Objective To analyze the influencing factors for postoperative anastomotic leak (AL) in carcinoma of the esophagus and gastroesophageal junction and construct a nomogram predictive model. Methods The patients who underwent radical esophagectomy at Jinling Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University School of Medicine from January 2018 to June 2020 were included in this study. Relevant variables were screened using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. A nomogram was then developed to predict the risk factors associated with postoperative AL. The predictive performance of the nomogram was validated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results A total of 468 patients with carcinoma of the esophagus and gastroesophageal junction were included in the study, comprising 354 males and 114 females, with a mean age of (62.8±7.2) years. The tumors were predominantly located in the middle or lower esophagus, and 51 (10.90%) patients experienced postoperative AL. Univariate logistic regression analysis indicated that age, body mass index (BMI), tumor location, preoperative albumin levels, diabetes mellitus, anastomosis technique, anastomosis site, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were potentially associated with AL (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified age, BMI, tumor location, diabetes mellitus, anastomosis technique, and CRP levels as independent risk factors for AL (P<0.05). A nomogram was developed based on the findings from the multivariate logistic regression analysis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.803, indicating a strong concordance between the actual observations and the predicted outcomes. Furthermore, decision curve analysis demonstrated that the newly established nomogram holds significant value for clinical decision-making. Conclusion The predictive model for postoperative AL in patients with carcinoma of the esophagus and gastroesophageal junction demonstrates strong predictive validity and is essential for guiding clinical monitoring, early detection, and preventive strategies.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of Zhiwei Fuwei Pills on mitochondrial apoptosis in the rat model of precancerous lesions of gastric cancer(PLGC) based on the microRNA-21(miRNA-21)/B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2) signaling pathway. Eighty-five 5-week-old male SPF-grade SD rats were selected, of which 75 were fed with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine(MNNG) for multifactorial modeling, and the PLGC model was established after 26 weeks. The rats were randomly grouped as follows: model, folic acid(0.002 g·kg~(-1)), low-dose(0.42 g·kg~(-1)) Zhiwei Fuwei Pills, medium-dose(0.84 g·kg~(-1)) Zhiwei Fuwei Pills, and high-dose(1.67 g·kg~(-1)) Zhiwei Fuwei Pills, with 15 rats in each group. Additionally, 10 rats were assigned to a blank group and administrated with an equivalent volume of normal saline by gavage. After four weeks of continuous drug administration, the gastric mucosal tissue was collected. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was performed to reveal the pathological changes in the gastric mucosa. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL) was employed to detect apoptosis in gastric mucosal epithelial cells. RT-PCR was adopted to determine the mRNA levels of miRNA-21, phosphatase and tensin homolog(PTEN), Bcl-2, Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax), and cysteinyl aspartate-specific protease 3(caspase-3). Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of PTEN, Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3. Immunohistochemistry(IHC) was used to detect the positive expression of PTEN, Bcl-2, and Bax in the gastric mucosal tissue. Transmission electron microscopy(TEM) was employed to observe the morphological and structural changes in mitochondria. The results showed that compared with model group, the drug administration groups showed alleviated pathological changes, with increased apoptotic cells, down-regulated mRNA levels of miRNA-21 and Bcl-2, up-regulated mRNA and protein levels of PTEN, Bax, and caspase-3, and down-regulated protein level of Bcl-2. In addition, the drug administration groups exhibited mitochondrial swelling and rupture and reduction of cristae, which indicated mitochondrial apoptosis. These findings suggest that Zhiwei Fuwei Pills can effectively improve mitochondrial apoptosis in PLGC cells by regulating the miRNA-21/Bcl-2 signaling pathway.
Animals ; MicroRNAs/metabolism* ; Male ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Stomach Neoplasms/physiopathology* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/genetics* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Mitochondria/genetics* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Precancerous Conditions/drug therapy* ; Humans ; PTEN Phosphohydrolase/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical symptoms and MRI outcomes of patients with ruptured lumbar disc herniation(LDH) through a multicenter randomized controlled study, and to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Yiqi Huoxue formula() in the treatment of this disease. METHODS: A total of 160 outpatients and inpatients with ruptured LDH admitted to 4 medical centers from January 2023 to June 2023 were selected and randomly divided into the Yiqi Huoxue formula group and the control group, with 80 patients in each group. In the Yiqi Huoxue formula group, there were 43 males and 37 females, with an age of (41.03±9.56) years and a disease duration of (10.45±25.37) days, and the patients were treated with Yiqi Huoxue formula. In the control group, there were 34 males and 46 females, with an age of (42.14±8.73) years and a disease duration of (11.31±21.14) days;during the acute phase, patients in this group could take celecoxib capsules orally, and methylcobalamin orally at the same time. The Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, Oswestry disability index (ODI), changes in the volume of herniated disc tissue on MRI, herniation rate, and absorption rate were recorded at the time of enrollment and during follow-ups at the 3rd, 6th, and 12th month after treatment. RESULTS: A total of 156 patients completed the clinical follow-up, and 4 patients withdrew midway. The clinical symptoms of all patients who completed the study were relieved to varying degrees, and reabsorption of herniated disc tissue was observed in all patients in the Yiqi Huoxue formula group after treatment. For the JOA score:in the Yiqi Huoxue formula group, it was (10.73±2.76) points before treatment and (24.65±2.19) points at the 12th month after treatment;in the control group, it was (11.01±1.20) points before treatment and (17.07±3.26) points at the 12th month after treatment. For the ODI score:in the Yiqi Huoxue formula group, it was (26.21±3.55) points before treatment and (5.65±2.19) points at the 12th month after treatment;in the control group, it was (27.92±2.51) points before treatment and (9.09±2.15) points at the 12th month after treatment. At the 12th month after treatment, the JOA and ODI scores of both groups were better than those before treatment, and the scores of the Yiqi Huoxue formula group were better than those of the control group, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). In terms of the herniated disc volume and herniation rate on MRI, the Yiqi Huoxue formula group was superior to the control group, with statistically significant differences(P<0.05). Reabsorption occurred in 56.96%(45/79) of patients in the Yiqi Huoxue formula group, which was significantly higher than the 37.66%(29/77) in the control group. CONCLUSION After treatment with Yiqi Huoxue formula, patients with ruptured LDH show significant improvement in clinical symptoms and a marked reduction in the volume of herniated discs. During the follow-up period, no obvious adverse drug reactions are observed in patients, and no recurrence of symptoms is found at the last follow-up, indicating that the formula has safe and reliable efficacy.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement/drug therapy* ; Adult ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Middle Aged ; Lumbar Vertebrae

