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.

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.

ObjectiveTo observe and analyze the plasma metabolite differences among colorectal cancer patients with spleen-qi deficiency， damp-heat stasis-toxin syndrome（SRYD）， non-spleen-qi deficiency， damp-heat stasis-toxin syndrome（non-SRYD）， and normal human beings（Normal）， aiming to identify unique metabolites specific to SRYD colorectal cancer patients and their potential biomarkers. MethodsBased on the diagnostic criteria of SRYD and non-SRYD colorectal cancer， 30 patients were included， including 10 patients with SRYD colorectal cancer and 20 patients with non-SRYD colorectal cancer， while 10 individuals were recruited for the Normal group. Metabolome sequencing of plasma from the three groups was performed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-electrostatic field orbitrap mass spectrometry（UPLC-Q-Exactive-Orbitrap-MS）. Multivariate statistical analysis were performed by principal component analysis（PCA） and partial least squares-discriminant analysis（PLS-DA）， and the intergroup differential metabolites were identified based on variable importance in the projection（VIP） value>1 and t-test P<0.05. And pathway enrichment analysis based on Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes（KEGG） was performed to explore the metabolites and metabolic pathways specific to SRYD colorectal cancer patients. ResultsMetabolome sequencing results showed some differences in metabolic profiles between the groups. A total of 111 plasma differential metabolites were found in the SRYD group and the Normal group， of which 31 were up-regulated and 80 were down-regulated， mainly including stearoyl lysophosphatidylcholine， indole-3-acrylic acid， and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate（P<0.05）. The non-SRYD group exhibited 97 differentially expressed metabolites compared to the Normal group， with 36 up-regulated and 61 down-regulated， mainly including stearoyl lysophosphatidylcholine， sphingosine， and palmitoyl lysophosphatidylcholine（P<0.05）. And the SRYD group exhibited 19 differentially expressed metabolites compared to the non-SRYD group， of which 5 were up-regulated and 14 were down-regulated， mainly including dihydrosphingosine， palmitic acid， and linoleoylethanolamide（P<0.05）. The significant differential metabolites were subjected to KEGG analysis to obtain significantly enriched metabolic pathways in each group， and the results showed that 11 metabolic pathways such as primary bile acid synthesis， cholesterol metabolism and bile secretion were differential signaling pathways specific to SRYD colorectal cancer. Further retrieval of the above key signaling pathways showed that bile acids were up-regulated in both bile secretion and primary bile acid synthesis pathways， and there was a trend of up-regulation of glycochenodeoxycholic acid， taurochenodeoxycholic acid， and chenodeoxycholic acid. ConclusionPrimary bile acid synthesis， cholesterol metabolism， and bile secretion-related pathways may be differential signaling pathways specific to SRYD colorectal cancer， and bile acid is a core molecule in the metabolic pathway， which can serve as potential biomarkers closely related to the development and progression of SRYD colorectal cancer.

ObjectiveTo observe and analyze the plasma metabolite differences among colorectal cancer patients with spleen-qi deficiency， damp-heat stasis-toxin syndrome（SRYD）， non-spleen-qi deficiency， damp-heat stasis-toxin syndrome（non-SRYD）， and normal human beings（Normal）， aiming to identify unique metabolites specific to SRYD colorectal cancer patients and their potential biomarkers. MethodsBased on the diagnostic criteria of SRYD and non-SRYD colorectal cancer， 30 patients were included， including 10 patients with SRYD colorectal cancer and 20 patients with non-SRYD colorectal cancer， while 10 individuals were recruited for the Normal group. Metabolome sequencing of plasma from the three groups was performed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-electrostatic field orbitrap mass spectrometry（UPLC-Q-Exactive-Orbitrap-MS）. Multivariate statistical analysis were performed by principal component analysis（PCA） and partial least squares-discriminant analysis（PLS-DA）， and the intergroup differential metabolites were identified based on variable importance in the projection（VIP） value>1 and t-test P<0.05. And pathway enrichment analysis based on Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes（KEGG） was performed to explore the metabolites and metabolic pathways specific to SRYD colorectal cancer patients. ResultsMetabolome sequencing results showed some differences in metabolic profiles between the groups. A total of 111 plasma differential metabolites were found in the SRYD group and the Normal group， of which 31 were up-regulated and 80 were down-regulated， mainly including stearoyl lysophosphatidylcholine， indole-3-acrylic acid， and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate（P<0.05）. The non-SRYD group exhibited 97 differentially expressed metabolites compared to the Normal group， with 36 up-regulated and 61 down-regulated， mainly including stearoyl lysophosphatidylcholine， sphingosine， and palmitoyl lysophosphatidylcholine（P<0.05）. And the SRYD group exhibited 19 differentially expressed metabolites compared to the non-SRYD group， of which 5 were up-regulated and 14 were down-regulated， mainly including dihydrosphingosine， palmitic acid， and linoleoylethanolamide（P<0.05）. The significant differential metabolites were subjected to KEGG analysis to obtain significantly enriched metabolic pathways in each group， and the results showed that 11 metabolic pathways such as primary bile acid synthesis， cholesterol metabolism and bile secretion were differential signaling pathways specific to SRYD colorectal cancer. Further retrieval of the above key signaling pathways showed that bile acids were up-regulated in both bile secretion and primary bile acid synthesis pathways， and there was a trend of up-regulation of glycochenodeoxycholic acid， taurochenodeoxycholic acid， and chenodeoxycholic acid. ConclusionPrimary bile acid synthesis， cholesterol metabolism， and bile secretion-related pathways may be differential signaling pathways specific to SRYD colorectal cancer， and bile acid is a core molecule in the metabolic pathway， which can serve as potential biomarkers closely related to the development and progression of SRYD colorectal cancer.

