Onco-critical care has emerged as an important subspecialty at the intersection of critical care medicine and oncology, attracting increasing attention in recent years. With continuous innovations in cancer therapies, patient survival has improved significantly; however, the incidence of associated critical complications has also increased. The reasons for cancer patients requiring intensive care unit admission are diverse and can be broadly categorized into three groups: progression of the underlying malignancy, treatment-related complications, and coexisting classical critical illnesses. Traditional critical care concepts and practices face limitations in addressing the multidimensional and heterogeneous challenges of onco-critical care. Based on the core mechanism of critical illness development—host/organ unregulated response (HOUR)—this article systematically elaborates on how this framework advances understanding and clinical practice into onco-critical care, with emphasis on its manifestations in neuroendocrine, immune-inflammatory, and coagulation-metabolic pathways. The review summarizes recent advances in clinical assessment and phenotyping systems for onco-critical illness and discusses a multidisciplinary, integrated management strategy centered on the "Disease Control, Host Response Modulation, Organ Support" triad. Finally, major challenges and future directions in this field are outlined. By integrating existing evidence and theoretical insights, this review aims to provide new perspectives and a theoretical foundation for the clinical management of onco-critical illness, thereby promoting its evolution toward precision and standardization.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the therapeutic effect and mechanism of Qiwei dongqingye powder （QDP） on bronchial asthma in mice. METHODS The mice were divided into blank group （normal saline）， model group （normal saline）， dexamethasone group （2 mg/kg）， and QDP low-， medium-， and high-dose groups （200， 400， 800 mg/kg）， with 14 mice in each group. Except for the blank group， mice in all other groups were given ovalbumin via intraperitoneal injection followed by aerosol inhalation to induce a bronchial asthma model. During the modeling process， mice in each group were administered corresponding drug solutions or normal saline intragastrically/intraperitoneally. After the last medication， the number of cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid （BALF） of the mice was observed and counted； the pathological changes of the bronchus and lung tissue were observed； the levels of malondialdehyde （MDA）， nitric oxide （NO）， total superoxide dismutase （T-SOD）， and glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px） in the lung tissue of the mice were determined， and the level of interleukin-17 （IL-17） in the BALF and serum was determined. Transcriptomics was employed to predict and validate the mechanism of action of QDP against bronchial asthma. RESULTS Compared with the model group， the total cell count， neutrophil count， lymphocyte count， and macrophage counts in the BALF of the QDP high-dose group were all significantly reduced （ P ＜0.05）； the levels of MDA and NO in the lung tissue， and the levels of IL-17 in the BALF and serum were all decreased significantly （ P ＜0.05）； the levels of T-SOD and GSH-Px were significantly increased （ P ＜0.05）； the arrangement of lung tissue cells tended to normalize， with reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells and decreased exfoliation of bronchial simple columnar epithelial cells. The transcriptomic results revealed that the differentially expressed genes were B-cell receptor signaling pathway， nuclear factor κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway， ferroptosis signaling pathway， and others. Further validation revealed that， compared with the model group， the expression levels of NF-κB p65 and chemokine ligand 20， as well as the phosphorylation level of NF-κB inhibitor protein α， were significantly decreased in the lung tissues of the mice in all QDP groups （ P ＜0.05）. Conversely， the protein expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 （Nrf2） and heme oxygenase 1 （HO-1） were significantly increased （ P ＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS QDP can effectively alleviate bronchial asthma by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway， activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway， regulating oxidative stress， and reducing inflammatory responses.

