1.Analysis of the disease burden of hypertensive heart disease among individuals aged≥60 years globally and in China from 1990 to 2021
Jiali LI ; Chunzhen REN ; Fan LIU ; Keyan WANG ; Zhijiang BI ; Xiaoxiao ZHAO ; Lixin KE ; Haibo WANG ; Wenxi PENG ; Zhifei WANG ; Qiang ZHANG ; Peng XU ; Yingdong LI ; Xiuxiu DENG ; Xinke ZHAO ; Cuncun LU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(02):281-290
Objective To systematically analyze the characteristics of the disease burden of hypertensive heart disease (HHD) in the elderly (≥60 years) globally and in China from 1990 to 2021, and to predict its future trends from 2022 to 2040, with the aim of providing data support for optimizing comprehensive prevention and control strategies for HHD. Methods Based on the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 database, the number of prevalent cases and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of HHD in the elderly were extracted for the world, China, and five regions categorized by sociodemographic index (SDI). Joinpoint regression was used to analyze the temporal trends of age-standardized prevalence rate and age-standardized DALYs rate of HHD in the elderly. A three-factor decomposition method was applied to evaluate the relative contributions of aging, population growth, and epidemiological changes to the variations in the elderly HHD burden. Additionally, a Bayesian age-period-cohort model was used to predict the elderly HHD burden from 2022 to 2040. Results In 2021, the number of prevalent elderly HHD cases reached 10 283 000 globally and 3 412 400 in China, representing increases of 179.20% and 159.20% respectively, compared with 1990. The DALYs of elderly HHD were 18 812 700 person-years globally and 4 731 400 person-years in China, rising by 76.08% and 29.45% respectively from 1990. Meanwhile, the growth rates of the number of prevalent cases and DALYs of elderly HHD varied across different SDI regions. From 1990 to 2021, the age-standardized prevalence rate of elderly HHD in China, as well as the age-standardized DALYs rate of elderly HHD both globally and in China, showed significant downward trends (all average annual percentage changes<0, all P<0.001). In 2021, the 70-74 years age group accounted for the highest proportion of prevalent cases and DALYs of elderly HHD, both globally and in China. Decomposition analysis revealed that population growth was the dominant factor driving the increase in the elderly HHD burden across all regions. The prediction model results indicated that the number of prevalent cases and DALYs of elderly HHD would continue to rise globally and in China from 2022 to 2040, with the growth rate of the elderly HHD burden in China between 2021 and 2040 expected to exceed the global average. Conclusion Over the past 32 years, although the age-standardized disease rates of elderly HHD have mainly shown a downward trend globally and in China, the absolute number of the disease burden has increased substantially. The projection model indicates a continued upward trajectory, with the growth rate in China higher than the global average. Therefore, there is an urgent need to implement precise prevention and control strategies to effectively mitigate the disease burden of elderly HHD.
2.Performance evaluation of lightweight Chinese large language models integrated with retrieval-augmented generation technology in answering specialized lung cancer questions
Zhizhen REN ; Yile LI ; Yizhuo MA ; Qizhi CHEN ; Jili LI ; Siyi YANG ; Jianhao ZHANG ; Ke QIN ; Qiang PU ; Nan CHEN ; Lunxu LIU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(09):1403-1411
Objective To evaluate the performance of lightweight Chinese large language models (LLMs) in answering specialized lung cancer questions, and to explore the impact of retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) on model performance. Methods Eleven lightweight Chinese LLMs with parameter sizes ranging from 7B to 32B were included. A lung cancer-specific evaluation dataset consisting of 200 questions [100 A1-type (basic knowledge) and 100 A2-type (clinical case) questions], constructed based on clinical guidelines and thoracic surgery textbooks, was used for assessment. Model performance was evaluated under two conditions (with and without RAG). Accuracy was used to assess model performance, and response latency was recorded to reflect inference efficiency. An accuracy–latency scatter plot was constructed for descriptive analysis of overall model performance. Results All models successfully completed the evaluation. With the introduction of RAG, the overall average accuracy improved from 61.68% to 76.36%. Smaller models demonstrated the most significant improvement (e.g., the accuracy of DeepSeek-7B increased from 32.50% to 60.00%, P<0.001). The average response latency increased from 12.58 s to 13.80 s. The Qwen3 series showed the best overall performance, and Qwen3-32B achieved the highest accuracy under both conditions (76.50% and 84.00%, respectively). After RAG integration, performance differences among model families were markedly reduced. Based on the accuracy-latency trade-off, Qwen3-32B achieved the best balance between accuracy and response latency under the baseline condition, whereas Qwen3-14B demonstrated superior overall performance in terms of accuracy, latency, and computational cost after RAG integration. Conclusion The integration of RAG technology improves the ability of lightweight Chinese LLMs to answer specialized lung cancer questions. Under the dual practical constraints of limited computational resources and medical data security requirements, the "lightweight model+RAG" technical framework may represent a promising deployment solution.
