ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Tougu Xiaotong capsules （TGXTC） on the regulation of chondrocyte PANoptosis， delay of chondrocyte degeneration， and improvement of the symptoms in knee osteoarthritis （KOA）. MethodsIn vivo experiments： 50 male C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned into five groups （n=10 per group）： sham operation group， model group， low-dose TGXTC group （7.2 g·kg^-1）， high-dose TGXTC group （14.4 g·kg^-1）， and diclofenac sodium group （0.05 g·kg^-1）. Except for the sham group， KOA models were established in all other groups using the modified Hulth method. Following successful model induction， the TGXTC groups received daily oral gavage of 7.2 or 14.4 g·kg^-1 for 6 weeks， while the diclofenac sodium group received 0.05 g·kg^-1 solution daily over the same duration. Model evaluation was performed using Lequesne MG score； micro-computed tomography （micro-CT） was used to scan the knee， hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and safranin O-fast green staining were used to observe the morphology of cartilage， transmission electron microscopy （TEM） was used to determine ultrastructural changes of PANoptosis. Multiple immunofluorescence （IF） co-localization assays was performed to detect the co-localization of cleaved Caspase-3， receptor-interacting protein 3 （RlPK3）， and the N-terminal domain of gasdermin D （GSDMD-N） in cartilage tissue， while western blot was employed to detect the expression levels of cleaved Caspase-3， RIPK3， and GSDMD-N. In vitro experiments： The knee cartilages of 4-week-old SD rats were isolated， and a chondrocyte in vitro culture system was established through mechanical digestion with 0.2% type Ⅱ collagenase. Second-generation chondrocytes were divided into three groups： the control group， the model group （pretreated with 10 mg·L^-1 lipopolysaccharide （LPS） for 24 h followed by treatment with 1 μmol·L^-1 nigericin for 4 h）， and the TGXTC treatment group （pretreated with 10 mg·L^-1 LPS for 24 h， followed by exposure to 1 μmol·L^-1 nigericin for 4 h and subsequently treated with 100 mg·L^-1 TGXTC for an additional 24 h）. The levels of reactive oxygen species （ROS）， apoptosis， necroptosis， and pyroptosis of chondrocytes were evaluated via fluorescence microscopy following staining with ROS detection， AO/EB and YO-PRO-1/PI staining kits. Transmission electron microscopy was utilized to investigate the ultrastructural changes associated with PANoptosis in cartilage tissue of KOA mice. Inflammatory cytokine levels （IL-1β and IL-18） were measured using ELISA. Western blot was conducted to assess protein expressions related to PANoptosis， including cleaved Caspase-3， cleaved Caspase-8， RIPK3， ZBP1， GSDMD-N， and NLRP3. ResultsCompared with the sham group， the Lequesne MG scores were significantly up-regulated（P<0.01） in the model group， and the pathological changes of cartilage were significantly， with joint spaces narrower， osteophyte formation increased， secere abrasion of cartilage surface. Ultrastructural analysis revealed pronounced chondrocyte apoptosis， necroptosis， and pyroptosis， along with markedly elevated expression of cleaved Caspase-3， RlPK3， and GSDMD-N in cartilage tissue （P<0.01）. In addition， The mean fluorescence intensities of ROS， orange-red fluorescence in AO/EB staining， green fluorescence and red fluorescence in YO-PRO-1/PI staining were increased of chondrocyte in the model group （P<0.01） . The levels of inflammatory factors IL-1β and IL-18 in the supernatant were increased （P<0.01）. The expression of PANoptosis related proteins （cleaved Caspase-3， cleaved Caspase-8， RIPK3， ZBP1， GSDMD-N， and NLRP3） were also significantly upregulated（P<0.05）. Compared to the model group， the TGXTC group demonstrated a significant improvement in various parameters of mice. These included a reduction in the Lequesne MG score， an increase in joint space， a decrease in osteophyte formation， diminished cartilage damage， reduced release of ROS， and alleviation of apoptotic， necroptotic， and pyroptotic processes in chondrocytes. Additionally， mitochondrial swelling and endoplasmic reticulum dilation were also mitigated. The levels of ROS as well as IL-1β and IL-18 were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. Furthermore， the expression levels of proteins associated with PANoptosis in cartilage tissue showed marked reductions （P<0.05）. Similar results were observed in chondrocytes： cleaved Caspase-3， cleaved Caspase-8， RIPK3， ZBP1， GSDMD-N， and NLRP3 exhibited significant decreases as well （P<0.05）. ConclusionTGXTC may mitigate chondrocytes degeneration and alleviate KOA symptoms by reducing oxidative stress and suppressing the activation of PANoptosis pathways.