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Bo Sun,1 Xuewei Cao,2 Ming Xin,3 Ruiqian Guan4 1Neurology Department, The 962nd Hospital of the PLA Joint Logistic Support Force, Harbin, People’s Republic of China; 2Cardiopulmonary Department, Jiamusi Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Harbin, People’s Republic of China; 3Neurology Department, Xin Wanhe Acupuncture Clinic, Harbin, People’s Republic of China; 4Massage Department, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Ruiqian Guan, Email 196224917@qq.comAbstract: Depression is a prevalent mental disorder and has a profound impact on an individual’s psychological and physical well-being. It is characterized by a persistently depressed mood, loss of interest, energy loss, and cognitive dysfunction. In recent years, more and more people have changed to mental diseases, such as depression, anxiety, mania and so on. In the incidence of depression, covering all ages, but still mainly young and middle-aged women. Traditional treatments for depression mainly rely on medication and psychotherapy, but these methods are not effective for all patients and are often accompanied by certain side effects. Therefore, finding safe and effective alternative or adjuvant treatments has become a priority. Here we highlight the research progress of acupuncture in the treatment of depression and to explore the mechanism of acupuncture in the treatment of depression. Acupuncture treatment of depression is an ancient and effective method, the mechanism involves multiple biological pathways, for example, by regulating neurotransmitter levels, regulating the neuroendocrine axis, improving neuroplasticity, anti-inflammatory and other effects, improving emotional state and play an antidepressant role. To provide evidence to support the widespread use of acupuncture in clinical practice. We hope to provide new treatment ideas and methods for patients with depression, and even reduce the inc

Guanghua Yang,1,* Jiaxi Pu,1,* Sibo Zhu,2 Yong Shi,3 Yi Yang,3 Jiangnan Mao,3 Yongkang Sun,1 Bin Zhao1 1Department of General Surgery, Seventh People’s Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200137, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, People’s Republic of China; 3Cinoasia Institute, Shanghai, 200438, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Bin Zhao, Department of General Surgery, Seventh People’s Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 358, Datong Road, Gaoqiao, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 200137, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 13918468421, Email zhaobin0727@sina.com Yongkang Sun, Department of Ultrasound, Seventh People’s Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 358, Datong Road, Gaoqiao, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 200137, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 13601659860, Email elangwang@126.comBackground: Thyroidectomy is commonly performed for benign or malignant thyroid tumors, often resulting in hypothyroidism. Levothyroxine (LT4) supplementation is crucial to maintain hormone levels within the normal range and suppress TSH for cancer control. However, determining the optimal dosage remains challenging, leading to uncertain outcomes and potential side effects.Methods: We analyzed clinical examination data from 510 total thyroidectomy patients, including demographic information, blood tests, and thyroid function. Using R, we applied data preprocessing techniques and identified 274 samples with 98 variables. Principal Component Analysis, correlation analysis, and regression analysis were conducted to identify factors associated with optimal LT4 dosage.Results: The analysis revealed that only eight variables significantly influenced the final satisfactory dosage of LT4 in tablets: Benign0/Malignant1 (benign or malignant), BQB (el

Yi-Jun Feng,1,* Bing-Quan Wang,1,* Lu-Lu Cao,2 Li-Ying Dong,3 Chu-Yi Zhang,1 Dong-Jian Hu,1 Zhen Zhou,3 Jin-Xiu Cao4 1Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, People’s Republic of China; 2Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Encephalopathy and Acupuncture, Second Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 300250, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Geriatrics, Shanghai Eighth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, 200235, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Zhen Zhou, Department of Encephalopathy and Acupuncture, Second Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 69 of Zengchan Road, Hebei District, Tianjin, 300250, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-2260637106, Email zhouzhenzzzen@126.com Jin-Xiu Cao, Department of Geriatrics, Shanghai Eighth People’s Hospital, No. 8 Caobao Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200235, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-13502089031, Email caojinxui8f6@126.comObjective: This study was to investigate the mechanism of action and clinical efficacy of fire-needle therapy in improving neurological function in patients with acute cerebral infarction (identified as a wind-phlegm-blood stasis syndrome in traditional Chinese medicine).Methods: We included patients diagnosed with acute cerebral infarction (wind-phlegm-blood stasis syndrome) admitted to the Encephalopathy and Acupuncture Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Tianjin University of Chinese Medicine. We randomly allocated them into the treatment and control groups, with 45 cases in each group. Acupuncture treatments that focused on regulating the mind and dredging the collaterals were used in the control group, while the treatment group additionally received fire-needle therapy. Our indicators included the National

Christopher T Lim,1,2 Cara Fuchs,1 John Torous3 1Department of Psychiatry, Boston Medical Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; 2Population Health Services, Boston Medical Center Health System, Boston, MA, USA; 3Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USACorrespondence: Christopher T Lim, Department of Psychiatry, Boston Medical Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, 85 East Concord Street, 5th Floor, Boston, MA, 02118, USA, Tel +1 617 414 4238, Email christopher.lim@bmc.orgAbstract: The unmet need for mental health care continues to rise across the world. This article synthesizes the evidence supporting the components of a hypothetical model of integrated digital mental health care to meet population-wide mental health needs. This proposed model integrates two approaches to broadening timely access to effective care: integrated, primary care-based mental health services and digital mental health tools. The model solves for several of the key challenges historically faced by digital health, through promoting digital literacy and access, the curation of evidence-based digital tools, integration into clinical practice, and electronic medical record integration. This model builds upon momentum toward the integration of mental health services within primary care and aligns with the principles of the Collaborative Care Model. Finally, the authors present the major next steps toward implementation of integrated digital mental health care at scale.Keywords: digital health, psychiatry, integrated care, primary care

Nicole Unger-Manhart,1,* Martina Morokutti-Kurz,1,* Petra U Zieglmayer,2,3 Patrick Lemell,2 Markus Savli,4 René Zieglmayer,2 Eva Prieschl-Grassauer1 1Marinomed Biotech AG, Korneuburg, Austria; 2Vienna Challenge Chamber, Vienna, Austria; 3Competence Center for Allergology and Immunology, Karl Landsteiner University, Krems, Austria; 4Biostatistik & Consulting GmbH, Zurich, Switzerland*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Eva Prieschl-Grassauer, Marinomed Biotech AG, Hovengasse 25, Korneuburg, 2100, Austria, Tel +43 226292300, Email office@marinomed.comPurpose: Nonpharmacological, barrier-forming nasal sprays are used to manage symptoms of allergic rhinitis. We aim to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Callergin (investigational product, IP), a nasal spray containing barrier-forming iota-carrageenan, in the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR).Methods: In this randomized, controlled, crossover trial, adults with grass pollen allergy underwent a treatment sequence with IP, VisAlpin (comparator product, CP), and no treatment in random order. Treatment blocks consisted in prophylactic administration of the assigned treatment or no treatment, followed by a 3-hr allergen exposure, and were separated by a washout period of 7 days. Primary endpoint was a mean change from baseline in “Total Nasal Symptom Score” (TNSS, sum of rhinorrhea, itching, sneezing, and congestion scores) over 3 hr, recorded every 15 min during the challenge period.Results: A total of 42 participants underwent randomization. Exposure to grass pollen for 3 hr induced a notable TNSS increase from baseline in all participants at all times. Mean TNSS change from baseline over 3 hr was lower when participants received IP compared to no treatment, although the difference did not reach statistical significance (untreated 6.96 ± 2.30; IP 6.59 ± 1.93; difference 0.37 points [95% CI (confidence interval) − 0.17 to 0.91]; p=0.170). In a post-hoc ana

Kebing Lv,1,* Xiaoye Cheng,1– 3,* Yulan Zhou,1– 3 Min Yu,1– 3 Shixuan Wang,1– 3 Huimin Shen,1 Fei Li1– 3 1Center of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, People’s Republic of China; 2Jiangxi Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Nanchang, People’s Republic of China; 3Institute of Lymphoma and Myeloma, Nanchang University, Nanchang, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Fei Li, Email ndyfy01238@ncu.edu.cnBackground: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) patients who need intensive care usually have multiple organ failure and poor prognosis. However, the clinical characteristics, therapeutic efficacy and outcome in these critically ill HLH patients have remained unclear.Methods: We performed a retrospective study of 50 critically ill HLH patients from September 2013 to October 2022. Patients’ information was collected, and the overall survival rate was estimated.Results: Fifty HLH patients need intensive care, and the median sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score was 8. 66.00% patients had septic shock, 60.00% had disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and 56.00% had acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). 64.00% patients needed vasoactive drugs, 60.00% needed invasive or non-invasive positive pressure mechanical ventilation, and 12.00% needed continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). Among 18 patients received the etoposide-based regimens, the median time for 17 patients to remove ECG monitoring was 13 days (4– 30 days); the median time to remove respiratory support in 10 patients was 8.5 days (4– 21 days); the median time for 5 patient to convert from dominant DIC to non-dominant DIC was 4 days (1– 14 days) and the median time for 6 patients to stop using vasoactive drugs was 10 days (2– 14 days). After 4 weeks of treatment, 7 patients were evaluated as NR, 6 achieved PR, and 5 could not be e

