BACKGROUND: The combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors and chemotherapy (ICI + Chemo) shows promise in treatment of recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (RM-NPC), but some patients received limited benefit and the prognostic factors of the treatments remain unclear. Furthermore, ICIs efficacy in subsequent treatments needs further evaluation. METHODS: A systematic search on PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and major conference proceedings was conducted to identify relevant studies for meta-analysis. The study was designed to compare ICI + Chemo with chemotherapy in first-line treatment and identify efficacy predictors, and to evaluate ICIs alone in subsequent-line treatment for RM-NPC, with a focus on progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and treatment-related adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: Fifteen trials involving 1928 patients were included. Three trials compared ICI + Chemo with chemotherapy as a first-line treatment, while 12 trials evaluated ICIs alone in subsequent-line treatment of RM-NPC patients. First-line ICI + Chemo showed superior PFS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.52, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.43-0.63; P <0.001) and ORR (risk ratio [RR] = 1.14, 95% CI, 1.05-1.24; P <0.001) compared to chemotherapy, without increased AEs (RR = 1.01, 95% CI, 0.99-1.03; P = 0.481). Neither programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) nor other factors predicted the efficacy of ICI + Chemo vs . chemotherapy. Subsequent-line ICIs alone had a median PFS of 4.12 months (95% CI, 2.93-5.31 months), an ORR of 24% (95% CI, 20-28%), with grade 1-5/grade 3-5 AEs at 79%/14%. However, ICIs alone were associated with significantly shorter PFS (HR = 1.31, 95% CI, 1.01-1.68; P = 0.040) than chemotherapy alone. CONCLUSIONS ICI + Chemo confers superior survival benefits compared to chemotherapy in first-line RM-NPC treatment, independent of PD-L1 expression or other factors. However, ICIs alone demonstrate a manageable safety profile but do not surpass chemotherapy in efficacy for subsequent-line treatment.
Humans ; Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/adverse effects* ; Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma/drug therapy* ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/drug therapy*

"Global cancer statistics 2022" based on the latest GLOBCAN data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) was recently released, providing a systematic analysis of the incidence and mortality of 36 types of cancer across 185 countries worldwide. The international burden of cancer is expected to continue to increase over the next 30 years, posing a severe public health and social challenge for many countries, including China. This article offers a key point interpretation of the "Global cancer statistics 2022", focusing on the evolution of cancer epidemiology and future development trends. The aim is to broaden the international perspective on cancer prevention and treatment, with the hope of providing reference and guidance for cancer prevention and treatment efforts in our country.

The correspondence between prescription and syndrome is the advantage and characteristic of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)treatment.However,the pathogenesis of clinical diseases is complex and the condition is changeable,and the clinical application is difficult to achieve the maximum effect under the existing cognition of the correspondence between prescription and syndrome.In this paper,the five categories of physiological characteristics,pathological characteristics,constitution,syndrome,and disease of the longitudinal classification of"TCM state"are introduced into the correspondence of prescription and syndrome.Under the vertical perspective of"TCM state",the theoretical connotation of the correspondence between prescription and syndrome is interpreted as"correspondence between prescription and state",namely correspondence of"prescription-physiological characteristics",correspondence of"prescription-pathological characteristics",correspondence of"prescription-constitution",correspondence of"prescription-syndrome",and correspondence of"prescription-disease".It is hoped to accurately grasp the corresponding connotation of the correspondence between prescription and syndrome,in order to deepen the clinical thinking mode of TCM.

Background::Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and diameter, stiffness, and wave reflections, are independent and important clinical biomarkers and risk predictors for cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of the present study was to establish nationwide reference values of carotid properties for healthy Chinese adults and to explore potential clinical determinants.Methods::A total of 3053 healthy Han Chinese adults (1922 women) aged 18-79 years were enrolled at 28 collaborating tertiary centers throughout China between April 2021 and July 2022. The real-time tracking of common carotid artery walls was achieved by the radio frequency (RF) ultrasound system. The IMT, diameter, compliance coefficient, β stiffness, local pulse wave velocity (PWV), local systolic blood pressure, augmented pressure (AP), and augmentation index (AIx) were then automatically measured and reported. Data were stratified by age groups and sex. The relationships between age and carotid property parameters were analyzed by Jonckheere-Terpstra test and simple linear regressions. The major clinical determinants of carotid properties were identified by Pearson’s correlation, multiple linear regression, and analyses of covariance.Results::All the parameters of carotid properties demonstrated significantly age-related trajectories. Women showed thinner IMT, smaller carotid diameter, larger AP, and AIx than men. The β stiffness and PWV were significantly higher in men than women before forties, but the differences reversed after that. The increase rate of carotid IMT (5.5 μm/year in women and 5.8 μm/year in men) and diameter (0.03 mm/year in both men and women) were similar between men and women. For the stiffness and wave reflections, women showed significantly larger age-related variations than men as demonstrated by steeper regression slopes (all P for age by sex interaction <0.05). The blood pressures, body mass index (BMI), and triglyceride levels were identified as major clinical determinants of carotid properties with adjustment of age and sex. Conclusions::The age- and sex-specific reference values of carotid properties measured by RF ultrasound for healthy Chinese adults were established. The blood pressures, BMI, and triglyceride levels should be considered for clinical application of corresponding reference values.

