ObjectiveThis study aims to explore the potential of different orders of magnitude single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) locus combinations for predicting distant kinship relationships. A high-density SNP locus set was constructed, and a comprehensive assessment of its inference capability was conducted. MethodsFirstly, we selected three commercial chip panels, CGA (Chinese genotyping array, Illumina), GSA (Global screening array, Illumina), Affy (23MF_V2 high-density SNP array, Affymetrix) and merged them after quality control, forming a high-density SNP locus panel(1 180 k). Secondly, we selected 161 samples and collected their peripheral blood samples by using whole-genome sequencing technology. Within this sample population, the levels of kinship relationships fully covered the range from level 1 to level 9, and the number of kinship pairs at each level was consistently maintained at over 50 pairs. From 161 samples data of whole-genome sequencing, the 1 180 k locus set was extracted, which is referred to as the high-density SNP locus set in the following text. The kinship inference was conducted using the identity-by-descent (IBD) algorithm with the selected optimal parameters. To comprehensively evaluate the performance of the high-density SNP locus set in kinship inference, we compared it with the three commercial chip panels, the intersection of these three chip loci, and the control sets constructed by randomly reducing the number of the high-density SNP locus set. Based on the changes in the IBD lengths, as well as the dynamic trends in prediction accuracy, we conducted a scientific assessment of the kinship inference capability of the high-density SNP locus set. ResultsAfter screening, a set of 1 184 334 autosomal SNPs was obtained. During the process of screening the optimal IBD length threshold, the result revealed that 0 cM, 1 cM, and 2 cM all demonstrated good applicability. However, to avoid the issue of a large amount of redundant information caused by setting a too low IBD length threshold, this study ultimately selected 2 cM as the optimal threshold. Compared with the average results of three chip panels, the high-density SNP locus set increased the total IBD length and the average IBD length across levels 1-9; the accuracy of the confidence interval for level 8 was 70.97%, which represented a 3.50% improvement; the average confidence interval accuracy for levels 1-8 was 91.39%, representing a 1.00% increase; and the false negative rates at levels 8 and 9 were reduced by 2.42% and 6.76%, respectively. The system efficacy of the high-density SNP locus set for kinship inference of first to eighth degree relationships reached 98.91%. Through random reduction of the high-density SNP locus set results, it is found that increasing the number of SNPs with the panel, the detection efficiency of IBD length showed a significant upward trend. At the same time, the overall trend in the accuracy of kinship relationship prediction as well as the confidence interval accuracy also indicated that both metrics steadily increased with the addition of more loci. ConclusionThe results show that the high-density SNPs panel significantly enhances the efficacy of distant kinship inference, accurately covering kinship degrees, with the average confidence interval accuracy for first to eighth degree relationships stably above 90%. The study finds that increasing the number of SNPs panel can improve the ability to predict distant kinship.

Aim To reveal the mechanism of CIP4 homologs protein 1(RICH1)are involved in the regu-lation of myocardial fibrosis.Methods Mouse cardiac fibroblasts(MCFs)cells were treated with transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β1)to induce the formation of a myocardial fibrosis cell model;the level of the target protein was detected by Western blotting;and the RICH1 gene was detected by transfection of the cells with plasmid.The RICH1 gene was overexpressed(RICH 1 OE)using plasmid transfection;the RICH1 gene was silenced using siRNA fragment(siRICH1);and the expression levels of myocardial fibrosis marker genes,such as Col1 a1,Col3 a1,and Acta2,were de-tected using RT-qPCR.Results RICH1 was signifi-cantly down-regulated in TGF-β1-treated MCFs;the expression levels of myocardial fibrosis marker genes,such as Col1 a1,Col3a1,and Acta2,were down-regu-lated in the RICH1 OE+TGF-β1 group;and in the siRICH1+TGF-β1 group,myocardial fibrosis marker genes,such as Col1 a1,Col3a1 and Acta2 were up-regulated at the expression level;phosphorylated SMAD2(p-SMAD2)and phosphorylated SMAD3(p-SMAD3)levels were down-regulated in the siRICH1 OE+TGF-β1 group.p-SMAD2 and P-SMAD3 levels were upregulated in the siRICH1+TGF-β1 group.Conclusion RICH1 inhibits TGF-β1-induced myo-cardial fibrosis;RICH1 inhibits TGF-β1-induced myo-cardial fibrosis by negatively regulating the SMAD2/3 signaling pathway.

