Objective To explore the recognition capabilities of electronic nose combined with machine learning in identifying the breath odor map of benign and malignant pulmonary nodules and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndrome elements. Methods The study design was a single-center observational study. General data and four diagnostic information were collected from 108 patients with pulmonary nodules admitted to the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery of Hospital of Chengdu University of TCM from April 2023 to March 2024. The patients' TCM disease location and nature distribution characteristics were analyzed using the syndrome differentiation method. The Cyranose 320 electronic nose was used to collect the odor profiles of oral exhalation, and five machine learning algorithms including random forest (RF), K-nearest neighbor (KNN), logistic regression (LR), support vector machine (SVM), and eXtreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) were employed to identify the exhaled breath profiles of benign and malignant pulmonary nodules and different TCM syndromes. Results (1) The common disease locations in pulmonary nodules were ranked in descending order as liver, lung, and kidney; the common disease natures were ranked in descending order as Yin deficiency, phlegm, dampness, Qi stagnation, and blood deficiency. (2) The electronic nose combined with the RF algorithm had the best efficacy in identifying the exhaled breath profiles of benign and malignant pulmonary nodules, with an AUC of 0.91, accuracy of 86.36%, specificity of 75.00%, and sensitivity of 92.85%. (3) The electronic nose combined with RF, LR, or XGBoost algorithms could effectively identify the different TCM disease locations and natures of pulmonary nodules, with classification accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity generally exceeding 80.00%.Conclusion Electronic nose combined with machine learning not only has the potential capabilities to differentiate the benign and malignant pulmonary nodules, but also provides new technologies and methods for the objective diagnosis of TCM syndromes in pulmonary nodules.

Objective: Previous studies have discovered a correlation between cigarette smoking and cortical thickness and surface area, but the causal relationship remains unclear. The objective of this investigation is to scrutinize the causal association between them. Methods: To derive summary statistics from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on cortical thickness, surface area, and four smoking behaviors: 1) age of initiation of regular smoking (AgeSmk); 2) smoking initiation (SmkInit); 3) smoking cessation (SmkCes); 4) cigarettes per day (CigDay). Linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) was employed to examine genetic association analysis. Furthermore, for traits with significant genetic associations, Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses were conducted. Results: The LDSC analysis revealed nominal genetic correlations between AgeSmk and right precentral surface area, left caudal anterior cingulate surface area, left cuneus surface area, left inferior parietal surface area, and right caudal anterior cingulate thickness, as well as between CigDay and left caudal middle frontal surface area, between SmkCes and left entorhinal thickness, and between SmkInit and left rostral anterior cingulate surface area, right rostral anterior cingulate thickness, and right superior frontal thickness (rg=-0.36–0.29, p<0.05). MR analysis showed a unidirectional causal association between left caudal middle frontal surface area and CigDay (βIVW=0.056, pBonferroni=2×10-4). Conclusion Left caudal middle frontal surface area has the potential to serve as a significant predictor of smoking behavior.

Objective To explore the effects of different education and examination methods on the examination results during the screening/evaluation of patent foramen ovale by contrast-enhanced transcranial Doppler(cTCD).Methods Patients who underwent cTCD screening/evaluation for patent foramen ovale in our hospital from May 2023 to February 2024 were retrospectively selected as the research subjects.The patients were divided into the observation group and the control group according to different education and examination methods during the peri-examination period.Patients who received video education,modified Valsalva maneuver,and injection of contrast agent with 20 mL syringe were included into the observation group,and patients who received artificial education,Valsalva maneuver,and injection of contrast agent with 10 mL syringe were included into the control group.The positive detection rate of patent foramen ovale,right-to-left shunt microbubble grading during Valsalva/modified Valsalva maneuver,systolic blood flow velocity,pulsatility index(PI),resistive index(RI),examination duration,total physician-patient communication time,whether occlusion surgery was performed,and patient satisfaction were compared between the two groups.Results The positive detection rate of patent foramen ovale by cTCD(82.93%vs.95.92%),the detection rate of the maximum amout(grade Ⅲ)of microbubbles(39.02%vs.61.22%),the total physician-patient communication time during the peri-examination period[11.30(10.00,14.00)minutes vs.8.23(7.00,10.00)minutes],the rate of occlusion surgery(48.78%vs.73.47%),and the total patient satisfaction(80.49%vs.91.84%)showed statistically significant differences between the control group and the observation group(P<0.05).Additionally,the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis showed that the area under the curve(AUC)for diagnosing patent foramen ovale were 0.718 in the control group and 0.855 in the observation group.Conclusion Peri-examination interventions such as video education,modified Valsalva maneuver,and injection of contrast agent with 20 mL syringe can improve the positive detection rate of patent foramen ovale,reduce ineffective physician-patient communication,and improve patient satisfaction.

