ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism by which Shenqi Yiliu prescription reverses cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer cells by regulating the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） signaling pathway-mediated glycolysis. MethodsThe human ovarian cancer A2780 cell line was intervened with progressively increasing doses of cisplatin （1 g·L^-1） to establish the cisplatin-resistant cell line A2780cisR， and the cell sensitivity to cisplatin was examined by the cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay. High， medium， and low （39.9， 19.95， 9.98 g·kg^-1） doses of Shenqi Yiliu prescription-containing sera were used to treat A2780cisR cells for 48 h. Glucose consumption and lactate production were measured by the cuvette assay. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was employed to determine the activities of glucose transporter （GLUT）， phosphofructokinase （PFK）， and pyruvate kinase （PK）. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling （TUNEL） staining was used to detect apoptosis. Western blot was employed to quantify the protein levels of phosphorylated （p）-PI3K， p-Akt， p-mTOR， hexokinase 2 （HK2）， pyruvate kinase M2 （PKM2）， B-cell lymphoblastoma-2 （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2-associated X-protein （Bax）， and B-lymphoblastoma-2 gene-related promoter （Bad）. Real-time PCR was conducted to determine the mRNA levels of HK2， PKM2， Bax， Bcl-2， and Bad. ResultsThe median inhibitory concentration （IC₅₀） of cisplatin on A2780cisR cells was nearly 3 times that on A2780P cells. Compared with A2780P cells， A2780cisR cells showed increased glucose consumption， lactate production， GLUT， PFK， and PK activities， and mRNA and protein levels of p-PI3K， Akt， p-mTOR， HK2， PKM2， Bax （P<0.05）， and decreased apoptosis rate and Bcl-2 expression （P<0.05）. Compared with A2780cisR cells， medium- and high-dose Shenqi Yiliu prescription reduced the glucose consumption， lactate production， GLUT， PFK， and PK activities， and mRNA and protein levels of p-PI3K， Akt， p-mTOR， HK2， PKM2， Bax， and Bad （P<0.05）， while increasing the apoptosis rate and Bcl-2 expression （P<0.05）. ConclusionShenqi Yiliu prescription can inhibit glycolysis mediated by the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway to promote apoptosis， thereby reversing cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer cells.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Zishen Huoxue Formula （ZSXHF） on molecular-targeted therapy-associated proteinuria in patients with primary liver cancer （PLC）， to assess the efficacy of ZSXHF in the treatment of molecular-targeted therapy-associated proteinuria， and to provide a basis for clinical medication. MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted among the PLC patients with molecular-targeted therapy-associated proteinuria who were diagnosed and treated in The Department of Hepatology of Chinese PLA General Hospital， from January 1， 2022 to July 1， 2025. With ZSXHF treatment as the exposure factor， the patients with a cumulative treatment duration of ≥9 weeks were enrolled as traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） group， while those without TCM treatment were enrolled as control group. Propensity score matching was performed for the two groups at a ratio of 1∶1 based on sex， age， 24-hour urinary protein， blood urea nitrogen， and serum creatinine. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups， and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups； the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the influencing factors for promoting the improvement of targeted-therapy-associated proteinuria. ResultsA total of 137 PLC patients with targeted-therapy-associated proteinuria were enrolled， with 34 patients in the TCM group and 103 in the control group. After follow-up for 6 months， the TCM group had a significant improvement in urinary protein grade compared with the control group （χ²=9.261， P=0.016）. There were 25 patients in each group after propensity score matching， and after follow-up for 6 months， there were significant differences between the two groups in urinary protein grade （χ²=15.689， P<0.001） and 24-hour urinary protein （Z=-3.075， P=0.002）. After cumulative treatment with ZSXHF for ≥9 weeks， the TCM group had a significantly greater change in 24-hour urinary protein from baseline compared with the control group （t=-2.514， P=0.016）， while there were no significant differences in the changes in liver and renal function after ZSXHF intervention between the two groups （all P>0.05）. The multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that ZSXHF treatment （odds ratio=2.901， 95% confidence interval： 1.135 — 7.417， P=0.026） was an independent influencing factor for improvement in molecular-targeted therapy-associated proteinuria. ConclusionZSHXF can effectively alleviate molecular-targeted therapy-associated proteinuria in PLC patients with a favorable safety profile， which provides a new reference for TCM prevention and treatment of molecular-targeted therapy-associated adverse reactions in PLC patients.