[摘 要] 目的：构建负载STING激动剂DMXAA的锰卟啉金属有机框架纳米颗粒（DPM），探讨其对三阴性乳腺癌（TNBC）细胞4T1及其小鼠移植瘤的治疗效果。方法：通过物理吸附法制备 DPM 纳米颗粒，利用透射电镜、扫描电镜及纳米粒度电位仪表征其形貌与理化性质。常规培养4T1细胞，细胞实验分为对照组、超声辐照组（US组）、DPM治疗组（DPM组）和DPM治疗联合超声辐照组（DPM + US组），用CCK-8法检测细胞活性，免疫荧光法检测高迁移率族蛋白B1（HMGB1）和钙网蛋白（CRT）的表达，WB法检测STING通路相关蛋白的表达。构建4T1细胞移植瘤小鼠模型，分为四组，处理同细胞实验，测量肿瘤体积，免疫荧光法检测移植瘤组织中Ki-67、HMGB1、CRT和缺氧诱导因子-1ɑ（HIF-1ɑ）蛋白的表达，TUNEL法检测细胞凋亡，流式细胞术检测免疫细胞活化情况，对主要器官进行H-E染色，以评估纳米材料的体内安全性。结果：DPM呈梭形，平均粒径（268 ± 3.302）nm，电位（33.1 ± 0.87）mV。细胞实验中，DPM联合超声辐照可明显抑制4T1细胞的增殖（P < 0.001），提高4T1细胞中ROS水平（P < 0.001），诱导4T1细胞CRT表达上调（P < 0.001），HMGB1从细胞核中移至细胞质，激活STING信号通路[p-STING、p-TBK1、p-IRF3蛋白表达均显著增加（均P < 0.001）]。体内实验中，DPM联合超声辐照可显著抑制4T1细胞移植瘤生长（P < 0.001）并促进免疫细胞表型转化（P < 0.001），抑制移植瘤组织中Ki-67、HIF-1α蛋白表达（均P < 0.01），谷胱甘肽（GSH）产生（P < 0.01），促进CRT、HMGB1蛋白表达、ROS产生（P < 0.001），对主要器官结构无明显影响。结论： DPM联合超声辐照可通过激活STING通路显著抑制4T1细胞及其移植瘤的生长，诱导抗肿瘤免疫应答，且对主要器官无明显毒性。

ObjectiveTo clarify whether METTL14 mediates the core role of acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) in promoting myelination and improving behavior in young autistic rats through gene intervention technology. MethodsThe ASD model was established by intraperitoneal injection of valproic acid (VPA) in pregnant rats. Male offspring were intracerebroventricularly injected with adenovirus-packaged METTL14 shRNA (sh-METTL14) or its control (sh-NC) on postnatal day 1, with a model group set as well. Subsequently, the juvenile rats were divided into model group, acupuncture group, acupuncture+sh-NC group, and acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group. The acupuncture group received acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) from postnatal day 7, once daily for 21 consecutive days. Neurobehavioral changes were evaluated by behavioral tests; METTL14 knockdown efficiency and the expression of METTL14, METTL3, and PTEN were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot (WB); PTEN m⁶A levels were measured by RNA immunoprecipitation-qPCR (RIP-qPCR); myelin ultrastructure, expression of myelin basic protein (MBP) and neurofascin 155 (NF155), and dendritic spine density were observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and primary neuron culture. ResultsBehaviorally, knockdown of METTL14 significantly counteracted the beneficial effects of acupuncture in improving self-grooming, open field exploration, three-chamber social interaction, and Morris water maze learning and memory (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the acupuncture+sh-NC group, the acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group showed significantly decreased mRNA and protein expression of hippocampal METTL14 (P<0.01), and the upregulating effects of acupuncture on METTL3 and PTEN expression were reversed (P<0.01). Meanwhile, knockdown of METTL14 significantly inhibited the acupuncture-induced increase in PTEN m⁶A levels (P<0.01). Morphologically, knockdown of METTL14 attenuated the improvement of myelin structure by acupuncture, reversed the downregulation of MBP and upregulation of NF155 induced by acupuncture, and blocked the increase in dendritic spine density (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionMETTL14 is a key molecule mediating the therapeutic effect of acupuncture at Neiguan. Acupuncture at Neiguan upregulates METTL14, thereby enhancing m⁶A methylation modification of PTEN mRNA to stabilize its expression, ultimately promoting myelin development and improving behavioral symptoms in ASD juvenile rats. This preliminarily reveals the modern biological connotation of “opening Xuanfu and dredging myelin”.

ObjectiveChronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) is usually diagnosed by gastroscopy and histopathological biopsy. These procedures remain the reference standard, but their invasive nature and resource requirements may limit their use in large-scale population screening and repeated follow-up. A convenient and reproducible method for noninvasive auxiliary screening may help identify individuals who require further endoscopic assessment. Fingertip photoplethysmography (PPG) provides a noninvasive recording of peripheral pulse waves and allows harmonic features to be extracted from the signal. In this study, the so-called meridian-related variables were defined as PPG-derived harmonic parameters labelled according to meridian nomenclature, rather than as direct measurements of meridian physiology. This study aimed to compare these harmonic parameters between patients with CAG and non-CAG controls, identify parameters that remained different after age adjustment, and develop a multivariable model for noninvasive auxiliary screening and pre-endoscopic risk stratification of CAG. MethodsA total of 343 participants were included, comprising 171 patients with CAG and 172 non-CAG controls. CAG diagnosis was established using gastroscopy and histopathology as the reference standard. Fingertip PPG signals were collected using a PPG-based pulse acquisition device. Eight PPG-derived harmonic parameters labelled according to meridian nomenclature were extracted for analysis. Between-group differences were first assessed using nonparametric tests. Age-adjusted analyses were then performed to reduce potential confounding by age. The false discovery rate (FDR) method was applied for multiple-comparison correction. A multivariable logistic regression model integrating age and multiple harmonic parameters was constructed. Model performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and the area under the curve (AUC). Internal validation performance was assessed using stratified five-fold cross-validation and bootstrap optimism correction. Threshold performance was examined using both a high-specificity strategy and a Youden index-based cutoff. Decision curve analysis was used to evaluate the model’s net clinical benefit across a range of threshold probabilities. ResultsAll eight harmonic parameters were non-normally distributed. In the univariate analysis, the stomach-labelled harmonic parameter (ST), bladder-labelled harmonic parameter (BL), and liver-labelled harmonic parameter (LR) differed between the CAG and non-CAG groups. After age adjustment and FDR correction, only ST and BL remained statistically significant. Compared with non-CAG controls, patients with CAG showed higher ST values and lower BL values. This finding indicates an associated differential harmonic pattern that was not fully explained by age distribution. However, the discriminative ability of a single harmonic parameter was limited. The best-performing single indicator was ST, with an AUC of 0.652 (95% CI: 0.595-0.707). The multivariable model integrating age and multiple harmonic parameters achieved an AUC of 0.791 (95% CI: 0.743-0.835), representing an improvement of 0.139 over ST alone. In internal validation, stratified five-fold cross-validation yielded a mean AUC of 0.753 (95% CI: 0.715-0.781), and the bootstrap optimism-corrected AUC was 0.748. These results suggest that the model retained moderate discriminative performance after internal validation.At a specificity of at least 95%, the model achieved a sensitivity of only 40.4% (95% CI: 25.7%-49.7%). This high-specificity cutoff may be suboptimal as the preferred threshold for an initial screening setting because of the potential risk of missed CAG cases. The Youden index-based optimal cutoff was 0.419, corresponding to a sensitivity of 80.7% and a specificity of 62.8%. This threshold may better match the practical aim of noninvasive auxiliary screening, where sensitivity is usually prioritized to reduce missed cases. Decision curve analysis showed that, within a threshold probability range of 10%-55%, the model provided higher net clinical benefit than the reference strategies of recommending gastroscopy for all participants or for none. ConclusionPatients with CAG showed associated harmonic differences in fingertip PPG-derived features, mainly characterized by higher ST and lower BL values after age adjustment and FDR correction. Compared with a single harmonic parameter, the multivariable model showed better overall discrimination and retained moderate internal validation performance. These findings suggest that PPG-derived harmonic parameters labelled according to meridian nomenclature may provide auxiliary information for noninvasive auxiliary screening and front-line triage before gastroscopic confirmation in CAG. The present results support further validation rather than immediate clinical implementation. External validation in independent, multicenter, and preferably prospective screening cohorts is needed to assess the model’s generalizability, screening performance, and potential clinical utility.

