Efficacy of formic acid in combination with cDMARDs in rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: The immune system of the body mistakenly targets its own joints in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic autoimmune disease that causes pain, inflammation, and damage. The complexity of RA often requires the simultaneous use of several different management strategies. This study examines the potential enhancement of conventional RA treatments, specifically conventional Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (cDMARDs), by the addition of formic acid, a naturally occurring substance that may possess anti-inflammatory properties. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 90 children diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis were examined at our hospital from 2020 to 2022. We segregated them into two cohorts, each consisting of 45 children. One cohort was administered conventional rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatments, referred to as cDMARDs, which specifically included methotrexate and leflunomide. The other group was administered the standard treatments in addition to a low dosage of a specialized medication known as all-trans retinoic acid. We conducted follow-up assessments on the children at 6 months and 1-year post-treatment. We sought to evaluate the efficacy of the treatments by assessing the subjective reports of the children and their physicians, analyzing the outcomes of medical examinations, and examining diagnostic images, such as X-rays. Furthermore, we took measures to ensure the safety of the treatments. RESULTS: Among the cohort exclusively administered cDMARDs, approximately 26.7% exhibited significant improvement, 24.4% demonstrated moderate improvement, and 6.7% displayed minor improvement after a duration of 6 months. Approximately 57.8% of the children in this group experienced positive outcomes as a result of the treatment. The group that received retinoic acid also demonstrated superior outcomes. Approximately one-third (33.3%) of the participants demonstrated significant improvement, while another one-third showed moderate improvement. Additionally, 11.1% of the participants displayed minor improvement after a period of six months. Upon comparing the two groups, it was observed that the group receiving retinoic acid demonstrated a significantly superior outcome (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the incorporation of all-trans retinoic acid alongside conventional treatments for children with RA appears to enhance their efficacy.

Study on the value of 3D visualization in differentiating IA and non-IA pulmonary ground-glass nodules.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the most effective diagnostic markers and their associated thresholds for Ground-glass nodules (GGN) for identification of invasive adenocarcinoma (IA) and non-IA (including atypical adenomatous hyperplasia (AAH), adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS), and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA)), and to explore the application in preoperative surgical evaluation. METHODS AND METHODS: A total of 126 cases, confirmed by pathology, were retrospectively analyzed. 70 cases were classified as the IA group, while the non-IA group consisted of cases of AAH, AIS, and MIA, with a total of 56 cases. The study compared the differences in demographic, morphological, and three-dimensional (3D) quantitative parameters between the two groups. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences in various signs such as air bronchogram, lobulation, pleural indentation, spiculation, shape, and margin between the two groups. Additionally, Statistical significance was observed in all 3D quantitative parameters for both groups. Notably, when 3D volume of lesions exceeded 447 mm3, the sensitivity to predict IA was 81% with specificity at 69%. Utilizing multivariate logistic regression analysis, it was identified that the independent predictive value in discriminating between IA and non-IA lies with both the 3D volume and solid proportion. Combining these two indexes significantly improved the prediction accuracy (AUC = 0.826). CONCLUSIONS: Reasonable utilization of 3D visualization technology can effectively aid in distinguishing between IA and non-IA. When coupled with clinical data and CT signs, this technique holds vital importance in directing the evaluation of surgical interventions prior to surgery.

[Safety and efficacy analysis of a varicose vein sealant kit in the treatment of great saphenous vein dysfunction].

Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of a varicose vein sealant kit in the treatment of great saphenous vein dysfunction. Methods: It was a randomized controlled trial. A total of 180 patients with great saphenous vein dysfunction were enrolled prospectively, and scheduled for surgical treatment in 9 hospitals, including the Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai Oriental Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University, the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Ganzhou People's Hospital, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, and Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Xiamen University, from June to October 2022. Using a random number table method, the subjects were divided into an experimental group and a control group, with 90 cases in each group. The patients of experimental group received treatment with varicose vein sealant kit, while the patients of control group received radiofrequency ablation. The main outcome measure was the complete closure rate of the great saphenous vein in both groups of patients 3 months after surgery. The secondary outcome measures were the complete closure rate of the great saphenous vein in both groups of patients immediately after surgery and 6 months after surgery, the operation time for closing the main trunk of the great saphenous vein, pain score, venous clinical severity score (VCSS), Aberdeen varicose veins questionnaire (AVVQ) at different times before and after surgery, and the incidence of complications in both groups of patients. The non inferiority threshold for the two treatment methods is set at "-10.00%". Results: A total of 177 patients were ultimately enrolled. There were 89 cases in the experimental group, including 38 males and 51 females, with a median age [M (Q1, Q3)] of 59.7(49.6, 66.7) years, and 88 cases in the control group, including 30 males and 58 females, with a median age of 57.2(46.9, 65.9) years. A total of 174 patients completed a 3-month follow-up, and 167 patients completed a 6-month follow-up. The closure time of the main saphenous vein in the experimental group was (22.1±11.1) min, which was longer than the control group, which was (18.7±9.8) min (P=0.031). The complete closure rate of the great saphenous vein immediately after surgery in both the experimental group and the control group was 100%. The complete closure rates of the great saphenous vein at 3 months after surgery were 98.8% (85/86) and 98.9% (87/88), respectively. The lower limit of the 95%CI for the difference between the two groups was -3.19%, which was greater than the non-inferiority threshold of -10.00% (non-inferiority P<0.001). The complete closure rates of the great saphenous vein at 6 months after surgery were 97.6% (81/83) and 100% (84/84), the lower limit of the 95%CI for the difference between the two groups was -5.71%, which was greater than the non-inferiority threshold of -10.00% (non-inferiority P<0.001). The immediate pain scores after complete anesthesia awakening of the experimental group and the control group were both 1.0 (0, 2.0), with no statistically significant difference (P=0.365). The incidence of bruising in the experimental group and the control group one week after surgery was 61.2% (52/85) and 67.1% (57/85), respectively, with no statistically significant difference (P=0.181). There was no statistically significant difference in VCSS and AVVQ scores between groups before surgery and at 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery (all P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of complications such as deep vein thrombosis, phlebitis, pain, and subcutaneous hematoma in the lower limbs 3 months after surgery (all P>0.05). Conclusion: The varicose vein sealant kit is safe and effective in treating great saphenous vein dysfunction, and can achieve a complete closure rate of great saphenous vein that is not inferior to traditional radiofrequency ablation.

The mediating effect of lifestyle behaviors on the relationship between self-perceived work stress and suboptimal health status: a cross-sectional study involving Chinese urban workers.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. OBJECTIVES: Suboptimal health status (SHS) is a third state between health and disease. Long-term being SHS will be detrimental to one's ability development. Previous studies have demonstrated the associations of lifestyle behaviors or work stress with SHS, but few studies have comprehensively analyzed the underlying factors and mechanisms between the three. This study aimed to investigate whether lifestyle behaviors mediated the relationship between self-perceived work stress and SHS. METHODS: A total of 4238 urban workers, who participated in a cross-sectional survey conducted from December 2018 to October 2019, were included. A general linear model was used to explore the associations between lifestyle behaviors and self-perceived work stress with SHS after adjusting for demographic variables. Structural equation modeling was performed to examine the mediation by lifestyle behaviors. RESULTS: The mean transformed scores of physical, mental, and social SHS were 70.98, 67.17, and 61.72, respectively. Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors and high self-perceived work stress positively affected SHS (P < 0.001). Self-perceived work stress imposed negative effects on physical SHS (ß = -0.228, P < 0.001), mental SHS (ß = -0.237, P < 0.001), and social SHS (ß = -0.092, P < 0.001). The indirect effects of self-perceived work stress on physical SHS (ß = -0.139, 95% CI: -0.178 to -0.106), mental SHS (ß = -0.106, 95% CI: -0.134 to -0.082), and social SHS (ß = -0.121, 95% CI: -0.154 to -0.092) were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Lifestyle behaviors and self-perceived work stress were significantly associated with SHS among Chinese urban workers. The mediating effects of unhealthy lifestyle behaviors were found in the relationship between high self-perceived work stress and SHS. Future longitudinal research may verify these associations and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

[Application of IgG antibody combination of wild strain and epidemic strain of COVID-19 in identifying epidemic Omicron BA.5 strain infection].

