Clinical death refers to the permanent cessation of life functions. This article reviews the definition of clinical death and the various scenarios in which it occurs, classifies the process of clinical death, and discusses the criteria for determining uncontrollable cardiac death, controllable cardiac death and the criteria and workflow for determining brain death. It elaborates on the relationship between brain death and death, and proposes the areas to note when standardizing the medical documentation of death cases. Based on this, it introduces the content of the management system and workflow construction for death determination in medical institutions, including management structure, personnel qualifications, document norms, quality control system and training mechanism. Paying attention to the construction of the management system and workflow for death determination in medical institutions is of great significance for ensuring medical quality and safety, promoting the healthy development of organ donation, and maintaining the seriousness of legal and ethical practices.

BACKGROUND:The titanium alloy bone trabecular bone socket cup prosthesis printed by 3D technology has superior biological characteristics,which helps to promote osteogenic differentiation of stem cells.The Kidney Tonifying and Blood Activating Decoction has the functions of tonifying the kidneys,strengthening tendons,promoting blood circulation,and relieving pain.However,the application of the combination of the two in elderly hip arthroplasty is rarely reported.OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the application value and safety of 3D printed titanium alloy bone trabecular cup prosthesis combined with modified Kidney Tonifying and Blood Activating Decoction in elderly hip arthroplasty.METHODS:A total of 200 elderly patients who received hip arthroplasty in Cangzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine from January 2022 to January 2024 were selected and randomly divided into control group(n=100)and trial group(n=100).The control group underwent Pinnaele cup prosthesis hip arthroplasty combined with modified Kidney Tonifying and Blood Activating Decoction,while the trial group underwent 3D printed titanium alloy bone trabecular cup prosthesis hip arthroplasty combined with modified Kidney Tonifying and Blood Activating Decoction.The medication was taken continuously for 1 week before hip arthroplasty and for 4 weeks after arthroplasty.The differences in pain,swelling,hemorheology,inflammatory factors,bone metabolism,intra-articular stress,and hip abduction muscle strength were compared between the two groups to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of the two treatment options.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Four weeks after surgery,the pain visual analog scale score,limb swelling,whole blood viscosity,and plasma viscosity of the trial group were lower than those of the control group(P＜0.05).The interleukin-6 level of the trial group was lower than that of the control group,and the interleukin-10 level was higher than that of the control group(P＜0.05).The levels of type Ⅰ collagen carboxyl terminal peptide β specific sequence and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b in the trial group were lower than those in the control group,while the levels of osteocalcin,bone-specific phosphatase and typeⅠ procollagen amino-terminal propeptide were higher than those in the control group(P＜0.05).The intra-articular stress and hip abduction muscle strength in the trial group were higher than that of the control group(P＜0.05).(2)Three months after surgery,the excellent and good treatment rate in the trial group was higher than that in the control group,and the incidence of safety evaluation events such as postoperative incision hematoma and infection was lower than that in the control group(P＜0.05).(3)It suggests that 3D printed titanium alloy trabecular acetabular cup prosthesis combined with modified Kidney Tonifying and Blood Activating Decoction can improve the blood rheology of elderly patients with hip arthroplasty,inhibit inflammatory response,reduce postoperative pain and swelling,and enhance bone metabolism,thereby promoting postoperative hip joint function recovery,and reducing the incidence of adverse events,with high safety.

BACKGROUND:The titanium alloy bone trabecular bone socket cup prosthesis printed by 3D technology has superior biological characteristics,which helps to promote osteogenic differentiation of stem cells.The Kidney Tonifying and Blood Activating Decoction has the functions of tonifying the kidneys,strengthening tendons,promoting blood circulation,and relieving pain.However,the application of the combination of the two in elderly hip arthroplasty is rarely reported.OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the application value and safety of 3D printed titanium alloy bone trabecular cup prosthesis combined with modified Kidney Tonifying and Blood Activating Decoction in elderly hip arthroplasty.METHODS:A total of 200 elderly patients who received hip arthroplasty in Cangzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine from January 2022 to January 2024 were selected and randomly divided into control group(n=100)and trial group(n=100).The control group underwent Pinnaele cup prosthesis hip arthroplasty combined with modified Kidney Tonifying and Blood Activating Decoction,while the trial group underwent 3D printed titanium alloy bone trabecular cup prosthesis hip arthroplasty combined with modified Kidney Tonifying and Blood Activating Decoction.The medication was taken continuously for 1 week before hip arthroplasty and for 4 weeks after arthroplasty.The differences in pain,swelling,hemorheology,inflammatory factors,bone metabolism,intra-articular stress,and hip abduction muscle strength were compared between the two groups to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of the two treatment options.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Four weeks after surgery,the pain visual analog scale score,limb swelling,whole blood viscosity,and plasma viscosity of the trial group were lower than those of the control group(P＜0.05).The interleukin-6 level of the trial group was lower than that of the control group,and the interleukin-10 level was higher than that of the control group(P＜0.05).The levels of type Ⅰ collagen carboxyl terminal peptide β specific sequence and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b in the trial group were lower than those in the control group,while the levels of osteocalcin,bone-specific phosphatase and typeⅠ procollagen amino-terminal propeptide were higher than those in the control group(P＜0.05).The intra-articular stress and hip abduction muscle strength in the trial group were higher than that of the control group(P＜0.05).(2)Three months after surgery,the excellent and good treatment rate in the trial group was higher than that in the control group,and the incidence of safety evaluation events such as postoperative incision hematoma and infection was lower than that in the control group(P＜0.05).(3)It suggests that 3D printed titanium alloy trabecular acetabular cup prosthesis combined with modified Kidney Tonifying and Blood Activating Decoction can improve the blood rheology of elderly patients with hip arthroplasty,inhibit inflammatory response,reduce postoperative pain and swelling,and enhance bone metabolism,thereby promoting postoperative hip joint function recovery,and reducing the incidence of adverse events,with high safety.

ObjectiveTo review the current application status， practical challenges， and ethical issues of artificial intelligence （AI） in the field of hospice care， and to conduct a critical evaluation， with a view to offering a reference for promoting the deep integration of AI into clinical hospice care practice in China. MethodsRelevant domestic and international literature was retrieved to comprehensively analyze the application scenarios of AI in hospice care， the practical barriers encountered， and the ethical controversies， and to explore clinical optimization pathways. ResultsAI is gradually transforming the traditional service model of hospice care， with its applications primarily focusing on patient monitoring， symptom management， predictive analytics， clinical decision support， and other aspects. However， its development faced significant practical constraints and complex ethical challenges. ConclusionWhile AI holds immense potential to enhance the quality of hospice care， its application must be grounded in a core ethical framework centered on dignity， empathy， and patient autonomy. Relevant international explorations have been relatively extensive， whereas domestic studies remain in their infancy. Future research urgently warrants an in-depth exploration of the ethical and practical challenges to find localized integration pathways suited to China’s national context.

AIM: To address the problem of cognitive overload and deviation from core teaching objectives caused by information redundancy in traditional case-based teaching in ophthalmology, Occam's Razor principle was innovatively applied to construct a set of streamlined case-based teaching resources, and their effectiveness was subsequently validated.METHODS:This was a prospective randomized controlled trial. Intern students from the 2019 and 2020 cohorts of the five-year clinical medicine program who completed their ophthalmology clerkship at the Department of Ophthalmology, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University between June 2023 and May 2025 were enrolled. By using a random number table, they were randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group. Cases refined by Occam's Razor principle(removing irrelevant information and focusing on core principles, clinical reasoning, and the diagnostic and therapeutic workflow)were adopted for the experimental group, whereas the original complete cases were used for the control group. Teaching effectiveness was assessed through knowledge tests, classroom performance evaluation, teaching case assessment, and student satisfaction.RESULTS:Totally 120 students were included in this study and all of them completed the research. There were 60 students in the experimental group(43 males and 17 females, mean age 21.72±0.76 y)and 60 students in control group(41 males and 19 females, mean age 21.68±0.57 y)(all P>0.05). The score rates on the ocular trauma section and on the case analysis questions were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group(83.21%±7.96% vs 74.25%±11.01%; 84.31%±8.08% vs 67.62%±11.63%; both P<0.001). Teacher evaluations indicated that the experimental group achieved better scores than the control group in aspects such as identification of key case points and logical clinical reasoning(all P<0.001). A significantly lower cognitive load score was observed in the experimental group, whereas higher scores were obtained for clarity of case structure, thought-provoking quality, and teaching value(all P<0.001). The teaching satisfaction rate reached 95% in the experimental group, which was higher than the 83% observed in the control group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION: Refined cases guided by Occam's Razor principle can significantly reduce cognitive load, enhance medical students' efficiency in mastering core diagnostic and therapeutic principles, improve the precision of clinical reasoning, and strengthen execution of clinical procedures, thereby providing an innovative pathway for clinical teaching reform.

