Objective To investigate the causal relationship between metabolic syndrome and breast cancer by using a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach. Methods Genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics for metabolic syndrome and breast cancer were acquired from the Integrative Epidemiology Unit GWAS database and the GWAS Catalog, with populations encompassing the United States and East Asia. A bidirectional causal design was employed: a forward analysis with metabolic syndrome as the exposure and breast cancer as the outcome, followed by a reverse analysis wherein their roles were interchanged. The inverse-variance weighting (IVW) method was primarily used for effect estimation, supplemented by MR-Egger regression, the weighted median method, the simple mode method, and the weighted mode method. Instrument variable strength was screened using the F-statistic (F>10). Robustness of the results was assessed through heterogeneity tests, horizontal pleiotropy tests, forest plots, and leave-one-out sensitivity analyses. Results The IVW analysis indicated no significant causal relationship between metabolic syndrome and breast cancer (OR=1.00, 95%CI: 0.97-1.03), P>0.05). Sensitivity analyses yielded consistent results, suggesting the good robustness of the study findings. Conclusion This study found no evidence to support a causal relationship, either positive or negative, between metabolic syndrome and breast cancer.

Objective:To investigate the differences and prognostic value of serum myeloid-related proteins 8 and 14 (Mrp 8/14) in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) induced by pulmonary and extrapulmonary sepsis.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to collect the general clinical data of septic ARDS patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of Nanjing Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from August 2021 to February 2024. The serum levels of Mrp 8/14 were detected within 24 hours after admission. According to whether the patients died during ICU stay, the patients with pulmonary ARDS and extrapulmonary ARDS induced by sepsis were divided into survival and death groups, respectively. The differences of Mrp 8/14 and other clinical data between the two groups were compared. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the prognostic factors of septic patients with pulmonary ARDS and extrapulmonary ARDS. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to evaluate the predictive value of serum Mrp 8/14 for the prognosis of patients with pulmonary ARDS and extrapulmonary ARDS.Results:A total of 138 patients with sepsis-induced ARDS were enrolled in this study, including 79 patients with pulmonary ARDS and 59 patients with extrapulmonary ARDS. Compared to the death group, the level of serum Mrp 8/14 was significantly lower [Mrp 8/14: 22.90 (17.91, 30.88) μg/mL vs. 10.73 (7.15, 17.20) μg/mL, P<0.05]. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the serum Mrp 8/14 level was an independent risk factor for the prognosis of pulmonary ARDS patients only during the ICU stay ( OR=1.253, 95% CI: 1.110-1.414, P<0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of serum Mrp 8/14 for the prediction of death in ARDS patients with pulmonary sepsis during ICU stay was 0.855 (95% CI: 0.773-0.938, P<0.05), the cut-off value was 19.230 μg/mL, the sensitivity was 0.718, the specificity was 0.925, and the Yonden index was 0.405. Conclusion:Serum Mrp 8/14 is an effective prognostic indicator for the mortality of ARDS patients with pulmonary sepsis during ICU hospitalization.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between sepsis-induced coagulopathy (SIC) scores, soluble thrombomodulin (sTM) levels, and disease severity in septic patients, and to evaluate their individual and combined predictive value for patient prognosis.Methods:This retrospective cohort study included 212 sepsis patients admitted to the ICU of Nanjing Hospital affiliated with Nanjing Medical University from April 2021 to April 2024. Clinical data collected within 24 hours of admission included demographics, laboratory parameters (routine blood tests, coagulation profiles, biochemistry, inflammatory markers), sTM levels, SOFA scores, APACHEⅡ scores, and SIC scores. Patients were stratified into survival ( n=124) and non-survival ( n=88) groups based on 30-day mortality. Intergroup comparisons were performed, and Spearman correlation analysis assessed relationships between SIC scores, sTM, and APACHEⅡ scores. Multivariate logistic regression identified prognostic factors, while ROC curve analysis evaluated the predictive performance of SIC scores, sTM, and their combination for 30-day mortality. Results:The non-survival group exhibited significantly higher levels of PCT [25.3 (10.8, 87.4)μg/L vs. 11.7 (7.0, 18.9) μg/L], APACHEⅡ scores (27.48±7.01 vs. 21.75±5.68), SIC scores [4.0 (3.5, 5.0) vs. 2.5 (1.0, 4.0)], and sTM [17.2 (11.6, 36.2) TU/mL vs. 10.3 (8.7, 14.6) TU/mL] compared to survivors (all P<0.05). Both SIC scores ( r=0.482) and sTM ( r=0.379) correlated positively with APACHE II scores ( P<0.05). Multivariate analysis identified APACHEⅡ score, PCT, sTM, and SIC score as independent prognostic predictors (all P<0.05). ROC analysis demonstrated predictive utility for SIC scores (AUC=0.733) and sTM (AUC=0.592), with SIC scores approximating APACHE II performance (AUC=0.755). The combined SIC-sTM model showed superior predictive accuracy (AUC=0.887; sensitivity=92.5%; specificity=76.5%) versus individual markers. Conclusions:SIC scores and sTM levels correlate significantly with sepsis severity. Their combined use enhances prognostic assessment, offering clinically valuable predictive performance for 30-day mortality in septic patients.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of andrographolide （Andro） on the neuronal apoptosis in ischemic stroke （IS） rats by regulating the neuregulin-1 （Nrg-1）/epithelial growth factor receptor 4 （ErbB4） signaling pathway. METHODS The IS rat model was established using the suture method. Sixty successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into model group （physiological saline）， Andro low-dose group （Andro-L group， 50 mg/kg）， Andro high-dose group （Andro-H group， 100 mg/kg）， and Andro-H+Dacomitinib group （100 mg/kg of Andro+7.5 mg/kg of Nrg-1/ErbB4 signaling pathway inhibitor Dacomitinib）， with 15 rats in each group. Another 15 rats were chosen as the sham group （physiological saline）. The rats were intragastrically administered medication/physiological saline once a day for 7 consecutive days. After medication， the neurological function of the rats was assessed； the levels of lactate dehydrogenase （LDH）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， IL-10， and nerve growth factor （NGF） in the rat serum were detected； the infarct area of the rat brain was measured， and the pathological changes in the hippocampal tissue of the rats were observed. Moreover， the apoptosis rate of hippocampal neurons and the levels of malondialdehyde （MDA）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， catalase （CAT）， matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9）， cleaved-caspase- 3， Nrg-1 protein expressions and phosphorylated ErbB4 （p-ErbB4）/ErbB4 ratio in the hippocampal tissue were detected. RESULTS Compared with the model group， the Zea-Longa score， the escape latency， the serum LDH， TNF-α， IL-1β levels， the percentage of cerebral infarction area， the hippocampal neuron apoptosis rate， the MDA level and MMP-9， cleaved-caspase-3 protein expression levels in the hippocampal tissue in the Andro-L and Andro-H groups were significantly reduced/shortened （P＜0.05）. The dwelling time， the number of platform crossings， the serum IL-10， NGF levels， the CAT， SOD levels， the Nrg-1 protein expression level and p-ErbB4/ErbB4 ratio in the hippocampal tissue were significantly extended/increased （P＜0.05）； the degree of hippocampal neural tissue damage was significantly E-mail：lrxxl3@163.com reduced. Dacomitinib could significantly weaken the improvement effect of high-dose Andro on neuronal injury in IS rats （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Andro can reduce the inflammatory response， oxidative stress， and hippocampal tissue damage in IS rats， and promote neurological function. Its mechanism of action may be related to the activation of Nrg-1/ErbB4 signaling pathway.

Objective To investigate the effects of sulforaphane(SFN)in regulating the macrophage glycolysis via the arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase(ALOX5)/nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB)signaling pathway on the progression of diabetic nephropathy(DN).Methods Bioinformatics analysis was used to identify the target genes of SFN in the treatment of DN.Human proximal tubular epithelial cell line(HK-2 cells)was induced with 30 mmol/L high glucose(HG)to create an in vitro model of DN.HK-2 cells were divided into the following groups:normal glucose(NG)group,HG group,HG+SFN(3 mmol/L)group,HG+ALOX5 group,HG+SFN(3 mmol/L)+ALOX5 group,HG-treated macrophages+HK-2 group,HG+SFN(3 mmol/L)treated macrophages s+HK-2 group,HG+ALOX5 transfection treated macrophages+HK-2 group,HG+SFN(3 mmol/L)+ALOX5 transfection treated macrophages+HK-2 group.CCK-8 assay was used to detect cell viability,Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling(TUNEL)method was used to detect cell apoptosis;glucose and lactate levels in the cells were measured using assay kits;Western blot was performed to detect the expression of ALOX5,NF-κB,and glycolysis-related proteins hexokinase-2(HK2),pyruvate kinase M2(PKM2),glucose transporter 1(GLUT1)in each group.Diabetic nephropathy(DN)mouse models were established using streptozotocin(STZ)and treated with SFN(0.5 mg/kg).Various biochemical parameters were measured in the mice,and kidney tissue pathology was examined using H&E staining.Western blot was used to detect the expression of glycolysis-related proteins(HK2,PKM2,GLUT1)in kidney macrophages.Results Bioinformatics analysis revealed ALOX5 as the target gene of SFN in treating DN.Compared to the HG group,SFN treatment enhanced HK-2 cell viability and in-hibited apoptosis(P<0.05);concurrently,SFN treatment suppressed HG-induced macrophage glycolysis-related protein and attenuated macrophage-mediated HK-2 cellular injury(P<0.05).Western blot results showed that SFN inhibited the expression of ALOX5 and NF-κB(P<0.05).The mouse experiment results showed that SFN treatment improved kidney function and pathological changes in the kidney of DN mice,and inhibited the related protein expression of acrophage glycolysis in kidney tissue(P<0.05).Conclusion SFN improves the progression of DN by inhibiting the expression of macrophage glycolysis-related protein through the ALOX5/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Objective To observe the efficacy of hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy(HAIC)combined with lenvatinib for treating Barcelona clinic liver cancer(BCLC)stage B or C hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),and to explore the impact factors of patients'survival time.Methods Data of 104 patients with BCLC stage B or C HCC were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were divided into observation group(n=46,underwent HAIC combined with lenvatinib)and control group(n=58,underwent HAIC alone).The clinical efficacy and adverse reactions of treatments,as well as patients'overall survival(OS)and progression free survival(PFS)were recorded and compared between groups.Cox regressions were used to explore the impact factors of patients'survival time.Results Three months and 6 months after HAIC,the results of modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumors(mRECIST)in observation group were both better than those in control group(both P＜0.05),while no significant difference was found between groups one year after HAIC(P＞0.05).The overall survival rate in observation group was higher than that in control group(P＜0.05),while there was no significant difference of progression free survival rate between groups(P＞0.05).The incidence of rash in observation group was higher than that in control group(P＜0.05).Multiple Cox regression showed prolonged OS in HCC patients in observation group(hazard ratio[HR]=0.425,95%CI[0.255,0.791])compared with that in control group.Compared with pre-treatment Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group(ECOG)score 1,AFP≥400 μg/ml,the number of tumor foci≥3 and BCLC stage C,pre-treatment ECOG score 0,AFP＜400 μg/ml,the number of tumor foci≤2 and BCLC stage B were all independent protective factors of OS in HCC patients(all P＜0.05).Conclusion HAIC combined with lenvatinib was safe and effective for treating BCLC stage B or C HCC.Pre-treatment ECOG score,serum AFP level,the number of tumor foci and BCLC stage were all independent impact factors of OS.

