Background In 2021, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) emerged as the forth leading cause of death in the world. However, the impact of air pollutants on COPD is still inconsistent across current studies. Objective To analyze the relationship between ambient sulfur dioxide (SO₂) exposure and hospital admissions for COPD in Lanzhou, and to examine the modified effects of SO₂ across different genders, age groups, and seasons. Methods A total of 20718 hospital admission records for COPD were collected from Lanzhou between 2016 and 2020, alongside synchronized data on SO₂ concentration and meteorological variables. A generalized additive model integrated with a distributed lag nonlinear model was used to assess the relationship and the lag effects between SO₂ exposure and COPD admissions. Potential confounders, including meteorological factors, day-of-the-week effect, and holidays, were controlled for, with a maximum lag period set at 7 d. Two-pollutant models and sensitivity analyses were conducted to ensure robustness. Results are expressed as relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Results During the study period, the average daily number of COPD admissions was 11.34±7.03. The average mass concentration of SO₂ was (23.72±12.35) μg·m⁻³. SO₂ exposure was positively correlated with COPD admissions; specifically, each 10 μg·m⁻³ increase in SO₂ concentration was associated with an RR of 1.440 (95%CI: 1.317, 1.573). Stratified analyses found that at a cumulative lag of 7 d, the RRs were higher among females, individuals aged ≥65 years, and during the cold season. Conversely, no significant increase in COPD admission risk related to SO₂ was observed during the warm season. For every 10 μg·m⁻³ increase in SO₂ concentration, the RR was 1.483 (95%CI: 1.311, 1.678) for females, 1.441 (95%CI: 1.311, 1.583) for those aged > 65 years， and 1.595 (95%CI: 1.313, 1.937) during the cold season. Conclusion Short-term exposure to ambient SO₂ exposure in Lanzhou is associated with an increased risk of COPD admission. The association is more pronounced among females, the elderly (aged> 65 years) and during the cold season.

Neoadjuvant therapy has become the standard treatment for locally advanced resectable esophageal cancer, significantly improving long-term survival compared to surgery alone. Neoadjuvant therapy has evolved to include various strategies, such as concurrent chemoradiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or targeted combination therapy. This enriches clinical treatment options and provides a more personalized and scientific treatment approach for patients. This article aims to comprehensively summarize current academic research hot topics, review the rationale and evaluation measures of neoadjuvant therapy, discuss challenges in restaging methods after neoadjuvant therapy, and identify the advantages and disadvantages of various neoadjuvant therapeutic strategies.

Objective:To compare the dosimetric characteristics of three fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy techniques,i.e.,tomo-therapy(TOMO),volumetric-modulated arc therapy(VMAT),and CyberKnife(CK),in the treatment of intracranial oligometastases,and to assess their dose distribution,treatment efficiency,and difference in dose delivered to organs at risk(OARs).Methods:A retro-spective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 54 patients with intracranial oligometastases who underwent fractionated stereo-tactic radiotherapy in The First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University in 2021-2023.Varian Eclipse 16.1 Physician Worksta-tion was used to perform tumor target volume delineation,and MANTEIA AccContour 3.2 software was used to perform the delineation of OARs,such as brainstem,spinal cord,and optical nerves.The delineated structures and images were transmitted to TOMO,CK,and Eclipse treatment planning systems to design three different radiotherapy treatment plans.Related key parameters were analyzed using the dose-volume histogram to evaluate the dosimetric characteristics of these three radiotherapy techniques,including conformity index(CI)of the target,dose homogeneity index(HI),beam-on time,the number of monitor units(MU),and the exposure dose of OARs.Results:All three treatment plans(TOMO,VMAT,and CK)met the requirements for prescribed dose.TOMO had a slightly better CI than VMAT and CK(1.05 vs.1.09 and 1.17,P<0.001).VMAT had a better HI than CK and TOMO(1.15 vs.1.28 and 1.46,P<0.001).In terms of execution efficiency,VMAT had a significantly shorter beam-on time than TOMO and CK(5 minutes,1 633 MU vs.10 minutes,8 932 MU and 39 minutes,5 191 MU,P<0.001).In terms of the exposure dose of OARs,CK provided the best protection for the lens,with a maximum dose of 15 cGy for the right lens and 17 cGy for the left lens,and TOMO had an advantage in dose control for the right cochlea,with a mean dose of 88 cGy,while VMAT had the best performance in limiting the dose for the spinal cord,with a maximum dose of 31 cGy(P<0.05).Conclusion:This study shows that TOMO,VMAT,and CK all meet the requirements for the prescribed dose and can effectively protect OARs in the treatment of in-tracranial oligometastases.In clinical practice,the most appropriate technique should be selected based on the features of lesions and treatment goals to achieve individualized treatment.

