Objective To introduce an innovative technique, the "balance-shaped sternal elevation device" and its application in the subxiphoid uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for anterior mediastinal masses resection. Methods Patients who underwent single-port thoracoscopic assisted anterior mediastinal tumor resection through the xiphoid process at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University from May to June 2024 were included, and their clinical data were analyzed. Results A total of 7 patients were included, with 3 males and 4 females, aged 28-72 years. The diameter of the tumor was 1.9-17.0 cm. The operation time was 62-308 min, intraoperative blood loss was 5-100 mL, postoperative chest drainage tube retention time was 0-9 days, pain score on the 7th day after surgery was 0-2 points, and postoperative hospital stay was 3-12 days. All patients underwent successful and complete resection of the masses and thymus, with favorable postoperative recovery. Conclusion The "balance-shaped sternal elevation device" effectively expands the retrosternal space, providing surgeons with satisfactory surgical views and operating space. This technique significantly enhances the efficacy and safety of minimally invasive surgery for anterior mediastinal masses, reduces trauma and postoperative pain, and accelerates patient recovery, demonstrating important clinical significance and application value.

This article presents a case study of a patient who visited the Geriatric Department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital due to "palpitations, shortness of breath for more than 2 years, limb weakness for 6 months, edema, and nocturnal dyspnea for 2 months". The patient exhibited decreased muscle strength in the limbs and involvement of swallowing and respiratory muscles, alongside complications of heart failure and various arrhythmias which were predominantly atrial. Laboratory tests revealed the presence of multiple autoantibodies and notably anti-mitochondrial antibodies. Following a comprehensive multidisciplinary evaluation, the patient was diagnosed with anti-mitochondrial antibody-associated inflammatory myopathy. Treatment involved a combination of glucocorticoids and immunosuppressants, along with resistance exercises for muscle strength and rehabilitation training for lung function, resulting in significant improvement of clinical symptoms. The case underscores the importance of collaborative multidisciplinary approaches in diagnosing and treating rare diseases in elderly patients, where careful consideration of clinical manifestations and subtle abnormal clinical data can lead to effective interventions.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of Acanthopanacis Senticosi Radix et Rhizoma seu Caulis extract （ASH） in treating Parkinson's disease （PD） in mice by Data-Independent Acquisition （DIA） proteomics. MethodsThe α-Synuclein （α-Syn） transgenic PD mice were selected as suitable models for PD， and they were randomly assigned into PD， ASH （61.25 mg·kg^-1）， and Madopar （97.5 mg·kg^-1） groups. Male C57BL/6 mice of the same age were selected as the control group， with eight mice in each group. Mice were administrated with corresponding drugs by gavage once a day for 20 days. The pole climbing time and the number of autonomic activities were recorded to evaluate the exercise ability of mice. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was employed to observe neuronal changes in the substantia nigra of PD mice. Immunohistochemistry （IHC） was employed to measure the tyrosine hydroxylase （TH） activity in the substantia nigra and assess the areal density of α-Syn in the striatum. DIA proteomics was used to compare protein expression in the substantia nigra between groups. IHC was utilized to validate key differentially expressed proteins， including Lactotransferrin， Notch2， Ndrg2， and TMEM 166. The cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） method was used to investigate the effect of ASH on the viability of PD cells with overexpression of α-Syn. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot were employed to determine the protein and mRNA levels of Lactotransferrin， Notch2， Ndrg2， and TMEM 166 in PD cells. ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group showed prolonged pole climbing time， diminished coordination ability， reduced autonomic activities （P<0.01）， and reduced swelling neurons. Compared with the model group， ASH and Madopar reduced the climbing time， increased autonomic activities （P<0.01）， and ameliorated neuronal damage. Compared with the control group， the model group showed a decrease in TH activity in the substantia nigra and an increase in α-Syn accumulation in the striatum （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the ASH group showed an increase in TH activity and a reduction in α-Syn accumulation （P<0.05）. DIA proteomics revealed a total of 464 differentially expressed proteins in the model group compared with the control group， with 323 proteins being up-regulated and 141 down-regulated. A total of 262 differentially expressed proteins were screened in the ASH group compared with the model group， including 85 proteins being up-regulated and 177 down-regulated. Kyoto encylopedia of genes and genomes （KEGG） pathway analysis indicated that ASH primarily regulated the Notch signaling pathway. The model group showed up-regulation in protein levels of Notch2， Ndrg2， and TMEM 166 and down-regulation in the protein level of Lactotransferrin compared with the control group （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， ASH down-regulated the protein levels of Notch2， Ndrg2， and TMEM 166 （P<0.05） while up-regulating the protein level of Lactotransferrin （P<0.01）. The IHC results corroborated the proteomics findings. The cell experiment results showed that compared with the control group， the modeling up-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of Notch2， Ndrg2， and TMEM 166 （P<0.01）， while down-regulating the mRNA and protein levels of Lactotransferrin （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， ASH reduced the mRNA and protein levels of Notch2， Ndrg2， and TMEM 166 （P<0.01）， while increasing the mRNA and protein levels of Lactotransferrin （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionASH may Synergistically inhibit the Notch signaling pathway and mitigate neuronal damage by down-regulating the expression of Notch2 and Ndrg2. Additionally， by up-regulating the expression of Lactotransferrin and down-regulating the expression of TMEM166， ASH can address brain iron accumulation， intervene in ferroptosis， inhibit mitophagy， and mitigate reactive oxygen species damage， thereby protecting nerve cells and contributing to the treatment of PD.

