Objective To systematically analyze the characteristics of the disease burden of hypertensive heart disease (HHD) in the elderly (≥60 years) globally and in China from 1990 to 2021, and to predict its future trends from 2022 to 2040, with the aim of providing data support for optimizing comprehensive prevention and control strategies for HHD. Methods Based on the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 database, the number of prevalent cases and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of HHD in the elderly were extracted for the world, China, and five regions categorized by sociodemographic index (SDI). Joinpoint regression was used to analyze the temporal trends of age-standardized prevalence rate and age-standardized DALYs rate of HHD in the elderly. A three-factor decomposition method was applied to evaluate the relative contributions of aging, population growth, and epidemiological changes to the variations in the elderly HHD burden. Additionally, a Bayesian age-period-cohort model was used to predict the elderly HHD burden from 2022 to 2040. Results In 2021, the number of prevalent elderly HHD cases reached 10 283 000 globally and 3 412 400 in China, representing increases of 179.20% and 159.20% respectively, compared with 1990. The DALYs of elderly HHD were 18 812 700 person-years globally and 4 731 400 person-years in China, rising by 76.08% and 29.45% respectively from 1990. Meanwhile, the growth rates of the number of prevalent cases and DALYs of elderly HHD varied across different SDI regions. From 1990 to 2021, the age-standardized prevalence rate of elderly HHD in China, as well as the age-standardized DALYs rate of elderly HHD both globally and in China, showed significant downward trends (all average annual percentage changes<0, all P<0.001). In 2021, the 70-74 years age group accounted for the highest proportion of prevalent cases and DALYs of elderly HHD, both globally and in China. Decomposition analysis revealed that population growth was the dominant factor driving the increase in the elderly HHD burden across all regions. The prediction model results indicated that the number of prevalent cases and DALYs of elderly HHD would continue to rise globally and in China from 2022 to 2040, with the growth rate of the elderly HHD burden in China between 2021 and 2040 expected to exceed the global average. Conclusion Over the past 32 years, although the age-standardized disease rates of elderly HHD have mainly shown a downward trend globally and in China, the absolute number of the disease burden has increased substantially. The projection model indicates a continued upward trajectory, with the growth rate in China higher than the global average. Therefore, there is an urgent need to implement precise prevention and control strategies to effectively mitigate the disease burden of elderly HHD.

Liver fibrosis is caused by various factors such as viral infection， alcohol intake， and metabolism-related damage， leading to the replacement of normal tissue by fibrous scars. As a regulatory factor for cell proliferation， insulin-like growth factor 1 （IGF-1） participates in the regulation of cell cycle， the promotion of cell proliferation and differentiation， and the inhibition of cell apoptosis by binding to its receptor insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor （IGF-1R）. Studies have shown that the IGF-1/IGF-1R signaling pathway can regulate the process of liver fibrosis by affecting the senescence and apoptosis of hepatocytes， the activation and proliferation of hepatic stellate cells， and the dysfunction of endothelial cells. In addition， the IGF-1/IGF-1R signaling system can also regulate multiple mechanisms such as DNA damage repair， cell proliferation， lipid metabolism， cell senescence， and oxidative stress， thereby providing new strategies and potential targets for the prevention and treatment of liver fibrosis. This article summarizes the mechanism of action of IGF-1/IGF-1R and its signal transduction system in mediating liver fibrosis by regulating DNA damage repair in different cells， in order to provide a theoretical basis for the treatment of liver fibrosis.

Copper is an essential trace element in the human body, extensively involved in key physiological and biochemical processes such as antioxidant defense, energy metabolism, neural signaling, and immune regulation. In recent years, increasing research has focused on the potential role of copper dyshomeostasis in the development of chronic diseases. Studies indicate that abnormal copper levels, particularly elevated free copper, may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders, diabetes, and cancer by inducing oxidative stress, impairing mitochondrial function, and disrupting immune regulation. Concurrently, copper homeostasis abnormalities have been demonstrated to be closely associated with increased all-cause mortality and accelerated aging. This systematic review comprehensively examined physiological functions, metabolic pathways, and environmental exposure characteristics of copper. It emphasized the epidemiological and mechanistic links between copper metabolism disorders and multiple chronic diseases, while exploring the potential applications of copper ion transporters and chelating agents in disease intervention. This work provides scientific evidence for the prevention, control, and precision treatment of copper-related chronic diseases.

