Lung cancer is still one of the most common malignant tumors in the world. With the increase of its incidence and the development of medical technology, the overall survival of lung cancer patients has significantly extended compared to before. The incidence of brain and meningeal metastases from lung cancer has also been rising year by year, but patients with brain and meningeal metastases from lung cancer have a poor prognosis and a very high mortality rate, and the diagnosis is mainly based on computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and other imaging examinations. However, the imaging features are diverse and the specificity is low, which makes it easy to be misdiagnosed and missed. Therefore, accurately identifying brain and meningeal metastases and timely targeted treatment is crucial for improving patient prognosis. This paper analyzed the diagnosis and treatment of a case of lung cancer with no obvious recurrence and metastasis in nearly 7-year long-term follow-up after radical lung cancer surgery, but the patient with abnormal behavior, impaired consciousness and epilepsy in the past 5 months, and multiple punctate calcifications in the brain found by head CT and MRI. This paper consider that the patient's mental and behavioral symptoms were caused by brain and meningeal metastasis of lung cancer after excluding infectious disease and ineffective treatment of autoimmune encephalitis, and further pathological biopsy and genetic detection confirmed the diagnosis of metastatic lung adenocarcinoma with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) L858R gene mutation, and the patient's symptoms were significantly improved after targeted therapy by Osimertinib. This paper also searched the relevant literatures of brain calcifications in databases such as China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, UpToDate, PubMed, etc., and found that intracerebral calcifications exist in a variety of diseases, including infectious, genetic and neurodegenerative diseases, vascular diseases, metabolic diseases and tumors. However, brain calcification in brain and meningeal metastases are often underestimated, and the consequent risk is misdiagnosis and delayed treatment. Therefore, brain and meningeal metastases manifested as brain calcification should not be ignored in patients with a history of previous tumors.
.
Humans ; Lung Neoplasms/pathology* ; Brain Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging* ; Meningeal Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging* ; Calcinosis/diagnostic imaging* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Objective:To investigate the mechanism of improving liver injury by enhancing the abundance of Akkermansia mu-ciniphila(AKK bacteria)with hepatocyte-specific Yap1 knockout during PD-1 monoclonal antibody treatment.Methods:Hepatocyte-specific Yap1 knockout mice(genotype Yap1Flox/Flox;albumin-Cre,labeled as Yap1LKO)and control mice(genotype Yap1Flox/Flox,labeled Yap1Flox),aristolocholic acidⅠ(AAⅠ)and CCl4 were used to induce liver injury,Yap1LKO mice and Yap1Flox mice were randomly di-vided into control group and PD-1 monoclonal antibody group.After the intervention,real-time PCR detected changes in the abun-dance of AKK bacteria in the fecal microbial DNA of mice,16S rRNA gene sequencing further analyzes intestinal flora changes,the livers of mice were made into wax blocks for HE staining to observe the histopathological changes of the liver.Results:Yap1Flox mice exhibited balloon-like edema degeneration of hepatocytes and infiltration of inflammatory factors in the manifold area,compared with Yap1Flox mice,Yap1LKO mice had reduced the abundance of AKK bacteria in the intestine,fibrosis of the liver,and the degree of dam-age was more serious;PD-1 monoclonal antibody treatment alone did not increase the abundance of AKK bacteria in the intestines of mice,and fibrosis appeared in the liver;however,the abundance of intestinal AKK bacteria in Yap1LKO mice treated with PD-1 mono-clonal antibody increased,the ratio(F/B value)of Firmicutes to Bacteroides at the phylum level decreased,and the morphology of he-patocytes returned to normal and the degree of liver damage decreased.Conclusion:In AAⅠ and CCl4 induced liver injury mice,he-patocyte-specific Yap1 knockout reduced the abundance of AKK bacteria in the intestine,and the degree of liver injury was more se-vere than that in Yap1Flox mice.When treated with PD-1 monoclonal antibody,hepatocyte-specific Yap1 knockout could increase the abundance of AKK bacteria in the intestine,change the composition of intestinal flora,maintain intestinal homeostasis and ameliorate liver injury.

