Background: Despite the fact that an increasing number of studies have focused on developing therapies for acute lung injury, managing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remains a challenge in intensive care medicine.Whether the pathology of animal models with acute lung injury in prior studies differed from clinical symptoms of ARDS, resulting in questionable management for human ARDS. To evaluate precisely the therapeutic effect of trans‑ planted stem cells or medications on acute lung injury, we developed an animal model of severe ARDS with lower lung function, capable of keeping the experimental animals survive with consistent reproducibility. Establishing this animal model could help develop the treatment of ARDS with higher efficiency. Results: In this approach, we intratracheally delivered bleomycin (BLM, 5 mg/rat) into rats’ left trachea via a needle connected with polyethylene tube, and simultaneously rotated the rats to the left side by 60 degrees. Within sevendays after the injury, we found that arterial blood oxygen saturation ­(SpO2 ) significantly decreased to 83.7%, partial pressure of arterial oxygen ­(PaO2 ) markedly reduced to 65.3 mmHg, partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide ­(PaCO2 )amplified to 49.2 mmHg, and the respiratory rate increased over time. Morphologically, the surface of the left lung appeared uneven on Day 1, the alveoli of the left lung disappeared on Day 2, and the left lung shrank on Day 7. A his‑ tological examination revealed that considerable cell infiltration began on Day 1 and lasted until Day 7, with a larger area of cell infiltration. Serum levels of IL-5, IL-6, IFN-γ, MCP-1, MIP-2, G-CSF, and TNF-α substantially rose on Day 7. Conclusions This modified approach for BLM-induced lung injury provided a severe, stable, and one-sided (left-lobe) ARDS animal model with consistent reproducibility. The physiological symptoms observed in this severe ARDS animal model are entirely consistent with the characteristics of clinical ARDS. The establishment of this ARDS animal model could help develop treatment for ARDS.

Molecularly imprinted polymers(MIPs)of colchicine(COL)were prepared by precipitation polymerization with COL as template,methacrylic acid(MAA)as monomer,ethylene glycol dimethacrylate(EGDMA)as crosslinking agent,azobisisobutyronitrile(AIBN)as initiator and chloroform as porogen.The basic structure of the prepared MIPs was characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM),transmission electron microscopy(TEM)and Fourier transform infrared(FT-IR)spectrometry,and the adsorption properties of MIPs were evaluated by kinetic adsorption,isothermal adsorption and selective adsorption experiments.The results indicated that the prepared MIPs had uniform particles size,with a maximum adsorption capacity of 62.61 mg/g for COL and an imprinting factor of 3.74,and was suitable for sample pretreatment in determination of COL blood concentration,enabling the enrichment and separation of trace or even ultra-trace target components,thereby improving analytical capabilities.

Objective:To analyze the symptoms,diagnosis and treatment of upper urinary tract calculi patients combined with mild and moderate benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH)after ureteral stent implantation.Methods:One hundred and six BPH pa-tients who were hospitalized for upper urinary tract calculi and had ureteral stents retained from January 2019 to December 2022 were selected and divided into 2 weeks group and 4 weeks group according to the time of removal of ureteral stents after surgery.Their gener-al clinical data were analyzed and compared.International Prostatic Symptom Scale(IPSS),postoperative ureteral Stent Symptom Questionnaire(USSQ),and incidence of adverse events after ureteral stent removal were recorded before and after removal.Results:The scores of IPSS were significantly increased in all patients,and symptoms in urinary tract had improved significantly after discharge(P＜0.05).Compared with the 2 weeks group,the USSQ score of the 4 weeks group was significantly increased(P＜0.05).And no significant adverse event was observed in the 2 weeks group after the removal of ureteral sten.Conclusion:IPSS score and USSQ score increased significantly during stent implantation in BPH patients with lithiasis.And complications increased sig-nificantly over time.Following thorough clinical assessment,early ureteral stent removal demonstrates both safety and efficacy,repre-senting an optimal therapeutic approach in selected cases.