Objective:To evaluate the effect of fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) on clinical functional outcomes of patients with intensive care unit-acquired swallowing disorders (ICU-ASD).Methods:This retrospective cohort study analyzed clinical data of patients diagnosed with post-extubation dysphagia (PED) in the intensive care unit (ICU) and respiratory intensive care unit (RICU) of the Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University from February 2020 to February 2025. Patients were categorized into a FEES group of 60 cases [34 males, 26 females, aged 37-80 years (median age 62 years)] and a control group without FEES of 58 cases [32 males, 26 females, aged 39-77 years (median age 61 years)].The patients in two groups received swallowing function and feeding training based on the results of the FEES assessment and the Volume-Viscosity Swallow Test-Clinical Version (VVST-CV), respectively. Clinical functional outcome measures included pneumonia incidence, clinical pulmonary infection score (CPIS), pneumonia severity index (PSI), Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS), and dietary method at discharge. χ2 test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Wilcoxon signed-rank test, were employed for statistical analysis of the outcome measures. Results:Compared with the control group, the FEES group had significantly lower aspiration pneumonia incidence at discharge [3.3% (2/60) vs 15.5% (9/58), χ2=5.179, P=0.023]. Regarding dietary methods,a significantly higher proportion of patients in the FEES group achieved complete oral feeding compared with the control group [75.0% (45/60) vs 67.3% (39/58), χ2=8.065, P<0.05]. After training, the FEES group had higher median FOIS scores than the control group (7.00 vs 6.00, Z=-2.370, P=0.018), and lower CPIS scores (2.50 vs 5.00, Z=-2.216, P=0.027) and PSI scores (59.00 vs 73.00, Z=-2.251, P=0.024). Within-group comparisons revealed that FOIS scores significantly improved post-training in both groups (both P<0.001). Conclusion:Early FEES examination for ICU patients with acquired swallowing disorders is associated with a lower incidence of pneumonia, improved swallowing function, and superior clinical functional outcomes.

Objective:To evaluate the treatment outcome of liver transplantation for patients with polycystic liver disease (PLD).Methods:Clinical data of 28 PLD patients admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from May 2014 to November 2023 were retrospectively analyzed, including 10 males and 18 females, aged (50.4±6.6) years. Patients were divided into liver transplantation group ( n=15) and non-liver transplantation group ( n=13). In the liver transplantation group, we analyzed seve-ral critical parameters including methods of liver transplantation, intra-abdominal fluid volume, intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative red blood cell transfusion requirements, and postoperative complications. The prognosis of the two groups were also compared. Results:Among the 28 patients with PLD, 15 underwent liver transplantation, including 11 classic in situ liver transplantations, one modified back-to-back liver transplantation, and three liver-kidney combined transplantations. The 15 patients had 2 000 (300, 4 000) ml of abdominal fluid, 1 000 (600, 2 000) ml of intraoperative blood loss, and 8.0 (6.0, 17.0) U of red blood cells transfused during the operation. Postoperative complications occurred in eight cases, with four of which were managemed successfully, and the other four died. The 1-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates of after liver transplantation were 80.0%, 80.0%, and 73.3%, respectively. The 1-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates of patients with PLD without liver transplantation were 69.2%, 46.2%, and 38.5%, respectively. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant ( χ2=3.91, P=0.048). Conclusion:Liver transplantation is a treatment option for patients with PLD, with a better long-term survival compared to patients without liver transplantation.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) on clinical functional outcomes of patients with intensive care unit-acquired swallowing disorders (ICU-ASD).Methods:This retrospective cohort study analyzed clinical data of patients diagnosed with post-extubation dysphagia (PED) in the intensive care unit (ICU) and respiratory intensive care unit (RICU) of the Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University from February 2020 to February 2025. Patients were categorized into a FEES group of 60 cases [34 males, 26 females, aged 37-80 years (median age 62 years)] and a control group without FEES of 58 cases [32 males, 26 females, aged 39-77 years (median age 61 years)].The patients in two groups received swallowing function and feeding training based on the results of the FEES assessment and the Volume-Viscosity Swallow Test-Clinical Version (VVST-CV), respectively. Clinical functional outcome measures included pneumonia incidence, clinical pulmonary infection score (CPIS), pneumonia severity index (PSI), Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS), and dietary method at discharge. χ2 test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Wilcoxon signed-rank test, were employed for statistical analysis of the outcome measures. Results:Compared with the control group, the FEES group had significantly lower aspiration pneumonia incidence at discharge [3.3% (2/60) vs 15.5% (9/58), χ2=5.179, P=0.023]. Regarding dietary methods,a significantly higher proportion of patients in the FEES group achieved complete oral feeding compared with the control group [75.0% (45/60) vs 67.3% (39/58), χ2=8.065, P<0.05]. After training, the FEES group had higher median FOIS scores than the control group (7.00 vs 6.00, Z=-2.370, P=0.018), and lower CPIS scores (2.50 vs 5.00, Z=-2.216, P=0.027) and PSI scores (59.00 vs 73.00, Z=-2.251, P=0.024). Within-group comparisons revealed that FOIS scores significantly improved post-training in both groups (both P<0.001). Conclusion:Early FEES examination for ICU patients with acquired swallowing disorders is associated with a lower incidence of pneumonia, improved swallowing function, and superior clinical functional outcomes.