Objectives:To investigate the predictive value of epicardial fat volume(EFV)and atrioventricular groove fat thickness(AVGT)—morphological biomarkers of epicardial adipose tissue—for major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE)in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy(DCM).Methods:This study enrolled 216 DCM patients.EFV and AVGT were obtained from cardiac magnetic resonance imaging(CMR).Patients were divided into event-free group(n=142)and event group(n=74)based on MACE occurrence during follow-up.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis was used to determine optimal cutoff values.Survival differences were assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis,Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors,and restricted cubic spline(RCS)models were used to evaluate dose-response relationships.Results:AVGT and EFV were significantly higher in the event group than in event-free group(both P<0.05).ROC analysis identified optimal MACE-predicting cutoffs as follows:AVGT≥7.74 mm(area under the curve[AUC]=0.57)and EFV≥78.6 ml(AUC=0.62).Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed significantly lower MACE-free survival rates in patients with AVGT≥7.74 mm and EFV≥78.6 ml(both P<0.05).Cox regression analysis confirmed that AVGT(HR=2.18,95%CI:1.34-3.54)and EFV(HR=1.81,95%CI:1.11-2.96)were independent MACE risk factors(both P<0.05)in this patient cohort.RCS models demonstrated the significant linear associations between EFV/AVGT and MACE risk(bothoverall P<0.05).Conclusions:EFV and AVGT,the non-invasive imaging biomarkers quantifying and characterizing fat distribution,are independently correlated with elevated MACE risk in DCM patients.These metrics serve as potential prognostic indicators,enriching risk stratification indicators for early identification of high-risk patients and guiding personalized medication strategies.

Nonunion of osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVF), predominantly affecting the elderly, can lead to intractable pain, vertebral collapse, progressive kyphotic deformity, and neurological impairment, significantly compromising patients′ quality of life. There exists considerable debate on diagnosis and management of OVF, encompassing key issues such as clinical diagnosis and staging criteria for nonunion, surgical indications and procedure selection, and postoperative rehabilitation planning. Currently, there lacks standardized clinical guideline and expert consensus on the diagnosis and management of OVF nonunion in China. To address this gap, Minimally Invasive Surgery Group of Chinese Orthopedic Association, Osteoporosis Committee of Chinese Association of Orthopedic Surgeons, Prevention and Rehabilitation Committee for Osteoporosis of Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine and Minimally Invasive Orthopedic Surgery Branch of China Association for Geriatric Care jointly organized domestic experts in spinal surgery, endocrinology, and rehabilitation to formulate the Clinical guideline for the diagnosis and treatment for nonunion of osteoporotic vertebral fractures ( version 2025), based on existing literature and clinical experience and adhering to principles of scientific rigor and practicality. The guideline provided 13 evidence-based recommendations encompassing diagnosis and treatment of OVF nonunion, aiming to standardize its clinical management.

