[The reconstruction techniques and mid-term clinical outcomes of hip revision for acetabular bone defect after total hip arthroplasty].

Objective: To analyze three reconstruction techniques and mid-term clinical outcomes of hip revision for acetabular bone defect after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Methods: This is a retrospective case series study. Included in the study were 109 patients (109 hips) with acetabular bone defect after THA reconstructions in hip revisions from January 2015 to December 2021 in the Senior Department, Forth Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital and the Department of Orthopaedics, First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital. According to the preoperative simulated surgeries and different bone defect reconstruction techniques, all patients were divided into a normal cup group, an augment group or a triflange group,respectively. There were 54 patients (54 hips) in the normal cup group, reconstructed with the uncemented porous metal cup (including Jumbo cup), with 23 males and 31 females, aged (59.6±9.9) years (range:32 to 76 years); 44 patients (44 hips) in the augment group, reconstructed with the individualized three-dimensional (3D) printed porous metal augment and uncemented porous metal cup, with 18 males and 26 females, aged (52.8±13.6) years(range:17 to 76 years); 11 patients (11 hips) in the triflange group, reconstructed by the individualized 3D printed porous metal triflange cup, with 5 males and 6 females, aged (59.4±11.2)years (range: 43 to 78 years). Radiographic results, including rotation center height, rotation center offset, and leg length discrepancy (LLD) and clinical results, including Harris hip score (HHS) and visual analogue scale(VAS) were evaluated outpatient at 3, 6, 12 months after the operation and annually thereafter. The last follow-up was completed in March 2024, and all parameters at the last follow-up and before the operation were compared. Paired t test and repeated measurement ANOVA were used for the radiographic and clinical parameters before and after the operation. Results: All hip revisions for patients with acetabular bone defect after THA were completed and followed for more than two years. The follow-up time of the normal cup group was (6.5±1.7) years (range: 2.8 to 9.3 years), and that of the augment group was (6.0±1.3) years (range: 3.5 to 9.0 years). The follow-up time of the triflange group was (2.8±0.6) years (range: 2.0 to 3.8 years). At the last follow-up, the rotation center height, rotation center offset and LLD of 54 hips in the normal cup group were (24.2±5.6)mm, (29.1±5.5) mm and (4.6±3.3)mm, respectively, and the rotation center height and LLD were significantly lower than those of the preoperative hips (t=9.671, P<0.01; t=6.073, P<0.01). In the augment group, the rotational center height, the rotation center offset and the LLD of 44 hips were (22.4±9.0) mm, (25.4±5.5) mm and (6.0±4.0) mm, respectively, which were significantly lower than those of the preoperative hips (t=9.071, P<0.01; t=11.345, P<0.01; t=4.927, P<0.01). In the triflange group, the rotational center height, the rotation center offset and LLD of 11 hips were (22.7±6.0) mm,(30.9±8.0) mm and (5.3±2.2) mm, respectively, and the rotation center height and LLD were significantly lower than those of the preoperative hips (t=2.716, P=0.022; t=6.226, P<0.01). At the last follow-up, fractures occurred in 3 patients and dislocation occurred in 1 patient in the normal cup group, and fracture reduction and closed reduction were administered under anesthesia, respectively. In the augment group, dislocation occurred in 1 patient and open reduction under anesthesia was performed. The HHS and VAS of the three groups improved significantly after surgery and the differences were statistically significant(all P<0.01). There was no complication in the triflange group. The X-ray at the last follow-up showed that all prostheses and augments were in stable positions and no loosening or migration was observed. Conclusions: For patients with acetabular bone defect after THA undergoing hip revisions, preoperative surgical simulation and rehearsal could help surgeons choose convenient and efficient reconstruction techniques. The targeted selection of Jumbo Cup, individualized 3D printed metal augment, and customized triflange cup could achieve satisfactory clinical outcomes.

[The combined application of oligoclonal bands in cerebrospinal fluid and IgG intrathecal synthesis indicators and biochemical markers in the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis].