Objective: To explore the application of COVID-19-specific IgG antibody in identifying epidemic Omicron BA.5 strain infection. Method: Omicron BF.7/BA.5 naturally infected population, healthy population vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine, and Omicron BF.7/BA.5 breakthrough cases were enrolled into this study. The serum WT-S-IgG and BA.5-S-IgG were detected by indirect ELISA, and the serum-specific IgG antibody levels of different populations were compared. The application value of the two antibody titers and the ratio of the two antibodies in identifying Omicron BA.5 epidemic strain infection were explored by the ROC curve, aiming to provide technical support for pathogen diagnosis. Results: The antibody titers of WT-S-IgG and BA.5-S-IgG in the breakthrough cases were higher than those in the naturally infected population and the healthy population (P<0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) of WT-S-IgG and BA.5-S-IgG in identifying epidemic Omicron BA.5 strain infection was 0.947 and 0.961, respectively. The AUC of BA.5-S-IgG and WT-S-IgG antibody titer ratio was 0.873. When the antibody titer ratio was 0.855, the sensitivity and specificity were 80.00% and 90.00%, respectively. According to the interval since the last infection, the AUC of the ratio of BA.5-S-IgG to WT-S-IgG antibody titer to identify the infection of epidemic strains less than 30 days and more than 30 days was 0.887 and 0.863, respectively, and the sensitivity and specificity were both above 80%. Conclusion: Both BA.5-S-IgG and WT-S-IgG, as well as the combination of these two antibodies, are of high value in the identification of epidemic strains.

Supplementing pigeon grit with acidifier improves metabolism and the reproductive performance of breeding pigeons as well as the development of growth performance of squabs.

1. This study evaluated the effectiveness of different types of acidifiers on reproductive performance, body weight loss and plasma biochemical indices of breeding pigeons as well as on growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality and plasma biochemical indices of squabs.2. In a 45 d trial, 144 pairs of European white Mimas pigeons were selected and randomly divided into three experimental groups. Three groups of pigeons were fed plain pigeon grit (NC), pigeon grit supplemented with 5% single acidifier (SAG) and pigeon grit supplemented with 5% combined acidifiers (CAG).3. Supplementing with SAG and CAG significantly increased the weight gain in male pigeons from 1-12 d of incubation. However, SAG and CAG had no significant effect on the feed intake of breeding pigeons during incubation, but significantly increased total feed intake of breeding pigeons during the lactation period. Breeder pigeons fed SAG and CAG had significantly higher egg-laying rate at 40 d. In addition, feeding SAG and CAG significantly increased growth rate and slaughter weight of squabs, but SAG reduced the diameter of pectoral muscle fibres. Biochemical indices showed that feeding SAG and CAG improved metabolism and increased the liver function of breeder pigeons and squabs.4. In conclusion, supplementing pigeon grit with acidifiers increased feed intake of breeding pigeons during lactation, protected liver function, enhanced reproductive performance and promoted the growth and development of squabs.

Supplementation with single acidifier and combined acidifier is healthy for both breeding pigeons and squabs.Supplementation with single acidifier and combined acidifier can improve the egg-laying rate of breeding pigeons.Supplementation with single acidifier and combined acidifier can improve the growth rate of squabs.Supplementation single acidifier and combined acidifier helps to protect the liver and reduce liver damage of breeding pigeons and squabs.

[Advances in the application of minimal residual disease in non-metastatic colorectal cancer].

In recent years, the application of minimal residual disease (MRD) in solid tumors has gained widespread attention. MRD typically refers to the presence of residual cancer cells that remain undetectable by imaging after curative treatments, such as surgical resection. The presence of MRD post-surgery is significantly associated with an increased risk of tumor recurrence. In colorectal cancer, circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) serves as an effective marker for assessing MRD, particularly in non-metastatic (stages I-III) colorectal cancer. As a real-time, accurate, and convenient biomarker, ctDNA can effectively predict tumor recurrence, guide postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy decisions, and provide crucial information for recurrence monitoring. The application prospects of ctDNA detection technology are vast, promising more precise and individualized treatment plans for colorectal cancer patients. This article comprehensively analyzes the progress in the application of ctDNA for detecting MRD in non-metastatic colorectal cancer patients, elaborates on its guiding role in clinical treatment decisions, and envisions the future development directions in this field.

Allicin in pregnancy diets modulates steroid metabolism in pregnant sows and placental sulphate metabolism promoting placental angiogenesis and foetal development.

The low-birth-weight of piglets is an important factor affecting pig enterprises. The placenta, as a key organ for material exchange between mother and foetus, directly influences the growth and development of the foetus. Allicin exhibits various biological activities, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It may also play a crucial role in enhancing sow reproductive performance and placental angiogenesis. In this study, we used 70 lactating Landrace × Yorkshire binary heterozygous sows to explore the effect of allicin on the reproductive performance of sows and placental development. The sows were randomly assigned into the Allicin group (Allicin), which was fed with a diet containing 0.25% allicin, and the negative control group, which was fed with basal feed. The experimental period lasted for 114 d from the date of mating to the end of farrowing. The results showed that the addition of allicin to the gestation diets increased the number of total born piglets, born alive piglets, and high-birth-weight piglets, reduced peripartum oxidative stress, alleviated dysregulation of glucose-lipid metabolism in sows, and increased the levels of antioxidant markers in the placenta. Differential analysis of metabolites in maternal plasma and placenta samples by non-targeted metabolomics revealed that allicin improved cholesterol metabolism, steroid biosynthesis, and increased plasma progesterone levels in sows. Allicin promoted sulphur metabolism, cysteine and methionine metabolism in placental samples and increased the hydrogen sulphide (H2S) content in the placenta. In addition, Quantitative Real-time PCR, Western blot and immunofluorescence results showed that allicin upregulated the expression of angiogenesis-related genes, VEGF-A, FLK 1 and Ang 1, in the placenta, implying that it promoted placental angiogenesis. These results indicate that supplementing the diet of pregnant sows with allicin reduces oxidative stress, alleviates dysregulation of glucose-lipid metabolism during the periparturient period, and promotes placental angiogenesis and foetal development by increasing plasma progesterone level and placental H2S content.

Predicting Dental General Anesthesia Use among Children with Behavioral Health Conditions.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate how different data sources affect the performance of machine learning algorithms that predict dental general anesthesia use among children with behavioral health conditions. STUDY DESIGN: Observational study using claims data. METHODS: Using Medicaid claims from Partners For Kids (2013-2019), electronic medical record data, and the Ohio Child Opportunity Index, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of 12,410 children with behavioral health diagnoses. Four lasso-regularized logistic regression models were developed to predict dental general anesthesia use, each incorporating different data sources. Lift scores, or the ratio of positive predictive value to base case prevalence, were used to compare models, and a lift score of 2.5 was considered minimally acceptable for risk prediction. RESULTS: Dental general anesthesia use ranged from 3.2% to 3.9% across models, which made it difficult for the machine learning models to achieve high positive predictive value. Model performance was best when either the electronic medical record (lift = 2.59) or Ohio Child Opportunity Index (lift = 2.56), but not both (lift = 2.34) or neither (lift = 1.87), was used. CONCLUSIONS: Incorporating additional data sources improved machine learning model performance, and 2 models achieved satisfactory performance. The model using electronic medical record data could be applied in hospital-based settings, and the model using the Ohio Child Opportunity Index could be more valuable in community-based settings. KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT: Machine learning was applied to satisfactorily predict which children with behavioral health diagnoses would require dental treatment under general anesthesia. Incorporating electronic medical record data or area-level social determinants of health data, but not both, improved the performance of the machine learning predictions. The 2 highest performing models could be applied by hospitals using medical record data or by organizations using area-level social determinants of health data to risk stratify the pediatric behavioral health population.