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the influencing factors on the prognosis of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) after bortezomib treatment, and construct a decision tree risk prediction model based on the influencing factors. METHODS: One hundred and seventy MM patients admitted to the People's Hospital of Jianyang City from January 2019 to June 2022 were selected as research subjects, and divided into poor prognosis group and good prognosis group according to the prognosis after bortezomib treatment. The clinical data of the patients were analyzed, univariate and logistic regression analysis were used to screen influencing factors, SPSS Modeler software was used to construct a decision tree prediction model, and the diagnostic performance of the decision tree risk prediction model was analyzed. RESULTS: The incidence of poor prognosis in 170 MM patients after bortezomib-based chemotherapy was 21.18%. Kappa light chain level≥19.4 mg/L, platelet count (PLT) ≤100×10⁹/L, homocysteine (Hcy) >22 μmol/L, serum creatinine (Scr) ≥176 μmol/L, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) ≥300 U/L, serum ferritin (SF) >500 mg/L, and β₂-microglobulin (MG) >6 μg/L were independent risk factors for poor prognosis in MM patients after bortezomib treatment (all P < 0.05). The decision tree model selected 7 explanatory variables (Kappa light chain level, LDH, PLT, SF, β₂-MG, Scr, and Hcy) as nodes of the model, among which Kappa light chain level was the most important predictor. In addition, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) values of the decision tree model and logistic regression model were 0.895 and 0.881, respectively. The prediction performance of the decision tree model was better than that of the logistic regression model ( Z=3.325, P =0.005). CONCLUSION The decision tree model has high value in predicting the prognosis after bortezomib treatment in MM patients, which can screen high-risk factors that affect poor prognosis, providing practical references for clinical healthcare professionals to take preventive treatment for high-risk MM patients.
Humans ; Bortezomib/therapeutic use* ; Multiple Myeloma/diagnosis* ; Decision Trees ; Prognosis ; Algorithms ; Risk Factors ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of Xuanshen Yishen Decoction (XYD) in the treatment of hypertension. METHODS: Hospital electronic medical records from 2019-2023 were utilized to emulate a randomized pragmatic clinical trial. Hypertensive participants were eligible if they were aged ⩾40 years with baseline systolic blood pressure (BP) ⩾140 mm Hg. Patients treated with XYD plus antihypertensive regimen were assigned to the treatment group, whereas those who followed only antihypertensive regimen were assigned to the control group. The primary outcome assessed was the attainment rate of intensive BP control at discharge, with the secondary outcome focusing on the 6-month all-cause readmission rate. RESULTS: The study included 3,302 patients, comprising 2,943 individuals in the control group and 359 in the treatment group. Compared with the control group, a higher proportion in the treatment group achieved the target BP for intensive BP control [8.09% vs. 17.5%; odds ratio (OR)=2.29, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.68 to 3.13; P<0.001], particularly in individuals with high homocysteine levels (OR=3.13; 95% CI=1.72 to 5.71; P<0.001; P for interaction=0.041). Furthermore, the 6-month all-cause readmission rate in the treatment group was lower than in the control group (hazard ratio=0.58; 95% CI=0.36 to 0.91; P=0.019), and the robustness of the results was confirmed by sensitivity analyse. CONCLUSIONS XYD could be a complementary therapy for intensive BP control. Our study offers real-world evidence and guides the choice of complementary and alternative therapies. (Registration No. ChiCTR2400086589).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Antihypertensive Agents/pharmacology* ; Blood Pressure/drug effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Hypertension/physiopathology* ; Patient Readmission ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is sensitive to ferroptosis, a new form of programmed cell death that occurs in most tumor types. However, the mechanism through which ferroptosis modulates HCC remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the oncogenic role and prognostic value of FANCD2 and provide novel insights into the prognostic assessment and prediction of immunotherapy. METHODS: Using clinicopathological parameters and bioinformatic techniques, we comprehensively examined the expression of FANCD2 macroscopically and microcosmically. We conducted univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses to identify the prognostic value of FANCD2 in HCC and elucidated the detailed molecular mechanisms underlying the involvement of FANCD2 in oncogenesis by promoting iron-related death. RESULTS: FANCD2 was significantly upregulated in digestive system cancers with abundant immune infiltration. As an independent risk factor for HCC, a high FANCD2 expression level was associated with poor clinical outcomes and response to immune checkpoint blockade. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that FANCD2 was mainly involved in the cell cycle and CYP450 metabolism. CONCLUSION To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to comprehensively elucidate the oncogenic role of FANCD2. FANCD2 has a tumor-promoting aspect in the digestive system and acts as an independent risk factor in HCC; hence, it has recognized value for predicting tumor aggressiveness and prognosis and may be a potential biomarker for poor responsiveness to immunotherapy.