Objective:To analyze the infection status of HBV among the healthy population in Tongchuan city in 2023, and compare it against the data from 2006, 2014, and 2020, thereby elucidating epidemiological trends and providing reference for optimizing hepatitis B prevention and control strategies in Tongchuan city.Methods:By using the method of multi-stage stratified random sampling, healthy people aged 1-59 from eight villages/communities in the four districts and counties of Tongchuan city were selected for on-site investigation and blood sample collection. ELISA was used to detect the five hepatitis B markers of the survey respondents, including HBsAg and HBsAb, and the seroprevalence rates of the populations with different characteristics were analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed using Chi-square test.Results:In 2023, a total of 1 926 healthy people were surveyed. After standardization, the positive rates of HBsAg, HBsAb, and HBV, and the rate of all five hepatitis B markers being negative were 0.56%, 54.57%, 26.77%, and 33.05%, respectively. Children aged 1-4 had the lowest positive rates of HBsAg, HBcAb, HBeAb, and HBV, as well as the lowest rate of all five hepatitis B markers being negative, while they had the highest positive rate of HBsAb. In the population aged 1-29, the positive rates of HBsAg and HBV, and the rate of all five hepatitis B markers being negative showed an upward trend with increasing age, while the positive rate of HBsAb showed a downward trend. In particular, the positive rate of HBsAb dropped sharply in the 5-14 age group. In 2023, the positive rate of HBV in the population aged 1-29 was 10.93% (111/1 016), and the rate of all five hepatitis B markers being negative was 38.39% (390/1 016), both lower than the results of the previous three surveys. The positive rate of HBsAb was 56.69% (576/1 016) in people aged 1-29 in 2023, which was higher than the results of the previous three surveys.Conclusions:Although certain achievements have been made in the prevention and control of hepatitis B in Tongchuan city in 2023, with more than one-third of the population showing all negative results in the five hepatitis B tests, the positive rate of HBsAb in the 5-14 age group has dropped sharply. Further actions required for hepatitis B prevention and control in Tongchuan city include optimizing the childhood immunization schedule for national immunization program vaccines, implementing booster programs for adolescents, and developing tailored immunization strategies for adults.

The plant F-box protein more axillary growth 2 (MAX2) is a key factor in the signal transduction of strigolactones (SLs) and karrinkins (KARs). As the main component of the SKP1-CUL1-FBX (SCF) complex ubiquitin ligase E3, MAX2 is responsible for specifically recognizing the target proteins, suppressor of MAX2 1/SMAX1-like proteins (SMAX1/SMXLs), which would be degraded after ubiquitination. It can thereby regulate plant morphogenesis and stress responses. There exist homologous genes of MAX2 in the important grain and oil crop soybean (Glycine max). However, its role in plant defense responses has not been investigated yet. Here, GmMAX2b, a homologous gene of MAX2, was successfully cloned from stressed soybean. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that there were two MAX2 homologous genes, GmMAX2a and GmMAX2b, with a similarity of 96.2% in soybean. Their F-box regions were highly conserved. The sequence alignment and cluster analysis of plant MAX2 homologous proteins basically reflected the evolutionary relationship of plants and also suggested that soybean MAX2 might be a multifunctional protein. Expression analysis showed that plant pathogen infection and salicylic acid treatment induced the expression of GmMAX2b in soybean, which is consistent with that of MAX2 in Arabidopsis. Ectopic expression of GmMAX2b compensated for the susceptibility of Arabidopsis max2-2 mutant to pathogen, indicating that GmMAX2b positively regulated plant disease resistance. In addition, yeast two hybrid technology was used to explore the potential target proteins of GmMAX2b. The results showed that GmMAX2b interacted with SMXL6 and weakly interacted with SMXL2. In summary, GmMAX2b is a positive regulator in plant defense responses, and its expression is induced by pathogen infection and salicylic acid treatment. GmMAX2b might exert its effect through interaction with SMXL6 and SMXL2. This study expands the theoretical exploration of soybean disease resistant F-box and provides a scientific basis for future soybean disease resistant breeding.