Objective:To explore the surgical intervention strategy for metastatic cervical lymph nodes surrounding the carotid artery in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.Methods:A total of 62 patients with advanced head and neck tumors and carotid wrap by disease treated in Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, the Affiliated BenQ Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between June 2019 and December 2023 were reviewed, of whom 9 patients presented with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma in cervical lymph nodes of unknown primary or with no recurrence of primary lesion and all the 9 patients were males, aged from 48 to 79 years old, with≤level 2 of Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group-Performance Status (ECOG-PS). Radiographically common carotid artery (CCA) and/or internal carotid artery (ICA) were surrounded by≥270° with tumor. All the 9 patients received implantation of covered stent in carotid artery and radical resection of metastatic cervical lymph nodes. The success rate, complications, surgery-related complications, local recurrence rate, quality of life (QOL) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed. The QOL of patients was compared by paired rank sum test, and P<0.05 indicated statistically significant difference. The OS was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier. Results:The success rate of stent implantation was 100%, with no implantation-related complications. R0 resection was performed in 8 cases and R1 resection in 1 case. The QOL of patients after surgery was improved, and the improvements in "pain", "mood" and "anxiety" were statistically significant( Z values were -2.236, -2.460 and -2.200, respectively, and all P values were<0.05). Follow-up was 1-18 months, with a median of 7 months, and 1 case was lost to follow-up. Local recurrence occurred in 3 patients with an incidence of 37.5% (3/8). OS was 59.9% at 12 months after surgery. Conclusion:Implantation of covered stent in carotid artery combined with radical resection is an effective method for the treatment of cervical lymph node metastasis.

This paper analyzes the literature on virtual reality(VR)technology interventions for autistic children published from 2014 to 2022.It shows that different VR systems in these studies have improved different symptoms of autism,and points out the feasibility of VR technology interventions for autistic children.

Objective:To explore the anger emotional state,traits and expression characteristics in patients with schizophrenia with violent behavior in community.Methods:Twenty-five patients with schizopnrenia with a history of violent behavior among the community rehabilitation institutions were selected as the violent behavior group,and 74 patients with schizopnrenia without a history of violent behavior were selected as the nonviolent behavior group.The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale(BPRS)was used to assess psychiatric symptoms,and the State-Trait An-ger Expression Inventory(STAXI)was used to assess anger characteristics.Results:Compared with the nonviolent behavior group,the violent behavior group had significantly higher scores in the trait of anger(patient dimension score,rational dimension score)and expression of anger(total score,restraint dimension score)[(28.0±23.8)vs.(19.6±13.3),(55.0±30.6)vs.(40.0±21.5),(34.2±11.6)vs.(27.3±10.7),(56.0±26.1)vs.(33.7±21.1),Ps＜0.05].Higher scores of rationality dimension of anger trait(OR=3.69,95％CI:1.43-7.98)and re-straint dimension of anger expression(OR=3.25,95％CI:1.39-7.47)were risk factors for violent behaviors.Conclusion:Compared with patients with schizopnrenia without violent behavior,patients with violent behavior history may show more lack of rationality,and poorer anger restraint.