PURPOSE: To investigate the protective effect of sub-hypothermic mechanical perfusion combined with membrane lung oxygenation on ischemic hypoxic injury of yorkshire brain tissue caused by traumatic blood loss. METHODS: This article performed a random controlled trial. Brain tissue of 7 yorkshire was selected and divided into the sub-low temperature anterograde machine perfusion group (n = 4) and the blank control group (n = 3) using the random number table method. A yorkshire model of brain tissue injury induced by traumatic blood loss was established. Firstly, the perfusion temperature and blood oxygen saturation were monitored in real-time during the perfusion process. The number of red blood cells, hemoglobin content, NA⁺, K⁺, and Ca²⁺ ions concentrations and pH of the perfusate were detected. Following perfusion, we specifically examined the parietal lobe to assess its water content. The prefrontal cortex and hippocampus were then dissected for histological evaluation, allowing us to investigate potential regional differences in tissue injury. The blank control group was sampled directly before perfusion. All statistical analyses and graphs were performed using GraphPad Prism 8.0 Student t-test. All tests were two-sided, and p value of less than 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. RESULTS: The contents of red blood cells and hemoglobin during perfusion were maintained at normal levels but more red blood cells were destroyed 3 h after the perfusion. The blood oxygen saturation of the perfusion group was maintained at 95% - 98%. NA⁺ and K⁺ concentrations were normal most of the time during perfusion but increased significantly at about 4 h. The Ca²⁺ concentration remained within the normal range at each period. Glucose levels were slightly higher than the baseline level. The pH of the perfusion solution was slightly lower at the beginning of perfusion, and then gradually increased to the normal level. The water content of brain tissue in the sub-low and docile perfusion group was 78.95% ± 0.39%, which was significantly higher than that in the control group (75.27% ± 0.55%, t = 10.49, p < 0.001), and the difference was statistically significant. Compared with the blank control group, the structure and morphology of pyramidal neurons in the prefrontal cortex and CA1 region of the hippocampal gyrus were similar, and their integrity was better. The structural integrity of granulosa neurons was destroyed and cell edema increased in the perfusion group compared with the blank control group. Immunofluorescence staining for glail fibrillary acidic protein and Iba1, markers of glial cells, revealed well-preserved cell structures in the perfusion group. While there were indications of abnormal cellular activity, the analysis showed no significant difference in axon thickness or integrity compared to the 1-h blank control group. CONCLUSIONS Mild hypothermic machine perfusion can improve ischemia and hypoxia injury of yorkshire brain tissue caused by traumatic blood loss and delay the necrosis and apoptosis of yorkshire brain tissue by continuous oxygen supply, maintaining ion homeostasis and reducing tissue metabolism level.
Animals ; Perfusion/methods* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Brain Injuries/etiology* ; Swine ; Male ; Hypothermia, Induced/methods*

