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.

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Qishao capsules on renal injury in db/db mice with diabetic kidney disease （DKD），and explore its mechanism of protecting the kidney by inhibiting podocyte apoptosis. Methodsdb/m mice （7 mice） were used as the normal group，and db/db mice （35 mice） were randomly divided into a model group，a dapagliflozin group （0.001 g·kg^-1·d^-1），and low-，medium-，and high-dose groups of Qishao capsules （0.341 3，0.682 5，and 1.365 g·kg^-1·d^-1，respectively）. Drug intervention lasted for 8 consecutive weeks. After sampling，the serum renal function indicators ［creatinine（SCr），and urea nitrogen（BUN）］，fasting blood glucose （FBG），24 h urinary protein quantification （24 h-UTP）， and other indicators of the mice were measured. The pathological tissue morphology of the kidney was observed by periodic acid-silver methenamine （PASM） and Masson's trichrome （Masson） staining. Immunohistochemical detection of cysteine-dependent aspartate-specific protease （Caspase）-3 and B-cell lymphoma 2 （Bcl-2） was performed. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of Caspase-8，Caspase-7，Caspase-3， and other molecules. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick End labeling （TUNEL） staining was used to observe apoptosis in renal tissue. Immunofluorescence staining of Wilms tumor suppressor gene-1 （WT-1） was used to observe podocyte injury. Real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was employed to detect Caspase-8 and Caspase-3 mRNA expression in the kidneys of experimental mice. Data analysis was conducted using statistical software GraphPad Prism 10. ResultsCompared with the normal group，the model group showed significantly increased 24 h-UTP，SCr，BUN，and FBG （P<0.01）. Additionally， PASM staining of renal tissue showed increased glycogen deposition，glomerular hypertrophy，and thickening of the basement membrane. Masson staining showed collagen fiber proliferation in renal tissue. Transmission electron microscopy showed thickening of the renal tissue basement membrane and fusion or loss of foot processes in the model group. The immunohistochemical results showed that Caspase-3 in the kidneys of the mice in the model group significantly increased （P<0.01），while the Bcl-2 protein expression level decreased significantly （P<0.01）. The number of TUNEL positive cells in renal tissue significantly increased （P<0.01）. The positive expression of WT-1 in podocytes was significantly reduced （P<0.01）. Western blot analysis showed significant upregulation of Caspase-8，Caspase-7，and Caspase-3 protein expression in renal tissue （P<0.01）. The mRNA expression levels of Caspase-8 and Caspase-3 in the kidneys increased significantly （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group，the Qishao capsules groups can significantly reduce the levels of 24 h-UTP，SCr，BUN，and FBG （P<0.01）. The pathological damage of renal tissue and podocyte injury were improved to some extent. Immunohistochemistry in the kidney showed a significant decrease in Caspase-3 （P<0.01） and a significant increase in Bcl-2 protein expression level （P<0.01）. Additionally， there were a significant decrease in the number of TUNEL positive cells in renal tissue （P<0.01），a significant increase in WT-1 positive expression in podocytes （P<0.01），marked downregulation of Caspase-8，Caspase-7，and Caspase-3 protein expression in renal tissue （P<0.05，P<0.01），and a significant decrease in Caspase-8 and Caspase-3 mRNA expression levels （P<0.01）. ConclusionQishao capsules can inhibit podocyte apoptosis by regulating the expression of Caspase-8，Caspase-7， and Caspase-3，thereby improving the diabetic renal injury in db/db mice.

Objective To investigate the risk factors for ICU-acquired weakness (ICU-AW) in patients with sepsis, and to construct a nomogram prediction model. Methods A total of 360 patients with sepsis admitted from January 2020 to December 2025 were enrolled as study subjects. The risk factors for ICU-AW were identified by logistic regression analysis. A nomogram prediction model was constructed, and the model was validated. Results Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that age, APACHE II score, duration of mechanical ventilation, duration of immobilization, duration of sedation, and NLR were risk factors for the occurrence of ICU-AW (P<0.05), while ALB was a protective factor (P<0.05). A nomogram model was constructed based on these seven variables. After validation via Bootstrap resampling, ROC curve showed an AUC of 0.949 (0.929–0.969) and a corrected AUC of 0.942 (0.940–0.948), indicating good discrimination degree of the model. Hosmer-Lemeshow test for calibration curve revealed a chi-square value of 10.188 (P=0.252), suggesting that the predicted value of fitting was generally consistent with the actual value. Decision curve analysis demonstrated that when the threshold was in the range of 0.05–0.9, the model had a good net benefit. Conclusion The nomogram prediction model for sepsis ICU-AW based on seven indicators including age, APACHE II score, NLR, ALB, and the durations of mechanical ventilation, immobilization, and sedation exhibits good predictive efficiency and stability. This nomogram prediction model is helpful for the clinical rapid screening of ICU-AW high-risk groups in patients with sepsis, and meets clinical needs for early warning and precise prevention and control.

