ; Zhikun LIU ; Jun CHEN ; Jianguo WANG ; Haiyang XIE ; Lin ZHOU ; Leiming CHEN ; Guoqiang CAO ; Dandan CHEN ; Junfang JI ; Bin ZHAO ; Chao JIANG ; Di LU ; Xuyong WEI ; Hangjin JIANG ; Qiaonan SHAN ; Hengbo SHI ; Yong-Zhen XU ; Shusen ZHENG ; Zhengxin WANG ; Shengda LIN ; Xiao XU
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology 2026;32(2):884-903
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.
2.A nomogram model based on renal function and other readily available indicators to predict the 1-,3-,and 5-year overall survival in postoperative renal cell carcinoma patients
Hui MA ; Huiyu ZHOU ; Peipei WANG ; Zhao HOU ; Qiwei WANG ; Weibing SHUANG
Journal of Modern Urology 2026;31(2):114-120
Objective To identify renal function and other readily accessible indicators influencing the prognosis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients after nephrectomy, and to construct a prognostic prediction model based on them. Methods The clinical and pathological data of 624 RCC patients undergoing radical or partial nephrectomy in the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University during Jan. 2013 and Dec. 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The independent prognostic factors affecting postoperative overall survival (OS) were identified with LASSO algorithm combined with Cox regression analysis. Based on these factors, a nomogram was constructed to predict the 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates. The performance of the model was evaluated using the concordance index (C-index), time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the area under the curve (AUC), calibration plots, and decision curve analysis (DCA). Finally, the cutoff value of the nomogram was calculated to stratify patients into risk groups. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis with log-rank testing was performed to compare outcomes between the risk groups. Results Nine independent prognostic factors were identified, including age, smoking history, diabetes mellitus history, maximum tumor diameter, tumor subtype, N stage, Fuhrman grade, preoperative serum creatinine and cystatin C (P<0.05). The nomogram achieved a C-index of 0.891, with time-dependent AUC of 0.920, 0.903, and 0.867 for 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS, respectively. Calibration curves showed excellent agreement with actual observations, and DCA demonstrated significant clinical net benefits across a wide threshold probability range. Using a cutoff score of 110.4, Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed statistically significant survival differences between risk groups (P<0.001). Conclusion The proposed nomogram, incorporating renal function and other readily accessible clinical indicators, exhibits strong predictive accuracy for postoperative survival in RCC patients and may serve as a practical tool for individualized clinical decision-making.
3.Effect of the preservation of infrapatellar fat pad on pain,incision healing and function recovery in patients with knee osteoarthritis after joint replacement
Yang ZHAO ; Weili XU ; Xingxing LI ; Dong FANG ; Liang ZHOU ; Qiwei WANG ; Qiangbing DOU
Journal of Clinical Surgery 2025;33(3):321-324
Objective To explore the effect of the preservation of infrapatellar fat pad on pain,incision healing and function recovery in patients with knee osteoarthritis after joint replacement.Methods The clinical data of 127 patients with knee osteoarthritis who underwent joint replacement in the hospital from June 2019 to September 2022 were retrospectively collected.According to the preservation of infrapatellar fat pad,the subjects were divided into a control group(removing infrapatellar fat pad,67 cases)and an observation group(preserving infrapatellar fat pad,60 cases).The changes in length of patellar tendon,pain,knee function and range of motion were analyzed.The occurrence of adverse reactions was statistically analyzed.Results At 12 months after surgery,the length of patellar tendon was reduced.The length of patellar tendon in observation group[(38.8±6.24)mm]was longer than that in control group[(36.2±6.71)mm](P<0.05).Observation group of patellar tendon length rate is lower than the control group[(4.1±1.18)%vs(10.7±3.01)%],there was statistical significance between the two groups(P<0.05).Pain in both groups was alleviated at 1 month,3 months,6 months and 12 months after surgery.The changes in observation group were greater than those in control group(P<0.05).During follow-up,the incidence of adverse reactions in observation group(6.67%)was lower than that in control group(14.93%)(P>0.05).The range of motion and function of knee joint were improved at 12 months after surgery,and the improvement in observation group was greater than that in control group(P<0.05).Conclusion Preserving infrapatellar fat pad is more beneficial to relieving postoperative pain and restoring knee function in patients with knee osteoarthritis after joint replacement.Therefore,the intact infrapatellar fat pad should be preserved as possible in clinical practice.
