Objective: To investigate the reciprocal causal relationships between periodontitis and hepatobiliary diseases through Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses, to provide evidence for joint prevention and clinical decision-making in patients with concurrent periodontitis and hepatobiliary diseases. Methods: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were extracted from the largest genome-wide association study on periodontitis (17 353 cases, 28 210 controls) and hepatobiliary diseases within the European ancestry and used as instrumental variables (IVs). The strength of the associations was examined by calculating the F-statistic. The SNPs significantly associated with the outcome were removed by scanning on Phenoscanner platform. Bidirectional causal associations between periodontitis and hepatobiliary diseases were estimated using inverse variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, and Weighted Median methods. The robustness of the findings was further verified through additional sensitive MR approaches, including Cochran’s Q statistic （IVW）, Rucker’s Q statistic （MR-Egger）, MR-PRESSO and Leave-one-out analysis. Further MR analyses, utilizing other available genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on hepatobiliary diseases, were conducted to validate the results. Results: The IVW method found that periodontitis had a causal impact on acalculous cholecystitis (odds ratio = 1.277, 95% CI 1.097-1.485, P=0.002), implying an increased risk of acalculous cholecystitis associated with periodontitis, while the MR-Egger regression and Weighted Median failed to observe significant causal effects of periodontitis on acalculous cholecystitis. However, no bidirectional causal associations between periodontitis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cirrhosis or liver cancer were observed using IVW, MR-Egger regression and Weighted Median. The bidirectional causal relationships were deemed unlikely to be influenced by horizontal pleiotropy. Further, the validation analysis based on alternative GWAS data suggested parallel results. Conclusions The MR analyses suggest that periodontitis may elevate the risk of acalculous cholecystitis. Further investigations, including clinical studies and mechanistic explorations, are warranted to validate these findings. However, the MR analyses do not support bidirectional causal associations between periodontitis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cirrhosis or liver cancer.

Objective To investigate the impact of Astragaloside-IV (AS-IV) on the progression of myocardial infarction (MI) through macrophage-dependent mechanisms by regulating Snail1 lactylation and acetylation, as well as the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) pathway. Methods Oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) was used to establish an in vitro myocardial ischemia model in rat cardiomyocytes (H9c2), which were then treated with AS-IV. Cell viability was assessed using CCK-8, apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry, and LDH levels were measured to assess cellular damage. RAW246.7 cells were treated with LPS, and lactate levels in the supernatant were measured using ELISA, while expression of macrophage phenotype markers was evaluated using Western blot. RAW246.7 cell-conditioned medium (CM) was co-cultured with H9c2 cells to assess the protective effects of AS-IV on macrophage CM-mediated H9c2 damage. RAW246.7 cells were induced to differentiate into M1-like macrophages using LPS (100 ng/mL) + IFN-γ (20 ng/mL), and Snail1 was overexpressed in M1 macrophages. Transfected M1 macrophage CM was co-cultured with H9c2 cells to validate the mechanisms of AS-IV in MI. An MI rat model was established by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), and was treated with AS-IV. Cardiac function, myocardial cell apoptosis, and cardiac tissue pathology were studied using echocardiography, TUNEL, and HE staining, respectively. Results Compared to the OGD group, AS-IV treatment promoted cell viability, reduced apoptosis and decreased LDH release. LPS upregulated lactate levels in the supernatant of RAW246.7 cell cultures and induced polarization of RAW246.7 cells to the M1 phenotype. AS-IV attenuated the damaging effects of RAW246.7 cell CM on H9c2 cells . Overexpression of Snail1 in M1 macrophages weakened the protective effects of AS-IV on H9c2 cells . In vivo study, results showed that, compared to the MI group, AS-IV treatment reduced lactate levels in the hearts of MI rats, improved cardiac function and myocardial injury and attenuated myocardial cell apoptosis. Conclusion AS-IV inhibits TGF-β pathway activation through the suppression of Snail1 lactylation and acetylation in a macrophage-dependent manner, thereby mitigating myocardial cell damage following MI.
Animals ; Myocardial Infarction/drug therapy* ; Rats ; Snail Family Transcription Factors/metabolism* ; Macrophages/cytology* ; Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism* ; Triterpenes/pharmacology* ; Saponins/pharmacology* ; Acetylation/drug effects* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Mice ; Cell Line ; RAW 264.7 Cells ; Transforming Growth Factor beta/metabolism*