Objective:To investigate the effect and mechanism of injectable photopolymerizable porous gelatin methacrylate anhydride (Porous GelMA)/methacrylated silk fibroin (SilMA) composite hydrogel (PSE) loaded with human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (hUCMSC-Exos) in promoting knee joint cartilage regeneration.Methods:The porous GelMA solution (60 g/L) was mixed with SilMA solution (200 g/L) at a volume ratio of 6∶1 . The mixture was ultraviolet-irradiated for 30 seconds to form a cured Porous GelMA/SilMA hydrogel (P/S6). The hUCMSC-Exos was isolated via differential centrifugation coupled with ultrafiltration and then was incorporated into the Porous GelMA/SilMA composite solution at 200 μg/ml, followed by ultraviolet irradiation for 30 seconds to generate Exos-loaded PSE. Primary rat chondrocytes (P1) were divided into control group, P/S6 group, and PSE group to characterize the porosity, compressive strength, and sustained exosome release kinetics of PSE hydrogel. Chondrocytes were allocated to control group, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) group, P/S6 group, and PSE group, among which the last three groups were preconditioned with 10 ng/ml IL-1β for 24 hours, and then cultured in complete medium, P/S6 extract and PSE extract for 3 days, respectively, to establish in vitro cartilage defect models, while the control group remained untreated. Western blot and qRT-PCR analysis were conducted to quantify the expression levels of antibody to aggrecan core protein (ACAN), sex-determining region Y-box transcription factor 9 (SOX9), matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP13) and collagen type II (COL II). Murine monocyte-macrophage leukemia cells (RAW264.7) were divided into control group, P/S6 group, and PSE group, which were then cultured in complete medium, PSE extract, and PSE extract medium for 3 days, respectively. qRT-PCR was employed to detect the expression levels of recombinant arginase-1 protein (ARG1), mannose receptor (CD206), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Transcriptomic sequencing was used to identify differentially expressed genes during PSE-mediated chondrocyte regeneration, followed by functional enrichment analysis of key signaling pathways. Twenty-four SD rats were selected to establish cartilage defect models and assigned to injury control group, P/S6 group, and PSE group according to the random number table (8 rats per group). The right knee joints of the rats were surgically exposed, and cylindrical osteochondral defects (a diameter of 2.0 mm× a depth of 1.0 mm) were surgically created in the center of the femoral trochlear groove using a drill bit. The injury control group received phosphate-buffered saline, while the P/S6 group and PSE group were injected with corresponding hydrogels followed by photo-crosslinking. Incisions then were closed in layers. At 6 and 10 weeks after injury, specimens were harvested for HE staining and safranin O-fast green staining to evaluate cartilage regeneration and immunohistochemistry staining to quantify the positive area fractions for COL II, MMP13, ARG1, and CD206 in the defect areas. Results:PSE hydrogel exhibited compressive strength matching native cartilage (0.41 MPa), high porosity (85%), and sustained exosome release capacity (cumulative release rate of approximately 85% over 14 days). In chondrocyte repair experiments, compared to the IL-1β group, the PSE group demonstrated significantly upregulated expression of anabolic markers of cartilage (COL II expression increased by 2.1-fold, ACAN by 1.8-fold, and SOX9 by 1.5-fold) ( P<0.01) as well as significantly suppressed expression of catabolic markers (MMP13 expression decreased by 52%) ( P<0.01). In macrophage polarization assays, the PSE group exhibited ARG1 expression increased by 68% when compared to the control group ( P<0.01), thus promoting M2 polarization of macrophages. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that PSE enhanced extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis by activating the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) pathway and ECM-receptor interaction pathway, as well as by suppressing inflammation-related gene expression. Histological evaluation in animal experiments revealed regeneration of hyaline cartilage with smooth, continuous surfaces in the defect areas in the PSE group. At 10 weeks after surgery, the neocartilage-positive area in the PSE group was (9.94±0.26)%, significantly larger than (1.67±0.11)% in the injury control group ( P<0.01). Besides, the CD206? M2 macrophage-positive area reached (14.44±0.23)% in the PSE group, significantly larger than (3.41±0.36)% in the injury control group ( P<0.01). Conclusions:The PSE hydrogel successfully engineered in the study can significantly promote regenerative repair of knee cartilage defects through a dual mechanism of enhanced ECM anabolism and remodeled inflammatory microenvironment. The core mechanisms involve specific activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway (boosting chondrocyte proliferation and survival) and ECM-receptor interaction pathway (driving ECM synthesis and assembly) by exosome-loaded PSE, while effectively polarizing macrophages toward an anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype so as to coordinately regulate cartilage ECM metabolism and suppress inflammatory responses.

