Pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis is a rare disease characterized by the abnormal proliferation of pulmonary lymphatic smooth muscle cells. It is common in women and often accompanied by recurrent pneumothorax, chylothorax and progressive dyspnea, imaging characterized by diffuse cystic lesions in both lungs. Pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis progresses aggressively and has a very poor prognosis, with a lack of effective medical treatment options in the advanced stages. Lung transplantation is a safe and effective method for the treatment of advanced pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis, which may significantly improve the survival rate and quality of life of patients. The median survival period after surgery can reach 12 years. This article reviews the pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment of pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis, and the current status and existing problems of lung transplantation in pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis, aiming to provide a reference for the clinical treatment and subsequent research of pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis.

Background::Acute pulmonary embolism (APE) is a fatal cardiovascular disease, yet missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis often occur due to non-specific symptoms and signs. A simple, objective technique will help clinicians make a quick and precise diagnosis. In population studies, machine learning (ML) plays a critical role in characterizing cardiovascular risks, predicting outcomes, and identifying biomarkers. This work sought to develop an ML model for helping APE diagnosis and compare it against current clinical probability assessment models.Methods::This is a single-center retrospective study. Patients with suspected APE were continuously enrolled and randomly divided into two groups including training and testing sets. A total of 8 ML models, including random forest (RF), Na?ve Bayes, decision tree, K-nearest neighbors, logistic regression, multi-layer perceptron, support vector machine, and gradient boosting decision tree were developed based on the training set to diagnose APE. Thereafter, the model with the best diagnostic performance was selected and evaluated against the current clinical assessment strategies, including the Wells score, revised Geneva score, and Years algorithm. Eventually, the ML model was internally validated to assess the diagnostic performance using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.Results::The ML models were constructed using eight clinical features, including D-dimer, cardiac troponin T (cTNT), arterial oxygen saturation, heart rate, chest pain, lower limb pain, hemoptysis, and chronic heart failure. Among eight ML models, the RF model achieved the best performance with the highest area under the curve (AUC) (AUC = 0.774). Compared to the current clinical assessment strategies, the RF model outperformed the Wells score ( P = 0.030) and was not inferior to any other clinical probability assessment strategy. The AUC of the RF model for diagnosing APE onset in internal validation set was 0.726. Conclusions::Based on RF algorithm, a novel prediction model was finally constructed for APE diagnosis. When compared to the current clinical assessment strategies, the RF model achieved better diagnostic efficacy and accuracy. Therefore, the ML algorithm can be a useful tool in assisting with the diagnosis of APE.

Objective To evaluate the effect of parasternal intercostal plane block(PIB)on postopera-tive fatigue in elderly patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting(CABG).Methods A to-tal of 111 elderly patients undergoing elective off-pump CABG in Xuzhou Municipal Central Hospital from May 2021 to January 2023 were selected as the study subjects.The patients were divided into the control group(group C,n=55)and PIB group(group P,n=56)by adopting the random number table method.After induction of anesthesia,the patients in the group P received the ultrasound-guided bilateral PIB,and the group C received the equal volume of normal saline at the same site.The incidence rate of postoperative fatigue syn-drome(POFS)on postoperative 1,3,5,7 d and postoperative 8 weeks,NRS scores immediately after extuba-tion and at postoperative 12,24,48 h,postoperative opioid drugs consumption,ICU stay duration,hospitaliza-tion duration and adverse events occurrence were compared between the two groups.Results Compared with the group C,the incidence rates of POFS on postoperative 1,3,5,7 d and postoperative 8 weeks in the group P were significantly decreased,the NRS scores immediately after extubation and at postoperative 12,24 h in the group P were lower,the postoperative opioid drugs consumption were smaller,the ICU stay duration was shorter,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).The NRS score at postoperative 48 h and hospitalization duration had no statistical differences between the two groups(P＞0.05).No nerve block re-lated adverse events in the patients appeared during the study period.Conclusion The ultrasound guided PIB could effectively reduce the incidence rate of POFS in elderly patients undergoing off-pump CABG,promote the patients'prognosis and improve the recovery quality of the patients.