Objective:To investigate the effect of atosiban on hemodynamic parameters of uterine arteries and clinical effect evaluation in patients with previous implantation failure undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze 298 cycles of FET in the Department of Reproductive Medicine of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2021 to June 2023. Patients were categorized into atosiban group ( n=149) and control group ( n=149) according to whether administered atosiban or not. The related indicators and clinical outcomes were compared between the two groups. Hemodynamic parameters of the uterine arteries, including bilateral uterine artery peak systolic velocity/diastolic velocity (S/D), pulsatility index (PI), resistance index (RI), and serum levels of prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) and oxytocin were compared before and after atosiban treatment. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were applied to assess the effect of atosiban on pregnancy outcomes. The effect of atosiban on live birth rate was analyzed by age stratification. Results:The implantation rate [51.92% (135/260)], the clinical pregnancy rate [67.11% (100/149)] and the live birth rate [59.06% (88/149)] in atosiban group were significantly higher than those in control group [41.13% (102/248), P=0.015; 51.01% (76/149), P=0.005; 40.27% (60/149), P=0.001]; and the early miscarriage rate [9.00% (9/100)] was lower than that of control group [19.74% (15/76), P=0.040]. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that atosiban was an independent influencing factor of live birth rate ( OR=2.236, 95% CI: 1.371-3.646, P=0.001). The post-treatment right uterine artery blood flow S/D [4.61 (4.00, 5.36)], PI [1.81 (1.58, 2.05)], RI [0.79 (0.75, 0.82)], and left uterine artery blood flow S/D [4.62 (3.83, 5.61)], PI (1.84±0.38), RI [0.79 (0.74, 0.82)] were all lower than those before treatment [right S/D 4.93 (4.06, 6.04), P<0.001; PI 1.93 (1.60, 2.17), P=0.001; RI 0.80 (0.76, 0.83), P<0.001; left S/D 5.05 (4.20, 6.32), P<0.001; PI 1.95±0.43, P<0.001; RI 0.81 (0.76, 0.84), P<0.001]. Besides, the levels of PGF2α [97.01 (85.15, 109.93) ng/L] and oxytocin [41.18 (37.16, 46.78) ng/L] after treatment in atosiban group were significantly lower than those before treatment [119.71 (108.85, 129.99) ng/L, P<0.001; 51.87 (46.44, 55.54) ng/L, P<0.001). Moreover, the endometrial peristalsis waves in atosiban group were significantly less after treatment [1.00 (0.00, 2.00) times/min] than before treatment [2.00 (1.00, 3.00) times/min], and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.001). Conclusion:Atosiban can improve uterine artery blood flow and reduce endometrial peristalsis waves in women with previous implantation failure, which increases endometrial blood perfusion. Additionally, it can also reduce the levels of PGF2α and oxytocin, and optimize the pregnancy outcome of the frozen-thawed embryo transfer.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of short-chain fatty acid(SCFA) on perioperative cognitive dysfunction in aged rats through mitogen-activated protein kinase p38(p38 MAPK)/nuclear factor-κB p65(NF-κB p65) pathway.Methods:According to random number table method, 32 healthy SPF-grade male SD rats, aged 16 months and weighing 520~620 g, were divided into control group, short-chain fatty acid group (SCFA group), perioperative cognitive dysfunction group (PCD group) and perioperative cognitive dysfunction+ short-chain fatty acid group (SCFA+ PCD group), with 8 rats in each group. The perioperative cognitive dysfunction model was established by sevoflurane anesthesia plus internal fixation of tibial fractures. Rats in SCFA group and SCFA+ PCD group freely drank water added with SCFA for 28 days. On the 29th day, rats in SCFA+ FCD group underwent tibial fracture internal fixation surgery. Morris water maze test was performed on the 7th day after surgery to evaluate the cognitive function of rats. The Nissl bodies of hippocampus were observed by Nissl's staining. The hippocampus tissue was collected to analyze the expressions of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), p38 MAPK, phosphorylated p38 MAPK, NF-κB p65 and phosphorylated NF-κB p65 by Western blot.The SPSS 27.0 software was used for statistical analysis. One-way ANOVA was used for comparison among multiple groups, and LSD- t test was used for further pairwise comparison. Results:(1) The results of Morris water maze test showed that the times of crossing the original platform, the escape latency and the residence time in the original platform quadrant were statistically significant among the four