Objective To investigate the current distribution of radiotherapy resources in Gansu Province, evaluate the equity of resource allocation, and provide a scientific basis for optimizing regional resource allocation. Methods A questionnaire survey was carried out to assess radiotherapy resources in medical institutions across Gansu Province, China. The equity of radiotherapy resource distribution and associated disparities were assessed using the Gini coefficient, Lorenz curve, and Theil index. Results A total of 23 medical institutions in Gansu Province provided radiotherapy services, comprising 39 radiotherapy devices and 438 professionals, of whom medical physicists accounted for 16.9%. The radiotherapy frequency was 0.47 cases per thousand population. The Gini coefficients for radiotherapy resource distribution ranged from 0.38 to 0.56 by population and from 0.52 to 0.70 by geography. The Theil index for radiotherapy resources ranged from 1.36 to 3.67. Conclusion Radiotherapy resources in Gansu Province were insufficient, and the capacity of radiotherapy service was suboptimal. The equity of radiotherapy resource allocation by geography was worse than that by population. Therefore, it is imperative to address the shortage of radiotherapy resources, strengthen the professional workforce, enhance the capacity radiotherapy service and resource utilization, optimize resource allocation, and promote regional equity in radiotherapy provision in Gansu Province.

Objective: To analyze population distribution characteristics, routine blood parameters, and independent influencing factors of elevated hemoglobin in overweight red blood cell (RBC) products (suspected polycythemia), and to provide evidence for optimizing pre-donor screening and improving component quality and clinical transfusion safety. Methods: A total of 82 overweight RBC product cases verified by the quality control department from 2021 to 2025 were retrospectively enrolled. Product information, donor demographic data and blood disposal outcomes were statistically described. Correlation analysis and multiple linear regression were performed on 55 samples with complete routine blood test data. Results: Overweight products were mainly leukocyte-filtered suspended red blood cells (70.73%), with 2 U specifications accounting for 56.10%. Most donors were young and middle-aged males (96.34% male, 87.80% aged 18-49 years). Hb, RBC count and Hct in the overweight group were significantly higher than those in the control group (all P<0.001), with strong correlations among the three indicators. History of high-altitude exposure was an independent risk factor for elevated Hb (B=14.517, P=0.020). Higher Hb level was associated with higher discard rates of blood products for clinical use. Conclusion: Overweight RBC products result from synchronous abnormal elevation of Hb, RBC count and Hct among donors. Young and middle-aged males and those with a history high-altitude exposure are high-risk populations. Current donor screening only sets the lower limit of Hb without unified upper limits for RBC-related parameters. Incorporating upper-limit screening for Hb/Hct and standardized inquiry for high-altitude exposure to routine pre-donation assessment may reduce overweight events of RBC products, decrease blood discard rates and enhance transfusion safety. It also offers practical in-sights for implementing the 2026 edition of the Technical Operating Procedures for Blood Stations.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD） is a respiratory disease characterized by airflow limitation， and its high morbidity and disability rates pose a severe challenge to global public health. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has demonstrated definite efficacy and distinctive characteristics in the treatment of COPD. Based on the understanding of ancient and modern physicians regarding the etiology， pathogenesis， and stage-based syndrome differentiation of COPD， this article systematically elaborates on the etiology， pathogenesis， and clinical principles of syndrome differentiation and treatment of COPD. COPD is characterized by deficiency at root and excess in manifestation， with the coexistence of deficiency and excess. Qi deficiency is the fundamental pathogenesis underlying the occurrence and development of COPD and runs throughout the entire disease course. The disease begins with deficiency of lung qi and gradually affects the spleen and kidney， leading to the internal generation of dampness， phlegm， and blood stasis. Phlegm and blood stasis are not only pathological products but also deep-rooted causes of recurrent disease. Together with qi deficiency， they are mutually causal