Objective To investigate the association of liver radiodensity with the degree and progression of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B(CHB).Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted among 114 CHB patients who were hospitalized in The First Hospital of Lanzhou University from January to December 2019,and related clinical data were collected,including laboratory tests and abdominal CT.The metabolic characteristics of the patients were assessed,and liver radiodensity was measured.An analysis of variance was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between three groups,and the Kruskal-Wallis H rank sum test was used for comparison of continuous data with skewed distribution between three groups;the chi-square test or the Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between three groups.A logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the influencing factors for the degree of liver fibrosis,and the Cox proportional-hazards regression model analysis was used to investigate the influencing factors for the progression of liver fibrosis in CHB.Results Among the 114 patients enrolled,43(37.72％)had no liver cirrhosis,30(26.32％)were suspected of liver cirrhosis,and 41(35.96％)had liver cirrhosis,with a median follow-up time of 538.5(322.75-1 031.50)days.Liver radiodensity on plain scan(odds ratio[OR]=0.81,95％confidence interval[CI]:0.68-0.97,P=0.025),liver radiodensity on contrast-enhanced scan(OR=0.95,95％CI:0.90-0.99,P=0.037),and liver volume(OR=0.99,95％CI:0.98-0.99,P<0.001)were independent influencing factors for the degree of liver fibrosis.The univariate Cox regression analysis showed that the low level of HDL(hazard ratio=2.81,95％CI:1.04-7.54,P=0.041)was associated with the progression of liver fibrosis in CHB patients,and the degree of liver fibrosis,liver volume,and liver radiodensity showed no significant association with the progression of liver fibrosis(all P>0.05).Conclusion In CHB patients,liver radiodensity is an independent influencing factor for the degree of liver fibrosis,and low HDL has a marked influence on the progression of liver fibrosis.

