Background/Aims: Liver transplantation (LT) following total hepatectomy is a life-saving treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The HCC recurrence after LT hinders the effectiveness of the procedure. The objective of this study is to develop a pre-operative risk stratification model based on a liquid biopsy. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive multi-omics study of 260 HCC patients from three centers, including clinical data, low-coverage whole-genome sequencing of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from plasma, as well as whole-exome, single-nucleus RNA, and spatial transcriptomics from matched tumor and non-tumor tissues. Results: We identified cfDNA-derived copy number alteration (CNA) signatures associated with post-transplant recurrence. By integrating cfDNA-derived CNA profiles with single-cell transcriptomic data, we traced recurrence-associated cfDNA to a distinct subpopulation of malignant cells within the primary tumor. These cells were embedded in a pro-metastatic microenvironment of specialized endothelial subtypes and cancer-associated fibroblasts. Notably, most recurrence-associated lesions were detectable in cfDNA prior to liver transplantation (LT). Building on these insights, we developed the ZJU Criteria based on CNA fragments and tumor markers, a pre-LT risk prediction tool that integrates conventional clinical factors with cfDNA-derived CNA signatures, and validated it using internal and independent external cohorts. Conclusion Our findings suggest that post-transplant recurrence commonly originates from advanced subclones that emerge late during tumor evolution. The ZJU Criteria provides an accurate, non-invasive strategy that significantly improves pre-LT risk stratification and clinical decision-making for patients with HCC.

Traditional four examinations of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） are based on the symptoms and signs of patients， which are the advantages of TCM but also have shortcomings. Chronic kidney disease has the characteristics of insidiousness， long-term， deficiency and variability during its onset， which are difficult to be intervened in time based on only symptoms， therefore it is necessary to extend the application of the four examinations in the diagnosis and treatment process of chronic kidney disease. Based on the background of the continuous development of TCM syndrome differentiation techniques， this article proposed the extension and application strategies of the traditional four examinations in chronic kidney disease， including the incorporation of microscopic syndrome differentiation to identify the causes of kidney disease and prevent symptom deterioration； the utilization of accurate examination information enhanced by artificial intelligence for controlling development of existing disease； the integration of disease differentiation and syndrome differentiation to summarize clinical rules towards using constant to measure variation； and the establishment of a kidney disease database for the storage of four examinations information to prevent recurrence after recovery. The four above extension and application strategies can be used to achieve the long-term management and treatment effects of timely and early diagnosis， dynamic observation of the condition， accurate application of intervention， and strengthened prognosis assessment in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic kidney disease， and expand the advantages of TCM in the prevention and treatment of chronic kidney disease.

Objective To investigate the histological and cellular bases for the improvement of portal hypertension(PH)by observing liver histopathological changes after treatment in patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension,and to provide a basis for clinical drug development.Methods A total of 322 patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis who completed 48 weeks of antiviral therapy or combined anti-fibrotic treatment in 20 hospitals across 12 provinces in China from September 2014 to October 2018 were enrolled,and the noninvasive diagnostic criteria for clinically significant portal hypertension(CSPH)from Baveno Ⅶ were used to assess the severity of PH;43 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of CSPH were identified based on liver stiffness measurement(LSM)≥25 kPa before treatment,and according to whether the severity of PH was reduced by≥2 grades after treatment,the patients were divided into PH improvement(n=19)group and PH non-improvement group(n=24).Related data were collected,including demographic data,laboratory tests.Liver fibrosis were assessed,including HE staining and reticular fiber staining;liver microvascular lesions were assessed,including obliterative portal venopathy(OPV),nodular regenerative hyperplasia(NRH),and incomplete septal fibrosis(ISF).Single immunohistochemical staining was performed for von Willebrand factor(vWF),and fibronectin;multiplex immunohistochemical staining was performed for fibrinogen,CD32b,CD31,alpha-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA).The independent-samples t test or the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups,and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups.Results After 48 weeks of treatment,43 patients had significant improvements in red blood cell count,alanine aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index score,liver fibrosis grade,and PH grade(all P<0.05),among whom 19 patients showed a reduction in PH severity by≥2 grades(PH improvement group),while the remaining patients were enrolled as the PH non-improvement group.There was no significant difference in the outcome of liver fibrosis between the two groups(χ2=3.380,P=0.066).Microvascular lesion assessment showed that compared with the PH non-improvement group,the PH improvement group had significantly lower OPV severity,microvascular density(the expression level of vWF),and expression of fibronectin(all P<0.05),while there were no significant differences in NRH severity,ISF severity,and the expression level of fibrinogen between the two groups(all P>0.05).Cytological evaluation showed no significant differences in the expression levels of CD32b,CD31,and α-SMA between the two groups before and after treatment(all P>0.05),and comparison of the expression levels before and after treatment showed that the PH improvement group had a significant increase in the expression level of CD32b(t=-2.007,P=0.045)and a significant reduction in the expression level of α-SMA(t=2.628,P=0.013).Conclusion The pathological features of PH improvement are associated with liver fibrosis regression and the improvement in liver microvascular lesions,and at the cellular level,PH improvement is associated with the dedifferentiation of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells and the activated phenotype of hepatic stellate cells.

