ObjectiveTo characterize the features of the gut microbiome and its association with clinical prognosis in patients with intermediate and advanced hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） treated with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization （TACE） combined with targeted therapy and immunotherapy. MethodsThis retrospective study enrolled patients with intermediate and advanced HCC who received TACE combined with targeted therapy and immunotherapy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from February 2025 to July 2025. Baseline clinical data and fecal samples were collected from all enrolled patients before the index hospitalization and treatment. Patients were stratified using two independent criteria： ① a good-prognosis group and a poor-prognosis group， based on whether progression-free survival （PFS） reached 6 months； ② a response group and a non-response group， based on tumor response to the first TACE assessed by the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors （mRECIST）. Metagenomic sequencing was performed on fecal samples. Bioinformatic analysis was conducted to evaluate the diversity and compositional differences of intestinal bacterial and fungal communities between groups in each stratification， and to screen for prognosis-associated characteristic microbial taxa. ResultsA total of 61 patients met the inclusion criteria. Analysis of α-diversity and β-diversity showed no statistically significant differences in bacterial and fungal diversity between groups under either stratification strategy （P＞ 0.05）. At the bacterial level， Lactobacillus johnsonii （prognosis stratification： P=0.048； response stratification： P=0.043）， Bifidobacterium dentium （prognosis stratification： P=0.004； response stratification： P=0.030） and Clostridioides difficile （prognosis stratification： P=0.017； response stratification： P=0.016） were significantly enriched in both the good prognosis group and the response group. At the fungal level， Cryptococcus decaguttatus （P=0.045）， Puccinia striiformis （P=0.002）， and Kwoniella quercicola （P=0.015） were enriched in the good‑prognosis group； Kwoniella bestiolae （P=0.037） was enriched in the response group； and Akanthomyces muscarius （P=0.024） was enriched in the non-response group. Survival analysis based on the common differential bacterial abundance in both groupings showed a significant correlation between the abundance of Bifidobacterium dentium and patient prognosis. ConclusionDifferences in the gut microbiota are associated with the prognosis of patients with intermediate and advanced HCC treated with TACE combined with targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Bifidobacterium dentium may serve as a potential predictive biomarker for the efficacy of this combination regimen， and represents a potential intervention target to modulate treatment response. Differences in gut fungal communities are also potentially associated with the prognosis of intermediate and advanced HCC patients receiving TACE combined with targeted therapy and immunotherapy.

Objective This study aimed to investigate the relationship between malnutrition and coronary inflammation,and explore the interaction and mediating effects of coronary inflammation in the association between malnutrition and major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 428 patients diagnosed with coronary heart disease at the Central China Fuwai Hospital from May 2018 to July 2022.All patients underwent coronary angiography(CAG)and coronary computed tomography angiography(CCTA).The TCB index(triglycerides×total cholesterol×body weight)and the coronary fat attenuation index around the proximal right coronary artery(RCA-FAI)were used to assess patients' nutritional state and the degree of coronary inflammation,respectively.The study endpoint was MACE.We used linear regression models to analyze the correlation between TCBI and RCA-FAI,cox regression models to assess the correlation of TCBI and RCA-FAI with MACE,and mediation analysis to investigate whether RCA-FAI mediated the relationship between TCBI and MACE.Results A total of 428 patients were included in the study.There was a negative correlation between RCA-FAI and TCBI(r=-0.224,P<0.001).After adjusting for potential confounders,each standard deviation decrease in the TCBI index was associated with a 2.20 HU increase in RCA-FAI(95%CI:-3.40～-1.19,P<0.001).During a mean follow-up period of 2.15 years,51 MACE occurred.MACE risk in the low TCBI/high RCA-FAI group was 6.58 times higher than that in the high TCBI/low RCA-FAI group(adjusted HR=6.580,95%CI:2.237～19.360,P=0.001),and the interaction between TCBI and RCA-FAI was identified.Mediation analysis revealed that RCA-FAI mediated 37.5%of the associations between TCBI and MACE.Conclusions In patients with coronary artery disease,malnutrition is associated with increased coronary inflammation.There is a significant interaction between malnutrition and coronary inflammation in the risk of MACE,and coronary inflammation partially mediates the relationship between malnutrition and MACE.The combination of the TCBI index and RCA-FAI can help identify patients at high cardiovascular risk.Improving malnutrition and controlling coronary inflammation may provide addi-tional benefits for patients with coronary artery disease.

Retinal artery occlusion(RAO)is a vascular neuro-ophthalmological emergency and a rare but serious complication of carotid artery stenting(CAS).It is characterized by a sudden decrease in vision or even vision loss in one eye.This article reports a case of central RAO caused by emboli through a branch of the external carotid artery during CAS,aiming to provide insights for optimizing CAS procedures,and preventing and controlling this complication.