groups on the 7th day after surgery ( F=13.80, 47.80, 6.46, all P<0.05). The escape latencies of the SCFA+ PCD group and PCD group were both longer than that in the control group (both P<0.05). The times of crossing the original platform in SCFA+ PCD group and PCD group were less than that of control group (both P<0.05). The residence time in the original platform quadrant in SCFA+ PCD group and PCD group was shorter than that of control group (both P<0.05).Compared with PCD group, the escape latency was shorter, the times of crossing the original platform were more and the residence time in the original platform quadrant was longer in SCFA+ PCD group (all P<0.05). (2) The expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, phosphorylated p38 MAPK and phosphorylated NF-κB p65 were statistically significant among the four groups ( F=184.28, 139.27, 19.40, 58.47, all P<0.05). The expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, phosphorylated p38 MAPK and phosphorylated NF-κB p65 were higher in SCFA+ PCD group (0.49±0.10, 0.60±0.05, 0.489±0.012, 0.435±0.005) and PCD group (0.85±0.05, 1.12±0.08, 0.519±0.028, 0.473±0.008) than those in control group (0.13±0.02, 0.42±0.10, 0.437±0.010, 0.362±0.013)(all P<0.05). The expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, phosphorylated p38 MAPK and phosphorylated NF-κB p65 were lower in SCFA+ PCD group than PCD group (all P<0.05). (3) The average gray value of Nissl bodies was statistically significant different among the four groups ( F=14.65, P<0.05). The average gray value of Nissl bodies was lower in SCFA+ PCD group (193.2±8.1) and PCD group (160.5±14.1) than that of control group (221.2±14.8) (both P<0.05). The average gray value of Nissl bodies was higher in SCFA+ PCD group than that in PCD group( P<0.05). Conclusion:Short-chain fatty acid attenuates cognitive dysfunction, which may be related with inhibiting p38 MAPK/NF-κB p65 pathway and reducing the neuroinflammation.

Objective:To analyze the learning curve of TiRobot-assisted lumbar pedicle screw fixation (LPSF) by cumulative sum (CUSUM) test method.Methods:The clinical data of 50 patients who underwent TiRobot-assisted LPSF from January 2020 to December 2022 in Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. CUSUM analysis and learning curve fitting were performed with robot usage time as the main indicator with the time for each step refined (robot registration time, path planning time and guide wire placement time), to select the best learning curve fitting model with the R2 value closest to 1. Using the turning point of the learning curve as the boundary, the learning curve was divided into two stages as learning stage and maturity stage, and then the observation indexes were compared between the two stages. Results:All 50 patients successfully completed the surgery without perioperative complications, with a total of 244 pedicle screws implanted. The total robot usage time and robot registration time showed a gradually decreasing trend with the increase of case number, and the learning curves were successfully fitted and reached their peaks at the seventeenth and thirteenth cases respectively. The entire learning process was divided into learning stage (17 cases) and maturity stage (33 cases) based on the turning point of the learning curve of total robot usage time. The path planning time and guide wire placement time did not show significant changes with the increase in the case number. The total robot usage time, robot registration time and the intraoperative blood loss in the learning stage were significantly higher than those in the maturity stage: (35.35 ± 1.58) min vs. (30.61 ± 0.43) min, (20.83 ± 1.56) min vs. (14.94 ± 0.29) min and 400 (150, 500) ml vs. 200 (110, 300) ml, the guide wire placement time of per screw was significantly lower than that in the maturity stage: 2.00 (1.83, 2.34) min/screw vs. 2.33 (2.13, 2.69) min/screw, and there were statistical differences ( P<0.05 or <0.01). There were no statistical difference in the path planning time, path planning time of per screw, guide wire placement time and the accuracy of screw placement between two stages ( P>0.05). Conclusions:TiRobot-assisted LPSF is a new technology with safety and effectiveness, and it has a relatively short learning curve. To achieve technological maturity, at least 17 surgeries are required with accumulated experience, and the robot registration is the main step of the learning process. After reaching maturity stage, the robot usage time is significantly shortened and intraoperative trauma is significantly reduced while the relatively high screw placement accuracy is ensured.