Objective:To evaluate the treatment outcome of liver transplantation for patients with polycystic liver disease (PLD).Methods:Clinical data of 28 PLD patients admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from May 2014 to November 2023 were retrospectively analyzed, including 10 males and 18 females, aged (50.4±6.6) years. Patients were divided into liver transplantation group ( n=15) and non-liver transplantation group ( n=13). In the liver transplantation group, we analyzed seve-ral critical parameters including methods of liver transplantation, intra-abdominal fluid volume, intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative red blood cell transfusion requirements, and postoperative complications. The prognosis of the two groups were also compared. Results:Among the 28 patients with PLD, 15 underwent liver transplantation, including 11 classic in situ liver transplantations, one modified back-to-back liver transplantation, and three liver-kidney combined transplantations. The 15 patients had 2 000 (300, 4 000) ml of abdominal fluid, 1 000 (600, 2 000) ml of intraoperative blood loss, and 8.0 (6.0, 17.0) U of red blood cells transfused during the operation. Postoperative complications occurred in eight cases, with four of which were managemed successfully, and the other four died. The 1-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates of after liver transplantation were 80.0%, 80.0%, and 73.3%, respectively. The 1-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates of patients with PLD without liver transplantation were 69.2%, 46.2%, and 38.5%, respectively. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant ( χ2=3.91, P=0.048). Conclusion:Liver transplantation is a treatment option for patients with PLD, with a better long-term survival compared to patients without liver transplantation.

Objective Based on the phosphatidylinositol kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(AKT)pathway and M2 polarization of macrophages,the effects of polydatin on malignant phenotype of osteosarcoma cells were investigated.Methods The macrophages were divided into M0 group,M2 group,polydatin group,and polydatin+PI3K pathway agonist 740Y-P group.The expression of arginase-1(Arg-1)and CD206 mRNAs and proteins in macrophages were detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot.Western blot was used to detect p-PI3K/PI3K and p-AKT/AKT protein expression in macrophages.The osteosarcoma cells MG-63 were divided into control group,control group(RPMI-1640 medium culture),CM-M0 group(M0 group M0 macrophage supernatant is collected for osteosarcoma cells),CM-M2 group(M2 group M2 macrophage supernatant is collected for osteosarcoma cells),CM-polydatin group(M2 macrophage supernatant in the polydatin group was collected on osteosarcoma cells),and CM-polydatin+740Y-P group(M2 macrophage supernatant was collected on osteosarcoma cells in the CM-polydatin+740Y-P group).Edu staining assay was used to detect the proliferation of MG-63 cells.Scratches and Transwell assays were used to detect the migration and invasion of MG-63 cells.Results Compared with the M0 group,the Arg-1,CD206,IL-10,p-PI3K/PI3K,p-AKT/AKT increased in the M2 group significantly(P<0.05).Compared with the M2 group,the Arg-1,CD206,IL-10,p-PI3K/PI3K,p-AKT/AKT decreased in the polydatin group significantly(P<0.05).Compared with the polydatin group,the Arg-1,CD206,IL-10,p-PI3K/PI3K,p-AKT/AKT increased in the polydatin+740Y-P group significantly(P<0.05).Compared with the CM-M0 group,the proportion of Edu-positive cells in the CM-M2 group increased significantly(P<0.05),and MG-63 cell migration and invasion rates increased significantly(P<0.05).Compared with the CM-M2 group,the proportion of Edu-positive cells in the CM-polydatin group decreased significantly(P<0.05),and MG-63 cell migration and invasion rates decreased significantly(P<0.05).Compared with the CM-polydatin group,the proportion of Edu-positive cells in the CM-polydatin+740Y-P group increased significantly(P<0.05),and MG-63 cell migration and invasion rates increased significantly(P<0.05).Conclusion Polygonum cuspidatum can inhibit the proliferation,migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells by inhibiting the M2 polarization of macrophages,and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Objective To investigate the expression and clinical significance of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1(MEN1)gene in breast cancer.Methods The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)database was used to analyze the relationship between MEN1 gene and clinicopathological characteristics of breast cancer.Kaplan-Meier method was used to observe the effect of MEN1 on survival of breast cancer patients.Gene Ontology(GO),Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG),and gene set enrichment analysis(GSEA)were used to predict the function and signaling pathways of MEN1 related and interacting genes.Tumor Immune Estimation Resource(TIMER)and single sample gene set enrichment analysis(ssGSEA)were used to investigate the correlation between the level of immune infiltration and MEN1 expression in breast cancer.Results MEN1 was highly expressed in breast cancer patients,and its expression level was related to PAM50 subtype and menopause status(both P＜0.05).Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that high MEN1 expression was associated with poor clinical outcome(P=0.019).GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that MEN1 related and interacting genes were involved in biological processes(histone modification,histone-lysine methylation),cell components(methyltransferase complex and histone methyltransferase complex),molecular functions(histone-methyltransferase activity),and functional pathways(transcriptional disorders in tumors).GSEA identified that the highly expressed MEN1 phenotype was involved in vesicle-mediated transport,complement cascade,B-cell receptor signaling,lymphocyte-non-lymphocyte interaction,interleukin signaling,and cytokine signaling pathways in the immune system.CancerSEA single cell sequencing results indicated that the expression of MEN1 was positively correlated with angiogenesis in MDA-MB-231 cells(P＜0.05).TIMER analysis found that MEN1 in breast cancer was negatively correlated with the infiltration levels of macrophages and CD8+T cells,and positively correlated with the infiltration level of CD4+T cells(all P＜0.05).ssGSEA showed that the infiltration levels of 18 types of immune cells were negatively correlated with MEN1 expression(all P＜0.05).Conclusion High MEN1 level is associated with poor survival and immune infiltration in breast cancer patients.