Objective: To establish and verify a diagnostic model for distinguishing multiple sclerosis (MS) from other neurological diseases with similar symptoms by usingcerebrospinal fluid oligoclonal band (CSF-OCB)combined with IgG intrathecal synthesis indicators and biochemical markers. Methods: Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients admitted to the Neurology Department of Beijing Tiantan Hospital affiliated with Capital Medical University from January 2014 to December 2022 were selected as the case group, while patients with similar neurological symptoms were selected as the control group. Using the case-control study design, a retrospective analysis was conducted on the detection of age, gender, oligoclonal bands in cerebrospinal fluid, IgG intrathecal synthesis indicators and biochemical indicators for all study subjects. The differential diagnosis model was determined by the multiple logistic regression analysis, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the diagnostic efficiency of the differential diagnosis model for neurological diseases with similar symptoms to MS and other conditions. Results: This study included 167 patients in the case group and 335 patients in the control group, of which 128 patients in the case group and 265 patients in the control group were used to construct the model, and 39 patients in the case group and 70 patients in the control group were used for model validation. The differential diagnostic model constructed by a multivariate logistic regression model was Y=0.871×CSF-OCB-0.051×CSFprotein-0.231×CSFchloride+1.183×gender-0.036×LDH+35.770. The model showed that the area under the curve, sensitivity and specificity were respectively 0.916, 87.3% and 87.6%. The Delong test results showed that the diagnostic efficacy of the model was significantly different from OCB, IgG intrathecal synthesis indicators, and OCB combined with IgG intrathecal synthesis indicators (P<0.05). The new model validation showed that the actual diagnostic consistency rate for the MS group was 84.6%, while the actual diagnostic consistency rate for the control group was 90.0%. Conclusion: This study combines OCB, IgG intrathecal synthesis indicators, and biochemical indicators to establish a diagnostic prediction model for neurological diseases with similar clinical symptoms in MS. This model may have good differential diagnostic value and can better assist clinical diagnosis in the early stages of disease progression in MS patients.

[Application of ultrasensitive single molecule immunoassay technology in clinical biomarker detection].

Single-molecule immunoassay technology represents an ultrasensitive immunoassay method that enables the resolution and detection of individual biomolecules at the nanoscale. This article highlights various representative techniques and clinical applications of single-molecule immunoassay technology, while also discussing the current challenges and future development directions. Through multiple optimizations at both the technical and commercial levels, single-molecule immunoassay technology exhibits unique advantages in real-time detection, disease diagnosis and treatment, and medical research. This technology is poised to contribute to the advancement of precision medicine by integrating individualized detection methods into clinical practice.

Label-free differentiation of pancreatic pathologies from normal pancreas utilizing end-to-end three-dimensional multimodal networks on CT.

AIMS: To investigate the utilization of an end-to-end multimodal convolutional model in the rapid and accurate diagnosis of pancreatic diseases using abdominal CT images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, a novel lightweight label-free end-to-end multimodal network (eeMulNet) model was proposed for the rapid and precise diagnosis of abnormal pancreas. The eeMulNet consists of two steps: pancreatic region localization and multimodal CT diagnosis integrating textual and image data. A research dataset comprising 715 CT scans with various types of pancreas diseases and 228 CT scans from a control group was collected. The training set and independent test set for the multimodal classification network were randomly divided in an 8:2 ratio (755 for training and 188 for testing). RESULTS: The eeMulNet model demonstrated outstanding performance on an independent test set of 188 CT scans (Normal: 45, Abnormal: 143), with an area under the curve (AUC) of 1.0, accuracy of 100%, and sensitivity of 100%. The average testing duration per patient was 41.04 seconds, while the classification network took only 0.04 seconds. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed eeMulNet model offers a promising approach for the diagnosis of pancreatic diseases. It can support the identification of suspicious cases during daily radiology work and enhance the accuracy of pancreatic disease diagnosis. The codes and models of eeMulNet are publicly available at Rudeguy1/eeMulNet (github.com).

Noise suppression for an aeromagnetic measurement system on an unmanned helicopter.

An unmanned helicopter is one of the main platforms for conducting unmanned aerial vehicle aeromagnetic measurements and combines the advantages of rotary-wing and fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles. However, unmanned helicopter-based aeromagnetic measurement systems face complex static magnetic noise and maneuvering magnetic interference, which limit their practical performance. To address this issue, an improved multi-channel frequency measurement algorithm for the optically pumped magnetic sensor is proposed to suppress the static magnetic noise proportional to the frequency noise generated by the random quantization error and the airborne electromagnetic interference. A novel aeromagnetic compensation method for the maneuvering magnetic interference is then proposed to weaken the negative effects of the strong multicollinearity of the attitude parameters of the unmanned helicopter on the compensation accuracy and stability by introducing a regularization term and weight matrix. In addition, dedicated software is developed for the real-time calculation and compensation of magnetic interference fields. A dedicated unmanned-helicopter-based aeromagnetic measurement system is developed, and ground and flight experiments are carried out. The ground test results indicate that the static noise of the proposed system is only 0.000 82 nT. In the flight experiments, the system achieves an improvement ratio of 8.33, which is higher than the improvement ratio of 4.37 for a state-of-the-art commercial compensator. Furthermore, the dynamic noise after compensation decreases by 37.6% from 0.0157 to 0.0098 nT.

[Analysis of the effect of early subcutaneous specific immunotherapy on the levels of dust mite allergen-specific antibodies and polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism].

