Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common head and neck malignancy. Approximately 50% to 60% of patients with OSCC are diagnosed at a locally advanced stage (clinical staging III-IVa). Even with comprehensive and sequential treatment primarily based on surgery, the 5-year overall survival rate remains below 50%, and patients often suffer from postoperative functional impairments such as difficulties with speaking and swallowing. Programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) inhibitors are increasingly used in the neoadjuvant treatment of locally advanced OSCC and have shown encouraging efficacy. However, clinical practice still faces key challenges, including the definition of indications, optimization of combination regimens, and standards for efficacy evaluation. Based on the latest research advances worldwide and the clinical experience of the expert group, this expert consensus systematically evaluates the application of PD-1 inhibitors in the neoadjuvant treatment of locally advanced OSCC, covering combination strategies, treatment cycles and surgical timing, efficacy assessment, use of biomarkers, management of special populations and immune related adverse events, principles for immunotherapy rechallenge, and function preservation strategies. After multiple rounds of panel discussion and through anonymous voting using the Delphi method, the following consensus statements have been formulated: 1) Neoadjuvant therapy with PD-1 inhibitors can be used preoperatively in patients with locally advanced OSCC. The preferred regimen is a PD-1 inhibitor combined with platinum based chemotherapy, administered for 2-3 cycles. 2) During the efficacy evaluation of neoadjuvant therapy, radiographic assessment should follow the dual criteria of Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1 and immune RECIST (iRECIST). After surgery, systematic pathological evaluation of both the primary lesion and regional lymph nodes is required. For combination chemotherapy regimens, PD-L1 expression and combined positive score need not be used as mandatory inclusion or exclusion criteria. 3) For special populations such as the elderly (≥ 70 years), individuals with stable HIV viral load, and carriers of chronic HBV/HCV, PD-1 inhibitors may be used cautiously under the guidance of a multidisciplinary team (MDT), with close monitoring for adverse events. 4) For patients with a poor response to neoadjuvant therapy, continuation of the original treatment regimen is not recommended; the subsequent treatment plan should be adjusted promptly after MDT assessment. Organ transplant recipients and patients with active autoimmune diseases are not recommended to receive neoadjuvant PD-1 inhibitor therapy due to the high risk of immune related activation. Rechallenge is generally not advised for patients who have experienced high risk immune related adverse events such as immune mediated myocarditis, neurotoxicity, or pneumonitis. 5) For patients with a good pathological response, individualized de escalation surgery and function preservation strategies can be explored. This consensus aims to promote the standardized, safe, and precise application of neoadjuvant PD-1 inhibitor strategies in the management of locally advanced OSCC patients.

BackgroundPatients with chronic schizophrenia often suffer from cognitive impairment. Traditional cognitive rehabilitation training has problems such as a single form and poor compliance， making it urgent to develop new cognitive intervention methods. ObjectiveTo explore the intervention effect of smartphone games on the cognitive function of patients with chronic schizophrenia， and to analyze the differences in cognitive function improvement between patients of different genders， in order to provide references for the cognitive function intervention of these patients. MethodsThis study was a prospective cohort study. A total of 30 patients who were hospitalized in the Psychiatry Department of Chaohu Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University from March to October 2021， met the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia as defined in the International Classification of Diseases， tenth edition （ICD-10）， and had a disease duration of above 5 years， were selected as the research subjects. All patients received smartphone game intervention for 12 weeks， 5 times a week， each session lasting 1 hour， in addition to conventional antipsychotic drug treatment. At the baseline and at 3， 6， 9， and 12 weeks of the intervention， the cognitive function was evaluated using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status （RBANS）， the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale （PANSS） was used to assess mental symptoms， and the Problematic Mobile Gaming Questionnaire （PMGQ） was used to assess addiction symptoms. ResultsA total of 26 patients （86.67%） completed the study， including 13 females and 13 males. The time effects， group effects， and interaction effect between time and group for the immediate memory factor score of RBANS in the female group and the male group were all statistically significant （F=36.682， 5.712， 3.090， P<0.05 or 0.01）， and the time effects and group effects for the verbal and delayed memory factors as well as the total score in both groups were also statistically significant （F=3.841， 6.149， 15.372， P<0.05 or 0.01）. The time effects and group effects of the total score of PANSS in both groups had no statistical significance （F=2.041， 0.623， P>0.05 for both）， and the interaction effect between time and group was statistically significant （F=5.728， P<0.01）. The time effects， group effects， and interaction effect of the total score of PMGQ in both groups were all without statistical significance （F=2.672， 0.166， 0.642， P>0.05 for both）. ConclusionSmartphone game intervention may help improve the cognitive function of patients with chronic schizophrenia （especially immediate memory， verbal function， and delayed memory）， and the benefits are greater for female patients. The smartphone game intervention did not induce game addiction， but no significant improvement in psychotic symptoms was observed. ［Funded by Excellent Young Talents Support Program of Anhui Provincial Department of Education （number， gxyqZD2022022）； www.chictr.org.cn number， ChiCTR2100044113］