Objective To investigate the mid- to long-term follow-up results of ascending aorta (AAO)-descending thoracic aorta (DTA) bypass grafting via median sternotomy incision for the treatment of complex aortic arch coarctation. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of patients with complex aortic arch coarctation who underwent AAO-DTA bypass grafting via median sternotomy incision at the First Hospital of Tsinghua University from August 2004 to May 2017. Results A total of 7 patients were enrolled, including 4 males and 3 females, aged (13.3±4.6) years, and weighted (40.2±12.2) kg. Six (85.7%) patients had concomitant upper limb hypertension. Four patients were aortic arch coarctation combined with intracardiac malformations, two were post-operative restenosis, and 1 was post-operative restenosis combined with intracardiac malformation. All patients underwent surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass. There were no perioperative deaths or major complications. The pre-operative upper-lower limb pressure difference was (39.3±19.2) mm Hg, which decreased to (2.9±2.7) mm Hg post-operatively (P<0.01). The follow-up period was (14.9±5.9) years. There were no long-term deaths or artificial graft-related complications. Except for one patient who still had mild hypertension, the blood pressure of the remaining patients returned to normal. Conclusion AAO-DTA bypass grafting via median sternotomy incision for the treatment of complex aortic arch coarctation can effectively reduce upper limb blood pressure and the upper-lower limb arterial pressure difference, has fewer complications, and demonstrates satisfactory mid- to long-term efficacy.

Primary liver cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors of the digestive system， and the “inflammation-to-cancer transformation” （ICT） of chronic hepatitis is the core pathological process of the progression of chronic hepatitis to liver cancer. Persistent and uncontrolled liver inflammation in patients with chronic hepatitis often leads to repeated liver tissue damage and repair， which gradually develops into liver fibrosis and cirrhosis， eventually leading to malignant transformation through the mechanisms such as gene mutation and microenvironment imbalance. ICT in chronic hepatitis is the key link between chronic hepatitis and liver cancer， and its dynamic evolution involves various pathogenic factors such as dampness， heat， deficiency， toxin， and stasis； among which damp-heat and vital energy deficiency are the initiating factors for ICT of chronic hepatitis， while intermingled stasis and toxin are the key pathological products that promote malignant transformation. Based on the concept of preventive treatment， traditional Chinese medicine can effectively delay and even block the ICT of chronic hepatitis by regulating inflammation， metabolism， and abnormal cell proliferation through multiple targets， which provides important strategies and research directions for the prevention and treatment of liver cancer.

Objective To establish a prediction model for the occurrence of non-occupational carbon monoxide poisoning events in Beijing, and to provide scientific basis and theoretical support for the prevention and warning of poisoning events. Methods Based on the monitoring data of non-occupational carbon monoxide poisoning events in Beijing from 2016 to 2024, the seasonal ARIMA model and seasonal index model were established to analyze the data and predict the occurrence of events. Results Between 2016 and 2024, a total of 436 cases of non-occupational carbon monoxide poisoning were reported in Beijing, showing a downward trend. The established SARIMA model and seasonal index model were SARIMA (1,0,0) (1,1,0) 12, Yt = (-0.0339t+5.8863) × St, and the average relative errors were 65.42% and 29.19%, respectively. In terms of months, the SARIMA model had better predictive performance during April and summer (June to August), while the seasonal index model was superior in other months. By combining the two models, the predicted number of events in 2025 was as follows: 3, 2, 2, 3, 1, 5, 2, 7, 1, 1, 1, and 2. Conclusion The seasonal index model has the best prediction effect on the non-occupational carbon monoxide poisoning events in Beijing throughout the year, and the number of summer events predicted by SARIMA model is closer to the actual values. The two models can be combined to predict the trend of non-occupational carbon monoxide poisoning, which provides a scientific basis for the prevention and control of carbon monoxide poisoning in the future.

