BACKGROUND: Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) are major adverse events in neurosurgical patients. This study aimed to develop and validate machine learning models predicting PPCs after neurosurgery. METHODS: PPCs were defined according to the European Perioperative Clinical Outcome standards as occurring within 7 postoperative days. Data of cases meeting inclusion/exclusion criteria were extracted from the anesthesia information management system to create three datasets: The development (data of Huashan Hospital, Fudan University from 2018 to 2020), temporal validation (data of Huashan Hospital, Fudan University in 2021) and external validation (data of other three hospitals in 2023) datasets. Machine learning models of six algorithms were trained using either 35 retrievable and plausible features or the 11 features selected by Lasso regression. Temporal validation was conducted for all models and the 11-feature models were also externally validated. Independent risk factors were identified and feature importance in top models was analyzed. RESULTS: PPCs occurred in 712 of 7533 (9.5%), 258 of 2824 (9.1%), and 207 of 2300 (9.0%) patients in the development, temporal validation and external validation datasets, respectively. During cross-validation training, all models except Bayes demonstrated good discrimination with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.840. In temporal validation of full-feature models, deep neural network (DNN) performed the best with an AUC of 0.835 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.805-0.858) and a Brier score of 0.069, followed by Logistic regression (LR), random forest and XGBoost. The 11-feature models performed comparable to full-feature models with very close but statistically significantly lower AUCs, with the top models of DNN and LR in temporal and external validations. An 11-feature nomogram was drawn based on the LR algorithm and it outperformed the minimally modified Assess respiratory RIsk in Surgical patients in CATalonia (ARISCAT) and Laparoscopic Surgery Video Educational Guidelines (LAS VEGAS) scores with a higher AUC (LR: 0.824, ARISCAT: 0.672, LAS: 0.663). Independent risk factors based on multivariate LR mostly overlapped with Lasso-selected features, but lacked consistency with the important features using the Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) method of the LR model. CONCLUSIONS: The developed models, especially the DNN model and the nomogram, had good discrimination and calibration, and could be used for predicting PPCs in neurosurgical patients. The establishment of machine learning models and the ascertainment of risk factors might assist clinical decision support for improving surgical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION ChiCTR 2100047474; https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=128279 .
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Algorithms ; Lung Diseases/etiology* ; Machine Learning ; Neurosurgical Procedures/adverse effects* ; Postoperative Complications/diagnosis* ; Risk Factors ; ROC Curve

Jiuwei Xifeng Granules have become a Chinese patent medicine in the market. Because the formula contains Os Draconis, a top-level protected fossil of ancient organisms, the formula was to be improved by replacing Os Draconis with Ostreae Concha. To evaluate whether the improved formula has the same effectiveness and safety as the original formula, a randomized, double-blind, parallel-controlled, equivalence clinical trial was conducted. This study enrolled 288 tic disorder(TD) of children and assigned them into two groups in 1∶1. The treatment group and control group took the modified formula and original formula, respectively. The treatment lasted for 6 weeks, and follow-up visits were conducted at weeks 2, 4, and 6. The primary efficacy endpoint was the difference in Yale global tic severity scale(YGTSS)-total tic severity(TTS) score from baseline after 6 weeks of treatment. The results showed that after 6 weeks of treatment, the declines in YGTSS-TSS score showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. The difference in YGTSS-TSS score(treatment group-control group) and the 95%CI of the full analysis set(FAS) were-0.17[-1.42, 1.08] and those of per-protocol set(PPS) were 0.29[-0.97, 1.56], which were within the equivalence boundary [-3, 3]. The equivalence test was therefore concluded. The two groups showed no significant differences in the secondary efficacy endpoints of effective rate for TD, total score and factor scores of YGTSS, clinical global impressions-severity(CGI-S) score, traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) response rate, or symptom disappearance rate, and thus a complete evidence chain with the primary outcome was formed. A total of 6 adverse reactions were reported, including 4(2.82%) cases in the treatment group and 2(1.41%) cases in the control group, which showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. No serious suspected unexpected adverse reactions were reported, and no laboratory test results indicated serious clinically significant abnormalities. The results support the replacement of Os Draconis by Ostreae Concha in the original formula, and the efficacy and safety of the modified formula are consistent with those of the original formula.
Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Tic Disorders/drug therapy* ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVES: To assess the preliminary efficacy and safety of a dose-intensified C5VD regimen (cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, vincristine, and doxorubicin) in children with locally advanced hepatoblastoma. METHODS: This prospective study enrolled 24 children with newly diagnosed, locally advanced hepatoblastoma who received the dose-intensified C5VD regimen at Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and Shanghai Children's Hospital between January 2020 and December 2023. Clinical characteristics, treatment outcomes, and chemotherapy-related toxicities were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 24 patients, 13 were male and 11 were female, with a median age at diagnosis of 18.7 months (range: 3.5-79.4 months). All patients achieved complete macroscopic resection of hepatic lesions without liver transplantation. Serum alpha-fetoprotein levels decreased significantly after two chemotherapy cycles. During a median follow-up of 38.4 months (range: 15.8-50.7 months), all patients maintained continuous complete remission, with 3-year event-free survival and overall survival rates of 100%. Across 144 chemotherapy cycles, the incidence rates of grade 3-4 neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and infections were 97%, 77%, and 71%, respectively; no treatment-related deaths occurred. Notably, 5 patients (21%) developed Brock grade ≥3 hearing loss, of whom 1 required a hearing aid. CONCLUSIONS The dose-intensified C5VD regimen demonstrates significant efficacy with an overall favorable safety profile in the treatment of newly diagnosed, locally advanced pediatric hepatoblastoma. Grade 3-4 myelosuppression and infection are the predominant toxicities. However, high‑dose cisplatin-induced ototoxicity remains a concern, highlighting the need for improved otoprotective strategies.
Humans ; Hepatoblastoma/pathology* ; Male ; Female ; Infant ; Liver Neoplasms/pathology* ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use* ; Child, Preschool ; Prospective Studies ; Doxorubicin/adverse effects* ; Child ; Cisplatin/adverse effects* ; Vincristine/adverse effects* ; Fluorouracil/adverse effects*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the predictive value of endothelial activation and stress index (EASIX) for the prognosis of patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted to assess prognosis and compare the clinical features of patients diagnosed with MCL who were admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from January 2010 to June 2023, had therapeutic indications and received standard treatment. RESULTS: A total of 66 patients were included and divided into high EASIX group and low EASIX group, according to a cutoff value of 0.97 determined by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that prealbumin <0.2 g/L, high EASIX, and ECOG PS score ≥2 were independent risk factors influencing overall survival (OS) in MCL patients. The median OS of patients in the high and low EASIX group was 13.0 and 37.5 months, and the median progression-free survival was 8.8 and 26.0 months, respectively. The proportions of patients with ECOG PS score ≥2 and prealbumin <0.2 g/L at onset significantly increased in the high EASIX group compared to those in the low EASIX group. CONCLUSION At the time of initial diagnosis, EASIX can serve as an independent prognostic indicator impacting OS in patients with MCL. Furthermore, patients in the high EASIX group experience a poorer prognosis and shorter survival duration compared with those in the low EASIX group.
Humans ; Lymphoma, Mantle-Cell/pathology* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; ROC Curve

Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion leads to white matter injury (WMI), which plays a significant role in contributing to vascular cognitive impairment. While 13-docosenamide is a type of fatty acid amide, it remains unclear whether it has therapeutic effects on chronic cerebral hypoperfusion. In this study, we conducted bilateral common carotid artery stenosis (BCAS) surgery to simulate chronic cerebral hypoperfusion-induced WMI and cognitive impairment. Our findings showed that 13-docosenamide alleviates WMI and cognitive impairment in BCAS mice. Mechanistically, 13-docosenamide specifically binds to cannabinoid receptor 1 (CNR1) in oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). This interaction results in an upregulation of ubiquitin-specific peptidase 33 (USP33)-mediated CNR1 deubiquitination, subsequently increasing CNR1 protein expression, activating the phosphorylation of the AKT/mTOR pathway, and promoting the differentiation of OPCs. In conclusion, our study suggests that 13-docosenamide can ameliorate chronic cerebral hypoperfusion-induced WMI and cognitive impairment by enhancing OPC differentiation and could serve as a potential therapeutic drug.
Animals ; Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells/metabolism* ; Mice ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; Male ; Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Ubiquitin Thiolesterase/metabolism* ; Ubiquitination/drug effects* ; Carotid Stenosis/complications* ; Cognitive Dysfunction/drug therapy*

Microglia, the resident immune cells in the central nervous system (CNS), rapidly transition from a resting to an active state in the acute phase of ischemic brain injury. This active state mediates a pro-inflammatory response that can exacerbate the injury. Targeting the pro-inflammatory response of microglia in the semi-dark band during this acute phase may effectively reduce brain injury. Shionone (SH), an active ingredient extracted from the dried roots and rhizomes of the genus Aster (Asteraceae), has been reported to regulate the inflammatory response of macrophages in sepsis-induced acute lung injury. However, its function in post-stroke neuroinflammation, particularly microglia-mediated neuroinflammation, remains uninvestigated. This study found that SH significantly inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced elevation of inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), in microglia in vitro. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that SH alleviated infarct volume and improved behavioral performance in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mice, which may be attributed to the inhibition of the microglial inflammatory response induced by SH treatment. Mechanistically, SH potently inhibited the phosphorylation of serine-threonine protein kinase B (AKT), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). These findings suggest that SH may be a potential therapeutic agent for relieving ischemic stroke (IS) by alleviating microglia-associated neuroinflammation.
Animals ; Microglia/immunology* ; Mice ; Male ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Brain Ischemia/immunology* ; Neuroinflammatory Diseases/drug therapy* ; Neuroprotective Agents/administration & dosage* ; Interleukin-1beta/genetics* ; STAT3 Transcription Factor/genetics* ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/genetics* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/immunology* ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II/genetics* ; Lipopolysaccharides