[Retrospective study of role of neoadjuvant rectal scores in evaluating the 10-year disease-free survival of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery].

Objective: To investigate the correlation between the neoadjuvant rectal (NAR) score and long-term survival in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who have undergone neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Methods: Clinical and pathological data of 487 patients diagnosed with rectal adenocarcinoma from October 2004 to April 2014 at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center who had received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy were retrospectively analyzed and the impact of NAR score on prognosis studied. Disease-free-survival (DFS) was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method and survivals compared using the log-rank test. Cox models were used for univariate and multivariate analyses. Receiver operating characteristic curves were utilized to evaluate the predictive capability of NAR and tumor regression grade scores for the risk of 10-year postoperative recurrence and metastasis. The Delong test was employed to compare the diagnostic performance of the two scores. Results: Of the 487 patients included in the study, 166 were men (34.1%). The median age was 56 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 46-63). All patients completed adequate preoperative chemoradiotherapy and underwent R0 resection.The median interval between the end of chemoradiotherapy and surgery was 51 days (IQR: 44-58). Post-chemoradiotherapy downstaging occurred in 329 patients (67.6%). Tumor regression grades (TRGs) were 1-2 in 246 patients (50.5%) and 3-4 in 241 patients (49.5%). A total of 394 patients (80.9%) received postoperative chemotherapy. NAR scores were <8 in 182 patients (37.4%), 8-16 in 180 (37.0%), and >16 in 125 (25.6%). The median follow-up time was 111.5 months (IQR: 70.7-133.7 months). One hundred and thirteen patients died of rectal cancer, among whom 13 patients developed local recurrence, 88 patients developed distant metastasis, and 12 patients had unknown recurrence patterns. The 10-year DFS and overall survival rate of f the whole group were 68.9% and 71.5% respectively. The 10-year DFS rates for patients with NAR scores <8, 8-16, and >16 were 85.1%, 80.5%, and 66.4%, respectively (P<0.001). Multivariate analyses revealed that the Dixon operation (HR=0.606, 95%CI: 0.408-0.902, P=0.014), and >16 (HR=2.569, 95%CI: 1.559-4.233, P<0.001) were independent predictors of the 10-year DFS of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (P<0.05 for all). In the entire patient cohort, the AUC of the receiver operating characteristic curve for NAR score predicting 10-year recurrence and metastasis was 0.67 (95%CI: 0.62-0.72), whereas the AUC for TRG score was 0.54 (95%CI: 0.49-0.60). The two scores differed significantly in accuracy (Z=-4.06, P<0.001), the NAR score being a significantly better predictor of risk of 10-year recurrence and metastasis than the TRG score. Conclusion: The NAR score is a reliable predictor of 10-year DFS in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who have undergone neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by curative surgery.

A phase I study of TAK-659 and paclitaxel in patients with taxane-refractory advanced solid tumors.

