The real-time Delphi method represents a refinement of the classical Delphi technique, designed to overcome limitations such as prolonged study duration and delayed feedback during consensus development. This article, building upon the classical Delphi foundation, systematically elaborates on the application process, advantages, and limitations of the real-time Delphi method. It further presents currently available websites or software capable of facilitating real-time Delphi exercises and offers considerations and recommendations for its application in guideline development, aiming to serve as a reference for relevant researchers.

Objective To investigate the effect of dexmedetomidine(Dex)on bone loss in tail-suspended rats and primarily explore its regulatory mechanism on bone metabolism.Methods A total of 30 male rats were randomly divided into a control group,a model group,and a Dex group,with 10 animals in each group.Rat model of osteoporosis was established by hind limb suspension for 4 weeks.Dex at a dose of 10 μg/kg was given intraperitoneally,once every other day from the day of tail suspension.And equal amount of normal saline was given to the control and model group.Bone histological staining was used to observe the trabecular bone area fraction.Biomechanical three-point bending test was employed to measure the maximum load,stiffness,and fracture energy.Dual calcein/alizarin red fluorescence labeling and tartrate resistant acid phosphatase(TRAP)staining were applied respectively to detect the mineral apposition rate and bone formation rate as well as the number of osteoclasts on bone surfaces.Secondly,after primary osteoblasts were isolated from the tibiae of tail-suspended rats and then treated with 1 nmol/L Dex,the proportion of alkaline phosphatase(ALP)-positive osteoblasts and the activity of the enzyme were detected by ALP staining and activity test.qRT-PCR was applied to measure the expression of osteogenic activity-related factors,including osteocalcin(Ocn),Runt related transcription factor 2(Runx2),Osterix protein(Osx),and type 1 collagen(Col1).Results The animal experiments revealed that Dex treatment significantly increased the tibial trabecular bone area fraction,inhibited the decrease in bone mechanical strength,and enhanced the mineralization deposition rate and new bone formation rate of trabecular bone in the tail-suspended rats(all P＜0.001).The in vitro experiments showed that Dex treatment obviously improved ALP activity and the number of ALP-positive osteoblasts in primary osteoblasts isolated from tail-suspended rats(P＜0.01),and up-regulated the expression levels of osteogenic differentiation-related genes,such as Ocn,Runx2,Osx and Col1(P＜0.01).Conclusion Dex exerts anti-bone loss effect in tail-suspended rats,which may be associated with its stimulation on osteoblast-mediated bone formation.

Objective To analyze the long-term outcome of modified Morrow surgery (interventricular septal cardiomyectomy) in the treatment of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) in children. Methods The clinical data of the children with HOCM (aged≤14 years) who underwent modified Morrow surgery from January 2010 to August 2022 in Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital were retrospectively analyzed, including changes in hospitalization status, perioperative period, and long-term 15-lead electrocardiogram and echocardiography. Results A total of 29 patients were collected, including 22 males and 7 females, aged 10.00 (5.00, 12.00) years. Five (17.9%) patients had New York Heart Association (NYHA) heart function grade Ⅲ or Ⅳ. Ventricular septal cardiomyectomy was performed in all patients. All 29 patients survived and their cardiac function recovered after operation. Before discharge, right bundle branch block was observed in 2 patients and left bundle branch block in 6 patients. After surgery, in the left ventricular septal cardiomyectomy, the left atrial diameter decreased (P＜0.001), left ventricular end-systolic diameter increased (P=0.009), the peak pressure gradient of left ventricular outflow tract decreased (P＜0.001), and the thickness of ventricular septum decreased (P＜0.001). The systolic anterior motion of mitral valve disappeared and mitral regurgitent jet area decreased (P＜0.001). The flow velocity and peak pressure gradient of right ventricular outflow tract also decreased in the patients who underwent right ventricular septal cardiomyectomy. The average follow-up of the patients was 69.03±10.60 months. All the patients survived with their NYHA cardiac function grading Ⅰ or Ⅱ. No new-onset arrythmia event was found. Echocardiography indicated that the peak pressure gradient of the left ventricular outflow tract remained low (P<0.001). Moderate mitral regurgitation occurred in 2 patients, and left ventricular outflow tract obstruction with moderate mitral regurgitation occurred in 1 patient after simple right ventricular septal cardiomyectomy. Conclusion Right ventricular or biventricular obstruction is frequent in the children with HOCM and they usually have more symptoms before surgery. Modified Morrow surgery can effectively relieve outflow tract obstruction and improve their cardiac function. The long-term outcome is satisfactory. However, the posterior wall of the left ventricle remains hypertrophic. Also, there is an increased risk of a conduction block.

