Objective To quantitatively assess the association of short-term exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) with residents mortality. Methods A time-stratified case-crossover study was conducted from 2020 to 2022 among 10606 non-accidental residents by using the Guangzhou Cause of Death Surveillance System in Conghua District, Guangzhou. Exposure levels of PAHs in PM_2.5 and meteorological data during the study period were obtained from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Conghua District and the China Meteorological Administration Land Data Assimilation System (CLDAS-V2.0), respectively. Conditional Poisson regression model was used to estimate the exposure-response association between PAHs and the mortality risk. Results Fluoranthene, chrysene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, and indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene were significantly associated with an increased risk of mortality. For every one interquartile range increase in exposure levels, the non-accidental mortality risks increased by 8.33% (95% CI: 1.80%, 15.27%), 4.67% (95% CI: 1.86%, 7.57%), 6.07% (95% CI: 2.08%, 10.21%), 4.62% (95% CI: 1.85%, 7.47%), and 4.70% (95% CI: 0.53%, 9.03%), respectively. The estimated non accidental deaths attributable to exposure to fluoranthene, chrysene, benzo[k]fluorine, benzo[a]pyrene and indine[1,2,3-cd]pyrene were 5.91%, 6.08%, 6.51%, 6.46%, and 4.21%, respectively. Conclusions Short-term exposure to PAHs in PM_2.5, including fluoranthene, chrysene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene and indine[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, was significantly associated with an increased risk of mortality among residents.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy is a heart disease characterized by abnormal myocardial structure and function caused by long-term hyperglycemic levels, and its characteristic pathological change is left ventricular hypertrophy. Studies have shown that the incidence of left ventricular hypertrophy is relatively high in patients with diabetes, and left ventricular hypertrophy has a negative impact on cardiac function, leading to the occurrence and deterioration of heart failure. This review aims to clarify the mechanism of left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with diabetic cardiomyopathy and explore the prevention of the development of centripetal failure in diabetic cardiomyopathy through intervention in left ventricular hypertrophy.

Objective To prepare a stable rat model of chronic liver failure to provide a tool for basic research.Methods Sixty-six SPF SD rats were divided into a normal group(n=18)and a modeling group(n=48).Rats in the modeling group received an intraperitoneal injection of 50％CCl4 olive oil solution(1.5 mL/kg,twice a week).Multidimensional assessment was performed at 8,16,and 24 weeks,respectively,including ultrasonic examination of liver morphology,hardness,portal vein diameter,and ascites,and collection of serum,plasma,and liver tissue to detect liver function,coagulation function,and blood ammonia levels.Liver tissue injury and fibrosis were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)and Masson staining.Cognitive function was assessed using the water maze test.Survival were recorded simultaneously.Results Rats in the model group showed decreased activity and appetite,yellow urine,and increased abdominal circumference compared with the normal group.Ultrasound showed enhanced liver parenchyma echo in the model group that thickened with time,secondary ascites formation,portal vein dilation,and portal hypertension.Water maze and blood ammonia tests confirmed cognitive decline(memory and orientation loss)and hepatic encephalopathy in the model group.Gross observation showed that the liver in the model group was atrophied and appeared rough and uneven.HE staining showed hepatocyte swelling,steatosis,and necrosis,and Masson staining confirmed fibrosis progression with pseudolobule formation.The liver function indexes AST,ALT,TBIL and blood ammonia continued to increase,and coagulation dysfunction(prolonged PT and increased INR)gradually increased with the modeling process.Conclusions Intraperitoneal injection of 50％CCl4 olive oil solution(1.5 mL/kg,every week)for 24 weeks can stably simulate persistent chronic liver injury in rats and lead to the typical pathological changes and complications of chronic liver failure,based on the decompensation stage of cirrhosis.This model replicates the pathological evolution of human hepatitis from liver fibrosis → liver cirrhosis compensation → decompensation → chronic liver failure,providing a reliable modeling reference for the study of the mechanism of chronic liver failure.

Objective:To explore the impact of Lupeol on Th17/Treg immune balance in rats with ulcerative colitis(UC)and the regulatory mechanism on PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signal pathway.Methods:All rats were randomly grouped into control group,model group,positive drug group(sulfasalazine),PI3K inhibitor group(LY294002 group),Lupeol group and Lupeol+PI3K activator group(Lupeol+740Y-P group),with 15 rats in each group.The rats were scored with UC disease activity index(DAI);HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of the colon in rats and inflammation scoring was performed;the levels of serum IL-17 and IL-10 were detected by ELISA;the levels of Th17 and Treg cells in the mucosa of lamina propria of colon were detected by flow cytome-try;Western blot was applied to detect the expressions of RORγt,FOXP3 and PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway related proteins in colon tis-sue.Results:Compared with the control group,DAI score,inflammation score,serum IL-17 content,colon tissue Th17 cell level,RORγt expression and p-PI3K/PI3K,p-AKT/AKT,p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 of rats in model group were increased,IL-10 content,Treg cell level and FOXP3 expression were decreased(P<0.05);compared with the model group,DAI score,inflammation score,serum IL-17 content,colon tissue Th17 cell level,RORγt expression and p-PI3K/PI3K,p-AKT/AKT,p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 of rats in positive drug group,LY294002 group and Lupeol group were decreased,IL-10 content,Treg cell level and FOXP3 expression were increased(P<0.05);after further addition of PI3K activator 740Y-P,it was found that 740Y-P reversed the inhibition of Lupeol on Th17 cells and the promotion on Treg cells(P<0.05).Conclusion:Lupeol regulates Th17/Treg immune balance in UC rats by inhibiting PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signal pathway.