【Objective】 To explore the role and mechanism of TRPC6 in apoptosis of glomerular mesangial cells (HBZY-1) induced by endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS). 【Methods】 The experiment groups were classified as follows: normal control (NC), thapsigargin (TG), TG+SKF96365, and TG+TRPC6 siRNA groups. Transcription and protein expressions of TRPC6 and ERS related proteins (GRP78 and Caspase12) were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. Additionally, cell apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry and Hoechst33258. Finally, Fluo-4 AM Ca²⁺ imaging technique was used to determine changes of intracellular calcium ( [Ca²⁺] i) by laser scanning confocal microscope. 【Results】 Morphological changes of apoptotic cells were characterized by nuclear enrichment or nuclear fragmentation, and the apoptosis rate was increased after TG stimulation. The expressions of TRPC6 and ERS related proteins (GRP78 and Caspase12) were elevated in TG group compared with NC group (P<0.05). Pre-incubation of HBZY-1 cells with SKF96365 and TRPC6 siRNA decreased cell apoptosis (P<0.05). The entry of [Ca²⁺] i also increased after TG stimulation (P<0.05). The expressions of TRPC6, GRP78 and Caspase12 were downregulated compared with TG group after treatment with SKF96365 and TRPC6 siRNA accompanied by decreased [Ca²⁺] i (P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 Taken together, this study suggests that inhibition of TRPC6 can alleviate TG-induced HBZY-1 cell apoptosis.

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing outpatient hemodialysis (HD) and home peritoneal dialysis (PD) are high risk population of severe and critical types caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. In order to improve the quality of diagnosis and treatment in dialysis patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, we wrote this recommendation for primary care clinicians. During the epidemic period of SARS-CoV-2 infection, all patients should be instructed to strengthen self-management. Once the SARS-CoV-2 infection was found in dialysis patients, early stratified management should be carried out within 72 hours after the first positive nucleic acid or antigen test results, which includes early antiviral therapy, early recognition, and transferring severe patients from community or primary hospital to a referral hospital promptly. Guidance for dietary and sports rehabilitation after SARS-CoV-2 infection should also be started as soon as possible.

Due to the physiological peculiarities of pregnant women, general clinical studies exclude pregnant women. Therefore, there is a lack of evidence of precise medication for pregnant women with diseases worldwide, which poses a significant risk for them to use medication during pregnancy. Whether to include pregnant women as subjects in clinical research has always been a focus of ethical discussion. By providing a broad overview of pregnant women’s participation in clinical research from an ethical perspective, this paper explored the risks and challenges faced by pregnant women’s participation in clinical research, and provided theoretical basis and thinking paths for how to fairly and effectively include pregnant women as subjects and promoting clinical research on pregnant women.

Objective: To identify predictors of pulmonary fibrosis development by combining follow-up thin-section CT findings and clinical features in patients discharged after treatment for COVID-19. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study involved 32 confirmed COVID-19 patients who were divided into two groups according to the evidence of fibrosis on their latest follow-up CT imaging. Clinical data and CT imaging features of all the patients in different stages were collected and analyzed for comparison. Results: The latest follow-up CT imaging showed fibrosis in 14 patients (male, 12; female, 2) and no fibrosis in 18 patients (male, 10; female, 8). Compared with the non-fibrosis group, the fibrosis group was older (median age: 54.0 years vs. 37.0 years, p = 0.008), and the median levels of C-reactive protein (53.4 mg/L vs. 10.0 mg/L, p = 0.002) and interleukin-6 (79.7 pg/L vs. 11.2 pg/L, p = 0.04) were also higher. The fibrosis group had a longer-term of hospitalization (19.5 days vs. 10.0 days, p = 0.001), pulsed steroid therapy (11.0 days vs. 5.0 days, p < 0.001), and antiviral therapy (12.0 days vs. 6.5 days, p = 0.012). More patients on the worst-state CT scan had an irregular interface (59.4% vs. 34.4%, p = 0.045) and a parenchymal band (71.9% vs. 28.1%, p < 0.001). On initial CT imaging, the irregular interface (57.1%) and parenchymal band (50.0%) were more common in the fibrosis group. On the worst-state CT imaging, interstitial thickening (78.6%), air bronchogram (57.1%), irregular interface (85.7%), coarse reticular pattern (28.6%), parenchymal band (92.9%), and pleural effusion (42.9%) were more common in the fibrosis group. Conclusion Fibrosis was more likely to develop in patients with severe clinical conditions, especially in patients with highinflammatory indicators. Interstitial thickening, irregular interface, coarse reticular pattern, and parenchymal band manifested in the process of the disease may be predictors of pulmonary fibrosis. Irregular interface and parenchymal band could predict the formation of pulmonary fibrosis early.