ObjectiveTo investigate the optimal ratio of goat horn replacing antelope horn in Fufang Lingjiao Jiangya pills and the blood pressure-lowering mechanism of this medicine. MethodsThe blood pressure-lowering efficacy of Fufang Lingjiao Jiangya pills with varying proportions of goat horn replacing antelope horn was evaluated on spontaneous hypertensive rats （SHR）. In this experiment， 50 SHR rats were randomly grouped as follows： model （n=8）， captopril （0.01 g·kg^-1） （n=6）， low-dose blank Fufang Lingjiao Jiangya pills （0.342 g·kg^-1） （n=6）， high-dose blank Fufang Lingjiao Jiangya pills （0.684 g·kg^-1） （n=6）， low-dose antelope horn-containing Fufang Lingjiao Jiangya pills （0.378 g·kg^-1） （n=6）， high-dose antelope horn-containing Fufang Lingjiao Jiangya pills （0.756 g·kg^-1） （n=6）， low-dose goat horn-containing Fufang Lingjiao Jiangya pills （0.378 g·kg^-1） （n=6）， and high-dose goat horn-containing Fufang Lingjiao Jiangya pills （0.756 g·kg^-1） （n=6）. Additionally， 8 WKY rats were used as the normal group. Drugs were administered by gavage for 4 weeks while an equal volume of distilled water was administered for the normal and model groups. Blood pressure was measured before administration， 3 h post administration， and biweekly thereafter. In the experiment for Fufang Lingjiao Jiangya pills with goat horn replacing antelope horn in different proportions， 48 SHR rats were randomly grouped as follows： model， blank Fufang Lingjiao Jiangya pills （0.684 g·kg^-1）， antelope horn-containing Fufang Lingjiao Jiangya pills （0.756 g·kg^-1）， 2× goat horn-containing Fufang Lingjiao Jiangya pills （0.824 g·kg^-1）， 4× goat horn Fufang Lingjiao Jiangya pills （0.969 g·kg^-1）， and 6× goat horn Fufang Lingjiao Jiangya pills （1.112 g·kg^-1）. The normal group included 8 WKY rats， and the normal group and model group received an equal volume of distilled water. The treatment lasted for 2 weeks， and blood pressure was recorded at various time points （pre-administration， 3 h post administration， and on days 4， 7， 10， and 14 of administration）. Serum levels of angiotensin-converting enzyme （ACE）， angiotensin Ⅱ（Ang Ⅱ）， renin， and interleukin-6 （IL-6） were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Histopathological changes in the heart， kidney， and thoracic aorta were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The protein levels of ACE2， angiotensin Ⅱ type 1 receptor （AT1R）， and angiotensinogen （AGT） in the kidney tissue were determined by Western blot， while the expression of nuclear factor （NF）-κB p65 and Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4） in the thoracic aorta tissue was assessed by immunohistochemistry. ResultsCompared with the model group， all treatment groups showed lowered blood pressure （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the 6× goat horn-containing Fufang Lingjiao Jiangya pills group showed consistent blood pressure-lowering effect with the antelope horn-containing Fufang Lingjiao Jiangya pills group. Compared with the normal group， the model group showed elevated serum levels of ACE， Ang Ⅱ， renin， and IL-6， while the elevations were declined in the Fufang Lingjiao Jiangya pills groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Pathological changes in the heart， kidney， and thoracic aorta were alleviated in all the treatment groups， with the 6× goat horn- and antelope horn-containing Fufang Lingjiao Jiangya pills groups exhibited the best effect. Western blot and immunohistochemistry results showed that all the treatment groups exhibited down-regulated protein levels of AT1R， AGT， NF-κB p65， and TLR4 and up-regulated protein levels of ACE2 （P<0.05， P<0.01） compared with model group， with the 6×goat horn- and antelope horn-containing Fufang Lingjiao Jiangya pills groups showcasing the best effect. ConclusionReplacing antelope horn with 6×goat horn in Fufang Lingjiao Jiangya pills can achieve consistent blood pressure-lowering effect with the original prescription. The prescription may exert the effect by inhibiting the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system （RAAS） and TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathways.

