Objective To analyze the main causes and risk factors of unplanned reoperation after liver transplantation. Methods The clinical data of 242 liver transplant recipients in the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from January 2015 to December 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. According to whether unplanned reoperation was performed during the same hospitalization after surgery, the recipients were divided into the reoperation group (n=36) and the non-reoperation group (n=206). The preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative data of the two groups, as well as donor and graft-related data, were compared to analyze the risk factors of unplanned reoperation after liver transplantation and the survival status of the two groups. Results Among the 242 liver transplant recipients, 36 underwent unplanned reoperations, with a total of 54 procedures including various laparotomies, endoscopic and interventional surgeries, among which there were 20 laparotomies, 18 endoscopic surgeries and 16 interventional surgeries. The most common cause of unplanned reoperation was biliary complications (20 times), followed by vascular complications (17 times). Compared with the non-reoperation group, the reoperation group had longer graft cold ischemia time, higher postoperative fatality rate of recipients, longer length of stay in the intensive care unit and postoperative hospital stay, and higher total hospitalization costs (all P<0.05). The incidence of unplanned reoperation was higher in recipients who underwent split liver transplantation (P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that intraoperative blood loss ≥1 000 mL, positive culture of graft perfusate and split liver transplantation were independent risk factors for unplanned reoperation (all P<0.05). The postoperative 7-day, 1-month, 3-month and 6-month survival rates of recipients in the reoperation group and the non-reoperation group were 100% vs. 98.1%, 88.9% vs. 94.2%, 69.4% vs. 90.8% and 66.7% vs. 90.8%, respectively, and the postoperative survival rate of recipients in the reoperation group was lower than that in the non-reoperation group (P<0.05). Conclusions The main causes of unplanned reoperation after liver transplantation are biliary complications, vascular complications, abdominal incision infection and intra-abdominal hemorrhage. Intraoperative massive blood loss, positive culture of graft perfusate and split liver transplantation are the risk factors associated with unplanned reoperation after liver transplantation.

Background: Adrenocortical hormones, particularly 11-oxygenated androgens, are pivotal in female reproductive health and fertility. Standardized detection kits and population-specific reference intervals are lacking in China, hindering related clinical applications. Methods: A HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) pipeline was developed, rigorously validated, and applied to simultaneously quantify corticosterone, cortisone, cortisol, 18-OH cortisol, androstenedione (A4), 11β-hydroxyandrostenedione (11-OH A4), dehydroepiandrosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in serum samples from 455 reproductive-aged women (18–45 yrs) in Guangxi, China. Age-dependent concentration trends were analyzed, and reference intervals stratified by age (2.5th to 97.5th percentiles) were established. Correlations with body-composition metrics, ethnicity, and the menstrual cycle were investigated. Results: The HPLC-MS/MS method demonstrated high precision (intra- and inter-assay CVs < 15%), accuracy, and sensitivity. All eight hormones exhibited significant age-related declines (P < 0.001 for seven hormones; P = 0.001 for 11-OH A4). Notably, 11-OH A4 levels were significantly lower in the 35–45-yr (3.05 nmol/L) and 25–34-yr (3.09 nmol/L) age groups than in the 18–24-yr (3.57 nmol/L) age group, whereas no significant difference was observed between the 35–45-yr and 25–34-yr age groups. Weak negative correlations were observed between the body mass index and corticosterone and cortisone levels, whereas ethnicity and the menstrual cycle showed no significant associations with hormone levels. Conclusions We developed an HPLC-MS/MS-based method for simultaneously quantifying eight adrenocortical hormones, including 11-OH A4, and defined age-specific reference intervals for reproductive-aged Chinese women. These findings advance the clinical utility of adrenocortical hormones in diagnosing and managing reproductive disorders.