Objectives:This study aims to evaluate the relationship between the triglyceride-glucose body mass index(TyG-BMI),the right pericoronary fat attenuation index(RCA-FAI),and prognosis in patients with coronary artery disease(CAD).Methods:This study included 513 CAD patients who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography(CCTA)and coronary angiography between April 2018 and June 2023.Data collection and parameter calculations were performed for all research variables.The patients were stratified into three groups based on TyG-BMI tertiles:T1 group(TyG-BMI≤207.02,n=171),T2 group(207.02

Objectives:This study aims to evaluate the relationship between the triglyceride-glucose body mass index(TyG-BMI),the right pericoronary fat attenuation index(RCA-FAI),and prognosis in patients with coronary artery disease(CAD).Methods:This study included 513 CAD patients who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography(CCTA)and coronary angiography between April 2018 and June 2023.Data collection and parameter calculations were performed for all research variables.The patients were stratified into three groups based on TyG-BMI tertiles:T1 group(TyG-BMI≤207.02,n=171),T2 group(207.02

Objective This study aimed to investigate the relationship between malnutrition and coronary inflammation,and explore the interaction and mediating effects of coronary inflammation in the association between malnutrition and major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 428 patients diagnosed with coronary heart disease at the Central China Fuwai Hospital from May 2018 to July 2022.All patients underwent coronary angiography(CAG)and coronary computed tomography angiography(CCTA).The TCB index(triglycerides×total cholesterol×body weight)and the coronary fat attenuation index around the proximal right coronary artery(RCA-FAI)were used to assess patients' nutritional state and the degree of coronary inflammation,respectively.The study endpoint was MACE.We used linear regression models to analyze the correlation between TCBI and RCA-FAI,cox regression models to assess the correlation of TCBI and RCA-FAI with MACE,and mediation analysis to investigate whether RCA-FAI mediated the relationship between TCBI and MACE.Results A total of 428 patients were included in the study.There was a negative correlation between RCA-FAI and TCBI(r=-0.224,P<0.001).After adjusting for potential confounders,each standard deviation decrease in the TCBI index was associated with a 2.20 HU increase in RCA-FAI(95%CI:-3.40～-1.19,P<0.001).During a mean follow-up period of 2.15 years,51 MACE occurred.MACE risk in the low TCBI/high RCA-FAI group was 6.58 times higher than that in the high TCBI/low RCA-FAI group(adjusted HR=6.580,95%CI:2.237～19.360,P=0.001),and the interaction between TCBI and RCA-FAI was identified.Mediation analysis revealed that RCA-FAI mediated 37.5%of the associations between TCBI and MACE.Conclusions In patients with coronary artery disease,malnutrition is associated with increased coronary inflammation.There is a significant interaction between malnutrition and coronary inflammation in the risk of MACE,and coronary inflammation partially mediates the relationship between malnutrition and MACE.The combination of the TCBI index and RCA-FAI can help identify patients at high cardiovascular risk.Improving malnutrition and controlling coronary inflammation may provide addi-tional benefits for patients with coronary artery disease.

Retinal artery occlusion(RAO)is a vascular neuro-ophthalmological emergency and a rare but serious complication of carotid artery stenting(CAS).It is characterized by a sudden decrease in vision or even vision loss in one eye.This article reports a case of central RAO caused by emboli through a branch of the external carotid artery during CAS,aiming to provide insights for optimizing CAS procedures,and preventing and controlling this complication.