and form a vicious cycle. During the acute exacerbation stage of COPD， phlegm and blood stasis constitute the predominant underlying pathology and are often induced by invasion of pathogenic factors due to deficiency of healthy Qi. In addition， innovative understandings of the etiology and pathogenesis of COPD have emerged from the perspectives of collateral disease， latent pathogens， smoke toxins， and dysfunction of the Shaoyang pivot. During the stable stage， deficiency of Qi in the lung， spleen， and kidney predominates and is often accompanied by phlegm and blood stasis. In the clinical differentiation and treatment of COPD， treatment should be based on different disease stages and syndrome characteristics. During the acute exacerbation stage， eliminating pathogenic factors is the primary principle， with treatment determined according to syndrome differentiation. For wind-cold attacking the lung， the treatment is to ventilate the lung， disperse cold， and relieve cough. For phlegm-dampness accumulating in the lung， the treatment is to dry dampness， resolve phlegm， and direct qi downward. For phlegm-heat obstructing the lung， the treatment is to clear the lung， resolve phlegm， and relieve asthma. For phlegm and blood stasis obstructing the lung， the treatment is to eliminate phlegm， remove blood stasis， and relieve asthma. During the stable stage， reinforcing healthy Qi is the key principle. For lung-spleen qi deficiency， the treatment is to tonify the lung and strengthen the spleen， resolve phlegm， and direct Qi downward to relieve asthma. For deficiency of both lung and kidney， the treatment is to tonify the lung and benefit the kidney， resolve phlegm， promote Qi reception， and relieve asthma. When accompanied by phlegm and blood stasis， the treatment should focus on tonifying deficiency， resolving phlegm， and removing blood stasis. This article aims to systematically summarize the TCM etiology， pathogenesis， syndrome differentiation and treatment principles of COPD， as well as the current shortcomings in related research， in order to provide a reference for the clinical treatment of COPD with TCM， give full play to the advantages of TCM in the prevention and treatment of COPD， and optimize the whole-course management of COPD.

ObjectiveTo investigate the contamination status of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg) in commercially available aquatic products in Shanghai and their distribution characteristics among different categories of aquatic products, and to assess the dietary exposure levels and non‑carcinogenic health risks of As, Cd, Pb, and Hg through aquatic product consumption among different age groups, so as to provide a scientific basis for food safety surveillance of aquatic products and dietary risk management for residents in Shanghai. MethodsFrom October to November 2021, a total of 90 aquatic product samples, including marine fish, freshwater fish, freshwater shrimp, marine crab, freshwater crab, and mollusks, were randomly collected from 16 districts of Shanghai. Sample pretreatment was performed according to GB 5009.268‒2016 (National Food Safety Standard—Determination of Multi‑elements in Foods). The concentrations of As, Cd, and Pb in aquatic products were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‑MS), and Hg was determined by direct mercury analyzer. Inorganic arsenic (iAs) was estimated as 3.5% of total As according to the method recommended by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The contamination levels of As, Cd, Pb, and Hg in aquatic products were evaluated according to GB 2762‒2017 (National Food Safety Standard—Maximum Levels of Contaminants in Foods). A combined approach of point assessment and probabilistic assessment was applied to estimate the estimated daily intake (EDI) and non‑carcinogenic risk indicators—hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI)—for different age groups. ResultsThe detection rates of As and Hg were both 100.00% in all samples, while those of Cd and Pb were 74.44% and 25.56%, respectively. The arithmetic means (wet weight) of the four elements and estimated iAs were: As (1.432 9±3.736 5) mg·kg^-1, iAs (0.050 2±0.130 8) mg·kg^-1, Cd (0.082 5±0.197 8) mg·kg^-1, Pb (0.006 1±0.005 5) mg·kg^-1, and Hg (0.021 9±0.016 7) mg·kg^-1. According to the relevant maximum residue limits, 2 out of 7 mollusk samples (28.57%) and 3 out of 20 marine fish samples (15.00%) exceeded the limit for iAs, and 2 out of 8 marine crab samples (25.00%) exceeded the limit for Cd. The estimated daily intake (EDI, μg·kg^-1·d^-1, by body weight) of iAs, Cd, Pb, and Hg via aquatic product consumption varied among different age groups, with the highest levels