Objective To propose a multiple regression-variational auto-encoders(MR-VAE)model to realize precise and non-invasive prediction of intra-abdominal pressure(IAP)in critically ill patients.Methods At first,a dataset was constructed by retrospectively analysing baseline characteristics and clinical indicators of 100 critically ill patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Daping Hospital of Army Medical University between 30 August 2019 and 30 March 2021.Then,a MR-VAE prediction model was developed by integrating a feedforward neural network for supervised regression onto a variational autoencoder(VAE)framework and incorporating multiple regression strategies to mitigate feature interference.Finally,the MR-VAE model had its performance evaluated by its comparison with five classical models including support vector machines(SVM),convolutional neural networks(CNN),Scikit-learn integrated model(SIM),multi-layer perceptron(MLP)and K-nearest neighbors(KNN),and its prediction accuracy verified by testing the data of 10 randomly selected patients.Results The MR-VAE model behaved the best when compared with the five classical models,with a mean squared error(MSE)of 0.207,a root mean square error(RMSE)of 0.454,a mean absolute error(MAE)of 0.361,a median absolute deviation(MAD)of 0.243,an explained variance score(EVS)of 0.814 and a R2of 0.823,which also outperformed the five models in fitting performance,convergence and final loss.In random sample testing,the MR-VAE model exhibited high consistency between predicted and actual values.Conclusion The MR-VAE model proposed can accurately predict IAP,which has great potential in reducing the repeated measurements of IAP in critically ill patients and providing new ideas for the early diagnosis and treatment of IAH.

Aim To explore the therapeutic effect and mechanism of Qingjie Huagong decoction in modulating PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway in inflammatory response of acute pancreatitis(AP)mice.Methods Twenty-four mice were randomly divided into Blank group,Model group,Ustekin group,and Qingjie Hua-gong decoction group,with six mice in each group.The AP model was prepared by using rain frogin.Serum α-AMS,PNLP,IL-1β,IL-6,IL-8,IL-18,and TNF-α lev-els were detected by ELISA;the pancreatic pathology was detected by HE staining;the expressions of PI3K,AKT,and NF-κB-related proteins and mRNAs were de-tected by immunohistochemistry,Western blot,and RT-qPCR.Results Compared with the blank group,the model group showed obvious pathological damage to the pancreas,with significantly higher serum α-AMS,PN-LP,IL-1β,IL-6,IL-8,IL-18,and TNF-α levels(P＜0.01),and significantly higher levels of PI3K,AKT,and NF-κB-related proteins and mRNA expression(P＜0.01).Compared with the model group,both the Qingjie Huagong decoction group and the ustekin group improved the histopathological changes in the pancreas of AP mice,decreased the serum α-AMS,PNLP,IL-1β,IL-6,IL-8,IL-18,and TNF-α levels,and down-reg-ulated the expression levels of pancreatic PI3K,AKT,NF-κB-related proteins and mRNA(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Conclusion Qingjie Huagong decoction may inhibit the inflammatory response and protect pancreat-ic tissues by regulating the expression of PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a novel intravascular lithotripsy(IVL)balloon—Vesscrack shockwave balloon—for vascular preparation before stent implantation in patients with severe coronary artery calcification(CAC).Methods This was a prospective,single-arm,multicenter study conducted in China from June 2022 to October 2022.Patients with severe CAC were treated with the Vesscrack shockwave balloon for lesion preparation,followed by drug-eluting stent(DES)implantation.Of these,33 patients underwent optical coherence tomography(OCT).The primary endpoint was procedural success,defined as successful stent implantation with residual stenosis≤30％and the absence of in-hospital major adverse events,including cardiac death,target vessel-related myocardial infarction,or target lesion revascularization.Results A total of 170 patients[mean age:(65.9±7.9)years,116 males]were enrolled.After treatment with IVL and DES,the minimum lumen diameter increased significantly compared to baseline[(2.34±0.40)mm vs.(0.95±0.33)mm,P＜0.001],the degree of stenosis was significantly reduced[(13.24±6.60)％vs.(65.18±10.59)％,P＜0.001].Procedural success was achieved in 100％of cases,and device success was 98.8％.The 30-day patient-related cardiovascular clinical composite endpoint(POCE)rate was 0.0,with no target lesion failure,no confirmed or potential thrombotic events were observed.The shockwave energy generator demonstrated excellent stability and ease of use.Among the 33 patients assessed with OCT,after IVL intervention,the maximum calcified area of the lumen[(3.51±1.51)mm2 vs.(2.85±1.80)mm2,P＜0.001],and the minimum lumen area within the target lesion[(3.08±1.04)mm2 vs.(2.02±0.75)mm2,P＜0.001],and after DES intervention,the luminal area of the largest calcified site[(6.59±1.64)mm2 vs.(2.85±1.80)mm2,P＜0.001]and the minimum luminal area within the target lesion[(6.19±1.45)mm2 vs.(2.02±0.75)mm2,P＜0.001]were significantly increased,and the differences were statistically significant.Conclusions The Vesscrack shockwave balloon is effective and safe for vascular preparation in patients with severe CAC prior to stent implantation.It achieves significant calcified plaque modification,high procedural success rates,and minimal complications.