BACKGROUND: The burden of breast cancer for older adults has been rising with the increasing population aging. This study aims to describe the burden of breast cancer in older adults worldwide, analyze the temporal trends for older breast cancer incidence, and assess the socioeconomic inequalities of breast cancer incidence and mortality with human development index (HDI) levels, which will provide valuable information in preventing and controlling the increasing breast cancer burden in older women. METHODS: The incidence and mortality rates of specific cancer types in older individuals in 2022 were sourced from the Global Cancer Today database. Trends in breast cancer incidence acquired from the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents (CI5) database. HDI and other risk factors were obtained from the United Nations. We used a generalized linear model to estimate the rate ratio and 95% confidence interval (CI) between HDI levels and breast cancer burden in older people. RESULTS: It was estimated approximately 1,058,466 newly diagnosed breast cancer cases and 383,774 breast cancer deaths in women ≥60 years, accounting for 18.9% and 12.7% of global cancer cases and deaths. The age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) were 172.9 and 57.7 per 100,000, ranking first and second among all cancer incidence and mortality in older women. The highest ASIR and ASMR were four-fold higher than the lowest, with ASIR ranging from a peak of 399.1 per 100,000 in Australia-New Zealand to a low of 90.6 per 100,000 in South Central Asia, and ASMR varying from a high of 118.6 per 100,000 in Melanesia to a low of 28.8 per 100,000 in East Asia. The largest increases in ASIR from 1998-2002 to 2013-2017 were observed in South Korea, China, and Estonia. The corresponding estimated 5-year average percentage changes (EAPC) were 6.01%, 2.89%, and 1.93%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The global burden of breast cancer in older women is increasing fast and varies greatly across countries. Effective prevention strategies are essential to address the increasing breast cancer burden for older women.
Humans ; Female ; Breast Neoplasms/epidemiology* ; Aged ; Incidence ; Middle Aged ; Registries ; Aged, 80 and over ; Risk Factors

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2024.09.010.].

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy of Fuzheng Huaji Formula （扶正化积方） for chronic hepatitis B to reduce the incidence of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted， collecting medical records of 118 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 234 patients with hepatitis B-related cirrhosis who visited the hospital between January 1， 2014， and December 31， 2018. The use of Fuzheng Huaji Formula was designated as the exposure factor. Patients receiving antiviral treatment for hepatitis B without concurrent Fuzheng Huaji Formula therapy were included in the western medicine group， while those receiving antiviral treatment combined with Fuzheng Huaji Formula for a cumulative treatment lasting longer than 3 months were included in the combined treatment group. The follow-up observation period was five years. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to assess the cumulative incidence of cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B and the cumulative incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with hepatitis B-related cirrhosis. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were employed to examine the factors influencing the occurrence of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. ResultsAmong patients with chronic hepatitis B， there were 55 cases in the combined treatment group and 63 cases in the western medicine group； among patients with hepatitis B-related cirrhosis， there were 110 cases in the combined treatment group and 124 cases in the western medicine group. Five-year follow-up outcomes for chronic hepatitis B patients showed that the cumulative incidence of cirrhosis was 5.45% （3/55） in the combined treatment group and 17.46% （11/63） in the western medicine group， with a statistically significant difference between groups （Z = 2.003， P = 0.045）. Five-year follow-up outcomes for hepatitis B-related cirrhosis patients showed that the cumulative incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma was 8.18% （9/110） in the combined treatment group and 22.58% （28/124） in the western medicine group， also showing a statistically significant difference （Z = 3.007， P = 0.003）. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses indicated that treatment with Fuzheng Huaji Formula is an independent protective factor in preventing the progression of chronic hepatitis B to cirrhosis and the progression of hepatitis B-related cirrhosis to hepatocellular carcinoma （P＜0.05）. ConclusionCombining Fuzheng Huaji Formula with antiviral therapy for hepatitis B can effectively intervene in the disease progression of chronic hepatitis B， reducing the incidence of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