Abdinasir Mohamed Elmi,1 Abdiwahid Ahmed Ibrahim,2 Mohamed Sheikh Hassan,2,3 Faisal Abdi Osoble Osman,1 Cihan Çelik,1 Abdikadir Mohamed Dirie,1 Ismail Gedi Ibrahim1 1Radiology Department, Mogadishu Somali Turkish Training and Research Hospital, Mogadishu, Somalia; 2Neurology Department, Mogadishu Somali Turkish Training and Research Hospital, Mogadishu, Somalia; 3Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Mogadishu University, Mogadishu, SomaliaCorrespondence: Abdinasir Mohamed Elmi, Radiology Department, Mogadishu Somali Turkish Training and Research Hospital, Mogadishu, Somalia, Email taagsade001@gmail.comIntroduction: Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by abnormal, fast, synchronous neuronal discharge from the cerebral cortex. This abnormal excitation of the brain is usually short and self-limiting and can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Neuroimaging and electroencephalography (EEG) are two widely used techniques to differentiate, verify, or exclude the diagnosis of epilepsy. The study aims to identify the frequency of EEG and MRI abnormalities in pediatric epilepsy and their correlations, aiming to improve diagnostic and treatment methods for these children.Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional retrospective study, we evaluated pediatric patients aged 0– 18 years who visited the Neurology Polyclinic between July 2022 and July 2023, were diagnosed with epilepsy in accordance with the ILAE 2014 epilepsy guidelines, and had undergone neuroimaging at the hospital’s radiology department. Demographic information and clinical data, including the patient’s age, gender, history of trauma, and congenital infection, were assessed. In all patients, a surface electroencephalogram (EEG) and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed.Results: Our study recruited 102 pediatric patients aged between 0– 18 years, including 63 (61.8%) boys and 39 (37.2%) girls. An electroencephalogram (EEG) and MRI study have been done on all pa

Mohammed A Jeraiby Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Mohammed A Jeraiby, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Tel +966-544589494, Email Mojer2011@hotmail.com; mmojer@jazanu.edu.saPurpose: One of the most important aspects of post-analytical laboratory activity is the notification of critical results. Therefore, the aim of this study was to illustrate and analyze the prevalence of critical result values of our clinical laboratory investigations during the pandemic stages of coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) and other research pre-pandemic stages.Methods: The seven-month study was conducted between May 2020 and November 2020. Laboratory data of critical results were collected in this retrospective cohort.Results: In total, 221,384 routine tests and 84,451 STAT tests were performed in our clinical laboratory. Of the 3183 (1.44%) tests result was identified as having Critical values, consisting of 2220 (69.74%) and 963 (30.25%) tests in biochemistry and hematology assays. Among the tests with critical values, 39.6% of which were from emergency department (ED) as STAT testing (1262) and 60.3% (1921) as TAT testing. Testing was found in routine inpatients and outpatients, 58% and 2.3%, respectively, and the most frequent parameter notified was sodium.Conclusion: In our practice, we observed that the higher level of frequency of critical values results is related to inpatients, contradicting several researchers reporting that the higher percentages of critical values were from ED. Keywords: critical values limits, critical values notification, STAT tests, TAT tests, coronavirus-19

Xinshui Wang,1 Zheren Huang,2 Yan Ma2 1Department of Endocrinology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, 213003, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, 213003, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yan Ma, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, 213003, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-0-13813693377, Email mayan19820117@126.comBackground: This study aimed to develop and validate a model to predict histologic chorioamnionitis (HCA) risk in late preterm and term premature rupture of membranes (PROM) patients using clinical and laboratory parameters.Methods: We conducted a retrospective study on 116 late preterm and term PROM cases, divided into a training (n=81) and a validation set (n=35). A multivariable logistic regression model was developed using the training set. Performance was assessed via the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and net reclassification index (NRI). Decision curve analysis (DCA) evaluated the model’s clinical utility. Additionally, nomograms and a web version of the model were developed.Results: In the training set, the combined model constructed using maternal BMI, gravidity, amniotic fluid characteristics, and prenatal white blood cell (WBC) count showed significantly higher AUC than WBC alone (0.859 vs 0.710, P=0.010), with improved accuracy and sensitivity. In the validation set, the AUC of the combined model remained higher than that of WBC, but the difference was not statistically significant (0.728 vs 0.584, P=0.173). NRI analysis indicated that the combined model improved the correct classification of HCA by 25.0% (P=0.012) compared to that of WBC alone. DCA demonstrated that the combined model had a higher net benefit than WBC in most cases. The nomograms and web version of the model provided convenient tools fo

Huangqi Duan,* Yu Shen,* Chen Wang, Weimin Xia, Shun Zhang, Shenggen Yu, Ding Xu, Qifeng Cao, Hailong Liu, Haibo Shen Department of Urology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Hailong Liu; Haibo Shen, Department of Urology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, Email liuhailong@xinhuamed.com.cn; shenhaibo@xinhuamed.com.cnBackground: Cuproptosis-related gene and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) modulation of cancer regulation is well-established. This investigation aimed to elucidate the prognostic implications of cuproptosis-associated lncRNAs in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC).Methods: Employing the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and IMvigor210 cohorts, bioinformatics and statistical analyses probed the prognostic relevance of cuproptosis-related lncRNAs.Results: Co-expression analysis revealed tight associations between lncRNA expression and cuproptosis-linked genes, with 13 cuproptosis-related lncRNAs found to correlate with MIBC prognosis. Lasso regression identified a six-lncRNA prognostic signature, enabling patient stratification into high- and low-risk categories. Tissue validation substantiated differential expression of FAM13A-AS1, GHRLOS, LINC00456, OPA1-AS1, RAP2C-AS1, and UBE2Q1-AS1 between MIBC tumor and normal tissues. Comparative analyses of tumor microenvironments and immune profiles between risk groups disclosed elevated immunosuppressive molecule expression, including programmed cell death-1 (PD-L1) and T-cell immunoglobulin-3 (TIM-3), in high-risk individuals.Conclusion: These findings suggest that cuproptosis-related lncRNAs may modulate the expression of immunosuppressive molecules, thereby influencing MIBC tumorigenesis and progression. Further exploration is warranted to unveil novel therapeutic targets for MIBC based on

Feyza Aksu, Said Abdirahman Ahmed Department of Cardiology, Mogadishu Somalia Turkish Training and Research Hospital, Mogadishu, SomaliaCorrespondence: Said Abdirahman Ahmed, Mogadishu Somalia Turkish Training and Research Hospital, Mogadishu, Somalia, Digfer Road, Mogadishu, Somalia, Tel +252615583381, Email saciidcabdi114@gmail.comAim: Coronary artery diseases (CAD) are chronic disorders in which atherosclerosis plays a major role in their pathogenesis. Their severity is directly related to cardiovascular outcomes. The assessment of Coronary Artery severity is quite complex, in which different parameters are used, such as the gensini score, syntax score, etc.Methods: This was a retrospective study of adult (≥ 18 years) patients who underwent angiography in Mogadishu Somali Türkiye Training and Research Hospital from June 2022 to September 2023. Gensini scores were calculated to determine the extent and severity of atherosclerosis among patients with coronary artery disease.Results: A total of 278 participants (78% male and 22%% women) were analyzed. Their risk factors were assessed with hypertension being the leading risk factor (48%). While a significant relationship was found between gensini score and dyslipidemia in patients with chronic ischemic heart disease (p 0.035), no significance was found with other risk factors On the other hand, the Gensini score had a significant correlation with the final decision of management (medical, PCI vs CABG).Conclusion: This study indicated that the Gensini score can be used as a guide for CAD decisions.Keywords: stable coronary artery disease, acute coronary syndrome, Gensini score

Hassan A Alzahrani Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Hassan A Alzahrani, Email hahassan@kku.edu.saObjective: This study aimed to assess the presence and type of malignancy in patients who underwent thyroid surgery for solitary thyroid nodules.Methods: A retrospective review was performed of the case notes of all adult patients with solitary thyroid nodules who underwent thyroid surgery from 1 January 2019 to 31 October 2022. All patients had solitary thyroid nodules identified by ultrasonography. The electronic records of our pathology department were used to determine the pathological diagnosis.Results: Forty-two patients with solitary thyroid nodules underwent thyroid surgery. The mean age at presentation was 39.1 ± 12.6 years, and 76.2% of patients were female. The malignancy rate was 31%. Further histopathological analysis found that malignant solitary thyroid nodules were mostly papillary carcinoma.Conclusion: This study indicates that solitary thyroid nodules should be evaluated thoroughly and treated with a high index of suspicion because they have a high chance (31%) of being malignant.Keywords: thyroid, endocrine, surgery, solitary thyroid nodule, malignancy