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Tougu Xiaotong capsules （TGXTC） on the regulation of chondrocyte PANoptosis， delay of chondrocyte degeneration， and improvement of the symptoms in knee osteoarthritis （KOA）. MethodsIn vivo experiments： 50 male C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned into five groups （n=10 per group）： sham operation group， model group， low-dose TGXTC group （7.2 g·kg^-1）， high-dose TGXTC group （14.4 g·kg^-1）， and diclofenac sodium group （0.05 g·kg^-1）. Except for the sham group， KOA models were established in all other groups using the modified Hulth method. Following successful model induction， the TGXTC groups received daily oral gavage of 7.2 or 14.4 g·kg^-1 for 6 weeks， while the diclofenac sodium group received 0.05 g·kg^-1 solution daily over the same duration. Model evaluation was performed using Lequesne MG score； micro-computed tomography （micro-CT） was used to scan the knee， hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and safranin O-fast green staining were used to observe the morphology of cartilage， transmission electron microscopy （TEM） was used to determine ultrastructural changes of PANoptosis. Multiple immunofluorescence （IF） co-localization assays was performed to detect the co-localization of cleaved Caspase-3， receptor-interacting protein 3 （RlPK3）， and the N-terminal domain of gasdermin D （GSDMD-N） in cartilage tissue， while western blot was employed to detect the expression levels of cleaved Caspase-3， RIPK3， and GSDMD-N. In vitro experiments： The knee cartilages of 4-week-old SD rats were isolated， and a chondrocyte in vitro culture system was established through mechanical digestion with 0.2% type Ⅱ collagenase. Second-generation chondrocytes were divided into three groups： the control group， the model group （pretreated with 10 mg·L^-1 lipopolysaccharide （LPS） for 24 h followed by treatment with 1 μmol·L^-1 nigericin for 4 h）， and the TGXTC treatment group （pretreated with 10 mg·L^-1 LPS for 24 h， followed by exposure to 1 μmol·L^-1 nigericin for 4 h and subsequently treated with 100 mg·L^-1 TGXTC for an additional 24 h）. The levels of reactive oxygen species （ROS）， apoptosis， necroptosis， and pyroptosis of chondrocytes were evaluated via fluorescence microscopy following staining with ROS detection， AO/EB and YO-PRO-1/PI staining kits. Transmission electron microscopy was utilized to investigate the ultrastructural changes associated with PANoptosis in cartilage tissue of KOA mice. Inflammatory cytokine levels （IL-1β and IL-18） were measured using ELISA. Western blot was conducted to assess protein expressions related to PANoptosis， including cleaved Caspase-3， cleaved Caspase-8， RIPK3， ZBP1， GSDMD-N， and NLRP3. ResultsCompared with the sham group， the Lequesne MG scores were significantly up-regulated（P<0.01） in the model group， and the pathological changes of cartilage were significantly， with joint spaces narrower， osteophyte formation increased， secere abrasion of cartilage surface. Ultrastructural analysis revealed pronounced chondrocyte apoptosis， necroptosis， and pyroptosis， along with markedly elevated expression of cleaved Caspase-3， RlPK3， and GSDMD-N in cartilage tissue （P<0.01）. In addition， The mean fluorescence intensities of ROS， orange-red fluorescence in AO/EB staining， green fluorescence and red fluorescence in YO-PRO-1/PI staining were increased of chondrocyte in the model group （P<0.01） . The levels of inflammatory factors IL-1β and IL-18 in the supernatant were increased （P<0.01）. The expression of PANoptosis related proteins （cleaved Caspase-3， cleaved Caspase-8， RIPK3， ZBP1， GSDMD-N， and NLRP3） were also significantly upregulated（P<0.05）. Compared to the model group， the TGXTC group demonstrated a significant improvement in various parameters of mice. These included a reduction in the Lequesne MG score， an increase in joint space， a decrease in osteophyte formation， diminished cartilage damage， reduced release of ROS， and alleviation of apoptotic， necroptotic， and pyroptotic processes in chondrocytes. Additionally， mitochondrial swelling and endoplasmic reticulum dilation were also mitigated. The levels of ROS as well as IL-1β and IL-18 were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. Furthermore， the expression levels of proteins associated with PANoptosis in cartilage tissue showed marked reductions （P<0.05）. Similar results were observed in chondrocytes： cleaved Caspase-3， cleaved Caspase-8， RIPK3， ZBP1， GSDMD-N， and NLRP3 exhibited significant decreases as well （P<0.05）. ConclusionTGXTC may mitigate chondrocytes degeneration and alleviate KOA symptoms by reducing oxidative stress and suppressing the activation of PANoptosis pathways.