Objective:To investigate the impact of donor age on early postoperative liver function recovery in liver transplant recipients, as well as the incidence and risk factors for arterial complications following liver transplantation.Methods:A total of 518 patients who underwent liver transplantation at the Organ Transplantation Center of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University between January 2021 and January 2024 were included in the study. Based on donor age, patients were classified into the elderly donor group (≥70 years, n=28) and the non-elderly donor group (<70 years, n=490). Liver function indicators—including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total bilirubin (TBIL), and direct bilirubin (DBIL)—were measured on postoperative days 1, 3, 7, and 14. The incidence of arterial complications, including hepatic artery thrombosis and hepatic artery stenosis, was recorded. Recipients were further categorized into the arterial complication group (n=26) and the non-arterial complication group (n=492) based on postoperative outcomes, and clinical characteristics of donors and recipients were compared. Binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify risk factors for arterial complications.Rusults:No significant differences were observed in baseline characteristics between the elderly and non-elderly donor groups ( P>0.05). However, the elderly donor group exhibited significantly higher AST, ALT, TBIL, and DBIL levels at all postoperative time points compared to the non-elderly donor group (all P<0.05). Specifically, on postoperative day 1, AST and ALT levels were (1,024.57±256.49) U/L and (756.24±145.89) U/L in the elderly donor group, compared to (895.23±225.19) U/L and (614.85±126.51) U/L in the non-elderly donor group. On day 3, AST and ALT levels were (402.46±71.61) U/L and (423.31±87.44) U/L versus (226.37±66.54) U/L and (256.79±70.25) U/L, respectively. On day 7, AST and ALT levels were (91.78±21.84) U/L and (92.36±21.62) U/L versus (68.41±18.38) U/L and (77.47±18.16) U/L. By day 14, AST and ALT levels were (67.52±10.35) U/L and (72.17±16.28) U/L versus (35.32±9.27) U/L and (48.56±14.10) U/L, respectively ( P<0.05 for all comparisons). For bilirubin indicators, TBIL and DBIL levels in the elderly donor group were also consistently higher than in the non-elderly donor group. On day 1, TBIL and DBIL were (95.76±21.93) μmol/L and (64.22±15.07) μmol/L, compared to (77.59±20.48) μmol/L and (51.18±12.96) μmol/L. By day 14, TBIL and DBIL levels had decreased to (41.26±8.30) μmol/L and (32.45±6.21) μmol/L, compared to (28.39±7.15) μmol/L and (20.58±5.04) μmol/L in the non-elderly donor group ( P<0.05 for all comparisons). The incidence of hepatic artery complications was 10.71% (3/28) in the elderly donor group and 4.69% (23/490) in the non-elderly donor group, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups ( P>0.05). Statistical analysis employing independent t-tests and χ2 tests demonstrated significant differences between the arterial complication group and non-arterial complication group in donor quality ratio ( P<0.05) and incidence of hepatic arterial hypoperfusion ( P<0.05). Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis, after adjusting for confounding factors (e.g., recipient gender, age, body mass index [BMI], primary disease, and donor-recipient blood type compatibility), identified recipient-to-donor mass ratio ( OR=1.352, P<0.05) and insufficient hepatic arterial blood flow ( OR=1.497, P<0.05) as independent risk factors for arterial complications following liver transplantation. Conclusion:Elderly liver donors can have a certain impact on early postoperative liver function recovery in liver transplant recipients, but have no significant impact on the occurrence of arterial complications after liver transplantation. The mass ratio of recipients to donors and insufficient hepatic arterial blood flow are independent risk factors for arterial complications after liver transplantation.

