Background Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is associated with the development of metabolic syndrome (MS). However, the role of amino acids in PAH-induced MS remains unclear. Objective To explore the impact of PAHs exposure on the incidence of MS among coking workers, and to determine potential modifying effect of amino acid on this relationship. Methods Unmatched nested case-control design was adopted and the baseline surveys of coking workers were conducted in two plants in Taiyuan in 2017 and 2019, followed by a 4-year follow-up. The cohort comprised 667 coking workers. A total of 362 participants were included in the study, with 84 newly diagnosed cases of MS identified as the case group and 278 as the control group. Urinary levels of 11 PAH metabolites and plasma levels of 17 amino acids were measured by ultrasensitive performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between individual PAH metabolites and MS. Stratified by the median concentration of amino acids, Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) model was employed to assess the mixed effects of PAHs on MS. Due to the skewed data distribution, all PAH metabolites and amino acids in the analysis were converted by natural logarithm ln (expressed as lnv). Results The median age of the 362 participants was 37 years, and 83.2% were male. Compared to the control group, the case group exhibited higher concentrations of urinary 2-hydroxyphenanthrene (2-OHPhe), 9-hydroxyphenanthrene (9-OHPhe), and hydroxyphenanthrene (OHPhe) (P=0.005, P=0.049, and P=0.004, respectively), as well as elevated levels of plasma branched chain amino acid (BCAA) and aromatic amino acid (AAA) (P<0.05). After being adjusted for confounding factors, for every unit increase in lnv_2-OHPhe in urine, the OR (95%CI) of MS was 1.57 (1.11, 2.26), and for every unit increase in lnv_OHPhe, the OR (95%CI) of MS was 1.82 (1.16, 2.90). Tyrosine, leucine, and AAA all presented a significant nonlinear correlation with MS. At low levels, tyrosine, leucine, and AAA did not significantly increase the risk of MS, but at high levels, they increased the risk of MS. In the low amino acid concentration group, as well as in the low BCAA and low AAA concentration groups, it was found that compared to the PAH metabolite levels at the 50th percentile (P₅₀), the log-odds of MS when the PAH metabolite levels was at the 75th percentile (P₇₅) were 0.158 (95%CI: 0.150, 0.166), 0.218 (95%CI: 0.209, 0.227), and 0.262 (95% CI: 0.241, 0.282), respectively, However, no correlation between PAHs and MS was found in the high amino acid concentration group. Conclusion Amino acids modify the effect of PAHs exposure on the incidence of MS. In individuals with low plasma amino acid levels, the risk of developing MS increases with higher concentrations of mixed PAH exposure. This effect is partly due to the low concentrations of BCAA and AAA.

The v-Raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B (BRAF) gene is one of the most critical proto-oncogenes and functions as a key regulator in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway. The incidence of BRAF mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients ranges from 1.5% to 5.5%, with BRAF V600 mutations accounting for approximately 30%-50% of all BRAF mutations, among which BRAF V600E represents the most prevalent mutation type. Currently, the combination of Dabrafenib and Trametinib has been recommended as first-line therapy for BRAF V600-mutant NSCLC by multiple domestic and international guidelines including National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO), and Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO). However, there are no clear targeted treatment recommendations for BRAF non-V600 mutations. Although case reports suggest that Dabrafenib combined with Trametinib may be effective for patients with BRAF non-V600 mutations, the efficacy and safety require further validation due to limited sample size and lack of large-scale clinical trial data. This article reports a case of NSCLC with a rare BRAF insertion and deletion mutation that responded well to the treatment of Dabrafenib in combination with Trametinib, aiming to enhance clinicians' understanding of such NSCLC cases with extremely rare mutation and provide a reference for future treatment strategies.
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Humans ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/pathology* ; Imidazoles/administration & dosage* ; Lung Neoplasms/pathology* ; Mutation ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Oximes/administration & dosage* ; Proto-Oncogene Mas ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf/genetics* ; Pyridones/administration & dosage* ; Pyrimidinones/administration & dosage*

