Background: s/Aims: Sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a rare histological subtype of HCC characterized by extremely poor prognosis; however, its molecular characterization has not been elucidated. Methods: In this study, we conducted an integrated multiomics study of whole-exome sequencing, RNA-seq, spatial transcriptome, and immunohistochemical analyses of 28 paired sarcomatoid tumor components and conventional HCC components from 10 patients with sarcomatoid HCC, in order to identify frequently altered genes, infer the tumor subclonal architectures, track the genomic evolution, and delineate the transcriptional characteristics of sarcomatoid HCCs. Results: Our results showed that the sarcomatoid HCCs had poor prognosis. The sarcomatoid tumor components and the conventional HCC components were derived from common ancestors, mostly accessing similar mutational processes. Clonal phylogenies demonstrated branched tumor evolution during sarcomatoid HCC development and progression. TP53 mutation commonly occurred at tumor initiation, whereas ARID2 mutation often occurred later. Transcriptome analyses revealed the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and hypoxic phenotype in sarcomatoid tumor components, which were confirmed by immunohistochemical staining. Moreover, we identified ARID2 mutations in 70% (7/10) of patients with sarcomatoid HCC but only 1–5% of patients with non-sarcomatoid HCC. Biofunctional investigations revealed that inactivating mutation of ARID2 contributes to HCC growth and metastasis and induces EMT in a hypoxic microenvironment. Conclusions We offer a comprehensive description of the molecular basis for sarcomatoid HCC, and identify genomic alteration (ARID2 mutation) together with the tumor microenvironment (hypoxic microenvironment), that may contribute to the formation of the sarcomatoid tumor component through EMT, leading to sarcomatoid HCC development and progression.

Background: s/Aims: Sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a rare histological subtype of HCC characterized by extremely poor prognosis; however, its molecular characterization has not been elucidated. Methods: In this study, we conducted an integrated multiomics study of whole-exome sequencing, RNA-seq, spatial transcriptome, and immunohistochemical analyses of 28 paired sarcomatoid tumor components and conventional HCC components from 10 patients with sarcomatoid HCC, in order to identify frequently altered genes, infer the tumor subclonal architectures, track the genomic evolution, and delineate the transcriptional characteristics of sarcomatoid HCCs. Results: Our results showed that the sarcomatoid HCCs had poor prognosis. The sarcomatoid tumor components and the conventional HCC components were derived from common ancestors, mostly accessing similar mutational processes. Clonal phylogenies demonstrated branched tumor evolution during sarcomatoid HCC development and progression. TP53 mutation commonly occurred at tumor initiation, whereas ARID2 mutation often occurred later. Transcriptome analyses revealed the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and hypoxic phenotype in sarcomatoid tumor components, which were confirmed by immunohistochemical staining. Moreover, we identified ARID2 mutations in 70% (7/10) of patients with sarcomatoid HCC but only 1–5% of patients with non-sarcomatoid HCC. Biofunctional investigations revealed that inactivating mutation of ARID2 contributes to HCC growth and metastasis and induces EMT in a hypoxic microenvironment. Conclusions We offer a comprehensive description of the molecular basis for sarcomatoid HCC, and identify genomic alteration (ARID2 mutation) together with the tumor microenvironment (hypoxic microenvironment), that may contribute to the formation of the sarcomatoid tumor component through EMT, leading to sarcomatoid HCC development and progression.