3.PDGF-C: an Emerging Target in The Treatment of Organ Fibrosis
Chao YANG ; Zi-Yi SONG ; Chang-Xin WANG ; Yuan-Yuan KUANG ; Yi-Jing CHENG ; Ke-Xin REN ; Xue LI ; Yan LIN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(5):1059-1069
Fibrosis, the pathological scarring of vital organs, is a severe and often irreversible condition that leads to progressive organ dysfunction. It is particularly pronounced in organs like the liver, kidneys, lungs, and heart. Despite its clinical significance, the full understanding of its etiology and complex pathogenesis remains incomplete, posing substantial challenges to diagnosing, treating, and preventing the progression of fibrosis. Among the various molecular players involved, platelet-derived growth factor-C (PDGF-C) has emerged as a crucial factor in fibrotic diseases, contributing to the pathological transformation of tissues in several key organs. PDGF-C is a member of the PDGFs family of growth factors and is synthesized and secreted by various cell types, including fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells, and endothelial cells. It acts through both autocrine and paracrine mechanisms, exerting its biological effects by binding to and activating the PDGF receptors (PDGFRs), specifically PDGFRα and PDGFRβ. This binding triggers multiple intracellular signaling pathways, such as JAK/STAT, PI3K/AKT and Ras-MAPK pathways. which are integral to the regulation of cell proliferation, survival, migration, and fibrosis. Notably, PDGF-C has been shown to promote the proliferation and migration of fibroblasts, key effector cells in the fibrotic process, thus accelerating the accumulation of extracellular matrix components and the formation of fibrotic tissue. Numerous studies have documented an upregulation of PDGF-C expression in various fibrotic diseases, suggesting its significant role in the initiation and progression of fibrosis. For instance, in liver fibrosis, PDGF-C stimulates hepatic stellate cell activation, contributing to the excessive deposition of collagen and other extracellular matrix proteins. Similarly, in pulmonary fibrosis, PDGF-C enhances the migration of fibroblasts into the damaged areas of lungs, thereby worsening the pathological process. Such findings highlight the pivotal role of PDGF-C in fibrotic diseases and underscore its potential as a therapeutic target for these conditions. Given its central role in the pathogenesis of fibrosis, PDGF-C has become an attractive target for therapeutic intervention. Several studies have focused on developing inhibitors that block the PDGF-C/PDGFR signaling pathway. These inhibitors aim to reduce fibroblast activation, prevent the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix components, and halt the progression of fibrosis. Preclinical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of such inhibitors in animal models of liver, kidney, and lung fibrosis, with promising results in reducing fibrotic lesions and improving organ function. Furthermore, several clinical inhibitors, such as Olaratumab and Seralutinib, are ongoing to assess the safety and efficacy of these inhibitors in human patients, offering hope for novel therapeutic options in the treatment of fibrotic diseases. In conclusion, PDGF-C plays a critical role in the development and progression of fibrosis in vital organs. Its ability to regulate fibroblast activity and influence key signaling pathways makes it a promising target for therapeutic strategies aiming at combating fibrosis. Ongoing research into the regulation of PDGF-C expression and the development of PDGF-C/PDGFR inhibitors holds the potential to offer new insights and approaches for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of fibrotic diseases. Ultimately, these efforts may lead to the development of more effective and targeted therapies that can mitigate the impact of fibrosis and improve patient outcomes.