BACKGROUND: Paclitaxel resistance limits durability of response in patients with initial clinical benefit. Overexpression of spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) has been proposed as a possible resistance mechanism. This phase I trial evaluated the safety and preliminary activity of the SYK inhibitor TAK-659 combined with paclitaxel in patients with advanced taxane-refractory solid tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with advanced solid tumors and prior progression on taxane-based therapy received intravenous infusion of paclitaxel on days 1, 8, and 15 plus oral TAK-659 daily in 28-day cycles. The dose-escalation phase included six cohorts treated at different dose levels; the dose-expansion phase included patients with ovarian cancer treated at the highest dose level. Toxicity was graded using the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0. Efficacy was evaluated using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1. RESULTS: Our study included 49 patients. Maximum tolerated dose was not reached, but higher rates of adverse events were observed at higher dose levels. There were no treatment-related deaths. The most common treatment-related adverse events of any grade were increased aspartate aminotransferase (n = 31; 63%), increased alanine aminotransferase (n = 26; 53%), decreased neutrophil count (n = 26; 53%), and decreased white blood cell count (n = 26; 53%). Most adverse events were either grade 1 or 2. In the 44 patients with evaluable disease, 12 (27%) had stable disease as the best overall response, including three patients with prolonged stable disease, and 4 patients (9%) achieved a partial response. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of paclitaxel and TAK-659 showed preliminary activity possibly overcoming resistance to taxane-based therapy as well as a tolerable safety profile in patients with advanced solid tumors.

[Clinical analysis of 9 children with refractory N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antibody encephalitis children treated with tocilizumab].

Objective: To analyze the clinical features of children with refractory N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antibody encephalitis treated with tocilizumab. Methods: Demographic and clinical manifeatations, immunotherapy and prognosis data of 9 children with refractory NMDA receptor antibody encephalitis who received tocilizumab in the Department of Pediatrics Neurology, XiangYa Hospital of Central South University from August 2021 to September 2023 were collected retrospectively. Prognosis was evaluated using the modified Rankin scale at initial diagnosis, at the initiation of tocilizumab treatment, and at the last follow-up. Treatment related complications, neuroimaging, and electroencephalography data were analyzed. Results: Among the 9 children, 6 were male and 3 were female, with an onset age of 4.2 (2.8, 8.7) years. At the onset of the disease, 9 children had a modified Rankin scale score of 5. When tocilizumab treatment was initiated, 7 children had a score of 5, and 2 children had a score of 4. The interval between the onset and initiation of tocilizumab treatment was 12 (5, 27) months, and the treatment frequency was 8 (5, 13) times. The follow-up time was 2.8 (1.5, 3.7) years. At the last follow-up, the symptoms of 9 children, including movement disorder, sleep disorder, consciousness disorder, silence and autonomic dysfunction, were improved to varying degrees, and none of them had seizures. At the last follow-up, 4 cases with a modified Rankin scale score of 0, 1 case with a score of 1, 2 cases with a score of 3, 1 case with a score of 4 and 1 case with a score of 5. The modified Rankin scale at the last follow-up was significantly different from that at the start of tocilizumab (Z=-2.56, P=0.014). All children had no serious adverse reactions during the treatment. Conclusions: After treatment with tocilizumab, the symptoms in patients with refractory NMDA receptor antibody encephalitis, including movement disorder, sleep disorder, consciousness disorder, silence and autonomic dysfunction were improved, and none of them had seizures. The modified Rankin scale were improved, and the safety was good.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of parameters of erector spinae in patients with uremic sarcopenia.

AIM: This study aimed to investigate whether computed tomography (CT)-measured erector spinae parameters (ESPs) have diagnostic, severity assessment, and prognostic predictive value in uremic sarcopenia (US). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 202 uremic patients were enrolled and divided into two groups: a control group and a sarcopenia group. Sarcopenia was classified into two types: severe and nonsevere. The area, volume, and density of the erector spinae (ES) were measured using chest CT images, and the relevant ESP, including the erector spinae index (ESI), total erector spinae volume (TESV), erector spinae density (ESD), and erector spinae gauge (ESG) were calculated. The occurrence of adverse events was followed-up for 36 months. The diagnostic value and severity of US were determined using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Survival curves diagnosed using CT were plotted and compared with the curve drawn using the gold standard. Cox regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors associated with survival in US. RESULTS: With an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.840 and 0.739, the combined ESP has diagnostic value and the ability to assess the severity of US. There was no significant difference in the survival curve between the combined ESP for the diagnosis of US and the gold standard (P > 0.05). ESI is a standalone predictor of survival in patients with US. CONCLUSION: ESP measured by CT has diagnostic values for US and its severity, as well as being a predictive value for the prognosis of US.