[Purpose]To analyze the epidemiology and disease burden of gastric cancer in China,Japan and Republic of Korea from 1990 to 2021 and to predict changing trends from 2022 to 2031.[Methods]Data were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease(GBD)database.Age-stan-dardized incidence rate(ASIR),age-standardized mortality rate(ASMR),crude incidence rate(CIR),crude mortality rate(CMR),and disability-adjusted life years(DALY)rate for China,Japan and Republic of Korea from 1990 to 2021 were analyzed.Joinpoint regression software was used to analyze trends and calculate annual percentage changes.The autoregressive integrated moving average(ARIMA)model was applied to predict incidence and mortality from 2022 to 2031.[Results]In 2021,China had 611 799 new gastric cancer cases and 445 013 deaths,with an ASIR of 29.05/105 and an ASMR of 21.51/105,both significantly higher than those in Japan and Republic of Korea.Among men in China,both the ASIR(44.48/105)and ASMR(32.61/105)were the highest among the three countries,exceeding those in Japan(38.77/105,20.26/105)and Re-public of Korea(38.98/105,20.50/105).Among women,China had the highest number of new cases,but its ASIR(15.23/105)was slightly lower than Republic of Korea's(15.57/105)and higher than Japan's(14.66/105).However,China's ASMR among women(12.02/105)remained significantly higher than Japan's(7.64/105)and Republic of Korea's(8.08/105).From 1990 to 2021,ASIR,ASMR and DALY rates for gastric cancer declined in all three countries,but the reduction in China was significantly smaller than that in Japan and Republic of Korea,with Republic of Korea showing the steepest declines across all indicators.ARIMA model predictions indicated significant differences in disease burden among the three countries from 2022 to 2031.ASIR is projected to continue declining in China and Republic of Korea,reaching 22.87/105 and 12.45/105,respectively by 2031,while in Japan it is predicted to rise to 26.55/105.ASMR is projected to decline in all three countries,reaching 13.71/105(China),10.44/105(Japan),and 9.08/105(Republic of Korea)in 2031.[Conclusion]Among China,Japan and Republic of Korea,China had the highest ASIR and ASMR of gastric cancer in 2021.Moreover,from 1990 to 2021,the reductions in ASIR,ASMR and DALY rates for gastric cancer were the smallest in China compared to Japan and Republic of Korea.These findings suggest that the disease burden of gastric cancer remains substantial in China,high-lighting the need for increased efforts in gastric cancer screening and early diagnosis and treatment.

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.