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effectiveness and safety of Huotujiji prescription for patients with asthenospermia of spleen-kidney yang-deficiency. METHODS: Patients with spleen-kidney-yang deficiency type of asthenospermia were divided into two groups by randomized control method. The patients in the control group were treated with L-carnitine oral solution alone. And the patients in experimental group were treated with Huotujiji prescription. Semen volume, sperm concentration, PR, TCM symptom score and spouse pregnancy were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. RESULTS: A total of 115 patients were included in the study, with 55 in the experimental group and 60 in the control group. In the experimental group, the sperm concentration before and after treatment were (160.71±53.7)×106/mL, (187.19±41.89)×106/mL, and PR were (20.37±9.42)%, (26.7±6.92)%, respectively. PR+NP were (32.06±8.49)% and (34.89±7.25)%. After the treatment, the sperm motility of both groups significantly improved compared to pre-treatment levels (P<0.05). And the experimental group's sperm concentration also showed a significant increase after the treatment (P<0.05). The pregnancy rate of spouses in the control group was 11.67%, which was 29.09% in the experimental group. The pregnancy rate of the spouses in the two groups showed a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). After 12weeks of treatment, the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) symptom scores in the control group did not decrease significantly compared to those before treatment (P> 0.05). In contrast, the TCM symptom scores in the experimental group decreased significantly after treatment (P<0.05). Moreover, compared with the control group, the TCM symptom scores of the experimental group decreased significantly after treatment (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Huotujiji prescription can safely and effectively improve the sperm quality and vitality of patients with spleen-kidney-yang deficiency type of asthenospermia, improve the symptoms of patients, and increase the pregnancy rate of their spouses, which is worthy of clinical promotion.
Humans ; Male ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Adult ; Yang Deficiency/drug therapy* ; Asthenozoospermia/drug therapy* ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Phytotherapy ; Sperm Motility ; Young Adult ; Spleen ; Treatment Outcome ; Sperm Count

Toxoplasma gondii is a single-celled parasite that infects nearly all warm-blooded animals, including humans (Montoya and Liesenfeld, 2004). It occurs worldwide and can persist for a lifetime in mammals. Humans get infected by eating undercooked meat of animals containing the tissue cysts of this parasite. In immune-competent individuals, T. gondii infection usually does not cause significant clinical symptoms, whereas in pregnant or immunocompromised individuals, T. gondii infection (toxoplasmosis) can cause more serious problems like abortion and even death (Dunn et al., 1999; Wang et al., 2017). A combination of pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine is usually used to treat toxoplasmosis, although it is generally inefficient and causes side effects (Alday and Doggett, 2017). Worse still, there is a lack of vaccines to prevent T. gondii infection in humans or animals.
Toxoplasma/enzymology* ; Animals ; Humans ; Toxoplasmosis ; Mitochondria/enzymology* ; Protozoan Proteins/metabolism*

Mycophenolic acid (MPA), the active moiety of both mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS), serves as a primary immunosuppressant for maintaining solid organ transplants. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) enhances treatment outcomes through tailored approaches. This study aimed to develop an evidence-based guideline for MPA TDM, facilitating its rational application in clinical settings. The guideline plan was drawn from the Institute of Medicine and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Using the Delphi method, clinical questions and outcome indicators were generated. Systematic reviews, Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) evidence quality evaluations, expert opinions, and patient values guided evidence-based suggestions for the guideline. External reviews further refined the recommendations. The guideline for the TDM of MPA (IPGRP-2020CN099) consists of four sections and 16 recommendations encompassing target populations, monitoring strategies, dosage regimens, and influencing factors. High-risk populations, timing of TDM, area under the curve (AUC) versus trough concentration (C₀), target concentration ranges, monitoring frequency, and analytical methods are addressed. Formulation-specific recommendations, initial dosage regimens, populations with unique considerations, pharmacokinetic-informed dosing, body weight factors, pharmacogenetics, and drug‍-‍drug interactions are covered. The evidence-based guideline offers a comprehensive recommendation for solid organ transplant recipients undergoing MPA therapy, promoting standardization of MPA TDM, and enhancing treatment efficacy and safety.
Mycophenolic Acid/administration & dosage* ; Drug Monitoring/methods* ; Humans ; Organ Transplantation ; Immunosuppressive Agents/administration & dosage* ; Delphi Technique