Objective: To investigate the role and mechanism of the heat-clearing and detoxifying drug Laggerae Herba in regulating the nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor-2(Nrf2)/solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11)/glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) signaling pathway to inhibit ferroptosis and improve chronic heart failure induced by transverse aortic arch constriction in mice. Methods: Twenty-four male ICR mice were divided into the sham (n=6) and transverse aortic arch constriction groups (n=18) according to the random number table method. The transverse aortic arch constriction group underwent transverse aortic constriction surgery to establish models. After modeling, the transverse aortic arch constriction group was further divided into the model, captopril, and Laggerae Herba groups according to the random number table method, with six mice per group. The captopril (15 mg/kg) and Laggerae Herba groups (1.95 g/kg) received the corresponding drugs by gavage, whereas the sham operation and model groups were administered the same volume of ultrapure water by gavage once a day for four consecutive weeks. After treatment, the cardiac function indexes of mice in each group were detected using ultrasound. The heart mass and tibia length were measured to calculate the ratio of heart weight to tibia length. Hematoxylin and eosin staining were used to observe the pathological changes in myocardial tissue. Masson staining was used to observe the degree of myocardial fibrosis. Wheat germ agglutinin staining was used to observe the degree of myocardial cell hypertrophy. Prussian blue staining was used to observe the iron deposition in myocardial tissue. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and glutathione (GSH) contents in mice serum. Colorimetry was used to detect the malondialdehyde (MDA) content in mice serum. Western blotting was used to detect the Nrf2, GPX4, SLC7A11, and ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1) protein expressions in mice cardiac tissue. Results: Compared with the sham group, in the model group, the ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS) of mice decreased, the left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV) and left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD) increased, the left ventricular anterior wall end-systolic thickness (LVAWs) and left ventricular posterior wall end-systolic thickness (LVPWs) decreased, the ratio of heart weight to tibia length increased, the myocardial tissue morphology changed, myocardial fibrosis increased, the cross-sectional area of myocardial cells increased, iron deposition appeared in myocardial tissue, the serum NT-proBNP and MDA levels increased, the GSH level decreased, and Nrf2, GPX4, SLC7A11, and FTH1 protein expressions in cardiac tissue decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, in the captopril and Laggerae Herba groups, the EF, FS, and LVAWs increased, the LVESV and LVESD decreased, the ratio of heart weight to tibia length decreased, the myocardial cells were arranged neatly, the degree of myocardial fibrosis decreased, the cross-sectional area of myocardial cells decreased, the serum NT-proBNP level decreased, and the GSH level increased. Compared with the model group, the LVPWs increased, the iron deposition in myocardial tissue decreased, the serum MDA level decreased, and Nrf2, GPX4, SLC7A11, and FTH1 protein expressions in cardiac tissue increased (P<0.05) in the Laggerae Herba group. Conclusion Laggerae Herba improves the cardiac function of mice with chronic heart failure caused by transverse aortic arch constriction, reduces the pathological remodeling of the heart, and reduces fibrosis. Its mechanism may be related to Nrf2/SLC7A11/GPX4 pathway-mediated ferroptosis.

The auxin/indole-3-acetic acid (Aux/IAA) gene family is an important regulator for plant growth hormone signaling, involved in plant growth, development, as well as response to environmental stresses. In the present study, we identified SmIAA7 which is potentially associated with Salvia miltiorrhiza leaf development through comparatively analyzed the transcriptome data from different pinnate leaves. SmIAA7 was successfully isolated from S. miltiorrhiza using the specific primers. Then subsequent bioinformatic analysis, prokaryotic expression and purification, subcellular localization, and induction expression analysis under auxin and abiotic stress were performed. The full-length of SmIAA7 contained an ORF of 684 bp encoding a protein of 227 amino acid with a molecular weight of 25.3 kD. Conserved domain analysis showed that SmIAA7 contains the conserved Aux_IAA domain (pfam02309). Sequence analysis and phylogenetic tree analysis results indicated SmIAA7 was phylogenetically close to IAA7 and IAA14 from other plants, suggesting SmIAA7 involved in plant growth and development as well as response to environmental stresses. The prokaryotic expression vector pET28a-SmIAA7 was constructed and SmIAA7 recombinant protein was successfully expressed in E. coli Rosetta (DE3) strain. Subcellular localization experiment demonstrated that SmIAA7 localized in the nucleus of plant cells. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR results showed that the expression level of SmIAA7 was upregulated in response to auxin. Drought, low temperature, and salt stress significantly increased the transcript level of SmIAA7 gene. This study lays a foundation for further elucidating the role of SmIAA7 in leaf development, signal transduction, and stress defense in S. miltiorrhiza.