Objective:To explore the value of intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted imaging (IVIM-DWI) parameters in different regions of the kidney in distinguishing IgA nephropathy (IgAN) patients from healthy volunteers.Methods:This study was a cross-sectional study. Eighty-four patients diagnosed with IgAN (IgAN group) who underwent renal biopsy (lower pole of the left kidney) and were pathologically confirmed at the First Medical Center of PLA General Hospital from February 2022 to September 2023 and thirty-four healthy volunteers (control group) were included prospectively. The regions of interest were outlined in the right renal cortex, medulla, and parenchyma for all subjects, and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), true diffusion coefficient (D), pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D *), and perfusion fraction (f) were measured in the corresponding regions. The differences in IVIM-DWI parameters between the IgAN group and the control group were compared using the student′s t-test or the Mann-Whitney U test. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed on the parameters with statistically significant differences, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated. Results:There were statistically significant differences in renal cortical ADC, renal parenchymal ADC, renal cortical D, renal parenchymal D, and renal medullary f values between the IgAN group and the control group ( Z=-3.03, -2.21, -2.62, -2.03, -2.03; P=0.002, 0.027, 0.009, 0.043, 0.042). The AUCs (95% CI) for diagnosing IgAN using renal cortical ADC, renal parenchymal ADC, renal cortical D, renal parenchymal D, and renal medullary f values were 0.679 (0.586-0.762), 0.630 (0.537-0.717), 0.654 (0.535-0.774), 0.619 (0.497-0.742), and 0.620 (0.495-0.745), respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in renal medullary ADC, D, renal cortex, medulla and parenchyma D *, renal cortical and renal parenchymal f values between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusion:The quantitative parameters of renal IVIM-DWI are influenced by different measurement regions, among which the ADC, D of renal cortex and parenchyma, and f of renal medulla can be used for the initial diagnosis of IgAN.

Objective To summarize the results and clinical experience of transcatheter valve-in-valve implantation using domestic self-expanding valve in patients with aortic degenerated bio-prosthesis. Methods From January 2019 to April 2023, the patients who underwent transcatheter valve-in-valve surgery in the Department of Cardiac Surgery of Tianjin Chest Hospital due to surgical bio-prosthesis failure were included. Characteristics of valves, perioperative complications, and hemodynamic manifestations during the early postoperative and follow-up period were analyzed. Results A total of 24 patients were enrolled, including 14 males and 10 females with an average age of 68.17±7.72 years, and the average interval between the two operations was 10.48±4.09 years. All patients were successfully discharged without complications such as coronary artery obstruction and pacemaker implantation, and the average transvalvular pressure gradient was 16.39±6.52 mm Hg before discharge. During the median follow-up time of 16 months, the left ventricular diastolic inner diameter and ejection fraction were continuously improved. Conclusion Transcatheter valve-in-valve using domestic self-expanding valves is safe and feasible to treat aortic bioprosthetic valve failure. Sound patient selection and surgical strategies are critical to achieve good hemodynamics.

Objective:Using different machine learning methods to construct and screen the best prediction model for predicting the risk of death within 30 days after surgery in patients with acute type A aortic dissection.Methods:Five hundred and twenty-one patients with acute type A aortic dissection who underwent surgery between 2015 and 2022 were included, after collecting their perioperative date and screening them, 329 patients were retained. two different groups of predictor variables were generated by using Lasso regression and principal component analysis, after that, logistic regression, support vector machine algorithm, random forest algorithm, gradient boosting algorithm, and super learning algorithm were used to develop prediction models for the risk of death within 30 days after surgery. Finally, we compare the models and select the best one. Results:The AUC values for all models rangrd from 0.791-0.959. The model using Lasso regression to determine the predictor variables and built by the super learning algorithm had the best prediction with an AUC value of 0.959. Conclusion:The super learning algorithm better than other algorithms in predicting death within 30 days after acute type A aortic dissection.