Objective To investigate the molecular mechanisms by which SOX7 regulates the SHP-2/Wnt/β-cate-nin/ROS pathway,affecting the proliferation,invasion,and migration of colorectal cancer cells.Methods Twenty nude mice with subcutaneously transplanted tumor models were randomly divided into four groups:SOX7 NC(n=5),SOX mimic(n=5),SOX7 NC+PHPS1(n=5),and SOX7 mimic+PHPS1(n=5)to observe tumor growth.Human colorectal cancer cell line SW480 cells were transfected via lipofection and divided into six groups:SOX7 NC,SOX7 mimic,SOX7 NC+H2 O2,SOX7 mimic+H2O2,SOX7 NC+PHPS1,and SOX7 mimic+PHPS1.The ex-pression of SHP-2/Wnt/β-catenin/ROS pathway-related proteins in SW480 cells of each group was detected by Western blot.The invasion and migration capabilities of SW480 cells were assessed through scratch and Transwell invasion assays,while cell proliferation was evaluated using CCK-8.Results In vivo experiments demonstrated that tumors in the SOX7 mimic group were significantly smaller than those in the SOX7 NC group(P＜0.01).Tumors treated with PHPS1 intervention exhibited a significant increase in volume.There was no statistical significance in the difference in tumor volume between the SOX7 mimic+PHPS1 group and the SOX7 NC+PHPS1 group.In vitro experiments revealed that SOX7 mimic inhibited the expression of Wnt,β-catenin,NOX2,NOX4,PI3K,P-PI3K,AKT,P-AKT proteins(P＜0.01),and promoted the expression of p-SHP-2 protein(P＜0.01).The addition of hydrogen peroxide and SHP-2 inhibitor reversed the effects of SOX7 on SW480 cells(P＜0.05),and significantly promoted the expression levels of Wnt,β-catenin,NOX2,NOX4,PI3K,P-PI3K,AKT,P-AKT proteins,with no sig-nificant difference,while significantly reducing the expression levels of SHP-2,p-SHP-2 proteins,with no significant difference.PHPS1 inhibited the expression of SHP-2,p-SHP-2 proteins(P＜0.05)and upregulated the expression of Wnt,β-catenin,NOX2,NOX4,PI3K,P-PI3K,AKT,P-AKT proteins(P＜0.05).Scratch,Transwell invasion and migration assays,and CCK-8 experiments indicated that SOX7 suppressed the migration,invasion,and proliferation of SW480 cells through oxidative stress and the SHP-2 pathway(P＜0.01),while H2O2 and PHPS1 intervention promoted the migration,invasion,and proliferation of SW480 cells(P＜0.05).Conclusion SOX7 can suppress the proliferation,invasion,and migration of colorectal cancer by targeting the SHP-2/Wnt/β-catenin/ROS pathway.

Based on the"You Gu Wu Yun"theory in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),this paper believes that"Gu"in"You Gu Wu Yun"is extended to"state"from the perspective of"TCM state".In order to avoid the adverse reactions of TCM,the macro,meso,and micro three views should be used together,and macro,meso,and micro parameters should be integrated.We should also carefully identify the physiological characteristics,pathological characteristics,constitution,syndrome,and disease of human body by combining qualitative and quantitative method,highlighting the relationship between the prescription and the"state".The correspondence between prescription and the"state"will reduce the risk of adverse reactions of TCM.In this paper,we hope to focus on the guiding role of the"You Gu Wu Yun"theory in TCM research,to give full play to the characteristics and advantages of TCM,and to dialectically treat the role of TCM.

Objective:To analyze the relationship between CT attenuation value of pulmonary artery thrombi and the efficacy of interventional thrombolysis in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (APE).Methods:This was a single center cross-sectional study. The clinical and imaging data of 89 APE patients who underwent interventional thrombolysis in Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from January 2018 to December 2022, were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) before and after thrombolysis, the CT attenuation value of pulmonary artery thrombi and ratio of CT attenuation value of thrombi to left subscapularis muscle CT value were obtained; and the difference of Qanadli embolism index (ΔQ) before and after thrombolysis was calculated. According to the median ΔQ, patients were classified as good efficacy group (ΔQ>50%) and poor efficacy group (ΔQ≤50%). The clinical characteristics and quantitative parameters of CT were compared between the two groups, and the factors associated with efficacy of thrombolysis were analyzed with univariate and multivariate logistic regression. The correlation between CT attenuation value of pulmonary artery thrombi and ΔQ was analyzed by Spearman correlation analysis.Results:The CT attenuation value of thrombi and ratio of attenuation value of thrombi to left subscapularis muscle CT value showed significant difference between the two groups ( P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that compared with CT attenuation value of emboli≤53.47 HU, the value>53.47 HU might be associated with the good efficacy of thrombosysis ( OR=9.175, 95% CI: 0.937-89.846, P=0.057). There was a positive correlation between CT value of pulmonary artery thrombi and ΔQ ( r=0.365, P<0.001). Conclusion:The CT attenuation value of thrombi can predict the efficacy of interventional thrombolysis in APE patients, and patients with higher CT attenuation value would have a better treatment response.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the transitional stage between healthy aging and dementia, enjoying high risk of progression to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Therefore, MCI stage becomes the most important node for early identification, diagnosis and prevention of AD. At present, MCI clinical diagnosis lacks neuroimaging markers with non-invasive, timely and economic advantages. Recent studies suggest that microstructural and/or functional changes may occur in brain regions such as the hippocampus, amygdala, cingulate gyrus, thalamus, putamen, caudate nucleus and corpus callosum during MCI stage, and imaging features of these abnormal changes may serve as neuroimaging markers for early diagnosis of MCI. This article reviews the research progress on the abnormal changes of MCI related brain regions in neuroimaging.