Sarah M Amin, Ahmed Hasanin, Nashwa Talaat Ghanem, Maha Mostafa, Nashwa Elzayat, Mona Elsherbiny, Yaser Abdelwahab Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, EgyptCorrespondence: Ahmed Hasanin, Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Cairo University, Faculty of Medicine, 01 Elsarayah Street, Elmanyal, Cairo, 11559, Egypt, Fax +20224168736, Email ahmedmohamedhasanin@gmail.comBackground: Post-spinal hypotension is associated with maternal and neonatal complications; therefore, prompt control maternal blood pressure is necessary. In this study, we aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of two norepinephrine bolus doses in the rescue management of severe maternal hypotension during elective Cesarean delivery.Methods: We included full-term pregnant women scheduled for Cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia. Patients were randomized to receive either 5-mcg norepinephrine (n=79) or 10-mcg norepinephrine (n=79) for treatment of severe postspinal hypotension (systolic blood pressure ≤ 60% of baseline reading). The management of the hypotensive episode was considered successful if systolic blood pressure was > 80% of the baseline within 2 mins of the bolus. The primary outcome was the incidence of successful management of severe post-spinal hypotension. Secondary outcomes included the incidence of reactive bradycardia, reactive hypertension, umbilical blood gases, and neonatal Apgar score at 5-min post-delivery.Results: We included 73 patients in the 5-mcg group and 76 patients in the 10-mcg group into the final analysis. The incidence of successful management of severe hypotensive episodes was comparable between the two groups (43/73 [59%] and 46/76 [60%] in the 5-and 10-mcg group, respectively, P=0.917). The incidence of reactive hypertension, bradycardia, and neonatal outcomes were comparable between the two groups.Conclusion: In mothers undergoing Cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia, 10-mcg norepinephrine bo

Mohamed Omar Hassan,1 Said Abdirahman Ahmed,1 Mohamed Sheikh Hassan,2 Diyar Köprülü1 1Department of Cardiology, Mogadishu Somali Turkish Training and Research Hospital, Mogadishu, Somalia; 2Department of Neurology, Mogadishu Somali Turkish Training and Research Hospital, Mogadishu, SomaliaCorrespondence: Mohamed Omar Hassan, Email drmohamedyalax@gmail.comIntroduction: The door-to-balloon time, the time between a patient’s arrival at the hospital and percutaneous coronary intervention, is crucial for managing myocardial infarction. Aiming for less than 90 minutes is recommended, as shortened times are associated with improved outcomes. However, limited healthcare resources, infrastructure, transportation and poverty impact management, leading to poorer outcomes and delayed door to balloon time. Addressing these challenges and their causes is essential for optimal care.Methodology: A retrospective analysis of 103 patients’ medical history records from May 2022 to June 2023 at the Mogadishu Somali Turkish Training and Research Hospital in Somalia was conducted. The data was mainly collected from the hospital’s electronic medical records system, analyzing patient demographics, clinical characteristics, and angiographical records. The study analyzed variables responsible for door-to-balloon (D2B) time delay, patient angiography results, cause of delay, procedure length, etc.Results: A study of 103 patients who had angiography performed between May 2022 and July 2023 was done. The predominant gender in the study was 73% male, with a mean age of 58 years. The most common risk factors were hypertension (33%), smoking (38%), and diabetes (39%). Of all the vessels, the Left Anterior Descending (LAD) was the most commonly obstructed (63%). Time delays from door-to-balloon were frequent, median door-to-balloon time was 169 minutes, frequently brought on by social problems and financial limitations. The majority (77.4%) of the patients had only percutaneous angiography

Yuguo Liu,1 Bo Zhang,1 Haichen Lv,1 Yifan Zhu,2 Xuchen Zhou,1 Hao Zhu,1 Lei Guo1 1Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Cardiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Lei Guo; Hao Zhu, Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 222 Zhongshan Road, Dalian City, 116011, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 411-83635963 ; +86 411-83635963, Email leiguo@dmu.edu.cn; drhaozhudmu@163.comObjective: To investigate the precise changes in the lumen and lesions, and clinical outcomes after DCB treatment for de-novo coronary lesions exceeding 2.5 mm in diameter through a detailed analysis of OCT.Methods: This is a prospective study including 53 consecutive patients with 55 de-novo coronary lesions, who underwent DCB angioplasty-only between January 2021 and April 2022. Quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) and OCT were performed before percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), immediately after PCI, and at 6– 9 months follow-up after PCI. Target lesion failure (TLF) was the primary endpoint of the present study. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the predictors or risks for late lumen enlargement (LLE).Results: A total of 52 patients were successfully treated with DCB. The median follow-up was 7 months, and the incidence of TLF was 7.5%. After the DCB procedure, 43 patients had their scheduled angiographic and OCT examination. QCA demonstrated that the late lumen loss was − 0.79 ± 0.28 mm. OCT demonstrated LLE in 79.1% and dissection healing in 65.1% of lesions. After multivariable logistic analysis, type B dissection (odds ratio [OR] 2.92, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34– 7.41, p = 0.037) was found to be a predictor of LLE, but lipid plaque (OR 0.09, 95% CI 0.01– 0.63, p = 0.015) was a risk of LLE.Conclusion: This is the fi

Anh Tuan Tran,1– 3,* Dinh Minh Nguyen,4,* Quang Hien Tran,5,6 Quang Hung Nguyen,7 Thu Ha Nguyen Thi,1 Do Quyen Tran Thi,1 Hong Nhung Luu,1 Yen Mai Do Thi1 1Radiology Center, Bach Mai Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam; 2Radiology Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hanoi National University, Hanoi, Vietnam; 3Stroke and Brain Vascular Disease Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hanoi National University, Hanoi, Vietnam; 4Radiology Department, Viet Duc Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam; 5An Giang Department of Health, An Giang, Vietnam; 6Obstetrics and Gynecology, an Giang Women’s and Children’s Hospital, An Giang, Vietnam; 7Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Center, Bach Mai Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Quang Hien Tran, An Giang Department of Health, Obstetrics and Gynecology, an Giang Women’s and Children’s hospital, 15 Le Trieu Kiet Street, Long Xuyen City, An Giang, Vietnam, Tel +84913104293, Email tranquanghienag@yahoo.comObjective: To evaluate the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided needle aspiration in treating lactating breast abscesses.Methods: This study was conducted in Bach Mai Hospital, from 6/2020 to 7/2021. Lactating patients with breast abscesses underwent ultrasound-guided aspiration followed by antibiotics therapy.Results: There were 59 lactating patients with 82 breast abscesses. Most of the abscesses had heterogeneous echogenicity, no capsule, and a size smaller than 5cm. Bacterial culture results showed that 85.4% of cases were Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The number of aspirations was from 1 to 5. The cure rate was 91.5%, and 5.3% of these cases had a complication associated with galactocele after treatment.Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided needle aspiration is a minimally invasive treatment option for lactating breast abscesses with a high complete cure rate and good cosmetic results.Keywords: breast abscess, ultrasound-guided needle aspirati

Zhijian Wu,1– 3 Xiaotian Jin,1 Ilyas Tudahun,1 Shangjie Wu,2,3 Mingxian Chen,1 Jianjun Tang1 1Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, People’s Republic of China; 3Hunan Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, Changsha, 410011, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Jianjun Tang; Mingxian Chen, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, No. 139 Middle Renmin Road, Furong District, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, People’s Republic of China, Fax + 86 731 85533525, Email tom200210@csu.edu.cn; xymingxianchen@csu.edu.cnBackground and Aims: Whether IMH can directly cause persistent myocardial necrosis after reperfusion therapy in STEMI patients is still unclear. We conducted a prospective study to compare the cardiovascular parameters in patients with STEMI with and without IMH to explore the potential correlations between IMH and poor outcomes.Methods and Results: We prospectively enrolled 65 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed STEMI admitted to the CCU of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University between April 2019 and November 2021, all of whom underwent primary PCI. Of these, 38 (58.5%) and 27 (41.5%) patients were in the IMH-absent and IMH-present groups, respectively. At a mean time of 5– 7 days after reperfusion therapy, the volume of MI measured using LGE sequence was larger in STEMI patients with IMH than in patients without IMH (34.2 ± 12.7 cm3 vs 21.1 ± 13.1 cm3, P< 0.001). HsTNT levels were significantly higher in the IMH-present group than in the IMH-absent [2500.0 (1681.5– 4307.0) pg/mL vs 1710.0 (203.0– 3363.5) pg/mL, P=0.021] group during hospitalization. The LVEF measured using CMR in the IMH-present group was lower than that in the IMH-abs

Sura Markos,1 Mohammed Nasir,2 Muluken Ahmed,3 Sintayehu Abebe,4 Mebratu Ayele Amogne,4 Demu Tesfaye,4 Tigist Seleshi Mekonnen,4 Yitagesu Getachew Getachew5 1Internal Medicine Department, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia; 2Pediatrics Department, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia; 3Pediatrics Department, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia; 4Internal Medicine Department, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; 5Internal Medicine Department, Yekatit 12 Teaching Hospital, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Sura Markos, Internal Medicine Department, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia, Email surmark430@gmail.comBackground: A pacemaker is a device implanted in the chest to help people with symptomatic bradycardia and life-threatening irregular rhythm. However, it is also associated with many complications. Therefore, this study evaluated pacemaker-related complications and factors associated with them, as there is little data on pacemaker-related complications in sub-Saharan Africa and Ethiopia.Methods: The study was conducted on 118 patients over 18 years old who had pacemakers implanted between 2017 and 2022 at Tikur Anbessa Comprehensive Specialized Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia who were reviewed by the authors from September 2022 to December 2022. Sociodemographic factors, clinical characteristics, and complications data were extracted using a structured questionnaire by retrospective review of patient records. The chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test was performed to evaluate factors associated with complications.Results: The median age of patients was 60.5 years (IQR = 15 years), with men accounting for 50.8% of patients. Hypertension was the most common comorbidity (64.2%). Symptomatic grade 3 AV block was the most common indication (78.8%) for pacemaker implantation. With a mean follow-up of 3.92 ± 1.94 years, 15.3% of patients had complications. Pneumothorax, pocket site infection, and lead dislodgement were the most common c