Objective: To investigate the effects of subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) on patients' immune markers and metabolic levels in the early stage of allergen treatment, and to gain insight into the role of SCIT in regulating immune responses and metabolic levels, so as to provide reference data for the further discovery of potential biomarkers. Methods: A longitudinal study was used to include 40 subjects who underwent SCIT with dust mite allergens in the Department of Pediatrics of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University between November 2017 and February 2022, including 20 subjects each of single mite subcutaneous immunotherapy (SM-SCIT) and double mite subcutaneous immunotherapy (DM-SCIT). In this study, levels of dust mite allergen-specific antibodies and polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism were measured before and 12 months after treatment, while pulmonary function tests were performed. The therapeutic effects of the patients were followed up by visual analogue scale (VAS), asthma control test (ACT) and total medication scores (TMS). The results were statistically analyzed using t-test and Mann-Whitney U-test. Results: After 12 months of treatment with SCIT, both groups showed a significant decrease in total VAS score (SM-SCIT:Z=-2.298, P<0.05; DM-SCIT:Z=-3.411, P<0.001); total ACT score (SM-SCIT:Z=-2.054, P<0.05; DM-SCIT:Z=-2.014, P<0.05) and total medication scores (SM-SCIT:Z=-3.799, P<0.000 1; DM-SCIT:Z=-3.474, P<0.001) were significantly higher, in addition to significantly higher MMEF75/25 values in the DM-SCIT group (t=-2.253, P<0.05). There was no significant change in sIgE in the SM-SCIT group (P>0.05), and the sIgG4 levels of the Der p, Der f, p 1, p 2, f 2, and p 21 fractions were significantly elevated (Z=-2.651, -3.771, -2.949, -2.912, -2.725, -2.128, and -3.285, respectively, all P<0.05); The sIgE of Der p 2, f 2, p 7 and p 23 fractions(Z=-2.651, -3.771, -2.949, -2.912, -2.725, -2.128, -3.285, all P<0.05) and the sIgG4 levels of the Der p, Der f, p 1, p 2, f 1, f 2, p 10, p 21 and p 23 fractions (Z=-3.808, -3.845, -3.061, -2.688, -2.464, -3.211, -2.371, -2.091, -2.427, all P<0.05) of the DM-SCIT group were significantly elevated. Metabolomics analysis showed that arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, 5, 9, 12-octadecatrienoic acid, 5(S)-hydroxylated eicosatetraenoic acid, and dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid were significantly elevated at the beginning of the treatment period after SM-SCIT treatment (Z of -2.191, -2.497, -1.988, -2.090, -2.19, -2.803, -2.073, all P<0.05); 5(S)-hydroxylated eicosatetraenoic acid showed elevated and alpha-linolenic acid, eicosadienoic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid were significantly decreased in the DM-SCIT group after treatment (Z=-1.988, -2.090, -2.497, -1.988, respectively, all P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that arachidonic acid was significantly negatively correlated with changes in dust mite-specific IgG4 (r=-0.499, P<0.05), and that alpha-linolenic acid, 5, 9, 12-octadecatrienoic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid were positively correlated with the ΔsIgG4 of the dust mite der p 2 (r=0.451, 0.420, 0.474, respectively; all P<0.05). Conclusion: Significant changes in allergen-specific antibody levels and polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism levels occur during SCIT, and the two may interact and influence each other.

All-optical spin switching on an ultrafast time scale.

Information technology revolution demands bigger and faster magnetic storage. All-optical spin switching (AOS) may offer a solution, where an ultrafast laser pulse alone can switch magnetization from one direction to another faithfully within 1-10 ps, free of a magnetic field. There are two types of switching: One is the helicity-dependent all-optical spin switching (HD-AOS) and the other the helicity-independent all-optical spin switching (HID-AOS). In a few alloys, one single laser pulse, with sufficient fluence, can switch spin, but the majority of magnetic materials requires multiple pulses. Both material-specific and laser-specific properties strongly affect the switching process. However, the underlying mechanism is still under debate. As the entire research field moves toward applications, it is very appropriate to review what has been achieved in the last decade. This review covers some of the major experimental and theoretical developments within the last decade, and serves as an introduction to the uninitiated reader in this field and a summary for the seasoned researchers.

[The preliminary application of mNGS in the diagnosis of invasive fungal sinusitis].

Objective: By conducting a retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 14 patients diagnosed with invasive fungal rhinosinusitis (IFRS) confirmed by metagenomics next generation sequencing (mNGS) technology, we aim to explore the rapid diagnosis value of mNGS in IFRS. Methods: The clinical data of 14 IFRS patients admitted to TianJin First Central Hospital were retrospectively analyzed from February 2021 to October 2023. The study cohort comprised 8 males and 6 females, with ages ranging from 14 to 77 years. All patients were diagnosed as IFRS by performing mNGS sequencing technology of nasal sinus lesion biopsy specimens. Clinical data such as laboratory examination, imaging examination, histopathological examination results, treatment plan and prognosis were summarized and analyzed. Results: All 14 patients were diagnosed as IFRS, with mNGS detecting pathogens such as Rhizopus (7 cases), Aspergillus (5 cases), Trichoderma (1 case), and Scedosporium apiospermum (1 case). Follow-up evaluations were conducted for a period ranging from 2 months to 2 years post-treatment. At the end of follow-up, 11 out of 14 IFRS patients achieved a complete cure with no signs of recurrence, while the symptoms of the remaining 3 patients significantly improved with comprehensive treatment. Conclusion: mNGS emerges as a highly effective diagnostic tool for IFRS, providing valuable microbiological evidence for clinical diagnosis and demonstrating promising clinical utility.