BACKGROUND: It is inaccurate to reflect the level of dust exposure through working years. Furthermore, identifying a predictive indicator for lung function decline is significant for coal miners. The study aimed to explored whether club cell secretory protein (CC16) levels can reflect early lung function changes. METHODS: The cumulative respiratory dust exposure (CDE) levels of 1,461 coal miners were retrospectively assessed by constructed a job-exposure matrix to replace working years. Important factors affecting lung function and CC16 were selected by establishing random forest models. Subsequently, the potential of CC16 to reflect lung injury was explored from multiple perspectives. First, restricted cubic spline (RCS) models were used to compare the trends of changes in lung function indicators and plasma CC16 levels after dust exposure. Then mediating analysis was performed to investigate the role of CC16 in the association between dust exposure and lung function decline. Finally, the association between baseline CC16 levels and follow-up lung function was explored. RESULTS: The median CDE were 35.13 mg/m³-years. RCS models revealed a rapid decline in forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV₁), and their percentages of predicted values when CDE exceeded 25 mg/m³-years. The dust exposure level (<5 mg/m³-years) causing significant changes in CC16 was much lower than the level (25 mg/m³-years) that caused changes in lung function indicators. CC16 mediated 11.1% to 26.0% of dust-related lung function decline. Additionally, workers with low baseline CC16 levels experienced greater reductions in lung function in the future. CONCLUSIONS CC16 levels are more sensitive than lung indicators in reflecting early lung function injury and plays mediating role in lung function decline induced by dust exposure. Low baseline CC16 levels predict poor future lung function.
Uteroglobin/blood* ; Humans ; Dust/analysis* ; Occupational Exposure/analysis* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Retrospective Studies ; Lung Injury/chemically induced* ; Coal Mining ; Biomarkers/blood* ; China/epidemiology* ; Air Pollutants, Occupational ; Female

Objective:To evaluate the perioperative application effect of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) clinical pathway in percutaneous vertebro plasty (PVP).Methods:The clinical data of 274 patients who underwent PVP treatment for osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) in Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University from May 2023 to August 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups according to the different numbers of surgical segments: the single-segment group ( n=211) and the multisegment group ( n=63). Patients in the single-segment group underwent single-segment surgery, while patients in the multisegment group underwent surgery on ≥2 segments. The core points of the ERAS clinical pathway adopted in this study include perioperative education, pain management, early mobilization, application of "outfast", and joint guidance from the departments of nutrition and rehabilitation. Comparison was made between the two groups of patients in terms of visual analog scale (VAS) scores for low back pain at preoperative, 2 h, 6 h, 24 h postoperatively, and on the day of discharge; Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores preoperatively and on the day of discharge; time to first ambulation postoperatively, total length of hospital stay, postoperative length of stay, perioperative complications, and perioperative application of Opioid consumption. Measurement data were expressed as mean±standard deviation ( ± s), and the independent sample t-test was used for comparison between groups; count data were expressed as cases and percentage, and the Chi-square test was used for comparison between groups. The VAS pain scores at each stage of the perioperative period were evaluated using repeated measures analysis of variance or generalized estimating equations. Results:Compared with that before the operation [(6.17±0.93) points, (6.29±0.83) points], the VAS scores of low back pain of patients in the single-segment group and the multisegment group at 2 hours after surgery [(3.09±0.82) points, (3.27±0.65) points], 6 hours after surgery [(2.60±0.79) points, (2.62±0.55) points], and 24 hours after surgery [(1.89±0.77) points, (1.97±0.72) points] and on the day of discharge [(1.72±0.71) points, (1.81±0.64) points] were significantly decreased, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). At the same stage, the VAS scores of low back pain in both groups were not statistically significant ( P>0.05). The ODI scores of patients in the single-segment group and the multisegment group on the day of discharge [(24.21±2.35) points, (24.63±3.31) points] were significantly lower than those before the operation [(64.50±4.81) points, (65.52±4.08) points], and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in perioperative complications and the proportion of Opioid drug application between the two groups of patients ( P>0.05). Conclusion:For patients with single-segment or multisegment OVCF, PVP surgical treatment under ERAS clinical pathway management can achieve immediate pain relief, early ambulation exercise, and satisfactory perioperative efficacy.