Objective To investigate the correlation of vascular senescence indicators,brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity(baPWV),cardio-ankle vascular index(CAVI),ankle-brachial index(ABI)with total burden of MRI in patients with cerebral small vessel disease(CSVD).Methods A total of 200 CSVD patients admitted to our hospital from November 2023 to October 2024 were retrospectively recruited,and based on their total MRI burden,they were divided into a low-burden group(score:0-1,103 cases)and a high-burden group(score:2-4,97 cases).A athero-sclerosis monitoring device(VS-1500A)was used to detect baPWV,CAVI,and ABI values.The relationships of the three indicators with total MRI burden score and their predictive values for the burden score were analyzed.Results The high-burden group had significantly higher BMI,el-evated homocysteine and uric acid levels,and increased baPWV and CAVI,but lower ABI than the low-burden group(P＜0.01).Multivariate logistic analysis showed that baPWV,CAVI and ABI were independent influencing factors for high MRI burden of CSVD patients.Spearman correlation analysis showed that baPWV and CAVI values were positively correlated(r=0.589,P=0.000;r=0.458,P=0.000),and ABI was negatively correlated with the total MRI burden score of CSVD patients(r=-0.352,P=0.000).ROC curve analysis showed that baPWV(AUC=0.816,P=0.000),CAVI(AUC=0.725,P=0.000)and ABI(AUC=0.676,P=0.000)were all predic-tors for high MRI burden score in CSVD patients.Conclusion baPWV and CAVI are positively,and ABI is negatively correlated with the total MRI burden score of CSVD patients.baPWV,CAVI and ABI show higher predictive value for the high burden score,with baPWV most significant.

Objective:To analyze the reoperation rate and causes during the early adoption phase of unilateral biportal endoscopy (UBE).Methods:The clinical data of 180 patients who underwent UBE performed by a single surgeon at Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University from October 2021 to June 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical and imaging data of patients who underwent reoperation were collected to analyze the causes of reoperation, and the clinical efficacy of the reoperations was also followed up. Measurement data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation ( ± s), and t-test was used before and after treatment. Results:A total of 180 patients who underwent UBE were included in this study, of which 6 patients underwent reoperation, and the reoperation rate was 3.33%. Among them, 3 cases occurred in the first 90 surgeries and the other 3 occurred in the subsequent 90 surgeries. The causes of reoperation were as follows: recurrent lumbar disc herniation at the same segment postoperatively in 2 cases, insufficient decompression in 2 cases, disc herniation following isolated decompression in 1 case, and immediate postoperative perianal numbness in 1 case. The time between the initial surgery and reoperation ranged from 0 to 187 days, with an average of 63.3 days. The average follow-up time after reoperation was 18.3 months. The visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores of the patients at the last follow-up were significantly improved compared with those before operation (VAS score of low back pain: 5.2 ± 1.7 before operation, 1.2 ± 0.8 at the last follow-up, P<0.001; VAS score of leg pain: 7.2 ± 1.5 before operation, 1.2 ± 1.2 at the last follow-up, P<0.001; ODI score: 67.3 ± 5.7 before operation, 20.2 ± 8.2 at the last follow-up, P<0.001). The postoperative modified MacNab scores were generally satisfactory (4 cases were rated as excellent, accounting for 66.7%; 2 cases were rated as good, accounting for 33.3%). Except for one patient who experienced dural injury during open revision surgery, there were no serious complications such as nerve damage. Conclusions:In the early stages of UBE surgery, recurrent lumbar disc herniation and inadequate decompression are the primary reasons for reoperation, typically occurring within the first three months postoperatively. Reoperation does not significantly increase the risk of nerve injury. Enhanced early postoperative follow-up is recommended. For symptomatic patients, a second surgery with thorough decompression can yield satisfactory treatment outcomes.