Objective: To explore the association between meat consumption and anxiety symptoms in first year junior high school students in Yunnan Province, and to provide theoretical support for preventing and relieving anxiety symptoms in junior high school students. Methods: From October to December 2022, a random cluster sampling method was used to select 8 500 first year junior high school students from 11 counties in Yunnan Province as the survey subjects for a questionnaire survey. The study used Food Frequency Questionnaire and the Chinese version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) to assess the meat consumption and anxiety symptoms of junior high school students.The distribution differences in anxiety symptoms among first year junior high school students with different demographic characteristics were analyzed statistically by using the Chi-square test,and the association between meat consumption and anxiety symptoms in students was analyzed by using a generalized linear model. Results: The detection rate of anxiety symptoms was 48.47%. After controlling for demographic variables and confounding factors, the consumption of livestock meat, poultry meat, processed meat, cured meat, barbecued meat and raw skin meat was statistically significant with anxiety symptoms ( β =-0.05, 0.04, 0.04, 0.08, 0.14, 0.17, all P <0.05). Stratified by ethnicity, The consumption of livestock meat, cured meat and barbecue was statistically correlated with anxiety symptoms in Han adolescents ( β =-0.07, 0.14, 0.22 ); the consumption of processed meat and raw skin meat was statistically correlated with anxiety symptoms in ethnic minority adolescents ( β =0.08, 0.18) (all P <0.05). Conclusions There is a statistical association between meat comsumption and the risk of anxiety symptoms in first year junior high school students in Yunnan Province. Guidance on meat consumption should be strengthened to prevent the occurrence of anxiety symptoms.

ObjectiveBased on the regulation of macrophage M2 polarization， this study aims to explore the molecular mechanism and action targets of the Qijia Rougan prescription and its key effector ingredients in anti-fibrosis， thereby providing a basis and reference for the development of new drugs for hepatic fibrosis. MethodsA rat model of hepatic fibrosis was established by subcutaneous injection of 40%CCl₄， followed by oral administration of Qijia Rougan granules. The volume of collagen fibers was detected using Masson staining， the fibrosis markers Collagen Ⅰ and α-SMA were detected using immunohistochemistry， the proportion of M2 macrophages was detected by flow cytometry. The expression levels of M2 macrophage phenotype markers CD163 and CD206 were detected using immunofluorescence double staining. Western blot was used to detect the levels of the transforming growth factor-β （TGF-β）， platelet derived growth factor subunit B （PDGFB）， interleukin-10 （IL-10）， phosphorylated Janus kinase 1 （p-JAK1）， and phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 （p-STAT6）. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR was used to detect the relative expression levels of JAK1， STAT6， Arginase 1（Arg1）， and Fizz1. Based on the theory of serum pharmacology， liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and WENN analysis were used to obtain the active ingredients of Qijia Rougan prescription. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation were performed to analyze the effector ingredients and their targets. The identified effector ingredients were interfered with IL-4-induced M2 polarization of RAW264.7 macrophage in vitro to validate the targets. ResultsQijia Rougan prescription significantly reduced the content of fibrosis markers α-SMA and Collagen Ⅰ， as well as collagen fiber content （P<0.05）. It decreased the proportion of M2 macrophages and the levels of related cytokines IL-10， TGF-β and PDGFB， and up-regulated the levels of p-JAK1 and p-STAT6 （P<0.05）. A total of 1 214 compounds were identified from Qijia Rougan prescription， medicated serum and blank serum， and 29 ingredients were finalized by Venn analysis， including 15 blood-entry prototypes and 14 drug metabolites. Molecular docking showed that enoxolone and berberine bound more strongly to JAK1， with binding free energies of -9.6 kcal·mol^-1（1 cal≈4.184 J） and -9.1 kcal·mol^-1， respectively. Molecular dynamics simulations showed that JAK1-enoxolone and JAK1-berberine exhibited stable simulation trajectories within 100 ns， with essentially identical conformations and high protein overlap before and after simulation. Their binding free energies were -25.18 5.0.81 kcal·mol^-1 and -27.39 7.0.85 kcal·mol^-1， respectively. The number of hydrogen bonds formed between JAK1 and enoxolone ranges from 0 to 5， and most of the time can be maintained at 2-3. In vitro intervention with enoxolone or berberine significantly reduced p-JAK1 and p-STAT6 levels （P<0.05）. ConclusionQijia Rougan prescription inhibits M2 macrophage polarization in hepatic fibrosis. Enoxolone and berberine are the key effector ingredients of Qijia Rougan prescription to inhibit macrophage M2 polarization through targeting JAK1 and modulating the JAK1/STAT6 signaling pathway， thereby ameliorating hepatic fibrosis. This study provides a basis for prescription optimization， clinical application and new drug development， as well as a reference for monolithic anti-hepatic fibrosis research.