Objective To investigate whether ginsenoside Rh1(G-Rh1)can alleviate liver fibrosis induced by a choline-deficient,L-amino acid-defined,high-fat diet(CDAHFD)and to explore its underlying mechanisms.Methods Male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 6 groups(n=8 in each group),including a standard diet group(or the control group),a high-fat diet group(or the CDAHFD group),a silymarin group(given silymarin at 5 mg/kg),a low-dose G-Rh1 group(given G-Rh1at 5 mg/kg),a medium-dose G-Rh1 group(given G-Rh1at 10 mg/kg),and a high-dose G-Rh1 group(given G-Rh1 at 20 mg/kg).The control group was given a standard feed,while the other groups were fed CDAHFD for 7 weeks to establish the mouse model of liver fibrosis.Starting from the first week,the mice in the treatment groups were administered the corresponding drugs by intragastric gavage once daily for 7 weeks in succession.After the administration of the final drug treatment,the body mass and organ mass of the mice in different groups were measured,and the organ index was obtained according.Liver tissues were examined using HE staining,Sirius red staining,and immunohistochemistry(IHC)staining.Western blot was performed to measure α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA)and transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1),two liver fibrosis-related proteins,and fibroblast growth factor 12(FGF-12),a pathway-related protein.The serum biochemical indicators,including aspartate transferase(AST),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),total bilirubin(TBIL),and direct bilirubin(DBIL),were measured.Additionally,RAW246.7 cells were randomly divided into 5 groups,including a control group,a lipopolysaccharide(LPS)group,and 3 G-Rh1 treatment groups.The control group had only RAW246.7 cells in the culture medium.The other groups were given LPS(500 ng/mL),and the 3 treatment groups received G-Rh1 at 10,20,and 40 μmol/L in addition.The supernatants from the 5 groups of RAW246.7 cells were collected and cocultured with HSC-T6 cells for 24 hours to observe and compare the effects of G-Rh1 and LPS on the expression of fibrosis-related proteins,including α-SMA,Col1a1,etc,in HSC-T6 cells and on the expression of fibrotic signaling pathway-related proteins,including fibroblast growth factor 12(FGF-12)and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3)/phosphorylated STAT3(p-STAT3),in RAW264.7 cells.Flow cytometry was conducted to analyze the phenotypes of RAW246.7 cells,and ELISA was performed to measure fibrosis-related factors,including monocyte chemoattractant protein-1(MCP-1)and transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β).Results Compared with the control mice,the mice in the CDAHFD group exhibited obvious liver fibrosis.Compared with CDAHFD mice,mice in the G-Rh1 treatment groups all showed alleviation of liver fibrosis of was alleviated to some extent in a dose-dependent manner,and the improvement effect was superior to that of silymarin,a reference drug.G-Rh1 also alleviated CDAHFD-induced body mass loss(P＜0.01),reduced the liver index(P＜0.01),and significantly decreased the serum levels of AST,ALT,DBIL,and TBIL(P＜0.0001).Significant differences in the protein expression ofα-SMA,TGF-β1,and FGF-12 in the liver were observed(P＜0.01).Compared with the LPS group,the LPS+G-Rh,groups exhibited significant differences in the expression of FGF-12 and p-STAT3/STAT3 in RAW246.7 cells,and α-SMA and Col1a1 in HSC-T6 cells(P＜0.001).In the LPS+G-Rh,groups(the 20 μmol/L and 40 μmol/L treatment groups),the conversion ratio of Ly6C-low expressing RAW246.7 cells into Ly6C-high expressing RAW246.7 cells decreased significantly(P＜0.0001),while the secretion of fibrosis-related factors MCP-1 and TGF-β decreased(P＜0.0001),which was consistent with the trend of the activation levels of HSC-T6 cells.Conclusions G-Rh1 can prevent and improve CDAHFD-induced liver fibrosis in mice,potentially through mechanisms involving the reduction of RAW264.7 phenotype transformation mediated by FGF-12 overexpression.