Glycine max/metabolism* ; Disease Resistance/genetics* ; Plant Diseases/immunology* ; Plant Proteins/genetics* ; Cloning, Molecular ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; F-Box Proteins/genetics* ; Arabidopsis/genetics* ; Phylogeny

Tripterygium wilfordii is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb belonging to the genus Tripterygium in the Celastraceae family， which has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying， dispelling wind and dampness， and invigorating blood circulation to relieve pain， and is used to treat diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis， glomerulonephritis， nephrotic syndrome， lupus erythematosus， scabies， and stubborn tinea. Its chemical composition is diverse. Among them， triptolide（TP） is one of the main active and toxic components of T. wilfordii. It has significant biological activities such as anti-inflammation， anti-tumor， and immunosuppression. However， it causes serious adverse reactions such as liver and kidney function damage and reproductive system disorders. At the same time， TP has poor water solubility and low bioavailability， and the enhancement of bioavailability by increasing the dosage undoubtedly improves the exposure of the drug in non-target organs， leading to the occurrence of adverse reactions， and these largely limit the clinical application of TP. Based on this， this article extracted relevant data from the Web of Science， PubMed， and China National Knowledge Infrastructure（CNKI） databases， summarized the research on the adverse reactions of TP in recent years， and reviewed the progress of toxicity reduction research from the perspectives of structural modification， novel drug delivery systems， and compatibility. Structural modification can precisely alter the chemical structure of TP， reduce the activity of its toxic groups， and retain its biological activity while fundamentally reducing the occurrence of adverse reactions. New drug delivery systems can achieve targeted delivery of TP， increase its concentration in target organs， and reduce its exposure in non-target organs， thereby enhancing therapeutic efficacy and reducing adverse effects. In addition， the combination of TP with Chinese medicine compound， single-flavored Chinese medicine or monomer can reduce the adverse effects of TP and enhance the efficacy to different degrees， which is of clinical value. This paper systematically explains attenuation research from the above three perspectives， aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the full utilization of biological activity and drug development of TP.

Objective: To investigate the mechanism by which serum amyloid P component (SAP) alleviates periodontitis in mice, providing an experimental basis to establish SAP as a novel therapeutic agent for periodontitis. Methods: Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee. Periodontitis models were established in wild-type (WT) mice and SAP-transgenic (SAP-Tg) mice, divided into four groups: WT control (WT group), WT periodontitis (WT+P group), SAP-Tg control (Tg group), and SAP-Tg periodontitis (Tg+P group). On day 7, the mice were euthanized, and periodontal tissues, teeth, and alveolar bone were collected. SAP protein expression was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Micro-CT and HE staining were used to measure alveolar bone resorption (distance from the cementoenamel junction to the alveolar bone crest). Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining was performed to assess osteoclast number, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) was employed to evaluate macrophage infiltration. The expression levels of inflammatory cytokines including interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured by qRT-PCR. Oral microorganism composition was analyzed using 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene sequencing. Additionally, macrophages from WT and SAP-Tg mice were isolated to establish an in vitro inflammation model, divided into WT+LPS and Tg+LPS groups. The expression of macrophage polarization-related genes including inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), CD86, CD163, and CD206) were assessed by qRT-PCR. After the induction of osteoclast differentiation, TRAP staining was performed. Results: ELISA results demonstrated that periodontal tissues from Tg+P group mice exhibited higher levels of SAP expression compared to the WT+P group. Micro-CT and HE staining analyses revealed that the Tg+P group showed reduced alveolar bone resorption, indicated by a shorter distance between the cementoenamel junction and alveolar bone crest, compared to the WT+P group. Furthermore, TRAP staining results indicated a decrease in osteoclast numbers in the Tg+P group compared to the WT+P group. IHC and qRT-PCR results indicated reduced macrophage infiltration and decreased expression of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in the Tg+P group. Oral microorganism sequencing showed no significant difference in periodontitis-associated pathogenic bacteria between WT+P and Tg+P groups. In vitro experiments demonstrated that compared to the WT+LPS group, the Tg+LPS group exhibited downregulated M1 macrophage markers (iNOS and CD86) and upregulated M2 macrophage markers (CD163 and CD206). TRAP staining confirmed fewer osteoclasts in the Tg+LPS group. Conclusion SAP overexpression effectively alleviates periodontitis severity in mice by inhibiting M1 macrophage polarization, reducing pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, and suppressing osteoclast differentiation, thereby attenuating alveolar bone resorption.