Objective Based on the phosphatidylinositol kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(AKT)pathway and M2 polarization of macrophages,the effects of polydatin on malignant phenotype of osteosarcoma cells were investigated.Methods The macrophages were divided into M0 group,M2 group,polydatin group,and polydatin+PI3K pathway agonist 740Y-P group.The expression of arginase-1(Arg-1)and CD206 mRNAs and proteins in macrophages were detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot.Western blot was used to detect p-PI3K/PI3K and p-AKT/AKT protein expression in macrophages.The osteosarcoma cells MG-63 were divided into control group,control group(RPMI-1640 medium culture),CM-M0 group(M0 group M0 macrophage supernatant is collected for osteosarcoma cells),CM-M2 group(M2 group M2 macrophage supernatant is collected for osteosarcoma cells),CM-polydatin group(M2 macrophage supernatant in the polydatin group was collected on osteosarcoma cells),and CM-polydatin+740Y-P group(M2 macrophage supernatant was collected on osteosarcoma cells in the CM-polydatin+740Y-P group).Edu staining assay was used to detect the proliferation of MG-63 cells.Scratches and Transwell assays were used to detect the migration and invasion of MG-63 cells.Results Compared with the M0 group,the Arg-1,CD206,IL-10,p-PI3K/PI3K,p-AKT/AKT increased in the M2 group significantly(P<0.05).Compared with the M2 group,the Arg-1,CD206,IL-10,p-PI3K/PI3K,p-AKT/AKT decreased in the polydatin group significantly(P<0.05).Compared with the polydatin group,the Arg-1,CD206,IL-10,p-PI3K/PI3K,p-AKT/AKT increased in the polydatin+740Y-P group significantly(P<0.05).Compared with the CM-M0 group,the proportion of Edu-positive cells in the CM-M2 group increased significantly(P<0.05),and MG-63 cell migration and invasion rates increased significantly(P<0.05).Compared with the CM-M2 group,the proportion of Edu-positive cells in the CM-polydatin group decreased significantly(P<0.05),and MG-63 cell migration and invasion rates decreased significantly(P<0.05).Compared with the CM-polydatin group,the proportion of Edu-positive cells in the CM-polydatin+740Y-P group increased significantly(P<0.05),and MG-63 cell migration and invasion rates increased significantly(P<0.05).Conclusion Polygonum cuspidatum can inhibit the proliferation,migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells by inhibiting the M2 polarization of macrophages,and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

This study reports the diagnosis and treatment of six cases of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) in liver transplant recipients, confirmed at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University between August 2017 and May 2023. The report includes details on anti-rejection therapy, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections, imaging findings, histopathological results, treatment courses, and prognoses. By summarizing the clinical experience in the diagnosis and management of PTLD following liver transplantation, this study aims to provide valuable insights and references for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of this condition.

Primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumor (PHNET) is an extremely rare subtype of neuroendocrine tumor (NET), accounting for approximately 0.3% - 4.0% of all NETs. This study reports a case of PHNET treated with ABO-incompatible liver transplantation. Intraoperatively, double filtration plasmapheresis was performed to remove antibodies. Postoperatively, the patient's blood concentrations of immunosuppressive drugs and liver function were closely monitored. The recipient maintained stable drug levels, with a gradual recovery of liver function. No acute rejection occurred, and the patient was successfully discharged.