observed in children aged 3‒4 years, decreasing gradually with age to the lowest level at 12 ‒ <15 years, with a slight rebound thereafter. The point assessment results showed that the HQs of iAs, Cd, Pb, and Hg ranged from 0 to 0.25, and the cumulative HI ranged from 0.27 to 0.48, all below 1, indicating a relatively low overall risk. The probabilistic assessment results revealed that under the high‑exposure scenario (P_97.5), the HQs of iAs (1.101‒1.281) and Cd (1.175‒1.366) exceeded 1 in children aged 3‒9 years, suggesting potential health risks, while the HQs of Pb and Hg were all below 1, indicating relatively lower risks. ConclusionHg and As are ubiquitously detected in commercially available aquatic products in Shanghai, while the detection rates of Cd and Pb are relatively low. The overall non-carcinogenic risk is at an acceptable level, but children aged 3‒9 years may have potential health risks from iAs and Cd under high-percentile exposure levels. It is recommended to strengthen the monitoring of toxic elements in key aquatic products such as marine fish, mollusks, and marine crabs, and to implement targeted dietary risk management measures for sensitive populations, including children.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD） is a respiratory disease characterized by airflow limitation， and its high morbidity and disability rates pose a severe challenge to global public health. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has demonstrated definite efficacy and distinctive characteristics in the treatment of COPD. Based on the understanding of ancient and modern physicians regarding the etiology， pathogenesis， and stage-based syndrome differentiation of COPD， this article systematically elaborates on the etiology， pathogenesis， and clinical principles of syndrome differentiation and treatment of COPD. COPD is characterized by deficiency at root and excess in manifestation， with the coexistence of deficiency and excess. Qi deficiency is the fundamental pathogenesis underlying the occurrence and development of COPD and runs throughout the entire disease course. The disease begins with deficiency of lung qi and gradually affects the spleen and kidney， leading to the internal generation of dampness， phlegm， and blood stasis. Phlegm and blood stasis are not only pathological products but also deep-rooted causes of recurrent disease. Together with qi deficiency， they are mutually causal and form a vicious cycle. During the acute exacerbation stage of COPD， phlegm and blood stasis constitute the predominant underlying pathology and are often induced by invasion of pathogenic factors due to deficiency of healthy Qi. In addition， innovative understandings of the etiology and pathogenesis of COPD have emerged from the perspectives of collateral disease， latent pathogens， smoke toxins， and dysfunction of the Shaoyang pivot. During the stable stage， deficiency of Qi in the lung， spleen， and kidney predominates and is often accompanied by phlegm and blood stasis. In the clinical differentiation and treatment of COPD， treatment should be based on different disease stages and syndrome characteristics. During the acute exacerbation stage， eliminating pathogenic factors is the primary principle， with treatment determined according to syndrome differentiation. For wind-cold attacking the lung， the treatment is to ventilate the lung， disperse cold， and relieve cough. For phlegm-dampness accumulating in the lung， the treatment is to dry dampness， resolve phlegm， and direct qi downward. For phlegm-heat obstructing the lung， the treatment is to clear the lung， resolve phlegm， and relieve asthma. For phlegm and blood stasis obstructing the lung， the treatment is to eliminate phlegm， remove blood stasis， and relieve asthma. During the stable stage， reinforcing healthy Qi is the key principle. For lung-spleen qi deficiency， the treatment is to tonify the lung and strengthen the spleen， resolve phlegm， and direct Qi downward to relieve asthma. For deficiency of both lung and kidney， the treatment is to tonify the lung and benefit the kidney， resolve phlegm， promote Qi reception， and relieve asthma. When accompanied by phlegm and blood stasis， the treatment should focus on tonifying deficiency， resolving phlegm， and removing blood stasis. This article aims to systematically summarize the TCM etiology， pathogenesis， syndrome differentiation and treatment principles of COPD， as well as the current shortcomings in related research， in order to provide a reference for the clinical treatment of COPD with TCM， give full play to the advantages of TCM in the prevention and treatment of COPD， and optimize the whole-course management of COPD.

