ObjectiveTo evaluate the impact of stroke on diaphragmatic function by ultrasound. MethodsFrom April, 2024 to June, 2025, 40 stroke patients (stroke group) were recruited in Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University. Additionally, 40 sex- and age-matched healthy subjects (control group) were recruited without directional selection. Diaphragmatic excursion and diaphragmatic thickness during quiet breathing and deep breathing were assessed using ultrasound in both groups, and the diaphragmatic thickening fraction was calculated. The stroke group was further divided into two subgroups according to disease course: ≤ 30 days group and > 30 days group, for subgroup analysis. ResultsDuring both quiet and deep breathing, diaphragmatic excursion on the affected side in the stroke group was smaller than that on the unaffected side and in the control group (P < 0.05). During quiet breathing, diaphragmatic thickening fraction on the affected side in the stroke group was smaller than that on the unaffected side and in the control group (P < 0.05), while the diaphragmatic thickening fraction on the unaffected side was significantly smaller than that in the control group (P < 0.01). During deep breathing, the bilateral diaphragmatic thickening fraction in the stroke group was significantly smaller than that in the control group (P < 0.001), and the bilateral end-inspiratory diaphragmatic thickness was significantly smaller than that in the control group (P < 0.001). During quiet breathing, diaphragmatic excursion in both the ≤ 30 d group and the > 30 d group was smaller than that in the control group (P < 0.05); during deep breathing, diaphragmatic excursion in the ≤ 30 d group was smaller than that in the control group (P < 0.05). In both quiet breathing and deep breathing, the diaphragmatic thickening fraction in the ≤ 30 d group and the >30 d group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). During deep breathing, end-inspiratory diaphragmatic thickness in both the ≤ 30 d group and the > 30 d group was significantly smaller than that in the control group (P < 0.01). ConclusionUltrasound can effectively identify the impact of stroke on patients' diaphragmatic function. In stroke patients, both diaphragmatic excursion and contractile performance are reduced on the affected side, while contractile performance is also reduced on the unaffected side.

Objective To explore the risk factors for postoperative pneumonia (POP) following esophagectomy for esophageal cancer, and to identify potential clinical indicators for predicting POP. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of patients with esophageal cancer who underwent esophagectomy at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University from 2017 to 2021. Perioperative clinical indicators were collected to analyze the risk factors for the occurrence of POP. Patients were divided into a POP group and a non-POP group according to whether POP occurred. Results A total of 613 patients with esophageal cancer were included, comprising 472 males and 141 females, with a median age of 62.0 (53.0, 67.0) years. Among them, 51 patients were in the POP group, and 562 patients were in the non-POP group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the forced expiratory volume in 1 second percentage of predicted (FEV1%) [OR=0.958, 95%CI (0.943, 0.973), P<0.001], systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) [OR=1.001, 95%CI (1.000, 1.002), P=0.007], and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) [OR=0.869, 95% CI (0.813, 0.928), P<0.001] were independent risk factors for POP. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis combining FEV1%, SII, and PNI demonstrated that the area under the curve (AUC) for predicting POP was 0.826 [95%CI (0.793, 0.855), cut-off value: 0.08, sensitivity: 80.3%, specificity: 72.4%, Youden index: 0.528, P<0.001]. Cross-validation confirmed that the combined indicators had the highest predictive efficacy, which was significantly superior to that of any single indicator alone. Conclusion Preoperative levels of FEV1%, SII, and PNI are closely associated with the occurrence of POP following surgery for esophageal cancer. The combined application of FEV1%, SII, and PNI demonstrates good predictive efficacy for the occurrence of POP.