Objective To investigate the histological and cellular bases for the improvement of portal hypertension(PH)by observing liver histopathological changes after treatment in patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension,and to provide a basis for clinical drug development.Methods A total of 322 patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis who completed 48 weeks of antiviral therapy or combined anti-fibrotic treatment in 20 hospitals across 12 provinces in China from September 2014 to October 2018 were enrolled,and the noninvasive diagnostic criteria for clinically significant portal hypertension(CSPH)from Baveno Ⅶ were used to assess the severity of PH;43 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of CSPH were identified based on liver stiffness measurement(LSM)≥25 kPa before treatment,and according to whether the severity of PH was reduced by≥2 grades after treatment,the patients were divided into PH improvement(n=19)group and PH non-improvement group(n=24).Related data were collected,including demographic data,laboratory tests.Liver fibrosis were assessed,including HE staining and reticular fiber staining;liver microvascular lesions were assessed,including obliterative portal venopathy(OPV),nodular regenerative hyperplasia(NRH),and incomplete septal fibrosis(ISF).Single immunohistochemical staining was performed for von Willebrand factor(vWF),and fibronectin;multiplex immunohistochemical staining was performed for fibrinogen,CD32b,CD31,alpha-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA).The independent-samples t test or the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups,and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups.Results After 48 weeks of treatment,43 patients had significant improvements in red blood cell count,alanine aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index score,liver fibrosis grade,and PH grade(all P<0.05),among whom 19 patients showed a reduction in PH severity by≥2 grades(PH improvement group),while the remaining patients were enrolled as the PH non-improvement group.There was no significant difference in the outcome of liver fibrosis between the two groups(χ2=3.380,P=0.066).Microvascular lesion assessment showed that compared with the PH non-improvement group,the PH improvement group had significantly lower OPV severity,microvascular density(the expression level of vWF),and expression of fibronectin(all P<0.05),while there were no significant differences in NRH severity,ISF severity,and the expression level of fibrinogen between the two groups(all P>0.05).Cytological evaluation showed no significant differences in the expression levels of CD32b,CD31,and α-SMA between the two groups before and after treatment(all P>0.05),and comparison of the expression levels before and after treatment showed that the PH improvement group had a significant increase in the expression level of CD32b(t=-2.007,P=0.045)and a significant reduction in the expression level of α-SMA(t=2.628,P=0.013).Conclusion The pathological features of PH improvement are associated with liver fibrosis regression and the improvement in liver microvascular lesions,and at the cellular level,PH improvement is associated with the dedifferentiation of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells and the activated phenotype of hepatic stellate cells.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Fuzheng Huayu prescription on hepatocyte extinction and regeneration in fibrotic liver and its mechanism of action in promoting hepatocyte regeneration. MethodsMice were given intraperitoneal injection of CCl₄ for 6 weeks to establish a model of liver cirrhosis， and there were 10 mice in the model group， 10 in the sorafenib group， 10 in the Fuzheng Huayu prescription group， and 9 in the normal control group. Since week 4 of modeling， the mice in the Fuzheng Huayu prescription group and the sorafenib group were given the corresponding drug by gavage at a dose of 4.8 g/kg and 4 mg/kg， respectively， for three consecutive weeks， and those in the normal group and the model group were given an equal volume of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose. Serum liver function parameters were measured； the METAVIR scoring system was used to evaluate liver inflammation and fibrosis stage； Sirius Red staining and hydroxyproline （Hyp） content in liver tissue were used to evaluate collagen deposition； immunohistochemistry was used to measure the protein expression levels of type IV collagen， CD31， CD32b， Ki67， CyclinD1， glutamine synthetase， Wnt2， and HGF， and Western blot was used to measure the expression levels of Wnt2， LRP6， β-catenin， p-β-catenin， and CyclinD1 in liver tissue. A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of continuous data between multiple groups， and the least significant difference t-test was used for further comparison between two groups. ResultsCompared with the model group， the Fuzheng Huayu prescription group and the sorafenib group showed the following changes： significant reductions in the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase and the content of Hyp in liver tissue （all P<0.01）； a significant reduction in METAVIR score； significant reductions in the expression levels of type Ⅳ collagen and CD31 （all P<0.05） and a significant increase in the expression level of CD32b （P<0.01）； significant reductions in the number of parenchymal extinction lesions and significant increases in the expression levels of Ki67 and CyclinD1 in liver tissue （all P<0.01）； significant increases in the protein expression levels of Wnt2， LRP6， β-catenin， and CyclinD1 and a significant reduction in the protein expression level of p-β-catenin （all P<0.05）； significant increases in the number of cells stained positive for both CD32b and Wnt2. ConclusionFuzheng Huayu prescription can inhibit hepatic sinusoidal capillarization， improve the Wnt2 exocrine function of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells， activate the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway associated with hepatocyte regeneration， and finally reverse liver cirrhosis.

