BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Unhealthy diets are associated with chronic stress. An allostatic load (AL) is a comprehensive physiological index that measures the chronic stress response of the body. As a healthy dietary pattern, the role of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) in the development of an AL during pregnancy remains unclear. This study examined the relationship between the DASH dietary pattern and AL during pregnancy. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study was a prospective study. From January 2024 to November 2024, 134 pregnant women in the second trimester (23–27 weeks) and third trimester (32–36 weeks) of pregnancy who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria in the obstetrics clinic of a tertiary general hospital in Anhui Province were selected for a questionnaire survey, physical examination, and laboratory examination. The DASH dietary pattern was assessed using the DASH scoring tool, and the total AL score was calculated using nine biomarkers that represent the cardiovascular, metabolic, and immune systems. Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between the DASH score and AL. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-four pregnant women were included in this study. At the second and third trimesters, 41.8% and 37% of pregnant women, respectively, were in the high AL group. The binary logistic regression results showed that the DASH score was negatively correlated with the AL in the unadjusted model (odds ratio [OR], 0.878; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.807–0.957; P = 0.003) and adjusted model (OR, 0.878; 95% CI, 0.792–0.973; P = 0.013) in the second trimester, the DASH score was negatively correlated with the AL in the unadjusted model (OR, 0.832; 95% CI, 0.758–0.913; P < 0.001) and adjusted model (OR, 0.806; 95% CI, 0.716–0.908; P < 0.001) in the third trimester. CONCLUSION The DASH score was negatively correlated with the AL in pregnant women.A low DASH score may increase the risk of a high AL, which may have adverse effects on physical and mental health.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of radiotherapy in patients with advanced esophageal cancer receiving first-line chemoimmunotherapy.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the data of 137 patients with Stage Ⅳ esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) treated at our hospital from January 2018 to May 2023. These patients were divided into two groups: a group treated with first-line chemoimmunotherapy combined with radiotherapy (chemoimmunotherapy + radiotherapy group, n = 43) and a group treated with only chemoimmunotherapy ( n = 94). Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was applied to balance baseline characteristics between the groups. With overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) as study endpoints, the survival data were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method, the log-rank test, and the Cox regression method. Results:Before calibration, the chemoimmunotherapy + radiotherapy group significantly outperformed the sole chemoimmunotherapy group in median PFS (13.6 months vs. 7.0 months; HR: 0.501, 95% CI: 0.309-0.811, P = 0.005). After calibration using the COX proportional-hazards model for age, gender, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, smoking history, T/N/M stage, and tumor location, the chemoimmunotherapy + radiotherapy group still had significant advantages in PFS (14.7 months vs. 7.0 months; HR: 0.441, 95% CI: 0.261-0.745, P = 0.002). IPTW analysis further confirmed this trend (13.9 months vs. 7.0 months; HR: 0.492, 95% CI: 0.304-0.795, P < 0.001). Specifically, the median OS of the chemoimmunotherapy + radiotherapy group demonstrated significant improvement in all analyses: pre-calibration (29.5 months vs. 18.0 months; HR: 0.507, 95% CI: 0.297-0.867, P = 0.013), after calibration using the Cox model (27.5 months vs. 16.7 months; HR: 0.470, 95% CI: 0.266-0.830, P = 0.009), and after calibration using IPTW (29.5 months vs. 16.9 months; HR: 0.448, 95% CI: 0.262-0.764, P < 0.001). Conclusions:The combination of radiotherapy and first-line chemoimmunotherapy can significantly improve survival outcomes of patients with advanced ESCC, suggesting its potential as a standard treatment strategy.

