Objective:To analyze the clinical and ultrasonographic characteristics of papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC)and explore their correlation with cervical lymph node metastasis(CLNM),thereby constructing a nomogram pre-diction model for assessing the risk of CLNM in PTC.Methods:A total of 553 patients(corresponding to 553 nod-ules)with papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC),confirmed by postoperative pathology,who underwent ultrasonography and had complete clinical data at the Second Hospital of Shandong University between December 2019 and December 2022,were included.228 patients(228 nodules)hadcervical lymph node metastasis,and 325 patients(325 nodules)were without cervical lymph node metastasis.All patients were categorized into metastasis and non-metastasis groups based on the presence or absence of cervical lymph node metastasis.These groups were then randomly di-vided into training and validation sets in a 7:3 ratio.Differences in clinical and ultrasonographic characteristics between the two groups were compared,and a nomogram was constructed.Results:Univariate analysis revealed statistically significant differences between the metastasis group and the non-metastasis group in terms of age,presence of Hashimoto's thyroiditis,multifocality,taller-than-wide shape,calcification,capsular contact,and blood flow(P<0.05).Logistic regression analysis in the training set indicated that age,presence of Hashimoto's thyroiditis,multifocality,taller-than-wide shape,calcification,and blood flow were associated with lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC)(P<0.05).These indicators were incorporated into a nomogram model,which demonstrated high predictive performance,good calibration,and significant clinical utility in both the training and validation sets.Conclu-sion:The nomogram prediction model,constructed based on clinical and ultrasonographic features,effectively predicts the risk of cervical lymph node metastasis(CLNM)in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC).Patients who were older,had concomitant Hashimoto's thyroiditis,or exhibited a nodule aspect ratio≥1 were less likely to have concurrent CLNM.Conversely,patients presenting with multiple nodules,nodules with microcalcifications,or nodules demonstrating central or rich/peripheral vascularity were more likely to have concurrent CLNM.

Aim To investigate the possible mechanism of the myocardial protective effect of Danzhi Jiangtang capsules(DJC)on db/db mice based on NLRP3 in-flammasome-mediated pyroptosis.Methods The db/db mice were randomly divided into the model group,DJC low,medium,and high dose groups,and the met-formin group,and the db/m mice were taken as the blank group.The administration lasted for eightweeks.At the end of drug administration,blood glucose,blood lipids,cardiac enzymes and inflammatory factors were detected in each group of mice.HE and Masson stai-ning was performed to observe the morphology and fi-brosis of myocardial tissue.TUNEL staining was per-formed to detect apoptosis.RT-qPCR was performed to detect the mRNA expression of ANP,BNP and β-MHC,and Western blot was performed to detect the protein expression of NLRP3,ASC,caspase-1,cleaved-caspase-1,GSDMD and GSDMD-NT in myocardial tis-sue.Results DJC could alleviate myocardial patho-logical damage,reduce collagen deposition and apopto-sis,reduce the levels of blood glucose,blood lipid,myo-cardial enzyme and inflammatory factors in db/db mice.DJC could reduce the mRNA expressions of ANP,BNP and β-MHC,and the protein expressions of NLRP3,ASC,caspase-1,cleavedcaspase-1,GSDMD and GSDMD-NT in myocardial tissues.Conclusion DJC attenuates myocardial injury in db/db mice,prob-ably by inhibiting the activation of NLRP3 inflamma-somes,attenuating cardiomyocyte pyroptosis,and amel-iorating the inflammatory state.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the effect of Huanglian-Renshen-Decoction (HRD) on ameliorating type 2 diabetes mellitus by maintaining islet β -cell identity through regulating paracrine and endocrine glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)/GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) in both islet and intestine. METHODS: The db/db mice were divided into the model (distilled water), low-dose HRD (LHRD, 3 g/kg), high-dose HRD (HHRD, 6 g/kg), and liraglutide (400 µ g/kg) groups using a random number table, 8 mice in each group. The db/m mice were used as the control group (n=8, distilled water). The entire treatment of mice lasted for 6 weeks. Blood insulin, glucose, and GLP-1 levels were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. The proliferation and apoptosis factors of islet cells were determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence (IF) staining. Then, GLP-1, GLP-1R, prohormone convertase 1/3 (PC1/3), PC2, v-maf musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma oncogene homologue A (MafA), and pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 (PDX1) were detected by Western blot, IHC, IF, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. RESULTS: HRD reduced the weight and blood glucose of the db/db mice, and improved insulin sensitivity at the same time (P<0.05 or P<0.01). HRD also promoted mice to secrete more insulin and less glucagon (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Moreover, it also increased the number of islet β cell and decreased islet α cell mass (P<0.01). After HRD treatment, the levels of GLP-1, GLP-1R, PC1/3, PC2, MafA, and PDX1 in the pancreas and intestine significantly increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION HRD can maintain the normal function and identity of islet β cell, and the underlying mechanism is related to promoting the paracrine and endocrine activation of GLP-1 in pancreas and intestine.