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction disease caused by a dysregulated host response to infection.It has com-plex pathophysiological changes,and in severe cases,it can rap-idly develop into septic shock and multiple organ dysfunction or multiple organ failure.At present,the pathological mechanism of sepsis and its induced organ dysfunction is complex and the in-fluencing factors are numerous.So far,there is still a lack of specific and effective treatment strategies.RNA modify-N6-methyladenosine(m6 A)is one of the most common post-tran-scriptional modifications on eukaryotic RNAs.It is involved in the regulation of the occurrence and development of a variety of inflammatory diseases,including sepsis,and even multiple organ dysfunction induced by sepsis by affecting the metabolism of RNAs.It includes cardiac dysfunction,acute lung injury(ALI)and acute kidney injury(AKI).Therefore,this article will dis-cuss the effect of m6A modification on the function of immune cells,and its important role in sepsis and its induced multiple or-gan dysfunction diseases by regulating inflammatory signals,py-roptosis,mitochondrial damage and ferroptosis.This will provide new therapeutic targets and strategies for the clinical prevention and treatment of sepsis and its induced multiple organ dysfunc-tion diseases.

This study aims to analyze the screening results and epidemiological characteristics of prostate cancer (PCa) among elderly males in the rural areas of Songjiang, Shanghai City, through the implementation of a preliminary prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening based on a community-linkage model, and to explore an effective screening approach. A retrospective observational study design was employed to collect data from residents who underwent PSA screening at Songjiang Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, in collaboration with multiple community health service centers in Songjiang District, Shanghai City, between June 2022 and June 2024, through free clinics and annual health examinations. Prostate biopsy was recommended for individuals with total PSA (tPSA) levels >10 ng/ml and those with 4 ng/ml≤tPSA≤10 ng/ml and abnormal free-to-total PSA (f/tPSA) ratios. Clinical characteristics of detected PCa patients were analyzed. Follow-up was conducted through phone calls and home visits by family doctors, coupled with enhanced health education. The results indicated that a total of 17 198 residents participated in the screening, among which 2 234 (12.99%) had tPSA levels between 4 ng/ml and 10 ng/ml, and 257 (1.49%) had tPSA levels >10 ng/ml. Ultimately, 417 residents underwent prostate biopsy, with 171 being diagnosed with PCa, yielding a positive biopsy rate of 41.00% and a PCa detection rate of 0.99%. The predominant pathological subtype among PCa patients was adenocarcinoma (168 cases, 98.24%). Of the 146 PCa patients who received treatment, the majority were classified as intermediate or high-risk (124 cases, 84.93%). Furthermore, with the optimization of the screening model, there was a significant increase in the proportion of subsequent outpatient visits. In conclusion, the community-linkage-based PSA screening model demonstrated high effectiveness in screening for PCa among elderly males in the rural areas of Songjiang, Shanghai City. Epidemiological findings revealed that PCa patients in this region are primarily composed of intermediate and high-risk groups, highlighting the need for intensified early screening and health education.

