OBJECTIVES: To investigate the synergistic mechanism of the traditional Chinese medicine Rosa laevigata Michx. (RLM) for treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). METHODS: Network pharmacological analysis was carried out to screen the active ingredients of RLM and PAH disease targets and construct the "component-target-disease" interaction network, followed by gene enrichment analysis and molecular docking studies. In the cell experiments, primary cultures of rat pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells were exposed to hypoxia for 24 h and treated with solvent or 100, 200 and 300 mg/mL RLM, and the changes in cell proliferation were detected using Western blotting for PCNA and immunofluorescence staining. In the animal experiment, male SD rats were randomized into 5 control group, monocrotaline (MCT) solvent group, and MCT with RLM (100, 200 and 300 mg/mL) treatment groups. HE staining and immunofluorescence staining were used to observe histopathological changes in the pulmonary blood vessels of the rats. RESULTS: Seven core active ingredients (including β-sitosterol and kaempferol) in RLM and 39 key disease targets were identified, and molecular docking showed that SRC was a high-affinity target. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the differential genes were significantly enriched in calcium signaling and PI3K-AKT pathways. In rat pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells, hypoxic exposure significantly up-regulated cellular expression of PCNA and phosphorylation levels of Src and AKT1, which were obviously lowered by RLM treatment. In RLM-treated rat models, the mean pulmonary artery pressure and right ventricular hypertrophy index (Fulton index) were significantly reduced, the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) was improved, and pulmonary vascular wall thickening and fibrosis were obviously ameliorated. CONCLUSIONS RLM inhibits pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell proliferation in rat models of hypertension possibly by regulating the Src-AKT1 axis, suggesting the potential of RLM as a new natural drug for treatment of pulmonary hypertension.
Animals ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Pulmonary Artery/cytology* ; Male ; Rats ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle/cytology* ; Hypertension, Pulmonary/pathology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/cytology* ; src-Family Kinases/metabolism* ; Cells, Cultured

Objective: To understand the current status of tuberculosis prevention and control knowledge and perceived stress among college and middle school students with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in Yantai City, and to analyze the related factors, so as to provide a basis for the school to carry out health education and psychological counseling. Methods: A matched case control study was conducted, with 100 PTB student patients in junior high school and above who were diagnosed at designated medical institutions from October 2020 to October 2024. Four healthy control students of the same gender, same dormitory, or same class were selected for each case. Therefore, 100 cases and 400 controls were investigated by questionnaire. The following information was collected: personal basic information; tuberculosis prevention and control awareness; and scores of the Chinese Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS). Conditional Logistic regression model and mixed linear models were used to compare the PTB prevention and control awareness rate, as well as the perceived stress between the case and control groups. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the factors that may affect the perceived stress of students with PTB. Results: The awareness rates of four tuberculosis knowledge items (symptoms of PTB, main causes of onset after infection, consequences of PTB patients not receiving standardized and complete treatment, the most important method to prevent PTB) were higher in the case group (40.00%, 72.00% , 38.00%, 49.00%) than the control group (21.50%, 57.50%, 22.25%, 31.25%) and the differences were statistically significant ( Wald χ 2=18.44, 8.78, 13.20, 16.89, all P <0.01). The tension score (10.49±4.20), loss of control score ( 11.21± 4.58), and total score (21.70±6.88) in the case group were higher than the control group (9.35±4.73, 9.75±5.60, 19.09±8.36) and the differences were statistically significant ( t =2.21, 2.42, 2.88, all P <0.05). The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that age ≥ 18 years and family history of tuberculosis were the related factors affecting the overall perceived stress and tension of college and middle school students with PTB ( B total scores =4.50, 5.91; B tension score =2.39, 3.23, all P <0.05). Conclusions The tuberculosis prevention and control awareness rate, and the perceived stress of college and middle school students with PTB in Yantai are both higher than students without tuberculosis. Moreover, the perceived stress of students with PTB who are aged ≥18 years or have a family history of tuberculosis is even higher.