OBJECTIVE To assess the scientific rigor， clarity and feasibility of the recommendations of the Guidelines for Evidence-based Use of Biological Agents for the Clinical Treatment of Osteoporosis （hereinafter referred to as the Guideline） through external review， in order to further revise and improve the Guideline recommendations. METHODS This study employed a cross-sectional survey research design， a convenience sampling method was adopted to select frontline medical workers in the field of osteoporosis （including clinical doctors， clinical pharmacists， and nurses） as well as patients or their family members. External review was conducted through a combination of closed-ended and open-ended electronic questionnaires to get feedback from them on the appreciation，clarity and feasibility of the 32 preliminary recommendations in the Guideline. RESULTS A total of 90 external review subjects from 15 hospitals were collected， including 45 clinical doctors， 15 clinical pharmacists， 15 nurses and 15 patients or their family members. The overall appreciation degree of recommendations was 99.38%， the overall clarity degree of recommendations was 98.92%， and the overall feasibility degree of recommendations was 99.65%. At the same time， 111 subjective suggestions were collected， which provided an important reference for the further improvement of the Guideline recommendations. Based on the above feedback， the Guideline steering committee and core expert group revised the wording of 12 draft recommendations without deletion， and finally determined 32 recommendations. CONCLUSIONS The external review provides an important basis for the final formation of the Guideline， further improves the scientific rigor， clarity and feasibility of the recommendations， and ensures the standardization， practicality and implementability of the Guideline.

Objective: To explore the association between mental health and muscle strength among Chinese adolescents aged 13- 18, providing a theoretical foundation and intervention strategies for mental health promotion. Methods: Data were obtained from the 2019 Chinese National Survey on Students Constitution and Health, including 98 631 Chinese adolescents aged 13- 18. Psychological distress was assessed by using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), and mental well being was measured with the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well being Scale (WEMWBS). Based on the gender and age specific Z scores of various test items [grip strength, standing long jump, pull ups (for males), and sit ups (for females)], muscle strength index (MSI) was constructed to evaluate the comprehensive level of muscle strength in adolescents. According to the Dual factor Model (DFM) of mental health, participants were categorized into four groups:troubled, symptomatic but content, vulnerable, and complete mental health. Gender differences were analyzed by using Chi-square tests, trends were tested with Cochran-Armitage tests, and multinomial Logistic regression models were applied to assess associations between muscle strength and mental health among adolescents. Results: In 2019, 37.4% of Chinese adolescents aged 13-18 were reported of high mental distress, and 59.9% were reported of low mental well being. Boys had significantly lower rates of high mental distress (35.3%) and low mental well being (55.6%) compared to girls (39.4%, 64.3%), and the differences were of statistical significance ( χ 2=176.13, 780.42, both P <0.05). In 2019, the rate of complete mental health among adolescents showed a downward trend with increasing age ( χ 2 trend = 258.47) and a gradual upward trend with increasing muscle strength levels ( χ 2 trend =123.14)，and both boys and girls exhibited similar trends ( χ 2 trend =103.83, 168.46; 57.00 , 67.34) (all P <0.05). The results of the unordered multiclass Logistic regression model showed that after controlling for confounding factors such as age and gender, when the completely pathological group as a reference, for every 1 unit increase in MSI in adolescents, the likelihood of being in a completely mental health state increased by 29% ( OR = 1.29); for every unit increase in the Z-score for pull ups, the likelihood of being in a completely mental health state increased by 6% ( OR =1.06) among boys; for every 1 unit increase in sit up Z score, the likelihood of being in a completely mental health state increased by 19% ( OR =1.19) among girls (all P <0.05). Conclusions The mental health status of Chinese adolescents is not good enough. Muscle strength is positively associated with mental health.

Transcutaneous electrical stimulation equipment is a kind of characteristic therapeutic devices developed on the basis of the integration of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory and modern science and technology, which is widely used in clinical practice. Significant breakthroughs have been made in the development of related devices such as transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) devices, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) devices, and transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) devices in recent years. Although the market for these devices is vast, there are still limitations that need to be optimized in terms of electrode materials and power supply methods, bulky instrument size, cumbersome wiring, restricted applications, and inadequate intelligent functionality. In the future, it is still necessary to further build upon the theoretical foundation of TCM acupuncture, integrate a variety of modern scientific technologies to advance the intelligence and modernization of acupuncture equipment, and thereby improving its capabilities to support clinical practice and research.
Humans ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation/methods* ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy/instrumentation* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional