Lung transplantation is the ultimate therapeutic option for end-stage pulmonary diseases such as interstitial pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumoconiosis. Currently, the shortage of allogeneic lung donors significantly limits the opportunity for end-stage lung disease patients to receive lung transplantation. In recent years, with the rapid development of biomedical engineering technologies, especially the major breakthroughs in genetic modification and cloning, xenogeneic lung transplantation has shown important potential for clinical translation. Among them, genetically modified pigs have become the most promising xenogeneic lung source due to the close similarity of organ size and physiological characteristics to humans, and the ability to perform targeted gene knockouts (such as α-Gal antigen knockout) to reduce the occurrence of hyperacute rejection. This article focuses on the research progress of porcine xenogeneic lung transplantation, systematically reviews the latest achievements and challenges in animal experiments and human trials, and introduces the technical experience accumulated by Shenzhen Third People's Hospital in the porcine-to-monkey xenogeneic lung transplantation model, in the hope of providing practical references for future research in this field.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate early effectiveness of posterior 180-degree decompression via unilateral biportal endoscopy (UBE) in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) combined with Michigan State University (MSU)-1 lumbar disc herniation (LDH). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data from 33 patients with LSS combined with MSU-1 LDH, who met selection criteria and were treated between March 2022 and January 2024. All patients underwent UBE-assisted 180-degree spinal canal decompression. The cohort comprised 17 males and 16 females, aged 37-82 years (mean, 67.1 years). Preoperative presentations included bilateral lower limbs intermittent claudication and radiating pain, with disease duration ranging from 5 to 13 months (mean, 8.5 months). Affected segments included L _{3, 4} in 4 cases, L _{4, 5} in 28 cases, and L ₅, S ₁ in 1 case. LSS was rated as Schizas grade A in 4 cases, grade B in 5 cases, grade C in 13 cases, and grade D in 11 cases. LDH was categorized as MSU-1A in 24 cases, MSU-1B in 2 cases, and MSU-1AB in 7 cases. Intraoperative parameters (operation time, blood loss) and postoperative hospitalization length were recorded. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were used to assess the lower limb pain and functional outcomes after operation. Clinical efficacy was evaluated at last follow-up via modified MacNab criteria. Quantitative radiological assessments included dural sac cross-sectional area (DSCA) measurements and spinal stenosis grading on lumbar MRI. Morphological classification of lumbar canal stenosis was determined according to the Schizas grading, categorized into four grades. RESULTS: The operation time was 60.4-90.8 minutes (mean, 80.3 minutes) and intraoperative blood loss was 13-47 mL (mean, 29.9 mL). The postoperative hospitalization length was 3-5 days (mean, 3.8 days). All patients were followed up 12-16 months (mean, 13.8 months). The VAS score and ODI improved at immediate and 3, 6, and 12 months after operation compared to before operation, and the differences between different time points were significant ( P<0.05). At last follow-up, the clinical efficacy assessed by the modified MacNab criteria were graded as excellent in 23 cases, good in 9 cases, and poor in 1 case, with an excellent and good rate of 96.97%. Postoperative lumbar MRI revealed the significant decompression of the dural sac in 32 cases, with 1 case showing inadequate dural expansion. DSCA measurements confirmed progressive enlargement and stenosis reduction over time. The differences were significant ( P<0.05) before operation, immediately after operation, and at 6 months after operation. At 6 months after operation, Schizas grading of spinal stenosis improved to grade A in 27 cases and grade B in 6 cases. CONCLUSION Posterior 180-degree decompression via UBE is a safe and feasible strategy for treating LSS combined with MSU-1 LDH, achieving effective neural decompression while preserving intervertebral disc integrity.
Humans ; Spinal Stenosis/diagnostic imaging* ; Male ; Female ; Aged ; Lumbar Vertebrae/surgery* ; Middle Aged ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement/complications* ; Decompression, Surgical/methods* ; Retrospective Studies ; Endoscopy/methods* ; Adult ; Aged, 80 and over ; Treatment Outcome