Objective To investigate the application efficiency and potential of CT radiomics in differentiating malignant and benign sub-centimeter solid pulmonary nodules. Methods A retrospective study was performed on the sub-centimeter ( ≤ 10 mm) solid pulmonary nodules detected by enhanced CT in our hospital from March 2020 to January 2023. Malignancy was confirmed by surgical pathology, and benignity was confirmed by surgical pathology or follow-up. Lesions were manually segmented and radiomic features were extracted. The feature dimension was reduced via feature correlation analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). The 5-fold cross validation was used to validate the model. Support vector machine, logistic regression, linear classification support vector machine, gradient boosting, and random forest models were established for CT radiomics. Receiver operating characteristic curves were drawn. Delong test was used to compare the diagnostic performance of the five classifiers. The optimal model was selected and compared to radiologists with medium and high seniority. Results A total of 303 nodules, 136 of which were malignant, were examined. Radiomics models were established after feature extraction and selection. On test set, the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of support vector machine, logistic regression, linear classification support vector machine, random forest, and gradient boosting models were 0.922 (95%CI: 0.893, 0.950), 0.910 (95%CI: 0.878, 0.942), 0.905 (95%CI: 0.872, 0.938), 0.899 (95%CI: 0.865, 0.933), and 0.896 (95%CI: 0.862, 0.930), respectively. Delong test indicated no significant differences in the performance of the five radiomics models, and the support vector machine model showed the highest accuracy and F1 score. The support vector machine model showed significantly higher diagnostic accuracy as compared to radiologists (83.8% vs. 55.4%, P < 0.001). Conclusion The radiomics models achieved high diagnostic efficiency and may help to reduce the uncertainty in diagnosis of malignant and benign sub-centimeter solid nodules by radiologists.

Objective:To study the clinicopathological characteristics, treatment and prognosis in lupus nephritis (LN) patients with renal thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), so as to provide more theoretical basis for clinicians to recognize and treat this disease.Methods:The clinical data of LN patients who underwent renal biopsy in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 1, 2012 to May 31, 2019 were retrospectively collected and analyzed. According to renal clinicopathological examination, the patients were divided into renal TMA group and non-renal TMA group. The clinical data, laboratory examination, renal pathological examination, therapeutic measures and prognostic between the two groups were compared. Follow-up end points were defined as composite ends, including all-cause death, entry into end-stage renal disease, and estimated glomerular filtration rate decrease>50% of baseline. Kaplan-Meier survival curve and log-rank test were used to compare the difference of survival rate between the two groups, and multivariate Cox regression equation was used to analyze the risk factors of endpoint events in LN patients.Results:A total of 1 133 patients with LN were enrolled in this study. Patients with renal TMA were more likely to have hypertension ( χ2=16.310, P<0.001), higher baseline serum creatinine ( Z=-6.918, P<0.001) and 24-hour urine protein ( Z=-2.232, P=0.026), and higher renal pathology activity index (AI) score ( Z=1.957, P=0.001)and chronic index (CI) score ( Z=1.836, P=0.002). The proportions of hormone shock ( P<0.001) and plasma exchange ( P<0.001) in the renal TMA group were higher than those in non-renal TMA group. After treatment of (12±2) months, patients in the renal TMA group had a lower complete response rate ( χ2=10.455, P=0.001) and a higher non-response rate ( χ2=6.047, P=0.014) than those in non-renal TMA group, and were associated with worse prognosis (Log-rank test χ2=26.490, P<0.001). Renal TMA was an independent risk factor for poor prognosis ( HR=2.347, 95% CI 1.210-4.553, P=0.012). Conclusions:Compared with LN patients without renal TMA, LN patients with renal TMA are more likely to have hypertension, with higher serum creatinine, 24-hour urinary protein, AI and CI, suggesting poorer treatment response and renal prognosis. Moreover, renal TMA is an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in patients with LN.