Talents are the main force for the development of traditional Chinese medicine（TCM）， and the construction of TCM talents and the reformation of talent evaluation system are essential to promote the inheritance and innovation of TCM. At present， we are still exploring and developing in the fields of the formulation， implementation and evaluation indicators of TCM talent evaluation system. However， there are shortcomings and difficulties. For instance， insufficient stratification in the evaluation， excessive emphasis on the quantity of achievements， neglecting the quality of the achievements and the actual contribution， imperfect assessment indicators， and the weak characteristics of TCM. Therefore， national ministries and commissions have jointly issued a document requesting to break the four only and set a new standard， in order to promote the construction of a scientific and technological talent evaluation system oriented by innovation value， ability and contribution. For the evaluation of TCM clinical talents， China Association for Science and Technology commissioned China Association of Chinese Medicine to build the China Clinical Cases Library of TCM（CCCL-TCM）， which aims at collecting the most authoritative and representative TCM clinical cases and exploring the advantages of applying clinical cases as masterpiece of achievement in TCM clinical talents evaluation. CCCL-TCM can promote the construction of a talent evaluation system that is more in line with the development characteristics of TCM industry， and to carry out relevant pilot in TCM colleges and institutions across the country in order to promote the reformation of TCM talent evaluation system.

The pathogenesis of varicocele infertility is complex, and currently, there is no specific drug for clinical treatment, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has certain advantages in improving clinical symptoms of patients and improving sperm quality. Based on the theory of deficiency and stasis in TCM and modern related research, we believe that static blood blocking collaterals is the initiating factor of this disease, and kidney essence deficiency is the immanent trend of this disease. The pathogenesis and treatment method of this disease are studied on the basis of "soil theory". Guilu Tongqu Decoction is a formula developed by our team based on "soil theory" for the treatment of varicocele infertility. It is a modified version of the classic formula Zuogui Pill , which has the effects of tonifying the kidney, nourishing essence, and promoting blood circulation for removing blood stasis. Its clinical efficacy is good. At the same time, based on our team's extensive clinical practice, we propose three treatment strategies for varicocele infertility, namely, the combination of systemic and local treatment, the combination of radial and symptomatic treatment, and the combination of TCM and surgical procedures. These methods can effectively improve the overall therapeutic effect and provide a reference for the treatment of varicocele infertility with TCM.

The pathogenesis of male infertility is intricate and complex,and now,Western medicine is primarily based on empirical drug treatment.Male infertility is one of the advantageous diseases of traditional Chinese medicine,and traditional Chinese medicine has obvious effect in improving male reproductive function,which is one of the important means of clinical treatment of this disease.Based on the classical ancient books and modern research,and based on the traditional tonifying kidney method,we have innovatively put forward the concept of treating male infertility with the principle of"deficiency of kidney essence as the root,tonifying kidney and benefiting essence as the method,and regulating yin and yang mildly as the rule",which has achieved good clinical efficacy.At the same time,combined with the long-term clinical practice of our team,we have proposed five major diagnosis and treatment strategies for male infertility,i.e.,combining disease identification with syndrome identification,combining macroscopic with microscopic approaches,combining holistic with localized treatments,combining traditional Chinese medicine with surgery,and combining treatment of the disease and treatment of the person.In addition,we have summarized some of the current problems in the treatment of male infertility with traditional Chinese medicine and put forward corresponding suggestions,with a view to promoting the development and application of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of male infertility.