Humans ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/diagnosis* ; Liver Neoplasms/diagnosis* ; Immunotherapy ; Fanconi Anemia Complementation Group D2 Protein/metabolism* ; Prognosis ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: To describe survival trends and global patterns of esophageal cancer (EC) using survival data from population-based cancer registries. METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, SEER, and SinoMed databases for articles published up to 31 December 2023. Eligible EC survival estimates were evaluated according to country or region, period, sex, age group, pathology, and disease stage. RESULTS: After 2010, Jordan exhibited the highest age-standardized 5-year relative survival rates (RSRs)/net survival rates (NSRs) at 41.1% between 2010 and 2014, while India had the lowest, at 4.1%. Survival rates generally improved with diagnostic age across most countries, with significant increases in South Korea and China, of 12.7% and 10.5% between 2000 and 2017, respectively. Survival was higher among women compared to men, ranging from 0.4%-10.9%. Survival rates for adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma were similar, differing by about 4%. In China, the highest age-standardized RSRs/NSRs was 33.4% between 2015 and 2017. Meanwhile, the lowest was 5.3%, in Qidong (Jiangsu province) between 1992-1996. CONCLUSION Global EC survival rates have improved significantly in recent decades, but substantial geographical, sex, and age disparities still exist. In Asia, squamous cell carcinoma demonstrated superior survival rates compared to adenocarcinoma, while the opposite trend was observed in Western countries. Future research should clarify the prognostic factors influencing EC survival and tailor prevention and screening strategies to the changing EC survival patterns.
Humans ; Esophageal Neoplasms/mortality* ; Registries ; Male ; Female ; Survival Analysis ; Middle Aged ; Survival Rate ; Aged ; Global Health

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study. METHODS: A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m ²) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m ²) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m ²) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m ² ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Adult ; Mortality ; Cause of Death ; Obesity/mortality* ; Overweight/mortality*

Background: Despite the fact that an increasing number of studies have focused on developing therapies for acute lung injury, managing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remains a challenge in intensive care medicine.Whether the pathology of animal models with acute lung injury in prior studies differed from clinical symptoms of ARDS, resulting in questionable management for human ARDS. To evaluate precisely the therapeutic effect of trans‑ planted stem cells or medications on acute lung injury, we developed an animal model of severe ARDS with lower lung function, capable of keeping the experimental animals survive with consistent reproducibility. Establishing this animal model could help develop the treatment of ARDS with higher efficiency. Results: In this approach, we intratracheally delivered bleomycin (BLM, 5 mg/rat) into rats’ left trachea via a needle connected with polyethylene tube, and simultaneously rotated the rats to the left side by 60 degrees. Within sevendays after the injury, we found that arterial blood oxygen saturation ­(SpO2 ) significantly decreased to 83.7%, partial pressure of arterial oxygen ­(PaO2 ) markedly reduced to 65.3 mmHg, partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide ­(PaCO2 )amplified to 49.2 mmHg, and the respiratory rate increased over time. Morphologically, the surface of the left lung appeared uneven on Day 1, the alveoli of the left lung disappeared on Day 2, and the left lung shrank on Day 7. A his‑ tological examination revealed that considerable cell infiltration began on Day 1 and lasted until Day 7, with a larger area of cell infiltration. Serum levels of IL-5, IL-6, IFN-γ, MCP-1, MIP-2, G-CSF, and TNF-α substantially rose on Day 7. Conclusions This modified approach for BLM-induced lung injury provided a severe, stable, and one-sided (left-lobe) ARDS animal model with consistent reproducibility. The physiological symptoms observed in this severe ARDS animal model are entirely consistent with the characteristics of clinical ARDS. The establishment of this ARDS animal model could help develop treatment for ARDS.