4.Treating hyperuricemia from"returning the clear and the turbid to the original"based on the theory of"indigestion of spleen and stomach"
Qiwei ZHAO ; Yuzhuo LIU ; Mengzhen WANG ; Yue LUO ; Ziyu LIU ; Minghua NAN ; Changchuan BAI ; Xinyu LI ; Jia LI ; Xiao YANG
Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;48(8):1134-1139
Hyperuricemia is a chronic metabolic disease resulting from purine metabolic dysfunction and is classified under the category of"blood turbidity"in traditional Chinese medicine.Our team termed it"acid turbidity,"and its pathogenesis is closely related to the dynamic evolution of the clear and the turbid components.With the change of modern people's diet structure,the incidence of hyperuricemia is increasing annually owing to the intake of fatty,sweet foods and alcohol.Therefore,this paper explores hyperuricemia from the"indigestion of spleen and stomach"theory.The core pathogenesis of hyperuricemia is indigestion of spleen and stomach,the inversion of clear and turbid substances,and endogenous acid turbidity.The initial manifestation of hyperuricemia is the internal retention of acid turbidity and ascending-descending disharmony;the gradual manifestation of this disease is that indigestion causes heat,and acid turbidity transforms into poison;the final manifestation of this disease is that secular indigestion causes deficiency and the inversion of clear and turbid substances.It can be summarized into three syndromes:syndromes of internal retention of dampness-turbidity,dampness-heat toxin amassment,and dampness-heat due to spleen deficiency.Therefore,this paper proposes to treat the disease according to different syndromes,with ascending the clear and descending the turbid as the core of treatment.And the therapeutic approach employs the flexible application of three methods:transportation,resolving,and transformation.For syndrome of internal retention of dampness-turbidity,treatment focuses on promoting spleen transportation to eliminate dampness;for syndrome of dampness-heat toxin amassment,the strategy is to resolve indigestion and purge heat;and for syndrome of dampness-heat due to spleen deficiency,the aim is to resolve turbidity and clear heat.By ascending the clear and descending the turbid,so that"returning the clear and the turbid to the original,"the spleen and stomach regain harmony,functions of ascending and descending are reestablished,and hyperuricemia can be effectively managed.
5.Treating hyperuricemia from"returning the clear and the turbid to the original"based on the theory of"indigestion of spleen and stomach"
Qiwei ZHAO ; Yuzhuo LIU ; Mengzhen WANG ; Yue LUO ; Ziyu LIU ; Minghua NAN ; Changchuan BAI ; Xinyu LI ; Jia LI ; Xiao YANG
Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;48(8):1134-1139
Hyperuricemia is a chronic metabolic disease resulting from purine metabolic dysfunction and is classified under the category of"blood turbidity"in traditional Chinese medicine.Our team termed it"acid turbidity,"and its pathogenesis is closely related to the dynamic evolution of the clear and the turbid components.With the change of modern people's diet structure,the incidence of hyperuricemia is increasing annually owing to the intake of fatty,sweet foods and alcohol.Therefore,this paper explores hyperuricemia from the"indigestion of spleen and stomach"theory.The core pathogenesis of hyperuricemia is indigestion of spleen and stomach,the inversion of clear and turbid substances,and endogenous acid turbidity.The initial manifestation of hyperuricemia is the internal retention of acid turbidity and ascending-descending disharmony;the gradual manifestation of this disease is that indigestion causes heat,and acid turbidity transforms into poison;the final manifestation of this disease is that secular indigestion causes deficiency and the inversion of clear and turbid substances.It can be summarized into three syndromes:syndromes of internal retention of dampness-turbidity,dampness-heat toxin amassment,and dampness-heat due to spleen deficiency.Therefore,this paper proposes to treat the disease according to different syndromes,with ascending the clear and descending the turbid as the core of treatment.And the therapeutic approach employs the flexible application of three methods:transportation,resolving,and transformation.For syndrome of internal retention of dampness-turbidity,treatment focuses on promoting spleen transportation to eliminate dampness;for syndrome of dampness-heat toxin amassment,the strategy is to resolve indigestion and purge heat;and for syndrome of dampness-heat due to spleen deficiency,the aim is to resolve turbidity and clear heat.By ascending the clear and descending the turbid,so that"returning the clear and the turbid to the original,"the spleen and stomach regain harmony,functions of ascending and descending are reestablished,and hyperuricemia can be effectively managed.