AIM:To explore the potential mecha-nism of arecoline in promoting oral submucous fi-brosis based on key factors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)pathway.METHODS:SD rats were randomly divided into arecoline low-dose group,arecoline medium-dose group,and are-coline high-dose group(5,10,and 15 mg/mL).The oral buccal mucosa was injected with the corre-sponding concentration of arecoline(ANE)solution to induce the establishment of oral submucous fi-brosis(OSF)models,with 8 rats in each group.An-other 8 unmodeled rats were selected as the blank group,and the changes in mouth opening of the rats were detected after 8 weeks of grouping and intervention.HE and Masson staining were used to observe the pathological changes of oral buccal mucosa,measure the length of epithelial staple process and calculate collagen volume fraction.Western blot and qRT-PCR were used to detect the expression of collagen-Ⅰ(COL-Ⅰ),E-cadherin,fibro-nectin(FN)and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway-related proteins and mRNA in rat oral buccal muco-sa.The levels of tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α,in-terleukin(IL)-1β and transforming growth factor(TGF)-β1 in rat serum were detected by ELISA.Hu-man immortalized keratinocytes(HaCaT cell line)were cultured in vitro,and the effects of different concentrations of arecoline,PI3K activator,and PI3K inhibitor on the survival rate of HaCaT cells were investigated by CCK-8 method.According to the results of CCK-8,the concentration of arecoline 75 μg/mL,the concentration of PI3K activator 10μmol/L,and the concentration of PI3K inhibitor 2μmol/L were selected as the subsequent experi-mental concentrations.The cells were set as blank group,arecoline group,PI3K activator group,PI3K inhibitor group,and arecoline+PI3K inhibitor group.The mRNA expression levels of COL-Ⅰ,E-cad-herin,FN,PI3K,Akt,and mTOR in each group of cells were detected by qRT-PCR.The levels of TNF-α,IL-1β and TGF-β1 in each group of cells were de-tected by ELISA.RESULTS:Compared with the blank group,the arecoline low-dose group,the are-coline medium-dose group,and the arecoline high-dose group significantly reduced the mouth open-ing,significantly shortened the length of the epi-thelial staple process,significantly increased the collagen volume fraction,inflammatory cell infiltra-tion,and severe pathological damage.The protein expression levels of COL-Ⅰ,FN,p-PI3K,p-Akt,and p-mTOR were up-regulated,and the protein expres-sion levels of E-cadherin were down-regulated.The mRNA expressions of COL-Ⅰ,FN,PI3K,Akt,and mTOR were significantly increased.The mRNA ex-pression of E-cadherin was significantly reduced,and the levels of TNF-α,IL-1β,and TGF-β1 were sig-nificantly increased(all P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Com-pared with the blank group,the mRNA expression levels of COL-Ⅰ,FN,PI3K,Akt,and mTOR in the cells of the arecoline group and the PI3K activator group were up-regulated,and the mRNA expression lev-els of E-cadherin were down-regulated.Compared with the blank group,the mRNA expression levels of COL-Ⅰ,FN,PI3K,Akt,and mTOR in the cells of the PI3K inhibitor group were down-regulated,and the mRNA expression levels of E-cadherin were up-regulated.Compared with the PI3K inhibitor group,the mRNA expression levels of COL-Ⅰ,FN,PI3K,Akt,and mTOR in the cells of the arecoline+PI3K inhibi-tor group were up-regulated,the mRNA expression levels of E-cadherin were down-regulated,and the levels of TNF-α,IL-1β,and TGF-β1 were significant-ly increased(all P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).CONCLUSION:Arecoline can significantly promote oral submucous fibrosis,which may play a pro-fibrotic role by up-regulating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND:Existing studies have preliminarily summarized the potential association between muscle activity of the affected lower limb and gait stability during walking in patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.However,there are some issues such as incomplete observation of muscle categories,incomplete observation of walking action phases,and failure to consider synergistic effects among multiple muscle groups,which urgently require further improvement in this study.OBJECTIVE:To monitor muscle synergy information of the affected leg during walking in patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and to analyze the association between muscle synergy information and gait stability.METHODS:Twenty-four male patients aged(21.66±4.09)years undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction,were recruited.Electromyographic and center of pressure data were collected from the affected lower limb during walking.A non-negative matrix decomposition algorithm was used to extract the number of muscle synergic elements from the affected leg,the time spent in peak activation of each muscle synergic element,and the muscle relative weight indexes.Correlation analysis was then performed with the center of pressure indexes.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Six types of muscle synergies were identified in the affected leg.The number of muscle synergic elements showed no significant correlation with the distance and speed of lateral displacement of the center of pressure.Regarding the peak activation time of muscle synergic elements,synergic element 3 in the dominant gait loading response period showed a significant negative correlation with the lateral displacement distance of the center of pressure(r=-0.413,P=0.045)and a significant negative correlation with the lateral displacement velocity of the center of pressure(r=-0.470,P=0.020).The activation time of the remaining types of muscle synergic elements was not significantly related with patient's gait stability indices.In terms of muscle relative weights,the rectus femoris muscle of synergistic element 1 in the dominant gait loading response period showed a significant negative correlation with the lateral displacement distance of the center of pressure(r=-0.592,P=0.005)and a significant negative correlation with the lateral displacement speed of the center of pressure(r=-0.529,P=0.014).Additionally,the relative weight of the biceps femoris muscle of synergistic element 3 in the dominant gait loading response period showed a significant negative correlation with the lateral displacement distance of the center of pressure(r=-0.428,P=0.037).To conclude,the central system in patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction regulates the synergistic muscle activity of the affected leg during walking to enhance gait stability in two primary ways:by prolonging the activation time of the muscle synergists during the dominant loading response period and enhancing the activation of the quadriceps muscle,in order to enhance the control of eccentric contractions of the knee joint during the landing of the affected leg and improve the stability of the knee joint;and by increasing the activation of the biceps femoris muscle during the loading response period,which increases the degree of knee flexion and enhances the lower limb's cushioning function during the landing of the affected leg.