Griennasty Clawdya Siahaya, Joan Herly Herwawan, Fandro Armando Tasijawa Faculty of Health, Universitas Kristen Indonesia Maluku, Ambon City, Maluku Province, IndonesiaCorrespondence: Fandro Armando Tasijawa, Faculty of Health, Universitas Kristen Indonesia Maluku, Ambon City, Maluku Province, Indonesia, Email fandrotasidjawa@gmail.com

Qiankun Zhang,1,2 Zhuoqin Ren,3– 5 Jie Li,1,2 Zhengping Zou3– 5 1Department of Nephrology, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou University, Lishui, Zheiang, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Nephrology, Lishui Central Hospital, Lishui, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Nephrology and Rheumatology, Qianjiang Central Hospital, Qianjiang, Hubei, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Nephrology and Rheumatology, Qianjiang Hospital Affiliated to Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Qianjiang, Hubei, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Nephrology and Rheumatology, Qianjiang Clinical College of Yangtze University, Qianjiang, Hubei, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Zhengping Zou, Email zouzhengping@foxmail.comObjective: This research aimed to explore the correlation between antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs) and complement activation in lupus nephritis (LN) patients.Methods: A retrospective analysis was carried out on patients diagnosed with LN based on renal biopsy from June 2019 to June 2022. The study assessed levels of IgM, IgA, and IgG subtypes of anticardiolipin antibodies (aCLs) and anti-β 2-glycoprotein I (anti-β 2-GPI) antibodies. Pathological and clinical data were collected concurrently with the renal biopsy.Results: The analysis included 76 LN patients, with 44.7% testing positive for aPLs. LN patients with positive aPLs exhibited increased hematuria, higher SLEDAI scores, reduced serum C3 and C4 levels, and more C1q deposits in the glomerulus compared to those with negative aPLs (P< 0.05). Correlation analysis demonstrated the inverse relationships between IgG-aCL levels and serum C3 and C4 levels (r=− 0.29, P=0.005; r=− 0.24, P=0.016, respectively), as well as a positive correlation with C4 deposits in the glomerulus (r=0.20, P=0.041).Conclusion: This investigation suggests that aPLs, particularly IgG-aCLs, may be associated with the severity of LN and could contribute to the activatio

Yiming Chen,1,2 Jian Liu,1,2 Chengzhi Cong,1 Yang Li,1 Yuedi Hu1 1The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, 230038, People’s Republic of China; 2Anhui Key Laboratory of Application and Development of Internal medicine of Modern Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, 230038, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Jian Liu, Email liujianahzy@126.comObjective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) on endpoint events in patients with gouty arthritis (GA).Methods and Materials: A total of 2091 hospitalized GA patients were followed up by telephone, and propensity score matching (PSM) was used to reduce potential bias in the study design. Cox proportional risk model and Kaplan-Meier survival curve were utilized to analyze the impact and time effect of factors on the readmission of GA patients. The differences of laboratory indexes before and after treatment between the low and high exposure groups were compared, and the types and frequencies of medicines in all patients were counted. Association rule analysis was performed to investigate the association between TCM and test indexes or endpoint events.Results: After 1:1 PSM, 187 patients were enrolled in the TCM group and 187 patients in the non-TCM group. The incidence of readmission, new tophus, and all-cause death was lower in the TCM group than that in the non-TCM group (P < 0.05). Cox proportional risk regression analysis showed that TCM, NSAIDs and uric acid lowering drug were independent protective factors for GA readmission. The protective effect was enhanced by the prolongation of TCM treatment and the drug combinations. Kaplan-Meier survival curves indicated a significantly lower readmission rate in the high exposure group than in the low exposure group (P < 0.01). Compared with before treatment, NLR, hs-CRP, UA, TC and other laboratory indexes of the low and high exposure groups were improved after treatment (P < 0.01); T

Tomohiro Mitoma,1 Jota Maki,1 Hikaru Ooba,1 Chikako Ogawa,1 Hisashi Masuyama,1 Takahiro Tabuchi2 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan; 2Department of Cancer Control Center, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, JapanCorrespondence: Jota Maki, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan, Tel +81-86-235-7320, Fax +81-86-225-9570, Email jotamaki@okayama-u.ac.jpPurpose: Among the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, Japan has one of the lowest cervical cancer screening coverages. Cancer screening coverage has worsened due to the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study investigated the relationship between socioeconomic background, COVID-19 infection history and vaccine status, and regular cervical cancer screening (CCS) during the two years of the COVID-19 era in Japan.Patients and Methods: We used data from the Japan COVID-19 and Society Internet Survey, a nationwide, Internet-based, self-report cohort observational study conducted in 2022. The outcome variable was identified by asking whether the participants had undergone CCS within the last two years. Cervical cytology was performed in Japan by brushing the external cervical os. This study used multivariate log-binomial regression models to evaluate inequalities during regular checkups for CCS. Adjusted prevalence ratios (APRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated to incorporate the socioeconomic background variables.Results: Of the 12,066 participants, 5597 (46.4%) had undergone regular CCS for over two years. The prevalence ratio (PR) of patients who underwent CCS was 0.70 for those in their 20s and 0.78 for those in their 60s, compared to those in their 40s. Socioeconomic inequities were found in the follow

Bhumi Chaturvedi,1 Sourav Debnath,1 Hemant Bareth,1 Preeti Raj,2 Pratima Singh,3 Mahaveer Singh,4 Deepak Nathiya,1,5,6 Balvir Singh Tomar5– 7 1Department of Pharmacy Practice, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India; 2School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK; 3Public Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; 4Department of Endocrinology, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India; 5Department of Clinical Studies, Fourth Hospital of Yulin (Xingyuan), Yulin, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China; 6Department of Clinical Sciences, Shenmu Hospital, Shenmu, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China; 7Institute of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Jaipur, Rajasthan, IndiaCorrespondence: Mahaveer Singh, Department of Endocrinology, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Nims University, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, Email drms.mamcmed@gmail.comIntroduction: The ongoing repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic include potentially deleterious impacts on bone health.Aim: This research aimed to ascertain the effects of COVID-19 on the bone health of obese and non-obese Indian individuals.Methods: We executed a case-control study enrolling individuals who recovered from COVID-19. Participants were stratified into obese and non-obese groups based on their BMI. Comprehensive assessments encompassed anthropometric evaluations, laboratory tests, and bone mineral density (BMD) measurements using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA).Results: From April to July 2022, we enrolled obese (n = 27, mean BMI = 30.54 ± 4.51 kg/m 2) and non-obese (n = 23, mean BMI = 21.97 ± 2.20 kg/m 2) individuals. The cohort’s average age was 36.08 ± 15.81 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.6:1. There was a diffe

Wen Xu,&ast; Yuzhen Qiu,&ast; Hongping Qiu, Ming Zhong, Lei Li Department of Critical Care Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Lei Li; Ming Zhong, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, Email ll11354@rjh.com.cn; zm11716@rjh.com.cnBackground: The relationship between acute gastrointestinal symptoms and cortisol or adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels has rarely been reported. We hypothesized that the elevation of serum cortisol or ACTH levels may be correlated with the severity of the acute gastrointestinal injury grade (AGI).Methods: This study was an observational study. All patients were admitted to the ICU between 2019.1.1 and 2020.1.1.. Serum ACTH and cortisol levels and clinical data were collected from the electronic medication records. The highest AGI grade during the ICU stay was the major endpoint to observe. The patient was treated in a standard procedure in the ICU.Results: A total of 235 patients were included in our study, 132 of whom developed AGI. In univariate regression, cortisol level was found to be a risk factor for 28-day mortality. Serum cortisol and ACTH levels correlated with APACHE II, AGI grade, PCT, and CRP levels. Spearman analysis and partial correlation analysis indicated that cortisol and ACTH levels were correlated with AGI grade.Conclusion: The ACTH and cortisol levels were positively correlated with the higher severity of AGI grade. The cortisol level may be a useful way to access the GI injury.Keywords: acute gastrointestinal injury, cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone

Peiying Fu,&ast; Ling Zhang,&ast; Ting Zhou, Shixuan Wang, Ronghua Liu Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Ronghua Liu, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Anv., Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, People’s Republic of China, Tel/Fax +86-27-83663078, Email Liuzhu38@126.comObjective: Cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) is an uncommon form of ectopic pregnancy that carries the risk of severe bleeding. To date, there has not been a universally accepted classification and treatment strategy. We performed this study to establish a risk scoring system and new CSP classification system for CSP and evaluate its efficacy.Methods: A total of five groups were generated based on different methods of treatment, and the factors that increase the risk of intraoperative bleeding were examined in our center from 2013 to 2018. The construction of a risk scoring system in this study was based on the use of the chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression analysis. To determine the appropriate cutoff scores, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the area under the curve (AUC) were generated.Results: We identified the main high-risk factors for excessive intraoperative hemorrhage during CSP surgery through univariate and multivariate analyses. Within this investigation, the risk factors included gestational sac location and gestational sac diameter. Through analysis, an optimal cutoff score of 3 was determined, and the area under the ROC curve was calculated to be 0.8113 (95% CI=0.7696– 0.8531). A score ranging from 0– 3 was classified as low risk, while a score ranging from 5– 7 was classified as high risk. Additionally, a new classification system for CSP has been esta

Rui Zhao,1 Feng Liu,1 Kun Zhu2,3 1Department of General Practice Medicine, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Kun Zhu, Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University, No. 287, Changhuai Road, Bengbu, Anhui, 233000, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-18755271096, Email zk19870128@163.comBackground: The competencies of college senior students in general practice medicine have attracted attention. This study aimed to construct an evaluation index system of competencies for college senior students in general practice medicine and to promote the reform and optimization of training programs for general medicine talent in colleges.Methods: The two-round Delphi method was used to determine the evaluation index system of competencies for college senior students in general practice medicine, and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used to calculate the weights of all levels of elements.Results: The evaluation index system of competencies for college senior students in general practice medicine was established with 3 primary factors, 9 secondary factors and 32 tertiary factors. The Delphi results revealed that the active coefficient of experts was 1 and the authority coefficient was 0.858. The 3 primary factors were knowledge level, job skills and professionalism with weights of 0.1532, 0.4207 and 0.4261, respectively. Among the secondary factors, the top three weight coefficients were professional ethics (0.2614), community practice (0.1526) and communication skills (0.1308). Among tertiary factors, “scientific research” exhibited the lowest value with a weight coefficient of 0.0049.Conclusion: In this study, we constructed an eval

Xingchen Zhou, Zhishuang Li, Huan Chen, Meng Jiao, Chengjun Zhou, Hui Li Department of Pathology, The Second Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Hui Li, Department of Pathology, The Second Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, No. 247, Beiyuan Street, Jinan City, Shandong Province, 250012, People’s Republic of China, Email 201990000019@sdu.edu.cnBackground: The function of tropomyosin 2 (TPM2) in breast cancer is still far understudied. In this study, we aim to explore the roles of TPM2 in breast cancer progression.Methods: This research included 155 breast cancer tissues. The expression of TPM2 was analyzed by immunohistochemical staining and grading. The mRNA expression of TPM2 in pan-cancer was analyzed with The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data plate form. The differential expression of TPM2 protein and the differential promoter methylation level of TPM2 between breast cancer tissues and normal breast tissues were analyzed by the UALCAN online database. The relationship between TPM2 and signaling pathways was interpreted by Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) pathway enrichment analyses. The survival curve of TPM2 was analyzed across the Kaplan–Meier plotter online database. Furthermore, the relationship between TPM2 expression and infiltrating macrophages was validated through in vitro co-culture experiments.Results: TPM2 expression was significantly down-regulated in breast cancer samples. In addition, TPM2 expression was correlated with lymph node metastasis and high-grade histopathological morphology. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve indicated that TPM2 expression could well distinguish between normal breast tissue and breast cancer tissue. TPM2 may have potential value in breast cancer diagnosis. Bioinformatics analysis illustrated that TPM2 was mainly in

Heba A Alkhatabi,1,2 Wejdan Alqahtani,3 Reem Alsolami,1,2 Aisha Elaimi,1,4 Mohannad S Hazzazi,1,2 Majed N Almashjary,1,2 Hind A Alkhatabi,5 Mohammad E Alghuthami,6 Yara M Daous,2,7 Elrashed B Yasin,8 Ahmed Barefah2,9 1Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 22254, Saudi Arabia; 2Hematology Research Unit (HRU), King Fahad Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 22254, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Medical Laboratory, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 4Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research (CEGMR), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 22254, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; 6GCC Accreditation Center GAC, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 7Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 22254, Saudi Arabia; 8Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh, 25732, Saudi Arabia; 9Hematology Department, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Elrashed B Yasin, Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh, 25732, Saudi Arabia, Tel +966 5 60910199, Email eyasin@kau.edu.saPurpose: Genetic mutations are major factors in the diagnosis and prognosis of leukemia, and it is difficult to assess these variants using single-gene analysis. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a fast and cost-effective method for genetic screening of myeloid malignancies using a customized next-generation sequencing (NGS) panel.Patients and Methods: A customized myeloid panel was designed and investigated in 15 acute myeloid leukemia patients. The panel included 11 genes that were most commonly mutated in myeloid malignancies. This panel was designed to sequence the complete genome of

Ratthanin Ruangnopparut,1 Suranut Charoensri,2 Dueanchonnee Sribenjalak,2 Daris Theerakulpisut,3 Chatlert Pongchaiyakul2 1Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand; 2Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand; 3Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, ThailandCorrespondence: Suranut Charoensri, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand, Email surach@kku.ac.thBackground: Bone mineral density (BMD) might not be a sensitive tool for predicting osteoporotic fracture risk among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), especially when receiving glucocorticoids. Trabecular bone score (TBS), which has emerged as a new assessment technique representing bone microarchitecture and strength, may be considered an alternative approach.Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional analytical study, postmenopausal RA patients receiving glucocorticoids were identified from the postmenopause BMD database. The database included clinical data of postmenopausal outpatients who had at least one BMD measurement between January 2014 and December 2017. TBS was calculated from lumbar spine BMD with the microarchitecture assessment software. The presence of osteoporotic fractures, either vertebral or non-vertebral, was identified at the time of BMD measurement.Results: A total of 64 postmenopausal RA patients receiving glucocorticoids were included. The TBS values were inversely associated with osteoporotic fractures, with a TBS cut-off of less than 1.24, showing the best accuracy with a sensitivity of 79% and a specificity of 84% in discriminating fractures. This newly proposed TBS threshold combined with a BMD T-score of − 2.5 or less demonstrated a greater area under receiver operating characteristi

Weijie Chen,1,2,&ast; Simin Deng,3,&ast; Huali Jiang,2,&ast; Heng Li,2 Yu Zhao,2 Yiqiang Yuan4 1Department of Cardiology, The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Cardiology, Dongguan Tung Wah Hospital, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 3Research Center, Dongguan Eighth People’s Hospital, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Cardiology, The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, The Seventh People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yiqiang Yuan, Department of Cardiology, The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, The Seventh People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou, No. 17 Jingnan 5th Road, Zhengzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-0371-61205666, Email zzqyyuanyiqiang@126.comPurpose: To explore the topology of the white matter network in individuals with essential hypertension by graph theory.Patients and Methods: T1-weighted image and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data from 43 patients diagnosed with essential hypertension (EHT) and 33 individuals with normotension (healthy controls, HCs) were incorporated in this cross-sectional study. Furthermore, structural networks were constructed by graph theory to calculate whole brain network characteristics and intracerebral node characteristics.Results: Both EHT and HC groups displayed small-worldness in their structural networks. The area under the curve (AUC) of the small-worldness coefficient (σ) was higher in the EHT group compared to the HC group, whereas the AUC of assortativity was lower in the EHT group in contrast to the HC group. The nodal clustering coefficient (CP) and local efficiency (Eloc) of the EHT group decreased in the right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus and the left

Yuling Gao,1 Yanrui Zhao,1 Hanzhou Wang,1 Xiaopei Xu,1 Zhexian Cheng,2 Tianchao Lu,1 Junlin Zhou,1 Yang Liu1 1Orthopedics Department, Affiliated Beijing Chaoyang Hospital of Capital Medical University, Bejing, People’s Republic of China; 2Preventive Dentistry Department, Affiliated Stomatology Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Junlin Zhou; Yang Liu, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Gongtinan Road 8#, Beijing, 100020, People’s Republic of China, Email junlinzhou_article@outlook.com; y0ring1996@163.comBackground: This study aimed to create three-dimensional heat map and study the characteristic of fracture lines and represented fragments of OTA/AO type 43C pilon fractures.Methods: CT scan was performed in105 fractures diagnosed with OTA/AO type 43C pilon fractures between January 2017 and December 2022. Three-dimensional pilon fracture maps were created and converted into fracture heat maps. CT scan graphic parameters including the fracture line height, α angle, β angle, the ratio of the area and size of bone fragment represented by the fracture line to the total articular surface were measured.Results: The study included 105 patients with 91 males and 14 females. The fractures included C1 (n=16), C2 (n=23), and C3 (n=66). There was no statistically different among the most parameters except in the fracture-line height of the anterior fracture line (p=0.03) and the sagittal fracture line (p=0.02) between C2 and C3 pilon fractures. The average size of the anterolateral fragment, occupied approximately 13.5% of the articular surface area, was (11.5± 2.8) mm × (20.5± 6.3) mm with the average height of 29.8 mm. The average size of the posterolateral fragment, occupied approximately 13.0% of the articular surface area, was (15.7± 4.6) mm × (19.3± 4.0)