[The effect of the ratio of aneurysm sac diameter to patient age on the long-term efficacy of different surgical methods for infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm].

Objective: To investigate the effect of the ratio of the maximum diameter of aneurysm sac to age (R) on the long-term efficacy of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) and open surgical repair (OSR) in patients with infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (IAAA). Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study.The clinical data of 317 patients with IAAA who underwent surgical repair in the Department of Vascular Surgery,the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University from January 2016 to October 2022 were retrospectively collected.There were 266 males and 51 females,aged (69.7±8.3) years (range:37 to 87 years).The R value of the patient was calculated and the receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve was used to establish a model to calculate the optimal cut-off value.The propensity score matching method was used to match the baseline data of patients in the EVAR and OSR group by 3∶1 (the caliper value was 0.05),and the patients were stratified according to the cutoff value of R, and the postoperative efficacy and survival of the patients were analyzed.The primary endpoint was the total mortality rate,and the secondary endpoints included the occurrence of postoperative complications and reintervention.Pearson χ2 or Fisher 's exact test was used for categorical variables, and independent sample t test or Wilcoxon rank sum test was used for continuous variables to compare differences between groups.The survival curves of the two groups were described by Kaplan-Meier method. Results: After propensity score matching,198 cases were in the EVAR group and 66 cases were in the OSR group.The ROC model showed that the best cut-off value of R value was 0.90,and the two groups were divided into two layers:R<0.90 and R≥0.90.Among them,112 patients with R<0.90 (84 cases of EVAR,28 cases of OSR);there were 152 patients with R≥0.90 (114 cases of EVAR and 38 cases of OSR).The follow-up time was (23.6±1.6) months (range:1 to 70 months).In the R≥0.90 stratification,the total mortality (26.3% vs.5.3%,χ2=7.600，P=0.006),complication rate (44.7% vs.26.3%, χ2=4.025，P=0.045), and secondary intervention rate (31.6% vs.13.2%, χ2=4.910，P=0.027) in the EVAR group were higher than those in the OSR group.In the R<0.90 stratification,there was no significant difference in the total mortality rate (13.1% vs.10.7%, χ2=0.109，P=0.741), complication rate (28.6% vs.35.7%, χ2=0.507，P=0.477) and secondary intervention rate (14.3% vs.21.4%, χ2=0.353，P=0.552) between the two groups. Conclusions: When R≥0.90 in IAAA patients,OSR maybe more beneficial to patients in terms of survival rate,postoperative complication rate and secondary intervention rate than EVAR.When R<0.90,there are no significant differences in survival rate,complication rate and secondary intervention rate between the two surgical methods.

[Effect of HBV DNA load on the safety and prognosis of systematic therapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma].

Objective: To study the effect of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection on the occurrence of liver damage, HBV reactivation (HBVr) and the influence of HBVr on the prognosis of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) receiving systemic therapy. Methods: The clinical data of 403 patients with HBV-related HCC at the Department of Infectious Diseases, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University et al, from July 2018 to December 2020 were collected. The incidence of liver damage and HBVr during systematic therapy, and the influence of HBVr on survival prognosis were analyzed. Results: Of the 403 patients, 89.1% were male (n=359), with a median age of 51 years (51.5±12.1). Before propensity score matching (PSM), the proportion of patients with cirrhosis, TNM and advanced BCLC stage was higher in high HBV-DNA (baseline HBV-DNA>1000 U/ml, n=147) group comparing with the low HBV-DNA (baseline HBV DNA≤1000 u/ml, n=256) group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in baseline indexes between the two groups after PSM. In 290 patients after PSM, there was no significant difference in the incidence of liver damage and HBVr between high HBV-DNA group and low HBV-DNA group (P>0.05). Survival analysis was performed on 169 patients with survival data, the median overall survival (OS) was found to be 11.49 months (95%CI: 7.77-12.89) and 16.65 months (95%CI: 10.54-21.99, P=0.008) in the high and low HBV-DNA groups, respectively. And median progression-free survival (PFS) was 7.41 months (95%CI: 5.06-8.67) and 10.55 months (95%CI: 6.72-13.54, P=0.038), respectively, with a statistically significant difference. There were no differences in overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) between patients with and without HBVr and those with or without liver damage (P>0.05). Conclusions: HBV-DNA levels above 1 000 U/ml before systemic therapy do not increase the risk of liver damage or HBVr during systemic therapy in patients with HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma, and such patients can safely receive systemic therapy.