Objective To explore the method for establishing a pig left lung orthotopic transplantation model. Methods A total of 4 male Yorkshire pigs weighing (40.0±2.5) kg underwent surgical procedures, including anesthesia, tracheal intubation, donor lung procurement, and recipient lung transplantation. Histological morphology and blood gas analysis of the transplanted lungs were assessed 2 hours after reperfusion to evaluate the histological changes and function of the transplanted lungs. Results The pigs underwent left lung in situ transplantation, effectively simulating conditions relevant to human lung transplantation. Two hours after the transplantation, arterial blood gas analysis showed that arterial partial pressure of oxygen was 155.4-178.6 mm Hg, arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide was 53.1-62.4 mm Hg, and the oxygenation index was 310.8-357.2 mm Hg. Hematoxylin and eosin staining indicated a low degree of pulmonary edema and minimal cellular infiltration. Conclusion The pig left lung orthotopic transplantation model possesses strong operability and stability. Researchers can replicate this model according to the described methods and further conduct basic research and explore clinical translational applications.

OBJECTIVE To explore the characteristics and influential factors of pharmaceutical clinic service demands， providing evidence for optimizing pharmaceutical service models and facilitating pharmaceutical service models of pharmacist role transformation. METHODS A cross-sectional survey design was adopted， and 410 outpatient participants were selected from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center through convenience sampling for questionnaire administration from February to May 2025. Kano model was applied to analyze the demand attributes of 25 pharmaceutical services， while questionnaires were used to assess patients’ awareness and demand status. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on key demographic variables such as gender， age， educational attainment， and economic burdens， to SACA- systematically examine the differences in Kano attribute classification among patients in each subgroup. RESULTS The awareness rate of pharmaceutical outpatient services among patients was only 14.63%， yet those who were aware demonstrated a significantly higher demand rate for such services compared to those who were unaware （P＜0.001）. The demand for pharmaceutical clinic services exhibited a hierarchical characteristic： twelve items were identified as attractive attributes （e. g.， providing suggestions for more affordable treatment options， offering online consultation services， etc.）， five items as expected attributes （e.g.， having a good attitude and being able to patiently answer your questions， etc.）， three items as must-have attributes （e.g.， providing guidance on medication dosage and usage， providing guidance on medication precautions， etc.）， five items as indifferent attributes （e.g.， providing treatment plan recommendations based on the patient’s condition）. There were zero items classified as reverse attribute. Subgroup analysis revealed that female patients showed greater concern for “neat and clean attire of medical staff” than male patients （P＜0.001）； patients under 60 years of age demonstrated stronger demand for “providing treatment plan recommendations based on patients’ conditions” compared to patients aged 60 or above （P＝0.016）； those with below high school education placed greater emphasis on “providing guidance on medication precautions” compared to those with a high school education or above （P＝0.011）； patients with lower economic burdens exhibited stronger preferences for “neat and clean attire of medical staff ” （P＝0.002）. CONCLUSIONS The public awareness rate of pharmaceutical clinic services is considerably low； however， those who are aware of such services demonstrate significantly higher demand. The medication safety-related services and convenience-oriented demands should be prioritized in the development of pharmaceutical clinics. Moreover， the study also revealed that factors such as gender， age， educational level， and economic burdens exert significant influences on patients’ service demands.

OBJECTIVE: Circadian rhythm disruption (CRD) is a risk factor that correlates with poor prognosis across multiple tumor types, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, its mechanism remains unclear. This study aimed to define HCC subtypes based on CRD and explore their individual heterogeneity. METHODS: To quantify CRD, the HCC CRD score (HCCcrds) was developed. Using machine learning algorithms, we identified CRD module genes and defined CRD-related HCC subtypes in The Cancer Genome Atlas liver HCC cohort (n = 369), and the robustness of this method was validated. Furthermore, we used bioinformatics tools to investigate the cellular heterogeneity across these CRD subtypes. RESULTS: We defined three distinct HCC subtypes that exhibit significant heterogeneity in prognosis. The CRD-related subtype with high HCCcrds was significantly correlated with worse prognosis, higher pathological grade, and advanced clinical stages, while the CRD-related subtype with low HCCcrds had better clinical outcomes. We also identified novel biomarkers for each subtype, such as nicotinamide n-methyltransferase and myristoylated alanine-rich protein kinase C substrate-like 1. CONCLUSION We classify the HCC patients into three distinct groups based on circadian rhythm and identify their specific biomarkers. Within these groups greater HCCcrds was associated with worse prognosis. This approach has the potential to improve prediction of an individual's prognosis, guide precision treatments, and assist clinical decision making for HCC patients. Please cite this article as: Li XJ, Chang L, Mi Y, Zhang G, Zhu SS, Zhang YX, et al. Integrated-omics analysis defines subtypes of hepatocellular carcinoma based on circadian rhythm. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(4): 445-456.
Humans ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology* ; Liver Neoplasms/pathology* ; Circadian Rhythm/genetics* ; Prognosis ; Male ; Female ; Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics* ; Middle Aged ; Machine Learning ; Computational Biology