Animals ; Glucagon-Like Peptide 1/metabolism* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/metabolism* ; Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor/metabolism* ; Insulin-Secreting Cells/pathology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Male ; Blood Glucose/metabolism* ; Insulin/blood* ; Mice ; Intestinal Mucosa/pathology* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Islets of Langerhans/pathology*

Ovarian tumor (OT) is the most lethal form of gynecologic malignancy, with minimal improvements in patient outcomes over the past several decades. Metastasis is the leading cause of ovarian cancer-related deaths, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Psychological stress is known to activate the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1), a factor associated with poor prognosis in OT patients. However, the precise mechanisms linking NR3C1 signaling and metastasis have yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we demonstrate that chronic restraint stress accelerates epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis in OT through an NR3C1-dependent mechanism involving nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1). Mechanistically, NR3C1 directly regulates the transcription of NUPR1, which in turn increases the expression of snail family transcriptional repressor 2 (SNAI2), a key driver of EMT. Clinically, elevated NR3C1 positively correlates with NUPR1 expression in OT patients, and both are positively associated with poorer prognosis. Overall, our study identified the NR3C1/NUPR1 axis as a critical regulatory pathway in psychological stress-induced OT metastasis, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for intervention in OT metastasis.

OBJECTIVE: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is sensitive to ferroptosis, a new form of programmed cell death that occurs in most tumor types. However, the mechanism through which ferroptosis modulates HCC remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the oncogenic role and prognostic value of FANCD2 and provide novel insights into the prognostic assessment and prediction of immunotherapy. METHODS: Using clinicopathological parameters and bioinformatic techniques, we comprehensively examined the expression of FANCD2 macroscopically and microcosmically. We conducted univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses to identify the prognostic value of FANCD2 in HCC and elucidated the detailed molecular mechanisms underlying the involvement of FANCD2 in oncogenesis by promoting iron-related death. RESULTS: FANCD2 was significantly upregulated in digestive system cancers with abundant immune infiltration. As an independent risk factor for HCC, a high FANCD2 expression level was associated with poor clinical outcomes and response to immune checkpoint blockade. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that FANCD2 was mainly involved in the cell cycle and CYP450 metabolism. CONCLUSION To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to comprehensively elucidate the oncogenic role of FANCD2. FANCD2 has a tumor-promoting aspect in the digestive system and acts as an independent risk factor in HCC; hence, it has recognized value for predicting tumor aggressiveness and prognosis and may be a potential biomarker for poor responsiveness to immunotherapy.
Humans ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/diagnosis* ; Liver Neoplasms/diagnosis* ; Immunotherapy ; Fanconi Anemia Complementation Group D2 Protein/metabolism* ; Prognosis ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between ABO blood types and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk. METHODS: A prospective birth cohort study was conducted. ABO blood types were determined using the slide method. GDM diagnosis was based on a 75-g, 2-h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) according to the criteria of the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups. Logistic regression was applied to calculate the odds ratios ( ORs) and 95% confidence intervals ( CIs) between ABO blood types and GDM risk. RESULTS: A total of 30,740 pregnant women with a mean age of 31.81 years were enrolled in this study. The ABO blood types distribution was: type O (30.99%), type A (26.58%), type B (32.20%), and type AB (10.23%). GDM was identified in 14.44% of participants. Using blood type O as a reference, GDM risk was not significantly higher for types A ( OR = 1.05) or B ( OR = 1.04). However, women with type AB had a 19% increased risk of GDM ( OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.05-1.34; P < 0.05), even after adjusting for various factors. This increased risk for type AB was consistent across subgroup and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION The ABO blood types may influence GDM risk, with type AB associated with a higher risk. Incorporating it-either as a single risk factor or in combination with other known factors-could help identify individuals at risk for GDM before or during early pregnancy.
