Objective To develop and validate a machine learning model based on preoperative clinical characteristics, laboratory indices, and radiological features for the non-invasive prediction of spread through air spaces (STAS) in patients with early-stage lung adenocarcinoma. Methods Preoperative data from patients with early-stage lung adenocarcinoma who underwent surgical resection at Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital between January 2020 and August 2025 were retrospectively collected. The data included clinical characteristics, laboratory indices, and radiological features. Patients were divided into a STAS-positive and a STAS-negative group based on postoperative pathological findings. The dataset was randomly split into a training set and a testing set at a 7 : 3 ratio. Feature variables were selected using the maximum relevance and minimum redundancy (mRMR) algorithm and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. Five machine learning models were constructed: logistic regression (LR), random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM), and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost). Model performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and decision curve analysis (DCA). The shapley additive explanations (SHAP) method was employed to interpret the optimal prediction model. Results A total of 377 patients were included, comprising 177 (46.9%) males and 200 (53.1%) females, with a mean age of (63.31±9.73) years. There were 261 patients in the training set and 116 patients in the testing set. In the training set, statistically significant differences were observed between the STAS-positive group (n=130) and STAS-negative group (n=131) across multiple features, including age, sex, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), clinical T stage, and maximum solid component diameter (P<0.05). A final set of 10 feature variables was selected by combining mRMR and LASSO regression, and five machine learning models (LR, RF, SVM, LightGBM, XGBoost) were developed. The XGBoost model demonstrated optimal performance in both the training and testing sets, achieving AUCs of 0.947 [95%CI (0.920, 0.975)] and 0.943 [95%CI (0.894, 0.993)], respectively. DCA indicated that the XGBoost model provided a high net clinical benefit across a wide range of threshold probabilities. SHAP analysis revealed that the vessel convergence sign, clinical T stage, age, consolidation-to-tumor ratio (CTR), and MLR were the features with the highest contributions to STAS prediction. Conclusion The XGBoost model effectively predicts preoperative STAS status in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma, exhibiting excellent discriminative performance and good clinical interpretability. Key predictors such as the vessel convergence sign, clinical T stage, age and CTR provide a crucial reference for preoperative risk assessment and the individualized selection of surgical strategies, ultimately benefiting patients.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of trophoblast-derived mesenchymal stem cell （T-MSC） on concanavalin A （Con A）-induced immune-mediated liver injury in mice， as well as its association with the changes in inflammatory response. MethodsMorphological assessment， flow cytometry， and tri-lineage differentiation assay were used to observe the biological characteristics of T-MSC. In the pilot experiment， mice were divided into PBS group， T-MSC monotherapy group， and Con A groups at a concentration of 10， 15， or 20 mg/kg to evaluate the safety of T-MSC monotherapy on liver function and determine the appropriate dose for modeling. In the formal experiment， mice were divided into healthy control group （HC group）， Con A group， and Con A+T-MSC group， with 5 mice in each group. The mice were given injection of Con A （15 mg/kg） via the caudal vein to establish a mouse model of immune-mediated liver injury， while the mice in the T-MSC monotherapy group were given transfusion of 1×10⁶ T-MSCs via the caudal vein at 3 hours after modeling， and samples were collected 12 hours later. The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， and lactate dehydrogenase （LDH） were measured； liver histopathological changes were observed， and Ishak inflammatory activity score and inflammatory necrosis area were assessed； the serum levels of inflammatory cytokines were measured； transcriptome sequencing， immunofluorescence assay， and Western blot were used to measure the changes in inflammation-related molecules in liver tissue. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to assess the normality of continuous data， and the homogeneity of variance test was also performed； a one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of normally distributed data with homogeneity of variance between multiple groups， and the Tukey’s post-hoc test was used for further comparison between two groups； the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed data with heterogeneity of variance between multiple groups， and the Wilcoxon test was used for further comparison between two groups. ResultsT-MSC had a long spindle shape， showed the characteristics of fibroblast-like morphology and adherent growth， and possessed the osteogenic， chondrogenic， and adipogenic differentiation abilities. Flow cytometry showed high expression levels of CD90， CD105， and CD73 in T-MSC， with a positive rate of 96.8%， 99.0%， and 99.9%， respectively， while there was low or no expression of CD31， human leukocyte antigen DR， CD45， and CD34， with a positive rate of 0.120%， 0， 0.061%， and 0， respectively. Administration of T-MSC alone did not cause obvious abnormalities in ALT， AST， or LDH. Con A at the concentrations of 10， 15， and 20 mg/kg all increased the serum levels of biochemical parameters for liver injury in a dose-dependent manner， with mortality observed in the 20 mg/kg group. In the formal experiment， compared with the HC group， the Con A group had significant increases in the serum levels of ALT， AST， and LDH （P<0.01）， and after T-MSC treatment， there were significant reductions in these markers compared with the Con A group （P<0.01）. HE staining showed that the Con A group had disordered structure of the liver， accompanied by marked inflammatory cell infiltration and focal/patchy necrosis， and these pathological changes were alleviated after T-MSC treatment. Compared with the HC group， the Con A group had significant increases in Ishak score and the percentage of inflammatory necrosis area （P<0.001）， while there were significant reductions in these indicators after T-MSC treatment compared with the Con A group （P<0.01）. ELISA showed that compared with the HC group， the Con A group had significant increases in the serum levels of interleukin-21 （IL-21）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， interleukin-2 （IL-2）， interleukin-17A （IL-17A）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） （P<0.05）， and there were significant reductions in these markers after T-MSC treatment compared with the Con A group （P<0.05）， with no significant differences in IL-21， IL-1β， IL-17A， and TNF-α compared with the HC group （P>0.05）； although there was a significant reduction in the level of IL-2， the Con A+T-MSC group still had a significantly higher level of IL-2 than the HC group （P=0.001）. In contrast， compared with the HC group， the Con A group had a significant increase in IL-10 （P<0.05）， with a further increase after T-MSC treatment （P<0.05）. The transcriptome analysis showed that T-MSC treatment downregulated the expression of the inflammation- and chemokine-related genes including Ccl2， Cxcl10， Il-21， and Il-6 and inhibited the inflammation-related pathways such as TNF， IL-17， nuclear factor-κB， and JAK-STAT. Immunofluorescence assay showed that compared with the HC group， the Con A group had a significant increase in the expression of IL-21 in the liver （P<0.001）， and there was a significant reduction in IL-21 after T-MSC treatment compared with the Con A group （P<0.001）； the results of Western blot showed the same trend. ConclusionT-MSC can alleviate Con A-induced immune-mediated liver injury in mice， as evidenced by the improvement in liver biochemical parameters， the alleviation of histopathological damage， and the overall downregulation of inflammation-related molecules. T-MSC exerts marked anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects in this model， and IL-21 shows a significant change in inflammatory response and can be used as a candidate molecule for further investigation.

