ObjectiveTo investigate the differential expression of LEFTY1 in peritoneal dialysis （PD）-associated peritoneal fibrosis （PF） and its clinical value. MethodsLevels of LEFTY1， transforming growth factor-β （TGF-β）， and fibronectin （FN） in peritoneal dialysis effluent were measured in 72 PD patients， and clinical data were collected. Differences in these indicators were compared among groups with different dialysis durations， and the correlation between LEFTY1 and clinical parameters was analyzed to evaluate its predictive value for ultrafiltration insufficiency. ResultsLEFTY1 levels decreased progressively with longer dialysis duration： short-term group ［（2 262.49±270.47） ng/mL］ > mid-term group ［（1 853.52±226.06） ng/mL］ > long-term group ［（1 767.24±264.57） ng/mL］， with significant differences among groups （P<0.001）. TGF-β and FN levels increased with prolonged dialysis duration （P<0.05）. Correlation analysis revealed that LEFTY1 was significantly negatively correlated with FN （r=-0.327， P=0.004）， dialysis duration （r=-0.496，P<0.001）， peritoneal Kt/V （r=-0.333， P=0.004）， peritoneal creatinine clearance （r=-0.239， P=0.043）， and serum calcium （r=-0.410， P<0.001）， while positively correlated with total creatinine clearance （r=0.283， P=0.016）. The area under the ROC curve for LEFTY1 combined with peritoneal Kt/V and peritoneal Ccr in predicting ultrafiltration insufficiency was 0.739. Multivariate regression analysis identified dialysis duration as an independent influencing factor for LEFTY1 expression （P=0.001）. ConclusionThe expression of LEFTY1 in the peritoneal dialysis effluent of PD patients decreases with prolonged dialysis duration and is negatively correlated with pro-fibrotic indicators， suggesting that it may play a potential anti-fibrotic role in the progression of PF. The combined detection of LEFTY1 and solute removal indicators holds value for the early identification of ultrafiltration dysfunction.

ObjectiveTo explore the predictive value of serum cystatin C （CysC） and trabecular bone score （TBS） for postoperative fracture recurrence in elderly patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures. MethodsA total of 100 elderly patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures who were treated surgically at Fuling Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing University from June 2022 to June 2023 were followed up for 2 years. They were divided into the poor group （31 cases） and the good group （69 cases） based on the postoperative fracture recurrence. Pearson analysis was used to analyze the correlation between serum CysC and TBS， Cox analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors of postoperative fracture recurrence in elderly patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures， and ROC analysis was used to analyze the predictive value of serum CysC and TBS for postoperative fracture recurrence in patients. ResultsThe proportion of bone cement penetration and serum CysC in the poor group were significantly higher than those in the good group （χ² = 4.977， P = 0.026； t = 4.749， P = 0.000）， while the proportion of postoperative anti-osteoporosis treatment， bone mineral density T value， and TBS were significantly lower than those in the good group （χ² = 4.229， P = 0.040； t = 2.065， P = 0.042； t = 5.163， P = 0.000）. Serum CysC was negatively correlated with TBS （r = -0.318， P = 0.001）. Elevated serum CysC was a risk factor for postoperative fracture recurrence in elderly patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures （P < 0.05）， while elevated TBS was a protective factor （P < 0.05）. The AUC of serum CysC for predicting postoperative fracture recurrence in patients was 0.786 （95%CI = 0.679-0.894）， with a sensitivity of 77.42% and a specificity of 71.01%. The AUC of TBS for predicting postoperative fracture recurrence in patients was 0.795 （95%CI = 0.698-0.892）， with a sensitivity of 74.19% and a specificity of 79.71%. The AUC of the combination of serum CysC and TBS for predicting postoperative fracture recurrence in patients was 0.858 （95%CI = 0.773-0.943）， with a sensitivity of 74.19% and a specificity of 82.61%. The combination of the two had a higher predictive value for postoperative fracture recurrence in patients. ConclusionsElderly patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures who experience postoperative fracture recurrence have elevated serum CysC and decreased TBS. The combination of serum CysC and TBS has a certain predictive value for postoperative fracture recurrence in elderly patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures.

Objective Based on the background of disease diagnosis related groups(DRGs)in public hospitals to construct the nursing quality evaluation index system for percutaneous radiofrequency ablation(PRFA)of liver cancer so as to improve the nursing quality for PRFA of liver cancer.Methods Using three-dimensional quality model and through interview,literature analysis,two rounds of Delphi expert letter inquiry and analytic hierarchy process,the evaluation standard of PRFA nursing quality of liver cancer was established,and its effect was validated in clinical practice.Results The evaluation index system of PRFA nursing quality for liver cancer was constructed,which included 3 first-level indexes,9 second-level indexes and 22 third-level indexes.After clinical application,the incidence of intraoperative and postoperative moderate-severe pain,the incidence of high fever,and the 24-hour number of times required care in the intervention group were lower than those in the control group(P＜0.05),the incidence of postoperative Ⅲ degree vomiting in the intervention group was remarkably lower than that in the control group(P＜0.01),and the average hospitalization days in the intervention group were less than those in the control group(P＜0.05),and the average hospitalization expense in the intervention group was lower than that in the control group,but the difference was not statistically significant(P＞0.05).Conclusion The PRFA nursing quality evaluation index system for liver cancer is scientific and practical,which is helpful for improving the outcome of patients and promoting the quality of nursing.