Emerging trends of invasive yeast infections and azole resistance in Beijing intensive care units.

BACKGROUND: Invasive fungal infections pose a substantial threat to patients in healthcare settings globally. Recent changes in the prevalence of fungal species and challenges in conducting reference antifungal susceptibility testing emphasize the importance of monitoring fungi and their antifungal resistance. METHODS: A two-phase surveillance project was conducted in Beijing, China, involving 37 centres across 12 districts, from January 2012 to December 2013 and from January 2016 to December 2017. FINDINGS: We found that the proportion of Candida albicans in intensive care units (ICUs) during 2016-2017 exhibited a significant decline compared with the 2012-2013 period, although it remained the most predominant pathogen. In contrast, the prevalence of Nakaseomyces glabratus (formerly Candida glabrata) and Candida tropicalis notably increased during the two-phase surveillance. The high prevalence of C. tropicalis and its resistance to azole drugs posed a serious threat to patients in ICUs. The pathogens causing invasive fungal infections in Beijing were relatively sensitive to echinocandins. While C. albicans continued to exhibit susceptibility to azoles, the resistance and growth rates of C. tropicalis towards azoles were particularly prominent. Concerns were raised due to the emergence of multiple, short-term isolates of Clavispora lusitaniae and Candida parapsilosis complex in neonatal ICUs, given their similarity in antifungal susceptibilities. Such occurrences point towards the potential for transmission and persisting presence of these pathogens within the ICU environment. CONCLUSIONS: Our study complements existing data on the epidemiology of invasive fungal infections. It is imperative to exercise cautious medication management for ICU patients in Beijing, paying particular attention to azole resistance in C. tropicalis.

Kinetochore scaffold 1 downregulation suppressed the development of non-small cell lung cancer by inactivating the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase/protein kinase B (AKT)/nuclear factor-kappa B pathway.

Kinetochore scaffold 1 (KNL1) is indispensable for generating motile micro-tubule attachments and isolating chromosomes. KNL1 is highly expressed in multiple middle-route tissues and promotes tumor development. However, how it functions in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is unclear. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blotting (WB) were used to determine KNL1 expression in NSCLC tissues and cells. The sh-KNL1 or oe-KNL1 was transfected into NSCLC cells. The colony formation assay, cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, and flow cytometry were used to evaluate cell proliferation and apoptosis. A transwell assay was used to monitor invasion and migration. The CCK-8 assay was used to measure NSCLC cell sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs. WB confirmed the protein levels of apoptosis-related proteins, cell cycle-associated proteins, and the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB) pathway. A PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway inhibitor was used to intervene in NSCLC cell transfection along with oe-KNL1, thus revealing the function of the pathway in carcinogenicity mediated by KNL1. In result KNL1 expression was substantially increased in NSCLC tissues and cells. High-level KNL1 expression is related to the poor prognosis of NSCLC patients. KNL1 silencing bolstered promoted NSCLC cell apoptosis and inhibited proliferation, cell cycle progression, invasion, and EMT, whereas KNL1 silencing had the opposite effect. KNL1 knockdown increased NSCLC cell sensitivity to chemical drugs. KNL1 promoted PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway activation, while PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway inhibition weakened the procancer effect mediated by KNL1 overexpression but had little influence on KNL1 levels. We conclude that KNL1 activates the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway to increase NSCLC progression and attenuate NSCLC sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs.

[Prognostic nutritional index application value for acute-on-chronic liver failure co-infection].