Objective The clinical characteristics of 21 cases of nocardiosis were reviewed and antimicrobial resistance of Nocardia strains was analyzed in order to improve the accuracy of clinical diagnosis and treatment of nocardiosis.Methods Clinical data of patients diagnosed with nocardiosis in Zhoukou Central Hospital from 2019-2023 and the corresponding results of antimicrobial susceptibility testing were retrospectively analyzed to summarize the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients.Results Overall,the 21 cases of nocardiosis included 9 males and 12 females,aged 2-91 years.Underlying disease was reported in 15 patients.Most common type of nocardiosis was pulmonary nocardiosis in 15 cases,followed by skin and soft tissue infection,pleurisy,lymphadenitis,and disseminated nocardiosis.Laboratory tests showed increased levels of WBC,neutrophils percentage,erythrocyte sedimentation rate,C-reactive protein,and procalcitonin.The 21 strains of Nocardia included 4 strains of Nocardia cyriacigeorgica,2 strains each of Nocardia brasiliensis,Nocardia abscessus,Nocardia asiatica,Nocardia otitidiscaviarum and Nocardia beijingensis,and 1 strain each of Nocardia puris,Nocardia asteroides,Nocardia farcinica,Nocardia pneumoniae,Nocardia amamiensis,and 2 strains of unclassified Nocardia.All of the Nocardia strains(100％)were susceptible to linezolid,amikacin,and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole,followed by various levels of susceptibility to cefotaxime,moxifloxacin,imipenem and ceftriaxone,and lower susceptibility rate to cefepime,minocycline,ciprofloxacin and clarithromycin.Antimicrobial susceptibility of Nocardia strains varied with different Nocardia species.Of the 21 patients,two were referred to other hospitals,another two died,two patients received unknown treatment,and the remaining 15 patients were improved after antibiotic treatment,including sulfonamides combined with other antibiotics in 11 cases,other antibiotics in 4 cases.Conclusions Immunocompromised patients or those with underlying diseases are more susceptible to nocardiosis.The clinical features are complex and diverse.Antimicrobial susceptibility of Nocardia strains varied with different Nocardia species.Accurate identification and antimicrobial susceptibility test are essential for prescribing effective antibiotic treatment.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the ameliorative effect and potential mechanism of imperatorin(IMP)on doxorubicin(DOX)resistance in breast cancer.METHODS The effects of maximum non-toxic concentration(100 μg/mL)of IMP combined with different concentrations of DOX(12.5,25,50,75,100 μg/mL)on the proliferation of MCF-7/DOX cells were determined by MTT method.MCF-7/DOX cells were divided into blank control group(1‰ dimethyl sulfoxide),DOX group(50 μg/mL),IMP+DOX group(100 μg/mL IMP+50 μg/mL DOX)and IMP group(100 μg/mL).mRNA and protein expressions of multidrug resistance protein 1(MDR1)and multidrug resistance-associated protein l in each group were measured.The relevant pathways and targets involved in the improvement of DOX resistance in breast cancer cells by IMP were screened and validated by using transcriptome sequencing technology,along with gene ontology(GO)enrichment analyses and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway enrichment analyses.RESULTS Compared with DOX alone,the combination of IMP and DOX reduced the half inhibitory concentration of DOX on MCF-7/DOX cells from 81.965 μg/mL to 43.170 μg/mL,the reverse fold was 1.90,and the mRNA expression of MDR1 was significantly down-regulated(P＜0.05).The results of GO enrichment analyses and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses indicated that the reversal of DOX resistance in breast cancer by IMP was mainly associated with the regulation of biological processes such as detoxification,multiple biological processes,and cell killing.The main pathway involved was the p53 signaling pathway,and the key targets mainly included constitutively photomorphogenic protein 1(COP1),cyclin E1(CCNE1),growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible protein 45A(GADD45A)and GADD45B.The results of the verification experiments showed that compared with DOX group,there was a trend of up-regulation of COP1 mRNA,and significant down-regulation of CCNE1,GADD45A,and GADD45B mRNA expression in IMP+DOX group(P＜0.05).CONCLUSIONS The effect of IMP in ameliorating DOX resistance in breast cancer is related to its regulation of COP1,CCNE1,GADD45A and GADD45B targets in the p53 signaling pathway.