Objective:To observe the applying effect of teamwork cooperation model of encephalopathy in the clinical teaching of Neurology.Methods:Sixty undergraduate students who practiced in our hospital were randomly divided into the control group and the experimental group,with 30 students in each group.The control group was arranged for internship according to the traditional department-based model,while the experimental group was arranged according to the teamwork cooperation model of encephalopathy discipline group.The theoretical examination scores and clinical skills scores of the two groups were compared,and the Mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise(Mini-CEX)scale was used for dual evaluation by teachers and students from seven aspects:inquiry skills,physical examination skills,humanistic care,clinical judgment,communication skills,organizational effectiveness,and overall clinical competence.Result:There were statistically significant differences between the experimental group and the control group in theoretical examination scores,clinical skills scores,and dual evaluation by teachers and students(P＜0.05).Conclusion:Compared with the traditional teaching model,the teamwork cooperation model of encephalopathy discipline group has achieved better results in the clinical teaching of Neurology.

Objective To investigate the peripheral blood cytokine levels in patients with acute myocardial infarction(AMI),and to analyze its correlation with Killip classification,N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide precursor(NT-proBNP),cardiac troponin I(cTnI),creatine kinase isoenzymes(CK-MB),and to provide a theoretical basis for assessing the severity and prognosis of the disease.Methods A total of 312 patients with AMI admitted to Minhang Hospital,Fudan University from Jul 2021 to Oct 2023 were enrolled as the case group,and 201 patients with unstable angina pectoris were selected as the control group.General clinical data of the subjects were collected,and the concentrations of cytokines(IL-5,IFN-α,IFN-γ,IL-10,IL-12p70,IL-17,IL-1β,IL-2,IL-4,IL-6,IL-8,and TNF-α)in peripheral blood were detected by multiplex bead-based flow cytometry.NT-proBNP,cTnI and CK-MB were measured by chemiluminescence methods.The levels of cytokines between the two groups were compared,and their correlations with Killip classification,NT-proBNP,cTnI and CK-MB were analyzed.The predictive efficacy of cytokines for AMI was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves.Results There were no significant differences in baseline data between the AMI group and the control group(P>0.05),with the exception of age.The levels of IL-6,IL-8 and TNF-α in the AMI group were higher than those in the control group(all P<0.01).The correlation analyses showed that IL-6 was positively correlated with Killip classification,NT-proBNP,cTnI and CK-MB(all P<0.01).ROC analyses showed that IL-6 levels had good predictive efficacy for AMI(AUC=0.882 9,P<0.01).Conclusion The expression of IL-6 was significantly increased in patients with AMI,and it was positively correlated with Killip classification,NT-proBNP,cTnI and CK-MB,suggesting that IL-6 may serve as a potential biomarker for assessing the severity of AMI.

Childhood primary renal tubular diseases are chronic kidney diseases characterized by impaired renal tubular reabsorption. Primary renal tubular disease has diverse clinical manifestations and lacks of specificity. Laboratory tests are limited，making it prone to missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis. Based on the current knowledge of renal tubular diseases，authors propose early warning signals of renal tubular diseases such as family history of primary tubular diseases，unexplained polyhydramnios during pregnancy，polydipsia，polyuria，delayed growth and development or rickets，decreased muscle strength and tone，unexplained electrolyte disturbance，hyperuricemia，acid-base disturbance，positive urine sugar test，renal tubular proteinuria，urinary imaging examination suggesting kidney stones，calcium deposition，renal cysts and early onset of eye，ear，joint and neuron injury.Meanwhile，some universal management strategies for primary renal tubular disease are proposed，emphasizing the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration，genetic testing and individualized intervention to improve the long-term prognosis of childhood primary renal tubular diseases.

