Objective: To characterize perioperative dynamic changes in immune-cell phenotypes and inflammatory cytokines in patients undergoing CPB (cardiopulmonary bypass) cardiac surgery, and to explore their associations with postoperative outcomes. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 120 adult patients who underwent elective cardiac surgery under CPB at West China Hospital from May 2022 to March 2023 were enrolled. Perioperative immune-cell phenotypes and concentrations of 40 inflammation-related cytokines were measured. The primary outcomes were the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score at 24 h after surgery and ΔSOFA (the peak SOFA score within 48 h after surgery minus the preoperative SOFA score). Secondary outcomes included major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), acute kidney injury (AKI), respiratory failure, severe liver injury, and infection. Results: The mean age of enrolled patients was 57±10 years. Of these, 52% (62/120) were male and 90% (108/120) underwent valve surgery. During the rewarming to the end of CPB, neutrophil counts rapidly increased (7.39×10 /L vs preoperative 3.07×10 /L, P<0.001), with significant upregulation of CD11b (7.30×10 /L vs preoperative 3.05×10 /L, P<0.001) and CD54 (7.15×10 /L vs preoperative 2.99×10 /L, P<0.001). Lymphocyte counts increased at the end of CPB (1.75×10 /L vs preoperative 1.12×10 /L, P<0.001) but decreased significantly at 24 h after surgery (0.59×10 /L vs preoperative 1.12×10 /L, P<0.001). Plasma analysis showed that multiple pro-inflammatory cytokines increased during CPB and remained elevated up to 24 h after surgery; five chemokines and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 peaked at the end of CPB. The SOFA score increased from 1 (1, 2) preoperatively to 7 (5, 10) at 24 h after surgery, with a ΔSOFA of 6 (4, 8). Within 30 days after surgery, 48 patients (40.0%) developed AKI, 17 (14.2%) developed infection, 4 (3.3%) developed severe liver injury, 3 (2.5%) developed respiratory failure, and 3 (2.5%) experienced MACE. During the 2-year follow-up, 8 patients (6.7%) experienced MACE and 5 (4.2%) died. Conclusion: Multi-organ dysfunction is common after cardiac surgery under CPB (median ΔSOFA, 6), accompanied by perioperative activation of multiple immune-cell subsets and upregulation of pro-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory, and chemotactic mediators. This study provides data-driven evidence and research clues for further investigation of the associations between CPB-related immune perturbations and postoperative organ dysfunction and clinical outcomes.

Objective To quantitatively assess the exposure-response association between exposure to heatwave and sudden death, estimate the attributable excess deaths, and identify potential vulnerable subgroups. Methods A time-stratified case-crossover study was conducted among residents who died from sudden death in Jiangsu Province, China between 2015 and 2021. Heatwave events in Jiangsu Province, defined using varying relative temperature thresholds and durations, were identified using temperature data from the China Meteorological Administration Land Data Assimilation System (CLDAS V2.0). Individual heatwave exposure was assessed based on each subject's residential address. The exposure-response association between heatwave and sudden death was evaluated using conditional logistic regression model combined with a Distributed Lag Nonlinear Model(DLNM). Heatwave-attributable excess deaths were estimated. Stratified analyses by sex and age were performed to assess potential effect modifications. Results Under all definitions, exposure to heatwave was significantly associated with an increased risk of sudden death, and the risk increased with the intensity of heatwave. Using the P95_3d definition (temperature exceeding the 95th percentile for ≥3 consecutive days), heatwave was significantlyassociated with a 56% increased risk of sudden death (95% CI: 31%, 86%). The population-attributable fraction of sudden death due to heatwave exposure was 1.45% (95% CI: 0.97%, 1.90%). Stratified analyses indicated no statistically significant differences in the association between heatwave exposure and sudden death across age or sex subgroups. Conclusion Heatwave exposure was associated with an increased risk of sudden death. Reducing heatwave exposure during summer may help lower the occurrence of sudden death.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Xinfeng capsules combined with chronic disease management of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） on rapid disease control and short-term prognosis of patients with rheumatoid arthritis （RA）. MethodsA total of 80 RA patients hospitalized in the Department of Rheumatology of The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine from January 2022 to March 2024 were enrolled and randomly divided into an observation group （40 cases） and a control group （40 cases）. The control group was treated with conventional methotrexate combined with standard chronic disease management， while the observation group was additionally treated with Xinfeng Capsules combined with TCM chronic disease management. The treatment course lasted 24 weeks. The outcomes were compared between two groups， including disease activity ［28-joint disease activity score （DAS28）， clinical disease activity index （CDAI）， simplified disease activity index （SDAI）］， visual