Objective:To explore the high-risk factors affecting the severity of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).Methods:This study involved 153 NEC patients admitted to the Neonatology Department of the Children's Hospital of Soochow University from January 1, 2017, to December 30, 2023. Based on the severity of NEC determined by Bell's criteria, these patients were divided into two groups: mild group (Bell stage Ⅱ, n=70) and severe group (Bell stage Ⅲ, n=83). Clinical data including general conditions, clinical treatment and disease status before the onset of NEC, laboratory test results, and perinatal conditions of the mothers were retrospectively collected. Univariate analysis (rank-sum test and Chi-square test) and multivariate analysis (logistic regression analysis) were used to explore the risk factors affecting the severity of NEC. Results:The proportion of infants with gestational age<37 weeks or birth weight<1 500 g, the rate of antibiotic usage, sepsis or shock were higher in the severe group than in the mild group [91.6% (76/83) vs. 75.7% (53/70); 55.4% (46/83) vs. 34.3% (24/70); 85.5% (71/83) vs. 71.4% (50/70); 55.4% (46/83) vs. 17.1% (12/70); 30.1% (25/83) vs. 8.6% (6/70); with χ 2 values of 7.22, 6.84, 4.57, 23.64, and 10.91, respectively, all P<0.05]. Furthermore, the severe group had a late initiation of breastfeeding and longer durations of peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) placement and parenteral nutrition [2.00 d (1.00-2.00 d) vs. 1.00 d (1.00-2.00 d); 0.00 d (0.00-18.00 d) vs. 0.00 d (0.00-7.50 d); 14.00 d (5.00-21.00 d) vs. 10.50 d (0.00-18.25 d), with Z values of -2.90, -1.98, and -2.09, respectively, all P<0.05]. (2) Within 48 h before the onset, the severe group had higher proportions of infants with decreased white blood cell count, decreased platelet count, electrolyte imbalance, and metabolic acidosis than the mild group [53.0% (44/83) vs. 14.3% (10/70); 49.4% (41/83) vs. 10.0% (7/70); 38.6% (32/83) vs. 14.3% (10/70); 37.3% (31/83) vs. 14.3% (10/70), with χ2 values of 24.94, 27.38, 11.23, and 10.30, respectively, all P<0.05]. Besides, the levels of procalcitonin and C-reactive protein were higher in the severe group than in the mild group [2.31 ng/ml (0.26-11.71 ng/ml) vs. 0.22 ng/ml (0.00-2.19 ng/ml); 58.50 mg/L (14.34-125.25 mg/L) vs. 8.20 mg/L (0.23-34.56 mg/L), with Z values of -3.88 and -5.02, respectively, both P<0.05]. (3) Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that prolonged duration of PICC placement, decreased platelet count, electrolyte imbalance, metabolic acidosis, and concurrent sepsis were independent risk factors affecting the severity of NEC [ OR (95% CI) values were 1.104 (1.020-1.196), 5.364 (1.667-17.253), 4.047 (1.171-13.986), 4.333 (1.290-14.556), and 3.290 (1.005-10.774), respectively, with all P<0.05]. Conclusions:Prolonged duration of PICC placement, concurrent sepsis, decreased platelet count, electrolyte imbalance, and metabolic acidosis in NEC patients are more likely to lead to severe cases. In clinical practice, attention should be paid to relevant indicators, and abnormal changes should be identified and intervened in a timely manner to reduce the occurrence of severe NEC.

Objective:To explore the high-risk factors affecting the severity of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).Methods:This study involved 153 NEC patients admitted to the Neonatology Department of the Children's Hospital of Soochow University from January 1, 2017, to December 30, 2023. Based on the severity of NEC determined by Bell's criteria, these patients were divided into two groups: mild group (Bell stage Ⅱ, n=70) and severe group (Bell stage Ⅲ, n=83). Clinical data including general conditions, clinical treatment and disease status before the onset of NEC, laboratory test results, and perinatal conditions of the mothers were retrospectively collected. Univariate analysis (rank-sum test and Chi-square test) and multivariate analysis (logistic regression analysis) were used to explore the risk factors affecting the severity of NEC. Results:The proportion of infants with gestational age<37 weeks or birth weight<1 500 g, the rate of antibiotic usage, sepsis