Aim To explore the mechanism of clar-ithromycin in treating inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)by inhibiting Kv1.3 channel protein in colonic epithelial cells.Methods A chronic IBD rat model was induced using dextran sulfate sodium(DSS)in vi-vo experiments,with clarithromycin intervention.The physical signs of each group of rats were observed,and the disease activity index(DAI)score and colonic mu-cosal damage index(CMDI)score were calculated.RT-qPCR was used to detect the levels of relevant cyto-kines in colonic tissue of rats.Flow cytometry was em-ployed to detect the relative proportions of immune cells in the peripheral blood and colonic tissue of each group of rats.Lipopolysaccharide(LPS)was used to establish an inflammation model of colon epithelial cells(NCM460)to clarify the inhibitory effect of clar-ithromycin on Kv1.3 channel protein.Results In vi-vo experiments:compared to the model group,the clar-ithromycin intervention group exhibited a reduced de-gree of weight loss(P＜0.01),and a significant de-crease in DAI scores(P＜0.01).There was an in-crease in colon length,a reduction in weight,and a de-crease in CMDI scores(P＜0.05).Levels of TNF-α,IL-1 β,and IL-6 in colon tissue were significantly re-duced(P＜0.01).The numbers of peripheral blood and colonic regulatory T lymphocytes(Th),cytotoxic T lymphocytes(CTL),natural killer cells(NK),B lym-phocytes(B),and dendritic cells(DC)were signifi-cantly decreased(P＜0.05).Clarithromycin reduced the expression of Kv1.3 channel protein in colon tissue(P＜0.05).In vitro experiments:compared to the model group,the clarithromycin group significantly pro-moted the proliferation of NCM460 cells(P＜0.01)and simultaneously significantly reduced the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in cells(P＜0.05).Clarithromycin also reduced the expression of Kv1.3 channel protein in NCM460 cells(P＜0.05).Conclusions Clar-ithromycin may play an immunomodulatory role by in-hibiting the expression of Kv1.3 channel protein,re-ducing inflammation in the body,and playing a role in the treatment of IBD.

Aim To investigate the role of corylin in angiotensin Ⅱ(Ang Ⅱ)-induced cardiomyocyte hy-pertrophy and its underlying mechanisms.Methods An Ang Ⅱ-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy model was established and treated with corylin.Real-time PCR was employed to assess hypertrophic gene mRNA expression,and immunofluorescence was used to meas-ure cardiomyocyte surface area.Western blot and en-zyme activity assay kits were used to evaluate SIRT1 expression and activity.Results Corylin markedly mitigated Ang Ⅱ-induced hypertrophic gene expression and cardiomyocyte surface area enlargement.Moreo-ver,it prevented the Ang Ⅱ-mediated decline in SIRT1 protein levels and deacetylase activity.Further investi-gation indicated that corylin inhibited Ang Ⅱ-driven NF-κB transcriptional activity and the expression of its downstream target genes,such as TNF-α,IL-6,and IL-1β.Notably,SIRT1 silencing abolished the protective effects of corylin against cardiomyocyte hypertrophy,as well as its regulation of the SIRT1/NF-κB signaling pathway.Conclusion Corylin suppresses cardiomyo-cyte hypertrophy by modulating the SIRT1-dependent NF-κB signaling pathway.