analogue scale （VAS） for pain， TCM syndrome score， tender joint count （TJC）， swollen joint count （SJC）， morning stiffness duration， Health Assessment Questionnaire （HAQ）， Self-Rating Anxiety Scale （SAS）， Self-Rating Depression Scale （SDS）， American College of Rheumatology （ACR） 20%， 50% and 70% response rates （ACR20/50/70）， erythrocyte sedimentation rate （ESR）， high-sensitivity C-reactive protein （hs-CRP）， rheumatoid factor （RF）， anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody （CCP-Ab）， interleukin （IL）-6， IL-1β， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， and serum immunoglobulin G （IgG）. The Chronic Disease Self-Management Scale （CDSMS） was used to evaluate patients’ self-management ability， self-care ability， and nursing satisfaction. Patients were followed up for 12 weeks to assess prognosis， and COX regression analysis was performed to determine the impact on short-term prognosis. ResultsAfter treatment， TJC， SJC， morning stiffness duration， DAS28， CDAI， SDAI， VAS， TCM syndrome score， ESR， hs-CRP， RF， CCP-Ab， IL-6， IL-1β， TNF-α， IgG， HAQ， SAS， SDS， chronic disease self-management behavior， self-efficacy， and self-care ability all improved significantly in both groups compared with baseline （P<0.05，P<0.01）. Compared with the control group， the observation group showed more significant improvements in TJC， SJC， morning stiffness duration， DAS28， CDAI， SDAI， VAS， TCM syndrome score， ESR， IL-1β， IgG， HAQ， SAS， SDS， self-care ability， chronic disease self-management behavior， and self-efficacy （P<0.05 or P<0.01）. The ACR70 response rate and nursing satisfaction were significantly higher in the observation group than in the control group （P<0.01）. COX regression analysis showed that Xinfeng capsules combined with TCM chronic disease management reduced the risk of poor short-term prognosis in RA patients. ConclusionXinfeng capsules combined with TCM chronic disease management facilitates rapid disease control in RA patients， effectively improves short-term prognosis， and plays an important role in the treatment of the disease.

Thymocyte selection-associated high mobility group box (TOX), a member of the high mobility group protein super-family, plays an important role in T cell development, functional maintenance, and exhaustion. It has been recently found that TOX exerts critical immunoregulatory functions during pathogen infections, and TOX expression is strongly associated with the intensity and tolerance of host immune responses. This review systematically summarizes the structural and functional features of TOX and focuses on its expression dynamics, mechanisms of action, and immunomodulatory effects during viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections, which provides a theoretical support to better understanding of the role of TOX in infectious diseases and provides new insights into development of potential immunotherapeutic strategies targeting TOX.

Objective:To investigate the role of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 5 (IGFBP5) in cardiac remodeling following acute myocardial infarction (AMI).Methods:In vivo experiments, a mouse model of AMI was established and randomly divided into three groups: sham-operation group, early AMI group (day 3), and late AMI group (day 28). Western blotting was used to detect the expression of fibrosis-related proteins and IGFBP5 in myocardial tissue. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to assess changes in IGFBP5 expression in the infarcted area at days 3 and 28. Serum IGFBP5 levels were measured using ELISA. In vivo experiments, IGFBP5 expression was silenced in mouse cardiac fibroblasts using siRNA, and the effect on transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-induced myofibroblast transdifferentiation was evaluated. One-way ANOVA was used for statistical comparisons among multiple groups.Results:On day 28 after AMI, IGFBP5 expression in myocardial tissue and serum was significantly elevated and positively correlated with the expression of fibrosis markers, including Fibronectin, Periostin, and α-SMA ( P<0.01). Both mouse serum analysis and immunofluorescence staining of heart tissue sections showed that the expression level of IGFBP5 was significantly increased in the late stage of AMI compared to baseline( P<0.001), indicating its potential as a prognostic marker for myocardial infarctionIn vitro, silencing IGFBP5 expression inhibited TGF β-induced fibroblast transdifferentiation and reduced the expression of fibrosis-related proteins ( P<0.05). Conclusion:IGFBP5 may play a role in the progression of AMI and serve as both a potential therapeutic target and a prognostic biomarker.