Diabetic chronic wounds are characterized by difficult healing, recurrent progression, and high rates of disability and mortality, which make their clinical treatment a medical challenge urgent to be addressed. However, the complex local microenvironment conditions of chronic wounds, such as high protease activity and persistent inflammatory responses, result in low bioavailability of exogenous cytokines (e.g., chemokine CXCL12) at the wound site, limiting their clinical application. In this study, we utilized Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1 as the chassis to develop an efficient CXCL12 delivery system based on synthetic biology. Subsequently, we evaluated the role of the engineered probiotic strain in promoting the chronic wound healing in diabetic mice. Firstly, we fused the endogenous secretion signal peptide lp_3050 (SP_{lp_3050}) of L. plantarum WCFS1 and the commonly used secretion signal peptide usp45 (SP_usp45) of lactic acid bacteria with the reporter gene gusA and inserted them into the pTRK892-P_32(pgm) plasmid by molecular cloning. Then, we prepared the engineered strains and characterized the efficacy of the two signal peptides in driving the secretion of GusA. The results showed that SP_{lp_3050} efficiently drove the secretion of GusA in L. plantarum WCFS1, increasing the activity of GusA in the culture supernatant by nearly five times compared with that of SP_{lp_3050}. Further, we fused SP_{lp_3050} and codon-optimized CXCL12 gene to construct an engineered probiotic strain Lpw-CXCL12 for CXCL12 delivery. The results demonstrated that the content of CXCL12 in the culture supernatant reached (13.40±0.20) μg/mL. Finally, we found that the engineered probiotic strain Lpw-CXCL12 accelerated chronic wound healing in a diabetic mouse model. In conclusion, these results support an engineered probiotic strain in promoting diabetic chronic wound healing, providing a new strategy and technological foundation for the management of diabetic chronic wounds in the future.
Probiotics ; Animals ; Chemokine CXCL12/biosynthesis* ; Mice ; Wound Healing ; Lactobacillus plantarum/metabolism* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/complications* ; Male

Critically ill patients are at high risk for hospital acquired infections, which can significantly increase the mortality rate and treatment costs for these patients. Therefore, in the process of treating the primary disease, strict prevention and control of new hospital infections is an essential component of the treatment for critically ill patients. The treatment of critically ill patients involves multiple steps and requires a concerted effort from various aspects such as theory, management, education, standards, and supervision to achieve effective prevention and control of hospital infections. However, there is currently a lack of unified understanding and standards for hospital infection prevention and control. To address this, in March 2024, a group of experts in critical care medicine, infectious diseases, and hospital infection from China discussed the current situation and issues of hospital infection control in the intensive care unit together. Based on a review of the latest evidence-based medical evidence from both domestic and international sources, 2024 Expert Consensus on Hospital Acquired Infection Control Principles in the Department of Critical Care Medicine was formed, aiming to provide a basis for the development of hospital infection prevention and control strategies in the field of critical care medicine.