ObjectiveGliomas in the motor functional area can damage the corticospinal tract (CST), leading to motor dysfunction. Currently, there is a lack of unified methods for evaluating the extent of CST damage, especially in patients with high surgical risk where the minimum distance from the lesion to the CST is less than 10 mm. This study aims to further clarify the classification method and clinical significance of CST morphological changes in these patients. MethodsThis retrospective study analyzed 109 high-risk functional area glioma patients who underwent neurosurgical treatment with preoperative diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) imaging and intraoperative neurostimulation guidance between 2014 and 2024. All patients had a lesion-to-tract distance (LTD) of less than 10 mm between the CST and the lesion. Preoperative DTI evaluation of CST involvement-induced morphological changes were reviewed. Patients were divided into 3 groups: 17 cases (15.6%) with symmetric CST morphology compared to the healthy side (CST symmetry), 48 cases (44.0%) with significant CST morphology changes compared to the healthy side (CST deformation), and 44 cases (40.4%) with CST overlap with the tumor (CST overlap). Then we classified patients according to preoperative assessment of tumor-induced morphological changes, and analyze postoperative motor function for each category. ResultsPostoperative pathology showed a significantly higher proportion of high-grade gliomas (HGG) in the CST overlap group compared to the other two groups (P=0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that CST overlap was a predictor of HGG (P=0.000). The rate of total tumor resection in the CST deformation group and overlap group was lower than in the CST symmetric group (P=0.008). There was a total of 41 postoperative hemiplegic patients, with 4 cases (23.5%) in the CST symmetric group, 11 cases (22.9%) in the CST deformation group, and 26 cases (59.1%) in the CST overlap group. CST overlap with the tumor predicted postoperative hemiplegia (P=0.016). Two-way ANOVA analysis of the affected/healthy side and CST morphology groups showed significant main effects of CST grouping and healthy-affected side (P=0.017 and P=0.010), with no significant interaction (P=0.31). The fractional anisotropy (FA) value in the CST overlap group and the affected side was lower. A decrease in the FA value on the affected side predicted postoperative hemiplegia (sensitivity 69.2%, specificity 71.9%). ConclusionWe have established a method to predict postoperative hemiplegia in high-risk motor functional area glioma patients based on preoperative CST morphological changes. CST overlap leads to a decrease in CST FA values. This method can be used for precise patient management and aid in accurate preoperative surgical planning.

OBJECTIVE To explore the construction of selection system for drug directory of the county-level medical community based on multi-criteria decision analysis， and provide decision-making basis for the selection of drug directory of medical community. METHODS Taking county-level medical community in Chongqing as an example，Delphi method and analytic hierarchy process were employed to construct the selection system for drug directory of the county-level medical community. Selected drugs were quantitatively scored based on the constructed index system， and the drug directory was selected according to the drug’s comprehensive score. The implementation effect of the directory was then evaluated through questionnaire surveys one year after the implementation of the directory. RESULTS The expert authority coefficients of the two rounds of consultation were＞ 0.8， with Kendall’s W values of 0.213 and 0.196， respectively （P＜0.001）. Finally， the selection system for drug directory of the medical community was determined to include five evaluation dimensions： safety， effectiveness， economy， accessibility， and innovation， along with eight evaluation indicators. In the drug directory selected according to the above method， the proportions of centrally procured drugs， medical insurance drugs， and essential drugs had all increased compared to before the selection； the comprehensive scores of chemical drugs ranged from 50.25 to 96.31 scores， and the proportion of drugs scoring between 70 and 100 scores had increased from 78.06% before selection to 85.82%. Among them， antiparasitic drugs had the highest comprehensive scores， while drugs for the digestive tract and metabolism were the most numerous. The evaluation scores of each indicator and the comprehensive scores of drugs in the drug directory after the selection process increased significantly than before selection （P＜ 0.05）. CONCLUSIONS The selection system for drug directory of the county-level medical community constructed in this study is scientific， objective and operable. This process facilitates the promotion of standardized and unified management of drugs in the medical community.