Pancreatic surgery is one of the most challenging specialties in general surgery. Due to the variety of pancreatic diseases, the difficulty of surgery, and the differences in diagnosis and treatment among different diseases, treatment strategies for these diseases remain controversial. From the aspects of surgical treatment such as pancreatitis, pancreatic cystic neoplasms, pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms, and pancreatic cancer, as well as neoadjuvant therapy, adjuvant therapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy. We review and summarize the frontier progress of clinical and translational research in pancreatic surgery in 2023, in order to further standardize the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic surgery.

Objective This study aims to investigate the role of gap junction mediated by connexin 43(Cx43)in renal injury induced by periodontitis in rats.Methods Twelve SPF-grade Wistar male rats were divided into a control group and a periodontitis group by using a completely random number table method,with six rats in each group.The control group rats were not treated,while the periodontitis group rats were subjected to wire ligation of the neck of their bilateral maxillary first molars to construct a periodontitis model.After 8 weeks of modeling,the rats were examined for clinical indicators of the periodontium.micro-CT scanning of the maxilla reconstructed its 3D structure and analyzed the absorption of alveolar bone.Histopathological changes in periodontal and renal tissues were detected.MitoSOX red reagent was used to determine reactive oxygen species(ROS)content in renal tissues.A biochemical reagent kit was used to detect serum oxidative stress biomarkers.Real-time fluo-rescent quantitative-polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR)was employed to determine Cx43,nuclear factor kappa-B(NF-κB),interleukin(IL)-1β,IL-6,BCL2-Associated X(Bax),B-lymphomatoma-2 gene(Bcl-2),and Caspase-3 mRNA were determined.Western blot analysis was used to detect Cx43,NF-κB,IL-1β,Bax,Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 protein.Re-sults micro-CT 3D reconstruction showed significant bone resorption of the first molar alveolar bone in the periodonti-tis group rats and decreased height of the alveolar ridge.The distance from the enamel cementum boundary to the top of the alveolar ridge in the periodontitis group was significantly higher than that inthe control group.The histopathological results showed a large number of inflammatory cells that infiltrated the periodontal tissue of the periodontitis group,and the alveolar bone was significantly absorbed.Rats in the periodontitis group also exhibited mild thickening of the glomer-ular basement membrane,dilation of the Bowman's capsule,and destruction of the brush-like edge of the renal tubules in the renal tissue.The MitoSOX red staining results showed a significant increase in ROS content in the renal tissue of the periodontitis group.The biochemical test results showed that the levels of superoxide dismutase and glutathione in the serum of rats with periodontitis decreased,while that of malondialdehyde increased.The results of qRT-PCR and Western blot showed that the expression levels of Cx43,IL-1β,IL-6,Bax,Caspase-3 mRNA and Cx43,IL-1β,NF-κB,Bax,Caspase-3 proteins in the periodontitis group significantly increased compared with those in the control group,while the expression levels of Bcl-2 mRNA and protein decreased.Conclusion Periodontitis may activate NF-κB sig-naling molecules by upregulating the expression of Cx43 in rat kidney tissues,leading to increased levels of inflamma-tion and apoptosis and ultimately inducing kidney injury.