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of combined cricopharyngeal myotomy (CPM) and autologous fat injection laryngoplasty (AFIL) in the management of dysphagia secondary to glossopharyngeal and vagal nerve injury.Methods:This retrospective cohort study collected the clinical data of 18 patients with persistent dysphagia due to glossopharyngeal and vagus nerve injuries, who underwent concurrent cricopharyngeal myotomy (CPM) and autologous fat injection laryngoplasty (AFIL) at the Department of Otolaryngology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, from January 2017 to December 2024. Pre-and postoperative assessments included electronic flexible laryngoscope, the Chinese version of Swallow Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (CSWAL-QOL), videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS), body weight changes, and nasogastric tube (NGT) removal status with routine follow-up. The comparison of swallowing function before and after surgery was conducted using paired samples t-test and χ2 test. Results:The study cohort comprised 10 male and 8 female patients, with ages ranging from 33 to 70 years (mean±SD: 53.8±10.5). All surgical procedures were completed successfully without complications. During the 6-to 24-month follow-up period, 10 of the 13 patients who were initially nasogastric tube-dependent achieved successful decannulation. Compared with preoperative values, postoperative measurements demonstrated statistically significant improvements across all parameters: mean body weight increased from (56.95±9.14) kg to (59.22±8.72) kg ( t=3.689 , P<0.01), CSWAL-QOL scores improved from 91.89±17.81 to 130.83±25.42 ( t=6.921 , P<0.01), while, both VFSS scales showed marked reductions (VFSS-SWAL: 6.78±1.40 to 3.39±1.61, t=-8.001, P<0.01; PAS: 6.56±1.15 to 2.94±1.26, t=-10.114, P<0.01). Conclusions:Combined CPM and AFIL represents an effective surgical approach for dysphagia following glossopharyngeal and vagal nerve injury, thereby demonstrating significant improvements in both swallowing function and quality of life.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the dynamic changes of inhalant allergen sensitization profiles in patients with allergic rhinitis,asthma and allergic rhinitis combined with asthma in the Beijing area.METHODS A retrospective study was conducted on patients with allergic rhinitis,asthma,and allergic rhinitis combined with asthma who visited the Allergy Department of Beijing Shijitan Hospital from January 2021 to December 2024.All patients underwent skin prick tests for 27 inhalant allergens.RESULTS A total of 28 454 patients were included.The overall positive rate of SPT was 74.21%,with the highest positive rate in the 10-14 age group(84.09%).Spring pollen and summer-autumn pollen were the main allergens,with higher positive rates than dust mites and molds(P<0.05).Juniperus chinensis was the main sensitization in patients with allergic rhinitis,while in patients with allergic rhinitis combined with asthma,sensitization to weeds such as Chenopodium album,Humulus scandens,and Artemisia sieversiana were more common.In recent years,the positive rates of sensitization to spring pollen,summer-autumn pollen,and molds all showed an upward trend(P<0.05),with the most significant increase in molds.CONCLUSION In the Beijing area,pollen,dust mites and mold are the main allergens in spring and autumn.In recent years,the sensitization rates of Juniperus chinensis and Artemisia sieversiana pollen have decreased,but the positive rate of mold sensitization has been on the rise,which still needs to be taken seriously.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Cai's gynecological nourishing kidney therapy for patients with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR).Methods:A randomly controlled trail was conducted. A total of 63 patients with DOR who were treated in the gynecology outpatient clinic of Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from September 2020 to January 2022 were set as observation subjects, and were divided into control group ( n=31) and observation group ( n=32) according to the random number table method. The patients in the control group were treated with Femoston, and the patients in the observation group were treated with Cai's gynecological nourishing kidney therapy on the basis of Femoston treatment. Both groups were treated for 3 menstrual cycles. Both antral follicle count (AFC) was performed by vaginal ultrasound, serum levels of TGF-β1, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6 and IL-21 were detected by ELISA, and serum levels of FSH, LH, E2, anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and MDA were detected by biochemical methods. The TCM syndrome score was used to evaluate the severity of symptoms, and the menstrual score was used to evaluate the abnormal menstruation. Clinical efficacy was evaluated. Results:The total effective rate was 87.50% (28/32) in the observation group and 58.06% (18/31) in the control group, with statistical significance ( χ2=8.42, P=0.004). After treatment, the AFC in the observation group (3.93±2.32 vs. 2.21±2.18, t=3.03) was higher than that of the control group ( P<0.01). After treatment, the serum FSH level of the observation group [10.05 (8.35, 21.48) IU/L vs. 20.60 (8.00, 43.30) IU/L, Z=2.18] was lower than that of the control group ( P<0.05), and the level of AMH [0.19 (0.03, 0.47) μg/L vs. 0.02 (0.01, 0.24) μg/L, Z=-1.54] in the observation group was higher than that of the control group ( P<0.05). The serum levels of TGF-β1 [(68.27±11.76) ng/L vs. (55.33±13.03) ng/L, t=4.14] and IL-1β [(58.00±7.53) ng/L vs. (52.31±8.06) ng/L, t=2.89] in the observation group were higher than those in the control group, and the levels of IL-6 [(33.26±7.45) ng/L vs. (40.69±11.69) ng/L, t=3.02], the level of IL-21 [(118.37±15.56) ng/L vs. (140.43±25.51) ng/L, t=-4.04] was lower than that of the control group ( P<0.01). Conclusions:Cai's gynecological nourishing kidney therapy combined with Fenmaotong can effectively increase the AFC of DOR patients and improve clinical efficacy. Its mechanism of action may be related to reducing serum FSH and LH levels and increasing E2 levels.

