OBJECTIVE To investigate ameliorative effects and mechanisms of two probiotics （Bacillus subtilis， Lactobacillus acidophilus） combined with Aurantii Fructus Immaturus （AFI） on functional dyspepsia （FD） in rats. METHODS Rats were randomly divided into blank group， model group， positive control group （domperidone group， 2.7 mg/kg）， AFI group （9 g/kg）， L. acidophilus group （5×107 cfu/kg）， B. subtilis group （5×107 cfu/kg）， L. acidophilus+ AFI group （L. acidophilus 5×107 cfu/kg+ AFI 9 g/kg）， and B. subtilis+AFI group （B. subtilis 5×107 cfu/kg+AFI 9 g/kg）， with 8 rats in each group. Except for the blank group， FD model was established by tail-clamping stimulation+hunger and satiety disorder+swimming exhaustion in other groups. After modeling， each group was given the corresponding drug/probiotic suspensions/physiological saline intragastrically， once a day， for 14 consecutive days. After the last medication， gastric emptying rate and the rate of propulsion of the small intestine in rats were measured； the levels of brain-gut peptide-related indicators [gastrin （GAS）， substance P （SP）， vasoactive intestinal peptide （VIP）， somatostatin （SS） and cholecystokinin （CCK）] in the serum of rats were measured. The pathological morphology of the gastric antrum tissue and duodenal tissue was observed. Cecal contents from the rats were collected for gut microbiota sequencing analysis. The protein expression levels of tyrosine kinase receptor c-Kit and stem cell factor （SCF） in the gastric antrum tissue， as well as Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）， myeloid differentiation factor 88 （MyD88）， and nuclear factor κB （NF-κB） in the duodenal tissue of the rats were detected. RESULTS Compared with the blank group， model group showed significantly lower gastric emptying rate， small intestinal propulsion rate， serum levels of GAS and SP， relative abundance of Firmicutes， Ace， Chao and Sobs indexes of the gut microbiota， and protein levels of SCF and c-Kit in gastric antrum （P＜0.05）， while serum levels of VIP， SS and CCK， relative abundance of Bacteroidetes， as well as protein expressions of TLR4， MyD88， and NF-κB， were significantly higher （P＜0.05）. The histological structure JZYC23S53） of the gastric antrum tissue appeared basically normal； however， abnormalities were observed in the duodenal structure， with a significant infiltration of inflammatory cells visible. Compared with the model group， all treatment groups significantly modulated most of the above indexes （P＜0.05）. The histological structure of the gastric antrum tissue was normal. Except for the B. subtilis group and the B. subtilis+AFI group， the pathological states of the duodenum in the remaining rats gradually recovered. Compared with each single drug group， most of above indexes in rats from each combination group showed further improvement （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS The combination of AFI with two probiotics can improve gastrointestinal motility in FD rats， and the effect is superior to that of using the drugs alone. The specific underlying mechanisms may be related to the activation of the SCF/c-Kit signaling pathway and the inhibition of the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Regulated cell death (RCD) is a critical physiological process essential in maintaining skin homeostasis. Among the various forms of RCD, ferroptosis stands out due to its distinct features of iron accumulation, lipid peroxidation, and involvement of various inhibitory antioxidant systems. In recent years, an expanding body of research has solidly linked ferroptosis to the emergence of skin disorders. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms underlying ferroptosis in skin diseases is crucial for advancing therapy and prevention strategies. This review commences with a succinct elucidation of the mechanisms that underpin ferroptosis, embarks on a thorough exploration of ferroptosis’s role across a spectrum of skin conditions, encompassing melanoma, psoriasis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), vitiligo, and dermatological ailments precipitated by ultraviolet (UV) exposure, and scrutinizes the potential therapeutic benefits of pharmacological interventions aimed at modulating ferroptosis for the amelioration of skin diseases.