Objective:To establish a mortality risk prediction model of severe bacterial infection in children and compare it with the pediatric early warning score (PEWS), pediatric critical illness score (PCIS) and pediatric risk of mortality score Ⅲ (PRISM Ⅲ).Methods:A total of 178 critically ill children were selected from the PICU of the Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from May 2017 to June 2022. After obtaining the informed consent of the parents/guardians, basic information such as sex, age, height and weight, as well as indicators such as heart rate, systolic blood pressure and respiratory rate were collected from all children. A standard questionnaire was used to score the child 24 h after admission to the PICU. The children were divided into the survival and death groups according to their survival status at 28 d after admission. A mortality risk prediction model was constructed and nomogram was drawn. The value of the mortality risk prediction model, PEWS, PCIS and PRISM in predicting the risk of death was assessed and compared using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the ROC curve (AUC).Results:Among the 178 critically ill children, 11 cases were excluded due to severe data deficiencies and hospitalization not exceeding 24 h. A total of 167 children were included in the analysis, including 134 in the survival group and 33 in the death group. A mortality risk prediction model for children with severe bacterial infection was constructed using pupillary changes, state of consciousness, skin color, mechanical ventilation, total cholesterol and prothrombin time. ROC curve analysis showed that the AUCs of mortality risk prediction model was 0.888 ( P<0.05). The AUCs of PEWS, PCIS and PRISM Ⅲ in predicting death in children with severe bacterial infection were 0.769 ( P< 0.05), 0.575 ( P< 0.05) and 0.759 ( P< 0.05), respectively. Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test showed the best agreement between risk of death and PEWS predicted morbidity and mortality and actual morbidity and mortality (χ 2 = 5.180, P = 0.738; χ 2 = 4.939, P = 0.764), and the PCIS and PRISM Ⅲ predicted mortality rates fitted reasonably well with actual mortality rates (χ 2= 9.110, P= 0333; χ 2 = 8.943, P= 0.347). Conclusions:The mortality risk prediction model for predicting the death risk has better prognostic value than PEWS, PCIS and PRISM Ⅲ for children with severe bacterial infection.

Objective:To study the clinical characteristics of neonatal leukemoid reaction (NLR).Methods:The newborns with NLR admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of the Seventh Medical Center of PLA General Hospital from September 2010 to January 2022 were selected as the observation group, and the newborns without NLR, who were admitted to the Hospital at the same time and matched with gestational age and birth weight of the NLR newborns were selected as the control group at a ratio of 1∶2. The gestational age, birth weight, maternal complications, maximum leukocyte count, percentage of neutrophils, C-reactive protein, hemoglobin, platelet count, disease diagnosis and other relevant information of the newborns were recorded, and SPSS 21.0 statistical software was applied to compare the data of the two groups of newborns.Results:A total of 36 cases were in the observation group and 72 cases in the control group. Naive granulocytes were found in the peripheral blood of all patients in the observation group, and leukocyte count was higher than that of the control group [61.7 (54.2, 90.6)×10 9/L vs. 19.6 (14.2,27.3)×10 9/L], the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.001), but there was no statistically significant difference in the percentage of neutrophils, hemoglobin, platelets, and C-reactive protein between the two groups ( P>0.05). The proportion of vaginal delivery, meconium-stained amniotic fluid, and neonatal sepsis in the observation group were higher than that in the control group [69.4% (25/36) vs. 38.9% (28/72), 19.4% (7/36) vs. 5.6% (4/72), 47.2% (17/36) vs. 8.3% (6/72)], and the proportion of gestational diabetes mellitus, gestational hypertension and prenatal use of glucocorticoid was lower than that in the control group, with statistical significance ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of premature rupture of membranes, neonatal asphyxia, intracranial hemorrhage, pulmonary hemorrhage, bacterial meningitis, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Newborns with NLR are frequently complicated with sepsis. Early prevention and treatment of maternal comorbidities and active control of infection are important for the prevention and treatment of NLR.