Objective:To explore the impact of Lupeol on Th17/Treg immune balance in rats with ulcerative colitis(UC)and the regulatory mechanism on PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signal pathway.Methods:All rats were randomly grouped into control group,model group,positive drug group(sulfasalazine),PI3K inhibitor group(LY294002 group),Lupeol group and Lupeol+PI3K activator group(Lupeol+740Y-P group),with 15 rats in each group.The rats were scored with UC disease activity index(DAI);HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of the colon in rats and inflammation scoring was performed;the levels of serum IL-17 and IL-10 were detected by ELISA;the levels of Th17 and Treg cells in the mucosa of lamina propria of colon were detected by flow cytome-try;Western blot was applied to detect the expressions of RORγt,FOXP3 and PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway related proteins in colon tis-sue.Results:Compared with the control group,DAI score,inflammation score,serum IL-17 content,colon tissue Th17 cell level,RORγt expression and p-PI3K/PI3K,p-AKT/AKT,p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 of rats in model group were increased,IL-10 content,Treg cell level and FOXP3 expression were decreased(P<0.05);compared with the model group,DAI score,inflammation score,serum IL-17 content,colon tissue Th17 cell level,RORγt expression and p-PI3K/PI3K,p-AKT/AKT,p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 of rats in positive drug group,LY294002 group and Lupeol group were decreased,IL-10 content,Treg cell level and FOXP3 expression were increased(P<0.05);after further addition of PI3K activator 740Y-P,it was found that 740Y-P reversed the inhibition of Lupeol on Th17 cells and the promotion on Treg cells(P<0.05).Conclusion:Lupeol regulates Th17/Treg immune balance in UC rats by inhibiting PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signal pathway.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy is a heart disease characterized by abnormal myocardial structure and function caused by long-term hyperglycemic levels, and its characteristic pathological change is left ventricular hypertrophy. Studies have shown that the incidence of left ventricular hypertrophy is relatively high in patients with diabetes, and left ventricular hypertrophy has a negative impact on cardiac function, leading to the occurrence and deterioration of heart failure. This review aims to clarify the mechanism of left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with diabetic cardiomyopathy and explore the prevention of the development of centripetal failure in diabetic cardiomyopathy through intervention in left ventricular hypertrophy.

Objective:To design a morning quality assurance method for pencil-beam scanning proton system to achieve integrated measurement of multiple parameters.Methods:A functionally partitioned morning check phantom was designed and manufactured, which was fixed to a specific position on the treatment bed with a 3D-printed clip, along with the two-dimensional matrix ionization chamber, for consistency checks of proton field and beam-related parameters. Additionally, a groove for an imaging phantom was reserved on one side of the clip for the functional check of the onboard imaging guidance system. The sensitivity and specificity of the aforementioned morning check method were tested, demonstrating its effectiveness. The morning check data from a rotating beam treatment room at the Hefei Ion Medical Center over a continuous period of 7 months (126 d) were analyzed. The output, field flatness, symmetry, field size and the duration of morning check were observed.Results:The results showed that the changes in the output, field flatness, and symmetry were all within 1%, the change in the field size was within 0.5 mm, and the range variations for both 155 MeV and 240 MeV energy levels were within 1 mm. The changes in the spot size for the four energy levels of 100 MeV, 130 MeV, 160 MeV, and 190 MeV were all within 2%, and the spot position deviations were within 1.5 mm. The entire morning check process could be completed within 20 min.Conclusions:The morning check method designed and manufactured in this study specifically for pencil-beam scanning proton therapy can efficiently and integrally measure various proton system parameters and can be used as an implementation method for clinical proton therapy morning check.

Chemotherapy based on cisplatin or its combination therapy is a common cancer treatment method.However,the non-specific side effects of cisplatin,poor pharmacokinetic properties of small molecule drugs,and susceptibility to drug resistance greatly limit the clinical application of cisplatin as first-line anti-tumor drug.With the development of nanocarrier technology,liposomes have become an ideal carrier for delivering cisplatin drugs due to their excellent properties of targeting,reducing toxicity,and enhancing efficacy.This paper reviews the status of cisplatin liposome both domestically and internationally which have entered clinical trials,including L-NDDP,SPI-077?,Lipoplatin?,LiPlaCis,SLIT and 1LC,etc.Currently,only Lipoplatin? and ILC are showing good potential in cancer therapy.Although cisplatin liposome has made some progress in reducing systemic toxicity and improving treatment efficiency in clinical research,there is still potential for further improvement in tumor targeting and reducing side effects.In the future,more low-toxicity and efficient cisplatin liposomes can be developed through formulation technologies such as co-delivery liposome,stimuli-responsive liposome and targeting liposome.