Lanwei Xu,1,2 Zheng Wang,3 Gang Wang1 1Department of Orthopedics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Hand and Foot Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250021, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Neurosurgery, Liaocheng Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Liaocheng, 252000, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Zheng Wang, Department of Neurosurgery, Liaocheng Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Liaocheng, 252000, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 18063560328, Email zhengyimingdao@gmail.com Gang Wang, Department of Orthopedics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 13791006108, Email wanggangnfmed@gmail.comPurpose: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a joint disease with a long and slow course, which is one of the major causes of disability in middle and old-aged people. This study was dedicated to excavating the cellular senescence-associated biomarkers of OA.Methods: The Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was searched and five datasets pertaining to OA were obtained. After removing the batch effect, the GSE55235, GSE55457, GSE82107, and GSE12021 datasets were integrated together for screening of the candidate genes by differential analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Next, those genes were further filtered by machine learning algorithms to obtain cellular senescence-associated biomarkers of OA. Subsequently, enrichment analyses based on those biomarkers were conducted, and we profiled the infiltration levels of 22 types immune cells with the ERSORT algorithm. A lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory and drug-gene network were constructed. Finally, we validated the senescence-associated biomarkers at both in vivo and in vitro levels.Results: Five genes (BCL6, MCL1, SLC16A7, PIM1, and EPHA3) were authenticated as cellular senescence-as

Yu Zhou,1– 3,&ast; Yong Ma,2– 4,&ast; Dongliang Qian,2,3,&ast; Zhou Zhou,5,6,&ast; Bin Li,2,3,&ast; Erqing Chai1– 3 1First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Cerebrovascular Disease Center, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, People’s Republic of China; 3Key Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Diseases, Lanzhou, People’s Republic of China; 4Clinical Medicine College, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, People’s Republic of China; 5First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China; 6National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Erqing Chai, First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, No. 204, Donggang West Road, Chengguan District, Lanzhou City, 730000, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 13893439044, Email ldyy_chaieq@lzu.edu.cnPurpose: To explore the predictive value of atherogenic index of plasma(AIP) for carotid in-stent restenosis(ISR).Methods: Patients who underwent carotid artery stenting (CAS) in hospital from January 2016 to January 2021 were retrospectively enrolled. They were randomly divided into training and validation sets. Based on the results of carotid digital subtraction angiography (DSA) during the follow-up period, the patients were divided into ISR group and non-ISR group. The differences of AIP and lipid levels between the two groups were compared. The independent risk factors of ISR and the predictive value of AIP for ISR were analyzed. A nomogram was developed based on the independent risk factors, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the calibration curve and the decision curve analysis were conducted to assess the predictive ability and clinical practicability of the nomogram in both the training set and validation sets.Results

Jiaping Shu,1,&ast; Lili Jia,2,&ast; Pei Zhang,2 Ren Wang,2 Meiqiu Wang,2 Xiaoyi Sun,2 Yingchao Peng,2 Peipei Wang,2 Xiaojie Li,2 Zilu Tang,3 Tingting Han,3 Tao Ju,3 Yaqin Wei,4 Wei Pang,5 Chunlin Gao,2 Zhengkun Xia1 1Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210009, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pediatrics, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210093, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Pediatrics, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210093, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Pediatrics, Jinling Hospital, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510000, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Military Information, Chinese People’s Liberation Army 31102, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210000, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Zhengkun Xia, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210009, People’s Republic of China, Email njxzk@126.com Chunlin Gao, Department of Pediatrics, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210093, People’s Republic of China, Email shuangmu34@163.comIntroduction: The pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 brings great challenge and threats to humans worldwide. Multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2 tend to be epidemic, among which Omicron is highly infectious within China. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical characteristics of children infected with SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.529 (Omicron) in the Shanghai, China.Methods: We included 9378 pediatric patients diagnosed with Omicron and treated in the Shanghai International Convention and Exhibition Center between April 1, 2022 and May 31, 2022. We recorded and summarized the clinical characteristics, infectious conditions and biological features of the children infected with Omicron.Results: A total of 9355

Mingjian Fei,1 Fenglan Zhang,2 Lan Qin,2 Xueyong Zheng,3 Bo Zhang,3 Xuanyi Ouyang4 1Department of Pathology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China; 2Clinical Genomics Center, DIAN Diagnostics, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Thyroid Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Ultrasonic Diagnosis, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xuanyi Ouyang, Department of ultrasonic diagnosis, The Second Hospital of Jiaxing, 1518 Huanchen North Road, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, 314000, People’s Republic of China, Email oyxy4198@sina.comObjective: Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (US-FNAB) is a safe and effective method for screening malignant thyroid nodules. The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic effectiveness of US-FNAB for nodules of different sizes.Methods: A total of 1085 patients with thyroid nodules who underwent US-FNAB between January 2021 and July 2023 were included in the study. The patients were divided into three groups based on the maximum diameter of the nodules: there were 324 patients with thyroid nodules ≤ 5 mm in Group A, 537 patients with thyroid nodules between 6 mm and 10 mm in Group B, and 224 patients with thyroid nodules > 10 mm in Group C. The US-FNAB satisfactory specimen rate, biopsy time and cytopathological results for the three groups were collected and compared with the postoperative pathological results.Results: The US-FNAB satisfactory specimen rates for Groups A, B and C were 84.57% (274/324), 90.13% (484/537) and 94.64% (212/224), respectively. The average biopsy times for Groups A, B, and C were 100.84 ± 41.58 s, 91.20 ± 32.53 s, and 79.01 ± 29.62 s, respectively. In Groups A, B, and C, 103, 192 and 73 patients, respectively, underwent surgery, and the

Zheng Xiang,&ast; Yueyuan Wang,&ast; Yuchen Qu, Bo Lv, Junping Han, Delai Xu, Kai Fan, Cunjin Su, Zhu Shen Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215004, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Cunjin Su; Zhu Shen, Email sucjgh@vip.163.com; jsdxsz@163.comObjective: To assess the key factors influencing the effectiveness of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir in treating elderly patients with COVID-19.Methods: This study was conducted on patients aged ≥ 60 who were admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University for COVID-19 infection and were treated with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir. Clinical information was collected from patients and steady-state blood concentrations of nirmatrelvir and ritonavir were measured. Factors associated with treatment effects were searched by univariate and multivariate analysis.Results: A total of 68 (51 males and 17 females) patients had a median age of 80 (73.0– 84.8) years were enrolled in this study. The blood concentration measurements (trough concentrations) of nirmatrelvir and ritonavir were 5.1 (2.6– 7.1) and 0.4 (0.2– 0.9) μg/mL, respectively. Adverse drug reaction was reported in 4 (5.9%) patients. Univariate analysis showed that age, clinical classification, APACHE II score, total bilirubin (TBil), aspartate transaminase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and total cholesterol (TC) were significantly associated with the effectiveness of treatment (P value < 0.05). Concentration of nirmatrelvir was also associated with treatment outcome (P value < 0.1). Based on the results of univariate analysis, the above factors were introduced into the multiple linear regression equation as independent variables, and the results showed that clinical classification was included in the regression equation model and was the most important factor affecting the treatment outcome. By receiver operating characteristic c

Alexandra Smith,1,* Jeffrey Mathew Boby,2,* Steve Joseph Benny,3,* Nadia Ghazali,4,* Elke Vermeulen,1 Mathew George1 1Tamworth Hospital, Hunter New England Local Health District (NSW Health), Tamworth, NSW, Australia; 2Government Medical College, Kozhikode, Kerala, India; 3Government Medical College, Thrissur, Kerala, India; 4Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Alexandra Smith, North West Cancer Centre, Tamworth Hospital, Dean Street, Tamworth, NSW, 2340, Australia, Email Alexandra.smith2@health.nsw.gov.auPurpose: Immunotherapies have revolutionized cancer treatment; however, relatively little is known about their efficacy and toxicity in the elderly, a cohort accounting for more than half of total cancer cases. In this review, we aim to provide insight into the current knowledge base regarding the clinical utility and side effects of immunotherapies in the geriatric population as well as identify key gaps in the literature where further research is essential.Methods: We conducted a rapid critical review of available literature, focusing on studies reporting on use of immunotherapy in cancer patients aged ≥ 65 years. The review assessed studies that included different types of cancer, were of multiple study types (although predominantly retrospective), had different study duration, and reported different outcomes of interest. Owing to this heterogeneity, meta-analysis and a direct comparison between studies were not feasible.Results: Overall, the review findings indicate that certain malignancies have shown comparable survival rates in younger and older age groups when managed with immunotherapeutic drugs, the incidence of immunotherapy-related side effects varies only slightly by age groups, and in general there is a lack of studies on the determinants of the clinical outcomes of immunotherapy in or including geriatric patients.Conclusion: Enhanced clinical benefits along with bette

