Microplastics are plastic fibers, particles, or films with a particle size of less than 5 mm. They are widely found in water, soil, and atmospheric environments. Because of their small particle size, large surface area, strong adsorptive capacity and other characteristics, they can adsorb heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, environmental endocrine disruptors and other substances. When humans are exposed to microplastics, the particles can not only have toxic effects on the contact sites, but also penetrate tissue barriers and acess other organs, potentially causing systemic toxic effects. Existing epidemiological and toxicological studies have shown that microplastics can cause damage to the digestive, respiratory, nervous and reproductive systems. However, their bio-distribution, metabolic characteristics and toxic mechanisms have not been fully clarified. This study provides a systematic review of the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion characteristics of microplastics in living organisms. By integrating factors such as particle size and chemical composition, this study also investigates the toxic effects of microplastics on multiple organ systems (e.g., digestive and nervous systems) and key organs (e.g., intestine and liver), as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms. The aim is to provide a scientific basis for a comprehensive assessment of the health risks of microplastics and to offer theoretical support for the development of relevant prevention and control strategies.

ObjectiveHyperlipidemia （HLP） is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by abnormal lipid metabolism and is one of the important risk factors for the occurrence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Its incidence has increased year by year， showing a trend toward younger onset. The overall prevalence of HLP among adults in China is as high as 40.40%. Although existing animal models provide important tools for research on the mechanisms of HLP， they generally show insufficient clinical concordance and lack the combined disease-syndrome characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） and Western medicine. This article systematically reviews the research progress of HLP animal models， integrates the clinicopathological characteristics of TCM and Western medicine， and proposes new model construction strategies， aiming to provide an experimental basis for accurately analyzing the pathogenesis of HLP and developing integrated TCM-Western medicine therapies. MethodsBased on literature included in PubMed， CNKI， and Wanfang databases over the past 30 years， the construction methods and evaluation systems of HLP animal models were systematically retrieved and summarized. The concordance of existing animal models was calculated according to the new animal model evaluation method proposed by Professor MIAO Mingsan. ResultsAmong existing Western medicine modeling approaches， genetically modified models showed the highest concordance （72%）， followed by dietary induction （66%） and chemical drug induction （60%）. The dietary induction method is the most widely used in practice because of its simple operation and mature technology. Existing TCM modeling approaches are classified into three types， i.e.， spleen deficiency type， phlegm syndrome type， and liver-kidney yin deficiency type. Among them， the phlegm syndrome type shows a high degree of concordance. However， all three types have the problem of non-objective evaluation indicators and insufficient application of tongue and pulse assessment. ConclusionThe construction of existing HLP disease-syndrome combined animal models is still mainly based on Western medicine modeling methods and lacks adequate reflection of TCM syndromes. In the future， HLP animal models that conform to the clinical disease-syndrome characteristics of both TCM and Western medicine may be constructed through multifactor composite modeling strategies， intelligent tongue image analysis via robot learning， objective pulse detection， the establishment of objective evaluation systems for TCM syndromes through big data computing， and the application of cutting-edge technologies.