4.Investigation and Trend Prediction of Disease Burden of Hypertensionin the Elderly Population Globally and in China from 1990 to 2021
Xiaoxiao ZHAO ; Xiaohui LU ; Lixin KE ; Wulin GAO ; Xiangran MENG ; Lili REN ; Yunhan DING ; Qiang ZHANG ; Yangqin XUN ; Jibiao WU ; Cuncun LU
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2025;16(3):647-658
To analyze the disease burden of hypertension in the elderly population from 1990 to 2021 and to predict future trends in China and globally, thereby providing insights for public health decision-making regarding older adults with hypertension in China. Data on hypertension-related deaths and disability adjusted life years (DALYs) for individuals aged ≥60 years was extracted from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD)2021 database for the world, China, and five sociodemographic index (SDI) regions. Age-standardized mortality and DALYs rates for hypertension in the elderly population were calculated, and Joinpoint regression was used to assess trend changes of disease burden, with results reported as average annual percentage change (AAPC). Additionally, subgroup analyses were conducted based on age and sex. The relative impact of aging, population growth, and epidemiological changes on disease burden was analyzed using a three-factor decomposition method. Future projections for the disease burden from 2022 to 2040 were performed using a Bayesian model. From 1990 to 2021, both age-standardized mortality and DALYs rates for hypertension in the elderly population demonstrated a significant downward trend globally and in China (both AAPC values were negative, all Although age-standardized mortality and DALYs rates for hypertension among the elderly in China have shown a downward trend over the past three decades, the absolute burden remains substantial. There is an urgent need for the formulation and implementation of more effective public health policies and clinical interventions to address this critical public health challenge.
5.Chinese expert consensus on standardized assessment of severe coagulopathy(2025 edition)
Jing-Chun SONG ; Jun GUO ; Lei ZHANG ; Ren-Yu DING ; Gang WANG ; Wei ZHANG ; Jing ZHOU ; Lu KE ; Jin-Hua ZHANG
Medical Journal of Chinese People's Liberation Army 2025;50(9):1055-1069
Over 40%of critically ill patients will develop coagulopathy.Once critically ill patients are complicated with coagulopathy,the incidence of bleeding and mortality can increase by more than 4 times.Early identification of coagulopathy and accurate evaluation of coagulation function are essential for correcting coagulopathy as soon as possible.Therefore,Chinese Society of Thrombosis,Hemostasis and Critical Care,Chinese Medicine Education Association,together with Chinese People's Liberation Army Professional Committee of Critical Care Medicine updated the"Chinese expert consensus on standardized assessment of severe coagulopathy(2025 Edition)"on the basis of the"Consensus of Chinese experts on standardized evaluation of coagulation dysfunction in severe patients"formulated in 2022.This consensus includes four parts:classification and typing,etiology and mechanism,assessment methods,and diagnostic criteria of severe coagulopathy,with a total of 14 recommendations,aiming to provide corresponding guidance for clinical practice.