Objective:To analyze the results of lymphocyte subsets and 12 plasma cytokines in patients with tuberculosis by flow cytometry and to evaluate their diagnostic efficacy in these patients.Methods:This is a retrospective case-control study. A total of 128 patients with evidence of tuberculosis disease or clinically confirmed tuberculosis who were admitted to the 8th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital from January 2022 to December 2023 were included. According to the location of mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, the patients were divided into the pulmonary tuberculosis group (83 cases) and the extrapulmonary tuberculosis group (45 cases), and 100 healthy age-and sex matched people who underwent health check up during the study period were selected as the control group. Flow cytometry was used to detect peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets and 12 plasma cytokines [including 10 pro-inflammatory factors: interleukin (IL)-5, interferon (IFN)-α, IL-2, IL-6, IL-1β, IFN-γ, IL-8, IL-17, IL-12P70, Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and two anti-inflammatory factors: IL-4, IL-10] in participants of all groups. Spearman correlation method was used to analyze the correlation between lymphocyte subsets and cytokines, binary Logistic regression was used to screen the TB related factors, and receiver operating curve (ROC) was used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of TB related factors.Results:Compared with the control group, the absolute number of CD3 +T lymphocytes, CD3 +CD8 +T lymphocytes, CD3 +CD4 +T lymphocytes, NK cells and B cells were lower in pulmonary tuberculosis group and extrapulmonary tuberculosis group (all P<0.05). Except for IL-1β, the levels of other 11 cytokines are all significantly higher in the pulmonary tuberculosis group (all P<0.01), and the levels of IL-6, IFN-γ, IL-17, TNF-α, IL-4 and IL-10 were significantly higher in extrapulmonary tuberculosis group (all P<0.05). Compared with extrapulmonary tuberculosis group, the level of IL-8 was higher in pulmonary tuberculosis group ( P=0.026). Spearman correlation analysis showed that IL-6, IFN-γ and IL-8 were negatively correlated with the absolute numbers of CD3 +T lymphocytes, CD3 +CD8 +T lymphocytes, CD3 +CD4 +T lymphocytes, NK cells and B cells (IL-6: R2=-0.30, -0.28, -0.32, -0.26, -0.28; IFN-γ: R2=-0.36, -0.31, -0.37, -0.25, -0.36; IL-8: R2=-0.14, -0.13, -0.16, -0.14, -0.22; all P<0.05), IL-10 was negatively correlated with the absolute number of CD3 +CD4 +T lymphocytes, NK cells and B cells ( R 2=-0.14, -0.19, -0.21, all P<0.05); Binary Logistic regression analysis showed that IL-6, IFN-γ, IL-8 and IL-10 were the related factors of tuberculosis ( OR=1.809, 1.136, 0.910, 2.218, all P<0.05), ROC curve analysis showed that the AUC of IL-6, IFN-γ, IL-8 and IL-10 in the joint diagnosis of tuberculosis was 0.845, the sensitivity was 0.766, and the specificity was 0.820. Conclusion:The lower absolute number of lymphocyte subsets and cytokine levels in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and extrapulmonary tuberculosis indicate that their immune function is in a low state, and the higher levels of pro-inflammatory factors (IL-6, IFN-γ, IL-8) and anti-inflammatory factor (IL-10) indicates the higher inflammatory status, and evaluation of these 4 cytokines has satisfactory diagnostic efficacy for tuberculosis.

Objectives:To clarify the radiological anatomy features of adrenal arteries derived from digital subtraction angiography(DSA)in patients with primary aldosteronism(PA). Methods:The DSA images of 119 patients diagnosed with PA and underwent percutaneous selective adrenal artery embolization from January 2018 to December 2019 at the 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University were retrospectively analyzed,and the number,origin,distribution,angle and diameter of adrenal arteries were analyzed. Results:The mean age of 119 PA patients was(49±11)years,with 71(59.7%)males,and at least one adrenal artery was successfully identified in all patients,a total of 192 adrenal arteries were analyzed.There were 20(10.4%)upper,40(20.8%)middle and 132(68.8%)lower adrenal arteries.Adrenal arteries originating from renal arteries accounted for 42.7%(82/192),adrenal arteries originating from the abdominal aorta accounted for 37.5%(72/192),and those from the inferior diaphragmatic arteries accounted for 19.8%(38/192).72.8%(83/114)of left adrenal arteries and 60.3%(47/78)of right adrenal arteries distributed at the level of the first lumbar vertebrae.28.1%(54/192)adrenal arteries distributed at the level of the second lumbar vertebrae,and 4.2%(8/192)adrenal arteries at the level of the 12th thoracic vertebrae.The angle range of left adrenal arteries intersecting with the origin arteries was 35.90° to 160.07°(renal artery),27.08° to 171.99°(accessory renal artery),0° to 158.70°(abdominal aorta);for right adrenal arteries,it was 18.43° to 172.53°(renal artery),69.26° to 114.62°(accessory renal artery),12.32° to 232.85°(abdominal aorta),respectively.The average diameters of left and right adrenal arteries were(0.98±0.45)mm and(1.27±0.42)mm,respectively. Conclusions:This study provides more detailed radiological anatomy data of adrenal arteries in PA patients.As a supplement to human anatomical features,the described data can provide practical guidance for adrenal artery interventional treatment.

Cryoablation (CRA) and microwave ablation (MWA) are two main local treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, which one is more curative and suitable for combining with immunotherapy is still controversial. Herein, CRA induced higher tumoral PD-L1 expression and more T cells infiltration, but less PD-L1^highCD11b⁺ myeloid cells infiltration than MWA in HCC. Furthermore, CRA had better curative effect than MWA for anti-PD-L1 combination therapy in mouse models. Mechanistically, anti-PD-L1 antibody facilitated infiltration of CD8⁺ T cells by enhancing the secretion of CXCL9 from cDC1 cells after CRA therapy. On the other hand, anti-PD-L1 antibody promoted the infiltration of NK cells to eliminate PD-L1^highCD11b⁺ myeloid cells by antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) effect after CRA therapy. Both aspects relieved the immunosuppressive microenvironment after CRA therapy. Notably, the wild-type PD-L1 Avelumab (Bavencio), compared to the mutant PD-L1 atezolizumab (Tecentriq), was better at inducing the ADCC effect to target PD-L1^highCD11b⁺ myeloid cells. Collectively, our study uncovered the novel insights that CRA showed superior curative effect than MWA in combining with anti-PD-L1 antibody by strengthening CTL/NK cell immune responses, which provided a strong rationale for combining CRA and PD-L1 blockade in the clinical treatment for HCC.