Background/Aims: Early detection and effective prognosis prediction in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) provide an avenue for survival improvement, yet more effective approaches are greatly needed. We sought to develop the detection and prognosis models with ultra-sensitivity and low cost based on fragmentomic features of circulating cell free mtDNA (ccf-mtDNA). Methods: Capture-based mtDNA sequencing was carried out in plasma cell-free DNA samples from 1168 participants, including 571 patients with HCC, 301 patients with chronic hepatitis B or liver cirrhosis (CHB/LC) and 296 healthy controls (HC). Results: The systematic analysis revealed significantly aberrant fragmentomic features of ccf-mtDNA in HCC group when compared with CHB/LC and HC groups. Moreover, we constructed a random forest algorithm-based HCC detection model by utilizing ccf-mtDNA fragmentomic features. Both internal and two external validation cohorts demonstrated the excellent capacity of our model in distinguishing early HCC patients from HC and highrisk population with CHB/LC, with AUC exceeding 0.983 and 0.981, sensitivity over 89.6% and 89.61%, and specificity over 98.20% and 95.00%, respectively, greatly surpassing the performance of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and mtDNA copy number. We also developed an HCC prognosis prediction model by LASSO-Cox regression to select 20 fragmentomic features, which exhibited exceptional ability in predicting 1-year, 2-year and 3-year survival (AUC=0.8333, 0.8145 and 0.7958 for validation cohort, respectively). Conclusions We have developed and validated a high-performing and low-cost approach in a large clinical cohort based on aberrant ccf-mtDNA fragmentomic features with promising clinical translational application for the early detection and prognosis prediction of HCC patients.

Background/Aims: Early detection and effective prognosis prediction in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) provide an avenue for survival improvement, yet more effective approaches are greatly needed. We sought to develop the detection and prognosis models with ultra-sensitivity and low cost based on fragmentomic features of circulating cell free mtDNA (ccf-mtDNA). Methods: Capture-based mtDNA sequencing was carried out in plasma cell-free DNA samples from 1168 participants, including 571 patients with HCC, 301 patients with chronic hepatitis B or liver cirrhosis (CHB/LC) and 296 healthy controls (HC). Results: The systematic analysis revealed significantly aberrant fragmentomic features of ccf-mtDNA in HCC group when compared with CHB/LC and HC groups. Moreover, we constructed a random forest algorithm-based HCC detection model by utilizing ccf-mtDNA fragmentomic features. Both internal and two external validation cohorts demonstrated the excellent capacity of our model in distinguishing early HCC patients from HC and highrisk population with CHB/LC, with AUC exceeding 0.983 and 0.981, sensitivity over 89.6% and 89.61%, and specificity over 98.20% and 95.00%, respectively, greatly surpassing the performance of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and mtDNA copy number. We also developed an HCC prognosis prediction model by LASSO-Cox regression to select 20 fragmentomic features, which exhibited exceptional ability in predicting 1-year, 2-year and 3-year survival (AUC=0.8333, 0.8145 and 0.7958 for validation cohort, respectively). Conclusions We have developed and validated a high-performing and low-cost approach in a large clinical cohort based on aberrant ccf-mtDNA fragmentomic features with promising clinical translational application for the early detection and prognosis prediction of HCC patients.

