Objective To investigate the prognostic value of preoperative plasma fibrinogen (FIB) combined with lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) in predicting the prognosis of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on ESCC patients who underwent esophagectomy in the Affiliated Lihuili Hospital of Ningbo University from 2015 to 2018. Based on the cut-off values of preoperative FIB and LMR, the F-LMR scoring system was constructed, and patients were divided into three groups according to the F-LMR score. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to assess 5-year overall survival (OS) and 5-year progression free survival (PFS), and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors. Results Finally 260 patients were collected, including 237 males and 23 females, with a median age of 64 years (IQR: 59-70). The 5-year OS rates for patients with F-LMR score of 0, 1, and 2 were 24.44%, 51.69%, and 67.31%, respectively, and the 5-year PFS rates were 15.56%, 42.37%, and 57.62%, respectively. Lower preoperative F-LMR scores were associated with worse prognosis. Multivariate analysis showed that deeper tumor invasion, presence of lymph node metastasis, larger tumor maximum diameter, and lower preoperative F-LMR score were independent risk factors for OS. Conclusion The F-LMR scoring system based on the preoperative FIB and LMR may serve as an effective tool for predicting the prognosis of patients with ESCC.

Digital and intelligent technologies serve as the core engine driving the inheritance of the essence and the innovation while upholding the fundamentals of traditional Chinese medicine（TCM）. Currently， the digital and intelligent transformation of TCM has undergone four developmental stages， exhibiting inherent characteristics such as long-term inevitability， objective standardization， and ecological evolution. By introducing quantitative metrics， digital and intelligent technologies have achieved breakthroughs in TCM knowledge inheritance and innovation， clinical diagnosis and treatment， and herbal medicine supply. The practical applicability of methodological innovations has been empirically validated， though significant disparities exist in technological adaptability and application depth across different fields. Overall， the digital and intelligent transformation of TCM remains in its nascent stage， grappling with multiple structural challenges：weak data foundations， inadequate technological adaptability， incomplete institutional frameworks， shortages of multidisciplinary talent， lagging policies and regulations， and urban-rural digital divide. In order to foster sustainable development and modernization of TCM， this paper establishes a six-dimensional collaborative governance framework of encompassing data， technology， organization， institutions， environment and ethics， which is rooted in data governance and digital governance theories. Future efforts should center on standardization， integration， and ecosystem development to build a data and technology foundation. Focus should be placed on deepening innovation and application of key TCM-specific technologies， while simultaneously strengthening interdisciplinary talent cultivation， improving institutional mechanisms and policy frameworks， and increasing support for rural areas. By adopting a people-centered and technology-empowered approach， we can overcome developmental constraints and unleash the powerful driving force of digital and intelligent technologies for the inheritance of TCM.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of heat and acid elution methods for IgG anti-M and anti-Ku. Methods: Ten samples with IgG anti-M and two samples with IgG anti-Ku were selected and standardized to a titer of 64. These antibodies underwent overnight absorption at 4℃ with O-type MM and kk-type erythrocytes, and then heat and acid elution methods were used on the absorbed sensitized erythrocytes respectively by detecting the titer of anti-M and anti-Ku in the eluate to compare the differences in the elution efficiency of IgG anti-M and anti-Ku between the two elution methods. Results: In heat elution tests, all 10 anti-M samples showed positive results with titers ranging from 8 to 64, while 2 anti-Ku samples yielded negative results. In acid elution tests, all 10 anti-M samples demonstrated negative results, whereas both anti-Ku (n=2) samples exhibited positive reactions with consistent titers of 32. Following acid elution with subsequent heat elution, 8 of 10 anti-M samples showed positive results with titers ranging from 8 to 32, while 2 remained negative. Both anti-Ku samples demonstrated positive with titers of 4. Conclusion: Heat elution demonstrated superior efficiency for IgG anti-M compared to acid elution, whereas acid elution showed greater efficacy for IgG anti-Ku than heat elution.

Anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of refractory nephrotic syndrome （RNS） in children. The first- generation rituximab is the most widely used in clinical practice； it shows definite efficacy in children with RNS， is recommended by guidelines， particularly for achieving a high remission rate in minimal change nephrosis， and can significantly reduce the cumulative use of glucocorticoids and immunosuppressants. The second-generation ofatumumab has potential as an alternative treatment for patients who are intolerant or resistant to rituximab， while the third-generation obinutuzumab has shown efficacy in complex cases such as rituximab resistance or post-transplant recurrence. However， there is still controversy regarding the optimization of rituximab treatment dosage and whether ofatumumab and obinutuzumab offer greater advantages than rituximab for the treatment of RNS in children. The most common adverse reaction induced by anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies is infusion reactions， and long-term adverse events mainly include increased risks of sustained immunosuppression and infections. Rituximab has significant economic advantages for the treatment of RNS， but additional pharmacoeconomic research based on China’s healthcare environment is needed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of ofatumumab and obinutuzumab in this population. Given that the current use of ofatumumab and obinutuzumab in this field is considered off-label use， clinical application should only proceed after a rigorous evaluation of the patient’s benefits and risks.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of precise-guided temporary fixation assistive devices in assisting the main nail guide pin placement and precise temporary fixation in proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA) internal fixation of femoral intertrochanteric fractures. METHODS: A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 60 patients with femoral intertrochanteric fractures over 65 years old who met the selection criteria between January 2020 and June 2022 and were treated with PFNA internal fixation. The patients were randomly divided into the trial group (auxiliary device guided main nail guide pin placement and temporary fixation) and the control group (conventional treatment), with 30 cases in each group. There was no significant difference in baseline data such as gender, age, cause of injury, time from injury to operation, fracture side, AO/Orthopaedic Trauma Association (AO/OTA) classification, and combined medical diseases between the two groups ( P>0.05). The operation time, times of main nail guide pin placement, intraoperative fluoroscopy frequency, intraoperative blood loss, and perioperative blood transfusion were recorded and compared between the two groups. The quality of fracture reduction was evaluated by CHANG Shimin et al criteria. Harris score was used to evaluate the hip function at 1 year after operation. RESULTS: In the trial group, 2 temporary fixation needles were successfully placed 2-5 times, including 2 times in 13 cases (43.3%), 3 times in 8 cases (26.7%), 4 times in 7 cases (23.3%), and 5 times in 2 cases (6.7%). The operation time, times of main nail guide pin placement, intraoperative fluoroscopy frequency, and intraoperative blood loss in the trial group were significantly less than those in the control group, and the reduction quality score was significantly better than that in the control group ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in perioperative blood transfusion between the two groups ( P>0.05). All patients were followed up 12-19 months (mean, 15 months). There was no complication such as incision infection, deep vein thrombosis, or internal fixation loosening. At 1 year after operation, the Harris score of the affected hip joint in the trial group was significantly higher than that in the control group ( P<0.05). CONCLUSION The technique of main nail guide pin placement and temporary fixation under the guidance of auxiliary devices in PFNA internal fixation can achieve faster insertion of the main nail guide pin, accurate temporary fixation to maintain reduction, and avoid the subsequent operation space, so as to improve the effectiveness.