Objective The purpose of writing the"expert consensus on humanistic care for patients in hospice care"(hereinafter referred to as the"consensus")aims to standardize the practice of humanistic care in the field of hospice care,ensuring that humanistic care is integrated throughout the entire service process for hospice care patients and their families.Methods A systematic search was conducted in domestic and foreign databases for literature related to hospice care and humanistic care,including guidelines,expert consensuses,systematic reviews or Meta-analyses,and evidence summaries.High-quality evidence was evaluated,extracted,and summarized to form the initial draft of the"consensus".From June to October 2024,20 experts from the fields of hospice care,nursing humanities,and evidence-based nursing were invited to participate in 1 round of expert consultation.Among them,13 experts were selected for 2 rounds of expert demonstration meetings.After collating and analyzing the experts' opinions,the initial draft was revised and refined,ultimately resulting in the final version of the"consensus".Results The effective response rate of the consultation questionnaire was 100％,with expert authority coefficient of 0.880,judgment coefficient of 0.935,and familiarity level of 0.825.The Kendall harmony coefficient of the expert consultation was 0.134(P＜0.05).The"consensus"consisted of 13 aspects,including the targets and objectives,principles,institutional guarantees,environmental requirements,etc.Conclusion This"consensus"possesses strong scientific rigor and practicality,which can provide guidance and references for the practice of humanistic care in the field of hospice care,promoting the standardization and humanization of hospice care services.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease(CJD)is a rapidly progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by prions,with certain infectivity and iatrogenic transmission risks.With the rapid progress and application of new dia-gnostic biomarkers and detection methods,as well as the construction and improvement of surveillance and reporting systems,the detection of CJD in patients domestically and internationally has shown an increasing trend year by year.Due to its long incubation period and heterogeneity of early symptoms,early identification and diagnosis of the disease is difficult,increasing the risk of transmission within medical institutions.Currently,there is a lack of con-sensus on the infection prevention and control of CJD.In order to timely identify and diagnose CJD as well as effec-tively block its transmission in medical institutions,this consensus summarizes 15 clinical concerns and formulates 24 specific recommendations based on the latest domestic and international research findings and clinical evidence,as well as combines with clinical practice,aiming to standardize healthcare-associated infection prevention and control measures for CJD and reduce its transmission risk in medical institutions.

Objective:To evaluate the effects of a reduced-positioning restrictions nursing program on postoperative recovery, sleep quality, self-care ability, and hip joint function in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA), providing a reference for postoperative positioning management.Methods:A randomized controlled trial was conducted, and 140 THA patients admitted to Zhejiang Provincial People′s Hospital from January 2022 to June 2023 were selected using convenience sampling. They were divided into a control group (70 cases) and an observation group (70 cases) using a random number table. The control group received conventional rehabilitation care, while the observation group received a reduced-positioning restrictions nursing program in addition to the conventional care. The incidence of dislocation at 3 months postoperatively, the activities of daily living, the hip joint function recovery at 1 month and 3 months postoperatively, the sleep quality at 1 month postoperatively were compared between the two groups.Results:Finally 63 cases in the control group and 64 cases in the observation group completed the study. The control group included 25 males and 38 females, with an average age of (65.44 ± 10.97) years, while the observation group included 28 males and 36 females, with an average age of (65.13 ± 12.18) years. At 3 months postoperatively, there was no significant difference in the dislocation rate between the control group and the observation group ( P>0.05). At 1 month and 3 months postoperatively, the scores of activities of daily living in the observation group were (77.89 ± 6.71) and (93.52 ± 6.59) points respectively, which were higher than those in the control group [(69.68 ± 5.53) and (87.38 ± 7.72) points], the differences were statistically significant ( t=5.38, 6.96, both P<0.05), the time, interaction and inter-group effects were all statistically significant ( F=33.93, 10.81, 876.91, all P<0.05). At 1 month postoperatively, the excellent and good rate of hip joint function score grade in the observation group was 73.44% (47/64), which was higher than 41.27% (26/63) in the control group, the difference was statistically significant ( Z=-3.67, P<0.05), there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups at 3 months postoperatively ( P>0.05). At 1 month after the operation, the excellent and good rate of sleep quality score grades in the observation group was 81.25% (52/64), which was higher than 57.14% (36/63) in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant ( Z=-3.00, P<0.05). Conclusions:Incorporating a reduced-positioning restrictions nursing program into the perioperative management of THA does not increase the risk of prosthesis dislocation. This approach enhances patient comfort, improves sleep quality, increases self-care ability, and supports the recovery of hip joint function.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease(CJD)is a rapidly progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by prions,with certain infectivity and iatrogenic transmission risks.With the rapid progress and application of new dia-gnostic biomarkers and detection methods,as well as the construction and improvement of surveillance and reporting systems,the detection of CJD in patients domestically and internationally has shown an increasing trend year by year.Due to its long incubation period and heterogeneity of early symptoms,early identification and diagnosis of the disease is difficult,increasing the risk of transmission within medical institutions.Currently,there is a lack of con-sensus on the infection prevention and control of CJD.In order to timely identify and diagnose CJD as well as effec-tively block its transmission in medical institutions,this consensus summarizes 15 clinical concerns and formulates 24 specific recommendations based on the latest domestic and international research findings and clinical evidence,as well as combines with clinical practice,aiming to standardize healthcare-associated infection prevention and control measures for CJD and reduce its transmission risk in medical institutions.