ObjectiveTo clarify whether METTL14 mediates the core role of acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) in promoting myelination and improving behavior in young autistic rats through gene intervention technology. MethodsThe ASD model was established by intraperitoneal injection of valproic acid (VPA) in pregnant rats. Male offspring were intracerebroventricularly injected with adenovirus-packaged METTL14 shRNA (sh-METTL14) or its control (sh-NC) on postnatal day 1, with a model group set as well. Subsequently, the juvenile rats were divided into model group, acupuncture group, acupuncture+sh-NC group, and acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group. The acupuncture group received acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) from postnatal day 7, once daily for 21 consecutive days. Neurobehavioral changes were evaluated by behavioral tests; METTL14 knockdown efficiency and the expression of METTL14, METTL3, and PTEN were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot (WB); PTEN m⁶A levels were measured by RNA immunoprecipitation-qPCR (RIP-qPCR); myelin ultrastructure, expression of myelin basic protein (MBP) and neurofascin 155 (NF155), and dendritic spine density were observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and primary neuron culture. ResultsBehaviorally, knockdown of METTL14 significantly counteracted the beneficial effects of acupuncture in improving self-grooming, open field exploration, three-chamber social interaction, and Morris water maze learning and memory (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the acupuncture+sh-NC group, the acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group showed significantly decreased mRNA and protein expression of hippocampal METTL14 (P<0.01), and the upregulating effects of acupuncture on METTL3 and PTEN expression were reversed (P<0.01). Meanwhile, knockdown of METTL14 significantly inhibited the acupuncture-induced increase in PTEN m⁶A levels (P<0.01). Morphologically, knockdown of METTL14 attenuated the improvement of myelin structure by acupuncture, reversed the downregulation of MBP and upregulation of NF155 induced by acupuncture, and blocked the increase in dendritic spine density (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionMETTL14 is a key molecule mediating the therapeutic effect of acupuncture at Neiguan. Acupuncture at Neiguan upregulates METTL14, thereby enhancing m⁶A methylation modification of PTEN mRNA to stabilize its expression, ultimately promoting myelin development and improving behavioral symptoms in ASD juvenile rats. This preliminarily reveals the modern biological connotation of “opening Xuanfu and dredging myelin”.

ObjectiveChronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) is usually diagnosed by gastroscopy and histopathological biopsy. These procedures remain the reference standard, but their invasive nature and resource requirements may limit their use in large-scale population screening and repeated follow-up. A convenient and reproducible method for noninvasive auxiliary screening may help identify individuals who require further endoscopic assessment. Fingertip photoplethysmography (PPG) provides a noninvasive recording of peripheral pulse waves and allows harmonic features to be extracted from the signal. In this study, the so-called meridian-related variables were defined as PPG-derived harmonic parameters labelled according to meridian nomenclature, rather than as direct measurements of meridian physiology. This study aimed to compare these harmonic parameters between patients with CAG and non-CAG controls, identify parameters that remained different after age adjustment, and develop a multivariable model for noninvasive auxiliary screening and pre-endoscopic risk stratification of CAG. MethodsA total of 343 participants were included, comprising 171 patients with CAG and 172 non-CAG controls. CAG diagnosis was established using gastroscopy and histopathology as the reference standard. Fingertip PPG signals were collected using a PPG-based pulse acquisition device. Eight PPG-derived harmonic parameters labelled according to meridian nomenclature were extracted for analysis. Between-group differences were first assessed using nonparametric tests. Age-adjusted analyses were then performed to reduce potential confounding by age. The false discovery rate (FDR) method was applied for multiple-comparison correction. A multivariable logistic regression model integrating age and multiple harmonic parameters was constructed. Model performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and the area under the curve (AUC). Internal validation performance was assessed using stratified five-fold cross-validation and bootstrap optimism correction. Threshold performance was examined using both a high-specificity strategy and a Youden index-based cutoff. Decision curve analysis was used to evaluate the model’s net clinical benefit across a range of threshold probabilities. ResultsAll eight harmonic parameters were non-normally distributed. In the univariate analysis, the stomach-labelled harmonic parameter (ST), bladder-labelled harmonic parameter (BL), and liver-labelled harmonic parameter (LR) differed between the CAG and non-CAG groups. After age adjustment and FDR correction, only ST and BL remained statistically significant. Compared with non-CAG controls, patients with CAG showed higher ST values and lower BL values. This finding indicates an associated differential harmonic pattern that was not fully explained by age distribution. However, the discriminative ability of a single harmonic parameter was limited. The best-performing single indicator was ST, with an AUC of 0.652 (95% CI: 0.595-0.707). The multivariable model integrating age and multiple harmonic parameters achieved an AUC of 0.791 (95% CI: 0.743-0.835), representing an improvement of 0.139 over ST alone. In internal validation, stratified five-fold cross-validation yielded a mean AUC of 0.753 (95% CI: 0.715-0.781), and the bootstrap optimism-corrected AUC was 0.748. These results suggest that the model retained moderate discriminative performance after internal validation.At a specificity of at least 95%, the model achieved a sensitivity of only 40.4% (95% CI: 25.7%-49.7%). This high-specificity cutoff may be suboptimal as the preferred threshold for an initial screening setting because of the potential risk of missed CAG cases. The Youden index-based optimal cutoff was 0.419, corresponding to a sensitivity of 80.7% and a specificity of 62.8%. This threshold may better match the practical aim of noninvasive auxiliary screening, where sensitivity is usually prioritized to reduce missed cases. Decision curve analysis showed that, within a threshold probability range of 10%-55%, the model provided higher net clinical benefit than the reference strategies of recommending gastroscopy for all participants or for none. ConclusionPatients with CAG showed associated harmonic differences in fingertip PPG-derived features, mainly characterized by higher ST and lower BL values after age adjustment and FDR correction. Compared with a single harmonic parameter, the multivariable model showed better overall discrimination and retained moderate internal validation performance. These findings suggest that PPG-derived harmonic parameters labelled according to meridian nomenclature may provide auxiliary information for noninvasive auxiliary screening and front-line triage before gastroscopic confirmation in CAG. The present results support further validation rather than immediate clinical implementation. External validation in independent, multicenter, and preferably prospective screening cohorts is needed to assess the model’s generalizability, screening performance, and potential clinical utility.