Objective:To discuss the expression and clinical significance of inositol polyphosphate-4-phosphatase type Ⅱ(INPP4B)gene in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)based on The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)database and experimental verification with clinical samples.Methods:Based on data from 424 clinical samples in the TCGA database(including 374 HCC tissues and 50 paracarcinoma tissues),Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis were used to evaluate the relationship between INPP4B gene and the clinical characteristics and survival prognosis of the HCC patients.The correlations between INPP4B gene and the number of 24 types of immune cells,matrix,immune cell infiltration and tumor purity in tumor tissue,and the expression level of the high-frequency mutant gene tumor protein 53(TP53)in HCC were analyzed.The clinicopathological data and paraffin-embedded tissue sections of 60 HCC patients treated with surgical resection from December 2022 to December 2023 were collected.According to clinical diagnosis,they were divided into poorly differentiated group(HCC-L group),moderately differentiated group(HCC-M group)and well-differentiated group(HCC-H group),with 20 cases in each group;20 patients during the same period who underwent biopsy and were pathologically diagnosed as non-tumor were selected as normal group,and their clinicopathologic data and liver tissue paraffin sections were collected.HE staining was used to observe the pathomorphology of HCC tissue and normal liver tissue of the subjects in various groups;immunohistochemistry method was used to detect the expressions of Ki-67 and INPP4B proteins in the HCC tissue and normal liver tissue of the subjects in various groups.Results:The TCGA database analysis results showed that compared with normal tissue,the expression level of INPP4B mRNA in HCC tissue was significantly increased(P<0.01).Compared with INPP4B low expression group,the overall survival(OS)of the patients in INPP4B high expression group was significantly prolonged(P<0.05).The univariate Cox regression analysis results showed that tumor stage,pathological stage,tumor status and residual tumor had impacts on OS of the HCC patients(P<0.05).The univariate regression analysis results showed that the INPP4B prognostic risk model score ratio was HR=0.781,95％confidence interval(CI):0.552-1.105,P=0.168.The AUC value for the impact of INPP4B on OS of the HCC patients was 0.558,indicating that the INPP4B gene prognostic risk model had certain predictive value in survival prognosis.The INPP4B mRNA expression level was not correlated with TNM stage,stage,patient gender,age,race or body mass index(BMI)(P>0.05).In tumor tissue with high and low INPP4B expression,22 types of immune cells showed statistically significant differences(P<0.05);the INPP4B mRNA expression level was positively correlated with the number of 23 types of immune cells except T helper(Th)17 cells(r>0),among which all Th cells except natural killer(NK)CD56+cells were statistically significant(P<0.01);INPP4B was significantly correlated with matrix(r=0.475),immune cell infiltration(r=0.641)and tumor purity(r=0.599)in tumor tissue(P<0.01).INPP4B was correlated with TP53(r=0.287,P<0.01).The HE staining results showed that clear and complete lobular structure,neatly arranged cells and slight inflammatory cell infiltration were observed in liver tissue of the subjects in normal group;completely destroyed lobular structure,significant hepatocellular steatosis,massive inflammatory cell infiltration,and lesions such as ballooning degeneration and small cell hyperplasia in some cells were observed in HCC tissue of the patients in HCC-L,HCC-M and HCC-H groups,and the lower the HCC differentiation degree,the more severe the tissue destruction;The immunohistochemistry results showed that compared with normal group,the expression levels of Ki-67 protein in HCC tissue of the patients in HCC-L,HCC-M and HCC-H groups were significantly increased(P<0.01),and the lower the differentiation degree of the HCC patients,the higher the Ki-67 positive rate.Brownish-yellow granules evenly distributed in the cells and INPP4B protein was highly expressed in liver tissue of the subjects in normal group;compared with normal group,the expression levels of INPP4B protein in HCC tissue of the patients in HCC-L,HCC-M and HCC-H groups were significantly decreased(P<0.01),and the lower the differentiation degree of the HCC tissue,the lower the INPP4B positive rate.Conclusion:INPP4B is a protective factor for the prognosis of HCC patients;as a new tumor suppressor gene,INPP4B may become a potential target for new drug screening in HCC treatment.

AIM:To investigate the mechanism by which muscle segment homeobox 2(Msx2)regulates the differentiation of outer enamel epithelial cells in the enamel organ.METHODS:Tissue paraffin sections were prepared and subjected to hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining to analyze the effect of Msx2 deficiency on the differentiation status of epithelial cells in the enamel organ at the morphological level.At the ultrastructural level,alterations in cell structure were analyzed.The intermediate steps mediating cell differentiation were identified.Transcriptome sequencing analysis was performed to validate the molecular mechanisms underlying the observed phenomena.RESULTS:Msx2 deficiency was innovatively found to induce severe squamous epithelial hyperplasia in outer enamel epithelial cells of enamel organ,accompanied by dynamic restructuring of the cell cytoskeleton and alterations in cell adhesion at the ultrastructure level.As a transcriptional repressor,the loss of Msx2 expression results in significant increases(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01)in the mRNA expression levels of integrin β2(Itgβ2),ItgαM,Itgα4,Rac family small GTPase 2(Rac2),Rac/Cdc42 guanine nucleo-tide exchange factor 6(Arhgef6)and protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type C(Ptprc).CONCLUSION:Msx2 regu-lates cytoskeleton structure and cell-cell interaction through the Rho GTPases signaling pathway,thereby influencing the differentiation state of outer enamel epithelial cells.This study reveals the mechanism through which Msx2 regulates the differentiation of outer enamel epithelial cells,providing a theoretical foundation for the prevention and treatment of enam-el-related clinical dental diseases.