Objective:To compare the efficacy of different doses of tranexamic acid (TXA) for traumatic hemorrhagic shock (THS) in the early phase of trauma following acute exposure to high altitude in rabbits.Methods:Twenty-five healthy male New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into plain control group ( n=5) and acute high-altitude THS group ( n=20) according to the random number table method. The plain control group did not undergo THS modeling throughout the experiment while the acute high-altitude THS group was raised in a hypoxia simulation chamber with a volume fraction of 10% for 3 days to establish the THS model. Based on the different doses of TXA administered intravenously at 30 minutes after THS modeling, the acute high-altitude THS group was further divided into four subgroups: acute high-altitude THS+0 mg/kg TXA subgroup, acute high-altitude THS+45 mg/kg TXA subgroup, acute high-altitude THS+90 mg/kg TXA subgroup and acute high-altitude THS+135 mg/kg TXA subgroup, with 5 rabbits in each. The vital signs [mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate, rectal temperature] and blood cell counts [red blood cell count (RBC), platelet count (PLT)], 4 coagulation parameters [fibrinogen (FIB), D-dimer, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT)], thromboelastography [clotting reaction time (R value), clot formation time (K value), maximum amplitude (MA value)], syndecan-1, inflammatory factors [interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)], and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) were recorded before blood loss, at 30 minutes and 120 minutes after blood loss. At 6 hours after THS, the lungs, terminal ileum, and kidneys of the rabbits were collected to observe tissue damage, and the wet/dry weight ratio (W/D) and total water content (TLW) of the lung tissue were measured. Results:(1) Vital signs: Before blood loss, there were no significant differences in MAP, heart rate, or rectal temperature between the acute high-altitude THS subgroups and the plain control group ( P>0.05). At 30 minutes and 120 minutes after blood loss, the acute high-altitude THS subgroups exhibited significantly lower MAP, heart rate, and rectal temperature compared to those in the plain control group ( P<0.05). No significant differences were observed in MAP, heart rate or rectal temperature among the acute high-altitude THS subgroups at any time point ( P>0.05). In the acute high-altitude THS subgroups, MAP, heart rate and rectal temperature were significantly decreased at 30 minutes and 120 minutes after blood loss compared to those before blood loss ( P<0.05); At 120 minutes after blood loss, these parameters were further significantly decreased compared to those at 30 minutes after blood loss ( P<0.05). (2) Blood cell counts: Before blood loss, the RBC count was significantly higher in the acute high-altitude THS subgroups compared to that in the plain control group ( P<0.05), while the PLT was significantly lower ( P<0.05). At 30 minutes after blood loss, there was no significant difference in RBC count between the acute high-altitude THS subgroups and the plain control group ( P>0.05), but the PLT remained significantly lower in the acute high-altitude THS subgroups ( P<0.05). At 120 minutes after blood loss, the RBC count was significantly lower in the acute high-altitude THS subgroups compared to that in the plain control group ( P<0.05), with no significant differences among the acute high-altitude THS subgroups ( P>0.05). The PLT count was significantly lower in the acute high-altitude THS+0 mg/kg TXA subgroup compared to the other subgroups ( P<0.05). The PLT count in the acute high-altitude THS+45 mg/kg TXA subgroup was significantly lower than those in the acute high-altitude THS+90 mg/kg TXA and acute high-altitude THS+135 mg/kg TXA subgroups ( P<0.05), with no significant differences between the latter two subgroups ( P>0.05). (3) Four Coagulation parameters: Before blood loss, D-dimer level was significantly higher in the acute high-altitude THS subgroups compared to that in the plain control group ( P<0.05), while no significant difference was observed in FIB ( P>0.05). APTT and PT were significantly shortened in the acute high-altitude THS subgroups ( P<0.05). At 30 minutes after blood loss, D-dimer level remained significantly higher in the acute high-altitude THS subgroups compared to that in the plain control group ( P<0.05), while FIB was significantly lower ( P<0.05), with significant increase of APTT and PT compared to those before blood loss ( P<0.05). At 120 minutes after blood loss, the acute high-altitude THS+0 mg/kg TXA subgroup exhibited significantly higher D-dimer level compared to the other subgroups ( P<0.05), with significantly lower FIB and higher APTT and PT ( P<0.05). The acute high-altitude THS+45 mg/kg TXA subgroup also showed significantly higher D-dimer level compared to those in the acute high-altitude THS+90 mg/kg TXA and acute high-altitude THS+135 mg/kg TXA subgroups ( P<0.05), with significantly lower FIB and increased APTT and PT ( P<0.05). No significant differences were observed in D-dimer, FIB, APTT or PT between the acute high-altitude THS+90 mg/kg TXA and acute high-altitude THS+135 mg/kg TXA subgroups ( P>0.05). (4) Thromboelastography parameters: Before blood loss, the R value was significantly shorter in the acute high-altitude THS subgroups compared to that in the plain control group ( P<0.05), while no significant differences were observed in K value or MA value ( P>0.05). At 30 minutes after blood loss, both R value and K value were significantly shorter in the acute high-altitude THS subgroups compared to those in the plain control group ( P<0.05), with no significant differences in MA value ( P>0.05). At 120 minutes after blood loss, the acute high-altitude THS+0 mg/kg TXA subgroup exhibited significantly increased R value and K value compared to those in the other subgroups ( P<0.05), while MA value was significantly decreased ( P<0.05). The remaining acute high-altitude THS subgroups showed significant decrease of R value and K value compared to those in the plain control group ( P<0.05), while MA value was significantly lower ( P<0.05). The acute high-altitude THS+45 mg/kg TXA subgroup exhibited significantly lower R value and K value compared to those in the acute high-altitude THS+90 mg/kg TXA and acute high-altitude THS+135 mg/kg TXA subgroups ( P<0.05), with no significant differences in R value, K value and MA value between the later two groups ( P<0.05). (5) Changes in Syndecan-1, inflammatory factors and PAI-1: Before blood loss, syndecan-1 was significantly higher in the acute high-altitude THS subgroups compared to that in the plain control group ( P<0.05), while no significant differences were observed in IL-6, TNF-α, or PAI-1 ( P>0.05). At 30 minutes after blood loss, syndecan-1, IL-6, TNF-α, and PAI-1 were significantly higher in the acute high-altitude THS subgroups compared to those in the plain control group ( P<0.05). At 120 minutes after blood loss, syndecan-1, IL-6, TNF-α, and PAI-1 were significantly higher in the acute high-altitude THS subgroups compared to those in the plain control group ( P<0.05). Among them, the acute high-altitude THS+0 mg/kg TXA group exhibited significantly higher levels of syndecan-1, IL-6, TNF-α, and PAI-1 compared to the other acute high-altitude THS subgroups ( P<0.05). The acute high-altitude THS+45 mg/kg TXA subgroup had significantly higher syndecan-1, IL-6, and TNF-α compared to those in the acute high-altitude THS+90 mg/kg TXA and acute high-altitude THS+135 mg/kg TXA subgroups ( P<0.05), with no significant difference in PAI-1 ( P>0.05). No significant differences were observed in syndecan-1, IL-6, TNF-α or PAI-1 between the acute high-altitude THS+90 mg/kg TXA and acute high-altitude THS+135 mg/kg TXA subgroups ( P>0.05). (6) Tissue injury: At 6 hours after THS, acute high-altitude THS+0 mg/kg TXA group exhibited significant interstitial thickening of the lung with extensive inflammatory cell infiltration, localized loss of intestinal brush border accompanied by cellular disruption, and marked structural disruption of renal corpuscles with focal cellular injury and necrosis. At 6 hours after THS, the acute high-altitude THS+0 mg/kg TXA subgroup exhibited significantly higher lung injury scores, Chiu′s intestinal injury scores, and kidney injury scores compared to those of the other subgroups ( P<0.05). No significant differences were observed in the tissue injury scores of the lungs, intestines and kidneys among the other subgroups ( P>0.05). The acute high-altitude THS+0 mg/kg TXA subgroup also had significantly higher lung W/D and TLW compared to those in the other subgroups ( P<0.05). At 6 hours after THS, the acute high-altitude THS+45 mg/kg TXA group exhibited significantly higher W/D and TLW of the lung tissues compared to those in the acute high-altitude THS+90 mg/kg TXA and acute high-altitude THS+135 mg/kg TXA groups ( P<0.05), with no significant differences between the latter two subgroups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:At 3 days after acute exposure to high altitude, rabbits show a hypercoagulable state of the blood, accompanied by endothelial barrier dysfunction. At 30 minutes after the induction of acute high-altitude THS, a single slow intravenous bolus injection of TXA at doses of 90 mg/kg and 135 mg/kg is more effective in improving coagulation and fibrinolysis function, inflammatory response, endothelial injury, and reduced the risk of pulmonary edema than that at a dose of 45 mg/kg.