Objective: To characterize perioperative dynamic changes in immune-cell phenotypes and inflammatory cytokines in patients undergoing CPB (cardiopulmonary bypass) cardiac surgery, and to explore their associations with postoperative outcomes. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 120 adult patients who underwent elective cardiac surgery under CPB at West China Hospital from May 2022 to March 2023 were enrolled. Perioperative immune-cell phenotypes and concentrations of 40 inflammation-related cytokines were measured. The primary outcomes were the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score at 24 h after surgery and ΔSOFA (the peak SOFA score within 48 h after surgery minus the preoperative SOFA score). Secondary outcomes included major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), acute kidney injury (AKI), respiratory failure, severe liver injury, and infection. Results: The mean age of enrolled patients was 57±10 years. Of these, 52% (62/120) were male and 90% (108/120) underwent valve surgery. During the rewarming to the end of CPB, neutrophil counts rapidly increased (7.39×10 /L vs preoperative 3.07×10 /L, P<0.001), with significant upregulation of CD11b (7.30×10 /L vs preoperative 3.05×10 /L, P<0.001) and CD54 (7.15×10 /L vs preoperative 2.99×10 /L, P<0.001). Lymphocyte counts increased at the end of CPB (1.75×10 /L vs preoperative 1.12×10 /L, P<0.001) but decreased significantly at 24 h after surgery (0.59×10 /L vs preoperative 1.12×10 /L, P<0.001). Plasma analysis showed that multiple pro-inflammatory cytokines increased during CPB and remained elevated up to 24 h after surgery; five chemokines and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 peaked at the end of CPB. The SOFA score increased from 1 (1, 2) preoperatively to 7 (5, 10) at 24 h after surgery, with a ΔSOFA of 6 (4, 8). Within 30 days after surgery, 48 patients (40.0%) developed AKI, 17 (14.2%) developed infection, 4 (3.3%) developed severe liver injury, 3 (2.5%) developed respiratory failure, and 3 (2.5%) experienced MACE. During the 2-year follow-up, 8 patients (6.7%) experienced MACE and 5 (4.2%) died. Conclusion: Multi-organ dysfunction is common after cardiac surgery under CPB (median ΔSOFA, 6), accompanied by perioperative activation of multiple immune-cell subsets and upregulation of pro-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory, and chemotactic mediators. This study provides data-driven evidence and research clues for further investigation of the associations between CPB-related immune perturbations and postoperative organ dysfunction and clinical outcomes.

Empathy is crucial for communication and survival for individuals. Whether empathy in pain contagion shows sex differences and its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we report that pain contagion can occur in stranger female rats, but not in stranger males. Blocking oxytocin receptors in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) suppressed pain contagion in female strangers, while oxytocin administration induced pain contagion in male strangers. In vitro, corticosterone reduces neuronal activation by oxytocin. During male stranger interactions, higher corticosterone decreased oxytocin receptor-positive neuronal activity in the ACC, suppressing pain contagion. These findings highlight the role of oxytocin in pain contagion and suggest that sex differences in empathy may be determined by the balance of oxytocin and corticosterone in the ACC. This study suggests an approach for the treatment of certain mental disorders associated with abnormal empathy, such as autism and depression.
Animals ; Oxytocin/pharmacology* ; Gyrus Cinguli/drug effects* ; Male ; Female ; Corticosterone/pharmacology* ; Empathy/drug effects* ; Sex Characteristics ; Receptors, Oxytocin/antagonists & inhibitors* ; Pain/psychology* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Neurons/metabolism*