This paper mainly introduces the definition of inter-hospital transport and "hub-and-spoke" transport network in patients with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) , and reviews the safety management of inter-hospital transport among patients with ECMO from four aspects of transport team, transport mode, transport equipment, and transport adverse events, in order to provide reference for improving patient safety and the quality of transport care.

This paper explores the factors influencing the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of adult patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) from five dimensions based on the health ecology model: personal characteristics, behavioral traits, interpersonal networks, work and living environment, and policy environment. The aim is to provide a theoretical basis for proposing evidence-based interventions to effectively improve the HRQL of adult ECMO patients.

Purpose: This study evaluated the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in the ultrasound-guided microwave ablation (MWA) treatment of symptomatic focal uterine adenomyosis. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted between March 2020 and January 2023, enrolling 52 patients with symptomatic focal uterine adenomyosis who had undergone MWA. All patients were examined with CEUS before and after MWA. The non-perfused volume (NPV) was compared between CEUS and dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCEMRI) following ablation. Therapeutic efficacy and safety were evaluated at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups. Additionally, this study explored the correlations between pre-treatment CEUS features and a volume reduction ratio indicating sufficient ablation, defined as 50% or more at the 3-month follow-up. Results: No significant differences in NPV were noted between CEUS and DCE-MRI immediately after MWA and during follow-up (all P>0.05). At the 3-month follow-up, the median VRRs for the uterus and adenomyosis were 33.2% and 63.9%, respectively. Sufficient ablation was achieved in 69.2% (36/52) of adenomyosis cases, while partial ablation was observed in the remaining 30.8% (16/52). The identification of non-enhancing areas on pre-treatment CEUS was associated with sufficient ablation (P=0.016). At the 12-month follow-up, significant decreases were observed in both the uterine and adenomyosis volumes (all P<0.001). Dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia were significantly alleviated at 12 months, and no major complications were encountered. Conclusion CEUS can be used to evaluate the ablation zone of focal adenomyosis that has been treated with MWA, similarly to DCE-MRI. The identification of non-enhancing areas on pretreatment CEUS indicates satisfactory treatment outcomes.

Objective:To explore and analyze the predictive value of EuroSCORE Ⅱ and SYNTAX Ⅱ scores for clinical outcomes in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery.Methods:A total of 500 coronary artery disease (CAD) patients who underwent CABG in Shanxi Cardiovascular Hospital from April 2014 to July 2023 were selected as the study subjects, all patients were given EuroSCORE Ⅱand SYNTAX Ⅱ scores to evaluate the predictive value of EuroSCOREⅡfor perioperative mortality and SYNTAX Ⅱ for 4-year mortality. Univariate and multivariate Logistic analysis were employed to analyze the independent risk factors for perioperative and 4-year mortality.Results:There were 3 deaths during the perioperative period, with a mortality rate of 0.60%, the predicted mortality rate of EuroSCOREⅡwas 1.71%; there were 21 deaths at 4 years after surgery, with a mortality rate of 4.23% and the predicted mortality rate of SYNTAX Ⅱwas 9.02%. Logistic regression analysis showed that left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was the only independent protective factor for perioperative mortality, and advanced age was the only independent risk factor for 4-year postoperative mortality in patients ( P<0.05). The analysis of the working characteristic curve of the subjects found that the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve ( ROC) of EuroSCORE Ⅱ for perioperative mortality was 0.782, and the area under ROC curve of SYNTAX Ⅱfor postoperative 4-year mortality was 0.743. Conclusion:Both EuroSCORE Ⅱand SYNTAX Ⅱhave certain predictive value for perioperative mortality and postoperative 4-year mortality in patients undergoing CABG, respectively, but the predicted mortality rate is relatively higher.