With the continuous deepening of the concept of precision diagnosis and treatment for lung cancer, how to achieve higher efficiency and accuracy in the screening, diagnosis, and treatment pathways in clinical practice has become an important issue that urgently needs to be overcome. The current clinical difficulty lies in the fact that despite continuous advancements in imaging and molecular diagnostic technologies, there are still limitations in manual efficiency and subjective experience when it comes to massive data analysis and multi-scale feature extraction. Artificial intelligence (AI), especially algorithm systems based on deep learning, is an innovative technology capable of deeply empowering medical big data. This method utilizes algorithms such as convolutional neural networks, combined with radiomics, pathomics, and multi-modal data fusion analysis, demonstrating immense potential in early precise detection and benign-malignant differentiation of pulmonary nodules, digital pathological subtype recognition and non-invasive prediction of driver genes, precise 3D surgical planning and automatic delineation of radiotherapy target volumes, as well as dynamic risk warning during follow-up. This innovative technology provides a brand-new solution for realizing intelligent and individualized lung cancer diagnosis and treatment models. This consensus, based on the latest evidence from evidence-based medicine and combined with the development trends in the AI field and real-world clinical needs, was ultimately formed by gathering the consensus opinions of multidisciplinary experts in radiology, pathology, thoracic surgery, and other fields. The main content covers the application specifications of AI in the three core scenarios of lung cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment, the technical standards for data collection and algorithm validation, as well as the ethical and regulatory challenges faced at the current stage. It aims to clarify the applicable boundaries of AI as a clinical auxiliary decision support tool, providing scientific guidance and standardized exploration directions for peers currently engaged in or planning to carry out AI-assisted clinical diagnosis, treatment, and translation of lung cancer.

Objective To explore the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods The clinical data of patients with stage ⅡA-ⅢB NSCLC who underwent surgical treatment after receiving neoadjuvant immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy or chemotherapy alone at the First People’s Hospital of Jining between April 2021 and January 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the preoperative neoadjuvant regimens, the patients were divided into a combined group and a chemotherapy group, and the clinical data of the two groups were compared. Results A total of 66 patients were included, including 61 males and 5 females. There were 53 patients in the combined group with a mean age of (63.40±6.80) years, and 13 patients in the chemotherapy group with a mean age of (58.62±8.30) years. There was a statistical difference in age between the two groups (P＜0.001), while no statistical difference was observed in other baseline data (P>0.05). The major pathological response rates in the combined group and the chemotherapy group were 54.7% and 23.1%, respectively (P=0.041), and the pathological complete response rates were 39.6% and 0.0%, respectively (P=0.006). The operative time in the combined group was shorter (P=0.039). There were no statistical differences between the two groups in intraoperative blood loss, duration of postoperative tube carrying, incidence of postoperative complications, overall survival, or event-free survival (P>0.05). Conclusion Surgical treatment following neoadjuvant immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy is safe and feasible, and its long-term efficacy requires further follow-up for confirmation.

Objective To observe the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant sintilimab combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of patients with locally advanced resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods Clinical data were collected from patients with locally advanced resectable ESCC who received neoadjuvant immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy followed by surgical treatment at the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Jining No.1 People's Hospital from April 2020 to April 2022. The endpoints included major pathological response (MPR), pathological complete response (pCR), R0 resection rate, safety, and postoperative survival. Results A total of 43 patients with ESCC who received at least one cycle of neoadjuvant immunotherapy before surgery were included. Among them, there were 31 males and 12 females with a median age of 65 years (interquartile range: 58-69). All patients successfully completed the surgery without any surgical delays. The pCR rate was 14.0% (6/43), the MPR rate was 58.1% (25/43), and the R0 resection rate was 97.7% (42/43). Patients exhibited reliable safety during neoadjuvant therapy and postoperatively. The 2-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates were 90.7% and 81.4%, respectively. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and log-rank test revealed lower recurrence rates and better survival in the MPR patients compared to the non-MPR patients. Conclusion The combination of neoadjuvant sintilimab and chemotherapy in the treatment of patients with locally advanced resectable ESCC has demonstrated significant clinical efficacy, while also being safe and reliable.