BACKGROUND:In the occurrence and development of demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system,neuroinflammation caused by microglia is the main pathological feature,so inhibiting the inflammatory response is very important to alleviate demyelination.Hydroxysafflor yellow A can protect the blood-brain barrier,inhibit neuronal apoptosis,and improve neurological function.OBJECTIVE:To explore the mechanism of hydroxysafflor yellow A inhibiting bicyclohexanone oxalyl dihydrazone-induced demyelination in mice.METHODS:(1)In vivo:Thirty healthy male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into three groups:normal group,cuprizone group,and hydroxysafflor yellow A group.The mice in the cuprizone group and the hydroxysafflor yellow A group were fed with 0.2％cuprizone diet for 6 weeks to establish mouse models of demyelination.The mice in the normal group were fed with normal diet.At the end of the 4th week,the mice in the hydroxysafflor yellow A group were intraperitoneally injected with hydroxysafflor yellow A 20 mg/kg per day.The mice in the normal and cuprizone groups were intraperitoneally injected with normal saline for 2 weeks.The behavioral changes of mice were evaluated by open field test and elevated plus maze test.The loss of myelin sheath in corpus callosum was detected by black gold staining,myelin basic protein and degraded myelin basic protein immunofluorescence staining.The activation of microglia and the expression of inflammatory factors were detected by I ba-1 immunofluorescence staining and ELISA,respectively.The protein expression levels of Toll-like receptor 4,myeloid differentiation factor 88,and nuclear factor κB p65 in the brain of mice in each group were detected by western blot assay.(2)In vitro experiment:The inflammation model of BV2 microglia was established by lipopolysaccharide induction.BV2 cells were divided into normal group,lipopolysaccharide group(1 μg/mL),and lipopolysaccharide(1 μg/mL)+hydroxysafflor yellow A(25 μmol/L)group.The expression levels of tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6 in the supernatant were detected by ELISA.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Compared with the normal group,the mice in the cuprizone group had severe anxiety,abnormal autonomic movement ability,and a large amount of myelin sheath loss in the corpus callosum.The average fluorescence intensity of myelin basic protein was significantly reduced,and the average fluorescence intensity of degraded myelin basic protein was significantly increased.The number of lba1+microglia increased,the contents of interleukin 1β,tumor necrosis factor α,and interleukin 6 in the brain increased,and the protein expression levels of Toll-like receptor 4,myeloid differentiation factor 88,and nuclear factor κB p65 increased significantly.The above symptoms and indexes of mice were reversed after hydroxysafflor yellow A treatment.(2)Hydroxysafflor yellow A significantly inhibited the expression of inflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor α,and interleukin 6 induced by lipopolysaccharide in BV2 microglia.(3)The above results demonstrate that hydroxysafflor yellow A can significantly improve cuprizone-induced demyelination in mice.The mechanism of action is related to the inhibition of microglial activation-mediated inflammatory response through the Toll-like receptor 4/myeloid differentiation factor 88/nuclear factor κB p65 signaling pathway.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between serum myosin-like BCL2 interacting protein (Beclin-1), tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) and arrhythmia in patients with hypertension and chronic heart failure (CHF).Methods:A total of 121 patients with hypertension and CHF who experienced arrhythmia and 121 patients with hypertension and CHF who did not experience arrhythmia and were admitted to Xi'an Traditional Chinese Medicine Brain Disease Hospital from April 2022 to April 2024 were included as the study subjects, and were assigned into the occurrence group and the non occurrence group, respectively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method was applied to detect the expression levels of Beclin-1 and TNAP in the serum of patients with hypertension and CHF. Pearson method was applied to analyze the correlation between Beclin-1, TNAP levels and mean heart rate, New York Heart Association functional class (NYHA), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), dynamic stiffness index (AASI), and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in patients with hypertension complicated with CHF arrhythmia. Multivariate logistic regression was applied to analyze the influencing factors of arrhythmia in patients with hypertension and CHF. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was applied to evaluate the diagnostic value of serum Beclin-1 and TNAP levels for arrhythmia in patients with hypertension and CHF.Results:The expression level of Beclin-1 in the serum of the occurrence group was lower than that of the non-occurrence group: (4.18 ± 1.12) μg/L vs. (5.26 ± 0.69) μg/L, while the TNAP level was higher than that of the non-occurrence group: (6.31 ± 1.32) μg/L vs. (5.27 ± 1.24) μg/L, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). In patients with hypertension combined with CHF and arrhythmia, Beclin-1 was negatively correlated with average heart rate, NYHA classification, AASI and NT-proBNP, and positively correlated with LVEF ( P<0.05), while TNAP was positively correlated with average heart rate, NYHA classification, AASI and NT-proBNP, and negatively correlated with LVEF ( P<0.05). Mean heart rate, NYHA classification, AASI, NT-proBNP and TNAP were risk factors for arrhythmia in patients with hypertension and CHF, while LVEF and Beclin-1 were protective factors for arrhythmia in patients with hypertension and CHF ( P<0.05). The AUC of Beclin-1 and TNAP in diagnosing arrhythmia in patients with hypertension and CHF was 0.813 and 0.818, respectively. When the AUC of their combined diagnosis increased to 0.904, the AUC of their combined diagnosis for arrhythmia in patients with hypertension and CHF was better than that of Beclin-1 ( Z = 2.583, P<0.05) and TNAP ( Z = 2.559, P<0.05). Conclusions:Beclin-1 is downregulated and TNAP is upregulated in the serum of patients with hypertension complicated with CHF and arrhythmia. The combination of the two has a high value in diagnosing arrhythmia in patients with hypertension and CHF.