Obesity and its related metabolic diseases have become a global public health challenge. Traditional weight loss methods have limited efficacy in patients with moderate to severe obesity, while bariatric surgery, although effective, carries a relatively high risk. Endoscopic weight loss techniques, due to their minimally invasive nature, safety, and reversibility, have gradually become an important supplement to obesity treatment. This article systematically reviews the research progress of gastric and small intestine-related endoscopic bariatric procedures, including intragastric balloon therapy, endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, gastric bypass stents, and duodenal mucosal resurfacing.The authors believe that gastric-related procedures are suitable for patients whose primary goal is weight loss. Among these, the adjustable intragastric balloon offers the highest flexibility, being non-invasive and reversible with good short-term weight loss effects, making it suitable for bridging to bariatric surgery in patients with severe obesity. Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty achieves weight loss effects closest to those of bariatric surgery, with favorable long-term weight loss outcomes, and is suitable for weight loss treatment in patients with contraindications to bariatric surgery. Gastric drainage procedures result in poor patient experience due to issues related to fistula tubes; moreover, the small sample size of studies on gastric-related endoscopic procedures means they are not considered representative. In contrast, small intestine-related procedures are more suitable for patients focusing on the improvement of metabolic diseases. Overall, endoscopic techniques exhibit significant short-term efficacy, but their long-term efficacy and standardization still require further research. In the future, it will be necessary to integrate artificial intelligence-assisted operations and individualized treatment strategies to optimize efficacy and expand clinical application.

Objective To observe the value of body mass and body mass index(BMI)for calculating size specific dose estimate(SSDE)value of chest and abdominal CT in children.Methods Totally 486 children who underwent chest and abdominal CT scanning were retrospectively enrolled,including 201 underwent chest and 285 underwent abdominal CT scanning.SSDE value was calculated with software,body mass and BMI and recorded as SSDEstandard,SSDEweight and SSDEBMI,respectively,and the correlation and consistency between the former and the latter two were analyzed.Results SSDEweight(chest r=0.974,abdomen r=0.972)and SSDEBMI(chest r=0.933,abdomen r=0.950)were both highly correlated with SSDEstandard(all P＜0.01)and had good consistency.The root mean square error between SSDEweight and SSDEstandard of chest and abdominal CT was 0.245 and 0.249,between SSDEBMI and SSDEstandard was 0.653 and 0.956,respectively.Conclusion Body mass and BMI could be used to conveniently calculate SSDE value of chest and abdominal CT scanning in children,and the results had good consistency with that based on software.

Objective To explore the relationship between blood glucose variability, disease severity and prognosis of the patients with acute pancreatitis. Methods Total of 242 patients with acute pancreatitis admitted to the department of emergency from January 2019 to December 2019 were enrolled. The organ failure was evaluated according to Marshall's score, the severity of the disease was evaluated according to Atlanta's score, and the blood glucose indexes of three groups of patients with mild acute pancreatitis, moderate severe acute pancreatitis and severe acute pancreatitis were compared within seven days after admission. The relationship between blood glucose index and disease severity in different patients with acute pancreatitis was analyzed. Taking whether a puncture was performed at admission, whether the patient was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), and whether the patient died as endpoint events as classification factors, the relationship between blood glucose indicators and disease prognosis of patients with acute pancreatitis was analyzed using the One-Way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney U test, receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve), etc. Results Of the 242 patients, 70 cases (28.9%) were mild acute pancreatitis, 71 cases (29.3%) with moderate severe acute pancreatitis, 101 cases (41.7%) with severe acute pancreatitis. There was no statistically significant difference in the coefficient of variation of blood glucose among the three groups within 7 days of admission. The mean, standard deviation, maximum, minimum value and difference between maximum and minimum value of venous blood glucose in severe acute pancreatitis group were higher than those in moderate severe acute pancreatitis group, while those in moderate severe acute pancreatitis group were higher than those in mild acute pancreatitis group. The mean value of blood glucose of invasive operation group (IOP) (n=55) was higher than that of non-invasive operation (NOP) group(n=187). Conclusions The blood glucose level and fluctuation range of patients with acute pancreatitis within seven days after admission, are of great significance for the judgment of the severity and prognosis of the disease.