[Objective] To explore the risk factors of postoperative fever in primary aldosteronism (PA) patients. [Methods] Clinical data of 116 PA patients undergoing adrenalectomy in Peking University People's Hospital during Jan.2018 and Jul.2021 were retrospectively analyzed.Based on postoperative body temperature, the patients were divided into fever group (body temperature ≥38.0 ℃, n=41) and non-fever group (body temperature <38.0 ℃, n=75). Clinical features were analyzed between the two groups.The fever group was subdivided into low fever group (38.0 ℃≤body temperature <38.5 ℃, n=19) and high fever group (body temperature ≥38.5 ℃, n=22). The clinical data of the subgroups were compared. [Results] The incidence of postoperative fever was 35.3%.Logistic regression analysis showed that lower lowest potassium on records (OR=0.419, 95%CI: 0.196-0.894, P=0.025), lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (OR=0.112, 95%CI: 0.018-0.687, P=0.018), and postoperative adrenal insufficiency (OR=4.158, 95%CI: 1.731-9.989, P=0.001) were independent risk factors for postoperative fever.There was no difference between the high and low fever groups.After surgery, infection occurred in 1 patient, adrenal insufficiency in 40 (34.5%) patients, but long-term follow-up indicated that no patients needed lifelong glucocorticoid replacement. [Conclusion] Fever is a common postoperative complication in PA patients, most likely due to transient adrenal insufficiency.Glucocorticoid supplementation should be administered appropriately and timely based on laboratory tests and clinical manifestations.Evaluation of adrenal function is highly recommended for patients undergoing adrenalectomy.

Objective To identify small molecule inhibitors of APC-mutant colon cancer and provide lead compounds for targeted therapy of colon cancer.Methods APC-mutant colon cancer cell lines that stably express 7*Tcf-GFP/SV40-Cherry(7TGC)dual fluorescence reporter system was constructed for small-molecule inhibitor screening.Cell viability,colony formation,EdU incorporation,and xenograft tumor assay were used to evaluate the inhibitory effect of these inhibitors on APC-mutant colon cancer in vitro and in vivo.Western blot and co-immunoprecipitation assays were used to explore the molecular mechanism.Results Four small molecules that inhibited Wnt activity in APC-mutant colon cancer cells were discovered.Shikonin exhibited significant inhibition of cell viability and proliferation while inducing apoptosis of APC-mutant colon cancer cells.Xenograft tumor assay demonstrated that shikonin significantly reduced tumor growth in vivo.Furthermore,Western blot and co-immunoprecipitation assays revealed that shikonin markedly decreased β-catenin levels.Conclusion Shikonin effectively inhibits Wnt activity and suppresses tumor growth in APC-mutant colon cancer.

Objective To investigate associations between three-dimensional(3D)morphology of cervical vertebrae and skeletal mat-uration by cone-beam computed tomography(CBCT)and establish corresponding regression models for quantitatively evaluating cervical vertebral maturation(CVM).Methods The analyzed sample consisted of 358 CBCT images(175 male,183 female),of which 277 images were randomly selected as the model development group and 81 as the performance test group.Twenty-one 3D morphological pa-rameters were defined and measured,incorporating all parts of the cervical vertebrae,including the cervical vertebral bodies,transverse processes,spinous processes,pedicles,lamina,and articular processes.The cervical vertebral maturation index(CVMI)was determined by experienced orthodontists as reference standard.Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and multivariable stepwise regression analysis were used to identify the associations and build regression models.The performance test group was employed to ex-amine each model's reliability.Paired-samples Wilcoxon signed-rank test compared the CVMI of the model prediction with the reference standard.Results Three-dimensional morphological changes in various parts of the cervical vertebrae correlated with CVMI(P＜0.05).Six 3D morphometric parameters were each recognized for male and female models,three of which were identical.The adjusted R2 was 0.899 for males and 0.902 for females,with corresponding accuracies of 85.0%and 85.4%,respectively.These models showed no difference as compared with the reference standard(P＞0.05).Con-clusion New associations were found between 3D morphology of cer-vical vertebrae and skeletal maturation.The 3D-driven morphometric CVM assessment method and corresponding regression models exhibited good credibility and high consistency with experts.

With advancements in radiology,endoscopic techniques,surgical treatments,cell biology and molecular biology,the un-derstanding of temporomandibular disorders(TMD)has increased.The temporomandibular joint(TMJ)is a complex structure comprising both soft and hard tissues.Within the TMJ,the temporomandibular disc is a soft tissue structure that connects the mandible to the skull,providing cushioning and stability during joint movement.Different imaging techniques have their own advantages and limi-tations in the diagnosis and treatment of TMD.Therefore,using image registration technology to assess the condition and position of the articular disc provides new research perspectives for evaluating TMD,which may contribute to the diagnosis and treatment.This article reviews the latest advancements in TMJ imaging,explores the applications of various image registration techniques,particularly in the context of TMD diagnosis and treatment,and discusses future prospects.Combining the research results of some scholars at home and a-broad with the author’s clinical experience,the article aims to provide valuable insights for clinicians.