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*

Objective:To construct the quality evaluation scale of specification of management for humanistic caring in outpatients and test its reliability and validity.Methods:Referring to the group standards in Specification of Management for Humanistic Caring in Outpatients released by the China Association for Life Care,as well as relevant guidelines and literature,a pool of items for the quality evaluation scale of specification of management for humanistic caring in outpatients was formed.After expert consultation and expert argumentation,a quality evaluation scale of specification of management for humanistic caring in outpatients was constructed.From January to February 2024,243 hospital managers from 5 hospitals in Zhengzhou were selected as survey subjects to conduct item analysis,and reliability and validity testing on the scale.Results:Two rounds of expert inquiry and two rounds of expert argumentation were conducted,with questionnaire response rates of 92.00%and 100.00%,respectively,and expert authority coefficients of 0.952.In the second round of the expert inquiry scale,the mean importance score of the first-level indicators was 4.80 to 5.00,the full score ratio was 88.00%to 100.00%,the coefficient of variation was 0.04 to 0.17,and Kendall's coefficient of concordance was 0.857(P＜0.001);the mean importance score of the second-level indicators was 4.60 to 5.00,the full score ratio was 80.00%to 100.00%,the coefficient of variation was 0.00 to 0.21,and Kendall's coefficient of concordance was 0.775(P＜0.001);the mean importance score of the third-level indicators was 4.60 to 5.00,the full score ratio was 76.00%to 100.00%,the coefficient of variation was 0.00 to 0.21,and Kendall's coefficient of concordance was 0.830(P＜0.001).Finally,a quality evaluation scale of specification of management for humanistic caring in outpatients was formed,including 5 first-level indicators,25 second-level indicators,and 58 third-level indicators.Exploratory factor analysis produced 5 common factors with a cumulative variance contribution rate of 74.628%.The Pearson correlation coefficients between the five-factor scores ranged from 0.648 to 0.798,and the correlation coefficients between the factor scores and the total score of the scale ranged from 0.784 to 0.938.The scale-level content validity index(S-CVI)of the scale was 0.945,the item-content validity index(I-CVI)was 0.725 to 1.000,the Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the total scale was 0.973,and the retest reliability coefficient was 0.934.Conclusion:The constructed quality evaluation scale of specification of management for humanistic caring in outpatients has good scientific validity and reliability,and can be used as an evaluation tool for specification of management for humanistic caring in outpatients.

Atherosclerosis caused by disorders of lipid metabolism is the main pathological basis of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.Statins are the cornerstone of lipid-modulating therapy for this type of disease,but in practice there are still some patients with suboptimal lipid management.Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9(PCSK9)inhibitors have been gradually applied as a new class of lipid-modulating drugs for the treatment in patients with this type of disease,and recent studies have shown that in addition to regulating lipid metabolism,PCSK9 inhibitors also have potential anti-inflammatory and anti-platelet activation effects.This article sorts out the multiple pharmacological mechanisms of action of PCSK9 inhibitors and the current status of clinical research of PCSK9 inhibitors.Besides,it discusses the factors that may affect the efficacy of PCSK9 inhibitors,in order to provide a reference for the safe and rational medication of PCSK9 inhibitors.

Objective To observe the intervention effect of hypericin(HYP)on 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine(MPTP)-induced Parkinson's disease(PD)mice model and its mechanism.Methods Thirty C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into normal,model and experimental groups with 10 mice per group.PD mouse model was established after 7 days of intraperitoneal injection of MPTP,and drug intervention was carried out from the first day of modeling.Normal group and model group were intraperitoneally injected with 500 μL·kg·d-1 0.9％NaCl.The experimental group was intraperitoneally injected with 25 mg·kg·d-1 HYP.The three groups of rats were given the drug once each time for 14 days.The expression levels of tyrosine hydroxylase(TH),Nod-like receptor thermal protein domain protein 3(NLRP3)and ionized calcium binding adapter molecule 1(Iba1)in the striatum of nigra were detected by Western blot.Results The climbing time of normal,model and experimental groups was(5.35±0.43),(9.71±1.19)and(8.07±0.34)s;suspension scores were(2.92±0.15),(1.38±0.28)and(1.96±0.28)points;the relative expression levels of TH protein were 1.04±0.06,0.51±0.09 and 0.75±0.07;the relative expression levels of NLRP3 protein were 0.51±0.03,1.00±0.04 and 0.77±0.06;the relative expression levels of Iba1 protein were 0.68±0.10,1.30±0.28 and 0.89±0.05,respectively.The above indexes in the model group were statistically significant compared with the experimental group and the normal group(all P＜0.01).Conclusion HYP plays a therapeutic role in PD by inhibiting the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome in PD mice.