ObjectiveTo investigate the performance of fibrosis-4 （FIB-4） versus aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index （APRI） in predicting advanced liver fibrosis and disease progression in patients with chronic HBV infection. MethodsA total of 497 patients with chronic HBV infection who underwent liver biopsy in The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from February 2013 to December 2022 were enrolled， among whom 404 were enrolled in a retrospective study and 75 were enrolled in a prospective study. Related indicators were collected， including demographic features （sex and age）， biochemical indices （alanine aminotransferase ［ALT］ and aspartate aminotransferase ［AST］）， and platelet count， and FIB-4 and APRI were calculated. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups， and the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison between multiple groups； the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. The area under the ROC curve （AUC） was used to assess the ability of APRI and FIB-4 in evaluating liver fibrosis degree and disease progression in patients with chronic HBV infection. ResultsIn the retrospective analysis， compared with the FIB-4<2.67 group， the FIB-4≥2.67 group had a significantly higher proportion of the patients who were diagnosed with liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma （66.19% vs 47.54%， χ²=12.75， P<0.001）. The medians of FIB-4 and APRI increased significantly with liver fibrosis degree from F0 to F4 （H=42.5 and 35.9， both P<0.001）. As for the fibrosis stage of F0-F4， the median of FIB-4 was significantly higher than that of APRI in the patients with the same fibrosis stage （H=59.71， P<0.001）. FIB-4 and APRI had a similar AUC for predicting stage F3 fibrosis （0.67 vs 0.65， Z=0.71， P=0.480）， while FIB-4 had a higher AUC for predicting stage F4 fibrosis than APRI （0.72 vs 0.64， Z=10.50， P<0.001）. In the prospective study cohort， FIB-4 and APRI showed an increasing trend over time in predicting disease progression （chronic hepatitis B to liver cirrhosis）， with an AUC of 0.718 （95% confidence interval ［CI］： 0.476‍ ‍—‍ ‍0.760） and 0.555 （95%CI： 0.408‍ ‍—‍ ‍0.703）， respectively， and FIB-4 had a significantly higher accuracy than APRI in predicting disease progression （χ²=12.44， P<0.001）. ConclusionFIB-4 and APRI can be used to evaluate advanced liver fibrosis （F3 and F4） and predict disease progression， and FIB-4 is superior to APRI in certain aspects.

Objective:We aimed to develop a novel visualized model based on nomogram to predict postoperative overall survival.Methods:This was a multicenter, retrospective, observational cohort study, including participants with histologically confirmed gastric and colorectal cancer who underwent radical surgery from 11 medical centers in China from August 1, 2015 to June 30, 2018. Baseline characteristics, histopathological data and nutritional status, as assessed using Nutrition Risk Screening 2002 (NRS 2002) score and the scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment, were collected. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression and Cox regression were used to identify variables to be included in the predictive model. Internal and external validations were performed.Results:There were 681 and 127 patients in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. A total of 188 deaths were observed over a median follow-up period of 59 (range: 58 to 60) months. Two independent predictors of NRS 2002 and Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) stage were identified and incorporated into the prediction nomogram model together with the factor of age. The model's concordance index for 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival was 0.696, 0.724, and 0.738 in the training cohort and 0.801, 0.812, and 0.793 in the validation cohort, respectively.Conclusions:In this study, a new nomogram prediction model based on NRS 2002 score was developed and validated for predicting the overall postoperative survival of patients with gastric colorectal cancer. This model has good differentiation, calibration and clinical practicability in predicting the long-term survival rate of patients with gastrointestinal cancer after radical surgery.

Objective:To assess respondents' understanding of the items in the Neck Dissection Impairment Index (NDII) through cognitive interviews and to revise the items accordingly.Methods:Totally 30 postoperative neck dissection patients returning for follow-up at Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University from November 2023 to February 2024, were selected by purposive sampling for two rounds of cognitive interviews. Based on the interview results, the Chinese version of the NDII was revised.Results:The Chinese version of the NDII included ten items. The first round of interviews identified issues such as "incomplete expression, abstract language, and written form, " leading to revisions of five items. The second round of interviews showed that all respondents understood the revised items, and no new suggestions for modification were made.Conclusions:Cognitive interviews can improve respondents' comprehension of the Chinese version of the NDII, identify cognitive biases caused by cultural differences and improper linguistic expressions during the translation process, and enhance the understanding and acceptance of the scale's content among the target population.