ObjectiveTo explore effect of Xianlian Jiedu prescription on the recurrence of colorectal cancer （CRC） and investigate the related mechanisms. MethodsA postoperative recurrence model was established in 25 Balb/c mice by injecting CT26 cells subcutaneously into the armpit， followed by surgical removal of 99% of the subcutaneous tumor. The mice were randomly divided into model group， low-dose Xianlian Jiedu prescription （XLJDP-L） group （6.45 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， medium-dose Xianlian Jiedu prescription （XLJDP-M） group （12.9 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， high-dose Xianlian Jiedu prescription （XLJDP-H） group （25.8 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， and 5-fluorouracil （5-FU） group （1×10^-3 g·kg^-1·d^-1）. The mice were euthanized after 14 days of continuous intervention， and recurrent tumor tissue was harvested. Hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining was used to observe pathological and morphological changes in the recurrent tumor tissue. Immunohistochemistry （IHC） was employed to assess the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen （Ki67）， vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）， and platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule （CD31） in recurrent tumor tissue. The Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of angiopoietin-2 （ANG-2）， VEGF， phosphorylated-protein kinase B （p-Akt）， protein kinase B （Akt）， phosphorylated-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （p-PI3K）， and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K） in recurrent tumor tissue. ResultsBefore treatment， there were no statistical differences in tumor volume， tumor weight， and body mass among the XLJDP-L， XLJDP-M， and XLJDP-H groups and the 5-FU group compared to the model group， indicating model stability. After treatment， compared with those in the model group， the tumor volume and tumor weight in the XLJDP-L， XLJDP-M， and XLJDP-H groups and the 5-FU group were significantly reduced （P<0.01）， showing dose dependency. Meanwhile， there were no significant differences in body weight among the XLJDP-L， XLJDP-M， and XLJDP-H groups and the 5-FU group compared to the model group. HE staining showed that compared with that in the model group， tumor tissue in the XLJDP-L， XLJDP-M， and XLJDP-H groups and the 5-FU group had loosely arranged cells， increased intercellular spaces， small and shriveled nuclei， light staining， fewer mitotic figures and atypical nuclei， and increased necrotic areas. IHC showed that compared with those of the model group， the positive rates of Ki67， VEGF， and CD31 in the recurrent tumor tissue of the XLJDP-L， XLJDP-M， and XLJDP-H groups and the 5-FU group were significantly reduced （P<0.01） in a dose-dependent manner. Western blot results showed that compared with those of the model group， the protein expression levels of ANG-2 and VEGF in the recurrent tumor tissue of the XLJDP-L， XLJDP-M， and XLJDP-H groups and the 5-FU group were significantly downregulated （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the p-Akt/Akt and p-PI3K/PI3K ratios were significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionXianlian Jiedu prescription significantly inhibits the recurrence of CRC in mice after subcutaneous tumor surgery. The mechanism may involve regulating the PI3K/Akt pathway and downregulating key angiogenic proteins such as ANG-2， VEGF， and CD31.

Objective:To assess the sound localization ability of patients with unilateral sudden hearing loss during the early period of treatment, to explore its changing characteristics and to analyze influencing factors.Methods:A total of 22 patients with unilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss, with onset within 3 days, who were hospitalized at Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital between January and April 2024, were collected in this study. The cohort included 13 males and 9 females, with a mean age of 36.5 years. Among them, 10 suffered in the right ear and 12 in the left ear. Additionally, 15 healthy individuals (8 males and 7 females, mean age 29.2 years) were selected as controls. Pure tone audiometry and sound localization tests were reviewed on the first day, third day, fifth day of admission; the third week after onset, and the pure tone average and the root-mean-square error(RMSE) were used as indicators, respectively. The improvement of the ability of sound localization and pure tone average were assessed by correlation analyses using SPSS, version 27.0, and multiple regression analysis was employed to explore effects that might influence sound localization ability.Results:The pure tone threshold and sound localization ability on the third week of onset were improved compared with those on the initial three instances(the first, third, and fifth days of admission). 9 of the 22 patients (40.91%, 9/22) presented normal sound localization ability whereas their hearing loss had not recurred yet. The Spearman correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between the improvement of sound localization ability and hearing improvement ( r=0.57, P<0.001). Meanwhile, multiple regression analysis showed that hearing threshold was a significant factor for sound localization when there was audible frequency. Vice versa, at this circumstance, ages and vertigo were significant factors. Conclusions:For most of the patients with unilateral sudden hearing loss, ability of sound localization improves with the decrease of hearing threshold. Notably, some patients can restore normal levels of sound localization for white noise, even in the presence of hearing loss at certain frequencies, by relying on binaural acoustic cues provided by residual hearing.