ObjectiveThe exacerbating trend of global population aging poses profound socioeconomic and public health challenges, making the comprehensive elucidation of biological aging mechanisms and the discovery of effective anti-aging interventions an urgent priority in the life sciences. Based on our previous serum metabolomics findings that dimethylglycine, an intermediate metabolite of amino acid metabolism naturally present in the human body, was significantly enriched in the serum of longevity families, this study aimed to systematically investigate the anti-aging effects of dimethylglycine both in living organisms and in controlled laboratory environments, and to preliminarily elucidate its underlying molecular mechanisms. While existing literature indicates that dimethylglycine possesses antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties, its direct anti-aging efficacy and the specific molecular pathways through which it operates remain largely unexplored. MethodsTo comprehensively evaluate the anti-aging properties of dimethylglycine, we utilized replicative senescent human embryonic lung fibroblasts, specifically the WI-38 cell line, as an experimental model in a controlled laboratory environment. Cell viability and safety were thoroughly assessed using Cell Counting Kit-8 and lactate dehydrogenase release assays across various concentrations of dimethylglycine. The impact of dimethylglycine on cellular senescence phenotypes, oxidative stress, and proliferative capacity was evaluated via senescence-associated beta-galactosidase staining, reactive oxygen species fluorescence detection, and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine incorporation assays. Furthermore, the molecular alterations of senescence-associated secretory phenotype factors and core senescence signaling pathways were quantified using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction for the messenger RNA levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-8, p21, and matrix metalloproteinase-1, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the measurement of p16 and p21 protein expression levels. For the living organism model, the wild-type nematode Caenorhabditis elegans was used to evaluate systemic physiological effects. We conducted a comprehensive lifespan analysis at 20°C, heat stress resistance survival assays at 35℃, senescence-associated beta-galactosidase staining, lipofuscin accumulation tracking, intracellular reactive oxygen species measurement, and Oil Red O staining to ascertain systemic lipid accumulation. Additionally, network pharmacology bioinformatics tools, including PharmMapper and STRING databases, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis were utilized to predict target pathways, alongside highly detailed molecular docking simulations utilizing SwissDock and Protein-Ligand Interaction Profiler to examine interactions with the cytochrome P450 family 2 subfamily C member 9 protein. ResultsThe experimental outcomes robustly demonstrate the potent anti-aging capabilities of dimethylglycine. At the cellular level, toxicity analyses firmly confirmed that dimethylglycine is highly safe; continuous treatment with 50 mol/L and 70 mol/L of dimethylglycine for 5 d did not induce any cellular membrane damage or cytotoxicity, but rather actively promoted cellular proliferation. Utilizing the optimal standardized concentration of 50 mol/L, dimethylglycine treatment significantly ameliorated senescent phenotypic markers in human embryonic lung fibroblasts, which was evidenced by a drastic and highly significant reduction in the senescence-associated beta-galactosidase positive cell percentage (P<0.000 1) and intracellular reactive oxygen species levels (P<0.000 1), alongside a marked increase in the 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine-positive proliferation rate (P=0.003 5). On a molecular expression scale, dimethylglycine significantly downregulated the messenger RNA expression of multiple core senescence-associated secretory phenotype inflammatory factors, including interleukin-6, interleukin-8, p21, and matrix metalloproteinase-1. Concurrently, it effectively suppressed the protein expression of critical cell cycle arrest markers, diminishing p16 protein levels by 57.3% (P=0.000 4) and p21 protein levels by 27.2% (P=0.000 7). In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans animal model, dimethylglycine significantly extended the mean lifespan from 20.402 d to an impressive 23.066 d (P<0.000 1) and notably enhanced overall survival rates under severe heat stress environmental conditions (P=0.017). Furthermore, systemic dimethylglycine intervention significantly mitigated age-related physiological decline by decreasing bodily lipofuscin accumulation (P<0.000 1), significantly reducing senescence-associated beta-galactosidase activity, lowering systemic reactive oxygen species fluorescence (P=0.008), and effectively alleviating overall fat accumulation (P<0.000 1). Mechanistically, extensive network pharmacology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses strongly revealed that the potential targets of dimethylglycine are significantly enriched in fundamental drug metabolism and oxidative stress response pathways. Precision molecular docking simulations conclusively demonstrated that dimethylglycine forms highly stable structural interactions with the cytochrome P450 family 2 subfamily C member 9 protein, specifically highlighting the definitive formation of 5 stable hydrogen bonds involving serine 365, leucine 366, and serine 429 residues, as well as two critical salt bridge formations with arginine 97 and histidine 368 residues. It is additionally predicted to interact favorably with glutathione S-transferase family proteins. ConclusionDimethylglycine exhibits a profoundly significant and multifaceted anti-aging activity at both the cellular and entire living animal levels. By powerfully alleviating oxidative stress, heavily suppressing the core p16 and p21-dependent cellular senescence signaling pathways, and substantially mitigating the detrimental senescence-associated secretory phenotype, dimethylglycine effectively delays fundamental cellular senescence processes and drastically extends whole-organism lifespan. The biological mechanisms driving these robust protective effects are highly likely closely associated with its direct stable interactions with crucial metabolic and detoxifying enzyme systems, such as cytochrome P450 family 2 subfamily C member 9 and glutathione S-transferase family proteins, thereby systemically improving metabolic dysregulation and restoring critical redox homeostasis. This comprehensive study provides highly solid experimental evidence supporting dimethylglycine as a highly potent and safe potential anti-aging intervention agent, while simultaneously offering a clear molecular mechanistic explanation for the previously documented high abundance of dimethylglycine observed within exceptionally long-lived human populations.

To address the growing challenge of an increasing number of elderly lung cancer patients amidst China's aging population and to fill the gap in quality control standards for surgical treatment in this special population, this study aimed to develop a standardized surgical evaluation system for elderly lung cancer patients tailored to China's national conditions. The system was established through a literature review, integrated the pathophysiological characteristics of elderly patients, and was constructed following review, feedback, and revision by experts from multiple thoracic surgery centers. Employing a 100-point scoring system, it comprises three primary domains: physical infrastructure and geriatric adaptability foundational conditions (10 points); management level and perioperative care models (20 points); and technical proficiency and clinical outcomes (70 points). The system places a strong emphasis on geriatric adaptability, proposing specific, quantifiable indicators for age-friendly facility modifications, control of elderly-specific complications, multidisciplinary collaboration, and standardized perioperative management. It provides a convenient and measurable assessment tool for quality control in the surgical treatment of elderly lung cancer in China, which is expected to promote the standardization and homogenization of diagnosis and treatment.

Objective:To investigate the predictive value of serum CC chemokine ligand 20(CCL20)and leucine-rich G protein-coupled receptor 4(LGR4)for recurrence and metastasis in patients with colon cancer after laparoscopic surgery.Methods:A total of 214 patients with colon cancer who underwent laparoscopic surgery for colon cancer from April 2019 to April 2022 were selected as the cancer group,and 214 patients with benign lesions of colon admitted dur-ing the same period were selected as the benign lesion group.According to the results of 2-year follow-up,the patients with colon cancer were divided into recurrent group(66 cases)and non-recurrent group(148 cases).The levels of serum CCL20 and LGR4 were detected by ELISA.ROC curve was used to analyze the predictive value of serum CCL20 and LGR4 for recurrence and metastasis of colon cancer patients after laparoscopic surgery.Multivariate Cox regression analysis of the factors affecting postoperative recurrence and metastasis.Results:The levels of serum CCL20 and LGR4 in the cancer group were significantly lower after operation,but still significantly higher than those in the benign le-sion group(P＜0.05).Serum levels of CCL20 and LGR4 in relapsed group were significantly increased compared with those in non-recurrent group(P＜0.05).There were significant differences in TNM stage,differentiation degree and infil-tration depth between relapse group and non-recurrence group(P＜0.05).Compared with the single prediction,the com-bined detection of serum CCL20(Z=2.733,P=0.006)and LGR4(Z=3.705,P＜0.00)levels significantly increased the AUC in predicting the recurrence and metastasis of colon cancer after laparoscopic surgery.Multivariate Cox regression analy-sis showed that TNM stage,differentiation degree,CCL20 and LGR4 levels were the factors affecting the recurrence and metastasis of colon cancer patients after laparoscopic surgery(P＜0.05).Conclusion:The serum levels of CCL20 and LGR4 increased in patients with colon cancer,and the changes of the levels were closely related to the recurrence and metastasis of colon cancer after laparoscopic surgery.