This research aimed to comprehensively understand the prevalence of mutation in drug-resistant molecular markers of imported Plasmodium vivax in Chongqing,the Pvmdr1,Pvdhps,Pvdhfr,Pvcrt-o and Pvk12 genes of Plasmodium vivax were systematically analyzed.Blood samples were collected from imported Plasmodium vivax-infected patients in Chongqing between 2011 and 2022.The Pvmdr1,Pvdhps,Pvdhfr,Pvcrt-o,and Pvk12 genes were amplified and then sequenced to precisely evaluate gene mutations.Bioinformatics methods were employed to conduct in depth analysis of the mutation prevalence.Regarding the Pvdhfr gene,mutations at codons 50,57,58,61,99,117,and 199 were detected in 2.9%,23.5%,76.4%,23.53%,2.9%,82.3%,and 5.88%of the samples,respectively.The double-mutant haplotype S58R/S117N was the most prevalent,accounting for 50%,followed by the quadruple-mutant haplotype F57L/S58R/T61M/S117T,which accounted for 11.76%.Among the four types of tandem-repeat variations of Pvdhfr,the wild-type was the most common,and the insertion type was a novel discovery in this study.For the Pvdhps gene,the prevalence among mutation genotypes was relatively low.The single-mutant genotype was dominant,constituting 27.03%.The prevalence of Pvmdr1 mutations at codons 958 and 1076 was 100%and 89.19%,respectively.Among the 37 successfully sequenced samples,K10 insertion was detected in only 8 cases(22.22%).Notably,no non-synonymous mutations of Pvk12 were identified in this study.The cases in this study were imported from various countries of origin.Novel tandem-repeat variation tyres of Pvdhfr and new mutation sites of Pvdhps were identifide,thus enriching the mutation information of imported Plasmodium vivax resistance molecular markers in China.

Objective:To evaluate the relationship between postoperative delirium (POD) and concentrations of phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein 1 (PEBP1) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of elderly patients undergoing total knee and hip arthroplasty.Methods:In this case-control study, 375 elderly patients of both sexes, aged ≥65 yr, of American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification Ⅰ or Ⅱ, scheduled for elective total knee and hip arthroplasty under combined spinal-epidural anesthesia at Haian Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University from November 2022 to June 2024, were selected. The perioperative clinical data were collected. CSF was drawn before anaesthesia for determination of the concentrations of PEBP1, Abeta 42 (Aβ 42), total tau (t-tau) and phosphorylated tau (p-tau) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The occurrence of postoperative delirium was evaluated using the Confusion Assessment Method at 1-7 days after operation. The severity of POD was assessed using a Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale. The patients were divided into POD group and non-POD group based on whether POD occurred. The influencing factors of POD were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. Mediating effects were assessed to determine whether the levels of Aβ 42, p-tau and t-tau in CSF mediated PEBP1′s effect on POD. The accuracy of CSF PEBP1 concentration in predicting POD was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic curve. Results:Decreased concentration of Aβ 42 in CSF, decreased ratios of Aβ 42/p-tau and Aβ 42/t-tau in CSF, and increased concentrations of PEBP1, p-tau and t-tau in CSF were independent risk factors for POD ( P<0.05). The results of mediation analysis showed that the relationship between PEBP1 and POD was partially mediated by CSF Aβ 42 (15.0%) and Aβ 42/t-tau ratio (14.9%). The receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the accuracy of CSF PEBP1 concentrations in predicting the occurrence of POD was high (AUC=0.846, P<0.001). Conclusions:Preoperative elevated CSF PEBP1 concentration is a risk factor for POD. CSF Aβ 42 concentration and Aβ 42/t-tau ratio serve as key mediators in the the association between PEBP1 and POD. PEBP1 concentration is more accurate in predicting POD.