6.Studies on the Design and Activity of Anticancer Peptides Based on the Weak Acidic Microenvironment of Tumors
Yue-Qi NIE ; Miao JIANG ; Hui-Yan WU ; Chang-Hao DING ; Wei REN ; Jun-Yi CHANG ; Ke CHEN ; Shao-Long DU ; Peng ZHANG ; Zhong-Hua LIU
Chinese Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2025;41(10):1380-1391
Lung cancer poses a serious threat to global public health security.Chemotherapy,as the main strategy for cancer treatment,faces challenges such as high toxicity and drug resistance.Anticancer peptides have the potential of being developed into new anticancer drugs due to their advantages of broad-spectrum anticancer activity,rapid action,and difficulty in generating drug resistance,but they also face shortcomings such as weak activity and strong toxic side effects.The weakly acidic microenvironment of tumors(pH 6.5-6.8)provides a good idea for the design of anticancer peptides of high-efficiency and low-toxicity.Previously,we designed the acid-sensitive antibacterial peptide pHly-1 using the wolf spider(Lycosa singoriensis)toxin Lycosin-Ⅰ as a template.In this study,we found that pHly-1 also had acid-sensitive anticancer activity.Further alanine scanning analysis of pHly-1 was carried out,and we ob-tained a mutant pHTP-2 with better acid sensitivity,whose IC50(half maximal inhibitory concentration)against A549 cells was 15.68 μmol/L at pH 6.6 and was greater than 100 μmol/L at pH 7.4.At pH 6.6,pHTP-2 could act on various lung cancer cell lines and induce the death of A549 cells by rapid ly-sis;at pH 7.4,500 μmol/L pHTP-2 had weak toxicity to red blood cells(the hemolysis rate was ap-proximately 38%)and primary myocardial cells(the inhibition rate was 49.7%,with P<0.05).Analy-sis of its charge,particle size,morphology,and secondary structure showed that at pH 6.6,the histidine in the sequence of pHTP-2 was protonated,increasing the positive charge(P<0.01),decreasing the hy-drated particle size(P<0.05)and forming an α-helical structure to induce membrane lysis of A549 cells.At pH 7.4,it was deprotonated,the positive charge decreases,a β-sheet structure was formed and self-aggregation occurred,limiting its effect on the A549 cell membrane and showing weak activity.In summary,pHTP-2 could respond to the weakly acidic microenvironment of tumors to exert selective cyto-toxic activity,effectively overcoming the shortcomings of anticancer peptides such as low efficiency and high toxicity.Our findings suggest that it is a high-quality lead molecule for anticancer drugs.
7.Analysis of risk factors and construction of a prediction model for herpes zoster complicated by kidney dysfunction
Tian ZHANG ; Zhongjie REN ; Zhonghan CHEN ; Ying LI ; Ke BIAN
Chinese Journal of Primary Medicine and Pharmacy 2025;32(1):100-105
Objective:To analyze the risk factors for herpes zoster complicated by kidney dysfunction and construct a prediction model.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 150 patients with herpes zoster who were admitted to Hangzhou Third People's Hospital from January 2022 to December 2023. The patients were divided into two groups based on the presence of kidney dysfunction: kidney dysfunction group ( n = 30, with kidney dysfunction) and control group ( n = 120, without kidney dysfunction). The risk factors for herpes zoster complicated by kidney dysfunction were analyzed. The logistic prediction model was constructed. The effectiveness of this prediction model in predicting herpes zoster complicated by kidney dysfunction was assessed using the receiver operating characteristic curve. Results:The differences in gender, body mass index, comorbidities (hypertension and hyperlipidemia), and sites of onset between the two patient groups were not statistically significant (all P > 0.05). The average age of the kidney dysfunction group was (67.74 ± 6.71) years, which was significantly older than that in the control group [(62.32 ± 5.58) years, t = 4.56, P < 0.001]. In the kidney dysfunction group, the proportions of patients with comorbid diabetes, severe pain, large lesion area, high-dose antiviral medication use, and hemoglobin levels < 120 g/L were 46.67% (14/30), 63.33% (19/30), 56.67% (17/30), 46.67% (14/30), and 40.00% (12/30), respectively. These values were all significantly greater than those in the control group [14.17% (17/120), 34.17% (41/120), 31.67% (36/120), 19.17% (23/120), and 10.00% (12/120), χ2 = 15.46, 2.60, 2.10, 9.76, 16.07, P < 0.001, 0.002, 0.035, 0.002, < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that older age ( OR = 3.023), comorbid diabetes ( OR = 4.315), severe pain ( OR = 3.623), large lesion area ( OR = 3.481), high-dose antiviral medication use ( OR = 4.030), and hemoglobin levels < 120 g/L ( OR = 0.151) were all significant risk factors for herpes zoster complicated by kidney dysfunction (all P < 0.05). Based on these risk factors, the following logistic prediction model was developed: Logit( P) = -8.753 + 1.106 × age + 1.462 × diabetes + 1.287 × pain severity + 1.247 × lesion area + 1.394 × high-dose antiviral medication use + (-1.889) × hemoglobin. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that the area under the curve for predicting herpes zoster complicated by kidney dysfunction was 0.904 (95% CI: 0.859-0.937), with a sensitivity of 84.62% and a specificity of 89.04%. Conclusions:The risk factors for herpes zoster complicated by kidney dysfunction include older age, comorbid diabetes, severe pain, large lesion area, high-dose antiviral medication use, and hemoglobin levels < 120 g/L. Based on these factors, the construction of a logistic prediction model can provide a reliable basis for clinical prediction of the occurrence of kidney dysfunction.