Although global brain science research has progressed rapidly in recent decades, several fundamental questions in neuroscience remain unresolved. In particular, the physical mechanism underlying neural signal transmission remains controversial, and the carriers responsible for neural information storage and retrieval have not yet been fully clarified. These unresolved issues motivate us to re-examine the processes of neural information generation, transmission, integration, storage, and retrieval from multiple perspectives. A key observation is that neural electromagnetic activities are closely associated with time. Their duration, temporal structure, and dynamic evolution play crucial roles in neural information processing. In this work, we analyze neural electromagnetic activities from the perspective of temporal scales (referred to here as the “time course”). By reviewing and integrating findings from previous studies, we examine the characteristic time requirements and dynamic features of neural processes occurring at different stages of information processing. These stages include neural signal generation, signal transmission along axons, synaptic integration, synaptic plasticity, and memory formation and retrieval. Based on this temporal analysis, we outline a framework describing neural electromagnetic activities across a wide range of time scales, spanning from microseconds to minutes, hours, or even longer periods associated with long-term memory, which suggests that neural information processing involves multiple physical processes operating at different time levels. Rapid electromagnetic events may occur on microsecond scales, whereas electrophysiological phenomena such as action potentials typically last on the order of milliseconds. Longer time scales are associated with synaptic plasticity and memory-related processes. From this perspective, we propose that the physical carrier of neural information may be transient electromagnetic pulses with durations on the microsecond scale. In this framework, action potentials can be interpreted as the macroscopic electrophysiological manifestation of underlying electromagnetic processes triggered by ionic currents across neuronal membranes. Rather than being the fundamental neural signal itself, the action potential may represent a measurable membrane-level response associated with the successful activation of these electromagnetic events. Moreover, we discuss a possible mechanism for long-term memory storage. Considering the apparent temporal contradiction between the millisecond-scale excitation of neurons and the long-term persistence of memories, we believe that long-term memory information may be stored within neural network topologies formed by electrical synapse coupling. Such structures, referred to as electrically coupled memory networks (ECMNs), may enable neurons within the same network to respond rapidly and synchronously to stimuli, thereby facilitating efficient memory retrieval. Overall, this study emphasizes the importance of considering the temporal organization of neural electromagnetic activities when interpreting neural signaling mechanisms. It may provide new insights into the physical nature of neural information carriers and the mechanisms of memory storage and retrieval. Furthermore, highlighting the potential role of electromagnetic interactions in neural activity may contribute to the development of new theoretical frameworks and experimental approaches in neuroscience. Such perspectives may also offer valuable references for future research on neural coding, brain function mechanisms, and neuromodulation technologies.