Objective:To explore the clinical effects of anterolateral femoral or anteromedial femoral perforator flaps in repairing skin and soft tissue defects after resection of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC).Methods:This study was a retrospective observational study. From July 2015 to July 2022, 21 patients with CSCC were treated in the Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery of Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, including 15 males and 6 females, aged from 27 to 74 years. The area of skin and soft tissue defects after extended resection of CSCC was 7.5 cm×4.0 cm to 23.0 cm×8.5 cm. The wounds in 18 patients were repaired with anterolateral femoral perforator flaps; variations of perforating branch of the descending branch of lateral circumflex femoral artery were observed in 3 patients during the operation, and the wounds were repaired with anteromedial femoral perforator flaps. The flap areas were 8.0 cm×5.0 cm to 25.0 cm×10.0 cm. The wounds in the donor areas were sutured directly in 19 patients, and the wounds in the donor areas were repaired with thin and medium-thickness skin grafts in the contralateral thigh in 2 patients. The postoperative survival of flaps and the occurrence of vascular crisis were observed. The length of operation and the hospitalization day were recorded. The recurrence of tumor, the appearances of the donor and recipient areas of flaps, the function of the flap donor area were followed up. At the last follow-up, the satisfaction degree of patients for the curative effects was evaluated.Results:The flaps survived in 20 patients, while the vascular crisis occurred in 1 patient within 48 hours after operation, and the flap survived after immediate emergency operation. The length of operation was 4 to 5 hours, and the hospitalization day was 15 to 38 days. The patients were followed up for 1 to 6 years after operation, there was no local tumor recurrence, the color and texture of the flaps were with no obvious differences to those of the surrounding tissue, and the elasticity and appearance were good. The skin grafts in the flap donor areas of 2 patients survived well with local pigmentation. There was only linear scar in the flap donor areas of all patients, and there were no significant effects on sensory and motor functions. At the last follow-up, fifteen patients were satisfied with the curative effect, and 6 patients were generally satisfied with the curative effect.Conclusions:For skin and soft tissue defects after CSCC resection, the anterolateral femoral perforator flaps can be used preferentially. In the case of variation of the perforating branch of descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery, the anteromedial femoral perforator flap is selected. The areas of the two flaps are large and can be adjusted according to the amount of defect tissue, thus accurately and effectively repairing skin and soft tissue defects after CSCC resection. The postoperative appearance and function are good.

Objective     To evaluate the early clinical outcomes of the Renatus® balloon-expandable valve in the treatment of severe aortic stenosis. Methods    From November 2021 to April 2022, a total of 38 patients who received Renatus® balloon-expandable valve for severe aortic stenosis in Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital were included. There were 22 males and 16 females, with an average age of 73.7±5.3 years. Mean aortic gradient and peak aortic jet velocity at baseline, post-procedure, and follow-up were compared. Clinical outcomes including all-cause mortality, perivalvular leakage, serious adverse cardiovascular events and the occurrence of permanent pacemaker implantation were assessed. Results    All patients completed the procedure successfully without conversion to thoracotomy or perioperative death. The post-implant mean aortic pressure gradient was decreased from 41.5 (27.8, 58.8) mm Hg to 6.0 (3.0, 8.0) mm Hg, and the peak aortic jet velocity was also decreased from 4.1±0.9 m/s to 1.7±0.4 m/s (P<0.001). Pacemakers were required in 2 (5.3%) patients. The median follow-up time was 27.5 (23.0, 87.5) d, with a follow-up rate of 100.0%. The mean aortic gradient was 8.0 (7.0, 10.8) mm Hg and peak aortic jet velocity was 2.0±0.3 m/s, showing significant improvement compared with those in the preoperative period (P<0.001). No severe aortic regurgitation or paravalvular leak was observed. There was no serious cardiovascular adverse event or reoperative event during the study period. Conclusion    Transcatheter aortic valve replacement with the domestic Renatus® balloon-expandable valve system is a safe and effective procedure for selected patients with severe aortic stenosis who are at high risk or not candidates for surgical aortic valve replacement.