Xiaoxi Li, Ling Yu, Miao Fu, Jiaonan Yang, Hongyu Tan Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Anesthesiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, ChinaCorrespondence: Hongyu Tan, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Anesthesiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, &num;52 Fucheng Street, Haidian District, Beijing, 100142, China, Tel/Fax +8610-88196107, Email maggitan@yeah.netBackground: Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) are the most prevalent complication after esophagectomy and are associated with a worse prognosis. This study aimed to investigate the perioperative risk factors for PPCs after minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE).Methods: Seven hundred and sixty-seven consecutive patients who underwent McKeown MIE via thoracoscopy and laparoscopy were retrospectively studied. Patient characteristics, perioperative data, and postoperative complications were analyzed.Results: The incidence of PPCs after MIE was 25.2% (193/767). Univariate analysis identified age (odds ratio [OR] 1.022, P = 0.044), male sex (OR 2.955, P < 0.001), pulmonary comorbidities (OR 1.746, P = 0.032), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (OR 2.821, P = 0.003), former smoking status (OR 1.880, P = 0.001), postoperative albumin concentration (OR 0.941, P = 0.007), postoperative creatinine concentration (OR 1.011, P = 0.019), and perioperative transfusion (OR 2.250, P = 0.001) as risk factors for PPCs. In multivariate analysis, the independent risk factors for PPCs were male sex (OR 3.135, P < 0.001), body mass index (BMI) (OR 1.088, P = 0.002), COPD (OR 2.480, P = 0.012), neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (OR 2.057, P = 0.035), postoperative albumin concentration (OR 0.929, P = 0.002), and perioperative transfusion (OR 1.939, P = 0.013). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curv

Guo-Ming Zhang,1,2,&ast; Jing Liu,1,2,&ast; Xu-Xiao Guo,3 Fu-Meng Yang4 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shuyang Hospital, Shuyang, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Laboratory Medicine, the Affiliated Shuyang Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Shuyang, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Laboratory Medicine, the Second People’s Hospital of Lianyungang, Lianyungang, People’s Republic of China&ast;The authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Guo-Ming Zhang, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shuyang Hospital, No. 9, Yingbin Road, Shuyang, People’s Republic of China, Email gm@xzhmu.edu.cn; zly52120@163.comBackground: LDLC equations have varying levels of underestimation for the calculated LDLC. Therefore, underestimating LDLC should be avoided as much as possible. We need to establish LDLC equations that underestimate LDLC as little as possible.Methods: We established the equations with a healthy cohort from Shuyang Hospital and validated the equations with an unselected patient cohort from The Second People’s Hospital of Lianyungang. We established the novel LDLC equations by using the regression equation. The relationship between two markers was analysed using Pearson’s approach. The 95% limits of measuring agreement within ± 2 SD for the LDLC equations was performed using Bland‒Altman analysis. ROC curve analysis was used to predict LDLC levels and the accuracy of the LDLC equation for determining the direct LDLC levels at LDLC cut-offs was assessed.Results: We obtained two novel LDLC equations (LDL_nonHDLC equation=− 0.899+1.195&ast;nonHDLC-0.00347&ast;nonHDLC2 and LDL_TC(total cholesterol) equation=− 2.775+1.29&ast;TC − 0.00990&ast; TC 2). The correlation coefficient between the novel LDLC equation and the direct LDLC m

Pawe&lstrok; Radkowski,1– 3 Agnieszka Bara&nacute;ska,1 Marcin Mieszkowski,1,2 Justyna Dawidowska-Fidrych,4 Katarzyna Podhorodecka1 1Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Regional Specialist Teaching Hospital, Olsztyn, Poland; 2Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland; 3Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Hospital zum heiligen Geist, Fritzlar, Germany; 4Pediatric Department, Hospital Pro-Medica, E&lstrok;k, PolandCorrespondence: Katarzyna Podhorodecka, Email k.podhorodecka1@gmail.comAbstract: The administration of general anesthesia is a crucial aspect of surgery. However, it can pose significant risks to patients, such as respiratory depression and prolonged neuromuscular blockade. To avoid such complications, it is essential to monitor neuromuscular transmission during anesthesia. While clinical tests have been used for decades to evaluate muscle function, they are now known to be unreliable, and relying on them increases the risk of postoperative complications. Thankfully, there are now six methods available for neuromuscular monitoring during anesthesia: mechanomyography, acceleromyography, electromyography, kinemyography, phonomyography, and compressomyography. Each of these methods differs in terms of their approach and methodology, and their importance in clinical practice varies accordingly. Mechanomyography involves measuring the mechanical response of a muscle to nerve stimulation, while acceleromyography measures the acceleration of muscle contraction. Electromyography records the electrical activity of muscles, while kinemyography tracks muscle movement. Phonomyography records the sound waves produced by contracting muscles, and compressomyography involves monitoring the pressure changes in a muscle during contraction. Overall, understanding the differences between these methods and their clinical significance is crucia

Xiaopeng Zhu,1,&ast; Liang Zhao,2,&ast; Peng Hu1 1Department of Medical Oncology, Huangshi Central Hospital (Affiliated Hospital of Hubei Polytechnic University), Edong Healthcare Group, Huangshi, Hubei Province, 435000, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Oncology Surgery, Huangshi Central Hospital (Affiliated Hospital of Hubei Polytechnic University), Edong Healthcare Group, Huangshi, Hubei Province, 435000, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Peng Hu, Department of Medical Oncology, Huangshi Central Hospital (Affiliated Hospital of Hubei Polytechnic University), Edong Healthcare Group, Huangshi, 435000, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China, Tel +8615923360125, Email hupenghch@dh-edu.cnPurpose: We aim to explore the predictive values of homeobox gene A-antisense transcript 3 (HOXA-AS3), cystatin 6 (CST6), and chromobox homolog 4 (CBX4) expressions in cancer tissues for the recurrence of early colon cancer after surgery.Patients and Methods: A total of 136 patients who received surgery from January 2020 to January 2021 were enrolled and followed up for 24 months to observe the recurrence after surgery, based on which they were assigned into recurrence and non-recurrence groups. All patients underwent a histopathological examination on admission.Results: The recurrence group had a lower degree of differentiation as well as a higher HOXA-AS3 level and CST6 and CBX4 expression scores than those of the non-recurrence group (P< 0.05). HOXA-AS3 level, CST6 expression score, and CBX4 expression score were risk factors for the recurrence of early colon cancer after surgery [odds ratio (OR)> 1, P< 0.05]. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the areas under the curves of HOXA-AS3 level, CST6 expression score, CBX4 expression score, and their combination for predicting recurrence were 0.909 [95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.785– 1.000], 0.819 (95%

Nadine Horneck,1,&ast; Ifrah Ahmed,1,&ast; Kayla Umemoto,1 Anvay Ullal,1 Dinesh Vyas1,2 1Department of Surgery, California Northstate University, College of Medicine, Elk Grove, CA, USA; 2Department of Surgery, Dameron Adventist Hospital, Stockton, CA, USA&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Dinesh Vyas, 525 Acacia Street, Stockton, CA, 95203, USA, Tel +1 314 680 1347, Email dineshvyas@yahoo.comAbstract: Over the past half century, diseases that were predominantly treated surgically have transitioned to less invasive medical therapies. Such diseases that are now effectively treated with medicine are (1) peptic ulcer disease (PUD), (2) coronary artery disease (CAD), and (3) gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). Likewise, gallstone disease may soon follow this trend. Currently, the gold standard treatment of symptomatic gallstones is laparoscopic cholecystectomies. Though one of the most common surgeries in the United States, certain cases of acute and gangrenous cholecystitis can be some of the most difficult surgeries to perform. Advancements in neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) inhibitor medical therapies will alter gallstone disease management and the mainstream role of surgical interventions. This focus on less invasive therapies will greatly impact the quality of patient care, financial obligations, and even resident training opportunities.Keywords: gallstone disease, medical therapies, NET inhibitor, invasive surgical therapy, drug discovery

Xu W, Qiu Y, Qiu H, Zhong M, Li L. Int J Gen Med. 2024;17:127–134. On page 127, the third author’s name should read from “Hongping Qiu” to “Hongping Qu”. This error was introduced by the Editorial staff during the publication process.