Objective:To investigate the positive rate,mutation type and distribution characteristics of thalassemia gene detection in children in Nanchong area.Methods:The common α and β-thalassemia gene mutation sites were detected in 1 254 children suspected of thalassemia by hematological screening in our hospital from January 2017 to December 2023,and the genotypes,detection rates and clinical characteristics of thalassemia in local children were statistically analyzed.Results:Among 1 254 children with suspected thalassemia,490 carriers were screened out,with a positive detection rate of 39.07％.Among them,220 cases(17.54％)were α-thalassemia,251 cases(20.02％)wereβ-thalassemia,and 19 cases(1.52％)were αβ compound thalassemia.Among 220 cases of α-thalassemia,the main genotypes were--SEA/αα,-α3.7/αα,-α3.7/--SEA and-α4.2/αα,accounting for 63.64％,18.64％,5.91％,and 5.00％,respectively.Among 251 cases of β-thalassemia,CD17,CD41-42,and IVS-Ⅱ-654 genotypes were the most common,accounting for 40.24％,29.88％,and 17.93％,respectively.In 19 cases of αβ compound thalassemia,the most common genotypes were-α3.7/αα compound CD41-42,--SEA/αα compound CD41-42,--SEA/αα compound CD17,accounting for 26.32％,15.79％,and 15.79％,respectively.In addition,compared with healthy individuals,red blood cell(RBC)in the thalassemia gene carriers was significantly increased,while hemoglobin(Hb),mean corpuscular volume(MCV),mean corpuscular hemoglobin(MCH),mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration(MCHC)and red blood cell distribution width-standard deviation(RDW-SD)were significantly decreased(all P＜0.01).The ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve(AUC)of RDW-SD,MCHC,MCH,MCV,Hb and RBC were 0.827,0.707,0.823,0.863,0.603 and 0.882,respectively.The thalassemia gene carrying rates from 2017 to 2023 in Nanchong were 35.6％(54/154),28.43％(56/197),34.74％(74/213),40.56％(58/143),42.69％(73/171),45.86％(83/181),and 47.18％(92/195),respectively,showing an upward trend year by year.Conclusion:The positive detection rate of children's thalassemia gene in Nanchong is relatively high,and the genetic types are complex,with β-thalassemia as the main type.The genetic pattern shows obvious regional distribution characteristics.The genotypes of thalassemia in children are mainly--SEA/αα,-α3.7/αα,CD17,CD41-42 and IVS-Ⅱ-654,which are consistent with the genotypes of adults in this area,but different from high-risk areas such as Dongguan and Guangxi.

Objective To explore the efficacy differences between 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging with zero echo time(3T MRI ZTE)and high resolution computed tomography(HRCT)in the detection of pulmonary nodules and the classification diagnosis of the lung imaging reporting and data system(Lung-RADS)in sub-health populations.Methods Clinical and imaging data of 93 patients with pulmonary nodules(126 nodules in total)admitted to some hospital from July to December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.The 126 nodules were categorized into a benign nodule group(n=51)and a malignant nodule group(n=75)using pathological findings as the gold standard.All the patients underwent examinations by 3T MRI ZTE and HRCT to compare the detection rates of the two measures for pulmonary nodules;the missed and misdiagnosis rates of 3T MRI ZTE,HRCT and Lung-RADS grading were contrasted with the postoperative pathological diagnosis results as the gold standard;comparison analyses of 3T MRI ZTE signs and HRCT signs were performed between the two groups and the patients with different Lung-RADS grades;3T MRI ZTE,HRCT and Lung-RADS grading were compared with the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve in terms of diagnosis efficacy for pulmonary nodules,and the consistency analysis was carried out.Results No discernible statistical variation was observed in the detection rates of pulmonary nodules between 3T MRI ZTE and HRCT(P>0.05).Lung-RADS grading had the highest rates of missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis,and 3T MRI ZTE and HRCT had similar detection rates.The malignant nodule group was different from the benign nodule group in the 3T MRI ZTE and HRCT signs in terms of lesion size,spiculation sign,lobulation sign,calcifica-tion,pleural indentation sign,cavity sign,boundary and bronchial cut-off sign,with the differences being statistically signi-ficant(all P<0.05).For the patients of Lung-RADS grade 3,the 3T MRI ZTE and HRCT signs had significant differences in terms of lesion size,spiculation sign,lobulation sign,calcification,pleural indentation sign,cavity sign and bronchial cut-off sign(all P<0.05).For the patients of Lung-RADS grade 4A,the 3T MRI ZTE and HRCT signs had significant differen-ces in terms of lesion size,calcification,boundary and bronchial cut-off sign(all P<0.05).For the patients of Lung-RADS grade 4B,the 3T MRI ZTE and HRCT signs had significant differences in terms of lesion size and calcification(all P<0.05).For the patients of Lung-RADS grade 4X,there were no significant differences found between the 3T MRI ZTE and HRCT signs(all P>0.05).HRCT had the highest sensitivity,specificity,accuracy,AUC value,predictive values and Kappa value for benign and malignant nodules,3T MRI ZTE had the values slightly lower than those of HRCT,and Lung-RADS grading had the lowest values when compared with HRCT and 3T MRI ZTE.Conclusion HRCT and 3T MRI ZTE are complementary for the evaluation of pulmonary nodules,and the differences in imaging signs between them show graded dependence.3T MRI ZTE and HRCT have no significant differences in the detection rate of pulmonary nodules,while HRCT gains advanta-ges in differentiating benign and malignant pulmonary nodules,and references are provided for the screening and clinical early diagnosis of pulmonary nodules.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(9):52-59]