Objective To study the influence of pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) on survival of patients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on the waiting list of lung transplantation.Methods The characteristics of 143 patients with COPD receiving lung transplantation evaluation from January 2014 to August 2016 were queried.Mild PAH was defined as mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) ≥25 mmHg and severe ≥35 mrnHg by right heart catheterization measurements.The incidence of PAH was studied,and the patients were divided to different groups to determine the effect of PAH on survival prior to transplantation on the basis of different definitions of PAH.Kaplan Meier method was used to draw survival curves,and a log-rank test was used to analyze the effect of PAH on survival of COPD patients on the waiting list of pulmonary transplantation.Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were performed to test the relationship between each main covariate and the hazard of mortality.The waiting time was tracked from wait list entry date until death or censoring,and the censoring issues were as follows:receiving lung transplantation,removing from the waiting list without transplant,and still wating for donor until the last follow-up day (2016-08-30).Results Of 143 COPD patients,there were 119 males and 24 males,with mean age of 61.73 years old;46 patients received lung transplantation,and the remaining 97 not;50 had mPAP ≥25 mmHg and 21 had mPAP ≥35 mmHg.A total of 23 cases (22.88％) died on the waiting list.Thirty-eight patients were removed from the list prior to transplantation,and 36 were still on the waiting list.Kaplan-Meier survival function showed suvival of patients with mild PAH or severe PAH was significantly shorter than that of patients without PAH (P＜0.001).Using Cox proportional hazards models,univariate analysis revealed significant differences in survival for mild PAH (HR =2.147,95％CI 1.429-3.157,P＜ 0.001) and severe PAH (HR =3.458,95 ％ CI 2.518-4.859,P＜0.001).Multivariate Cox models identified significant risk for death for mild PAH (HR=2.518,95％CI 1.728-3.364,P＜0.001) and severePAH HR=4.027,95％ CI 3.257-4.703,P＜0.001).Conclusion The incidence of PAH among COPD patients waiting for lung transplantation was high.PAH is associated with significantly increased risk of death among COPD patients waiting for lung transplantation.

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of deep learning methods to detect subsolid nodules from chest X-ray images.Methods The building,training,and testing of the deep learning model were performed using the research platform developed by Infervision,China.The training dataset consisted of 1 965 chest X-ray images, which contained 85 labeled subsolid nodules and 1 880 solid nodules. Eighty-five subsolid nodules were confirmed by corresponding CT exams. We labeled each X-ray image using the corresponding reconstructed coronal slice from the CT exam as the gold standard,and trained the deep learning model using alternate training.After the training,the model was tested on a different dataset containing 56 subsolid nodules,which were also confirmed by corresponding coronal slices from CT exams. The model results were compared with an experienced radiologist in terms of sensitivity,specificity,and test time. Results Out of the testing dataset that contained 56 subsolid nodules, the deep learning model marked 72 nodules,which consisted of 39 true positives(TP)and 33 false positives(FP).The model took 17 seconds.The human radiologist marked 39 nodules,with 31 TP and 8 FP.The radiologist took 50 minutes and 24 seconds. Conclusions Subsolid nodules are prone to mis-diagnosis by human radiologists. The proposed deep learning model was able to effectively identify subsolid nodules from X-ray images.

Objective To evaluate the effects of pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) application to dorsal root ganglia on the expression of interferon regulatory factor 8 (IRF8) in the spinal cord and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein in the nucleus accumbens of rats with neuropathic pain (NP).Methods Forty healthy pathogen-free male Wistar rats,weighing 180-200 g,aged 2 months,were divided into 4 groups (n=10 each) using a random number table:sham operation group (group Sham),group NP,sham PRF group (group SPRF) and PRF group.NP was induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) to the left sciatic nerve of anesthetized rats.The mechanical paw withdrawal threshold (MWT) was measured before CCI and at 3,7,10,14,21,28,35 and 42 days after CCI.Sucrose preference test and forced-swim test were performed at 42 days after CCI for determination of the expression of IRF8 in the spinal cord and BDNF in the nucleus accumbens by Western blot.Results Compared with group Sham,the MWT at each time point after CCI and rate of preference for sucrose were significantly decreased,the duration of immobility in forced-swim test was prolonged,and the expression of IRF8 and BDNF was up-regulated in NP,SPRF and PRF groups (P＜0.05).Compared with group NP,the MWT at 10-42 days after CCI and rate of preference for sucrose were significantly increased,the duration of immobility in forced-swim test was shortened,and the expression of IRF8 and BDNF was down-regulated in group PRF (P＜0.05),and no significant changes were found in the parameters mentioned above in group SPRF (P＞O.05).Conclusion The mechanism by which PRF application to dorsal root ganglia alleviates NP and depressive-like behaviors is probably related to down-regulation of the expression of IRF8 in the spinal cord and BDNF in the nucleus accumbens of rats.