Objective:To explore the impact of different preoperative fluid supplementation methods (oral multidimensional carbohydrates and conventional fluid supplementation) on early postoperative recovery and pain management in patients undergoing unilateral biportal endoscopic (UBE) spine surgery.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the data of 386 patients who underwent UBE lumbar spine surgery under general anesthesia in the two courtyards of Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from May 2023 to April 2024. All patients were divided into oral multidimensional carbohydrates ( "Outfast" supplementation, composed mainly of water, sugars, salts, and vitamins) group (referred to as oral "Outfast" group, 189 patients) and conventional fluid supplementation group (197 patients) according to the type of fluid replenishment. Patients in the oral "Outfast" group were given one oral dose in the morning of the first surgery, and another oral infusion before 10∶00 in the morning of the next surgery or afternoon surgery. Patients in the conventional fluid supplementation group received intravenous infusion in the morning of the first surgery, and were given intravenous infusion of glucose and sodium chloride injection in the morning of the next surgery or afternoon surgery. The two groups were compared for the proportion of patients receiving preoperative intravenous fluids on the day of surgery, intraoperative and postoperative fluid volumes, average daily fluid volumes over the first three postoperative days, time to first postoperative ambulation, time to first bowel movement, post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) stay duration, 4-hour and 24-hour postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores, incidence of anesthesia-related adverse reactions, and incidence of severe gastrointestinal adverse reactions. The measurement data of normal distribution were expressed as mean±standard deviation ( ± s), and t-test was used for inter-group comparison. The measurement data of skewed distribution were expressed as M ( Q1, Q3) and rank sum test was used for inter-group comparison. Count data was presented in terms of examples and percentages, and a chi-square test was used for comparison between two groups. Results:In the oral "Outfast" group, 8 patients (4.2%) received preoperative intravenous fluids on the day of surgery, compared to 136 patients (69.0%) in the conventional fluid supplementation group, showing a significant difference ( P<0.001). The postoperative fluid volumes, average daily fluid volumes over the first three postoperative days, and shorter time to first ambulation in the oral multidimensional carbohydrates group were 700.0(600.0, 1 100.0) mL, 200.0(200.0, 300.0) mL, and 6.0(6.0, 11.0) h, respectively. The conventional fluid supplementation group was 1 100.0(700.0, 1 200.0) mL, 600.0(500.0, 700.0) mL, and 12.0(6.0, 19.0) h, respectively. The oral "Outfast" group was lower than the conventional fluid supplementation group ( P<0.001).There were no significant differences between the two groups in intraoperative fluid volumes, time to first bowel movement, PACU stay duration, 4-hour and 24-hour VAS pain scores, incidence of anesthesia-related adverse reactions, or incidence of severe gastrointestinal adverse reactions ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Preoperative oral multidimensional carbohydrates supplementation effectively reduces the amount of preoperative and postoperative intravenous fluid required, shortens the time to first ambulation. Preoperative oral multidimensional carbohydrates is safe and does not adversely impact gastrointestinal reactions or pain management in the postoperative period.

Objective:To investigate the clinical and genetic characteristics of families with myotonic dystrophy type I.Methods:Two families with myotonic dystrophy type I admitted to Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of He'nan University of Science and Technology in September and October 2021 were chosen; their clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. The muscle pathological changes were confirmed by electromyography and muscle MRI. Repeat-primed PCR assay was used to detect the number of CTG repeats in the 3' end non-coding region of DMPK gene. Results:Clinical heterogeneity existed among the two families of patients; muscle weakness and muscular atrophy of the skeletal muscle were the main clinical manifestations; limb weakness, axe face, percussion myotonia and myoglobular sign were noted; systemic multi-system symptoms included palpitation and chest tightness, cataracts, gastrointestinal symptoms, fatigue/lethargy, and cognitive impairment. Electromyography showed myotonic potential and myogenic damage. Muscle fatty infiltration and atrophy were noted in muscle MRI, and lesions were predominantly in the gastrocnemius. All patients had abnormal amplification of DMPK gene CTG (number of CTG repeats> 50 or 100). Conclusion:In addition to skeletal muscle involvement, systemic multi-system involvement such as cardiac, eye, respiratory, endocrine, and nervous system should also be noted by clinicians in patients with myotonic dystrophy type I.