ObjectiveTo investigate the associations of multiple glycolipid metabolic indicators and their cumulative abnormality burden with incident colorectal cancer risk in a general population-based prospective cohort, and to examine the mediating role of glycolipid metabolic abnormalities in the relationships between smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and colorectal cancer incidence. MethodsA total of 17 897 eligible participants recruited from the Taizhou Cohort between 2011 and 2014 were included. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to assess the associations of conventional and derived glycolipid indicators, as well as a glycolipid abnormality index constructed from total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting plasma glucose, and insulin, with incident colorectal cancer risk. Restricted cubic spline models were applied to evaluate dose-response relationships for major indicators. Receiver operating characteristic curves were generated to compare predictive performance across indicators. Mediation analyses were conducted to assess the mediating effects of the glycolipid abnormality index on the associations of smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity with colorectal cancer incidence. ResultsDuring a median follow-up of 11.2 years, 102 incident colorectal cancer cases were identified, with an incidence density of 51.2 per 100 000 person-years. After adjustment for potential confounders, Cox proportional hazards regression analyses showed that decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was associated with a 1.74-fold higher risk of colorectal cancer (HR=1.74, 95%CI: 1.03‒2.95), elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was associated with a 1.78-fold higher risk (HR=1.78, 95%CI: 1.05‒3.02), and abnormal fasting plasma glucose was associated with a 1.86-fold higher risk (HR=1.86, 95%CI: 1.15‒3.02). Triglycerides and fasting plasma glucose showed an approximately linear increasing association with colorectal cancer risk in multivariable restricted cubic spline models. The glycolipid abnormality index showed a clear gradient association with colorectal cancer risk; participants with three or more abnormal indicators had a 3.08-fold higher risk than those without abnormalities (HR=3.08, 95%CI: 1.60‒5.92). The area under the curve was 0.795, higher than that of individual glycolipid indicators and other combined indices, and gender-stratified analyses showed generally consistent patterns. Glycolipid metabolic abnormalities partially mediated the associations of smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity with colorectal cancer incidence, with mediation proportions of 8.33%, 9.45%, and 9.04%, respectively. ConclusionGlycolipid metabolic abnormalities are associated with an increased risk of incident colorectal cancer. The glycolipid abnormality index shows an increasing relationship with colorectal cancer risk and demonstrates better discrimination, and it partially mediates the associations of smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity with colorectal cancer incidence in the overall population.

Objective To investigate the protective effects and mechanisms of sulodexide on renal fibrosis induced by prolonged warm ischemia. Methods An in vivo ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) model was established in rats, which were randomly divided into Sham group, IRI 60 min group (IRI group), and IRI 60 min + sulodexide group (IRI+SDX group), with 20 rats in each group. Pathological examination was used to evaluate renal tissue injury and fibrosis levels in each group. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the expression levels of kidney injury molecule (KIM)-1, intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, von Willebrand factor (vWF), transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, α-smooth muscle actin (SMA), and type I collagen (COL-1). Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect CD31 expression. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was employed to measure the expression of KIM-1, ICAM-1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 in renal tissues. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the structure of the renal glycocalyx. Evans blue dye was injected to assess renal vascular permeability. Rat survival was recorded, and serum levels of syndecan (SDC)-1, heparan sulfate (HS) and serum creatinine were measured. An ex vivo perfusion model was also established, with rats randomly assigned to either the hypothermic oxygenated machine perfusion (HOPE) group or the HOPE+SDX group (five rats per group). Perfusion parameters were recorded after 2 hours of ex vivo perfusion. Results One day after reperfusion, compared with the Sham group, the IRI group exhibited more severe renal tissue injury, higher tubular injury scores, increased expression of KIM-1, ICAM-1 and vWF, decreased CD31 expression, elevated serum levels of SDC-1 and HS, increased vascular permeability, and higher expression of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6. Compared with the IRI group, the IRI+SDX group showed reduced renal tissue injury, lower tubular injury scores, decreased expression of KIM-1, ICAM-1 and vWF, increased CD31 expression, lower serum levels of SDC-1 and HS, decreased vascular permeability, and reduced expression of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 (all P < 0.05). Ten days after reperfusion, renal tissue injury was further alleviated in the IRI+SDX group. Twenty-five days after reperfusion, the IRI+SDX group exhibited decreased expression of TGF-β, α-SMA, and COL-1, as well as reduced collagen deposition area (all P < 0.05). Compared with the HOPE group, the HOPE+SDX group showed increased renal perfusion flow and decreased intrarenal vascular resistance (both P < 0.01). Conclusions Sulodexide may alleviates renal IRI and fibrosis caused by prolonged warm ischemia by inhibiting inflammatory responses and protecting vascular endothelial glycocalyx.