Pancreatic cystic neoplasm (PCN) is characterized by cystic degeneration with a low incidence. With the development of imaging technology and the popularization of screening, the detection rate of this disease has been increasing in recent years, especially in the elderly population. Due to the multiple subtypes of PCN, difficult differential diagnosis, and the potential risk of malig-nant transformation, the formulation of reasonable diagnosis and treatment strategy is the key to treat PCN. Although many clinical guidelines have been released, the diagnosis and treatment strategies of PCN are still controversial. Elderly patients are generally weak, some with serious comorbidities, and have poor tolerance to surgery. In the process of diagnosis and treatment, clinicians need to pay special attention, carefully evaluate and weigh the advantages and disadvantages, so as to make the best plan for treatment. Based on the current guidelines and clinical experience, the authors summarize the diagnosis, surgical indications, and the whole-course management strategies of elderly patients with PCN, in order to provide suggestions for the diagnosis and treatment of this disease.

Pulmonary hypertension(PH)is commonly seen in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia(BPD)and is significantly associated with increased mortality.The pathophysiological basis of PH is pulmonary vascular dysplasia or remodeling, and airways hyperresponsiveness.At present, management of BPD-PH should be comprehensive supportive therapy and focus on targeted pharmacotherapies, including various pulmonary vasodilators with different vasoactive mechanisms, such as phosphodiesterase inhibitors, endothelin receptor antagonists and prostaglandins analogs.However, although expert consensus recommends targeted pulmonary arterial hypertension therapy, high-quality clinical studies on the safety and efficacy of these drugs are few.Pulmonary vascular remodeling inhibitors and stem cell therapy have enormous potential to reduce pulmonary hypertension and further research and more data are needed.

Objective:To summarize the clinical characteristics of neonatal cerebral infarction and its risk factors, so as to provide a reference for clinical diagnosis and early prevention of the disease.Methods:This study retrospectively analyzed the demographic data, clinical manifestations and brain imaging features of neonates with cerebral infarction ( n=45) admitted to the Department of Neonatal Critical Care Medicine of the Affiliated Children's Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from June 2012 to July 2020. Ninety newborns without cerebrovascular disease matched for date of birth and gestational age were selected as the control. Two independent sample t-test, rank-sum test, Chi-square or corrected Chi-square test were used for univariate analysis and binary logistic regression were applied for analyzing the risk factors for neonatal cerebral infarction. Results:A total of 45 infants with clinically diagnosed neonatal cerebral infarction were enrolled, including eight small for gestational age and three macrosomia infants. The median age at disease onset was 1 d (1-2 d). There were 71% (32/45) presenting with convulsions as the first symptom, 4% (2/45) admitted with apnea and respiratory distress as the chief complaints, respectively,11% (5/45) having poor response and 9% (4/45) showing no obvious clinical manifestations. Cranial MRI and magnetic resonance angiography identified left hemisphere lesion in 25 cases (56%), right hemisphere lesion in 16 (36%) and both in four (9%). Thalamus and basal ganglia were involved in 11 cases. The lesions were supplied by middle cerebral artery [38% (17/45)], anterior cerebral artery ( n=1), posterior cerebral artery ( n=4), anterior and middle cerebral arteries ( n=4), middle and posterior cerebral arteries ( n=16), or anterior, middle and posterior cerebral arteries ( n=3). Univariate analysis showed that the proportions of small for gestational age [18% (8/45) vs 6% (5/90), χ 2=5.15], cesarean section after failure of trial of labor [18% (8/45) vs 1% (1/90), χ 2=10.85], meconium stained amniotic fluid [33% (15/45) vs 9% (8/90), χ 2=12.68], fetal distress [20% (9/45) vs 3% (3/90), χ 2=8.34] and neonatal asphyxia [16% (7/45) vs 2% (2/90), χ 2=6.56] were all higher in the infarcted infants than those in the control (all P<0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that small for gestational age ( OR=3.981, 95% CI: 1.075-14.742, P=0.039), cesarean section after failure of trial of labor ( OR=17.959, 95% CI: 2.032-158.698, P=0.009) and fetal distress ( OR=5.756, 95% CI: 1.129-29.331, P=0.035) were independent risk factors for neonatal cerebral infarction. Conclusions:Most neonates with cerebral infarction would have convulsions initially, while some are asymptomatic. Middle cerebral arteries are often involved in the lesion. The risk of this disease may be increased in small for gestational age infants, cesarean section after failure of trial of labor and fetal distressed cases.