Objective: To explore the predictive value of the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in concurrently infected patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Methods: 220 cases with ACLF diagnosed and treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from January 2011 to December 2016 were selected. Patients were divided into an infection and non-infection group according to whether they had co-infections during the course of the disease. Clinical data differences were compared between the two groups of patients. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to screen out influencing factors related to co-infection. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the predictive value of PNI for ACLF co-infection. The measurement data between groups were compared using the independent sample t-test and the Mann-Whitney U rank sum test. The enumeration data were analyzed using the Fisher exact probability test or the Pearson χ(2) test. The Pearson method was performed for correlation analysis. The independent risk factors for liver failure associated with co-infection were analyzed by multivariate logistic analysis. Results: There were statistically significant differences in ascites, hepatorenal syndrome, PNI score, and albumin between the infection and the non-infection group (P < 0.05). Among the 220 ACLF cases, 158 (71.82%) were infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The incidence rate of infection during hospitalization was 69.09% (152/220). The common sites of infection were intraabdominal (57.07%) and pulmonary infection (29.29%). Pearson correlation analysis showed that PNI and MELD-Na were negatively correlated (r = -0.150, P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic analysis results showed that low PNI score (OR=0.916, 95%CI: 0.865~0.970), ascites (OR=4.243, 95%CI: 2.237~8.047), and hepatorenal syndrome (OR=4.082, 95%CI : 1.106~15.067) were risk factors for ACLF co-infection (P < 0.05). The ROC results showed that the PNI curve area (0.648) was higher than the MELD-Na score curve area (0.610, P < 0.05). The effectiveness of predicting infection risk when PNI was combined with ascites and hepatorenal syndrome complications was raised. Patients with co-infections had a good predictive effect when PNI ≤ 40.625. The sensitivity and specificity were 84.2% and 41.2%, respectively. Conclusion: Low PNI score and ACLF co-infection have a close correlation. Therefore, PNI has a certain appraisal value for ACLF co-infection.

Sleeve gastrectomy links the attenuation of diabetic kidney disease to the inhibition of renal tubular ferroptosis through down-regulating TGF-ß1/Smad3 signaling pathway.

PURPOSE: To investigate how sleeve gastrectomy (SG), a typical operation of bariatric surgery, attenuated symptom, and progression of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). METHODS: DKD model was induced by high-fat diet (HFD) combined with streptozocin in Wistar rats. SG was performed, and the group subjected to sham surgery served as control. The animals were euthanized 12 weeks after surgery, followed by sample collection for the subsequent experiment. The HK-2, a renal proximal tubular epithelial cell line derived from human, was utilized to investigate the potential mechanisms. RESULTS: SG improved metabolic parameters and glucose homeostasis, and could alleviate DKD in terms of renal function indices as well as histological and morphological structures in DM rats, accompanied with a significant reduction in renal tubular injury. Compared with sham group, SG reduced the renal tubular ferroptosis. To further clarify the mechanism involved, in vitro experiments were performed. In the presence of high glucose, renal tubular TGF-ß1 secretion was significantly increased in HK-2 cell line, which led to activation of ferroptosis through TGF-ß1/Smad3 signaling pathway. Inhibition of TGF-ß1 receptor and phosphorylation of Smad3 significantly ameliorated TGF-ß1-mediated ferroptosis. In vivo experiments also found that SG improved the hyperglycemic environment, reduced renal TGF-ß1 concentrations, and down-regulated the TGF-ß1/Smad3 signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: With the capacity to lower the glucose, SG could attenuate the ferroptosis by inhibiting TGF-ß1/Smad3 signaling pathway in DKD rats, and eventually attenuated DKD.

[Postoperative lymph node metastasis status and related factors in patients with early-stage, low-risk endometrial cancer assessed by the Mayo criteria].

Objective: To investigate the postoperative lymph node metastasis status and related factors of patients with early-stage low-risk endometrial cancer evaluated by the Mayo criteria in order to make the preoperative evaluation more accurate. Methods: A total of 172 patients with early-stage low-risk endometrial cancer who underwent surgery in Sichuan Provincial Cancer Hospital from 2009 to 2018 and were evaluated as early low-risk according to the "Mayo criteria" were retrospectively enrolled, and were divided into lymph node metastasis group (7 cases) and non-metastasis group (165 cases) according to the results of postoperative pathological examination. The postoperative pathological examination results and prognosis of all patients were collected. The lymph node metastasis of the two groups was analyzed. The multiple logistic regression model was used to analyze the related factors of lymph node metastasis, and the area under the curve (AUC) of the relevant factors was calculated by using the receiver operating characteristic curve to predict the postoperative lymph node metastasis of patients. Results: The age of 172 patients was (53.0±8.6) years, and the follow-up [M(Q1,Q3)] was 64.1 (46.2, 91.4) months, among whom 2 relapsed and 1 died. Among the 7 patients with lymph node metastasis, 5 cases had pelvic lymph node metastasis, 1 case had pelvic lymph union and abdominal para-aortic lymph node metastasis, 1 case had isolated abdominal para-aortic lymph node metastasis, 3 cases had two lymph node metastases, and 4 cases had intrailiac lymph nodes being the most common metastasis site. Multivariate analysis showed that preoperative serum cancer antigen (CA) 125 was the relevant factor for postoperative lymph node metastasis, with an OR value (95%CI) of 1.022 (1.001-1.043) (P=0.042), with AUC (95%CI) of CA125 predicting lymph node metastasis of 0.850 (0.761-0.939) (P=0.002), and the optimal cut-off value of CA125 was 29.305 U/ml with the sensitivity of 85.7% and the specificity of 80.6%. Conclusions: When CA125>29.305 U/ml, patients with early-stage low-risk endometrial cancer assessed by the Mayo criteria, had an increased risk of lymph node metastasis. Therefore, adding preoperative serum CA125 level as an evaluation index on the basis of the classic "Mayo criteria" may help conduct more accurate preoperative evaluation and better identify early-stage low-risk EC patients.