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world， and its incidence rate is also rising in China and tends to happen in younger age groups. The classical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is an important target in the treatment of breast cancer， playing a key role in the whole process of breast cancer development by regulating the expression of related signal proteins and genes. Traditional Chinese medicine has a profound history and practical experience in the treatment of malignant tumors， and the development of modern technology further highlights the therapeutic advantages of traditional Chinese medicine， which has multiple targets and components. Research shows that Chinese medicine can effectively slow down the proliferation of breast cancer cells by regulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway， and has a significant inhibitory effect on the development of breast cancer. Based on this， this paper summarized domestic and foreign relevant studies on the regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway with traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of breast cancer， analyzed the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine treating breast cancer by intervening in this signaling pathway， and summarized 44 different types of traditional Chinese medicine monomers， including terpenes （triptolide， andrographolide， etc.）， flavonoids （scutellarin， sinensetin， etc.）， polysaccharides （Angelica sinensis polysaccharides， etc.）， phenols （curcumin， polydatin， etc.）， and alkaloids （lycorine， etc.）. In addition， there are 3 traditional Chinese medicines （Ganoderma lucidum， Radix actinidia chinensis， and Antrodia camphorata）， 1 group of medicine pairs （Trionycis Carapax-Zedoary Turmeric）， and 8 traditional Chinese medicine formulas （Compound Tubeimu， Huangqi Jiedu Tang， Xihuang Wan， Liuwei Dihuang Wan， Jiazhu Tang， Aiduqing Fang， Sini San， and compound Kushen injection）. By regulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and its key molecules， these single herbs， monomers， and compound herbs can reverse the epithelial mesenchymal transformation process， reduce the activity of stem cells， and inhibit the growth and metastasis of cancer cells. Besides， it can also enhance the sensitivity of drugs and radiotherapy and combat breast cancer， providing a new perspective for drug development and treatment strategies for breast cancer.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis （IPF） can be classified as pulmonary collateral disease，and its pathogenesis is mainly characterized by the loss of Qi meridian nourishment，the loss of Yin meridian nourishment，and the formation of blood stasis in the blood vessels. Qi Yin deficiency is the pathological basis that runs through IPF，and obstruction of meridians and collaterals is a key element in the development of the disease. The dysfunction of "spleen being in charge of the defensive function" is closely related to the formation of the pathological pattern of "lung deficiency and collateral stasis" in IPF. The term "spleen being in charge of the defensive function" originated from the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon. If the spleen is healthy，the Qi will be filled with vitality. Positive energy is stored inside，evil cannot be dried up. Its concept is quite similar to the immune defense function in modern medicine. If the principle of "spleen being in charge of the defensive function" is lost，the key structure and function of the IPF alveolar epithelial barrier may be abnormal，and it can interact with various innate immune cells to promote inflammation and fibrosis processes. Therefore，this article explains the imbalance of immune homeostasis in IPF alveolar epithelium from two aspects：the barrier function of alveolar epithelial cells（AECs） and their interaction with innate immune cells. And based on the theory of "spleen being in charge of the defensive function"，using traditional Chinese medicine for strengthening the spleen and nourishing Qi to treat IPF from the perspective of the spleen. This not only strengthens the scientific connotation of "spleen being in charge of the defensive function" in the pathogenesis of IPF，but also provides new research directions and ideas for its future clinical prevention and treatment.

Prostate cancer is a malignant tumor that primarily arises from the epithelial tissue of the prostate in men. With the aggravation of population aging in China， the incidence rate of this disease has been continuously rising. Although the exact cause of prostate cancer remains unclear， it has been proven to be closely related to various factors， including individual genetic susceptibility， genetic mutations， dietary habits， and lifestyle. Research has shown that abnormal activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway also plays an important role in the occurrence and development of prostate cancer. Multiple experimental results have revealed that traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， with its multi-target and multi-stage mechanisms of action， exerts significant regulatory effects on key biological processes such as proliferation， migration， invasion， angiogenesis， and epithelial-mesenchymal transition （EMT） of prostate cancer cells. TCM has shown excellent potential in preventing prostate cancer progression and improving patient prognosis and has become a research focus in prostate cancer treatment in recent years. Based on this， this study reviewed the research on the regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by TCM in the treatment of prostate cancer at home and abroad. It analyzed the mechanisms by which TCM intervention exerts anti-prostate cancer effects via this signaling pathway， identifying 29 different types of active ingredients in TCM， including alkaloids （e.g.， capsaicin， berberine）， flavonoids （e.g.， icariin and hyperoside）， polyphenols （e.g.， gastrodin and honokiol）， terpenes （e.g.， oridonin）， quinones （e.g.， aloe-emodin）， coumarins （e.g.， agrimonolide）， and saponins （e.g.， saikosaponin-d）. Additionally， one TCM medicinal substance （arsenic）， one drug pair （Danggui - Qieyi combination）， and two TCM formulae （Yishen Tonglong Tang and Guben Qingyuan Formula） were included. The study aims to deepen the understanding of the pathological mechanism of prostate cancer and to explore possible therapeutic targets， thereby providing new perspectives and approaches for clinical research and new drug development， and ultimately promoting the advancement and innovation of prostate cancer treatment strategies.