Patient satisfaction is one of the core indicators to measure the service quality of medical institutions. To this end, a multi-campus public hospital in Shanghai constructed a management system of patient satisfaction evaluation. Since 2021, its call center has conducted a full coverage satisfaction assessment for discharged patients from its three campuses and collected dissatisfaction information feedback. The hospital organized relevant clinical departments and functional departments to fully communicate with the dissatisfied patients according to the feedback information, followed by a joint rectification. The hospital regularly conducts in-depth analysis of all complaints for timely discovery of common problems in different campuses for continuous improvement. This practice can provide reference for multi-campus hospitals to promote homogeneous management, to improve management efficiency, service quality and patient satisfaction.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between circadian blood pressure pattern and heart rate variability and stroke severity and outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS).Methods:Patients with first-ever AIS admitted to the Affiliated Qingdao Central Hospital of Qingdao University from January 2015 to January 2021 were retrospectively included. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and ambulatory electrocardiogram (AECG) were performed after admission. The severity of stroke was assessed according to the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale. ≤8 were defined as minor stroke, and >8 were defined as moderate to severe stroke. The modified Rankin Scale was used to evaluate the clinical outcome at 3 months after onset. ≤ 2 were defined as good outcomes, and >2 were defined as poor outcomes. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent influencing factors of stroke severity and outcome. Results:A total of 516 patients with AIS were enrolled, including 328 male (63.57%), aged 59.62±6.67 years old. Among them, 266 patients (51.55%) were in the minor stroke group and 250 (48.45%) were in the moderate to severe stroke group. There were 463 patients (89.73%) were in the good outcome group and 53 (10.27%) were in the poor outcome group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that hypertension (odds ratio [ OR] 5.021, 95% confidence interval [ CI] 2.635-10.923; P<0.001), atrial fibrillation ( OR 3.896, 95% CI 2.574-8.521; P<0.001), circadian blood pressure pattern (non-dipper type: OR 2.436, 95% CI 1.031-4.749, P<0.001; reverse dipper type: OR 2.654, 95% CI 1.642-5.268, P<0.001), SDNN ( OR 0.298, 95% CI 0.114-0.730; P=0.002), SDANN ( OR 0.325, 95% CI 0.200-0.679; P=0.009), rMSSD ( OR 0.437, 95% CI 0.255-0.876; P=0.016) and pNN50 ( OR 0.369, 95% CI 0.291-0.767; P=0.013) were the independent influencing factors of stroke severity. Hypertension ( OR 4.857, 95% CI 1.957-8.552; P<0.001), baseline NIHSS score ( OR 2.189, 95% CI 1.597-3.315; P<0.001), stroke severity ( OR 3.853, 95% CI 2.316-5.958; P<0.001), circadian blood pressure pattern (non-dipper type: OR 2.997, 95% CI 1.128-5.430, P<0.001; reverse dipper type: OR 3.703, 95% CI 1.478-5.902; P<0.001), SDNN ( OR0.369, 95% CI 0.215-0.779; P=0.015), SDANN ( OR 0.372, 95% CI 0.198-0.862; P=0.018), rMSSD ( OR 0.455, 95% CI 0.314-0.896; P=0.026) and pNN50 ( OR 0.448, 95% CI 0.307-0.825; P=0.021) were the independent influencing factors of poor outcomes. Conclusion:The non-dipper and reverse dipper circadian blood pressure patterns and lower heart rate variability are independently associated with stroke severity and poor outcomes in patients with AIS.

Objective:To explore the value of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and renal volume in assessing fetal kidney development and disease.Methods:From January 2016 to October 2020, 84 fetuses with congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) were identified with MRI (CAKUT group), and 97 fetuses with no significant abnormalities on MRI or postnatal follow-up (control group) from the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University were enrolled and analyzed retrospectively. ADC value and renal volume were measured to compare the two groups, and the relationship was analyzed between these two parameters in the control group with gestational age, location (left or right kidney), and fetal gender. Two independent or paired sample t-tests, and linear correlation analyses, were adopted for the statistical analysis. Results:(1) There were 84 pregnant women in the CAKUT group, including a twin pregnancy, with an average age of (29±4) years old, ranging from 21 to 39 years old. The gestational age at MRI was (26±4) weeks with a range of 21-34 weeks. Of the 85 fetuses, 52 were male (61.2%), and 33 were female (38.8%). The polycystic dysplastic kidney was found in 32 cases (37.6%), hydronephrosis in 29 cases (34.1%), and an isolated kidney in 24 cases (28.2%). There were 97 singleton pregnancies in the control group, including 45 (46.4%) male and 52 (53.6%) female fetuses. The average maternal age was (30±5) years old, with a range of 19-41 years old, and the gestational week at MRI was (27±4) weeks, with a range of 21-34 weeks. (2) In the control group, the mean ADC value and renal volume were (1.255±0.112)×10 －3 mm2/s and (4 747±2 479) mm 3, which were negatively ( R 2=0.30, P<0.01) and positively correlated ( R 2=0.80, P<0.01) with the gestational age, respectively. There was no significant difference between ADC value and renal volume between different fetal gender in the control group. (3) The ADC value and the renal volume of fetuses with polycystic dysplastic kidney [(1.720±0.200) ×10 －3 mm2/s and (8 154±8 337) mm 3] were higher than those in the control group ( t=－13.11 and－3.08, P<0.001 and P=0.004). Compared with the control group, ADC of fetuses with hydronephrosis [(1.333±0.171) ×10 －3 mm2/s] was higher ( t=－3.90, P<0.001); and the renal volume [(7 201±4 460) mm 3] was larger but without statistical significance. The fetuses with an isolated kidney had an increasing trend in renal volume [(5 239±4 244) mm 3] and a decreasing trend in the ADC value [(1.239±0.125) ×10 －3 mm2/s] when compared with the normal fetuses, but neither difference was significant. Conclusions:In normal fetuses, the ADC value decreases, and the renal volume increases with the gestational age. Fetuses with CAKUT may have a larger kidney than normal.

