Objective To investigate the risk factors for lymph node metastasis in cT1N0M0 stage lung squamous cell carcinoma and develop a logistic regression model to predict lymph node metastasis. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on patients with cT1N0M0 stage lung squamous cell carcinoma treated in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from August 2017 to October 2022. The correlation between basic clinical data, imaging data, and pathological data and lymph node metastasis was analyzed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed for risk factor analysis. Receiver operating characteristic curves and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test were utilized to evaluate the model’s discrimination and calibration. The Bootstrap method with 1 000 resamples was employed for internal validation of the model. Results A total of 192 patients were included, among whom 175 were male and 17 were female. Central tumors, poorly differentiated tumors, cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA21-1) levels, and tumor size were independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis in cT1N0M0 stage lung squamous cell carcinoma. The optimal cutoff values for tumor size and CYFRA21-1 levels were determined to be 2.05 cm and 4.20 ng/mL, respectively. A predictive model incorporating tumor location, CYFRA 21-1 levels, and tumor size demonstrated superior predictive performance compared to models based on any single factor alone. Conclusion Tumor location of central-type, poorly differentiated tumors, CYFRA21-1 levels, and tumor size are risk factors for lymph node metastasis in cT1N0M0 stage lung squamous cell carcinoma. The combined predictive model has certain guiding significance for intraoperative lymph node resection strategies in cT1N0M0 stage lung squamous cell carcinoma.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common head and neck malignancy. Approximately 50% to 60% of patients with OSCC are diagnosed at a locally advanced stage (clinical staging III-IVa). Even with comprehensive and sequential treatment primarily based on surgery, the 5-year overall survival rate remains below 50%, and patients often suffer from postoperative functional impairments such as difficulties with speaking and swallowing. Programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) inhibitors are increasingly used in the neoadjuvant treatment of locally advanced OSCC and have shown encouraging efficacy. However, clinical practice still faces key challenges, including the definition of indications, optimization of combination regimens, and standards for efficacy evaluation. Based on the latest research advances worldwide and the clinical experience of the expert group, this expert consensus systematically evaluates the application of PD-1 inhibitors in the neoadjuvant treatment of locally advanced OSCC, covering combination strategies, treatment cycles and surgical timing, efficacy assessment, use of biomarkers, management of special populations and immune related adverse events, principles for immunotherapy rechallenge, and function preservation strategies. After multiple rounds of panel discussion and through anonymous voting using the Delphi method, the following consensus statements have been formulated: 1) Neoadjuvant therapy with PD-1 inhibitors can be used preoperatively in patients with locally advanced OSCC. The preferred regimen is a PD-1 inhibitor combined with platinum based chemotherapy, administered for 2-3 cycles. 2) During the efficacy evaluation of neoadjuvant therapy, radiographic assessment should follow the dual criteria of Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1 and immune RECIST (iRECIST). After surgery, systematic pathological evaluation of both the primary lesion and regional lymph nodes is required. For combination chemotherapy regimens, PD-L1 expression and combined positive score need not be used as mandatory inclusion or exclusion criteria. 3) For special populations such as the elderly (≥ 70 years), individuals with stable HIV viral load, and carriers of chronic HBV/HCV, PD-1 inhibitors may be used cautiously under the guidance of a multidisciplinary team (MDT), with close monitoring for adverse events. 4) For patients with a poor response to neoadjuvant therapy, continuation of the original treatment regimen is not recommended; the subsequent treatment plan should be adjusted promptly after MDT assessment. Organ transplant recipients and patients with active autoimmune diseases are not recommended to receive neoadjuvant PD-1 inhibitor therapy due to the high risk of immune related activation. Rechallenge is generally not advised for patients who have experienced high risk immune related adverse events such as immune mediated myocarditis, neurotoxicity, or pneumonitis. 5) For patients with a good pathological response, individualized de escalation surgery and function preservation strategies can be explored. This consensus aims to promote the standardized, safe, and precise application of neoadjuvant PD-1 inhibitor strategies in the management of locally advanced OSCC patients.

The interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) generate spontaneous pacemaker activities responsible for producing slow waves in the gut smooth muscles. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ) is one of the most important prostanoids in the gut, playing a crucial role in multiple physiological and pathological processes. Because information regarding the effects of PGE2 on colonic ICC is limited, we investigated the effects of PGE2 and its underlying signaling pathways in murine colonic ICC. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analyses were performed to evaluate the effects of PGE2 on mouse colonic ICC. PGE2 had a dual effect on pacemaker potential in the current-clamp mode. RT-PCR data suggested the expression of EP3 and EP4 receptors in colonic ICC. Low PGE2 concentrations induced membrane depolarization and generation of pacemaker activities. And this effect is mimicked by sulprostone (an EP3 agonist). The low PGE2 concentration-induced effect was inhibited by anoctamin-1 (ANO1) or a T-type Ca2+ channel blocker. Conversely, high PGE2 concentrations induced membrane hyperpolarization and blocked pacemaker potential generation. However, this inhibitory effect was blocked by an ATP-sensitive potassium (K ATP) channel blocker but not by other K+ channel blockers. Low concentrations of PGE2 activated EP3 receptors, leading to excitation of pacemaker activity through regulation of ANO1 and T-type Ca2+ channels in colonic ICC. In contrast, higher concentrations of PGE2 activated EP4 receptors and opened ATP-sensitive K+ channels, resulting in inhibition of pacemaker activity in colonic ICC.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in discriminating fumarate hydratase-deficient (FH-d) uterine leiomyomas (ULs) from FH-preserved ULs. Materials and Methods: This study consisted of three stages, with independent cohorts recruited for each stage: 1) sample-size estimation was retrospectively performed on UL specimens (diameter ≥3 cm; age, 20–40 years) from our database with immunohistochemistry (IHC) for 2-succinocysteine (2-SC) as the reference, without genetic testing, 2) MRS sequence optimization in confirmed FH germline mutation participants with ultrasound-detected ULs (diameter ≥3 cm), without IHC analysis, and 3) prospective diagnostic test accuracy was evaluated in consecutive participants with ultrasound-detected ULs (diameter ≥3 cm;age, 20–40 years), using IHC for 2-SC for determining the FH status and subsequent genetic testing in those with positive 2-SC results to identify whether FH mutations were germline or somatic in origin. The choline and fumarate peaks in MRS were classified as positive, negative, or technical failure (TF). TFs were analyzed separately and excluded from the primary diagnostic accuracy calculations. T1-, T2-, and diffusion-weighted images were interpreted as hyperintense or hypointense. The enhancement rate and apparent diffusion coefficient were also acquired. Diagnostic performance was compared between MRS and various magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features. Results: The optimal MRS parameters for the fumarate peak were echo time (TE) = 140 ms and an average of 256. Among the 360 prospective participants, 37 were confirmed to have FH-dULs. MRS showed positive fumarate peaks in 35 of 37 FH-dULs.After excluding six TFs, the positive fumarate peak on MRS showed 94.6% (35/37) sensitivity, 99.7% (316/317) specificity, and 99.2% (351/354) accuracy, all of which were significantly superior to those of other MRI features (P ≤ 0.002). Conclusion A positive fumarate peak on MRS may be a useful imaging biomarker for diagnosing FH-dULs.

Renal fibrosis represents the pivotal pathological process driving the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) towards end-stage renal disease. Its core manifestations include chronic inflammation, excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM), and tubulointerstitial injury resulting in functional deterioration. Emerging research on the molecular mechanisms underlying renal fibrosis has established that, beyond the canonical Smad-dependent pathway, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) also modulates fibrogenesis through non-canonical signaling pathways, notably the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) cascades. These non-canonical pathways engage in crosstalk with the canonical Smad pathway, synergistically regulating key processes such as ECM metabolism, inflammatory responses, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), thereby collectively orchestrating the initiation and progression of renal fibrosis. Notably, various active components derived from traditional Chinese medicine have demonstrated anti-fibrotic efficacy by modulating these pathways, highlighting their promising multi-target therapeutic potential. This review aims to systematically summarize recent advances in understanding the roles of TGF-β1-mediated MAPK and PI3K/Akt non-canonical signaling pathways in renal fibrosis and to discuss potential therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of early intradermal needle therapy in preventing retained products of conception （RPOC） following induced abortion. MethodsA randomized， single-blind， placebo-controlled trial design was applied. Eighty-eight patients scheduled for early induced abortion were randomly assigned to either an intradermal needle group （44 cases） or a sham control group （44 cases）. Both groups underwent ultrasound-guided vacuum aspiration under general anesthesia and received standard postoperative pharmacological care. Immediately following the operation， the intradermal needle group received active intradermal needle therapy at bilateral Sanyinjiao （SP 6）， Hegu （LI 4） and Zhiyin （BL 67）， with needles retaining for 3 days， acupoint pressing three times daily for 5 minutes per acupoint， followed by 5 minutes of walking after each pressing session； while the sham control group received a visually identical， blunt-tipped sham needle intervention. The primary outcome was endometrial thickness measured by Doppler ultrasound at week 2 post-procedure. Secondary outcomes included the incidence of RPOC， visual analog scale （VAS） score and PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version （PCL-C） score at 2 hours post-procedure， volume and duration of vaginal bleeding， uterine