Humans ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Diabetes, Gestational/etiology* ; ABO Blood-Group System ; Adult ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To investigate chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection's effect on gestational liver function, pregnancy and delivery complications, and neonatal development. METHODS: A total of 157 HCV antibody-positive (anti-HCV[+]) and HCV RNA(+) patients (Group C) and 121 anti-HCV(+) and HCV RNA(-) patients (Group B) were included as study participants, while 142 anti-HCV(-) and HCV RNA(-) patients (Group A) were the control group. Data on biochemical indices during pregnancy, pregnancy complications, delivery-related information, and neonatal complications were also collected. RESULTS: Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) rates in Group C during early, middle, and late pregnancy were 59.87%, 43.95%, and 42.04%, respectively-significantly higher than Groups B (26.45%, 15.70%, 10.74%) and A (23.94%, 19.01%, 6.34%) ( P < 0.05). Median ALT levels in Group C were significantly higher than in Groups A and B at all pregnancy stages ( P < 0.05). No significant differences were found in neonatal malformation rates across groups ( P > 0.05). However, neonatal jaundice incidence was significantly greater in Group C (75.16%) compared to Groups A (42.25%) and B (57.02%) ( χ ² = 33.552, P < 0.001). HCV RNA positivity during pregnancy was an independent risk factor for neonatal jaundice ( OR = 2.111, 95% CI 1.242-3.588, P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS Chronic HCV infection can affect the liver function of pregnant women, but does not increase the pregnancy or delivery complication risks. HCV RNA(+) is an independent risk factor for neonatal jaundice.
Humans ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Adult ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/epidemiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Infant, Newborn ; Viremia/virology* ; Hepatitis C ; Hepacivirus/physiology* ; Hepatitis C, Chronic/virology* ; Young Adult ; Alanine Transaminase/blood*

Objective:To construct a risk warning model for severe mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(SMPP)children based on clinical data,laboratory indicators and imaging indicators.Methods:162 Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(MPP)children who were admitted in Foshan Women and Children Hospital from January 2021 to December 2023 were selected,64 SMPP children were included in severe group,the remaining 98 children were included in mild group.The general data,laboratory indicators and imaging indicators of the children were collected.The influencing factors for the occurrence of SMPP were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression models,and a risk warning model for the occurrence of SMPP children was constructed based on multivariate logistic regression model.The predictive value of the risk warning model for the occurrence of SMPP were analyzed by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results:The proportion of 3 years old ≤ age＜6 years old,course of disease,body temperature,fever course,C-reactive protein(CRP),erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR),lactate dehydrogenase(LDH),cyanosis of lips,positive triconcave sign,pleural effusion,lesion site was the lower lobe,abnormal electrocardiogram and extrapulmonary manifestations in severe group were significantly higher than those in mild group(P＜0.05),there were no significant differences in gender,white blood cell count(WBC),neutrophil ratio and procalcitonin(PCT)between the two groups(P＞0.05).Multivariate logistic regression analysis model showed that,3 years old ≤age＜6 years old,high body temperature,long fever course,CRP elevated,ESR elevated,LDH elevated,cyanosis of lips,positive triconcave sign,pleural effusion,lesion site was the lower lobe,abnormal electrocardiogram and extrapulmonary manifestations were risk factors for the occurrence of SMPP(P＜0.05).ROC curve analysis showed that,the area under the curve(AUC)of the risk warning model was 0.829,the sensitivity was 84.82％,and the specificity was 78.15％,the actual prediction curve of the risk warning model was in good agreement with the prediction curve,the decision curve showed that,the threshold probability range of the model was 4.61％～88.14％.Conclusion:The risk warning model based on clinical multi parameters such as general data,laboratory indicators and imaging indicators has certain predictive value for the occurrence of SMPP.