or shock were higher in the severe group than in the mild group [91.6% (76/83) vs. 75.7% (53/70); 55.4% (46/83) vs. 34.3% (24/70); 85.5% (71/83) vs. 71.4% (50/70); 55.4% (46/83) vs. 17.1% (12/70); 30.1% (25/83) vs. 8.6% (6/70); with χ 2 values of 7.22, 6.84, 4.57, 23.64, and 10.91, respectively, all P<0.05]. Furthermore, the severe group had a late initiation of breastfeeding and longer durations of peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) placement and parenteral nutrition [2.00 d (1.00-2.00 d) vs. 1.00 d (1.00-2.00 d); 0.00 d (0.00-18.00 d) vs. 0.00 d (0.00-7.50 d); 14.00 d (5.00-21.00 d) vs. 10.50 d (0.00-18.25 d), with Z values of -2.90, -1.98, and -2.09, respectively, all P<0.05]. (2) Within 48 h before the onset, the severe group had higher proportions of infants with decreased white blood cell count, decreased platelet count, electrolyte imbalance, and metabolic acidosis than the mild group [53.0% (44/83) vs. 14.3% (10/70); 49.4% (41/83) vs. 10.0% (7/70); 38.6% (32/83) vs. 14.3% (10/70); 37.3% (31/83) vs. 14.3% (10/70), with χ2 values of 24.94, 27.38, 11.23, and 10.30, respectively, all P<0.05]. Besides, the levels of procalcitonin and C-reactive protein were higher in the severe group than in the mild group [2.31 ng/ml (0.26-11.71 ng/ml) vs. 0.22 ng/ml (0.00-2.19 ng/ml); 58.50 mg/L (14.34-125.25 mg/L) vs. 8.20 mg/L (0.23-34.56 mg/L), with Z values of -3.88 and -5.02, respectively, both P<0.05]. (3) Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that prolonged duration of PICC placement, decreased platelet count, electrolyte imbalance, metabolic acidosis, and concurrent sepsis were independent risk factors affecting the severity of NEC [ OR (95% CI) values were 1.104 (1.020-1.196), 5.364 (1.667-17.253), 4.047 (1.171-13.986), 4.333 (1.290-14.556), and 3.290 (1.005-10.774), respectively, with all P<0.05]. Conclusions:Prolonged duration of PICC placement, concurrent sepsis, decreased platelet count, electrolyte imbalance, and metabolic acidosis in NEC patients are more likely to lead to severe cases. In clinical practice, attention should be paid to relevant indicators, and abnormal changes should be identified and intervened in a timely manner to reduce the occurrence of severe NEC.

Distant cutaneous metastasis of primary lung squamous cell carcinoma is an exceedingly rare event,with scalp metastasis as the initial clinical presentation even rarer.Scalp skin metastases are prone to be misdiagnosed as other scalp disorders,yet their appearance signifies the deterioration and poor prognosis of lung cancer.This case report documents a female patient presenting initially with scalp folliculitis in dermatology,who was subsequently diagnosed with malignant lung tumor through radiological imaging and referred to Department of Thoracic Surgery.Pathological examination of the excised lesion from the scalp revealed distant metastasis of lung cancer.A review of similar cases reported in literature was conducted.This article aims to enhance understanding and awareness of skin metastasis in lung cancer,to emphasize the importance of this condition,and to improve early recognition and precise diagnosis.It is crucial to prevent clinical misdiagnosis and ensure ap-propriate treatment,finally leading to improve the prognosis of the patients.

Pancreatic cancer is a highly malignant tumor in the digestive system, and radical surgery is the only possible means to cure pancreatic cancer at present. In the past decade, pancreatic surgery has been developing rapidly, with various new technologies and concepts emerging, among which the use of minimally invasive techniques and the popularization of neoadjuvant therapy concepts are the most notable. At the same time, the surgical treatment of pancreatic cancer still has a long way to go, and many problems need to be solved urgently. This article introduces the surgical treatment of pancreatic cancer in the 2024 edition of the NCCN guidelines, focusing on minimally invasive and open surgical treatments, expanded lymph node dissection, combined vascular resection and reconstruction, surgical treatment of pancreatic neck cancer and neoadjuvant therapy, and briefly discussing the unresolved issues.