Objective:To investigate the serum level of soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and its effect on the therapeutic effect of daletumab.Methods:A total of 126 MM patients admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical College from June 2019 to June 2021 were retrospectively selected as the observation group, and 120 healthy subjects in the same period were selected as the control group. The observation group was treated with daletumab. The level of sVCAM-1 in the observation group and the control group was compared, and the relationship between serum sVCAM-1 level and clinicopathological features, different Durie-Salmon (DS) stages, different International Staging System(ISS) stages and treatment outcome of MM patients were analyzed.Results:The serum level of sVCAM-1 in the observation group was higher than that in the control group: (797.69 ± 119.73) μg/L vs. (210.55 ± 73.77) μg/L, there was statistical difference ( P<0.01). There were no statistical differences in serum sVCAM-1 level among MM patients with different sex, body mass index, blood calcium, serum albumin, hemoglobin, lactate dehydrogenase and diagnostic type ( P>0.05). The serum level of sVCAM-1 in MM patients DS stage Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ were (649.29 ± 101.02), (694.36 ± 109.88) and (729.66 ± 120.44) μg/L, there was statistical difference ( F = 5.12, P<0.01). The serum level of sVCAM-1 in MM patients with ISS stage Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ were (648.73 ± 99.77), (701.05 ± 107.83) and (765.82 ± 111.07) μg/L, there was statistical difference ( F = 11.46, P<0.01). After treatment, the serum level of sVCAM-1 in MM patients with complete remission, partial remission and relapse were (234.05 ± 90.73), (445.36 ± 97.11) and (793.05 ± 121.03) μg/L, there was statistical difference ( F = 245.15, P<0.01). The results of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that when the cut-off value of serum sVCAM-1 level was 58.50 μg/L, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.762 (95% CI 0.699 - 0.825, P<0.01), the sensitivity was 80.95%, the specificity was 67.50%, and the accuracy was 74.39%. Conclusions:The level of serum sVCAM-1 in MM patients is significantly increased, and the higher the level of SVCAM-1, the worse the prognosis of patients, which can be used as one of the indicator to predict the therapeutic effect of MM patients.

Objective:To explore the diagnostic value of serum soluble semaphorin 4D (sSema4D) and soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) in left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in patients with primary hypertension (EH).Methods:Eighty-four patients with EH combined with LVH admitted to Qingdao Hospital of Shandong First Medical University from December 2022 to December 2023 were prospectively selected as the study group, and 84 patients with EH and without LVH admitted to Qingdao Hospital of Shandong First Medical University during the same period were regarded as the control group. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was applied to detect the levels of sSema4D and sCD40L. Employing Pearson correlation coefficient, the study assessed the association between concentrations of sSema4D and sCD40L in serum and various echocardiographic measurements. A multivariate Logistic regression model was engaged to probe into the contributing factors for the development of LVH. ROC curve was plotted to analyze the diagnostic value of serum sSema4D and sCD40L for EH combined with LVH.Results:Serum sSema4D and sCD40L levels were significantly higher in the study group than in the control group: (8.56 ± 2.19) μg/L vs. (5.12 ± 1.43) μg/L, (4.02 ± 1.03) μg/L vs. (3.22 ± 0.98) μg/L, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The duration of hypertension, LVEDD, IVSTD, LVPWT, and LVMI were significantly higher in the study group than in the control group: (7.33 ± 1.53) years vs. (4.26 ± 1.35) years, (50.28 ± 3.33) mm vs. (44.45 ± 3.76) mm, (11.64 ± 3.21) mm vs. (9.53 ± 2.89) mm, (12.45 ± 1.52) mm vs. (9.13 ± 0.98) mm, (126.11 ± 15.28) g/m 2 vs. (81.15 ± 11.31) g/m 2, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). According to Pearson correlation analysis, it was known that both serum sSema4D and sCD40L were positively correlated with LVEDD, IVSTD, LVPWT and LVMI ( r = 0.425 and 0.533, 0.612 and 0.436, 0.513 and 0.628, 0.589 and 0.618; P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that hypertension duration, LVEDD, IVSTD, LVPWT, LVMI, sSema4D, sCD40L were risk factors for LVH in EH patients ( P<0.05). According to the ROC curve, the AUC for diagnosing EH combined with LVH with serum sSema4D was 0.848, the AUC for diagnosing EH combined with LVH with serum sCD40L was 0.725, and the AUC for diagnosing EH combined with LVH with serum sCD40L was 0.888, the combination of sCD40L and sCD40L was superior to their respective individual diagnoses ( Z = 2.651 and 2.526, P<0.05). Conclusions:The serum levels of sSema4D and sCD40L in patients with EH combined with LVH are obviously elevated, which are influencing factors for the occurrence of EH combined with LVH. Combined testing of the two has high diagnostic value for EH combined with LVH.