Background: s/Aims: Sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a rare histological subtype of HCC characterized by extremely poor prognosis; however, its molecular characterization has not been elucidated. Methods: In this study, we conducted an integrated multiomics study of whole-exome sequencing, RNA-seq, spatial transcriptome, and immunohistochemical analyses of 28 paired sarcomatoid tumor components and conventional HCC components from 10 patients with sarcomatoid HCC, in order to identify frequently altered genes, infer the tumor subclonal architectures, track the genomic evolution, and delineate the transcriptional characteristics of sarcomatoid HCCs. Results: Our results showed that the sarcomatoid HCCs had poor prognosis. The sarcomatoid tumor components and the conventional HCC components were derived from common ancestors, mostly accessing similar mutational processes. Clonal phylogenies demonstrated branched tumor evolution during sarcomatoid HCC development and progression. TP53 mutation commonly occurred at tumor initiation, whereas ARID2 mutation often occurred later. Transcriptome analyses revealed the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and hypoxic phenotype in sarcomatoid tumor components, which were confirmed by immunohistochemical staining. Moreover, we identified ARID2 mutations in 70% (7/10) of patients with sarcomatoid HCC but only 1–5% of patients with non-sarcomatoid HCC. Biofunctional investigations revealed that inactivating mutation of ARID2 contributes to HCC growth and metastasis and induces EMT in a hypoxic microenvironment. Conclusions We offer a comprehensive description of the molecular basis for sarcomatoid HCC, and identify genomic alteration (ARID2 mutation) together with the tumor microenvironment (hypoxic microenvironment), that may contribute to the formation of the sarcomatoid tumor component through EMT, leading to sarcomatoid HCC development and progression.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical effect and safety of acupuncture manipulation on treatment of intractable facial paralysis (IFP), and verify the practicality and precision of the Anzhong Facial Paralysis Precision Scale (Eyelid Closure Grading Scale, AFPPS-ECGS). METHODS: A multicentre, single-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted from October 2022 to June 2024. Eighty-nine IFP participants were randomly assigned to an ordinary acupuncture group (OAG, 45 cases) and a characteristic acupuncture group (CAG, 44 cases) using a random number table method. The main acupoints selected included Yangbai (GB 14), Quanliao (SI 18), Yingxiang (LI 20), Shuigou (GV 26), Dicang (ST 4), Chengjiang (CV 24), Taiyang (EX-HN 5), Jiache (ST 6), Fengchi (GB 20), and Hegu (LI 4). The OAG patients received ordinary acupuncture manipulation, while the CAG received characteristic acupuncture manipulation. Both groups received acupuncture treatment 3 times a week, with 10 times per course, lasting for 10 weeks. Facial recovery was assessed at baseline and after the 1st, 2nd and 3rd treatment course by AFPPS-ECGS and the House-Brackmann (H-B) Grading Scale. Infrared thermography technology was used to observe the temperature difference between healthy and affected sides in various facial regions. Adverse events and laboratory test abnormalities were recorded. The correlation between the scores of the two scales was analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULTS: After the 2nd treatment course, the two groups showed statistically significant differences in AFPPS-ECGS scores (P<0.05), with even greater significance after the 3rd course (P<0.01). Similarly, H-B Grading Scale scores demonstrated significant differences between groups following the 3rd treatment course (P<0.05). Regarding temperature measurements, significant differences in temperatures of frontal and ocular areas were observed after the 2nd course (P<0.05), becoming more pronounced after the 3rd course (P<0.01). Additionally, mouth corner temperature differences reached statistical significance by the 3rd course (P<0.05). No safety-related incidents were observed during the study. Correlation analysis revealed that the AFPPS-ECGS and the H-B Grading Scale were strongly correlated (r=0.86, 0.91, 0.93, and 0.91 at baseline, and after 1st, 2nd, and 3rd treatment course, respectively, all P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Acupuncture is an effective treatment for IFP, and the characteristic acupuncture manipulation enhances the therapeutic effect. The use of the AFPPS-ECGS can more accurately reflect the recovery status of patients with IFP. (Trial registration No. ChiCTR2200065442).
Humans ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Facial Paralysis/therapy* ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Acupuncture Points ; Aged

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study. METHODS: A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m ²) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m ²) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m ²) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m ² ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Adult ; Mortality ; Cause of Death ; Obesity/mortality* ; Overweight/mortality*

On the basis of that the fluorescence wavelength of copper nanoclusters(CuNCs)could cover the entire visible region,multicolor fluorescent CuNCs/starch composites were prepared and applied in fingermark development.With L-glutathione as the reducing agent and protective ligand,blue emissive and orange emissive CuNCs solutions were obtained in alkaline solutions at 90℃and 25℃,respectively.With the aggregation-induced emission effect induced by ethanol as a poor solvent,the fluorescence of orange emissive CuNCs with a higher intensity was achieved in an ethanol-water solution.With ascorbic acid as the reducing agent and 3-mercaptopropionic acid as the protective agent,green emissive CuNCs solution was prepared in an acid solution.Particle morphologies,chemical compositions and optical properties of these three CuNCs above were investigated using physical characterization and spectroscopic analysis,indicating that well-dispersed CuNCs had excellent photoluminescent properties.These CuNCs solutions were combined with starch to form composite powders by simply drying.The influences of the type of CuNCs and the ratio of CuNCs to starch on the emission wavelength and fluorescence intensity of the products were studied.The obtained CuNCs/starch composites could emit blue,green and orange fluorescence under 365 nm ultraviolet light,respectively,which were suitable for fingermark development.Minutiae and partial level-3 features of latent fingermarks could be effectively developed.High-quality fluorescence fingermark images would be captured using appropriate optical filters to eliminate background interference of various substrates.