OBJECTIVE: Prunella vulgaris L. has long been used for liver protection according to traditional Chinese medicine theory and has been proven by modern pharmacological research to have multiple potential liver-protective effects. However, its effects on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are currently uncertain. Our study explores the effects of P. vulgaris polysaccharides on NASH and intestinal homeostasis. METHODS: An aqueous extract of the dried fruit spikes of P. vulgaris was precipitated in an 85% ethanol solution (PVE85) to extract crude polysaccharides from the herb. A choline-deficient, L-amino acid-defined, high-fat diet (CDAHFD) was administrated to male C57BL/6 mice to establish a NASH animal model. After 4 weeks, the PVE85 group was orally administered PVE85 (200 mg/[kg·d]), while the control group and CDAHFD group were orally administered vehicle for 6 weeks. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis, Western blotting, immunohistochemistry and other methods were used to assess the impact of PVE85 on the liver in mice with NASH. 16S rRNA gene amplicon analysis was employed to evaluate the gut microbiota abundance and diversity in each group to examine alterations at various taxonomic levels. RESULTS: PVE85 significantly reversed the course of NASH in mice. mRNA levels of inflammatory mediators associated with NASH and protein expression of hepatic nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) were significantly reduced after PVE85 treatment. Moreover, PVE85 attenuated the thickening and cross-linking of collagen fibres and inhibited the expression of fibrosis-related mRNAs in the livers of NASH mice. Intriguingly, PVE85 restored changes in the gut microbiota and improved intestinal barrier dysfunction induced by NASH by increasing the abundance of Actinobacteria and reducing the abundance of Proteobacteria at the phylum level. PVE85 had significant activity in reducing the relative abundance of Clostridiaceae at the family levels. PVE85 markedly enhanced the abundance of some beneficial micro-organisms at various taxonomic levels as well. Additionally, the physicochemical environment of the intestine was effectively improved, involving an increase in the density of intestinal villi, normalization of the intestinal pH, and improvement of intestinal permeability. CONCLUSION PVE85 can reduce hepatic lipid overaccumulation, inflammation, and fibrosis in an animal model of CDAHFD-induced NASH and improve the intestinal microbial composition and intestinal structure. Please cite this article as: Zhu MJ, Song YJ, Rao PL, Gu WY, Xu Y, Xu HX. Therapeutic role of Prunella vulgaris L. polysaccharides in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and gut dysbiosis. J Integr Med. 2025; 2025; 23(3): 297-308.
Animals ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/drug therapy* ; Male ; Dysbiosis/drug therapy* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Polysaccharides/therapeutic use* ; Prunella/chemistry* ; Mice ; Liver/metabolism* ; Plant Extracts/therapeutic use* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Diet, High-Fat

Objective To investigate the peripheral blood cytokine levels in patients with acute myocardial infarction(AMI),and to analyze its correlation with Killip classification,N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide precursor(NT-proBNP),cardiac troponin I(cTnI),creatine kinase isoenzymes(CK-MB),and to provide a theoretical basis for assessing the severity and prognosis of the disease.Methods A total of 312 patients with AMI admitted to Minhang Hospital,Fudan University from Jul 2021 to Oct 2023 were enrolled as the case group,and 201 patients with unstable angina pectoris were selected as the control group.General clinical data of the subjects were collected,and the concentrations of cytokines(IL-5,IFN-α,IFN-γ,IL-10,IL-12p70,IL-17,IL-1β,IL-2,IL-4,IL-6,IL-8,and TNF-α)in peripheral blood were detected by multiplex bead-based flow cytometry.NT-proBNP,cTnI and CK-MB were measured by chemiluminescence methods.The levels of cytokines between the two groups were compared,and their correlations with Killip classification,NT-proBNP,cTnI and CK-MB were analyzed.The predictive efficacy of cytokines for AMI was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves.Results There were no significant differences in baseline data between the AMI group and the control group(P>0.05),with the exception of age.The levels of IL-6,IL-8 and TNF-α in the AMI group were higher than those in the control group(all P<0.01).The correlation analyses showed that IL-6 was positively correlated with Killip classification,NT-proBNP,cTnI and CK-MB(all P<0.01).ROC analyses showed that IL-6 levels had good predictive efficacy for AMI(AUC=0.882 9,P<0.01).Conclusion The expression of IL-6 was significantly increased in patients with AMI,and it was positively correlated with Killip classification,NT-proBNP,cTnI and CK-MB,suggesting that IL-6 may serve as a potential biomarker for assessing the severity of AMI.

Objective:To observe the applying effect of teamwork cooperation model of encephalopathy in the clinical teaching of Neurology.Methods:Sixty undergraduate students who practiced in our hospital were randomly divided into the control group and the experimental group,with 30 students in each group.The control group was arranged for internship according to the traditional department-based model,while the experimental group was arranged according to the teamwork cooperation model of encephalopathy discipline group.The theoretical examination scores and clinical skills scores of the two groups were compared,and the Mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise(Mini-CEX)scale was used for dual evaluation by teachers and students from seven aspects:inquiry skills,physical examination skills,humanistic care,clinical judgment,communication skills,organizational effectiveness,and overall clinical competence.Result:There were statistically significant differences between the experimental group and the control group in theoretical examination scores,clinical skills scores,and dual evaluation by teachers and students(P＜0.05).Conclusion:Compared with the traditional teaching model,the teamwork cooperation model of encephalopathy discipline group has achieved better results in the clinical teaching of Neurology.