volume， Pictorial Blood Loss Assessment Chart （PBAC） scores at weeks 5 and 12， menstrual cycle characteristics， and adverse events should be recorded. ResultsAt week 2 post-procedure， endometrial thickness was significantly lower in the intradermal needle group compared to the sham control group （P＜0.05）. Transvaginal ultrasonography at postoperative week 2 showed thinner endometrium in the intradermal needle group than in the sham group （P＜0.05）. RPOC occurred 1 case （2.27%） in the intradermal needle group versus 9 cases （20.45%） in the sham control group， yielding a significantly higher RPOC incidence in the sham control group （P＜0.05）. Patients in the intradermal needle group had less postoperative vaginal bleeding volume and shorter bleeding duration than those in the sham control group （P＜0.05）. No statistically significant difference was found in 2-hour postoperative VAS pain score， uterine volume at postoperative week 2 and week 5， PBAC score at postoperative week 5 and week 12， or menstrual cycle at postoperative week 12 between groups（all P＞0.05）. No obvious adverse reactions were observed in either group. ConclusionImmediate intradermal needle intervention after early induced abortion can significantly reduce the incidence of postoperative RPOC， exert beneficial effects on reducing the volume and duration of postoperative vaginal bleeding as well as alleviating post-traumatic stress symptoms， with good safety.

To address the growing challenge of an increasing number of elderly lung cancer patients amidst China's aging population and to fill the gap in quality control standards for surgical treatment in this special population, this study aimed to develop a standardized surgical evaluation system for elderly lung cancer patients tailored to China's national conditions. The system was established through a literature review, integrated the pathophysiological characteristics of elderly patients, and was constructed following review, feedback, and revision by experts from multiple thoracic surgery centers. Employing a 100-point scoring system, it comprises three primary domains: physical infrastructure and geriatric adaptability foundational conditions (10 points); management level and perioperative care models (20 points); and technical proficiency and clinical outcomes (70 points). The system places a strong emphasis on geriatric adaptability, proposing specific, quantifiable indicators for age-friendly facility modifications, control of elderly-specific complications, multidisciplinary collaboration, and standardized perioperative management. It provides a convenient and measurable assessment tool for quality control in the surgical treatment of elderly lung cancer in China, which is expected to promote the standardization and homogenization of diagnosis and treatment.

ObjectiveTo investigate the current status of emergency management for severe mental disorders in Shanghai, and to provide countermeasures and suggestions for the establishment of a sound emergency management system for severe mental disorders and the enhancement of emergency management capability. MethodsA questionnaire survey and qualitative interviews were used to conduct an investigation into the emergency management in 17 district-level mental illness prevention and control institutions in Shanghai, which includes the basic situation of emergency management for severe mental disorders, the construction of emergency response teams and personnel, emergency preparedness drills and training, emergency management plans and rules and regulations, and problems encountered in emergency management. ResultsIn terms of emergency management mechanism and basic situation, resources such as personnel allocation, security funds and green channel were well equipped in each district-level mental illness prevention and control institution in Shanghai. However, the equipment of some hardware facilities was still insufficient to some extent. Therefore, further improvement on the emergency management mechanism for severe mental disorders was needed. With regard to the construction of emergency team and personnel allocation, the majority were those aged between 35‒<45 years old, with a bachelor’s degree, and more than 10 years of working experience. For example, 90.27% staff in district-level mental illness prevention and control institution had a bachelor’s degree or above, which was higher than that among the staff in community-level (73.60%); staff majored in clinical medicine in district-level institution accounted for the proportion at 52.71%, higher than that among the staff in community-level (28.86%); 57.24% staff in district-level institution had an intermediate professional title, higher than that among the staff in community-level (42.28%); and 69.90% staff in district-level institution had more than 10 years of working experience, higher than that among the staff in community-level (43.62%). In the aspect of emergency drills and training, all district-level mental illness prevention and control institutions in Shanghai had a high demand for emergency training, and the weak aspects mainly focused on lack of emergency service protocols, skills of addressing technical challenges, and construction of effectiveness evaluation system. Moreover, the teaching methods were primarily centered on case analysis, simulation drills, interactive discussions, and so forth. Concerning emergency management plans and rules and regulations, all districts in Shanghai had relatively established well-developed systems for emergency response plans, emergency response leadership groups, and emergency response operational task forces for severe mental disorders. About half of the institutions had established other rules and regulations related to emergency management of severe mental disorders in addition to emergency plans. ConclusionShanghai has initially established an emergency management system for severe mental disorders, but it is still fragile in specialized training for emergency management of severe mental disorders, construction of emergency management mechanisms, and the building-up of grassroots emergency teams. Further priorities should include strengthening emergency management training, enhancing the construction of emergency management personnel teams, and gradually establishing a more comprehensive and integrated emergency management mechanism for severe mental disorders.