Objective:To investigate the value of midtreatment 18F-FDG PET/CT metabolic parameters for predicting the pathological response in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC) after neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy (NICT). Methods:Twenty-five LAGC patients (19 males, 6 females, age: (64.8±8.6) years) who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT after NICT in Henan Cancer Hospital from August 2019 to June 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. The lesion′s ROI was delineated, then the SUV max and metabolic tumor volume (MTV) were measured, and the SUV max was divided by SUV mean of the descending aorta to obtain the tumor-to-background ratio (TBR). Patients underwent surgery after PET/CT imaging. Based on the tumor regression grade (TRG) system by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) criteria on surgical specimen, patients were divided into responders (TRG0+ 1) and non-responders (TRG2+ 3). Independent-sample t test, Mann-Whitney U test, one-way analysis of variance, and Kruskal-Wallis rank-sum test were used to compare the differences of data. The predictive efficacy of PET/CT metabolic parameters was assessed by the ROC curve analysis. Results:Postsurgical pathology showed that 9 patients were responders and 16 were non-responders. The SUV max (3.10±1.95) and TBR (2.44±1.54) of primary lesions in responders were lower than those in non-responders (7.40±4.68, 5.85±3.74; t values: -2.61, -2.59, both P<0.05), while the MTV of primary tumors and short diameter and metabolic parameters of positive lymph nodes were not significantly different between those 2 groups ( t=-1.50, Z values: -1.09 to -0.75, all P>0.05). No significant relation was found between PET/CT parameters and pathological differentiation or Lauren classification, or other pathological features ( t values: -1.55 to 1.38, Z values: -1.84 to 0, F values: 0.12-2.43, H values: 0.13-0.98, all P>0.05). ROC curve showed that the cut-off value of SUV max for predicting postoperative TRG was 5.40, and the AUC reached 0.77 (95% CI: 0.56-0.91), with the sensitivity and specificity of 9/16, 9/9, respectively. With TBR=3.54 as the cut-off value, its AUC reached 0.77 (95% CI: 0.56-0.91), and the sensitivity and specificity were 11/16, 8/9, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of PET/CT for predicting lymph node positivity of patients were 8/12 and 13/13, respectively. Conclusion:Interim 18F-FDG PET/CT metabolic parameters can accurately predict the pathological response of LAGC patients after NICT.

Objective:To investigate the value of midtreatment 18F-FDG PET/CT metabolic parameters for predicting the pathological response in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC) after neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy (NICT). Methods:Twenty-five LAGC patients (19 males, 6 females, age: (64.8±8.6) years) who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT after NICT in Henan Cancer Hospital from August 2019 to June 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. The lesion′s ROI was delineated, then the SUV max and metabolic tumor volume (MTV) were measured, and the SUV max was divided by SUV mean of the descending aorta to obtain the tumor-to-background ratio (TBR). Patients underwent surgery after PET/CT imaging. Based on the tumor regression grade (TRG) system by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) criteria on surgical specimen, patients were divided into responders (TRG0+ 1) and non-responders (TRG2+ 3). Independent-sample t test, Mann-Whitney U test, one-way analysis of variance, and Kruskal-Wallis rank-sum test were used to compare the differences of data. The predictive efficacy of PET/CT metabolic parameters was assessed by the ROC curve analysis. Results:Postsurgical pathology showed that 9 patients were responders and 16 were non-responders. The SUV max (3.10±1.95) and TBR (2.44±1.54) of primary lesions in responders were lower than those in non-responders (7.40±4.68, 5.85±3.74; t values: -2.61, -2.59, both P<0.05), while the MTV of primary tumors and short diameter and metabolic parameters of positive lymph nodes were not significantly different between those 2 groups ( t=-1.50, Z values: -1.09 to -0.75, all P>0.05). No significant relation was found between PET/CT parameters and pathological differentiation or Lauren classification, or other pathological features ( t values: -1.55 to 1.38, Z values: -1.84 to 0, F values: 0.12-2.43, H values: 0.13-0.98, all P>0.05). ROC curve showed that the cut-off value of SUV max for predicting postoperative TRG was 5.40, and the AUC reached 0.77 (95% CI: 0.56-0.91), with the sensitivity and specificity of 9/16, 9/9, respectively. With TBR=3.54 as the cut-off value, its AUC reached 0.77 (95% CI: 0.56-0.91), and the sensitivity and specificity were 11/16, 8/9, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of PET/CT for predicting lymph node positivity of patients were 8/12 and 13/13, respectively. Conclusion:Interim 18F-FDG PET/CT metabolic parameters can accurately predict the pathological response of LAGC patients after NICT.