Objective To investigate alterations in interhemispheric functional connectivity(FC)in the cerebral cortices connected via the corpus callosum in patients with Alzheimer's disease(AD),and to explore their relationships with cognitive function and activities of daily living.Methods Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected from 28 patients with Alzheimer's dementia(d-AD),47 patients with mild cognitive impairment(MCI),and 37 healthy controls(HC).Using a trancallosal tract template,32 pairs of homologous cortical brain regions directly connected to 32 subregions of the corpus callosum were selected as regions of interest for interhemispheric FC analysis.Further correlation analyses were performed between FC values in patient groups and their scores on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Basic(MoCA-B)Scale and the Activities of Daily Living(ADL)Scale.Results Compared with HC group,both MCI and d-AD groups exhibited hyperconnectivity(significantly increased FC)in interhemispheric non-homologous brain regions.Specifically,hyperconnectivity in the MCI group was scattered across the frontal,parietal,temporal,and occipital lobes,while in the d-AD group,it was concentrated within the precentral and postcentral gyri.Notably,hyperconnectivity involving the prefrontal and occipital lobes in the MCI group showed significant declines in the d-AD group.The interhemispheric homologous FC in the d-AD group reduced more significantly than the MCI group.Additionally,in the d-AD group,2 interhemispheric FC within the prefrontal lobe(between the bilateral orbital parts of the inferior frontal gyrus,and between the left medial frontal gyrus and the right middle frontal gyrus)were correlated with MoCA-B scores,and 2 FC(between the bilateral middle occipital gyri,and between the left inferior parietal lobule and the right middle frontal gyrus)were correlated with ADL scores.Conclusion MCI and d-AD exhibit distinct patterns of interhemispheric FC alterations,and the interhemispheric FC changes in AD patients are non-progressive.The close relationships between interhemispheric homologous/non-homologous FC and MoCA-B/ADL scores in d-AD patients provide an objective basis and reference for clinical neuromodulation.

Lens injury is an important etiological factor in the reduction of visual function following ocular trauma.Currently, there are no clear standards for the classification of lens injury, and comprehensive diagnostic tools are lacking.This deficiency leads to numerous controversies and challenges in critical areas, such as diagnosis and preoperative evalution, timing of surgery, surgical strategy, and assessment of postoperative prognosis.Tomographic imaging technology, such as computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, optical coherence tomography, has introduced a new dimension to the evaluation of lens injury, which is crucial for assessing the transparency, texture, location, morphology, and integrity of the lens, as well as the zonules and nearby intraocular structures.However, the use of tomographic imaging technology is somewhat limited due to the limitations of relying on a single method.With the ongoing advancement of imaging technologies and the rapid development of big data and artificial intelligence, tomographic imaging will become an increasingly essential tool in the future management of lens injury.Our expert group reviewed the epidemiological characteristics and classification of lens injury and the major challenges currently faced in the diagnosis and treatment of lens injury, and provided expert recommendations mainly focusing on the application, shortcomings and limitations of current tomographic imaging technology in the diagnosis and treatment of lens injury, and future development directions.