Prostate cancer is a malignant tumor that primarily arises from the epithelial tissue of the prostate in men. With the aggravation of population aging in China， the incidence rate of this disease has been continuously rising. Although the exact cause of prostate cancer remains unclear， it has been proven to be closely related to various factors， including individual genetic susceptibility， genetic mutations， dietary habits， and lifestyle. Research has shown that abnormal activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway also plays an important role in the occurrence and development of prostate cancer. Multiple experimental results have revealed that traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， with its multi-target and multi-stage mechanisms of action， exerts significant regulatory effects on key biological processes such as proliferation， migration， invasion， angiogenesis， and epithelial-mesenchymal transition （EMT） of prostate cancer cells. TCM has shown excellent potential in preventing prostate cancer progression and improving patient prognosis and has become a research focus in prostate cancer treatment in recent years. Based on this， this study reviewed the research on the regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by TCM in the treatment of prostate cancer at home and abroad. It analyzed the mechanisms by which TCM intervention exerts anti-prostate cancer effects via this signaling pathway， identifying 29 different types of active ingredients in TCM， including alkaloids （e.g.， capsaicin， berberine）， flavonoids （e.g.， icariin and hyperoside）， polyphenols （e.g.， gastrodin and honokiol）， terpenes （e.g.， oridonin）， quinones （e.g.， aloe-emodin）， coumarins （e.g.， agrimonolide）， and saponins （e.g.， saikosaponin-d）. Additionally， one TCM medicinal substance （arsenic）， one drug pair （Danggui - Qieyi combination）， and two TCM formulae （Yishen Tonglong Tang and Guben Qingyuan Formula） were included. The study aims to deepen the understanding of the pathological mechanism of prostate cancer and to explore possible therapeutic targets， thereby providing new perspectives and approaches for clinical research and new drug development， and ultimately promoting the advancement and innovation of prostate cancer treatment strategies.

Objective To analyze the characteristics of postoperative hospital-acquired infections and drug sensitivity in lung transplant recipients over the past 5 years in a single center. Methods A total of 724 lung transplant recipients at Wuxi People's Hospital from January 2019 to December 2023 were selected. Based on the principles of hospital-acquired infection diagnosis, a retrospective analysis was conducted on the hospital infection situation and infection sites of lung transplant recipients, and an analysis of the distribution of hospital-acquired infection pathogens and their antimicrobial susceptibility test status was performed. Results Among the 724 lung transplant recipients, 275 cases of hospital-acquired infection occurred, with an infection rate of 38.0%. The case-time infection rate decreased from 54.2% in 2019 to 22.8% in 2023, showing a downward trend year by year (Z=30.98, P<0.001). The main infection site was the lower respiratory tract, accounting for 73.6%. The pathogens were mainly Gram-negative bacteria, with the top four being Acinetobacter baumannii (37.1%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (17.3%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (13.7%), and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (13.4%), with imipenem resistance rates of 89%, 53%, 58% and 100%, respectively. Gram-positive bacteria were mainly Staphylococcus aureus (3.6%), with a methicillin resistance rate of 67%. Conclusions Over the past 5 years, the hospital-acquired infections in lung transplant recipients have shown a downward trend, mainly involving lower respiratory tract infections, with the main pathogens being Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae, all of which have high resistance rates to imipenem.

Objective To explore the relationships of microRNA-125b(miR-125b),microR-NA-142-5p(miR-142-5p)and microRNA-140-3p(miR-140-3p)with sensitivity to programmed death receptor-1(PD-1)antibody therapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)and their clinical significance.Methods A total of 219 NSCLC patients were selected and divided into sensitive group(n=92)and non-sensitive group(n=127)based on their sensitivity to PD-1 anti-body therapy.Serum levels of miR-125b,miR-142-5p and miR-140-3p were compared between the two groups.A new combined predictor was constructed using miR-125b,miR-142-5p,and miR-140-3p through a Logistic regression model.The predictive performance was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve,and data were substituted into the equation forpredictive vali-dation.Results The serum level of miR-125b was higher in the non-sensitive group than that in the sensitive group,while the serum levels of miR-142-5pand miR-140-3p were lower in the non-sensitive group(P＜0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that an increased level of miR-125b was an independent risk factor for sensitivity to PD-1 antibody therapy in NSCLC patients(P＜0.05),while increased levels of miR-142-5p and miR-140-3p were independent protective factors(P＜0.05).The optimal cut-off value for the combined predictor was 0.117,with a sensitivity of 90.22％,a specificity of 85.04％,and an accuracy of 87.21％.ROC curve analysis revealed that the area under the curve(AUC)for the combined predictor in predicting sensitivity to PD-1 antibod-y therapy was 0.928,which was significantly larger than the AUCs of 0.825,0.817 and 0.772 for miR-125b,miR-142-5p and miR-140-3p,respectively(P＜0.05).A new equation was obtained by transforming the original Logistic regression equation,and data from three randomly selected pa-tients were substituted into the equation for calculation,with predictive results being consistent with clinical reality.Conclusion The miR-125b,miR-142-5p and miR-140-3p are all associated with sensitivity to PD-1 antibody therapy in NSCLC patients and can serve as biomarkers for predicting sensitivity to PD-1 antibody therapy.The combined predictor based on these three microRNAs can further enhance predictive value and provide more reliable reference information for clinical treat-ment decisions.