Objectives:To validate the Chinese version of the Ureteral Stent Symptoms Questionnaire(Chinese-USSQ) in patients with an indwelling ureteral stent.Methods:The original USSQ was translated into Chinese and linguistically validated following the cross-cultural adaptation of health-related quality of life measures.A total of 83 patients (cases) with indwelling ureteral stent and 90 healthy subjects (controls) were asked to complete the Chinese-USSQ as well as European Quality of Life Visual Analogue scale(EQ-VAS)(for both genders), the International Prostate Symptom Scale (IPSS) (for male), and Urogenital Distress Inventory-6 (for female). Patients were evaluated at weeks 1 and 4 after stent placement and at week 4 after removal. The psychometric properties of the questionnaire were analyzed.Results:The Chinese version of USSQ include 43 items, which addressed various domains of health(6 sections) covering urinary symptoms, pain, general health, work performance and sexual matters with additional problems. A total of 78 patients(45 males and 33 females) and 90 controls (41 males and 49 females)were included for analysis. Internal consistencies (Cronbach′s α coefficients: 0.60-0.78) and test-retest reliability (Spearman correlation coefficient: 0.69-0.91) were satisfactory for urinary symptom, body pain, general health, and work performance domains. Most USSQ domains showed moderate correlations with each other. The convergent validity determined by correlation between other instruments and corresponding USSQ domain was satisfactory. At week 4 it was moderate for the urinary symptoms index compared to the IPSS in men(Spearman correlation coefficient>0.60), for the urinalry symptoms index compared to the UDI-6 score in women(Spearman correlation coefficient 0.52).Sensitivity to change and discriminant validity were also good in most domains ( P<0.01). Only a small proportion of the study population had an active sexual life with the stent in situ, which limited its analysis. Only 1(1.3%) and 6(7.7%) patients had an active sex life at week 1 and 4 after stent placement; meanwhile, 34(43.6%) patents were sexually active at week 4 after stent removal. Conclusion:The Chinese version of the USSQ is a reliable and valid instrument that can be used for Chinese patients with a indwelling ureteral stent in the clinical and research settings.

The training effects of experimental courses determine the practical abilities of undergraduate students. Therefore, it is essential to establish a comprehensive experimental course system that adapts to the undergraduate education of environmental science. Here, we introduce the "basic-specialized-comprehensive" experimental course system of Xiamen University, which is established following the principles of being systematic, comprehensive, and modular. To establish this course system, we first increased the investment of lab facilities and enhanced the management of student labs. Then, we improved the contexts of teaching and training according to the requirements of industry and society. Showing how this course system is developed stepwise and the training effects of this system, we hope to provide a reference for the experimental courses of environmental science in colleges and universities.
Curriculum ; Environmental Science ; Humans ; Students ; Universities

HMG-CoA reductase (HMGCR) protein is usually upregulated after statin (HMGCR inhibitor) treatment, which inevitably diminishes its therapeutic efficacy, provoking the need for higher doses associated with adverse effects. The proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology has recently emerged as a powerful approach for inducing protein degradation. Nonetheless, due to their bifunctional nature, developing orally bioavailable PROTACs remains a great challenge. Herein, we identified a powerful HMGCR-targeted PROTAC (