Objective To analyze the dynamic changes and influencing factors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis(TB)infection in grade-1 students in senior high school at the time of enrollment and one year after enrollment.Methods In 2022,TB screening was carried out among grade-2 students in 4 senior high schools in Binhai and Xiqing Districts of Tianjin.Basic information of students was collected,and TB infection detection results of grade-1 students in senior high school at the time of enrollment were collected retrospectively.Positive rate,strong positive rate and positive conversion rate from tuberculin skin test(TST)results of students were compared.Univariate and multiva-riate logistic regression models were used to analyze the relevant influencing factors for positive conversion of TST results.Results The overall positive rate of 1 839 students one year after enrollment was higher than that at the enrollment(46.82％vs 33.12％),while strong positive rate was lower(12.51％vs 13.00％),both with statisti-cally significant differences(both P＜0.001).One year after enrollment,64 out of 1 230 students who were origi-nally negative for TST in their first year of senior high school turned positive,with a positive conversion rate of 5.20％(95％CI:3.93％-6.48％).One year after enrollment,TST results showed that the average diameter of induration was 5(2,8)mm,diameter was 2(0,5)mm at the enrollment of the first year of senior high school,but the difference was not statistically significant(P=0.478).The difference range of average diameter of induration was±21 mm,39.70％of students being within±2 mm.Students with increased and decreased average diameter of induration accounted for 65.09％and 28.49％,respectively.Multivariate logistic regression analysis result showed that students in boarding school had a higher risk of positive conversion compared with non-boarding school students(OR=4.842,95％CI:2.794-8.392).Conclusion The screening of TB infection among grade-2 students in senior high school should be strengthened,with a focus on boarding school students.Early detection of tuberculosis patients and newly infected individuals can provide reference for implementing precise prevention and control.

Objective:To investigate the effect of traditional Chinese medicine chronic disease management model based on empowerment theory in patients with chronic heart failure(CHF).Methods:A total of 115 CHF patients admitted in Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine between January 2020 and December 2021 were se-lected.Patients received traditional Chinese medicine chronic disease management model based on empowerment theory according to voluntary principle,and were followed up for 12 months.Exercise capacity,scores of Tradition-al Chinese Medicine Symptom Grading and Quantification Scale,Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADS)and Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire(MLHFQ)were compared between before and after inter-vention.Results:Compared to before intervention,scores of Traditional Chinese Medicine Symptom Grading and Quantification Scale[(6.40±6.11)points vs.(8.88±6.72)points],HADS[(5.95±4.68)points vs.(7.69±5.95)points],MLHFQ[(13.10±10.54)points vs.(25.53±11.16)points]and 3m round-trip movement time[(7.54±1.70)s vs.(8.86±3.65)s]were significantly lower,and right hand grip strength[(27.23±10.49)kg vs.(26.10±9.94)kg]and 6-minute walking distance[(464.79±80.78)m vs.(415.55±79.33)m]were sig-nificantly higher after 12-month intervention(P＜0.05 or＜0.01).Conclusion:The traditional Chinese medicine chronic disease management model based on empowerment theory may improve clinical symptoms of traditional Chi-nese medicine,mental state,exercise capacity and quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure.

