AIM:To investigate the role of S100 calcium-binding protein A8(S100A8)in a canine model of atrial fibrillation(AF)induced by obstructive sleep apnea(OSA).METHODS:Ten adult Beagle dogs were randomly as-signed to OSA(n=5)and control(n=5)groups.The OSA model was established by daily tracheal intubation with alternat-ing airway obstruction and ventilation recovery for 4 h per day,sustained over 12 weeks.Model validation was conducted through arterial blood gas analysis,airway pressure monitoring,and esophageal pressure measurements.Open-chest elec-trophysiological studies were performed to assess atrial effective refractory period(ERP),dispersion of ERP(dERP),and AF inducibility.Tandem mass tag-based quantitative proteomics was used to identify differentially expressed proteins in atrial tissue.Key protein expression and localization were verified using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence.RESULTS:Compared with the control group,the OSA group exhibited significantly lower arterial blood pH and partial pressure of oxygen,and higher partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood,confirming successful model establish-ment.Histopathological analysis revealed disorganized cardiomyocyte architecture,fatty degeneration,inflammatory cell infiltration,and a significant increase in myocardial fibrosis in the OSA group(P<0.05).Electrophysiological data showed increased AF inducibility and dERP,and decreased ERP(P<0.05).Proteomic analysis identified 267 differen-tially expressed proteins,including 128 up-regulated and 139 down-regulated proteins.Immunohistochemical analysis showed significant upregulation of S100A8,S100A9,myeloperoxidase,and nuclear factor-κB p65(P<0.05),while im-munofluorescence demonstrated increased expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and transforming growth factor-β1 in the OSA group(P<0.01).CONCLUSION:The OSA promotes upregulation of S100A8 in myocardial tissue,enhances atrial electrical remodeling and fibrosis,and increases susceptibility to AF.These findings suggest that S100A8 may play a key role in the pathogenesis and progression of OSA-related AF.

Objective:To investigate the association between serum thyroid-stimulating hormone(TSH) level and the 10-year risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease(ASCVD) in men over 50 years old with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).Methods:This study included male T2DM patients aged≥50 years, diagnosed at the First Hospital of Lanzhou University between July 2021 and March 2022. Patients were categorized into three groups based on serum TSH level: elevated TSH group(T3, TSH>5.91 mIU/L) and normal TSH group, which was further divided into T1(0.56 mIU/L≤TSH<3.24 mIU/L) and T2(3.24 mIU/L≤TSH≤5.91 mIU/L) group. The 10-year ASCVD risk index was compared across groups. Spearman correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were used to assess the independent association between TSH level and 10-year ASCVD risk index. Results:A total of 490 male T2DM patients aged≥50 years were included(T1: 310, T2: 131, T3: 49). The 10-year ASCVD risk index was significantly higher in T3 group than that in T1 group(18.40% vs 13.90%, χ2=9.47, P<0.05). Serum TSH level showed a positive correlation with the 10-year ASCVD risk( r=0.144, P<0.05). After adjusting for confounders such as age, hypertension, lipid profile, diabetes duration, aspartate aminotransferase, albumin, lactate dehydrogenase, estimated glomerular filtration rate, creatinine, and phosphorus, multiple linear regression confirmed that TSH level was independently associated with the 10-year ASCVD risk index( β=0.23, 95% CI 0.02-0.45). Conclusions:Higher serum TSH level is independently associated with an increased 10-year ASCVD risk in men over 50 years old with T2DM. Regular TSH monitoring may aid in cardiovascular risk stratification in this population.

Objective To explore the application effect of the"ASK-T"aspiration prevention management model in reducing the risk of aspiration in elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)complicated by dysphagia.Methods 196 of 409 COPD patients with aspiration risk admitted to the Respiratory Disease Department of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine,Higher Education Mega Center Hospital from July 2021 to June 2024 were selected as the study object,and 102 COPD patients with aspiration risk admitted from July 2021 to December 2022 were set as the pre-improvement group.The patients in this group received the original nursing process and management mode of the department during hospitalization.94 COPD patients with aspiration risk admitted from January 2023 to June 2024 were set as the improved group,and the patients in this group were introduced into the department and implemented an innovative improvement project:"ASK-T"anti-aspiration management mode and then received nursing management.Patients in both groups were observed and followed up for 4 weeks.The risk grade of aspiration,SSA score,DHI score,aspiration pneumonia and aspiration pneumonia,nutritional status and satisfaction after intervention were compared between the two groups.Result in the improved group was significantly lower than that in the pre-improvement group(P<0.05),and the SSA score,DHI score and total DHI score of patients in the 2 groups were significantly lower than that before intervention(P<0.05).The SSA score,DHI score and DHI total score in the improved group were lower than those in the pre-improved group(P<0.05).The results of 4-week follow-up showed that the scores of NRS-2002 for nutritional risk screening in 2 groups were lower than before intervention(P<0.05),and the scores of NRS-2002 for nutritional risk screening in the improved group were significantly lower than those in the pre-improvement group(P<0.05).The comparison showed that the incidence of aspiration and aspiration pneumonia in the improved group was lower than that in the pre-improved group(P<0.05),and the satisfaction score of patients with the relevant preventive measures was higher than that in the pre-improved group(P<0.05).Conclusion The"ASK-T"aspiration preven-tion management model,when applied in the nursing of elderly patients with COPD complicated by dysphagia,can significantly reduce the risk of aspiration and the incidence of aspiration pneumonia,effectively improve patients' swallowing function and quality of life,and enhance their nutritional status.Furthermore,this model significantly improves patient satisfaction with intervention measures,providing a scientific and effective management strategy for clinical nursing of elderly patients with COPD complicated by dysphagia.It is worthy of promotion and application in clinical practice.

Objective To determine the body weights and blood physiological and biochemical indicators in the Macaca mulatta brevicaudus(M.m.brevicaudus),to provide a reference for the breeding of experimental animals.Methods A total of 180 wild M.m.brevicaudus(female and male)from the South Bay Macaque Reserve in Lingshui were selected as the research subjects.Body weights were measured using electronic scales and blood samples were collected.Routine blood indicators(red blood cell count,hemoglobin,white blood cell count,and platelet count)were detected using an automated blood cell analyzer,and biochemical indicators(alanine aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase,glucose,blood urea nitrogen)were measured using an automated biochemical analyzer.Data were analyzed using SPSS 18.0 software for descriptive statistics,and differences in body weights and blood indicators between sexes and age groups were compared using t-tests.Results Adult male wild M.m.brevicaudus were significantly heavier than females(P＜0.05);however,there were no significant differences in complete blood cell counts between female and male macaques(P＞0.05).In terms of blood biochemical indicators,lactate dehydrogenase and total bilirubin levels differed significantly between female and male M.m.brevicaudus(P＜0.05),but there were no significant differences in any other biochemical indicators.Conclusions This study established baseline data on the body weights and blood physiological and biochemical indicators of wild M.m.brevicaudus,providing a reference for their future breeding as experimental animals.

To construct a safe and effective multi-epitope vaccine against the S1 protein of chicken infectious bronchitis virus(IBV).In this study,homologous and non-homologous dominant epitopes of IBV M41,T,QX and H120 virulent strain S1 proteins were screened by various online bioprediction software,respectively,and a new peptide W with high immunogenicity was construc-ted by connecting the screened B-cell and T-cell epitopes with a linker peptide.W was ligated to the truncated sequence of the four viral strains by T2A yietding to the eukaryotic expression vector pEGFP-N1,and it was identified by PCR and double digestion,the obtained recombinant plasmid was transfected into HEK293A cells and target protein expression was measured by Western blot.The constructed plasmid was injected intramuscularly twice to detect the antibody level,cytokine level,and peripheral blood T cell subsets were detected after two immunizations.The epitope pro-tein W was successfully constructed,which was structurally stable,antigenic,and soluble;the re-combinant plasmid pEGFP-WMQtH,pEGFP-W,and pEGFP-MQtH matched the expected size;anti-IBV IgG antibody levels in pEGFP-N1 was increased greatly compared to the PBS group.cyto-kines IL-2,and γ interferon(IFN-γ)were increased greatly(P＜0.05);peripheral blood CD4+/CD8a value(P＜0.05)was increased greatly.The W epitope protein was successfully constructed,which can effectively activate the humoral immunity and cellular immunity against four infectious bronchitis viruses(IBV),laying a foundation for the development of an effective vaccine against IB.