Metabolic associated fatty liver disease （MAFLD） is a highly prevalent chronic liver disease worldwide， and the mechanism underlying its progression to metabolic associated steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis remain unclear. Endoplasmic reticulum stress （ERS） and ferroptosis （Fer） are deeply involved in the pathological evolution of MAFLD. This article systematically reviews the core regulatory mechanisms of ERS and its role in regulating lipid metabolism， inflammation response， and cell apoptosis in MAFLD. It also analyzes the core mechanism of Fer and discusses the predisposing factors for Fer in the pathological microenvironment of MAFLD， as well as the role of Fer in exacerbating hepatocyte death and activating the progression of liver fibrosis. This article proposes that the crosstalk between ERS and Fer is a key driver for the progression of MAFLD， which provides new references and ideas for the clinical intervention of MAFLD.

Purpose To investigate the role of secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine(SPARC)expression in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of mesothelioma.Methods Immunohistochemical EnVision two-step method was used to detect SPARC expression in 40 cases of mesothelioma,4 cases of well-differentiated mesothelial tumour(WDPMT),40 cases of poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma of the lung,40 cases of poorly differentiated ad-enocarcinoma of the lung,20 cases each of low-grade and high-grade serous carcinoma of the ovary.The sensitivity and specificity of SPARC,Calretinin,D2-40,and WT-1 expression in mesothelioma were compared and analyzed.Results SPARC showed diffuse strong positive expression in mesothelioma(37/40 cases),medium positive expression in WDPMT(3/4 cases),and focal weak positive expression in a few cases of poorly differentiated squamous cell carcino-ma of the lung(1/40 cases),poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the lung(2/40 cases),low-grade serous carci-noma of the ovary(0/20 cases),and high-grade serous carcinoma of the ovary(1/20 cases).In 40 mesotheliomas,the sensitivity of SPARC was 92.5％,and the specificity of SPARC in control tumors(squamous carcinoma of the lung,adenocarcinoma of the lung,and serous carcinoma of the ovary)was 96.7％.Conclusion SPARC is widely expressed in mesotheliomas,with a sensitivity similar to that of Calretinin,D2-40,and WT-1,but with a much higher specificity than other mesothelial markers.It is of great significance in distinguishing between mesothelioma and pulmo-nary poorly differentiated carcinoma and ovarian serous carcinoma.

Objective:To study the anti-inflammatory mechanism of acupoint acupuncture combined with tetramethylpyrazine in regulating the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB)/NOD like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) signaling pathway in a T-2 toxin induced rat model of Kashin-Beck disease.Methods:A total of 40 clean-grade Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (half male and half female), weighing 180 - 220 g, were divided using a random number table method into model group, tetramethylpyrazine group, acupoint acupuncture combined with tetramethylpyrazine group, and control group, with 10 rats in each group. Rats in the model group, the tetramethylpyrazine group, and the acupoint acupuncture combined with tetramethylpyrazine group were intraperitoneally injected with 1.5 mg/kg of 0.1% T-2 toxin five times per week for 4 consecutive weeks. Rats in both the tetramethylpyrazine group and the acupoint acupuncture combined with tetramethylpyrazine group were intraperitoneally injected with 100 mg·kg -1·d -1 tetramethylpyrazine solution. Meanwhile, rats in the model group and the control group were administered an equivalent volume of physiological saline for consecutive 4 weeks. Acupoint acupuncture combined with tetramethylpyrazine group was used to needle the bilateral "Qu Chi" and "Wei Zhong" of rats with a diameter of 3 - 5 mm, leaving the needle for 20 minutes, once a day, for 4 weeks. After the last injection, the rats were euthanized to collect blood samples and knee joint cartilage. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed to observe the pathological changes in the knee joint cartilage of rats. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure serum levels of osteocalcin (OC), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), β-carboxy-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type Ⅰ collagen (β-CTX), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Western blot analysis was used to determine protein expression levels of NF-κB p65 and NLRP3. Results:In the control group, intact cartilage surface, middle, and deep structures were observed in the knee joint cartilage of rats. In the model group, pathological changes similar to adult Kashin-Beck disease were observed in the knee joint cartilage. The integrity of the knee joint cartilage of rats in the tetramethylpyrazine group and the acupoint acupuncture combined with tetramethylpyrazine group was significantly improved compared to the model group. Compared with the control group, the levels of OC and ALP in the serum of the model group rats were significantly reduced, while the level of β-CTX was significantly increased ( P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, the levels of OC and ALP in the serum of rats in the tetramethylpyrazine group and the acupoint acupuncture combined with tetramethylpyrazine group were significantly increased, while the levels of β-CTX were significantly decreased ( P < 0.05). The levels of OC and ALP in the serum of rats in the acupoint acupuncture combined with tetramethylpyrazine group were higher than those in the tetramethylpyrazine group, while the level of β-CTX was lower than that in the tetramethylpyrazine group ( P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in the serum of the model group rats were significantly increased ( P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, the levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in the serum of rats in the tetramethylpyrazine group and the acupoint acupuncture combined with tetramethylpyrazine group were significantly reduced ( P < 0.05). The levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in the serum of rats in the acupoint acupuncture combined with tetramethylpyrazine group were lower than those in the tetramethylpyrazine group ( P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the expression levels of NF-κB p65 and NLRP3 proteins in the model group rats were significantly increased ( P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, the expression levels of NF-κB p65 and NLRP3 proteins were significantly reduced in the tetramethylpyrazine group and the acupoint acupuncture combined with tetramethylpyrazine group ( P < 0.05). The expression levels of NF-κB p65 and NLRP3 proteins in the acupoint acupuncture combined with tetramethylpyrazine group were significantly lower than those in the tetramethylpyrazine group ( P < 0.05). Conclusion:Acupoint acupuncture combined with tetramethylpyrazine has a good anti-inflammatory effect on T-2 toxin induced Kashin-Beck disease rats, and its mechanism may be related to the downregulation of NF-κB p65 and NLRP3 protein expression.

Objective:To investigate the diagnosis，therapeutic strategy and early prognosis of Scimitar syndrome in pediatric patients.Methods:Clinical data of 21 children with Scimitar syndrome admitted to the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery of Shanghai Children's Medical Center from January 2014 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed，and divided into 11 cases in the infantile-type group and 10 cases in the adult-type group.Results:Twenty-one children with Scimitar syndrome，10 males and 11 females，aged 5 days to 10 years old. Compared with the adult-type group，the infant-type group had a high proportion of preoperative clinical symptoms( P<0.05)，a high concomitant rate of intracardiac malformations (100% vs. 40%， P=0.002)，a big size of aortopulmonary collateral(APC)[(0.77±0.25) mm/kg vs.(0.36±0.13) mm/kg， P=0.016]，a high incidence of pulmonary hypertension(91.0% vs. 50.0%， P=0.038), and a high proportion of severe pulmonary hypertension(50 % vs. 0). There was a high rate of postoperative complications of low cardiac output syndrome (36.4% vs. 0， P=0.034)，prolonged postoperative mechanical ventilation [(73.22±44.75) h vs. (19.5±12.79) h， P=0.007]，and prolonged length of ICU stay[(7.89±3.37) d vs. (2.50±1.26) d， P<0.001]. Eleven cases underwent surgical treatment only，and 10 cases received hybrid operation with APC occlusion. The survival rate of the whole group was 90.5%，and there was no case of pulmonary venous obstruction in the early postoperative period. Systolic pulmonary artery pressure/systolic artery pressure decreased significantly after surgery in 15 children with pulmonary arterial hypertension( P<0.01).Five cases in the infantile-type group still had pulmonary hypertension. Conclusion:Surgical effect of Scimitar syndrome in pediatric patients is satisfactory. Infants with Scimitar syndrome usually have more severe symptoms, higher incidence of severe pulmonary hypertension and relatively longer postoperative recovery time.