The potential diagnostic accuracy of circulating microRNAs for Alzheimer's disease: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive and irreversible neurodegenerative disease that seriously affects cognitive ability and has become a key public health problem. Many studies have identified the possibility of peripheral blood microRNA as effective non-invasive biomarkers for AD diagnosis, but the results are inconsistent. Therefore, we carried out this meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of circulating microRNAs in the diagnosis of AD patients. METHODS: We performed a systematic literature search of the following databases: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Wanfang database and China National Knowledge Infrastructure, updated to March 15, 2021. A random effects model was used to pool the sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, diagnostic odds ratio and area under the curve. Meta-regression and subgroup analysis were performed to explore the sources of heterogeneity, and Deeks' funnel plot was used to assess whether there was publication bias. RESULTS: 62 studies from 18 articles were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity was 0.82 (95% CI: 0.78-0.85), specificity was 0.80 (95% CI: 0.76-0.83), PLR was 4. 1 (95% CI: 3.4-4.9), NLR was 0.23 (95% CI: 0.19-0.28), DOR was 18 (95% CI: 13-25) and AUC was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.84-0.90). Subgroup analysis shows that the microRNA clusters of plasma type performed a better diagnostic accuracy of AD patients. In addition, publication bias was not found. CONCLUSIONS: Circulating microRNAs can be used as a promising non-invasive biomarker in AD diagnosis.

[Exploration of the method and efficacy of treatments for intractable pelvic pain caused by rectal or bladder fistula].

Objective: To explore the causes and therapeutic effects of pelvic pain caused by rectal fistula or bladder fistula after comprehensive treatment of cervical cancer and rectal cancer (radiotherapy, surgery, chemotherapy, and other treatments). Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical and pathological data of patients with pelvic tumors admitted to the First People's Hospital of Yinchuan City, Ningxia and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University from June 2016 to June 2022. The causes of persistent pelvic pain in patients after comprehensive treatment was investigated, and the corresponding therapeutic effects after clinical treatment was observed. Results: Thirty-two tumor patients experienced persistent pain after comprehensive treatment, including 22 cases of cervical cancer and 10 cases of rectal cancer. The preoperative pain of the entire group of patients was evaluated using the digital grading method, with a pain score of (7.88±1.31) points. Among the 32 patients, there were 16 cases of rectovaginal fistula or ileovaginal fistula, 9 cases of vesicovaginal fistula, 5 cases of rectoperineal fistula, and 2 cases of vesicovaginorectal fistula. Thirty-two patients were initially treated with medication to relieve pain, and according to the ruptured organs, a fistula was made to the corresponding proximal intestinal canal and renal pelvis to intercept the intestinal contents and urine. However, the pain did not significantly be improved. The pain score of treatment with the above methods for one week was (8.13±1.13) points, and there was no statistically significant difference compared to preoperative treatment (P=0.417). In the later stage, based on a comprehensive evaluation of whether the tumor had recurred, the value of organ preservation, the benefits of surgery, the balance between survival time and improving quality of life, pathological organ resection or repair was performed. The surgical methods included repair of leaks, local debridement combined with irrigation of proximal intestinal fluid, distal closure of the sigmoid colon combined with proximal ostomy, posterior pelvic organ resection, anterior pelvic organ resection, and total pelvic organ resection. One week after surgery, the patients' pain completely relieved or disappeared, with the pain score of (1.72±1.37) points, which was significantly divergent from the preoperative and initial surgical treatments (P＜0.001). Conclusions: Palliative pyelostomy and proximal enterostomy cannot effectively alleviate persistent pelvic floor pain. The fundamental way to alleviate pain is complete blocking of the inflammatory erosion of the intestinal fluid and urine.

Targeting glutamine metabolism exhibits anti-tumor effects in thyroid cancer.