6.Latent profile analysis and influencing factors of phaseⅡ cardiac rehabilitation barriers in patients after coronary artery bypass grafting
Jia LIN ; Yun ZHAO ; Yi WANG ; Qiwei SHEN ; Qinqin HUANG ; Jieyao SHI ; Li FENG
Chinese Journal of Modern Nursing 2025;31(24):3293-3299
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.
7.Construction and Validation of a Large Language Model-Based Intelligent Pre-Consultation System for Traditional Chinese Medicine
Yiqing LIU ; Ying LI ; Hongjun YANG ; Linjing PENG ; Nanxing XIAN ; Kunning LI ; Qiwei SHI ; Hengyi TIAN ; Lifeng DONG ; Lin WANG ; Yuping ZHAO
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(9):895-900
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.
8.Unveiling and Validating a Modified Method to Assess Cervical Sagittal Alignment as an Effective Substitute for Conventional C2-7 Cobb Angle
Wenpeng LI ; Qiwei WANG ; Qiancheng ZHAO ; Ziliang ZENG ; Xumin HU ; Xin LV ; Liangbin GAO
Clinics in Orthopedic Surgery 2025;17(1):130-137
Background:
Developing and validating a modified parameter, the SYS-G angle (the angle between the lower endplate of the C2 and the upper endplate of C7 vertebrae), as a feasible substitute for the C2–C7 Cobb method in assessing cervical sagittal alignment and exploring its reference range through a large-scale retrospective study.
Methods:
The visibility of the C6, C7 upper, and C7 lower endplates was graded and compared. Baseline data such as height, weight, body mass index (BMI), age, and sex were analyzed for their impact on the visibility of the C7 lower endplate. Values of C2-6 Cobb angle, SYS-G angle, and C2-7 Cobb angle were measured. The intra- and interobserver reliability, differences, and efficacy of evaluation on cervical lordosis of the parameters were compared, and the correlations among the parameters were analyzed. Furthermore, reference ranges for the SYS-G angle were established based on lateral cervical spine x-rays of 825 asymptomatic Chinese adults across different age groups and sexes.
Results:
The visibility of the C7 lower endplates was significantly reduced compared to the C6 lower and C7 upper endplates.Age, weight, BMI, and male sex were identified as factors negatively influencing the visibility of the C7 lower endplate. Both intraobserver and interobserver reliability demonstrated excellence for all tested parameters. The linear regression model unveiled a stronger association of the SYS-G angle with the C2-7 Cobb angle compared to the C2-6 Cobb angle. Furthermore, the SYS-G angle exhibited excellent efficacy in evaluating cervical lordosis. Age displayed a positive correlation with the SYS-G angle, and across every age bracket from 20 to 69 years, men exhibited a higher mean SYS-G angle compared to women.
Conclusions
The visibility of the C7 lower endplate diminishes with increasing age, weight, BMI, and male sex. In cases where the C7 lower endplate is unclear, the SYS-G angle emerges as a reliable method for estimating cervical sagittal morphology. Reference ranges for the SYS-G angle were established across various age groups and sexes among asymptomatic Chinese adults, offering a valuable resource to guide therapeutic interventions for cervical spine disorders and deformities.