Siyu Hao,1,2,&ast; Jiuyi Cong,1,&ast; Zhiqiang Ma,1,2 Yan Xia,3 Yu Zhang,1 Nannan Tong,1 Jiangtian Tian,2,4 Yuzhen Li1 1Department of Dermatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People’s Republic of China; 2Key Laboratory of Myocardial Ischemia, Chinese Ministry of Education, Harbin, People’s Republic of China; 3Scientific Research Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yuzhen Li; Jiangtian Tian, Email liyuzhen@hrbum.edu.cn; tianjiangtian@126.comBackground: Psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory disorder with an unknown cause, significantly impacts the physical and psychological well-being of patients. However, current biomarkers related to psoriasis lack clinical specificity, sensitivity, and predictive ability.Methods: In this study, we collected skin lesion tissues from 20 psoriasis patients and 20 normal skin samples. Additionally, we obtained four datasets from the GEO database, which included human psoriasis and healthy specimens. We utilized SVM-RFE analysis and the LASSO regression model to identify potential biomarkers. Furthermore, we examined the composition of immune cell types in psoriasis and their correlation with specific genes.Results: Our investigation revealed 57 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and we identified significantly enriched pathways through KEGG pathway analysis. The results of machine learning and WGCNA suggested that LCE3D and SPRR1B could potentially be used as marker genes for diagnosing psoriasis. RT-PCR and immunohistochemical detection confirmed the abnormally high expression of the SPRR1B gene in psoriasis. Analysis of immune cell infiltration revealed a strong positive correlation between SPRR1B and Macrophages M0 and

Lexin Ge,&ast; Na Su,&ast; Wen Fan, Songtao Yuan Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Songtao Yuan, Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No. 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, People’s Republic of China, Email songtaoyuan@njmu.edu.cnAbstract: Silicone oil has emerged as the common option for intraocular tamponade during complicated retina vitrectomy. However, the postoperative elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP), influenced by numerous factors, remains a significant and frequently encountered complication that poses a potential threat to vision. Extensive research has been conducted to investigate the risk factors associated with elevated IOP following silicone oil tamponade, including silicone oil viscosity, preoperative high IOP, diabetes, and lens status. This comprehensive review aims to gather and summarize the current research findings regarding the risk factors contributing to IOP elevation following silicone oil tamponade, as well as the optimal management strategies for secondary glaucoma. The analysis includes the physicochemical properties of silicone oil, preoperative and intraoperative risk factors, and the effective management of secondary glaucoma. Enhancing our understanding of the primary factors associated with silicone oil-induced IOP elevation will facilitate the guidance of timely and appropriate interventions.Keywords: intraocular pressure, silicone oil, ocular hypertension, pars plana vitrectomy, secondary glaucoma

Wei He,&ast; Quan Zhou,&ast; Jiaheng Lv,&ast; Yujie Shen, Hao Liu, Huilin Yang, Peng Yang, Tao Liu Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Peng Yang; Tao Liu, Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No. 899 Pinhai Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215006, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-512-67781420, Fax +86-512-67781165, Email ypspine@163.com; liutao821108@163.comBackground: Few studies have focused on percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) in the treatment of thoracic osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) with intervertebral cleft (IVC). Hence, the objective of this retrospective study was to compare the clinical and radiographic outcomes of PKP in elderly patients with thoracic OVCFs, with or without IVC.Methods: A total of 106 patients were enrolled in this study and divided into two groups: the IVC group and the NIVC group (without IVC). Radiographic measures included anterior vertebral height (AVH), thoracic kyphosis (TK), lumbar lordosis (LL), pelvic incidence (PI), pelvic tilt (PT), and sacral slope (SS). Clinical function measures included Oswestry disability index (ODI) and visual analog scale (VAS) scores.Results: There were no significant differences in the preoperative basic data between the groups classified as IVC and NIVC. However, both groups showed significant improvements in AVH and TK throughout the follow-up periods compared to the preoperative measurements (P< 0.05). The recovery of AVH in the IVC group was found to be inferior to that in the NIVC group at 3 years after operation (P< 0.05). There were no significant differences in LL, PI, PT and SS in both groups compared with the preoperative results and no statistically significant differences between the two groups at the same follow-up time (P> 0.05). The VAS and ODI scores

Alya Alghamdi,1 Omaimah A Qadhi,2 Wajid Syed,3 Osama A Samarkandi,4 Mahmood Basil A Al-Rawi5 1Department of Community and Mental Health, College of Nursing, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Medical-Surgical College of Nursing, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Basic Sciences, Prince Sultan College for Emergency Medical Services, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11466, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Optometry, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Wajid Syed, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia, Email wali@ksu.edu.saBackground and Aim: On the other hand, patient safety, is of the utmost importance, in addition to health care providers’ counseling and advice, patient information leaflets (PILs) also have a significant impact on health outcomes. This study aimed to assess the Knowledge of medicine safety and Frequency of reading medication Leaflets and their predictors among the Saudi population in Riyadh Saudi Arabia.Methods and Materials: This cross-sectional study was conducted over three months in 2023 using online structured self-administered questionnaires, on the adults of Saudi Arabia, admitted to provide informed consent, aged ≥ 18 years, able to complete the questionnaires, being Saudi nationals, and currently living in the country. The data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 27.Results: In this study, 23.6% (n=123) of respondents always read the PILs, while 14.6% (n=76) of them never read the PILs. In addition, 22.6% (n=118) of them find it difficult to understand the PILs. In this study, 53.9% of them revealed that ADRs are unexpected reactions after taking the normal dose and 15.4% of them do not know what ADRs are. The respondents gende

XiaoYing Yang, Mengda Wei, YanQing Huang, Xi Yang, ZhenMin Yuan, JunJie Huang, JunRen Wei, Lei Tian Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Lei Tian, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, People’s Republic of China, Email tianlei@stu.gxmu.edu.cnBackground: Stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) presents a challenge given its advanced stage at diagnosis and poor prognosis. Integrin subunit alpha 11 (ITGA11) encodes alpha integrin and has been implicated in promoting tumorigenesis and development by participating in cell proliferation and invasion. However, the precise mechanism of ITGA11 in STAD remains unclear.Methods: The differences in ITGA11 expression levels between 375 gastric cancer samples and 32 paracancerous tissue samples from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were examined. The relationship between ITGA11 expression and clinical features and ITGA11 diagnostic and prognostic value were evaluated using the chi-square test and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) assay. Differentially expressed genes were identified based on ITGA11 expression. Subsequently, functional enrichment analyses were conducted using Gene Ontology, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis. Furthermore, immune infiltration and the expression of ITGA11-associated immune checkpoints in patients with tumors were assessed using CIBERSORT, single-sample gene set enrichment analysis, and the TIMER database. Drug sensitivity associated with ITGA11 expression was analyzed using the R oncoPredict package to guide treatment decisions. Finally, the difference in ITGA11 expression between cancer tissue and the adjacent tissues was validated using quantitative PCR (qPCR) and immunohistochemistry.Results: The gastric cancer tissue had significantly upregulated

Guitao Wu, Xi Lin, Hua Jiang, Zhenyin Liu Department of Interventional Radiology and Vascular Anomalies, Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510623, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Zhenyin Liu, Department of Interventional Radiology and Vascular Anomalies, Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 9 Jinsui Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510623, People’s Republic of China, Email zhenyin@gwcmc.orgBackground: Venous malformation is related to genes and results in functional and morphologic anomalies. Genetic variations affecting the development of vessel endothelial cells are unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the potential value of the miR-100 rs1834306 A>G polymorphism as a marker of susceptibility to venous malformation.Methods: In this case–control study in southern Chinese children, we collected blood samples from 1158 controls and 1113 patients with venous malformation. TaqMan genotyping of miR-100 rs1834306 A>G was performed by real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction.Results: Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that there was no significant association between the presence of the miR-100 rs1834306 A>G polymorphism and susceptibility to venous malformation by evaluating the values of pooled odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Similarly, among different sites, rs1834306 A>G was also not associated with venous malformation.Conclusion: Our results suggest that the miR-100 rs1834306 A>G polymorphism is not associated with susceptibility to venous malformation in southern Chinese children. These results need to be further confirmed by investigating a more diverse ethnic population of patients with venous malformations.Keywords: vascular malformation, susceptibility, miR-100, polymorphism

Danping Shan, Qiyao Wang, Xiang Heng, Xiaoyan Wu Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Hospital of Jiaxing, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xiaoyan Wu; Xiang Heng, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Hospital of Jiaxing, 1518 Huanchen North Road, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, 314000, People’s Republic of China, Email wxy87751@163.com; hx_227@sohu.comObjective: To investigate the dynamic fluctuations of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), procalcitonin (PCT), and neutrophil counts in individuals diagnosed with acute cholecystitis. Additionally, the research seeks to investigate the potential clinical significance of these biomarkers in the early stages of acute cholecystitis.Methods: This retrospective cohort study included one hundred patients with acute cholecystitis (60 with mild acute cholecystitis and 40 with severe cholecystitis) admitted to our hospital between January 2022 and December 2022 were included. The levels of various cytokines, PCT and neutrophils in serum on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 were dynamically detected. The difference in each indicator between the two groups was analysed, and the diagnostic value of each indicator for acute cholecystitis was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.Results: IL-6 and PCT levels and neutrophil counts were significantly higher in patients with moderate and severe cholecystitis than those in those with mild cholecystitis (P < 0.01). The AUC values for the three indicators were all greater than 60%, and the AUC value for the joint diagnosis of the three indicators reached 90%.Conclusion: Serum interleukin-6 combined with PCT and neutrophil count is helpful to determine the degree of disease development in patients with acute cholecystitis. The advantage of dynamic monitoring of the three indicators is that the detection is simple and worthy of clinical promotion.Keywords: serum interleukin-6, procalcitonin, PCT, neutrophil count, acute cholecystitis