BACKGROUND: Effective treatment for patients with advanced thyroid cancer is lacking. Metabolism reprogramming is required for cancer to undergo oncogenic transformation and rapid tumorigenic growth. Glutamine is frequently used by cancer cells for active bioenergetic and biosynthetic needs. This study aims to investigate whether targeting glutamine metabolism is a promising therapeutic strategy for thyroid cancer. METHODS: The expression of glutaminase (GLS) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) in thyroid cancer tissues was evaluated by immunohistochemistry, and glutamine metabolism-related genes were assessed using real time-qPCR and western blotting. The effects of glutamine metabolism inhibitor 6-diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine (DON) on thyroid cancer cells were determined by CCK-8, clone formation assay, Edu incorporation assay, flow cytometry, and Transwell assay. The mechanistic study was performed by real time-qPCR, western blotting, Seahorse assay, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometer assay. The effect of DON prodrug (JHU-083) on thyroid cancer in vivo was assessed using xenograft tumor models in BALB/c nude mice. RESULTS: GLS and GDH were over-expressed in thyroid cancer tissues, and GLS expression was positively associated with lymph-node metastasis and TNM stage. The growth of thyroid cancer cells was significantly inhibited when cultured in glutamine-free medium. Targeting glutamine metabolism with DON inhibited the proliferation of thyroid cancer cells. DON treatment did not promote apoptosis, but increased the proportion of cells in the S phase, accompanied by the decreased expression of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 and cyclin A. DON treatment also significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of thyroid cancer cells by reducing the expression of N-cadherin, Vimentin, matrix metalloproteinase-2, and matrix metalloproteinase-9. Non-essential amino acids, including proline, alanine, aspartate, asparagine, and glycine, were reduced in thyroid cancer cells treated with DON, which could explain the decrease of proteins involved in migration, invasion, and cell cycle. The efficacy and safety of DON prodrug (JHU-083) for thyroid cancer treatment were verified in a mouse model. In addition to suppressing the proliferation and metastasis potential of thyroid cancer in vivo, enhanced innate immune response was also observed in JHU-083-treated xenograft tumors as a result of decreased expression of cluster of differentiation 47 and programmed cell death ligand 1. CONCLUSIONS: Thyroid cancer exhibited enhanced glutamine metabolism, as evidenced by the glutamine dependence of thyroid cancer cells and high expression of multiple glutamine metabolism-related genes. Targeting glutamine metabolism with DON prodrug could be a promising therapeutic option for advanced thyroid cancer.

[Annual updates of pulmonary infectious diseases in 2023].

In 2023, a range of pulmonary infectious diseases remain a significant public health concern. Meanwhile, the growing problem of antibiotic resistance, rising tuberculosis cases with lagging control measures, and increased susceptibility to fungal pneumonia after viral infections, have complicated the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory infectious diseases. Despite these challenges, the year saw several significant research achievements in this field. Key advances include a deeper understanding of disease pathogenesis, improvements in pathogen detection technologies, the development of innovative antiviral and antibacterial drugs, progress in vaccine research, and advances in pulmonary rehabilitation methods. This review provided a concise summary of these key findings in 2023, with the aim of providing insights for future research and healthcare initiatives.

[Different methods in predicting mortality of pediatric intensive care units sepsis in Southwest China].

Objective: To investigate the value of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), pediatric sequential organ failure assessment (pSOFA) and pediatric critical illness score (PCIS) in predicting mortality of pediatric sepsis in pediatric intensive care units (PICU) from Southwest China. Methods: This was a prospective multicenter observational study. A total of 447 children with sepsis admitted to 12 PICU in Southwest China from April 2022 to March 2023 were enrolled. Based on the prognosis, the patients were divided into survival group and non-survival group. The physiological parameters of SIRS, pSOFA and PCIS were recorded and scored within 24 h after PICU admission. The general clinical data and some laboratory results were recorded. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve was used to compare the predictive value of SIRS, pSOFA and PCIS in mortality of pediatric sepsis. Results: Amongst 447 children with sepsis, 260 patients were male and 187 patients were female, aged 2.5 (0.8, 7.0) years, 405 patients were in the survival group and 42 patients were in the non-survival group. 418 patients (93.5%) met the criteria of SIRS, and 440 patients (98.4%) met the criteria of pSOFA≥2. There was no significant difference in the number of items meeting the SIRS criteria between the survival group and the non-survival group (3(2, 4) vs. 3(3, 4) points, Z=1.30, P=0.192). The pSOFA score of the non-survival group was significantly higher than that of the survival group (9(6, 12) vs. 4(3, 7) points, Z=6.56, P<0.001), and the PCIS score was significantly lower than that of the survival group (72(68, 81) vs. 82(76, 88) points, Z=5.90, P<0.001). The predictive value of pSOFA (AUC=0.82) and PCIS (AUC=0.78) for sepsis mortality was significantly higher than that of SIRS (AUC=0.56) (Z=6.59, 4.23, both P<0.001). There was no significant difference between pSOFA and PCIS (Z=1.35, P=0.176). Platelet count, procalcitonin, lactic acid, albumin, creatinine, total bilirubin, activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time and international normalized ratio were all able to predict mortality of sepsis to a certain degree (AUC=0.64, 0.68, 0.80, 0.64, 0.68, 0.60, 0.77, 0.75, 0.76, all P<0.05). Conclusion: Compared with SIRS, both pSOFA and PCIS had better predictive value in the mortality of pediatric sepsis in PICU.