Objective:To explore the association of molecular subtypes with local recurrence, distant metastasis and prognosis in breast cancer patients undergoing adjuvant therapy after modified radical mastectomy as well as its significance.Methods:The clinical data of 108 patients with breast cancer undergoing adjuvant therapy after modified radical operation in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from March 2002 to March 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the expressions of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2), patients with breast cancer were divided into 4 molecular subtypes, including Luminal A, Luminal B, HER2-positive and triple-negative. The relationship between clinicopathological factors and molecular subtypes was analyzed, and the local recurrence rate and distant metastasis rate of breast cancer patients with various molecular subtypes were compared. Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to make single factor analysis of survival. Cox proportional hazard model was used to make multi-factor survival analysis.Results:Among 108 patients, 41 cases were Luminal A, 40 cases were Luminal B, 17 cases were HER2-positive and 10 cases were triple-negative. The differences in compositions of patients with age, tumor size, pathological type, lymph node metastasis, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging, vascular tumor thrombus, resection margin, and chemotherapy cycle number among groups with 4 molecular subtypes were not statistically significant (all P > 0.05), while the difference in compositions of patients receiving endocrine therapy was statistically significant ( P < 0.01). The local recurrence rate of patients with Luminal A, Luminal B, HER2 positive and triple-negative was 14.6% (6/41),15.0% (6/40), 11.8% (2/17), 10.0% (1/10), respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant ( P > 0.05). The distant metastasis rate of patients with HER2-positive and triple-negative was 35.3% (6/17) and 40% (4/10), respectively, which was higher than that of patients with Luminal A [24.4% (10/41)] and Luminal B [22.5% (9/40)], but there was no statistically significant difference among the four types ( P > 0.05). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed there was no statistical difference in progression-free survival of patients with Luminal A, Luminal B, HER2-positive and triple-negative ( P > 0.05), while there was a statistical difference in the overall survival (OS) ( P = 0.047), and the OS of triple-negative patients was the worst, meanwhile AJCC staging, lymph node metastasis and endocrine therapy were associated with the OS (all P < 0.05). Multi-factor Cox proportional hazard model analysis showed that lymph node metastasis ( OR = 4.481, 95% CI 1.377-14.580, P = 0.013) and endocrine therapy ( OR = 0.165, 95% CI 0.034-0.800, P = 0.025) were independent prognostic factors affecting OS. Conclusions:There is no statistically significant difference in local recurrence rate for breast cancer patients with different molecular types undergoing adjuvant therapy after modified radical mastectomy. Breast cancer patients with Luminal have better OS, while those with triple-negative have the worst OS. Molecular subtypes may have an important significance for the treatment choice and prognosis judgement of breast cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the risk factors for postoperative deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in neurosurgical patients to provide the basis for the prevention of postoperative DVT. METHODS: A total of 141 patients underwent neurosurgery were enrolled. Thrombelastography (TEG) test was performed before and at the end of surgery. According to whether there was DVT formation after operation, the patients were divided into a thrombosis group and a non-thrombosis group. -test and rank sum test were used to compare the general clinical characteristics of the 2 groups, such as age, gender, intraoperative blood loss, -dimer, intraoperative crystal input, colloid input, blood product transfusion, operation duration, length of postoperative hospitalization. The application of chi-square test and rank-sum test were used to compared TEG main test indicators such as R and K values between the 2 groups. Logistic regression was used to analyze the possible risk factors for postoperative DVT in neurosurgical patients. RESULTS: There were significant differences in postoperative TEG index R, clotting factor function, intraoperative blood loss, hypertension or not, length of postoperative hospital stay, and postoperative absolute bed time (all <0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed hypercoagulability, more intraoperative blood loss and longer postoperative absolute bed time were risk factors for DVT formation after craniotomy. CONCLUSIONS Hypercoagulability in postoperative TEG test of patients is an important risk factor for the formation of postoperative DVT after neurosurgery, which can predict the occurrence of postoperative DVT to some extent.
Craniotomy ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Postoperative Complications ; epidemiology ; Postoperative Period ; Risk Factors ; Thrombophilia ; Venous Thrombosis ; epidemiology ; etiology

Objective This study was to assess the efficacy of corneal collagen cross-linking treatment on fungal keratitis.Methods Eighty SPF male C57BL/6 mice aged 6-8 weeks were selected for the experiment.Fusarium solani infected model was established on the left eyes of all 80 mice.Forty mice were distributed randomly into sham operation group,model control group,scraped epithelium group and corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL)group (treated with epithelium scraped and CXL).Three days after modeling,the levels of the corncal disease sevcrity were scored by slit lamp microscopy.The fungal activity was confirmed by plate counts.The left 40 mice were divided randomly into sham operation group,model control group,scraped epithelium group and CXL group (treated with epithelium scraped and CXL).In 1 day and 2,3,4,5,6,7,14 days after modeling,the corneas were examined under the slit lamp microscope.The corneal pathological examination of each group were conducted with hematoxylin and eosin staining at postoperative 14 days.The animal feeding and use was in accordance with the standards set by the ARVO,and the experiment was approved by the Ethic Committee for Experimental Animal of Henan Eye Institute.Results The colony-forming units (CFUs) of fungal solutions in culture significantly decreased with CXL treatment (F =11.97,P =0.00).The Pearson correlation analysis of CFU and clinical scores in CXL group showed that inflammatory cells infiltration was positively correlated with corneal disease severity (r =0.723,P =0.043).Corneal inflammatory score was significantly lower in the CXL group in various time points,with a significant differences among the groups and time points (Fgroup =34.44,P=0.00;Ftime =17.49,P=0.00).Corneal lesion and the depth of ulceration in scraped epithelium group and CXL group were remarkably lower than that in the model control group (all at P ＜ 0.05).Histopathology revealed that the degree of corneal collagen fibers destruction and the ratio of inflammatory cells infiltration in scraped epithelium group (59.33％) and CXL group (11.29％) were much lower than that in the model control group (73.65％).Conclusions CXL can inhibit the fungal activity effectively in the cornea of mice,and reduce the fungal induced keratitis reaction.