Objective:To evaluate the pregnancy outcomes of fetal tethered cord (TC) prenatally diagnosed by MRI.Methods:Clinical data of 38 fetuses diagnosed as having TC by MRI, including 36 singletons and two fetuses who were both one of dichorionic diamniotic twins, were retrospectively collected and analyzed in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University from January 2015 to August 2019. According to whether conus medullaris was located above the bladder or reached the lower edge of the bladder, all cases were divided into high or low groups. Pregnancy outcomes were compared between the two groups using Fisher's exact test and Student's t-test. Results:(1) The gestational age at MRI was (25.5±4.7) weeks. Among the 38 cases, 14 (36.8%) were isolated TC, 24 (63.2%) were complicated by other anomalies. The meningocele was responsible for the most (39.5%, n=15). The results of the ultrasound were consistent with those of MRI in 24 cases (63.2%). While in the other 14 cases (36.8%), the ultrasound only showed vertebral body's abnormal morphology, after which further MRI examination revealed a tethered cord. (2) Twenty-nine women (76.3%) chose to terminate the pregnancy. One patient (2.6%) underwent fetal reduction at 23 gestational weeks (one normal twin was delivered prematurely), and one (2.6%) was lost to follow-up. Seven (18.4%) cases continued the pregnancies to delivery. The postnatal follow-up period was 8.1 months (4.0 to 54.9 months). Two infants without comorbidities showed normal growth and development. Another three cases underwent surgeries after birth, and two cases died in the neonatal period. (3) The average width of the medullary cone was (2.5±0.8) cm. There was no significant difference in the spinal cord width between the high [(2.5±0.8) cm, n=34] and low group [(2.7±1.1) cm, n=4]. Six pregnancies (17.6%) in the high group was continued to delivery, and one of the neonates died of severe hydrocephalus. One patient in the low group (1/4) was delivered, while the baby died of neonatal asphyxia. Conclusions:Fetuses with isolated TC are prone to have a good prognosis. Further study should focus on the relation between the high or low position of the conus medullaris and pregnancy outcomes.

Objective:The clinical manifestations, types of gene mutations, therapeutic effects and prognostic characteristics of 15 children with cblC type methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) and hydrocephalus were analyzed to improve the clinical understanding of the disease, so as to provide a basis for the treatment of the disease.Methods:From April 2015 to January 2019, 15 patients with MMA and hydrocephalus in Department of Pediatric Surgery, Peking University First Hospital were enrolled, and all gene detection showed clbC type.All the 15 patients underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunt.After surgery, the clinical manifestations and imaging findings were applied as the basis to adjust the pressure of the diverter valve appropriately.Clinical data and gene mutation characteristics of 15 children with cblC type and hydrocephalus were retrospectively analyzed, and the therapeutic effects and prognosis were summarized and analyzed as well.Results:There were 8 males (53.3%) and 7 females (46.7%), aged from 2 to 33 months.All the cases were followed up from 11 to 55 months, without death case and serious postoperative complications of hydroce-phalus.The head circumference of 3 cases (20.0%) was in the normal range, 1 case (6.7%) was greater than the normal range, and 11 cases (73.3%) were less than the normal range.Four patients (26.7%) were transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit after surgery.c.609G>A mutation was the most common in this study, with 7 cases (46.7%) of c. 609G>A homozygous mutation, and 5 cases (33.3%) of c. 609G>A heterozygous mutation.Clinical symptoms of intracranial hypertension were relieved or disappeared.The head circumference progressive enlargement was stopped.The anterior fontanelle tension greatly decreased, all " setting-sun" sign of eyes disappeared, and vision loss and hearing loss were better compared with the pre-operation.Four cases (26.7%) displayed normal intelligence and exercise, and 11 cases (73.3%) were left with mild to severe psychomotor retardation.During the follow-up pe-riod, the head CT showed that the ventricle was remarkably narrowed, and interstitial brain edema obviously improved.Conclusions:Ventriculoperitoneal shunt in the treatment of cblC type MMA with hydrocephalus has positive effects.The head circumference of most cblC type MMA with hydrocephalus is less than the normal range.c.609 G>A is the most common mutation in cblC type MMA with hydrocephalus.Perioperative " metabolic crisis" can result in serious complications.