[Effectiveness of comprehensive echinococcosis control measures with emphasis on management of infectious source in Sichuan Province from 2010 to 2022].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of comprehensive echinococcosis control measures with emphasis on management of infectious source in Sichuan Province from 2010 to 2022, so as to provide insights into formulation of future control interventions. METHODS: Data pertaining to comprehensive echinococcosis control measures with emphasis on management of infectious source and echinococcosis surveillance in Sichuan Province from 2010 to 2022 were collected. The effectiveness of comprehensive echinococcosis control measures with emphasis on management of infectious source was evaluated with prevalence of human echinococcosis, detection of newly diagnosed echinococcosis patients, prevalence of Echinococcus infection in domestic dogs, prevalence of cystic echinococcosis in livestock, prevalence of alveolar echinococcosis in small mammals and awareness of echinococcosis control knowledge, and Spearman's rank correlation analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of human echinococcosis reduced from 1.08% in 2010 to 0.40% in 2022 in Sichuan Province (χ2 = 1 482.97, P < 0.05), with a reduction from 0.30% to 0.02% in the detection of newly diagnosed echinococcosis cases (χ2 = 2 776.41, P < 0.05), a reduction from 15.87% to 0.46% in the prevalence of Echinococcus infection in domestic dogs (χ2 = 20 823.96, P < 0.05), a reduction from 8.05% to 1.07% in the prevalence of cystic echinococcosis in livestock (χ2 = 1 296.02, P < 0.05), and the awareness of echinococcosis control knowledge increased from 50.65% to 95.24% (χ2 = 34 938.63, P < 0.05); in addition, there was a year-specific prevalence rate of alveolar echinococcosis in small mammals (χ2 = 164.07, P < 0.05). Spearman's rank correlation analysis revealed that the detection of newly diagnosed echinococcosis cases correlated positively with the prevalence of Echinococcus infections in domestic dogs (rs = 0.823, P < 0.05) and the prevalence of cystic echinococcosis in livestock (rs = 0.795, P < 0.05), and correlated negatively with the awareness of echinococcosis control knowledge (rs = - 0.918, P < 0.05), and the prevalence of Echinococcus infection in domestic dogs correlated positively with the prevalence of cystic echinococcosis in livestock (rs = 0.753, P < 0.05) and negatively with the awareness of echinococcosis control knowledge (rs = -0.747, P < 0.05); however, there was no correlation between the prevalence of Echinococcus infections in domestic dogs and the prevalence of alveolar echinococcosis in small mammals (rs = -0.750, P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The comprehensive echinococcosis control measures with emphasis on management of infectious source had achieved remarkable effectiveness in Sichuan Province; however, the transmission chain of echinococcosis has not been interrupted. Reinforced comprehensive echinococcosis control measures with emphasis on management of infectious source and sustained tracking evaluation of the effectiveness are recommended in Sichuan Province.

[Retrospective study of 70 cases with the head and neck non-parameningeal rhabdomyosarcoma].

Objective: To analyze the treatment outcomes and prognoses of children with head and neck non-parameningeal rhabdomyosarcoma (HNnPM RMS). Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of children with HNnPM RMS admitted to Beijing Children's Hospital from September 2012 to September 2022. The clinical features, comprehensive treatment modes and prognoses of the patients were analyzed. The overall survival rate (OS) and event free survival rate (EFS) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and univariate analysis was performed using the Log-rank test. Results: A total of 70 children were included in this study, 38 males and 32 females, with a median age of 47 months (2-210 months). Pathological subtypes including the embryonal in 27 cases, the alveolar in 36 cases and the spindle cell and sclerosing in 7 cases. Thirty children (83.3%) with alveolar type were positive for FOXO1 gene fusion. All 70 children underwent chemotherapy, including 38 with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and 32 with adjuvant chemotherapy. Sixty of 70 children underwent surgery, of whom, 10 underwent two or more surgeries. There were 63 children underwent radiotherapy, including 54 with intensity-modulated radiation therapy, 4 with particle implantation and 5 with proton therapy. The median follow-up was 45 (5-113) months, the 5-year OS was 73.2%, and the 5-year EFS was 57.7%. Univariate analysis showed lymph node metastasis (χ2=5.022, P=0.025), distant metastasis (χ2=8.258, P=0.004), and high Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study (IRS) group (χ2=9.859, P=0.029) as risk factors for poor prognosis. Before June 2016, the 5-year OS based on BCH-RMS-2006 scheme was 63.6%, and after 2016, the 5-year OS based on CCCG-RMS-2016 scheme was 79.6%. Conclusion: Multidisciplinary combined standardized treatment can offer good treatment outcome and prognosis for children with HNnPM RMS. Local control is a key to the efficacy of comprehensive treatment.