Drynaria fortunei,commonly known as"bone setting herb",has been widely included in various traditional Chinese herb-al classics for treating bone injuries.It is used medicinally from its rhizome,which has a bitter taste and warm property.It is known to nourish the kidneys,strengthen bones,and alleviate pain from injuries.The chemical constituents mainly include flavonoids,phenylpro-panoids,triterpenoids,phenolic acids,lignans,and sterols.Modern medical research indicates that Drynaria fortunei has anti-osteoporo-sis effects,promotes fracture healing,has anti-inflammatory properties,and benefits dental health.This article reviews the historical use of Drynaria fortunei and recent research on its chemical composition and pharmacological effects,summarizing some of the mechanisms of action.The aim is to provide a reference for further research on this medicinal herb.

Objective To analyze the risk factors for upper arm ports(UAP)related infections and develop a nomogram for predicting the UAP related infections.Methods Patients(n=6 028)with UAP between 2014 and 2023 in Renji Hospital,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine were included and assigned to a training set(n=4 219)or a validation set(n=1 809).Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator(LASSO)regression were built and non-zero factors were screened out.Multivariate logistic regression was performed for these non-zero factors to screen significant factors out for constructing a prediction model.The performance of the model was evaluated by the area under curve(AUC)of the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves,calibration curves,the decision curve analysis(DCA)curve,and clinical impact curves(CICs)in both training set and validation set.Results The model incorporated gender,venous access,venous status,catheter-related thrombosis(CRT),and diameter of catheter.The model performed well.The AUC of ROC was 0.801 in the training set and 0.746 in the validation set.The calibration curve was close to the ideal curve,indicating good discriminative ability of the model.The DCA curve suggested that the model could help make beneficial clinical decisions when the risk assessment value was 30％-41％.CICs proved that the model had good clinical value.Conclusions A model was successfully constructed to predict UAP-related infections.The brachial/basilic vein and 5F catheter was proposed as the first choice.Thicker catheter diameter,male,CRT,abnormal venous status,and axillary vein approach may increase the risk of UAP related infection.

Objective:To investigate the adjunctive diagnostic value of retinal imaging structural parameters combined with apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene polymorphisms for Alzheimer′s disease (AD).Methods:It was a case-control study, 71 confirmed AD patients who attended the Department of Neurology in Sichuan Provincial People′s Hospital from May 2023 to June 2024 and 156 healthy medical checkups who participated in medical checkups in the Health Management Center were continuously with convenience sampling method; the subjects were included as the AD case group and healthy control group, respectively. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to measure the structural parameters of retinal imaging such as the thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and the retinal nerve fiber layer-inner plexiform layer (RNFL-IPL) in the study subjects. Information on demographic characteristics and disease history of the study participants were collected through a questionnaire, and venous blood was collected to test for ApoE gene polymorphisms. The retinal imaging structural parameters, ApoE gene polymorphisms and other related indicators were included in a multifactorial logistic regression model to analyze the main factors affecting the risk of AD. Based on the results of the multifactorial analysis, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted and the areas under the curve (AUC) were calculated to evaluate the efficacy of different models in the adjunctive diagnosis of AD.Results:Of the 227 study subjects included in the analysis, 153 were females and 74 were males; there were 71 cases in the AD case group with a mean age of (66.73±8.83) years, and there were 156 subjects in the healthy control group with an average age of (61.95±8.21) years. Educational attainment of elementary school and below ( OR=4.683, 95% CI: 2.133-10.282), living visual acuity<0.5 ( OR=2.716, 95% CI: 1.12-6.583), and carrying ≥1 ApoE ε4 genes ( OR=5.331, 95% CI: 2.309-11.891) were positively correlated with the risk of AD. RNFL thickening ( OR=0.923, 95% CI: 0.854-0.998) was negatively associated with the risk of AD (all P<0.05). The AD risk assessment model (Model 4), which included fundus imaging features and ApoE gene polymorphisms, had the highest predictive efficacy (AUC=0.857, P<0.001). Conclusion:Retinal imaging structural parameters differ significantly between AD patients and healthy examinees, and a risk assessment model combining retinal imaging structural parameters and ApoE gene polymorphisms has high predictive value and is expected to serve as an auxiliary diagnostic tool for AD.