A highly efficient oxidase-mimetic silver phosphate/nickel hydroxystannate(Ag3PO4/NiSn(OH)6)composite was synthesized via a precipitation method using nickel hydroxystannate(NiSn(OH)6)as the support.The abundant hydroxyl groups(—OH)on NiSn(OH)6 not only provided nucleation sites for Ag3PO4 nanoparticles but also improved their dispersion and overall material stability.Based on oxidase-like activity of Ag3PO4/NiSn(OH)6 and inhibitory effect of sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate(SDBS)on this catalytic activity,a novel colorimetric sensing method for SDBS detection was developed.Under optimized experimental conditions,the method exhibited a linear range of 3.69-42.7 μmol/L,with a detection limit of 0.135 μmol/L(S/N=3).The regression equation was ΔA652=0.01125C(μmol/L)+0.1498,with a correlation coefficient(R2)of 0.992.Practical application in dishwashing liquid analysis achieved satisfactory recoveries of 96.9%-106.4%,demonstrating the method's reliability for real sample detection.

Forensic medicine has been designated as a first-level discipline,presenting new opportunities and challenges for the development of forensic medicine.Since the 1980s,the establishment of foren-sic medicine discipline and the cultivation of high-level forensic talents have become hot topics in the development of forensic medicine in China.Since the 13th Five-Year Plan,the forensic team of Shanxi Medical University has been aiming at the forefront,proposing the development goals of"Five First-class"and the discipline development path"Six Major Achievements".It has selected benchmark disci-plines,identified gaps in disciplinary development,unified thoughts,formulated completion timelines,concentrated superior resources,assigned tasks to individuals,and created an"Organized Fill-in-the-Blank Format"forensic medicine discipline construction model with the characteristics of the new era.The construction model of forensic medicine has achieved good results in the goals,discipline frame-work,scientific research,talent cultivation,discipline team and platform construction,forming a rela-tively complete discipline construction and management system,and accumulating valuable experience for the construction of first-level discipline and high-level talent cultivation of forensic medicine.

Cysteine dioxygenase 1 (CDO1) gene is a non-heme structured, iron-containing metalloenzyme involved in the conversion of cysteine to cysteine sulfinic acid to regulate cysteine accumulation in vivo. Elevated levels of cysteine have been shown to be cytotoxic and neurotoxic, and this is the first important step in the breakdown of cysteine metabolism in mammalian tissues. The human CDO1 gene is located on chromosome 5q23.2. Studies have shown that deletion or epigenetic silencing of this chromosomal region contributes to tumorigenesis. It is highly expressed in the liver and placenta, and weakly in the heart, brain and pancreas. CDO1 is a tumor suppressor gene (TSG) with a wide range of functions, which can be involved in various biological processes such as tumor cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and iron death, thus affecting the tumor development. CDO1 is epigenetically regulated in human cancers, compared to normal tissues. The CDO1’s mRNA or protein expression levels were significantly down-regulated in tumor tissues, whereas promoter DNA methylation of the CDO1 gene usually accumulates with the progression of human cancers. Aberrant hypermethylation on the CDO1 promoter is a common event in tumor cells, which leads to transcriptional inactivation and silencing of the CDO1 gene. High frequency of methylation of CDO1 gene promoter methylation region in a variety of tumors including breast, oesophageal, lung, bladder, gastric and colorectal cancers. CDO1 gene promoter methylation levels reflect cancer progression and malignant tumorigenesis, which is a common molecular indicator explaining poor prognosis in human cancers. Treatment with 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (a drug that promotes demethylation) reactivated the CDO1 expression in most cancer cell lines, indicating that the transcriptional expression of CDO1 is closely correlated with its promoter methylation level, CDO1 gene promoter methylation and tumor progression have also received increasing attention from researchers. It was found that CDO1 gene promoter hypermethylation can be used as an early tumor marker for clinical aid diagnosis and helps to differentiate cancerous from benign diseases. It was also found that CDO1 promoter DNA methylation showed reliable tumor monitoring potential in human body fluids, and furthermore, the degree of CDO1 promoter methylation was strongly correlated with resistance to chemotherapy with tumor drugs, which would be helpful in evaluating the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs. Thus, CDO1, a common promoter methylation gene in human cancers, is closely associated with the development of a wide range of tumors and is one of the most promising candidate genes for assessing tumor-specific epigenetic changes. This article reviews the biological functions of CDO1 and its promoter DNA methylation in tumors, focusing on the mechanism of CDO1 DNA promoter methylation in tumors, with a view to providing theoretical guidance for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of tumors with CDO1 as a potential therapeutic target.