Objectives:To investigate the physical growth status of pediatric patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT) and analyze the effects of treatment-related and socioeconomic factors on physical growth.Methods:Based on the specialized thalassemia database from gene therapy clinical research at the Institute of Hematology & Hospital of Blood Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, we collected data on height and weight development, family economic status, and medical records of 338 pediatric patients with TDT from October 2023 to May 2024. The length/height-for-age and body mass index (BMI) -for-age were classified based on the Growth Standard for Children under 7 Years of Age, Standard for Height Level Classification among Children and Adolescents Aged 7-18 Years, and Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the effects of family economic status and disease-related treatment on length/height-for-age and BMI-for-age.Results:Among the 338 patients, 118 were children and 220 were adolescents (192 males and 146 females), with a median age of 12 years (range: 0.8-18) and a median diagnosis duration of 10.3 years (range: 0.5-17.9). Subtypes included α-thalassemia [21 cases (6.2%) ], β-thalassemia [288 cases (85.2%) ], and combined αβ-thalassemia[29 cases (8.6%) ]. The monthly household income of patients was concentrated in 3 000-5 000 yuan (39.9%) and 5 001-10 000 yuan (34.9%), whereas 67.2% of the families had monthly medical expenses of <3 000 yuan. Of the patients, 75.5% received their first transfusion before 1 year of age. The proportions of children and adolescents with pretransfusion hemoglobin (HGB) of ≤70 g/L were 4.2% and 6.4%, respectively. Adolescents demonstrated significantly higher rates of transfusion frequency of <4 weeks/session, monthly red blood cell infusion of >2 U, serum ferritin (SF) of ≥5 000 μg/L, iron chelation therapy, and splenectomy compared with children (all P<0.05). Of the 338 patients, 26.0%, 22.8%, and 8.9% demonstrated stunted growth, underweight, and concurrent stunted growth with underweight, respectively. No significant difference was observed in the stunted growth rates between children (22.9%) and adolescents (27.7%) ( P=0.402). However, the underweight rate in adolescents (26.8%) was significantly higher than that in children (15.3%) ( P=0.023). The multivariate analysis determined the following risk factors for stunted growth: monthly household income of <10 000 yuan (5 001-10 000 yuan: OR=5.49, 95% CI: 1.48-35.76; 3 000-5 000 yuan: OR=6.87, 95% CI: 1.88-44.60; <3 000 yuan: OR=9.29, 95% CI: 2.20-64.77), pretransfusion HGB of ≤70 g/L ( OR=3.25, 95% CI: 1.07-10.18), and SF of ≥5 000 μg/L ( OR = 3.04, 95% CI: 1.20-7.70). Longer diagnostic duration was associated with underweight ( OR=1.10, 95% CI: 1.01-1.20) . Conclusions:Children and adolescents with TDT with pretransfusion SF of ≥5 000 μg/L, HGB of ≤70 g/L, low monthly household income, or longer diagnosis duration were significantly more likely to experience delayed physical growth.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a fatal malignancy with steadily increasing incidence and poor prognosis. Since most CCA cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage, systemic therapies, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy, play a crucial role in the management of unresectable CCA. The recent advances in targeted therapies and immunotherapies brought more options in the clinical management of unresectable CCA. This review depicts the advances of targeted therapies and immunotherapies for unresectable CCA, summarizes crucial clinical trials, and describes the efficacy and safety of different drugs, which may help further develop precision and individualization in the clinical treatment of unresectable CCA.
Humans ; Cholangiocarcinoma/drug therapy* ; Immunotherapy/methods* ; Bile Duct Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Molecular Targeted Therapy/methods*