Background/Aims: Early detection and effective prognosis prediction in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) provide an avenue for survival improvement, yet more effective approaches are greatly needed. We sought to develop the detection and prognosis models with ultra-sensitivity and low cost based on fragmentomic features of circulating cell free mtDNA (ccf-mtDNA). Methods: Capture-based mtDNA sequencing was carried out in plasma cell-free DNA samples from 1168 participants, including 571 patients with HCC, 301 patients with chronic hepatitis B or liver cirrhosis (CHB/LC) and 296 healthy controls (HC). Results: The systematic analysis revealed significantly aberrant fragmentomic features of ccf-mtDNA in HCC group when compared with CHB/LC and HC groups. Moreover, we constructed a random forest algorithm-based HCC detection model by utilizing ccf-mtDNA fragmentomic features. Both internal and two external validation cohorts demonstrated the excellent capacity of our model in distinguishing early HCC patients from HC and highrisk population with CHB/LC, with AUC exceeding 0.983 and 0.981, sensitivity over 89.6% and 89.61%, and specificity over 98.20% and 95.00%, respectively, greatly surpassing the performance of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and mtDNA copy number. We also developed an HCC prognosis prediction model by LASSO-Cox regression to select 20 fragmentomic features, which exhibited exceptional ability in predicting 1-year, 2-year and 3-year survival (AUC=0.8333, 0.8145 and 0.7958 for validation cohort, respectively). Conclusions We have developed and validated a high-performing and low-cost approach in a large clinical cohort based on aberrant ccf-mtDNA fragmentomic features with promising clinical translational application for the early detection and prognosis prediction of HCC patients.

In order to explore the effects of Coptis detoxification powder on immune suppression and inflammatory response caused by heat stress in animals,Bama pigs were used as experimental animals to establish an animal model of heat stress,and the effects of Coptis detoxification powder on transcriptional activation of TLRs mRNA in PBMC induced by heat stress and its mediated ex-pression of inflammatory factors were studied in vivo.The animal model of heat stress was estab-lished by artificial climate greenhouse,Chinese medicine"Coptis detoxification powder"was pre-pared,and its inhibitory effect on heat stress and inflammation was studied by preventive and therapeutic administration.Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to determine the transcriptional changes of HSP70,TLRs and IL-17 mRNA,and ELISA was used to determine the dynamic changes of serum IL-2,IL-6 and TNF-α.Western blot and indirect immunofluorescence(IFA)were used to determine the nuclear translocation and protein expression of p65 phosphoryl-ated protein in NF-κβ inflammatory factor pathway.The transcription of PBMC TLRs mRNA and its mediated inflammatory factor expression and function in Bama pigs under heat stress were sys-tematically analyzed.The results showed that the experimental animal model of Bama pigs under heat stress was successfully established,and heat stress significantly up-regulated the mRNA tran-scription levels of HSP70,TLR2,TLR4 and inflammatory factor IL-17,resulting in significantly enhanced expressions of serum inflammatory factors IL-2,IL-6 and TNF-α.The NF-κβ pathway significantly promoted the level of p65 nuclear phosphorylation and the expression of cytoplasmic protein.The Chinese medicine"Coptis detoxification powder"could significantly reduce the upreg-ulation effect of heat stress conditions on the transcription levels of HSP70 and TLRs mRNA,thus inhibiting the mRNA transcription of inflammatory factor IL-17 and the expression of IL-2,IL-6 and TNF-α in serum,and significantly antagonizing the transcriptional activity of NF-κβ caused by heat stress.It showed good anti-heat stress effect.The anti-inflammatory effects of Chinese veteri-nary medicine prescription"Coptis detoxification powder",its pathway of action and its effectors were investigated,the expression and secretion levels of the regulatory factors related to the path-way associated with TLRs mRNA inhibition were analyzed,and the functional effects and mecha-nism of its clinical anti-heat stress and anti-inflammatory effects were clarified,which laid a data foundation for the promotion and application of this prescription and related mechanism research.