Objective:To measure the overall and lobulated volume of the liver with different degrees of liver fibrosis and to further observe pathological changes such as liver microvasculature, hepatocyte apoptosis, and regeneration in order to understand the macroscopic volume changes of the liver during liver fibrosis and its relationship with liver tissue microscopic pathology in patients with chronic liver disease.Methods:53 patients with chronic hepatitis B, alcoholic fatty liver disease, autoimmune liver disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and drug-induced chronic liver disease who underwent both liver biopsy tissue and abdominal magnetic resonance imaging were collected. Patients were divided into early (F1-2), middle (F3-4), and late (F5-6) in accordance with the Ishak fibrosis stage and Masson stain. The liver and spleen volumes were measured using ITK-SNAP software. CD31 immunohistochemical staining was used to reflect intrahepatic angiogenesis. Ki67 and HNF-4α multiplex immunohistochemical staining were used to reflect hepatocyte regeneration. GS staining was used to determine parenchymal extinction lesions. TUNEL staining was used to observe hepatocyte apoptosis. Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between liver volume changes and liver histopathological changes.Results:As liver fibrosis progressed, the total liver volume and right lobe liver volume gradually decreased ( P<0.05), while the spleen volume gradually increased ( P<0.05). The expression of CD31 and GS gradually increased ( P<0.05), and the expression of Ki67 first increased and then decreased ( P<0.05). The positivity rate of CD31 was negatively correlated with the right lobe liver volume ( r=-0.609, P<0.001) and the total liver volume ( r=-0.363, P=0.017). The positivity rate of Ki67 was positively correlated with the right lobe liver volume ( r=0.423, P=0.018), while the positivity rate of apoptotic cells was significantly negatively correlated with the total liver volume ( r=-0.860, P<0.001). The positivity rate of GS was negatively correlated with the right lobe liver volume ( r=-0.440, P=0.002), and the number of PELs was negatively correlated with RV ( r=-0.476, P=0.013). The CD31 positive staining area was negatively correlated with the Ki67 positive staining area( r=-0.511, P=0.009). Conclusion:As liver fibrosis progresses, patients with chronic liver disease have a depletion in total liver volume and right lobe liver volume, and this is mainly in correlation with fewer liver cells and liver tissue microvasculature disorders.

Objective To explore the expression and significance of neutrophil extracellular traps(NETs)in peripheral blood of primary Sj?gren's syndrome(pSS)patients across different disease activity levels,and the predictive value of NETs and routine laboratory markers antithrombin Ⅲ(AT Ⅲ),alkaline phosphatase(ALP)and carbohydrate antigen 125(CA125)for pSS disease activity.Methods A total of 94 newly diagnosed pSS patients at the Affiliated Lianyungang Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from October 2021 to December 2023 were categorized into active(n=49)and non-active(n=45)groups based on the European League Against Rheumatism(EULAR)Sj?gren's Syndrome disease activity index(ESSDAI).The levels of NETs biomarkers,namely serum myeloperoxidase(MPO)-DNA,were measured using ELISA.Laboratory routine indicators and MPO-DNA were integrated into multivariate Logistic regression to screen for independent influencing factors of pSS disease activity.Pearson's correlation was used to evaluate the relationship between MPO-DNA levels and ESSDAI scores.The efficacy of MPO-DNA alone or in combination with AT Ⅲ,ALP and CA125,for predictors of disease activity was evaluated using ROC curve.Results Serum MPO-DNA(23.884±3.494 μg/L),ALP(80.159±34.318 U/L)and CA125(20.300±16.560 U/ml)levels of active pSS patients were higher than those in the non-active patients(19.024±3.324 μ g/L,67.500±21.166U/L,13.200±6.340 U/ml),while AT Ⅲ(89.180±15.040 ng/ml)was lower than that in non-active patients(94.650±11.620 ng/ml),with significant differences(t=-7.921,-2.426,-2.925,2.094,all P＜0.05).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed laboratory indicator MPO-DNA,ALP and CA125 were independent risk factors,while AT Ⅲ was an independent protective factor(all P＜0.05).MPO-DNA was positively correlated with ESSDAI scores(r=0.602,P＜0.01).The AUC(95％CI)of the combination of ALP,CA125 and AT Ⅲ for predicting disease activity in pSS was 0.711(0.612～0.810).The AUC(95％CI)of MPO-DNA alone for predicting disease activity in pSS was 0.837(0.758～0.915),and the AUC(95％CI)of combination of MPO-DNA,ALP,CA125 and AT Ⅲ for predicting disease activity in pSS was 0.866(0.797～0.935),showing an improving in the predictive value.Conclusion The involvement of NETs in the occurrence and expression levels of pSS is related to its disease activity.NETs combined with ALP,CA125 and AT Ⅲ have effective diagnostic performance for the disease activity of pSS.This tool can serve as a biological indicator for predicting the disease activity of pSS.