Objective:To study the relationship between urinary arsenic methylation metabolism patterns and skin keratinization and pigmentation abnormalities in population exposed to arsenic through drinking water.Methods:Using a cross-sectional study method, a survey on endemic arsenic poisoning was conducted among permanent residents of drinking water endemic arsenic poisoning areas in Bayannur City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in 2004 (before water improvement). In 2017 (after water improvement), 71 arsenic exposed individuals were followed up as survey subjects. According to the "Diagnosis of Endemic Arsenism" (WS/T 211-2015), the clinical grading of skin injuries (skin keratinization, pigmentation abnormalities) in the survey subjects was evaluated. Urine samples were collected for detection of arsenic methylation metabolite levels by high-performance liquid chromatography inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and calibrated with urinary creatinine. The changes and amplitudes of urinary arsenic methylation indicators before and after water improvement were calculated and analyzed according to the outcome of skin keratinization and pigmentation abnormalities which were divided into reduced, unchanged, and added groups.Results:(1) The changes in urinary total arsenic (TAs), inorganic arsenic (iAs), monomethyl arsenic (MMA), and dimethyl arsenic (DMA) levels in different outcome groups of skin keratinization were compared, and the differences were statistically significant ( H = 9.08, 8.77, 9.28, 8.57, P < 0.05). The changes in urinary TAs, iAs, MMA, DMA levels, iAs percentage (iAs%), DMA percentage (DMA%), and primary methylation index (PMI) in different outcome groups of skin pigmentation abnormalities were compared, and the differences were statistically significant ( H = 8.04, 10.67, 8.29, 9.14, 6.30, 9.10, 7.20, P < 0.05). (2) The comparison of amplitudes in urinary TAs, iAs, MMA, and DMA levels in different outcome groups of skin keratinization showed statistically significant differences ( H = 6.92, 7.34, 6.66, 6.16, P < 0.05). The amplitudes in urinary iAs level, iAs%, DMA%, and PMI in different outcome groups of skin pigmentation abnormalities were compared, and the differences were statistically significant ( H = 7.94, 7.61, 9.95, 7.22, P < 0.05). Conclusion:The changes pattern of urinary TAs, iAs, MMA, DMA, iAs%, DMA%, and PMI in population exposed to arsenic through drinking water is related to the transformation of skin keratinization and pigmentation abnormalities.

Objective To analyze the correlation between lesion volume,lesion mass,and maximum lesion diameter in the assessment of advanced hepatocarcinoma with lung metastasis,and to evaluate the application value of total volume response and total mass response of lung metastatic lesions in efficacy assessment.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the CT imaging data of 20 patients clinically confirmed with hepatocarcinoma and lung metastases,followed by subsequent follow-up to monitor their survival outcomes.Volume measurement software was used to measure the volume of lesions before and after treatment.We recored lesion diameter,volume measurements and CT values,calculated the mass of the lesions.The correlation between lesion volume,mass and diameter was analyzed,as well as the correlation between the change rates of volume,mass and lesion diameter.Additionally,the total volume and total mass of all lesions were calculated.The correlation between the change rates of total volume/total mass and the change rate of pulmonary lesion diameter under the RECIST 1.1 criteria,as well as the correlation with changes in patients'tumor markers,were analyzed.Furthermore,the overall volume response and overall mass response of lesions were evaluated based on changes in total volume and total mass,and their consistencies with the RECIST 1.1 criteria for efficacy evaluation were analyzed.Finally,univariate Cox regression analysis was performed to explore the association between these variables and patient survival outcomes.Results There was strong correlation between lesion volume,mass and tumor diameter(r=0.771,0.775),between the rate of change in mass and the rate of change in lesion diameter(r=0.846),and between the rates of change in total volume/total mass and the rate of change in pulmonary lesion diameter under the RECIST 1.1 criteria(r=0.800,0.896).The correlation between the rates of change in total volume/total mass and patients'tumor markers was not statistically significant.There was moderate correlation between the rate of change in volume and the rate of change in lesion diameter(r=0.692).The evaluation results of total volume response and total mass response for pulmonary lesions in advanced hepatocarcinoma with lung metastasis were generally consistent with the RECIST 1.1 criteria(Kappa=0.486,0.426).Univariate Cox regression analysis revealed that total lesion volume(P=0.047)and total lesion mass(P=0.049)were independent prognostic factors for survival outcomes.Conclusion Lesion volume,mass,and diameter,as well as their respective change rates,were found to be interrelated.Furthermore,total lesion volume and total lesion mass were identified as independent prognostic factors for survival outcomes.The total volume response and total mass response are promising evaluation methods in evaluating the efficacy of lung metastasis of hepatocarcinoma,which are different from the RECIST 1.1 evaluation criteria.