Cancer is one of the most lethal and burdensome diseases worldwide. Its progression not only causes irreversible damage to the body, but also imposes a substantial psychological burden on patients due to its complex prognosis. Immune imbalance, a hallmark of the tumor microenvironment (TME), accelerates tumor invasion and metastasis by impairing the function of effector immune cells, promoting the abnormal infiltration of immunosuppressive cells, and disrupting cytokine homeostasis, thereby constituting a major barrier to the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. Compared with conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy, aerobic exercise has shown considerable potential in antagonizing tumor progression through relatively mild but effective immunomodulatory mechanisms. On the one hand, regular aerobic exercise enhances the number and activity of key effector immune cells, such as CD8⁺ T cells, thereby strengthening their ability to recognize and eliminate tumor cells and alleviate immune imbalance. On the other hand, aerobic exercise promotes tumor vascular normalization, improves vascular maturity, and stimulates the secretion of irisin and other anti-inflammatory myokines, thereby remodeling the TME and relieving its immunosuppressive state to delay tumor progression. However, psychological stress following a cancer diagnosis can not only act as an independent disruptive factor that exacerbates immune imbalance within the TME, but also amplify the effects of other detrimental factors, such as reduced treatment adherence, thereby further weakening the antagonistic effect of aerobic exercise on tumor growth. Psychological stress, as a chronic stressor, promotes the excessive secretion of emotion-related hormones, including glucocorticoids (GCs) and norepinephrine (NE), which further suppress the activation and effector functions of antitumor immune cells such as CD8⁺ T cells and natural killer (NK) cells, while facilitating the recruitment of protumor immune cells such as regulatory T cells (Tregs). These changes ultimately disrupt immune homeostasis in the TME, promote tumor immune evasion, accelerate tumor invasion and metastasis, and offset the beneficial effects of aerobic exercise on tumor control. In addition, psychological stress induces hyperactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and abnormal excitation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), thereby maintaining elevated levels of GCs, NE, and related stress hormones, suppressing inflammatory chemokine expression and immune cell recruitment, and further disturbing immune homeostasis in the TME, which accelerates tumor progression. More importantly, prolonged psychological stress can also disrupt the homeostasis of central neurotransmitters, such as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and glutamate (Glu). This not only directly inhibits the activation and effector functions of antitumor immune cells and promotes the establishment of an immunosuppressive microenvironment, but also impairs cellular energy metabolism and continuously provides energy for tumor cells through metabolic reprogramming, thereby sustaining rapid tumor growth and adaptation to a hostile TME. Ultimately, these alterations contribute to the dysregulation of “neuro-endocrine-immune” axis and weaken the protective effect of aerobic exercise against tumor progression. Therefore, this review focuses on the interaction between psychological stress and the “neuro-endocrine-immune” axis, with particular emphasis on the mechanisms by which psychological stress induces immune imbalance and weakens the antagonistic effect of aerobic exercise on tumor progression. We further highlight the important role of psychological stress in tumor progression and propose that combining psychotropic interventions, aerobic exercise, and clinical antitumor immunotherapy may help restore the tumor-killing capacity of the immune system. Such a multimodal strategy may exert synergistic effects at multiple levels, including psychological stress relief, neuroendocrine regulation, and reconstruction of immune homeostasis, thereby providing new perspectives for identifying therapeutic targets in solid tumors, enhancing the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy, and improving patient prognosis.

Objectives: This study evaluates the efficacy of a new temporomandibular joint (TMJ) capsule suspension technique for stabilizing the TMJ after free fibular flap reconstruction of the mandibular condyle. Patients and Methods: Patients undergoing the TMJ capsule suspension technique during free fibular flap reconstruction after mandibulectomy with condylectomy (study group; n=9) were compared with a control group (n=9). Mandibular movement trajectory and surface electromyographic signals of bilateral masseters were recorded. The neocondyle–disc relationship was examined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 6 months after surgery. Results: Maximal mouth opening and bilateral marginal movement distances were comparable between the two groups (P>0.05). The asymmetry index of the condyle path length was significantly higher in controls (P=0.02). Bilateral mouth opening trajectories were symmetric in 7 patients and deviated to the affected side in 2 patients in the study group; they deviated to the affected side in all controls. The mean electromyographic values of the masseter on the affected side in resting, maximum bite, and chewing states were comparable between the two groups (P=0.13, P=0.65, and P=0.82, respectively). On MRI at 6 months, the thicknesses of the anterior, medial, and posterior bands and TMJ disc length were similar on the affected and normal sides in the study group (P=0.57, P=0.13, P=0.48, and P=0.87, respectively). Conclusion The proposed TMJ capsule suspension technique could improve postoperative TMJ structure and function after fibular free flap reconstruction following mandibulectomy with condylectomy.