Aim To reveal the mechanism of CIP4 homologs protein 1(RICH1)are involved in the regu-lation of myocardial fibrosis.Methods Mouse cardiac fibroblasts(MCFs)cells were treated with transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β1)to induce the formation of a myocardial fibrosis cell model;the level of the target protein was detected by Western blotting;and the RICH1 gene was detected by transfection of the cells with plasmid.The RICH1 gene was overexpressed(RICH 1 OE)using plasmid transfection;the RICH1 gene was silenced using siRNA fragment(siRICH1);and the expression levels of myocardial fibrosis marker genes,such as Col1 a1,Col3 a1,and Acta2,were de-tected using RT-qPCR.Results RICH1 was signifi-cantly down-regulated in TGF-β1-treated MCFs;the expression levels of myocardial fibrosis marker genes,such as Col1 a1,Col3a1,and Acta2,were down-regu-lated in the RICH1 OE+TGF-β1 group;and in the siRICH1+TGF-β1 group,myocardial fibrosis marker genes,such as Col1 a1,Col3a1 and Acta2 were up-regulated at the expression level;phosphorylated SMAD2(p-SMAD2)and phosphorylated SMAD3(p-SMAD3)levels were down-regulated in the siRICH1 OE+TGF-β1 group.p-SMAD2 and P-SMAD3 levels were upregulated in the siRICH1+TGF-β1 group.Conclusion RICH1 inhibits TGF-β1-induced myo-cardial fibrosis;RICH1 inhibits TGF-β1-induced myo-cardial fibrosis by negatively regulating the SMAD2/3 signaling pathway.

Objective To propose a multiple regression-variational auto-encoders(MR-VAE)model to realize precise and non-invasive prediction of intra-abdominal pressure(IAP)in critically ill patients.Methods At first,a dataset was constructed by retrospectively analysing baseline characteristics and clinical indicators of 100 critically ill patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Daping Hospital of Army Medical University between 30 August 2019 and 30 March 2021.Then,a MR-VAE prediction model was developed by integrating a feedforward neural network for supervised regression onto a variational autoencoder(VAE)framework and incorporating multiple regression strategies to mitigate feature interference.Finally,the MR-VAE model had its performance evaluated by its comparison with five classical models including support vector machines(SVM),convolutional neural networks(CNN),Scikit-learn integrated model(SIM),multi-layer perceptron(MLP)and K-nearest neighbors(KNN),and its prediction accuracy verified by testing the data of 10 randomly selected patients.Results The MR-VAE model behaved the best when compared with the five classical models,with a mean squared error(MSE)of 0.207,a root mean square error(RMSE)of 0.454,a mean absolute error(MAE)of 0.361,a median absolute deviation(MAD)of 0.243,an explained variance score(EVS)of 0.814 and a R2of 0.823,which also outperformed the five models in fitting performance,convergence and final loss.In random sample testing,the MR-VAE model exhibited high consistency between predicted and actual values.Conclusion The MR-VAE model proposed can accurately predict IAP,which has great potential in reducing the repeated measurements of IAP in critically ill patients and providing new ideas for the early diagnosis and treatment of IAH.