Objective:To investigate the effect of altitude on the risk of pre-eclampsia (PE).Methods:This cross-sectional study included 19 246 pregnant women who delivered in Gansu Provincial Hospital from January 2016 to December 2020. General clinical data, pregnancy outcomes and neonatal outcomes were collected. The diagnosis of PE was based on the disease diagnosis coding of medical record information system and the Chinese guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (2020). According to the altitude of residence, the subjects were divided into low altitude group (9 931 cases), middle altitude group (9 068 cases) and high altitude group (247 cases). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationship between altitude and the risk of PE, after adjusting for confounding factors such as age, ethnicity, mode of conception, gestational diabetes mellitus, and hemoglobin level.Results:(1) Among the 19 246 pregnant women, 752 (3.91%, 752/19 246) were diagnosed with PE. The incidence of PE in the low altitude group, middle altitude group and high altitude group was 2.95% (293/9 931), 4.91% (445/9 068) and 5.67% (14/247), respectively. With the increase of living altitude, the incidence of PE increased significantly ( P<0.001). (2) The results of univariate logistic analysis showed that compared with the low altitude area, the risk of PE in pregnant women living in the middle altitude area and high altitude area increased by 70% ( OR=1.70, 95% CI: 1.46-1.97; P<0.001) and 98% ( OR=1.98, 95% CI: 1.14-3.43; P=0.016). (3) The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that after fully adjusting for confounding factors, the risk of PE increased by 40% for every 500 meters of elevation ( OR=1.40, 95% CI: 1.25-1.57; P<0.001). Compared with those living in low altitude areas, the risk of PE in pregnant women living in middle altitude and high altitude areas increased by 72% ( OR=1.72, 95% CI: 1.47-2.00; P<0.001) and 100% ( OR=2.00, 95% CI: 1.07-3.74; P=0.030). Conclusion:In the high-altitude environment of Gansu Province, the risk of PE gradually increases with the increase of altitude.

Objective To explore the types of symptom clusters in patients with bladder instillation and identify the core symptoms through symptom network analysis,and to provide evidence for symptom management of the patients.Methods Convenience sampling was used to select 226 patients with bladder instillation for bladder cancer at a Tier-IIIA hospital in Guiyang from March 2023 to July 2024.Data were collected through review of medical record,general information questionnaires and symptom assessment questionnaires specific to the patients with bladder instillation.Exploratory factor analysis was used to extract symptom clusters,and symptom relationships were analysed using R language for network layout and centrality calculations.Results A total of 223 patients with bladder cancer completed the survey.Four symptom clusters were identified,namely the urinary system symptom cluster,digestive system symptom cluster,somatic symptom cluster and psychological symptom cluster,with a cumulative variance contribution rate of 66.038%.The symptom network analysis showed strong associations between dysuria and urethral pain during catheterisation,incomplete emptying and dysuria,as well as distress and poor sleep quality.In terms of centrality indicators,the top three symptoms by strength were dysuria(rS=2.26),incomplete emptying(rS=0.99)and poor sleep quality(rS=0.90).Of the expected impacts,the top three were dysuria(rE=2.09),poor sleep quality(rE=1.34)and frequency of urinary(rE=0.55).Regarding the closeness centrality,the top three were dysuria(rC=2.23),incomplete emptying(rC=0.64)and poor sleep quality(rC=0.54).Dysuria had the highest strength,expected impact and closeness centrality,indicating the dysuria was the core symptom in the patients with bladder cancer.Conclusion For the patients with bladder instillation experience,multiple and interconnected symptoms appear at the same time and together they form a symptom clusters,of which the pain in urination is the core symptom.Medical staff should consider symptom prevalence and core symptoms and to develop the targeted and precise management strategies for targeted nursing.