Objective:To explore the clinical features and risk factors for pediatric severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (SMPP) complicated with pulmonary embolism. Methods:SMPP patients admitted to Department of Pediatrics, Jiaxing First Hospital and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Shanghai Children′s Hospital from December 2019 to December 2023 were included in this retrospective case-control study.According to whether they were complicated with pulmonary embolism, SMPP patients were divided into a pulmonary embolism group and a non-pulmonary embolism group.Clinical characteristics of the two groups, including general data, laboratory examination and imaging data were compared and analyzed.The t-test and Mann-Whitney rank-sum test were used to compare the measurement data, and the χ2 test was used to compare the count data.The risk factors of SMPP patients developing pulmonary embolism were analyzed by the univariate method. Results:There were 10 out of 62 SMPP children developing pulmonary embolism, showing an incidence of 16.13%.In the pulmonary embolism group, there were 5 boys and 5 girls, with a median age of 7.50 (5.75, 9.25) years.There were 52 children in the non-pulmonary embolism group, including 29 boys and 23 girls, with a median age of 6.50(5.00, 8.00)years.The hospitalization time, body temperature, total white blood cell count, neutrophil count, C-reactive protein levels, lactate dehydrogenase levels, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, D-dimer (D-D) levels, fibrinogen degradation product levels, pleural effusion and atelectasis rates in the pulmonary embolism group were significantly higher than those in the non-pulmonary embolism group (all P<0.05). Fibrinogen levels in the pulmonary embolism group were significantly lower than those in the non-pulmonary embolism group ( P<0.05). Univariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the D-D level was a risk factor for SMPP patient developing pulmonary embolism.The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the D-D level had the largest area under the curve for predicting pulmonary embolism of 0.990(95% CI: 0.972-1.000, P<0.001), with a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 92%, and a cut-off value of 4.63 mg/L. Conclusions:SMPP children complicated with pulmonary embolism are prone to high inflammation and impaired coagulation function.The increase of D-D levels is a risk factor for the development of pulmonary embolism in SMPP.

This study was aimed at identifying the pathogenic bacteria responsible for the death of a young tiger at the Fujian Meihua Mountain South China Tiger Breeding Research Institute.Tissue samples from the lungs,liver,and intestines of the deceased tiger were collected,and the bacteria were cultured inasterile environment.The bacterial strains were characterized according to their morphological and molecular biological properties,including assessment of virulence genes and antibiotic resistance genes,mouse lethality tests,and antibiotic susceptibility evaluations.A predominant bacterial strain isolated from the liver of the deceased tiger was identified as enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(ETEC)strain Tiger22513F.Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene revealed that the Tiger22513F strain exhibited close genetic similarity to the reference strain ETEC(MF919609.1),with 99.9%nucleotide similarity,and resided on the same evolutionary branch.The Tiger22513F strain contained 11 antibiotic resistance genes(tetA,sul1,sul3,cmlA,floR,blaTEM,blaSHV,blaCMY-2,qnrA,qnrS,and qnrD)along with five virulence genes(VT1,fyuA,tsh,iucD,and ST).Mouse lethality tests indicated significant pathogenicity toward mice,affecting primarily the lungs,liver,and intestines.Antibiotic susceptibility testing demonstrated that this strain exhibited resistance to various classes of beta-lactam antibiotics,as well as quinolones and aminoglycosides.This investigation successfully isolated a multi-drug resistant enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strain with pronounced pathogenicity from the liver of a deceased tiger;thus providing valuable scientific insights for clinical diagnosis,as well as prevention and control measures,against ETEC infections in South China tigers.