Objective:To analyze the value of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) combined with magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in the clinical grading and prognosis assessment of brain glioma.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 72 patients with brain glioma admitted to Yan'an People's Hospital from January 2010 to December 2023. The cohort included 40 males and 32 females, with ages ranging from 25 to 76 years and an average age of (40.3 ± 6.8) years. All patients underwent routine magnetic resonance imaging plain scans, contrast-enhanced ultrasound examination, DTI, and MRS prior to surgery. Measurements were conducted for fractional anisotropy (FA), N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), choline compounds (Cho), and creatinine (Cr). Additionally, the ratios of NAA/Cho, Cho/Cr, and NAA/Cr were calculated. The imaging characteristics of brain glioma were analyzed, and the clinical utility of these indicators for grading and prognosis assessment of brain glioma was evaluated.Results:DTI results of the 72 included patients revealed disruption of the white matter fiber tracts surrounding the tumors. MRS of the 72 included patients showed either approximately normal values or indicated elevated Cho and Cr levels, along with decreased NAA levels. Diffuse mild to moderate enhancement was observed in 35 patients (48.61%), presenting with a patchy pattern that suggested a higher tumor grade. When comparing low-grade gliomas (LGG) and high-grade gliomas (HGG) to the corresponding healthy tissue, significant differences were observed in FA value in the peritumoral edema region [(0.20 ± 0.06) × 10 -3 mm2/s vs. (0.62 ± 0.08) × 10 -3 mm2/s for LGG, and (0.17 ± 0.05) × 10 -3 mm2/s vs. (0.62 ± 0.09) × 10 -3 mm2/s for HGG] , NAA/Cho ratio [(0.36 ± 0.11) vs. (1.41 ± 0.33) for LGG, and (0.19 ± 0.06) vs. (1.42 ± 0.35) for HGG], Cho/Cr ratio [(2.39 ± 0.51) vs. (1.12 ± 0.26) for LGG, and (3.81 ± 0.94) vs. (1.12 ± 0.28) for HGG], and NAA/Cr ratio [(0.75 ± 0.24) vs. (1.52 ± 0.31) for LGG, and (0.38 ± 0.12) vs. (1.52 ± 0.29) for HGG]. All observed differences were statistically significant ( tLGG = 26.56, 19.09, 14.03, 12.42; tHGG = 27.64, 21.90, 17.34, 22.97, all P < 0.05). There were statistically significant differences in FA [(0.20 ± 0.06) × 10 -3 mm2/s vs. (0.17 ± 0.05) × 10 -3 mm2/s], NAA/Cho [(0.36 ± 0.11) vs. (0.19 ± 0.06)], Cho/Cr [(2.39 ± 0.51) vs. (3.81 ± 0.94)], and NAA/Cr [(0.75 ± 0.24) vs. (0.38 ± 0.12)] between LGG and HGG ( t = 2.26, 7.85, 8.17, 7.95, all P < 0.05). Follow-up conducted 6 months to 3 years postoperatively revealed that the Cho/Cr ratio in the death group was significantly higher than that in the survival group [2.172 (1.662, 2.863) vs. 2.729 (2.431, 3.689), U = 2.17, P < 0.05]. However, there were no statistically significant differences in FA, NAA/Cho, and NAA/Cr values between survival and death groups ( P > 0.05). Conclusions:Combined DTI and MRS can reveal specific imaging characteristics of brain gliomas, providing valuable information for clinical grading of brain gliomas. Furthermore, the Cho/Cr ratio is associated with prognosis and may serve as a potential imaging biomarker for predicting the outcome of brain gliomas.