ObjectiveThis study aims to observe the effect of sinomenine （SIN） on fatty acid binding protein 4 （FABP4） in synovial tissue of rats with osteoarthritis （OA） and investigate the therapeutic mechanism of SIN on OA， further providing new ideas for the management of osteoarthritis by traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. MethodsAn OA rat model was constructed and randomly divided into a control group， an OA group， an OA + SIN-L group （50 mg·kg^-1）， an OA + SIN-M （100 mg·kg^-1）， an OA + SIN-H （200 mg·kg^-1）， and an OA + prednisone （PDN） group （5 mg·kg^-1）. Following surgical modeling for three weeks， an appropriate medication was administered for four weeks. During modeling and administration， a hot plate test was performed to detect the pain and swelling of the knee joints of the rats. The periarticular tissue was collected for arthropathological observation at the end of drug administration. The expression of cleaved Caspase-3， B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2 associated X protein （Bax）， and FABP4 in the synovial tissue of rats was detected by Western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）， and the expression and distribution of FABP4 protein in the synovial membrane were detected by immunofluorescence. ResultsCompared with those in the control group， the levels of inflammatory factors and FABP4 in the serum of rats in the OA group were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and joint swelling was significantly elevated （P<0.01）. The thermal pain threshold was significantly reduced （P<0.01）， and the expression of FABP4 protein and the fluorescence intensity were significantly increased （P<0.01）. The synovial tissue exhibited significantly increased inflammatory infiltration， proliferated fibroblasts， and an elevated apoptotic index （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with those in the OA group， the serum lipid metabolism indexes of rats in the SIN administration group gradually returned to normal （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while the levels of inflammatory factors and FABP4 in the serum of rats in the SIN-administered group were significantly reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and joint swelling was significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The thermal pain threshold was significantly elevated （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the expression of FABP4 protein and fluorescence intensity in the synovial tissue were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The synovial tissue displayed significantly reduced inflammatory infiltration and a decreased apoptotic index （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionThe therapeutic effect of SIN on OA may be related to the down-regulation of FABP4 expression， reduction of apoptosis， and inhibition of inflammatory factor expression.

ObjectiveBased on functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), we investigated the brain activity characteristics of gross motor tasks in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and motor dysfunctions (MDs) to provide a theoretical basis for further understanding the mechanism of MDs in children with ASD and designing targeted intervention programs from a central perspective. MethodsAccording to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 48 children with ASD accompanied by MDs were recruited into the ASD group and 40 children with typically developing (TD) into the TD group. The fNIRS device was used to collect the information of blood oxygen changes in the cortical motor-related brain regions during single-handed bag throwing and tiptoe walking, and the differences in brain activation and functional connectivity between the two groups of children were analyzed from the perspective of brain activation and functional connectivity. ResultsCompared to the TD group, in the object manipulative motor task (one-handed bag throwing), the ASD group showed significantly reduced activation in both left sensorimotor cortex (SMC) and right secondary visual cortex (V2) (P<0.05), whereas the right pre-motor and supplementary motor cortex (PMC&SMA) had significantly higher activation (P<0.01) and showed bilateral brain region activity; in terms of brain functional integration, there was a significant decrease in the strength of brain functional connectivity (P<0.05) and was mainly associated with dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and V2. In the body stability motor task (tiptoe walking), the ASD group had significantly higher activation in motor-related brain regions such as the DLPFC, SMC, and PMC&SMA (P<0.05) and showed bilateral brain region activity; in terms of brain functional integration, the ASD group had lower strength of brain functional connectivity (P<0.05) and was mainly associated with PMC&SMA and V2. ConclusionChildren with ASD exhibit abnormal brain functional activity characteristics specific to different gross motor tasks in object manipulative and body stability, reflecting insufficient or excessive compensatory activation of local brain regions and impaired cross-regions integration, which may be a potential reason for the poorer gross motor performance of children with ASD, and meanwhile provides data support for further unraveling the mechanisms underlying the occurrence of MDs in the context of ASD and designing targeted intervention programs from a central perspective.