Objective To investigate the efficacy of low-dose inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) in the treatment of severe hypoxemia after Sun’s operation. Methods The clinical data of patients undergoing Sun’s operation for acute Type A aortic dissection in our hospital from January 2020 to June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients who received conventional treatment before November 2021 were enrolled as a control group. After November 2021, iNO was used in our hospital, and the patients who received iNO as an iNO group. The preoperative clinical baseline data, perioperative clinical data and oxygenation index were compared between the two groups. Results A total of 54 patients were included in the control group, including 45 males and 9 females, with an average age of 53.0±10.9 years. A total of 27 patients were included in the iNO group, including 21 males and 6 females, with an average age of 52.0±10.6 years. The preoperative body mass index of the two groups was greater than 25 kg/m2, white blood cell count, C-reactive protein were significantly higher than normal level, but there was no statistical difference between the groups (P＞0.05). There were no statistical differences in intraoperative data between the two groups (P＞0.05). The iNO group had significantly shorter duration of mechanical ventilation, postoperative ICU stay, and postoperative hospital stay than the control group (P<0.001). After 12 h of iNO treatment, hypoxic condition improved obviously, oxygenation indices in 12 h, 24 h, 36 h,48 h, 60 h and 72 h in the iNO group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion The treatment of severe hypoxemia after Sun’s surgery with low-dose of iNO is safe and effective, can significantly improve oxygenation function, and has significant advantages in shortening ventilator use time, postoperative ICU stay and postoperative hospital stay, but it is not significant in changing postoperative mortality.

Objective:To investigate the expression level of small nucleolar RNA SNORD15A in bone marrow of patients with acute leukemia (AL) and its relationship with clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients.Methods:Bone marrow blood samples of 53 newly treated AL patients and 29 healthy subjects without clinical diagnosis of hematologic diseases or other malignant diseases (control group) at the Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University from March 2018 to December 2021 were collected. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the relative expression of SNORD15A in bone marrow blood mononuclear cells of the two groups. The median relative expression of SNORD15A (0.148) was used as the boundary, and AL patients were divided into low expression group (<0.148) and high expression group (≥0.148). The relationship between the expression level of SNORD15A and the clinical characteristics, clinical indicators and overall survival (OS) of AL patients was analyzed. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis and log-rank test was performed; Cox proportional hazards model was used for univariate and multivariate analyses of OS of patients.Results:The relative expression of SNORD15A was 0.148 (0.012-1.376) in newly treated AL patients and 0.921 (0.513-2.288) in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant ( Z = -6.85, P < 0.01). The differences in SNORD15A relative expression between patients with different prognostic stratification, efficacy and with or without fever and bleeding were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). The differences in platelet count, plateletcrit and albumin levels between SNORD15A low expression group and high expression group were statistically significant (all P < 0.05), and the differences in molecular biology and cytogenetic characteristics were not statistically significant (all P > 0.05). The patients in SNORD15A high expression group had better OS than the low expression group ( P < 0.05). The results of univariate Cox regression analysis showed that SNORD15A was an influencing factor for patients' OS ( HR = 0.063, 95% CI 0.005-0.766, P < 0.05); the results of multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that fatigue ( HR = 4.754, 95% CI 1.014-22.290), fever ( HR = 0.147, 95% CI 0.029-0.746) and hemoglobin ( HR = 0.970, 95% CI 0.944 -0.998) were independent influencing factors for OS (all P < 0.05). Conclusions:SNORD15A is lowly expressed in AL and may be an indicator for disease monitoring and prognostic assessment in AL patients.