[Objective]To summarize the experience of YE Tianshi in the treatment of kidney diseases by unblocking method,so as to provide ideas for clinical differentiation and treatment of kidney diseases.[Methods]Taking Clinical Practice with Medical Records as the research object,combining with the discussion of ancient books such as Inner Canon of Yellow Emperor and Treatise on Febrile and Miscellaneous Diseases,the experience of YE Tianshi's treatment of kidney diseases with unblocking method was summarized.[Results]Unblocking method has a rich connotation.All methods that help the flow of Qi and blood and restoring the normal physiological state of the organism can be considered as unblocking method.YE Tianshi put forward the academic proposition of"all diseases should be treated with unblocking method",and established many methods such as dredging collaterals,promoting free flow of Qi,removing blood stasis and promoting diuresis,activating Yang,which inspired the clinical application of unblocking method.In the identification and treatment of kidney diseases,YE Tianshi attached great importance to the pathogenesis of obstruction of kidney Qi,and considered that the disharmony of Yin and Yang,the pathogen of phlegm,dampness and blood stasis were accumulated,eight extraordinary meridians were blocked,deficiency interweaved with excess was the key to cause kidney diseases,treatment should pay attention to moving kidney Qi.In the treatment of edema,stranguria with turbid discharge disease,spermatorrhea and other kidney diseases,formed the treatment principles of"regulating Yin and Yang,functioning normally when unobstructed""removing blood stasis and dredging collaterals,opening the orifices and invigorating the kidney""dredging the eight extra meridians,tonifying the liver and kidney",selected prescription and dispatching drugs,and achieved remarkable effects.[Conclusion]YE Tianshi's application of unblocking method in the treatment of kidney diseases has its own characteristics,which is accurate in syndrome differentiation,clear in theory and simple in medication,and provides a way of thinking for the application of unblocking method in the treatment of kidney diseases.

Chloroquine has played a pivotal role in the treatment of malaria.Recently,with the development of clinical application,they are increasingly recognized for their effectiveness in other as-pects,such as anti-inflammation,immunosuppression,anti-amoebic effects and so on.In the outbreak of the new coronavirus infection,chloroquine and its derivative hydroxychloroquine swiftly included in the treatment of infected patients in many countries.However,several studies have shown these drugs have some detrimental influence,especially in cardiac arrhythmia(prolonged the QT interval and in-creased risk of torsional ventricular tachycardia).Thus,we should pay attention to both their benefi-cial effects and potential adverse manifestation.In order to regulate the use of drugs and guide the clin-ic,this paper reviewed the electrophysiological basis and clinical characteristics of cardiac adverse re-actions of these drugs from the perspective of ion channels.

Chloroquine has played a pivotal role in the treatment of malaria.Recently,with the development of clinical application,they are increasingly recognized for their effectiveness in other as-pects,such as anti-inflammation,immunosuppression,anti-amoebic effects and so on.In the outbreak of the new coronavirus infection,chloroquine and its derivative hydroxychloroquine swiftly included in the treatment of infected patients in many countries.However,several studies have shown these drugs have some detrimental influence,especially in cardiac arrhythmia(prolonged the QT interval and in-creased risk of torsional ventricular tachycardia).Thus,we should pay attention to both their benefi-cial effects and potential adverse manifestation.In order to regulate the use of drugs and guide the clin-ic,this paper reviewed the electrophysiological basis and clinical characteristics of cardiac adverse re-actions of these drugs from the perspective of ion channels.