Objective:To assess the core competencies of internal medicine residents undergoing standardized residency training and to explore the effectiveness of core competency evaluation on mobile devices.Methods:The mobile formative evaluation module was developed based on the "Xueyiku" teaching management platform. From January to December 2023, clinical teachers were asked to evaluate 150 internal medicine residents based on the "Resident Core Competency Milestone Evaluation System in China Consortium of Elite Teaching Hospitals", and the results were analyzed using non-parametric tests.Results:Among the six core competencies of internal medicine residents, professionalism received the highest score, whereas teaching skill received a lower score (97.50 vs. 90.00; H=167.31, P<0.001). Second-year residents had significantly higher scores than first-year residents (93.00 vs. 90.00; P<0.001), but similar scores to third-year residents (93.00 vs. 93.00; P>0.05). In addition, there was no significant difference in score among residents with different medical education backgrounds ( P>0.05). Conclusions:More emphasis should be placed on improving the teaching skills of internal medicine residents, along with the implementation of tiered progressive training. The mobile core competency evaluation is an effective means for assessing the comprehensive skills of residents in a timely manner.

BACKGROUND:Formononetin is an isoflavonoid compound widely found in red clover,astragalus,and chickweed,which has the ability to inhibit oxidative stress,inflammatory factor release,and apoptosis. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of formononetin on interleukin-1β-induced chondrocyte injury and its mechanism. METHODS:(1) Cartilage tissues from patients with osteoarthritis and patients with simple meniscus injury were collected,and real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect miR-135b-5p expression. (2) Human chondrocytes were cultured in vitro,and then divided them into nine groups:cells in normal control group were cultured for 48 hours with no treatment;cells in interleukin-1β group were treated with interleukin-1β for 48 hours;cells in interleukin-1β+low-dose formononetin group were treated with 25 μmol/L formononetin for 24 hours followed by treatment with interleukin-1β for 48 hours;cells in interleukin-1β+middle-dose formononetin group were treated with 50 μmol/L formononetin for 24 hours followed by treatment with interleukin-1β for 48 hours;cells in interleukin-1β+high-dose formononetin group were treated with 100 μmol/L formononetin for 24 hours followed by treatment with interleukin-1β for 48 hours;cells in interleukin-1β+miR NC group were treated with miR NC for 6 hours followed by treatment with interleukin-1β for 48 hours;cells in interleukin-1β+miR-135b-5p group were treated with miR-135b-5p mimics for 6 hours followed by treatment with interleukin-1β for 48 hours;cells in interleukin-1β+high dose formononetin+anti-miR-NC group were treated with anti-miR-NC for 6 hours,then treated with 100 μmol/L formononetin for 24 hours,and finally treate with interleukin-1β for 48 hours;cells in interleukin-1β+high-dose formononetin+anti-miR-135b-5p group were treated with anti-miR-135b-5p for 6 hours,the treated with 100 μmol/L formononetin for 24 hours,and finally treated with interleukin-1β for 48 hours. Relevant tests are performed after treatment. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The expression level of miR-135b-5p in cartilage tissue of patients with osteoarthritis was significantly lower than that of patients with simple meniscus injury (P<0.05). Compared with the normal control group,the expression level of miR-135b-5p,proliferative ability,activity of superoxid dismutase,and expression levels of collagenase Ⅱ protein and Bcl-2 protein in chondrocytes were lower in the interleukin-1β group (P<0.05),while apoptotic rate,lactate dehydrogenase activity,malondialdehyde level,levels of proinflammatory factors,and expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase-13 protein and Bax protein were higher in the interleukin-1β group (P<0.05). Formononetin inhibited chondrocyte damage caused by interleukin-1β in a concentration-dependent manner. Transfection of miR-135b-5p mimics elevated miR-135b-5p expression in the interleukin-1β group and inhibited chondrocyte damage induced by interleukin-1β;transfection of anti-miR-135b-5p decreased miR-135b-5p expression in the interleukin-1β+high-dose formononetin group and inhibited the effect of formononetin on chondrocytes. To conclude,the protective effect of formononetin on chondrocyte injury induced by interleukin-1β may be related to the regulation of miR-135b-5p expression.