Objective:To investigate the intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the differential diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy (DN) and non-diabetic renal disease (NDRD) among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Methods:A diagnostic test. In this prospective study, patients with T2DM who underwent both IVIM-DWI and renal biopsy at the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital between October 2017 and September 2021 were consecutively enrolled. IVIM-DWI parameters including perfusion fraction (f), pure diffusion coefficient (D), and pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*) were measured in the renal cortex, medulla, and parenchyma. Patients were divided into the DN group and NDRD group based on the renal biopsy results. IVIM-DWI parameters, clinical information, and diabetes-related biochemical indicators between the two groups were compared using Student′s t-test or Mann-Whitney U test. The correlation of IVIM-DWI parameters with diabetic nephropathy histological scores were analyzed using Spearman′s correlation analyzes. The diagnostic efficiency of IVIM-DWI parameters for distinguishing between DN and NDRD were assessed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results:A total of 27 DN patients and 23 NDRD patients were included in this study. The DN group comprised 19 male and 8 female patients, with an average age of 52±9 years. The NDRD group comprised 16 male and 7 female patients, with an average age of 49±10 years. The DN group had a higher D* value in the renal cortex and a lower f value in the renal medulla than the NDRD group (9.84×10 -3 mm 2/s vs. 7.35×10 -3 mm 2/s, Z=-3.65; 41.01% vs. 46.74%, Z=-2.29; all P<0.05). The renal medulla D* value was negatively correlated with DN grades, interstitial lesion score, and interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IFTA) score ( r=-0.571, -0.409, -0.409; all P<0.05) while the renal cortex f value was positively correlated with vascular sclerosis score ( r=0.413, P=0.032). The renal cortex D* value had the highest area under the curve (AUC) for discriminating between the DN and NDRD groups (AUC=0.802, sensitivity 91.3%, specificity 55.6%). Conclusion:IVIM-derived renal cortex D* value can be used non-invasively to differentiate DN from NDRD in patients with T2DM that can potentially facilitate individualized treatment planning for diabetic patients.

Objective:To explore whether the comprehensive scoring method of postoperative pain management quality can effectively evaluate the quality of postoperative pain management in hospitals or departments.Methods:Using the purposive sampling method and the convenient sampling method, a total of 9 Orthopedic Departments of 9 hospitals in Zhejiang Province and Jiangsu Province from January to May 2018 were selected as the research objects. According to whether it was a painless ward certified by the hospital, they were divided into the painless ward group (4 departments) and the non-painless ward group (5 departments). The postoperative pain management quality comprehensive scoring method, the weighted rank sum ratio method and the weighted TOPSIS method were used to calculate the scores and rankings of each department. The score differences of different groups were compared, and the correlation analysis of the ranking results of different evaluation methods was carried out.Results:The total score of the first-level index of pain management comprehensive scoring method and the scores of all dimensions in the painless ward were higher than those of the non-painless ward, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The scores of environmental and materials, system/guidelines/procedures, pain assessment, analgesia treatment, and analgesic effect in the secondary indicators of pain management comprehensive scoring method in painless wards were higher than those of non-painless wards, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The results of three methods for evaluating quality of postoperative pain management in the department were not all the same, but they were positively correlated. The correlation coefficients of postoperative pain management quality comprehensive scoring method, the weighted TOPSIS method and the weighted rank sum ratio method were 0.933 and 0.833 (all P< 0.01) . Conclusions:The comprehensive scoring method of postoperative pain management quality can effectively reflect the pros and cons of postoperative pain management quality in hospitals or departments.

N 6 -methyladenosine (m6A) is a chemical modification that exists in a variety of RNAs and is most commonly observed in mRNA. The liver is a vital metabolic and digestive organ in human body, and m6A methylation plays an important role in the physiological and pathological processes of the liver. This article reviews the biological role and potential application value of m6A methylation in liver physiology and liver diseases such as viral hepatitis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, liver fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, and it is pointed out that m6A methylation can regulate related factors and is involved in the development and progression of liver diseases, which provides new ideas and targets for clinical diagnosis and treatment.