Obesity usually exacerbates the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (ITME), hindering CD8⁺ T cell infiltration and function, which further represents a significant barrier to the efficacy of immunotherapy. Herein, a multifunctional liposomal system (CR-Lip) for encapsulating celastrol (CEL) was utilized to remodel obesity-related ITME and improve cancer immunotherapy, wherein Ginsenoside Rg3 (Rg3) was detected interspersed in the phospholipid bilayer and its glycosyl exposed on the surface of the liposome. CR-Lip had a relatively uniform size (116.5 nm), facilitating favorable tumor tissue accumulation through the interaction between Rg3 and glucose transporter 1 overexpressed in obese tumor cells. Upon reaching the tumor region, CR-Lip was found to induce the immunogenic cell death (ICD) of HFD tumor cells. Notably, the level of PHD3 in HFD tumor cells was effectively boosted by CR-Lip to effectively block metabolic reprogramming and increase the availability of major free fatty acids fuel sources. In vivo, experiments studies revealed that the easy-obtained nano platform stimulated enhanced the production of various cytokines in tumor tissues, DC maturation, CD8⁺ T-cell infiltration, and synergistic anticancer therapeutic potency with aPD-1 (tumor inhibition rate = 82.1%) towards obesity-related melanoma. Consequently, this study presented an efficacious approach to tumor immunotherapy in obese mice by encompassing tumor eradication, inducing ICD, and reprogramming metabolism. Furthermore, it offered a unique insight into a valuable attempt at the immunotherapy of obesity-associated related tumors.

Colorectal tumorigenesis generally progresses from adenoma to adenocarcinoma, accompanied by dynamic changes in the tumor microenvironment (TME). A randomized controlled trial has confirmed the efficacy and safety of Shen-Bai-Jie-Du decoction (SBJDD) in preventing colorectal tumorigenesis. However, the mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we employed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to investigate the dynamic evolution of the TME and validated cell infiltration with multiplex immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. Bulk RNA sequencing was utilized to assess the underlying mechanisms. Our results constructed the mutually verifiable single-cell transcriptomic atlases in Apc ^Min/+ mice and clinical patients. There was a marked accumulation of CCL22⁺ dendritic cells (DCs) and an enhanced immunosuppressive action, which SBJDD and berberine reversed. Combined treatment with cholesterol and lipopolysaccharide induced characteristic gene expression of CCL22⁺ DCs, which may represent "exhausted DCs". Intraperitoneal injection of these DCs after SBJDD treatment eliminated its therapeutic effects. TMEM131 derived CCL22⁺ DCs generation by TNF signaling pathway and may be a potential target of berberine in retarding colorectal tumorigenesis. These findings emphasize the role of exhausted DCs and the regulatory mechanisms of SBJDD and berberine in colorectal cancer (CRC), suggesting that the multi-component properties of SBJDD may help restore TME homeostasis and offer novel cancer therapy.

AIM:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of lamellar keratectomy and corneal collagen crosslinking(LKCCC)in treating superficial fungal keratitis.METHODS: Retrospective analysis. Totally 79 patients(79 eyes)with superficial fungal keratitis who underwent LKCCC in our hospital from January 2014 to October 2023 were included. After admission, routine antifungal drug treatment for 7 d showed no obvious improvement or progressive aggravation. The maximum diameter of corneal lesions in all patients was ≤7 mm, the maximum depth was no more than 50% of the corneal thickness at the location, and the remaining healthy corneal thickness was ≥300 μm. The follow-up time was 90 to 112 d.RESULTS:Among the included 79 eyes, the lesions were located in the central region of the cornea in 6 eyes, in the paracentral region in 61 eyes, and in the peripheral region in 12 eyes. Hypopyon was observed in 5 cases. LKCCC was successfully administered in 79 eyes, cured in 76 eyes(96%), and failed in 3 eyes(4%). The healing time of corneal epithelium in 76 cured eyes was 3-15 d, of which 51 eyes(67%)healed within 7 d and 24 eyes(32%)healed within 3 d. The uncorrected visual acuity(UCVA)and best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)of 76 eyes of cured patients were statistically significant compared with those preoperatively(P<0.0167). Two of the 3 failed eyes were located at the edge of the lesion and recovered after re-keratectomy. One eye was located in the center of the lesion and recovered after being covered by bulbar conjunctival flap. At the last follow-up, no other complications were observed in all patients except superficial cloud and thinning of cornea.CONCLUSION:LKCCC is a rapid and effective treatment for superficial fungal keratitis and can be considered a new treatment option.