Objective:To compare suture-button, absorbable screws (AS), and metal screws (MS) in the fixation of ankle fracture complicated with distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the 71 patients with ankle fracture and distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury who had been treated at Department of Foot and Ankle Surgery, Guangzhou Orthopedics Hospital from February 2020 to February 2023. There were 27 males and 44 females with an age of (49.6±10.3) years. The patients were assigned into 3 groups according to different treatment methods: a suture-button group in which 32 cases were treated with suture-button, an AS group in which 24 cases were treated with AS, and a MS group in which 15 cases were treated with MS to be removed at 8 to 12 weeks after operation. The 3 groups were compared in terms of intraoperative blood loss, operation time, and ankle range of motion, tibiofibular clear space (TFCS), and tibio-fibular overlap (TFOL) at the last follow-up, as well as American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot scores and visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores at 3 months after operation and at the last follow-up.Results:There was no significant difference in the preoperative general data between the 3 groups, indicating comparability ( P>0.05). There were no significant differences in intraoperative blood loss, operation time, ankle range of motion, TFCS or TFOL between the 3 groups ( P>0.05). TFCS and TFOL at the last follow-up in all patients were significantly improved compared with those before operation ( P<0.05). The AOFAS ankle-hindfoot scores and VAS pain scores in the suture-button group and the AS group at 3 months after operation were significantly better than those in the MS group ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score or VAS pain score between the 3 groups at the last follow-up ( P>0.05). In all patients, the AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score and VAS pain score at the last follow-up were significantly better than those at 3 months after operation which were significantly better than those before operation ( P<0.05). Conclusions:In the fixation of ankle fracture complicated with distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury, suture-button, AS and MS can all achieve definite clinical efficacy. As fixation with MS requires secondary surgical removal, its early functional score and pain score may be relatively poorer.

Objective:To compare suture-button, absorbable screws (AS), and metal screws (MS) in the fixation of ankle fracture complicated with distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the 71 patients with ankle fracture and distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury who had been treated at Department of Foot and Ankle Surgery, Guangzhou Orthopedics Hospital from February 2020 to February 2023. There were 27 males and 44 females with an age of (49.6±10.3) years. The patients were assigned into 3 groups according to different treatment methods: a suture-button group in which 32 cases were treated with suture-button, an AS group in which 24 cases were treated with AS, and a MS group in which 15 cases were treated with MS to be removed at 8 to 12 weeks after operation. The 3 groups were compared in terms of intraoperative blood loss, operation time, and ankle range of motion, tibiofibular clear space (TFCS), and tibio-fibular overlap (TFOL) at the last follow-up, as well as American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot scores and visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores at 3 months after operation and at the last follow-up.Results:There was no significant difference in the preoperative general data between the 3 groups, indicating comparability ( P>0.05). There were no significant differences in intraoperative blood loss, operation time, ankle range of motion, TFCS or TFOL between the 3 groups ( P>0.05). TFCS and TFOL at the last follow-up in all patients were significantly improved compared with those before operation ( P<0.05). The AOFAS ankle-hindfoot scores and VAS pain scores in the suture-button group and the AS group at 3 months after operation were significantly better than those in the MS group ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score or VAS pain score between the 3 groups at the last follow-up ( P>0.05). In all patients, the AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score and VAS pain score at the last follow-up were significantly better than those at 3 months after operation which were significantly better than those before operation ( P<0.05). Conclusions:In the fixation of ankle fracture complicated with distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury, suture-button, AS and MS can all achieve definite clinical efficacy. As fixation with MS requires secondary surgical removal, its early functional score and pain score may be relatively poorer.

Background: In the field of neuroscience research, executive functions (EFs) are of great significance. Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) often encounter the problem of EFs impairment, which severely affects their lives and health.However, currently, the methods for evaluating EFs in experimental mice are limited, and there is a lack of effective evaluation indicators for touchscreen behavioral tests in different disease model mice. This study aims to establish a paradigm process and an evaluation baseline for touchscreen behavioral analysis in PD model mice, deeply explore the mechanisms of EFs impairment in PD, and provide a crucial foundation for subsequent research and treatment. Methods: Thirty clean - grade SNCA*A53T transgenic mice and forty clean - grade C57BL/6J wild - type mice were selected. For A53T mice, genetic identification was carried out. Molecular biology techniques such as PCR were used to determine their genetic characteristics. Protein detection was conducted through methods like Western blot to clarify the expression of relevant proteins. In terms of behavioral tests, the five - choice serial reaction time task (5 - CSRT) was adopted, and various behavioral data of mice in this task were recorded. Four groups were set up: the control group, the MPTP group. Different groups of mice were given specific treatments. For example, the MPTP group of mice was injected with MPTP to construct a drug - induced PD model. Principal component analysis (PCA) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to analyze the obtained touchscreen behavioral baseline indicators of mice, and key indicators were screened and evaluated. Results: In the 5 - CSRT, the optimal stage for wild - type C57 mice to achieve an accuracy rate of ≥ 80% was from the 11th to the 13th cycle, while for A53T mice, it was the 11th cycle. The EFs of A53T mice were impaired, with abnormalities in the accuracy rate, trace number, and number of punished times in the 5 - CSRT. When identifying drug - induced PD models, the 13th cycle of the 5 - CSRT was more effective; when identifying transgenic PD models, the 11th cycle was more suitable. Interventions could be carried out after the baseline accuracy rate reached 80%. Through the “genetic - environmental” dual - axis drive, the “chronic - acute” time - dimension complementarity, and the “mechanism - transformation” multi - level verification, the A53T and MPTP dual models were used to comprehensively cover the pathological cycle of PD EFs impairment. Conclusions This study has successfully established a paradigm process and an evaluation baseline for touchscreen behavioral analysis in PD model mice. This provides an important basis for a deep understanding of the mechanisms of EFs impairment in PD patients, has potential guiding significance for the development of intervention strategies and treatment methods for EFs impairment in PD patients, and is expected to promote new progress in PD research in the field of neuroscience.