Objective To investigate the electroencephalography(EEG)signal characteristics in patients with neuropathic pain(NP)associated with spinal cord injury(SCI).Methods A total of 90 patients with SCI from January,2018 to November,2023 were selected from the EEG database of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine,Xijing Hospital,and divided into NP group(n=46)and non-NP group(n=44)according to their symptoms.The resting-state EEG power and reactivity to eye-opening were compared between two groups.Results Compared with non-NP group,EEG power increased in frontal lobe in α and β1 bands,central lobe in δ,θ,α1 and β1 bands,parietal lobe in α and β1 bands,temporal lobe in α and β1 bands,left occipital lobe in α2 band,and occipital lobe in α1 and β1 bands(|Z|>1.998,P<0.05)in NP group during eye-opening;during eye-closing,EEG power increased in prefrontal lobe in α1 and β1 bands,right frontal lobe in θ band,frontal lobe in α and β1 bands,left frontal lobe in β2 band,central lobe in δ,α1 and β1 bands,parietal lobe in α1 and β1 bands,left pari-etal lobe in α2 and β2 bands,right temporal lobe in θ band,temporal lobe in α and β bands,occipital lobe in α1 and β1 bands,and left occipital lobe in β2 band(|Z|>1.970,P<0.05);while the reactivity to eye-opening de-creased in right prefrontal lobe in β1 band,frontal lobe in θ,α and β bands,right central lobe in β1 band,parietal lobe in α1 and β1 bands,right parietal lobe in β2 band,right temporal lobe in δ and θ band,temporal lobe in α1 and β bands,left occipital lobe in α1 band,and occipital lobe in β1(|Z|>1.967,P<0.05).Conclusion Resting-state EEG power characteristically elevates in NP patients after SCI,and the reactivity to eye-open-ing reduces.

Objective To understand the current situation of healthcare-associated infection(HAI)in China,pro-vide data support and decision-making basis for formulating scientific and effective strategies for HAI prevention and control.Methods A nationwide cross-sectional survey on HAI was conducted among various types and levels of medical institutions in China according to a unified protocol of bedside surveys and case investigations.Results In 2024,a total of 5 736 medical institutions and 2 751 765 patients were surveyed.Among them,34 889 HAI cases were identified,with a prevalence rate of 1.27％.The number of HAI episodes was 38 032,and case prevalence rate was 1.38％.The prevalence rate of HAI in medical institutions in different regions of China ranged from 0.66％to 2.35％.Among medical institutions of different scales,those with a bed capacity of ≥900 had the high-est incidence of HAI,reaching 1.65％.The most common infection site was the lower respiratory tract(44.66％),followed by the urinary tract(12.94％),surgical site(9.32％),upper respiratory tract(7.02％),and bloodstream infection(5.78％).The top 3 departments with the highest HAI rates were the general intensive care unit(10.02％),department of neurosurgery(5.51％),and department(group)of hematology(5.34％).A total of 23 238 strains of HAI pathogens were detected,with 10 714 strains(46.10％)from lower respiratory tract speci-mens.The top 5 detected strains were Klebsiella pneumoniae(14.76％),Pseudomonas aeruginosa(13.33％),Escherichia coli(12.79％),Acinetobacter baumannii(9.23％),and Staphylococcus aureus(7.88％).231 944 pa-tients underwent class Ⅰ incision surgery were monitored,with 1 647 cases experienced surgical site infection,and the prevalence rate of surgical site infection was 0.71％.The number of patients who should undergo pathogen de-tection(patients receiving therapeutic and therapeutic combined prophylactic antimicrobial agents)was 715 179,while the actual number was 480 492,with a pathogen detection rate of 67.18％.425 225 patients received patho-genic detection before treatment,with a detection rate of 59.46％.Conclusion The overall HAI prevalence in Chi-na is lower,showing disparities among medical institutions of different regions and scales.Therefore,precise imple-mentation of measures is necessary for HAI prevention and control,with a focus on high-risk institutions and high-risk departments,key areas,and critical procedures.All levels of medical institutions should continuously reduce the incidence of HAI by strengthening monitoring,standardizing the use of antimicrobial agents,and reinforcing basic HAI prevention and control measures.