The COSPAR planetary protection policy for missions to Icy Worlds: A review of history, current scientific knowledge, and future directions.

Recent discoveries related to the habitability and astrobiological relevance of the outer Solar System have expanded our understanding of where and how life may have originated. As a result, the Icy Worlds of the outer Solar System have become among the highest priority targets for future spacecraft missions dedicated to astrobiology-focused and/or direct life detection objectives. This, in turn, has led to a renewed interest in planetary protection concerns and policies for the exploration of these worlds and has been a topic of discussion within the COSPAR (Committee on Space Research) Panel on Planetary Protection. This paper summarizes the results of those discussions, reviewing the current knowledge and the history of planetary protection considerations for Icy Worlds as well as suggesting ways forward. Based on those discussions, we therefore suggest to (1) Establish a new definition for Icy Worlds for Planetary Protection that captures the outer Solar System moons and dwarf planets like Pluto, but excludes more primitive bodies such as comets, centaurs, and asteroids: Icy Worlds in our Solar System are defined as all bodies with an outermost layer that is believed to be greater than 50 % water ice by volume and have enough mass to assume a nearly round shape. (2) Establish indices for the lower limits of Earth life with regards to water activity (LLAw) and temperature (LLT) and apply them into all areas of the COSPAR Planetary Protection Policy. These values are currently set at 0.5 and -28 °C and were originally established for defining Mars Special Regions; (3) Establish LLT as a parameter to assign categorization for Icy Worlds missions. The suggested categorization will have a 1000-year period of biological exploration, to be applied to all Icy Worlds and not just Europa and Enceladus as is currently the case. (4) Have all missions consider the possibility of impact. Transient thermal anomalies caused by impact would be acceptable so long as there is less than 10-4 probability of a single microbe reaching deeper environments where temperature is >LLT in the period of biological exploration. (5) Restructure or remove Category II* from the policy as it becomes largely redundant with this new approach, (6) Establish that any sample return from an Icy World should be Category V restricted Earth return.

[Characteristics and clinical analysis of MLH1 c.463dupC gene mutation in a Lynch syndrome family].

In this study, a case of Lynch syndrome (LS) family line with a novel mutation site in the MLH1 c.463dupC gene was reported and the clinical and pathogenic genetic features of this family were analyzed. A 40-year-old female patient with colon cancer diagnosed at the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University on October 2, 2020 was retrospectively included. The clinical data of the family were collected and the family lineage was drawn. The family tumor history met the Amsterdam Criteria Ⅱ and the diagnostic criteria of LS in Chinese, which was a typical LS family lineage. A germline code-shift missense mutation c.463dupC in the MLH1 gene located in exon 6, a possible pathogenic variant, was detected by second-generation sequencing (NGS) in the patient. Subsequently, Sanger sequencing was performed on a total of 20 direct lineage members of the family of the MLH1 gene, 7 cases were found to harbor the mutation and included in the LS high-risk control. Follow-up to October 2023 showed that the patient had endometrial and cervical polyps, one case had colorectal cancer, and two cases had intestinal polyps, all were treated with early intervention and therapy; two cases did not show any clinical symptoms. This study is the first to report a new mutation site for the potentially pathogenic MLH1 c.463dupC, providing a rationale for the pathogenicity of the mutation and standardized health management for familial carriers.