Objective: Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) involves a variety of visual symptoms that are thought to be partially caused by structural abnormalities of the retina. However, the relationship between retinal structural changes, disease severity, and intracranial alterations remains unknown. We investigated distinct retinal thinning patterns and their relationship with clinical severity and intracranial alterations in a PSP cohort. Methods: We enrolled 19 patients with PSP (38 eyes) and 20 age-matched healthy controls (40 eyes). All of the participants underwent peripapillary and macular optical coherence tomography. Brain 11C-2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-fluorophenyl) tropane (11C-CFT) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography imaging were also performed in patients with PSP. We investigated the association between retinal thickness changes and clinical features, striatal dopamine transporter availability, and cerebral glucose metabolism. Results: The peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) and macula were significantly thinner in patients with PSP than in controls. The thickness of the superior sector of the pRNFL demonstrated a significant negative relationship with the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale part III and Hoehn and Yahr staging scale scores. A significant negative correlation was found between outer inferior macular thickness and disease duration. Outer temporal macular thickness was positively correlated with Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores. In PSP, lower outer temporal macular thickness was also positively correlated with decreased dopamine transporter binding in the caudate. Conclusion The pRNFL and macular thinning may be candidate markers for monitoring disease severity. Additionally, macular thinning may be an in vivo indicator of nigrostriatal dopaminergic cell degeneration in PSP patients.

Objective:To quantitatively analyze the primary research characteristics and keywords of international and domestic papers in the field of capsule endoscopy with bibliometric methods, and to illustrate the progression of capsule endoscopy research and offer insights for researchers in this domain.Methods:The Stork and visualized software CiteSpace were used to search and analyze the literature on "capsule endoscopy" in the English database of PubMed and the Chinese database of CNKI from 2002 to 2022.Results:A total of 6 011 English articles were identified in the PubMed database during the specified period. Both the number of publications and their citation frequencies displayed an upward trend on a global and domestic scale. The growth rates of global and domestic English publications were 5% and 15%, respectively, with major contributions coming from the United States, Japan, China, Italy and Germany. Key areas of global research interest included magnetic capsule endoscopy, colon capsule endoscopy, inflammatory bowel disease, small bowel capsule endoscopy, capsule endoscopy images, and obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, etc. A total of 2 027 articles were retrieved in the CNKI database, with top three research institutions including Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University; Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University; School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Emerging research keywords encompassed artificial intelligence, deep learning, and guidelines.Conclusion:The study reveals a gradual increase in global research activities related to capsule endoscopy, with China demonstrating significant international academic influence in this field.

Objective:To investigate the knowledge, attitude and practice of general practitioners (GPs) in Shenzhen towards managing patients with common mental health problems.Methods:It was a cross-sectional study, from September 19 to October 31, 2020, 500 GPs from 100 community health centers (CHC) in 10 districts of Shenzhen municipality were randomly selected as the research subjects by stratified random sampling; the survey was conducted by self-filled questionnaire, which included general conditions, knowledge tests of common psychological problems (generalized anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, panic attacks, sleep disorders), GPs′ attitudes to take care of common psychological problems, and GPs′ practice of caring for common psychological problems.Results:A total of 500 questionnaires were distributed and 329 valid ones were collected. In terms of knowledge, GPs had the highest accuracy of answering the characteristics of depressive disorder (97.3%, 320/329), and the lowest accuracy of case analysis of panic attacks (50.2%, 165/329). In terms of attitude, 71.1%(234/329)of GPs agreed that "common psychological problems should be taken care of",there was a statistically significant difference in attitude scores among GPs with different years of working in CHC ( Z=14.60, P=0.006). In terms of practice, the most encountered mental health problem was insomnia (91.2%, 300/329), 46.5% (153/329) of GPs would use psychological assessment scales, 52.9% (174/329) of GPs would choose direct referral, and there were statistically significant differences in attitude scores among GPs with different years of working ( Z=10.70, P=0.030) and years of working in CHC ( Z=22.14, P<0.001). Conclusions:GPs have a positive attitude in taking care of common psychological problems, but lack of knowledge and confidence. As working in CHC for more years, GPs are more inclined to care for patients with common psychological problems in practice.