Objective To construct a morphological brain network in patients with cerebral small vessel disease(CSVD)and predict it application for cognitive function.Methods A total of 64 eld-erly CSVD patients admitted in our hospital from January 2020 to February 2024 were retrospec-tively recruited.Cognitive function was assessed with Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE)and Montreal Cognitive Assessment(MoCA).Their clinical data,and results of cognitive function and multi-modal MRI scanning were collected and analyzed.3D T1-weighted imaging based on Kullback-Leibler divergence similarity was used to construct individual morphological brain net-work,and the connectome-based predictive model was employed to construct a cognitive predic-tion model.Results The network,which is significantly and positively correlated with the MMSE and MoCA scores,was mainly located in the default mode network,and could effectively predict individual MMSE and MoCA scores(r=0.795,P=4.436×10-15;r=0.794,P=4.974×10-15,P＜0.01).The connections,which were significantly negatively correlated with MMSE or MoCA scores,were mainly located between the salience/ventral attention network and other networks,and could also effectively predict individual MMSE and MoCA scores(r=0.766,P=1.679× 10-13;r=0.850,P=6.915×10-19,P＜0.01).Combined positive correlation and negative correla-tion networks,the model showed further improved predictive performance(r=0.849,P=7.603 × 10-19;r=0.888,P=1.445 × 10-22,P＜0.01).Conclusion Individual morphological brain network can effectively predict cognitive function in elderly CSVD patients,and can be used as a convenient tool for early warning of cognitive impairment related to CSVD.

Objective:To investigate the current situation of the use of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) for portal hypertension, which should aid the development of TIPS in China.Methods:The China Portal Hypertension Alliance (CHESS) initiated this study that comprehensively investigated the basic situation of TIPS for portal hypertension in China through network research. The survey included the following: the number of surgical cases, main indications, the development of Early-TIPS, TIPS for portal vein cavernous transformation, collateral circulation embolization, intraoperative portal pressure gradient measurement, commonly used stent types, conventional anticoagulation and time, postoperative follow-up, obstacles, and the application of domestic instruments.Results:According to the survey, a total of 13 527 TIPS operations were carried out in 545 hospitals participating in the survey in 2021, and 94.1% of the hospital had the habit of routine follow-up after TIPS. Most hospitals believed that the main indications of TIPS were the control of acute bleeding (42.6%) and the prevention of rebleeding (40.7%). 48.1% of the teams carried out early or priority TIPS, 53.0% of the teams carried out TIPS for the cavernous transformation of the portal vein, and 81.0% chose routine embolization of collateral circulation during operation. Most of them used coils and biological glue as embolic materials, and 78.5% of the team routinely performed intraoperative portal pressure gradient measurements. In selecting TIPS stents, 57.1% of the hospitals woulel choose Viator-specific stents, 57.2% woulel choose conventional anticoagulation after TIPS, and the duration of anticoagulation was between 3-6 months (55.4%). The limitation of TIPS surgery was mainly due to cost (72.3%) and insufficient understanding of doctors in related departments (77.4%). Most teams accepted the domestic instruments used in TIPS (92.7%).Conclusions:This survey shows that TIPS treatment is an essential part of treating portal hypertension in China. The total number of TIPS cases is far from that of patients with portal hypertension. In the future, it is still necessary to popularize TIPS technology and further standardize surgical indications, routine operations, and instrument application.

Pancreatic cancer is a highly malignant tumor in the digestive system, and radical surgery is the only possible means to cure pancreatic cancer at present. In the past decade, pancreatic surgery has been developing rapidly, with various new technologies and concepts emerging, among which the use of minimally invasive techniques and the popularization of neoadjuvant therapy concepts are the most notable. At the same time, the surgical treatment of pancreatic cancer still has a long way to go, and many problems need to be solved urgently. This article introduces the surgical treatment of pancreatic cancer in the 2024 edition of the NCCN guidelines, focusing on minimally invasive and open surgical treatments, expanded lymph node dissection, combined vascular resection and reconstruction, surgical treatment of pancreatic neck cancer and neoadjuvant therapy, and briefly discussing the unresolved issues.