Objective:To analyze the efficacy of phantom-less quantitative computer tomography (PL-QCT) for the diagnosis of osteoporosis in patients with lumbar degenerative diseases.Methods:From October 2021 to October 2023, a total of 1 248 patients with lumbar degenerative disease who did not receive anti-osteoporosis treatment in the Department of Spine Surgery, Tianjin Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. There were 520 males and 728 females, aged 62.31±9.37 years (range, 40-87 years), height 1.66±0.08 m (range, 1.43-1.89 m), weight 69.04±8.27 kg (range, 49-93 kg). The mean body mass index was 26.11±3.67 kg/m 2 (range, 14.40-37.11 kg/m 2). Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and PL-QCT were used to diagnose osteoporosis, and the detection rates of the two diagnostic methods were compared. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of PL-QCT for the diagnosis of osteoporosis was drawn, the area under the curve (AUC) and 95% confidence interval (CI), sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Results:Among 1 248 patients with lumbar degenerative diseases, 626 (50.2%) were diagnosed as osteoporosis by PL-QCT, 423(33.9%) were diagnosed by spine DXA, 488(39.1%) were diagnosed by hip DXA and 539 patients(43.2%) were diagnosed by dual-site DXA. The detection rate of osteoporosis of PL-QCT was higher than that of spine DXA (χ 2=193.557, P<0.001), hip DXA (χ 2=322.201, P<0.001) and dual-site DXA (χ 2=94.683, P<0.001), and the difference was statistically significant. Taking the diagnostic results of spinal DXA for osteoporosis as a reference, the ROC curve of PL-QCT for the diagnosis of osteoporosis showed a sensitivity of 79%, a specificity of 81%, and an AUC and 95% CI of 0.82(0.79, 0.85). Taking the diagnostic results of hip DXA for osteoporosis as a reference, the ROC curve of PL-QCT for the diagnosis of osteoporosis showed a sensitivity of 85%, a specificity of 55%, and an AUC and 95% CI of 0.75(0.71, 0.78). Taking the diagnostic results of two-site DXA for osteoporosis as a reference, the ROC curve of PL-QCT for the diagnosis of osteoporosis showed a sensitivity of 72%, a specificity of 75%, and an AUC and 95% CI of 0.81(0.78, 0.83). Conclusion:Compared with DXA, PL-QCT has a higher detection rate of osteoporosis in patients with degenerative lumbar spine disease and good diagnostic efficacy.

In the era of precision medicine,integrating radionuclide-based molecular imaging with targeted internal radiotherapy,integrated theranostics of nuclear medicine emerged as a promising and rapidly advancing field to achieve both visualization and precise treatment of tumors.The advances of commonly used and emerging radiotheranostic agents in oncology were systematically reviewed in this article.

Objective To explore the correlation of complex inflammation indexes,neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR)and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio(PLR)with the severity of acute ische-mic stroke(AIS).Methods A total of 278 patients with brain MRI-confirmed AIS admitted in our department between March 2018 and September 2023 were enrolled retrospectively,and according to the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)score at admission,they were divided into a mild stroke group(NIHSS score≤3,n=157)and a moderate-severe stroke group(NIHSS score＞3,n=121).Clinical data and results of laboratory tests at admission were collec-ted,and NLR and PLR were calculated.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association of NLR and PLR with AIS severity.Results Compared with the mild stroke group,the moderate-severe stroke group had significantly older age,larger proportions of atrial fibrillation and pre-morbid Modified Rankin Scale(mRS)score＞1,higher NLR and PLR,and higher ratio of culprit large vessel stenosis,and a lower rate of transient ischemic attack(TIA)(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that TIA(95％CI:0.017-0.455,P=0.004)was a protective factor,and pre-morbid mRS＞1(95％CI:1.451-6.700,P=0.004),NLR(95％CI:1.041-1.346,P=0.010)and culprit large vessel stenosis(95％CI:1.370-4.415,P=0.003)were risk factors for the severity of AIS.Conclusion Inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of AIS,and the complex inflammatory index,NLR may be an inde-pendent risk factor for the severity of AIS.

Objective:To evaluate the association between body temperature and duration of mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit (ICU) among patients after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).Methods:Clinical data from patients, aged >18 yr, undergoing primary isolated CABG, between 2008 and 2019, were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care Ⅳ version 2.0 database. Participants were stratified into 3 groups based on the mean body temperature in ICU: hypothermia group (<36.0 ℃), normothermia group (36.0 ℃ ≤ temperature <37.3 ℃), and hyperthermia group (≥37.3 ℃). Multivariable linear regression and linear curve fitting were performed to assess the association between body temperature and duration of mechanical ventilation.Results:A total of 4, 588 patients were finally included in the statistical analysis, including 133 cases in hypothermia group, 4, 177 cases in normothermia group and 278 cases in hyperthermia group. The duration of mechanical ventilation was significantly prolonged in both hypothermia and hyperthermia groups compared with normothermia group ( P<0.05). The results of multivariable linear regression demonstrated that each 1 ℃ increase in body temperature was associated with a 2.43 h reduction in the duration of mechanical ventilation in hypothermia group ( P<0.001), and each 1 ℃ temperature elevation corresponded to a non-significant reduction of 0.12 h in hyperthermia group ( P=0.851). The results of linear curve fitting revealed a U-shaped relationship between body temperature and duration of mechanical ventilation, and an inflection point was identified at 36.71 ℃, with duration of mechanical ventilation prolonged with temperatures either below or above this threshold ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Hypothermia during ICU stay following CABG may lead to prolonged mechanical ventilation in patients.