8.Advances in the fear of disease progression current situation and its influencing factors in patients with coronary heart disease
Xiao-ying LIU ; Lin-qing YAO ; Ke-ke ZHU ; Wen-chuang LI ; Ya-zi LI ; Ren-ying ZHU
Chinese Journal of cardiovascular Rehabilitation Medicine 2025;34(5):735-739
Fear of disease progression(FoP)is a common psychological state among patients with coronary heart dis-ease(CHD),which exists throughout the course of disease and seriously affects the prognosis.High level of FoP not only harms the mental health of patients but also do not benefit their rehabilitation after discharge.This concept was first proposed by foreign researchers studying the psychological state of cancer patients.In recent years,there have been numerous studies on the influencing factors and qualitative aspects of FoP in CHD patients,while related inter-vention studies remain few.This paper reviews the concept,scales and related influencing factors of FoP,providing ideas for medical staff to provide targeted interventions for CHD patients.
9.Maintenance of Bausch&Lomb BL11110 phacoemulsification system:Three case reports
An-hai WEI ; Rui NIE ; Li-dong FAN ; Ke-xin PAN ; Zhen-zhen CAO ; Qing-hui REN ; He-hua ZHANG
Chinese Medical Equipment Journal 2025;46(4):118-120
The working principle of Bausch&Lomb BL11110 phacoemulsification system was described.Three cases of typical faults of the phacoemulsification system were introduced,and the causes were analyzed,then the maintenance measures were given accordingly.References were provided for diagnosing and eliminating the faults of the phacoemulsification system.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(4):118-120]
10.Urinary continence and short-term oncologic efficacy of total prostatic urethral preservation(TPUP)technique in laparoscopic radical prostatectomy
Xiangrong YING ; Ke GAO ; Zibin XU ; Haojie ZHANG ; Chong SHEN ; Yu REN ; Zhengang LUO ; Gangfeng WU
Chinese Journal of Urology 2025;46(10):764-768
Objective:To explore the short-term oncological efficacy of the total prostatic urethra preservation(TPUP)technique in laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and its impact on postoperative urinary continence rate.Methods:The clinical data of 17 prostate cancer patients admitted to Shaoxing People’s Hospital from July 2023 to July 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. The age was(70.5 ± 6.5)years,the body mass index was(23.6 ± 2.5)kg/m 2,and the prostate-specific antigen(PSA)level was(7.845 ± 3.929)ng/ml. The preoperative biopsy pathological Gleason score were 6 in 8 cases,and 7 in 9 cases. All patients underwent laparoscopic radical prostatectomy,and the TPUP technique was used during the operation. The integrity of the preserved urethra was improved by preserving the prostatic surgical capsule closely attached to the corpus spongiosum of the urethra. During the operation,the urethra was completely preserved in 2 cases,nearly completely preserved in 14 cases,and partially preserved in 1 case. The recovery of urinary continence on the day of catheter removal and at 1 and 3 months after the operation was recorded. Recovery of urinary continence was defined as pad within 24 hours. PSA was re - examined at 6 weeks and 3 months after the operation. Results:All 17 operations in this study were successfully completed. The operation time was(143.6 ± 31.6)minutes,and the intraoperative blood loss was 50.0(20.0,50.0)ml. None of the cases was converted to open surgery,and no Clavien - Dindo grade ≥ 2 complications such as blood transfusion or intestinal injury occurred during the peri-operative period. The PSA levels at 6 weeks and 3 months after the operation were 0.054(0.008,0.215)ng/ml and 0.008(0.005,0.037)ng/ml,respectively. The indwelling catheter time after the operation was(13.4 ± 2.1)days. The number of cases with recovered urinary continence on the day of catheter removal and at 1 and 3 months after the operation was 10,15,and 17,respectively.Conclusions:The TPUP technique in laparoscopic radical prostatectomy leads to good recovery of postoperative urinary continence,and there is a slowly PSA decrease in the short term.

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