Objective:To investigate the associations between thyroid homeostasis and risk of carotid plaque in healthy euthyroid individuals.Methods:In this retrospective cohort study, 4 726 healthy euthyroid adults who received health examination two times or more in the Health Promotion Center of the First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University from January 2018 to December 2024 and had no carotid artery plaques at the baseline were selected. Data encompassed demographics, physical and laboratory tests, carotid ultrasound, and calculated thyroid sensitivity indices [thyroid feedback quantile-based index (TFQI), thyroid hormone resistance index (TT4RI), thyroid-stimulating hormone index (TSHI), and free triiodothyronine (FT3)/free thyroxine (FT4) ratio] were recorded. The participants were divided into two groups based on whether they had newly-developed carotid plaques. The associations between thyroid homeostasis indices and risk of carotid plaque were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regression and restricted cubic splines.Results:During 11 459 person-years of follow-up, the cumulative incidence of carotid plaque was 16.84%, with an incidence density of 6.95 cases per 100 person-years. After multivariable adjustment, FT3 ( HR=0.79, 95% CI: 0.68-0.93) and FT4 ( HR=0.95, 95% CI: 0.91-0.98) were inversely associated with risk of carotid plaque. TSH and thyroid hormone sensitivity showed no significant association with the occurrence of carotid plaques. Subgroup analysis showed that there was no significant interaction between thyroid function indicators and risk of carotid plaque among different subgroups, but the decreased FT3 and FT4 levels significantly increased the risk of new-onset carotid plaques in individuals aged<60 years, without diabetes, without hypertension, or without lipid-lowering medication use. Restricted cubic spline analysis indicated that when TFQI (nonlinear P=0.028, node value was 0.29) and TT4RI (nonlinear P=0.014, node value was 54.95) exceeded specific thresholds, their increase were associated with a reduced risk of carotid plaque. Conclusions:The reduction of FT3 and FT4 in healthy euthyroid adults is associated with an increased risk of carotid plaque. When TFQI and TT4RI are higher than specific thresholds, their increase are associated with a reduced risk of new-onset plaques.

Objective To explore the mechanism by which Pulsatilla saponin D(PSD)inhibits invasion and metastasis of triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC).Methods The public databases were used to identify the potential targets of PSD and the invasion and metastasis targets of TNBC to obtain the intersection targets between PSD and TNBC.The"PSD-target-disease"interaction network was constructed and protein-protein interaction(PPI)analysis was performed to obtain the core targets,which were analyzed for KEGG pathway and GO functional enrichment.Molecular docking study of the core targets and PSD was performed,and the therapeutic effect and mechanism of PSD were verified using Transwell assay and Western blotting in cultured TNBC cells.Results Network pharmacology analysis identified a total of 285 potential PSD targets and 26 drug-disease intersection core targets.GO analysis yielded 175 entries related to the binding of biomolecules(protein,DNA and RNA),enzyme activities,and regulation of gene transcription.KEGG analysis yielded 46 entries involving pathways in cancer,chemical carcinogenesis-receptor activation,microRNAs in cancer,chemical carcinogenesis-reactive oxygen species,PD-L1 expression and PD-1 checkpoint pathway in cancer.Molecular docking showed high binding affinities of PSD to MTOR,HDAC2,ABL1,CDK1,TLR4,TERT,PIK3R1,NFE2L2 and PTPN1.In cultured TNBC cells,treatment with PSD significantly inhibited cell invasion and migration and lowered the expressions of MMP2,MMP9,N-cadherin and the core proteins p-mTOR,ABL1,TERT,PTPN1,HDAC2,PIK3R1,CDK1,TLR4 as well as NFE2L2 expressionin the cell nuclei.Conclusion The inhibitory effects of PSD on TNBC invasion and metastasis are mediated by multiple targets and pathways.

Objective:To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of ossifying fibromyxoid tumor (OFMT) with rare fusion subtypes.Methods:Three cases of OFMT with rare fusion subtypes, diagnosed and consulted in the Zhejiang Hospital, Zhejiang Provincial People′s Hospital, Hangzhou, China and Ningbo Clinical Pathology Diagnosis Center, Ningbo, China from January 2016 to December 2024 were collected. Immunohistochemistry (IHC), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and targeted RNA sequencing were performed to analyze the immunohistochemical and molecular genetic characteristics of these OFMT. Literature review was also conducted.Results:All three patients were male, with ages of 50, 74, and 58 years, respectively. The tumors were located in the left foot, left thigh, and left lumbar region, respectively, and all presented as slowly growing, painless masses in the skin or subcutaneous tissue. Grossly, the tumors measured 3.5 cm, 6.3 cm, and 5.0 cm in maximum diameter, respectively, with a grayish-white to grayish-yellow, solid, lobulated cut surface. One case exhibited a noticeable myxoid texture. Microscopically, one tumor was located in the superficial dermis, while the other two were in the subcutaneous tissue. The tumors were well-demarcated and showed a lobulated or multinodular growth pattern. None of the cases had a complete surrounding bony shell (only one case had very focal ossification). The tumor cells were monomorphic, short spindle-shaped, oval to epithelioid, and arranged in solid sheets, trabeculae, and small nests within a variably fibromyxoid stroma. Case 1 exhibited abundant pseudorosette-like structures formed by short spindle cells surrounding acellular fibrous stroma. Case 2 showed focal transition of epithelioid tumor cells into fasciculately arranged spindle cells, with extensive stromal hyalinization. Case 3 had a predominantly myxoid stroma with a rich network of thin-walled blood vessels. The tumor cells exhibited mild nuclear atypia with 1-3 mitotic figures per 50 high-power fields. All three cases showed diffuse and strong expression of CD10. Two of the three cases showed nuclear expression of TFE3, while one case showed diffuse and strong expression of desmin and S-100. Targeted RNA sequencing revealed PHF1 (ex12)::TFE3 (ex7) fusion in two cases and MEAF6 (ex5)::PHF1 (5′UTR) fusion in one case, which were further confirmed by FISH study. All three patients underwent tumor resection. Two showed no recurrence during follow-up periods of 98 months and 15 months, respectively, while one experienced local recurrence at 12 months postoperatively.Conclusions:OFMT with rare fusion subtypes often exhibits atypical histological and immunophenotypic features, and lacks a characteristic bony shell. Incorporating TFE3 into the diagnostic IHC panel greatly aids in screening for the cases with rare PHF1::TFE3 fusions. Familiarity with the histological and immunophenotypic characteristics, and differential diagnostic points of these rare OFMT subtypes, is essential for judicious use of molecular genetic tools in achieving a definitive diagnosis.