OBJECTIVE：To st udy the effects of Anchang decoction on TLR 4/NF-κB signaling pathway and the expression of fecal calprotectin （FC）in TNBS-induced ulcerative colitis （UC）model rats . METHODS ：SD rats were randomly divided into blank group ，model group ，positive control group [Live Bifidobacterium capsules ，5 mL（containing Bifidobacterium 0.35 g）]， Anchang decoction low -dose，medium-dose and high-dose groups （1，5，10 mL，each milliliter is approximately equivalent to 0.11 g of total crude drug ），with 15 rats in each group. Other groups were given TNBS combined with ethanol enema to establish UC model rat ，except blank group was given normal saline. Two days after successful modeling ，blank group and model group were given normal saline 5 mL，administration groups were given relevant medicine intragastrically ，once a day ，for consecutive 14 d. After last medication ，HE staining was used to observe the pathological change of colon tissue in rats. Western blotting assay was used to detect the protein expression of TLR 4，TRAF6 and NF-κB in colon tissues of rats；Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR was used to detect mRNA expression of TLR 4，TRAF6，TNF-α and NF-κB；ELISA assay was adopted to detect serum level of TNF-α，IL-6 and FC in stool samples. RESULTS ：Compared with blank group ，the colonic mucosa of model group was severely damaged，and the protein expression of TLR 4，TRAF6 and NF-κB，mRNA expression of TLR 4，TRAF6，TNF-α and NF-κb as well as serum levels of TNF-α，IL-6 and FC level in stool samples were increased significantly （P＜0.05）. Compared with model group，the pathological changes of colon tissue in rats were improved in different administration groups to different extents ，and above indexes were all decreased significantly （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS ：Anchang decoction may relieve the inflammation of UC model rats by regulating the TLR 4/NF-κB signaling pathway and the expression of FC.

Objective To investigate whether the preoperative nutritional risk index(NRI) can predict the clinical out-comes of the patients underwent homologous orthotopic heart transplantation after 4 weeks.Methods With the use of continu-ous sampling method, a total of 168 adult patients who underwent homologous orthotopic heart transplantation from March 2013 to March 2015 were enrolled in this study.According to the cut-off points of the NRI, the patients were divided into 4 groups (high, moderate, mild and no nutritional risk).4 weeks after transplantation, the data about the length of stay in ICU, infec-tive and non-infective complications were collected , and the predictive value of the preoperative NRI for the clinical outcomes of the patients underwent homologous orthotopic heart transplantation were evaluated after 4 weeks of operation.In addition, the enrolled patients were divided into 2 groups according to their nutritional risk(with or without), and the differences between the two groups were compared.Results Among the patients, the prevalence of high, moderate, and low nutritional risk was 7. 1％, 32.7％ and 9.5％, respectively.The prevalence of infective complications for the 4 groups(from high risk to no risk) was 16.7％、7.3％、6.3％ and 3.5％, and the corresponding prevalence of non-infective complications was 16.7％、9.1％、6.3％ and 2.4％, respectively.In addition, the length of ICU stay of the 4 group was(10.9 ±1.0)days,(7.8 ±0.5)days, (6.7 ±0.7)days and(5.9 ±0.6)days, respectively.There were significant differences of length of ICU stay, infective and non-infective complications among the 4 groups(P<0.05 for all).Totally, there were significant differences of clinical out-comes between patients with and without nutritional risk(P <0.05 for all).Conclusion Preoperative NRI can predict the clinical outcomes regarding infective and no-infective complications as well as length of ICU stay for the adult patients under-went homologous orthotopic heart transplantation .