Humans ; Bone Nails ; Male ; Female ; Hip Fractures/surgery* ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary/instrumentation* ; Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Operative Time ; Treatment Outcome ; Fracture Fixation, Internal/instrumentation* ; Aged, 80 and over

OBJECTIVE: To explore the therapeutic effect of polygonum cuspidatum glycoside on steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head(SONFH) in rats and its potential mechanism of protecting bone tissue by regulating the Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signaling pathway(JAK2/STAT3). METHODS: Fifty male SD rats were randomly divided into control group, model group, low-dose polygonum cuspidatum glycoside group (polygonum cuspidatum glycoside-L), high-dose polygonum cuspidatum glycoside group (polygonum cuspidatum glycoside-H), and polygonum cuspidatum glycoside-H+Colivelin (JAK2/STAT3 pathway activator) group. SONFH model was induced by lipopolysaccharide and dexamethasone. The treatment groups were given polygonum cuspidatum glycoside orally(polygonum cuspidatum glycoside-L 10 mg·kg^-1, polygonum cuspidatum glycoside-H 20 mg·kg^-1, and the polygonum cuspidatum glycoside-H+Colivelin group was injected with Colivelin (1 mg·kg^-1) intraperitoneally once a day, while the control and model groups were given an equal volume of saline for 6 weeks. The observed indicators included serum calcium(Ca), serum phosphorus (P), alkaline phosphatase, and transforming growth factor β1(TGF-β1) levels, micro-CT scanning, hematoxylin-eosin staining, and Western blot detection of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway and osteogenic differentiation marker genes, including Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2), and osteopontin (OPN) protein expression. RESULTS: Compared with the model group, the trabecular bone area percentage in the polygonum cuspidatum glycoside-L and polygonum cuspidatum glycoside-H groups was significantly increased, and the empty lacunar rate was significantly decreased (P<0.05). Micro-CT analysis showed that the bone volume fraction, trabecular number, and thickness increased, and the trabecular separation decreased in the polygonum cuspidatum glycoside-treated groups(P<0.05). Serum biochemical tests found that the serum Ca and P concentrations in the polygonum cuspidatum glycoside-L and polygonum cuspidatum glycoside-H groups were restored, the alkaline phosphatase levels decreased, and the transforming growth factor β1 levels increased (P<0.05). Western blot analysis showed that polygonum cuspidatum glycoside significantly inhibited the activation of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in the model group and promoted the expression of osteogenic differentiation marker genes such as Runx2, BMP2, and OPN (P<0.05). Compared with the polygonum cuspidatum glycoside-H group, the improvements in the polygonum cuspidatum glycoside-H+Colivelin group were somewhat weakened, indicating the importance of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in the action of polygonum cuspidatum glycoside. CONCLUSION polygonum cuspidatum glycoside promotes osteogenic differentiation, improves bone microstructure, and has significant therapeutic effects on rat SONFH by regulating the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.
Animals ; Male ; Janus Kinase 2/physiology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Glucosides/pharmacology* ; STAT3 Transcription Factor/genetics* ; Femur Head Necrosis/chemically induced* ; Stilbenes/pharmacology*

PURPOSE: To investigate the regulatory role of nerve injury-induced protein 1 (NINJ1) in the anti-inflammatory function of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) co-stimulated by interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). METHODS: hUC-MSCs were expanded in vitro using standard protocols, with stem cell characteristics confirmed by flow cytometry and multilineage differentiation assays. The immunomodulatory properties and cellular activity of cytokine-co-pretreated hUC-MSCs were systematically evaluated via quantitative reverse transcription RT-qPCR, lymphocyte proliferation suppression assays, and Cell Counting Kit-8 viability tests. Transcriptome sequencing, Western blotting and small interfering RNA interference were integrated to analyze the regulatory mechanisms of NINJ1 expression. Functional roles of NINJ1 in pretreated hUC-MSCs were elucidated through gene silencing combined with lactate dehydrogenase release assays, Annexin V/Propidium Iodide apoptosis analysis, macrophage co-culture models, and cytokine Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. Therapeutic efficacy was validated in a cecal ligation and puncture-induced septic mouse model: 80 mice were randomly allocated into 4 experimental groups (n=20/group): sham group (laparotomy without cecal ligation); phosphate-buffered saline-treated group (cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) + 0.1 mL phosphate-buffered saline); hUC-MSCs (small interfering RNA (siRNA)-interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha co-stimulation (IT))-treated group (CLP + hUC-MSCs transfected with scrambled siRNA); and hUC-MSCs (siNINJ1-IT)-treated group (CLP + hUC-MSCs with NINJ1-targeting siRNA). RESULTS: hUC-MSCs demonstrated compliance with International Society for Cellular Therapy criteria, confirming their stem cell identity. IFN-γ/TNF-α co-pretreatment enhanced the immunosuppressive capacity of hUC-MSCs, accompanied by the reduction of cellular viability, while concurrently upregulating pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 and interleukin-1β. This co-stimulation significantly elevated NINJ1 expression in hUC-MSCs, whereas genetic silencing of NINJ1 effectively suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokine production and attenuated damage-associated molecular patterns release through inhibition of programmed plasma membrane rupture. Furthermore, the NINJ1 interference potentiated the ability of cytokine-pretreated hUC-MSCs to suppress LPS-induced pro-inflammatory responses in RAW264.7 macrophages. In cecal ligation and puncture-induced sepsis model, NINJ1-silenced hUC-MSCs exhibited enhanced therapeutic efficacy, manifested by reduced systemic inflammation and multi-organ damage. CONCLUSION Our findings shed new light on the immunomodulatory functions of cytokine-primed MSCs, offering groundbreaking insights for developing MSC-based therapies against inflammatory diseases via interfering the expression of NINJ1.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells/drug effects* ; Animals ; Interferon-gamma/pharmacology* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/pharmacology* ; Humans ; Mice ; Umbilical Cord/cytology* ; Cells, Cultured ; Apoptosis ; Male

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the clinical application effect of low-field infant MRI. METHODS: Using literature review, expert consultation, and two rounds of Delphi to determine the evaluation index system. Then retrospectively analyze and compare the data of low-field infant MRI and high-field MRI from January 2023 to December 2024. RESULTS: There is a certain gap between low-field infant MRI and high-field MRI in terms of signal-to-noise ratio, image uniformity, software system reliability, scanning time, user interface friendliness and image result consistency. However, there was no difference in terms of spatial resolution and image quality. The noise, hardware system reliability, mean time between failure and the rate of examination completed without sedation are better than that of high-field MRI. CONCLUSION Low-field infant MRI meets needs of clinical diagnostic and has stable performance. It can be used as a routine screening tool for brain diseases near the bed.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods* ; Humans ; Infant ; Retrospective Studies ; Signal-To-Noise Ratio ; Reproducibility of Results ; Brain Diseases/diagnostic imaging* ; Brain/diagnostic imaging* ; Software

Social working memory (SWM)-the ability to maintain and manipulate social information in the brain-plays a crucial role in social interactions. However, research on SWM is still in its infancy and is often treated as a unitary construct. In the present study, we propose that SWM can be conceptualized as having two relatively independent components: "externally oriented SWM" (e-SWM) and "internally oriented SWM" (i-SWM). To test this external-internal hypothesis, participants were tasked with memorizing and ranking either facial expressions (e-SWM) or personality traits (i-SWM) associated with images of faces. We then examined the neural correlates of these two SWM components and their functional roles in empathy. The results showed distinct activations as the e-SWM task activated the postcentral and precentral gyri while the i-SWM task activated the precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex and superior frontal gyrus. Distinct multivariate activation patterns were also found within the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex in the two tasks. Moreover, partial least squares analyses combining brain activation and individual differences in empathy showed that e-SWM and i-SWM brain activities were mainly correlated with affective empathy and cognitive empathy, respectively. These findings implicate distinct brain processes as well as functional roles of the two types of SWM, providing support for the internal-external hypothesis of SWM.
Humans ; Memory, Short-Term/physiology* ; Male ; Female ; Empathy/physiology* ; Young Adult ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Adult ; Brain/diagnostic imaging* ; Brain Mapping ; Facial Expression ; Social Behavior ; Facial Recognition/physiology* ; Social Perception ; Personality/physiology*