Peptide-based radiopharmaceuticals targeting integrin α5β1 show promise for precise tumor diagnosis and treatment. However, current peptide-based radioligands that target α5β1 demonstrate inadequate in vivo performance owing to limited tumor retention. The use of PEGylation to enhance the tumor retention of radiopharmaceuticals by prolonging blood circulation time poses a risk of increased blood toxicity. Therefore, a PEGylation strategy that boosts tumor retention while minimizing blood circulation time is urgently needed. Here, we developed a PEGylation-enabled peptide multidisplay platform (PEGibody) for PR_b, an α5β1 targeting peptide. PEGibody generation involved PEGylation and self-assembly. [⁶⁴Cu]QM-2303 PEGibodies displayed spherical nanoparticles ranging from 100 to 200 nm in diameter. Compared with non-PEGylated radioligands, [⁶⁴Cu]QM-2303 demonstrated enhanced tumor retention time due to increased binding affinity and stability. Importantly, the biodistribution analysis confirmed rapid clearance of [⁶⁴Cu]QM-2303 from the bloodstream. Administration of a single dose of [¹⁷⁷Lu]QM-2303 led to robust antitumor efficacy. Furthermore, [⁶⁴Cu]/[¹⁷⁷Lu]QM-2303 exhibited low hematological and organ toxicity in both healthy and tumor-bearing mice. Therefore, this study presents a PEGibody-based radiotheranostic approach that enhances tumor retention time and provides long-lasting antitumor effects without prolonging blood circulation lifetime. The PEGibody-based radiopharmaceutical [⁶⁴Cu]/[¹⁷⁷Lu]QM-2303 shows great potential for positron emission tomography imaging-guided targeted radionuclide therapy for α5β1-overexpressing tumors.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the mechanism by which Pulsatilla saponin D (PSD) inhibits invasion and metastasis of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). METHODS: The public databases were used to identify the potential targets of PSD and the invasion and metastasis targets of TNBC to obtain the intersection targets between PSD and TNBC. The "PSD-target-disease" interaction network was constructed and protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis was performed to obtain the core targets, which were analyzed for KEGG pathway and GO functional enrichment. Molecular docking study of the core targets and PSD was performed, and the therapeutic effect and mechanism of PSD were verified using Transwell assay and Western blotting in cultured TNBC cells. RESULTS: Network pharmacology analysis identified a total of 285 potential PSD targets and 26 drug-disease intersection core targets. GO analysis yielded 175 entries related to the binding of biomolecules (protein, DNA and RNA), enzyme activities, and regulation of gene transcription. KEGG analysis yielded 46 entries involving pathways in cancer, chemical carcinogenesis-receptor activation, microRNAs in cancer, chemical carcinogenesis-reactive oxygen species, PD-L1 expression and PD-1 checkpoint pathway in cancer. Molecular docking showed high binding affinities of PSD to MTOR, HDAC2, ABL1, CDK1, TLR4, TERT, PIK3R1, NFE2L2 and PTPN1. In cultured TNBC cells, treatment with PSD significantly inhibited cell invasion and migration and lowered the expressions of MMP2, MMP9, N-cadherin and the core proteins p-mTOR, ABL1, TERT, PTPN1, HDAC2, PIK3R1, CDK1, TLR4 as well as NFE2L2 expressionin the cell nuclei. CONCLUSIONS The inhibitory effects of PSD on TNBC invasion and metastasis are mediated by multiple targets and pathways.
Humans ; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms/metabolism* ; Saponins/pharmacology* ; Pulsatilla/chemistry* ; Female ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Protein Interaction Maps ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Cell Movement/drug effects*