Objective:To investigate the impact of the number of examined lymph nodes (ELN) on survival outcomes in gastric cancer patients with postoperative pathological stage pN3b.Methods:This retrospective cohort study included 279 pN3b gastric cancer patients who underwent D2 gastrectomy at Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University (September 2008 to April 2023), with 35 patients receiving combination chemotherapy and anti-PD-1 therapy (immunotherapy group) and 244 receiving adjuvant chemotherapy alone (nonimmunotherapy group). Additionally, 422 patients with pN3b from the SEER database (2005 to 2020) were collected as an external validation cohort to determine the optimal cutoff value for the number of lymph nodes examined in the nonimmunotherapy group. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in the nonimmunotherapy group of the Nanfang Hospital cohort, stratified by whether the number of examined lymph nodes was above or below the ELN optimal cutoff value. These findings were subsequently validated in the SEER cohort.Results:The optimal ELN cutoff value (34 nodes) was determined using X-tile software and by constructing an ELN-HR fitting model with inflection point identification. In the nonimmunotherapy group, patients with ELN >34 exhibited significantly prolonged survival compared to ELN ≤34 (median OS: 25.0 (95%CI:20.5-29.5) to 17.0 (95%CI:12.7-21.3) months, P=0.004; median RFS: 19.0 (95%CI:15.6-22.4) to 13.0 (95%CI:9.5-16.5) months, P=0.048). Multivariate Cox analysis also showed ELN >34 to be an independent protective factor for both OS (HR=0.576, 95%CI: 0.397-0.836) and RFS (HR=0.701, 95%CI: 0.492-0.998). In the SEER cohort, ELN >34 was associated with a 5-month OS extension (19 to 14 months, P=0.065), with multivariate analysis supporting its independent prognostic significance (HR=0.729, 95%CI: 0.580-0.915, P=0.006). Notably, in the immunotherapy group, patients with ELN >34 ( n=30) achieved a median OS of 41 months, but the median OS had not been reached in the ELN ≤34 group ( n=5) (1 death at 48 months). Conclusion:Higher ELN (>34) correlates with improved survival in nonimmunotherapy-treated pN3b gastric cancer patients. However, in pN3b gastric cancer patients treated with immunotherapy, the optimal ELN threshold requires further exploration to determine.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigates independent risk factors for postoperative internal fixation device infection in patients with maxillofacial fractures and proposes an early warning model based on the synthetic minority over-sampling technique (SMOTE) algorithm. METHODS: A total of 1 104 patients who underwent surgical treatment for maxillofacial fractures at Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University from January 2021 to December 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups based on the presence of postoperative internal fixation device infection: the infection group (27 cases) and non-infection group (1 077 cases). Clinical data from both groups were collected and subjected to statistical analysis. Univariate and binary Logistic regression analysis were used to identify risk factors for postoperative internal fixation device infection in maxillofacial fractures. Subsequently, a Logistic regression model was established, and the dataset was improved based on the SMOTE algorithm to construct an early warning model with the improved dataset. The prediction performance of the models was compared and validated. RESULTS: Among the 1 104 patients who underwent surgical treatment for maxillofacial fractures, 27 cases of postoperative internal fixation device infections were identified, corresponding to an infection rate of 2.45% (27/1 104). Age, diabetes history, fracture severity, and oral hygiene status were all identified as risk factors for postoperative internal fixation device infections in maxillofacial fractures (all P<0.05). The prediction model based on the original data (P1). The prediction model based on the SMOTE algorithm (P2). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis shows that the area under curve (AUC) for the P2 model was 0.882, the P1 model was 0.861, indicating the superior predictive performance of the P2 model. The DeLong test results show that the difference in AUC between the two models was statistically significant (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Age, diabetes history, postoperative fracture severity, and oral hygiene status are all risk factors for infections associated with internal fixation devices after maxillofacial fracture surgery. The proposed early warning model demonstrated good predictive performance. Medical professionals can utilize this model to effectively intervene and anticipate infections related to internal fixation devices after maxillofacial fracture surgery.
Humans ; Algorithms ; Retrospective Studies ; Male ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal/instrumentation* ; Risk Factors ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Logistic Models ; Surgical Wound Infection/epidemiology* ; Aged ; Internal Fixators/adverse effects* ; Maxillofacial Injuries/surgery* ; Adolescent