ObjectiveBola-like short peptides exhibit novel self-assembly properties due to the formation of peptide dimers via hydrogen bonding interactions between their C-terminals. In this configuration, hydrophilic amino acids are distributed at both terminals, making these peptides behave similarly to Bola peptides. The electrostatic repulsive interactions arising from the hydrophilic amino acids at each terminal can be neutralized, thereby greatly promoting the lateral association of β-sheets. Consequently, assemblies with significantly larger widths are typically the dominant nanostructures for Bola-like peptides. To investigate the effect of hydrophilic amino acids on the self-assembly behavior of Bola-like peptides, the peptides Ac-RI₃-CONH₂ and Ac-HI₃-CONH₂ were designed and synthesized using the Bola-like peptide Ac-KI₃-CONH₂ as a template. Their self-assembly behavior was systematically examined. MethodsAtomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were employed to characterize the morphology and size of the assemblies. The secondary structures of the assemblies were analyzed using circular dichroism (CD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) was used to obtain detailed structural information at a short-length scale. Based on these experimental results, the effects of hydrophilic amino acids on the self-assembly behavior of Bola-like short peptides were systematically analyzed, and the underlying formation mechanism was explored. ResultsThe aggregation process primarily involved three steps. First, peptide dimers were formed through hydrogen bonding interactions between their C-terminals. Within these dimers, the hydrophilic amino acids K, R, and H were positioned at both terminals, enabling the peptides to self-assemble in a manner similar to Bola peptides. Next, β-sheets were formed via hydrogen bonding interactions along the peptide backbone. Finally, self-assemblies were generated through the lateral association of β-sheets. The results demonstrated that both Ac-KI₃-CONH₂ and Ac-RI₃-CONH₂ could self-assemble into double-layer nanotubes with diameters of approximately 200 nm. These nanotubes were formed by the edge fusion of helical ribbons, which initially emerged from twisted ribbons. Notably, the primary assemblies of these peptides exhibited opposite chirality: nanofibers formed by Ac-KI₃-CONH₂ displayed left-handed chirality, whereas those formed by Ac-RI₃-CONH₂ exhibited right-handed chirality. This reversal in torsional direction was primarily attributed to the different abilities of K and R to form hydrogen bonds with water. In contrast, Ac-HI₃-CONH₂ formed narrower twisted ribbons with a significantly reduced width of approximately 30 nm, which was attributed to the strong steric hindrance caused by the imidazole rings. The multilayer height of these ribbons was mainly due to the unique structure of the imidazole rings, which can function as both hydrogen bond donors and acceptors, thereby promoting aggregate growth in the vertical direction. ConclusionThe final morphology of the self-assemblies resulted from a delicate balance of various non-covalent interactions. By altering the types of hydrophilic amino acid residues in Bola-like short peptides, the relative strength of non-covalent interactions that drive assembly formation can be effectively regulated, allowing precise control over the morphology and chirality of the assemblies. This study provides a simple and effective approach for constructing diverse self-assemblies and lays a theoretical foundation for the development of functional biomaterials.

Objective A simple,sensitive and rapid ultra high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS)method was developed and validated for the determination of ertapenem in human plasma.Methods Using ertapenem-D4 as internal standard,the protein in plasma was precipitated with acetonitrile;chromatographic column:ACQUITY HSS T3(2.1 mm × 50.0 mm,1.8 μm);the mobile phase was 0.1％formic acid aqueous solution(containing 2 mmol·L-1 ammonium formate)-acetonitrile(0.1％formic acid),using a gradient elution;flow rate:0.4 mL·min-1,injection volume:1 μL,column temperature:45 ℃,the analysis time was 4.5 min,the scanning mode is positive ion selective reaction monitoring mode(SRM)with an electric spray ion source(ESI).The specificity,standard curve and lower limit of quantification,precision and recovery,matrix effect,dilution effect and stability were investigated.Results Ertapenem had a good linearity within 0.5-80.0μg·mL-1,and the standard curve was y=4.25 × 10-1x-2.64× 10-2(r2=0.999 0),the lower limit of quantification was 0.5 μg·mL-1,the relative standard deviation within and between batches is 1.39％-4.15％.The extraction recovery rate was 58.36％-64.57％,and the relative standard deviation of dilution effect was 3.30％,and the matrix effect was 99.71％-103.23％.The relative standard deviation of room temperature,repeated freeze-thaw,4 ℃,and long-term stability are all less than 10％.Conclusion The method is sensitive,rapid and specific,which is suitable for clinical monitoring of Ertapenem.