Objective To explore the effect of lipoprotein a[Lp(a)]on the inflammatory state and cardiovascular system of patients with essential hypertension.Methods The clinical data of 234 patients with essential hypertension admitted from January 2022 to November 2023 were retrospectively collected.According to the serum Lp(a)concentration,they were divided into the normal Lp(a)group(n=185)and the high Lp(a)group(n=49).The differences in serum inflammatory markers C reactive protein(CRP),neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR),and fibrinogen between the two groups were compared.Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between Lp(a)and inflammatory markers,and the incidence of cardiac target organ damage between the two groups of patients was compared.Results Compared with the normal Lp(a)group,the CRP concentration,NLR and fibrinogen concentration of hypertensive patients in the high Lp(a)group increased(P<0.05,P<0.01),and the concentration of Lp(a)was positively correlated with CRP,NLR and fibrinogen(r=0.168,0.165,0.321,P<0.05).The incidence of myocardial infarction was higher in the high Lp(a)group[22.45%(11/49)]than in the normal Lp(a)group[7.57%(14/185)](P<0.01).Conclusion In patients with essential hypertension,high Lp(a)concentration is associated with a stronger inflammatory response,and elevated Lp(a)concentration is related to an increased incidence of myocardial infarction,suggesting that Lp(a)may affect target organ damage in patients with essential hypertension by promoting inflammation.

Background and Aims:Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is the most prevalent type of liver malignancy,accounting for 80%of all primary liver cancer cases.Partial hepatectomy is widely considered to be the treatment of choice for HCC.However,post-hepatectomy liver failure(PHLF)is the most serious complication and the leading cause of perioperative death.Therefore,an accurate assessment of the risk of PHLF is particularly critical.Patients with large hepatocellular carcinoma have larger tumors(tumor diameter≥5 cm)and more resected liver tissue,and are more likely to develop PHLF.Previous studies have used various methods to assess the risk of PHLF,including liver function,Child-Pugh classification,model for end-stage liver disease,albumin-bilirubin(ALBI),and aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index score.However,no model has been developed for data on hepatectomy for large HCC.Therefore,this study aims to analyze the risk factors of PHLF in HCC patients with large tumor and to construct a preoperative nomogram prediction model to guide and optimize clinical decision-making.Methods:The clinical data of 927 patients with large liver cancer who underwent radical hepatectomy in the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University(721 cases,training cohort)and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University(206 cases,validation cohort)from January 2018 to June 2023 were retrospectively collected.The patients'baseline data,laboratory examination,imaging data,and surgical information were collected.Univariate analysis combined with multivariate analysis was used to screen out the independent risk factors for inducing PHLF,and binary Logistic regression was used to construct a prediction model for PHLF.ROC,calibration,and clinical decision curves verified the model's performance.Results:There were no significant differences in all preoperative data between the training and validation cohorts(P>0.05).Grade B or C PHLF occurred in 192 of 927 patients(20.7%),including 8 patients with grade C PHLF.Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were used to determine the independent risk factors of PHLF,including tumor diameter,ALBI score,liver cirrhosis,vascular tumor thrombus,and intraoperative blood loss.These factors were included in the Logistic regression analysis,and a nomogram model was constructed to predict PHLF.The nomogram model was validated,and the C-index of the nomogram was 0.757.The ROC curve analysis of the prediction probability of the model showed that the AUC of the training set was 0.757(95%CI=0.703-0.811),and the AUC of the validation set was 0.779(95%CI=0.702-0.863).The validation showed that the model had good predictive ability.Conclusions:Tumor diameter,ALBI score,liver cirrhosis,vascular tumor thrombus,and intraoperative blood loss are independent risk factors for PHLF.The nomogram prediction model constructed in this study can accurately assess the risk of preoperative PHLF,which is helpful for better clinical management,reducing the occurrence of PHLF,and improving the postoperative prognosis of patients.