Objective To screen antidepressant-active compounds from Polygonati Rhizoma and explore their effects and possible mechanisms against depression induced by simulated weightlessness.Methods A systems pharmacology approach was used to screen potential antidepressant-active compounds and their targets from Polygonati Rhizoma.The hindlimb unloading(HLU)rat model was employed for the study.Twenty-four healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups:control group(administered 0.5%carboxymethylcellulose by gavage),HLU group(hindlimb unloading),and HLU+treatment group(hindlimb unloading+active compound gavage),with 8 rats in each group.After 28 days of hindlimb unloading,depressive-like behaviors in rats were evaluated using the forced swimming test and tail suspension test.Hippocampal morphology was examined with H&E staining,and GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were conducted on the targets of active compounds.Results A total of 38 active compounds were screened from Polygonati Rhizoma,among which apigenin had an oral bioavailability of 23.06%and a drug-likeness score of 0.21.Compound-target network analysis indicated that apigenin had the highest degree and betweenness centrality values,suggesting it might be the key active component with antidepressant potential in Polygonati Rhizoma.In the forced swimming and tail suspension tests,rats in the HLU group showed a significant increase in immobility time compared to the control group,indicating successful establishment of the depression model.However,compared to the HLU group,rats in the HLU plus apigenin group exhibited significantly reduced immobility time.The H&E staining results of hippocampal tissue showed a significant reduction in the number of hippocampal neurons,along with numerous shrunken neurons and small vacuoles in nerve fibers in the HLU group.In contrast,the treatment group exhibited an increased number of hippocampal neurons,with improved cellular morphology.Target enrichment analysis indicated that apigenin targets were mainly involved in the regulation of apoptosis and cancer-related signaling pathways.Conclusion Apigenin significantly improved depressive-like behaviors in rats subjected to hindlimb unloading,and it has a protective effect on hippocampal tissue.It may provide a new natural active compound for the treatment of depression caused by spaceflight-induced weightlessness.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics of urea cycle disorder (UCD), the efficacy and safety of glyceryl phenylbutyrate (GPB) therapy in pediatric patients with UCD.Methods:This study was a retrospective, single-arm, multicenter clinical study. The clinical data of 20 pediatric patients with UCD who received GPB treatment at 9 hospitals nationwide between December 2021 and August 2024 were collected. The clinical manifestations, laboratory results, and molecular genetic characteristics were analyzed, ammonia levels and other laboratory results were evaluated pre-post GPB therapy by paired t-tests or Wilcoxon tests. Results:Among the 20 pediatric patients with UCD, there were 8 males and 12 females, and the onset age was 2.8 (1.4, 5.7) years. The ammonia levels were 174 (125, 342) μmol/L at first onset. The symptoms included vomiting in 6 cases, drowsiness in 5 cases, epilepsy in 5 cases, developmental delay in 5 cases, psychiatric and behavioral abnormalities in 3 cases, and lethargy in 1 case, and 18 cases exhibited abnormal liver function. Twenty cases included 6 UCD subtypes, with 11 cases being ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency. A total of 27 variants were identified, 11 (41%) of which were novel. The age of patients who began GPB therapy was 4.0 (1.5, 6.6) years. Ten cases stopped GPB after 4.2 (3.4, 5.3) months, with 4 patients undergoing liver transplantation and 6 discontinuing for financial reasons. The remaining ten patients continued GPB therapy for 11.6 (8.6, 14.0) months. The duration of GPB treatment was 6.0 (4.2, 12.3) months, at the final visit, the levels of ammonia, platelets and aspartate aminotransferase were lower compared to those of pre-treatment (all P<0.05). The serum albumin level was higher than that of pre-treatment ( P=0.016). Two patients suffered only one episode of acute hyperammonaemia, with ammonia levels of 232 and 141 μmol/L, respectively. Nine cases experienced adverse effects potentially related to GPB, decreased appetite in 6 cases, vomiting in 3 cases, abnormal skin oil odor in 2 cases, somnolence, fatigue and diarrhea each in 1 case, with symptoms improved within 6 (3, 10) days. Conclusions:UCD primarily manifests with neurological and gastrointestinal symptoms, and early diagnosis of UCD could be achieved through the analysis of ammonia. GPB may effectively reduce ammonia levels in UCD pediatric patients, with favorable safety and tolerability.