Objective:To investigate the risk factors associated with one-year mortality following surgery for intertrochanteric fractures in elderly patients and develop a survival prediction model.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data from 532 elderly patients with intertrochanteric fractures admitted to the People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and the People's Hospital of Xinyang between January 2020 and September 2022.Patient demographics, laboratory indicators, and surgical variables were documented.The primary outcome assessed was the one-year mortality rate.Risk factors were identified through univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, leading to the development of a prognostic model.The model's predictive performance was evaluated using the Concordance Index(C-Index), time-dependent receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis(DCA).Results:Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified several key factors associated with one-year mortality after intertrochanteric fractures in elderly patients.These factors included the modified five-item frailty index( OR=1.338, 95% CI: 1.147-1.561, P<0.001), ICU admission( OR=1.694, 95% CI: 1.230-2.333, P=0.001), preoperative hemoglobin levels( OR=1.281, 95% CI: 1.016-1.616, P=0.036), surgical waiting time( OR=1.570, 95% CI: 1.063-2.319, P=0.023), and age( OR=2.196, 95% CI: 1.712-2.816, P<0.001).The prediction model showed good consistency with a C-Index of 0.769(95% CI: 0.723-0.818)in the modeling group and 0.715(95% CI: 0.612-0.750)in the validation group.Time-dependent ROC areas under the curve were 0.802(95% CI: 0.722-0.850)and 0.718(95% CI: 0.640-0.808)for the modeling and validation groups, respectively.Calibration curves for both groups indicated a good model fit, and decision curve analysis demonstrated a positive net benefit, highlighting the clinical applicability of the model. Conclusions:The modified five-item frailty index, ICU admission, preoperative hemoglobin, surgical waiting time, and age independently predict one-year mortality after surgery for intertrochanteric fractures in elderly patients.This prognostic model, utilizing these factors, shows high predictive accuracy, assisting clinicians in quick personalized assessments and setting informed expectations in clinical practice.

Objective:To evaluate modified extended trochanteric osteotomy (ETO) applied in the revision of Vancouver B2/B3 periprosthetic femoral fractures (PFF).Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the 35 patients with Vancouver B2/B3 PFF who had been treated at Joint Disease Department Ⅱ, Zhengzhou Orthopedic Hospital from January 2012 to November 2020. There were 10 males and 15 females with an age of (74.3±7.8) years. The time from their primary replacement to revision was (120.3±28.6) months. By the Vancouver classification, 26 cases were type B2 and 9 ones type B3. The modified ETO was used in the revision surgery for all patients. The clinical efficacy was evaluated using Harris hip score, imaging evaluation was performed using the Beals and Tower criteria at the last follow-up, and complications were recorded.Results:The operation time for this cohort was (148±32) min and intraoperative bleeding (800±150) mL. All patients were followed up for (45.2±15.3) months. The Harris score increased significantly from preoperative (21.3±11.2) points to (86.2±5.2) points at the last follow-up ( P < 0.001). By the Beals and Tower evaluation, 9 cases were rated as excellent, 24 cases as good, and 2 as poor. All the fractures and sites of trochanteric osteotomy got healed after (4.4±2.8) months except for 1 case of nonunion. Prosthesis subsidence occurred in 3 cases, in 2 of which the subsidence stopped 6 months later and in only 1 of which revision was needed due to the subsidence. Upward block displacement of the greater trochanteric fracture occurred in 2 cases, but did not exceed 1 cm. One case of postoperative dislocation responded to manual reduction. Conclusion:In the revision of Vancouver B2/B3 PFF, the modified ETO can improve fracture healing, and reduce postoperative dislocations and complications, leading to satisfactory clinical efficacy.

AIM: To investigate the effects of agkis-trodon halys venom anti-tumor component (AHVAC-) on the biological behavior of gastric cancer MKN-28 cells. METHODS: Gastric cancer MKN-28 cells were treated with the experimental concentrations (5, 10, 15 μg/mL) of AHAVC- for 24 h. Cell proliferation and toxicity assay (cell counting kit-8, CCK-8) was used to detect the inhibition rates of the cells in different concentrations of AHVAC-. The migration ability of the cells was evaluated by wound-healing and Transwell assay. The apoptosis were observed by laser confocal microscopy with annexin V-mCherry/DAPI double staining, and the apoptosis rates were analyzed by flow cytometry with annexin V-FITC/PI double fluorescence staining. The protein level of Caspease-3 was determined by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with normal control group, the results of AHVAC- concentration groups showed that with the increase of AHVAC- concentration, the proliferative activity of MN-28 cells decreased gradually (P<0.01), the cell migration ability decreased gradually (P<0.01), and the cell apoptosis rate increased (P<0.05). The expression of apoptosis-related protein Caspease-3 was up-regulated (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: AHVAC- inhibits proliferation and migration of gastric cancer MSN-28 cells and induces apoptosis.