Objective:To automatically segment diabetic retinal exudation features from deep learning color fundus images.Methods:An applied study. The method of this study is based on the U-shaped network model of the Indian Diabetic Retinopathy Image Dataset (IDRID) dataset, introduces deep residual convolution into the encoding and decoding stages, which can effectively extract seepage depth features, solve overfitting and feature interference problems, and improve the model's feature expression ability and lightweight performance. In addition, by introducing an improved context extraction module, the model can capture a wider range of feature information, enhance the perception ability of retinal lesions, and perform excellently in capturing small details and blurred edges. Finally, the introduction of convolutional triple attention mechanism allows the model to automatically learn feature weights, focus on important features, and extract useful information from multiple scales. Accuracy, recall, Dice coefficient, accuracy and sensitivity were used to evaluate the ability of the model to detect and segment the automatic retinal exudation features of diabetic patients in color fundus images.Results:After applying this method, the accuracy, recall, dice coefficient, accuracy and sensitivity of the improved model on the IDRID dataset reached 81.56%, 99.54%, 69.32%, 65.36% and 78.33%, respectively. Compared with the original model, the accuracy and Dice index of the improved model are increased by 2.35%, 3.35% respectively.Conclusion:The segmentation method based on U-shaped network can automatically detect and segment the retinal exudation features of fundus images of diabetic patients, which is of great significance for assisting doctors to diagnose diseases more accurately.

Objective:To analyze the correlation between Cutibacterium acnes (C. acne) ribotypes (RTs) on the skin surface and epidermal barrier function in patients with acne vulgaris.Methods:Sixty patients with acne vulgaris were enrolled in this prospective study from the Department of Dermatology, the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University from November 2018 to May 2019, including 23 males and 37 females, aged (21.6±2.6) years. According to the General Acne Grading System (GAGS) score, the patients were divided into three groups: 28 mild cases, 14 moderate cases, and 18 severe or above cases. Twenty healthy controls aged 18 to 30 years were recruited in the same period from the community, including 5 males and 15 females, aged (24.2±2.3) years. The VISIA skin testing device was used to detect the percentage of red areas and porphyrins on the facial skin of all subjects. The hydration of the stratum corneum (SCH), transepidermal water loss (TEWL), PH value and the skin surface sebum level on the facial skin were detected by CK system. The RTs of C. acne were further analyzed based on the 16s rDNA sequences. The correlation between the abundance of each RT and epidermal barrier function was analyzed using Pearson correlation analysis.Results:Compared with the healthy controls, the percentage of porphyrins [(41.69±23.10) % vs (61.33±24.27) %, t=2.98, P<0.01] and the percentage of red area [(26.71±17.13) % vs (67.97±15.22) %, t=10.78, P<0.01] decreased in the acne vulgaris patients. Meanwhile, the patients of different severity levels had decreased SCH ( P<0.01), but increased TEWL, pH value, and the skin surface sebum level ( P<0.05) compared to healthy controls. Six different RTs (RT1, RT2, RT7, RT12, RT13 and RT14) were found in both healthy controls and acne vulgaris patients with varying degrees of severity, while there was no statistically significant difference of C. acne abundance between the mild patients and the controls ( P>0.05). As the severity of disease increased, the abundance of the above RTs showed a changing trend, with the gradually decreasing abundance of RT1 and the gradually increasing abundance of RT2, RT7, RT12, RT13, and RT14 (all P<0.05). The abundance of RT1 was negatively correlated with pH value ( r=-0.33, P=0.04) and GAGS score ( r=-0.39, P=0.01). The abundance of RT2 ( r=0.39, P=0.02) and RT7 ( r=0.39, P=0.01) were positively correlated with GAGS score. The abundance of RT13 was negatively correlated with SCH ( r=-0.34, P=0.02) and positively correlated with TEWL ( r=0.30, P=0.05). Conclusions:As the severity of disease increases, the abundance of various RTs of C. acne on the skin surface of acne vulgaris patients shows a trend of gradually increasing or decreasing, and the abundance of differential RTs of C. acne is closely related to the function of the epidermal barrier.