Objective To explore the effect of lipoprotein a[Lp(a)]on the inflammatory state and cardiovascular system of patients with essential hypertension.Methods The clinical data of 234 patients with essential hypertension admitted from January 2022 to November 2023 were retrospectively collected.According to the serum Lp(a)concentration,they were divided into the normal Lp(a)group(n=185)and the high Lp(a)group(n=49).The differences in serum inflammatory markers C reactive protein(CRP),neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR),and fibrinogen between the two groups were compared.Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between Lp(a)and inflammatory markers,and the incidence of cardiac target organ damage between the two groups of patients was compared.Results Compared with the normal Lp(a)group,the CRP concentration,NLR and fibrinogen concentration of hypertensive patients in the high Lp(a)group increased(P<0.05,P<0.01),and the concentration of Lp(a)was positively correlated with CRP,NLR and fibrinogen(r=0.168,0.165,0.321,P<0.05).The incidence of myocardial infarction was higher in the high Lp(a)group[22.45%(11/49)]than in the normal Lp(a)group[7.57%(14/185)](P<0.01).Conclusion In patients with essential hypertension,high Lp(a)concentration is associated with a stronger inflammatory response,and elevated Lp(a)concentration is related to an increased incidence of myocardial infarction,suggesting that Lp(a)may affect target organ damage in patients with essential hypertension by promoting inflammation.

Objective:To explore cortical activation during the obstacle avoidance task in convalescent stroke patients,and examine the effect of obstacle avoidance difficulty on brain activation.Method:A total of 20 convalescent stroke patients were recruited to perform various motor tasks,including walking,simple obstacle avoidance,difficult obstacle avoidance,and motor imagery.Functional near-infrared spectroscopy(fNIRS)was used to detect the oxygenated hemoglobin concentration in the prefrontal cortex(PFC),premotor cortex(PMC)and supplementary motor area(SMA)of the patients.Additional relevant sec-ondary indicators were evaluated and collected.Statistical analysis was performed without grouping and with grouping.Result:The activation levels of bilateral PFC,PMC and SMA during the dynamic task were significantly dif-ferent from those during the static tasks(P＜0.05),with the highest activation observed in the PFC.There were significant differences between simple and difficult obstacle avoidance tasks in the unaffected-side SMA(P＜0.05).In addition,there was a linear positive correlation between the peak activation level of PMC on the unaffected side and Tinetti score(P＜0.05).Conclusion:Bilateral PFC,PMC and SMA are involved in limb movement in convalescent stroke patients,with PFC showing the highest level of activation.In addition,SMA on the unaffected side may contribute to regulating the difficulty of obstacle avoidance.Moreover,the peak activation level of PMC on the unaffected side is associated with balance and walking function.

To construct a safe and effective multi-epitope vaccine against the S1 protein of chicken infectious bronchitis virus(IBV).In this study,homologous and non-homologous dominant epitopes of IBV M41,T,QX and H120 virulent strain S1 proteins were screened by various online bioprediction software,respectively,and a new peptide W with high immunogenicity was construc-ted by connecting the screened B-cell and T-cell epitopes with a linker peptide.W was ligated to the truncated sequence of the four viral strains by T2A yietding to the eukaryotic expression vector pEGFP-N1,and it was identified by PCR and double digestion,the obtained recombinant plasmid was transfected into HEK293A cells and target protein expression was measured by Western blot.The constructed plasmid was injected intramuscularly twice to detect the antibody level,cytokine level,and peripheral blood T cell subsets were detected after two immunizations.The epitope pro-tein W was successfully constructed,which was structurally stable,antigenic,and soluble;the re-combinant plasmid pEGFP-WMQtH,pEGFP-W,and pEGFP-MQtH matched the expected size;anti-IBV IgG antibody levels in pEGFP-N1 was increased greatly compared to the PBS group.cyto-kines IL-2,and γ interferon(IFN-γ)were increased greatly(P＜0.05);peripheral blood CD4+/CD8a value(P＜0.05)was increased greatly.The W epitope protein was successfully constructed,which can effectively activate the humoral immunity and cellular immunity against four infectious bronchitis viruses(IBV),laying a foundation for the development of an effective vaccine against IB.