ObjectiveTo establish the quality standards for Sennae Folium（Cassia angustifolia） dispensing granules based on standard decoctions. MethodsHigh performance liquid chromatography（HPLC） specific chromatograms were established for 15 batches of Sennae Folium（C. angustifolia） standard decoctions and 10 of Sennae Folium（C. angustifolia） dispensing granules from different manufacturers， and the similarity evaluation， hierarchical cluster analysis（HCA） and principal component analysis（PCA） were performed. Linear calibration with two reference substances（LCTRS） and quantitative analysis of multi-components by single-marker（QAMS） were established for the common peaks in the specific chromatograms to determine the contents of main components in the decoction pieces， standard decoctions and dispensing granules， and to calculate their transfer rates from decoction pieces to standard decoctions and dispensing granules. ResultsThe similarities of specific chromatograms of 15 batches of Sennae Folium（C. angustifolia） standard decoctions and 10 batches of Sennae Folium（C. angustifolia） dispensing granules were all greater than 0.95， and a total of 8 characteristic peaks were calibrated， and five of them were identified， including kaempferol-3，7-O-diglucoside， apigenin-6，8-di-C-glucoside， quercetin-3-O-gentianoside， sennoside B and sennoside A. HCA and PCA results showed that there were certain differences in the composition of different batches of standard decoctions， but no clustering was observed in the production area. As the standard decoctions， the extract rate of 15 batches of samples was 26.54%-45.38%， the contents of kaempferol-3，7-O-diglucoside， apigenin-6，8-di-C-glucoside， quercetin-3-O-gentianoside， sennoside B and sennoside A were 12.16-19.26， 2.57-4.94， 3.27-5.11， 6.75-11.39， 4.69-7.79 mg·g^-1， and their transfer rates from decoction pieces to standard decoctions were 45.41%-79.02%， 29.12%-55.07%， 40.52%-67.90%， 24.72%-49.12%， 27.54%-49.34%， respectively. The extract rates of Sennae Folium（C. angustifolia） dispensing granules（C8-C10） were 38.10%-39.50%， the transfer rates of the above five components from decoction pieces to dispensing granules were 72.85%-73.58%， 53.43%-53.94%， 40.19%-40.74%， 24.62%-25.00%， 28.65%-29.11%， respectively， which were generally consistent with the transfer rates from decoction pieces to standard decoctions. ConclusionCompared with the relative retention time method， LCTRS has higher prediction accuracy and is more suitable for chromatographic columns. The established quality control standard of Sennae Folium（C. angustifolia） dispensing granules based on standard decoction is reasonable and reliable， and all indicators of samples from different manufacturers are within the range specified based on the standard decoction， which can provide reference for the quality control and process research of this dispensing granules.

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is one of the most common complications of liver cirrhosis. The formation of PVT can increase the mortality rate of cirrhotic patients and adversely affect the successful implementation and prognosis of liver transplantation. A hypercoagulable state is a unique mechanism underlying PVT formation in cirrhotic patients. In recent years, the pathogenesis of PVT has gradually been elucidated, with specific mechanisms including the following aspects: systemic and local inflammatory responses lead to vascular endothelial cell dysfunction, thereby promoting the activation of the coagulation system; abnormal activation of the monocyte-macrophage system exacerbates local inflammation, enhancing platelet adhesion and aggregation, and facilitating thrombus formation; an imbalance between the coagulation and fibrinolytic systems results in a sustained hypercoagulable state; and intestinal microbiota dysbiosis induces inflammation and metabolic disturbances, thereby increasing the risk of PVT. This article summarizes the latest research progress on these key mechanisms and their interactions, providing new insights into the molecular and cellular mechanisms of PVT. It also offers directions for the early diagnosis of PVT and the exploration of novel intervention strategies in the future.