Objective:To investigate the application value of transanal intersphincteric resec-tion under direct vision in the Jackknife position in the anal preserving surgery for ultra-low rectal cancer.Methods:The retrospective and descriptive study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 15 patients with ultra-low rectal cancer who underwent transanal intersphincteric resection under direct vision in the Jackknife position, combined with laparoscopic total mesorectal excision in Huizhou Municipal Central Hospital from September 2021 to November 2022 were collected. There were 9 males and 6 females, aged (63±9)years. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M(range). Count data were described as absolute numbers. Results:(1) Surgical and postoperative outcomes. All the 15 patients underwent operations successfully, without conversion to open abdo-minal operation. There were 5 cases of partial ISR and 10 cases of subtotal ISR. The operation time and volume of intraoperative blood loss of 15 patients were (260±30)minutes and 20(range, 10-30)mL, respectively. The distance from anastomosis to anal margin was (1.6±0.8)cm. The duration of post-operative hospital stay was 10(range, 8-13)days, and all 15 patients underwent colonic and anasto-mosis with staplers and protective ileostomy at the terminal ileum. Three patients had postoperative complications within 30 days after surgery, of whom 1 case with grade A anastomotic leakage was cured after conservative treatment and 2 cases with anastomotic membranous stenosis were cured by anal enlargement. (2) Postoperative pathological examination. The number of lymph nodes dissected of 15 patients was 18 ±6, and the distance between the tumor and distal resection margin was 1.3(range, 1.0-2.0)cm. The surgical specimens of all 15 patients showed complete mesorectum and negative for proximal, distal and circumferential margins. Results of postoperative pathological examination showed that there was 1 case in stage pT1N0M0, 9 cases in stage pT2N0M0, 1 case in stage pT2N1M0, 1 case in stage ypT0N0M0, 2 cases in stage ypT2N0M0, 1 case in ypT3N1M0 stage. The histological subtype showed 11 cases of moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma and 4 cases of well-differentiated adenocarcinoma. (3) Follow-up. All 15 patients were followed up for 15(range, 12-24)months. No local recurrence and distant metastasis of the tumor was found, and no tumor-related death occurred. All 15 patients underwent stoma closure. The postoperative anal function assessment of 15 patients showed no disorder in 5 cases, mild disorder in 8 cases and severe disorder in 2 cases.Conclusion:Transanal intersphincteric resection under direct vision in the Jackknife position in the anal preserving surgery for ultra-low rectal cancer is safe and feasible.

Purpose: This study evaluated the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in the ultrasound-guided microwave ablation (MWA) treatment of symptomatic focal uterine adenomyosis. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted between March 2020 and January 2023, enrolling 52 patients with symptomatic focal uterine adenomyosis who had undergone MWA. All patients were examined with CEUS before and after MWA. The non-perfused volume (NPV) was compared between CEUS and dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCEMRI) following ablation. Therapeutic efficacy and safety were evaluated at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups. Additionally, this study explored the correlations between pre-treatment CEUS features and a volume reduction ratio indicating sufficient ablation, defined as 50% or more at the 3-month follow-up. Results: No significant differences in NPV were noted between CEUS and DCE-MRI immediately after MWA and during follow-up (all P>0.05). At the 3-month follow-up, the median VRRs for the uterus and adenomyosis were 33.2% and 63.9%, respectively. Sufficient ablation was achieved in 69.2% (36/52) of adenomyosis cases, while partial ablation was observed in the remaining 30.8% (16/52). The identification of non-enhancing areas on pre-treatment CEUS was associated with sufficient ablation (P=0.016). At the 12-month follow-up, significant decreases were observed in both the uterine and adenomyosis volumes (all P<0.001). Dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia were significantly alleviated at 12 months, and no major complications were encountered. Conclusion CEUS can be used to evaluate the ablation zone of focal adenomyosis that has been treated with MWA, similarly to DCE-MRI. The identification of non-enhancing areas on pretreatment CEUS indicates satisfactory treatment outcomes.