9.Expressions of ANO1 and E-cadherin in human primary colorectal cancer tissue and their significances
Fei WU ; Qiwei YANG ; Xin LI ; Linxian ZHAO ; Yujie SUI
Journal of Jilin University(Medicine Edition) 2025;51(6):1638-1645
Objective:To explore the expressions of calcium-activated chloride channel protein 1(ANO1)and E-cadherin in colorectal cancer(CRC)tissue and their relationships with the clinicopathological characteristics of the CRC patients,and to clarify their clinical significances.Methods:The surgical tissue specimens from 77 patients with primary CRC were collected.Immunohistochemistry(IHC)method was used to detect the protein expressions of ANO1 and E-cadherin in CRC tissue;Spearman correlation analysis method was used to analyze the correlation between their expressions;PCR fluorescence probe method was used to detect the KRAS/NRAS mutations in CRC tissue;chi-square test or Fisher's exact probability method was used to analyze the relationships between the expressions of ANO1 and E-cadherin and clinicopathological characteristics of the CRC patients.Results:The IHC results showed that the positive expression rate of ANO1 in CRC tissue was 24.7%,and the positive expression rate of E-cadherin was 63.6%.The Spearman analysis results showed that the expressions of ANO1 and E-cadherin in CRC tissue were positively correlated(r=0.458,P<0.05).Compared with the patients with tumor located in rectum,the positive expression rate of ANO1 in cancer tissue of the CRC patients with tumor located in colon was significantly increased(χ2=5.499,P=0.019);compared with the patients with TNM stageⅢ-Ⅳ,the positive expression rate of ANO1 in cancer tissue of the CRC patients with TNM stageⅠ-Ⅱ was significantly increased(χ2=4.774,P=0.029);compared with the patients with lymphnode metastasis,the positive expression rate of ANO1 in the CRC patients without lymphnode metastasis was significantly increased(P=0.034).Compared with the CRC patients with T4 stage,the positive expression rate of E-cadherin in the CRC patients with T1-T3 stage was significantly increased(P=0.024).Compared with the CRC patients with p53 positive,Ki-67≥90%,PMS2 positive and KRAS wild-type,the positive expression rate of ANO1 in cancer tissue of the CRC patients with p53 negative,Ki-67<90%,PMS2 negative and KRAS mutant was significantly increased(P=0.031,P=0.036,P=0.048,P=0.028).Conclusion:The expressions of ANO1 and E-cadherin in primary CRC tissue of the patients are positively correlated;ANO1 and E-cadherin are associated with multiple clinicopathological characteristics of the patients;ANO1 and E-cadherin may be involved in the occurrence and progression of CRC.
10.Recurrence risk prediction models of postoperative patients with renal cell carcinoma based on machine learning
Peipei WANG ; Zhao HOU ; Hui MA ; Dingyang LYU ; Qiwei WANG ; Weibing SHUANG
Journal of Modern Urology 2025;30(3):240-247
Objective: To explore the influencing factors of recurrence in postoperative patients with renal cell carcinoma,construct machine learning prediction models and evaluate their performance. Methods: Clinical data of 915 patients with renal cell carcinoma treated in our hospital during 2013 and 2021 were retrospectively collected.The data were randomly divided into a training set (n=510) and a validation set (n=218) in a 7∶3 ratio.In the training set,LASSO regression algorithm was used to screen important variables,and machine learning prediction models were constructed to predict the recurrence risk.In the validation set,the effectiveness of the models was compared combined with the area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC),accuracy rate,F1 value and other indicators. Results: LASSO regression screened out the risk factors,including smoking history,tumor size,N stage,Fuhrman grade,thrombin time and fibrinogen,based on which,the logistic model,decision tree model,random forest model,and Bayes model were constructed.In the validation set,the AUC of the above 4 models was 0.862,0.792,0.843 and 0.861,respectively; the accuracy was 0.917,0.908,0.904 and 0.927,respectively; F1 value was 0.357,0.286,0.323 and 0.600,respectively.The Bayes model had the most stable performance and best differentiation. Conclusion: In this data set,the prediction model based on Bayes algorithm has a good performance and can provide reference for clinical decision making.

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