Objective:To explore the role of first-aid network construction in the early treatment of patients with critically severe hydrofluoric acid burns.Methods:Twenty-seven fluorine chemical enterprises distributed in Zhejiang province, Jiangxi Province, Fujian Province, and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and 22 hospitals with burn/plastic department or professional burn treatment group in Zhejiang province, including Zhejiang Quhua Hospital, and 5 hospitals outside Zhejiang province were involved in the first-aid network construction as member units. As the main unit, Zhejiang Quhua Hospital was responsible for the daily maintenance and technical guidance of the first-aid network. Zhejiang Quhua Hospital was assigned as the designated emergency hospital for 20 fluorine chemical enterprises, a near emergency hospital to the other 7 fluorine chemical enterprises was assigned as the designated hospital for them. Medical records of 56 patients (all males) with critically severe hydrofluoric acid burns who admitted to 5 first-aid network hospitals from January 2006 to June 2021, meeting the inclusion criteria, were involved in the retrospective cohort study. Based on whether the enterprise belonging to the first-aid network construction or not, the patients were divided into first-aid network group (27 cases, aged (41±9) years) and non first-aid network group (29 cases, aged (42±10) years). After the patients in the first-aid network group were injured, the enterprises and hospitals linked up immediately. The hospital where the patient was treated mobilize the treatment force, equipment, materials, and drugs in advance by the first-aid network, thereby realizing seamless joint between pre-hospital first-aid and in-hospital treatment. The hospital started the first-aid process and temporarily mobilized the rescue forces, equipment, materials, and drug after patients in non first-aid network group arrived at the department of emergency of the hospital. The time from injury to medical service, the first detection time of serum calcium, the time staying in department of emergency, the duration of hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia, and the treatment outcome of patients in the two groups were recorded. Data were statistically analyzed with chi-square test, Fisher's exact probability test, independent-sample t test, and Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Results:The time from injury to medical service, the first detection time of serum calcium, and the time staying in department of emergency of patients in first-aid network group were 40.0 (30.0, 55.0), 23.0 (17.5, 37.5), and 42.0 (37.0, 53.0) min, which were significantly shorter than 180.0 (120.0, 240.0), 31.0 (22.5, 47.5), 61.0 (52.0, 65.5) min in non first-aid network group ( Z=-6.17, -1.98, -4.15, P<0.05 or P<0.01). The duration of hypocalcemia and hypo- magnesemia of patients in first-aid network group were 1.2 (1.1, 1.6) and 1.9 (1.7, 2.1) h, which were significantly shorter than 4.6 (3.1, 6.2) and 3.2 (2.5, 4.6) h in non first-aid network group ( Z=-5.80, -4.81, P<0.01). Three patients (11.1%) in first-aid network group died, among whom 2 patients died at 40 min after injury and 1 patient died 9.0 h after injury. Four patients (13.8%) died in non first-aid network group at 3.0, 3.0, 4.5, and 7.0 h after injury, respectively. The mortality rates of patients in the two groups were similar ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Critically severe hydrofluoric acid burn is an extremely urgent situation encountered in clinical practice. The construction of a first-aid network creates condition for on-site treatment of patients and improves the first-aid efficiency, thereby gaining time to save lives.