Objective To evaluate the types and imaging features of early and late complications after liver transplantation.Methods A retro-spective analysis was conducted on the complications imaging data from 124 patients after liver transplantation.The CT and MRI characteristics of these complications was analyzed,categorized based on their occurrence time and type.Results The postoperative complications in the total 124 patients included vascular complication in 85 patients,biliary complication in 78 patients,and parenchy-mal complication in 21 patients.Additionally,the simple and complex complications were exhibited in 43 and 81 patients.Early vas-cular complication accounted for 69.8％,especially 21 cases(91.3％)were with early hepatic artery thrombosis.Bile leakage in 9 cases occurred in the early postoperative period,whereas biliary stenosis in 43 cases and biliary stones in 23 cases were observed in the late postoperative period.All ischemic infarction in 13 cases occurred in the early postoperative period.Among the 10 cases of liver abscess,8 cases were secondary to ischemic necrosis of liver parenchyma,and other 2 cases were secondary to suppurative cholangitis.Addi-tionally,6 cases of liver tumor recurrence were all detected in the late postoperative period.Conclusion The types of complications occurring after liver transplantation vary over time,and CT and MRI can be used to detect and evaluate postoperative complications.

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of Xihuang capsules as an adjuvant treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer and their impact on immune function. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data from 112 patients diagnosed with metastatic colorectal cancer. The patients were categorized into two groups: a control group (n=56) that did not take Xihuang capsules and an observation group (n=56) that did. The efficacy, improvement of quality of life, toxic and side effects and immune function of the two groups were analyzed and compared. Results After treatment, the disease control rate (DCR) and the rate of improvement in quality of life were significantly higher in the observation group compared to the control group. Additionally, levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and the incidence of adverse reactions, including bone marrow suppression and liver and kidney function damage, were significantly lower in the observation group. Furthermore, the percentages of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells, the CD8⁺/CD4⁺ T cells ratio, as well as serum levels of high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) and interleukin 2 (IL-2) in observation group were significantly elevated compared to pre-treatment levels. Subgroup analysis revealed that patients with a Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) score ≤80, a high CD8⁺/CD4⁺ T cells ratio, and elevated HMGB1 levels experienced a significantly higher objective response rate (ORR) in the observation group. Conversely, patients with stage IVB disease, who had KPS score ≤80, a low CD8⁺/CD4⁺ T cells ratio and high CEA and IL-2 levels demonstrated a more pronounced DCR in the observation group. Conclusion Xihuang capsules exhibit promising clinical efficacy as an adjuvant treatment for advanced colorectal cancer. They not only enhance patients' quality of life and reduce the toxic and adverse effects of chemotherapy, but also improve immune function. These benefits are particularly significant in patients with a high tumor burden, indicating that Xihuang capsules are worthy of clinical application.
Humans ; Colorectal Neoplasms/immunology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Capsules ; Aged ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen/blood* ; Retrospective Studies ; Quality of Life ; Adult ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Interleukin-2/blood* ; HMGB1 Protein/blood* ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant

Objective:To summarize the echocardiographic features and outcomes in fetuses with congenital ventricular outpouching (CVO).Methods:This retrospective study enrolled ten fetuses diagnosed with CVO by fetal echocardiography in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University and Qingdao Women and Children's Hospital from January 2015 to April 2022. Clinical data were analyzed, including echocardiographic features, other intracardiac and extracardiac malformations, karyotypes, and pregnancy outcomes. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics.Results:All ten cases were single, including eight ventricular diverticula and two ventricular aneurysms. Five cases had the anomaly in the left ventricular and the other five in the right. Five cases were isolated malformations, and the other five were complicated by other intra- or extracardiac malformations. A pathogenic copy number variation was detected in one case. Three pregnancies were terminated, and one was lost to follow-up. The other six fetuses were born alive and showed no obvious clinical symptoms or abnormalities in growth and development during 3-70 months of follow-up. The right ventricular diverticulum spontaneously disappeared in one case. One case with the right ventricular aneurysm was also diagnosed with noncompaction of the left ventricular myocardium by echocardiography at six months.Conclusions:Fetal CVO presents with typical echocardiographic features and can be diagnosed prenatally. Regular follow-up during pregnancy is recommended to observe the sizes of outpouchings and the occurrence of complications in fetuses with CVO after excluding other structural and chromosomal abnormalities to avoid unnecessary termination. Attention should also be paid to postnatal follow-up.