During orthodontic treatment, clinical monitoring of patients is a crucial factor in determining treatment success. It aids in timely problem detection and resolution, ensuring adherence to the intended treatment plan. In recent years, digital technology has increasingly permeated orthodontic clinical diagnosis and treatment, facilitating clinical decision-making, treatment planning, and follow-up monitoring. This review summarizes recent advancements in digital technology for monitoring orthodontic tooth movement, related complications, and appliance-wearing compliance. It aims to provide insights for researchers and clinicians to enhance the application of digital technology in orthodontics, improve treatment outcomes, and optimize patient experience. The digitization of diagnostic data and the visualization of dental models make chair-side follow-up monitoring more convenient, accurate, and efficient. At the same time, the emergence of remote monitoring technology allows orthodontists to promptly identify oral health issues in patients and take corresponding measures. Furthermore, the multimodal data fusion method offers valuable insights into the monitoring of the root-alveolar relationship. Artificial intelligence technology has made initial strides in automating the identification of orthodontic tooth movement, associated complications, and patient compliance evaluation. Sensors are effective tools for monitoring patient adherence and providing data-driven support for clinical decision-making. The application of digital technology in orthodontic monitoring holds great promise. However, challenges like technical bottlenecks, ethical considerations, and patient acceptance remain.

[Objective] To explore the relationship between neutrophil activation under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and the incidence of cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CS-AKI). [Methods] This prospective cohort study enrolled adult patients who scheduled for cardiac surgery under CPB at West China Hospital between May 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023. The primary outcome was acute kidney injury (AKI). Blood samples (5 mL) were obtained from the central vein before surgery, at rewarming, at the end of CPB, and 24 hours after surgery. Neutrophils were labeled with CD11b, CD54 and other markers. To assess the effect of neutrophils activation on AKI, propensity score matching (PSM) was employed to equilibrate covariates between the groups. [Results] A total of 120 patients included into the study, and 17 (14.2%) developed AKI. Both CD11b⁺ and CD54⁺ neutrophils significantly increased during the rewarming phase and the increases were kept until 24 hours after surgery. During rewarming, the numbers of CD11b⁺ neutrophils were significantly higher in AKI compared to non-AKI (4.71×10⁹/L vs 3.31×10⁹/L, Z=-2.14, P<0.05). Similarly, the CD54⁺ neutrophils counts were also significantly higher in AKI than in non-AKI before surgery (2.75×10⁹/L vs 1.79×10⁹/L, Z=-2.99, P<0.05), during rewarming (3.12×10⁹/L vs 1.62×10⁹/L, Z=-4.34, P<0.05), and at the end of CPB (4.28×10⁹/L vs 2.14×10⁹/L, Z=-3.91, P<0.05). An analysis of 32 matched patients (16 in each group) revealed that CD11b⁺ and CD54⁺ neutrophil levels of AKI were 1.74 folds (4.83×10⁹/L vs 2.77×10⁹/L, Z=-2.72, P<0.05) and 2.34 folds (3.32×10⁹/L vs 1.42×10⁹/L, Z=-4.12, P<0.05), respectively, of non-AKI at rewarming phase. [Conclusion] Neutrophils are activated during CPB, and they can be identified by CD11b/CD54 markers. The activated neutrophils of AKI patients are approximately 2 folds of non-AKI during the rewarming phase, with disparity reached peak between groups during rewarming. These findings suggest the removal of 50% of activated neutrophils during the rewarming phase may be effective to reduce the risk of AKI.