Objective To determine the relationship between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase(MTHFR)C677T,A1298C and multidrug resistance 1(ABCB1)C3435T gene polymorphisms and the adverse reactions of high-dose methotrexate(HD-MTX)in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL).Methods Blood samples of ALL children treated with HD-MTX chemotherapy were collected,and the polymorphic polymorphism of MTHFR C677T,A1298C and ABCB1 C3435T genes were detected by sequencing method.The adverse drug reactions after MTX chemotherapy were evaluated according to the common adverse drug reaction grading criteria.The relationship between MTHFR C677T,A1298C and ABCB1 C3435T gene polymorphisms and HD-MTX adverse drug reactions was analyzed.Results The risk of MTHFR A1298C AC+CC type hepatic injury(grade 2)was higher than AA type[odds ratio(OR)2.350,95％confidence interval(CI)=1.038-5.320,P＜0.05],no correlations were found between MTHFR A1298C and myelosuppression,mucositis,gastrointestinal reaction and acute renal impair(all P＞0.05).ABCB1 C3435T CT type hepatic injury(grade 2)was higher than TT type(OR 5.161,95％CI 1.371-19.424,P＜0.05),ABCB1 C3435T CC+CT type hepatic injury(grade 2)was higher than TT type(OR 4.231,95％CI 1.165-15.362,P＜0.05);no correlations were found between ABCB1 C3435T and myelosuppression,mucositis,gastrointestinal reaction and acute renal impair(all P＞0.05).No correlations wre found between MTHFR C677T and HD-MTX adverse drug reactions(all P＞0.05).Conclusion When treating ALL with HD-MTX,adverse drug reactions can be predicted by detecting MTHFR A1298C and ABCB1 C3435T genotypes,so as to implement more scientific individualized medication.

Objective To investigate the impact of anti-reflux modified duodenal exclusion surgery on glucose metabolism in rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and to elucidate the role of the duodenum in maintaining glucose homeostasis. MethodsForty male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 5 weeks were fed a high-fat diet and induced with T2DM using low-dose streptozotocin. Thirty-six rats that met the T2DM model criteria were randomly divided into three groups: the simple duodenal exclusion surgery group (DE group), the anti-reflux modified duodenal exclusion group (MDE group), and the sham operation group (SO group), with 12 rats in each group. Gastroenterography was performed 4 weeks after surgery, and the body weight, fasting blood glucose levels, and serum glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) concentrations were measured before surgery and at 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks post-surgery. Eight weeks post-surgery, the rats were euthanized, and a 1 cm segment of the biliopancreatic loop was collected from each group for pathological sectioning and HE staining to observe the intestinal mucosal villus length under an optical microscope. Results Gastroenterography showed that there was significant reflux of the contrast agent into the duodenal lumen in the DE group, while no reflux was observed in the MDE group. At one week post-surgery, the body weights of rats in all three groups significantly decreased compared to before surgery (P<0.05), and then the body weights of all groups increased over time, with no significant differences between the groups (P>0.05). Compared with the SO group, the fasting blood glucose levels in the MDE and DE groups significantly decreased at all time points post-surgery (P<0.05), while GLP-1 concentrations significantly increased (P<0.05). The fasting blood glucose levels in the MDE group were lower than those in the DE group at all time points post-surgery (P<0.05), but there were no significant differences in serum GLP-1 concentrations between the MDE and DE groups (P>0.05). Regarding intestinal mucosal morphology, the villus lengths of the biliopancreatic loops in the MDE group were significantly shorter than those in the DE and SO groups (P<0.05). Conclusion Anti-reflux modified duodenal exclusion surgery effectively improves glucose metabolism in T2DM rats by preventing the reflux of chyme into the diverted duodenum, thereby enhancing its hypoglycemic effect.