Objective: To investigate the role of butyric acid-producing bacteria in long bone homeostasis in mice with periodontitis under a high-fat/high-sugar diet and to provide new insights for the prevention and treatment of periodontitis and related bone metabolic diseases. Methods: This study has been approved by the Animal Welfare and Ethics Committee of the Experimental Animal Center. Initially, 14 mice were randomly divided into the CON group (the control group) and the LIG group (the periodontitis group). Mice in the LIG group had experimental periodontitis induced by ligating the second maxillary molars bilaterally and were fed a high-fat and high-sugar diet. After 8 weeks, samples were collected. Micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT) was used to analyze alveolar bone resorption and various parameters of the proximal tibia trabecular bone, including bone mineral density (BMD), bone volume per tissue volume (BV/TV), trabecular number (Tb.N), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), and trabecular separation (Tb.Sp). After decalcification, hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was performed on maxillary bone sections to assess periodontal tissue inflammation and connective tissue destruction. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect related genes in the distal femur and proximal tibia bone tissues, including osteocalcin (OCN), osteogenic transcription factor (Osterix), osteoprotegerin (OPG), tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), osteoclast-associated receptor (OSCAR), receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B (RANK), and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANK-L). Subsequently, the other 28 mice were randomly divided into the CON group (the control group), LIG group (the periodontitis group), CON + butyric acid-producing bacteria (BP) group, and LIG + BP group. The breeding, sampling, and sample detection methods remained the same. Finally, the other 28 mice were randomly divided into the CON group (the control group), LIG group (the periodontitis group), CON + sodium butyrate (SB) group, and LIG + SB group. The breeding, sampling, and sample detection methods remained the same. Results: ①Periodontitis modeling was successful. Compared with the CON group, the LIG group exhibited significant alveolar bone resorption of the maxillary second molar, aggravated periodontal tissue inflammation, and connective tissue destruction. ②Periodontitis exacerbated long bone resorption in mice fed a high-fat high-sugar diet. Compared with the CON group, the LIG group had significantly lower BMD, BV/TV, Tb.N, and Tb.Th (P<0.05), and significantly higher Tb.Sp (P<0.05). HE staining of the proximal tibia showed that the trabeculae in the LIG group were sparse and disordered, with some areas showing fractures or dissolution. The expression of osteoblast markers (OCN, Osterix, OPG) was significantly lower in the LIG group (P<0.05), while the expression of the osteoclast marker TRAP showed an increasing trend (P>0.05). The ratio of RANK-L/OPG was significantly higher in the LIG group compared with the CON group (P<0.05). ③ Supplementation with butyric acid-producing bacteria alleviates periodontitis-induced disruption of long bone homeostasis in mice fed a high-fat/high-sugar diet. Compared with the LIG group, BMD and Tb.Th were significantly higher in the LIG + BP group. HE staining of the proximal tibia showed that bone resorption was mitigated in the LIG + BP group compared with the LIG group. The expression of OCN and Osterix was significantly higher in the LIG + BP group, while the expression of osteoclast-specific genes (OSCAR, RANK, RANK-L) was significantly lower (P<0.05). ④ Supplementation with butyrate alleviates periodontitis-induced disruption of long bone homeostasis in mice fed a high-fat/high-sugar diet. Compared with the LIG group, BV/TV and Tb.N were significantly higher in the LIG + SB group, and Tb.Sp was significantly lower (P<0.05). HE staining of the proximal tibia showed that bone resorption was mitigated in the LIG + SB group compared with the LIG group. The expression of Osterix, OPG, OSCAR, TRAP, and RANK was significantly lower in the LIG + SB group compared with the LIG group (P<0.05). Conclusion Periodontitis disrupts the long bone homeostasis of mice fed a high-fat high-sugar diet, aggravating long bone resorption. Supplementation with butyric acid-producing bacteria or butyrate can effectively alleviate the disruption of long bone homeostasis caused by periodontitis.

Background: s/Aims: Sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a rare histological subtype of HCC characterized by extremely poor prognosis; however, its molecular characterization has not been elucidated. Methods: In this study, we conducted an integrated multiomics study of whole-exome sequencing, RNA-seq, spatial transcriptome, and immunohistochemical analyses of 28 paired sarcomatoid tumor components and conventional HCC components from 10 patients with sarcomatoid HCC, in order to identify frequently altered genes, infer the tumor subclonal architectures, track the genomic evolution, and delineate the transcriptional characteristics of sarcomatoid HCCs. Results: Our results showed that the sarcomatoid HCCs had poor prognosis. The sarcomatoid tumor components and the conventional HCC components were derived from common ancestors, mostly accessing similar mutational processes. Clonal phylogenies demonstrated branched tumor evolution during sarcomatoid HCC development and progression. TP53 mutation commonly occurred at tumor initiation, whereas ARID2 mutation often occurred later. Transcriptome analyses revealed the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and hypoxic phenotype in sarcomatoid tumor components, which were confirmed by immunohistochemical staining. Moreover, we identified ARID2 mutations in 70% (7/10) of patients with sarcomatoid HCC but only 1–5% of patients with non-sarcomatoid HCC. Biofunctional investigations revealed that inactivating mutation of ARID2 contributes to HCC growth and metastasis and induces EMT in a hypoxic microenvironment. Conclusions We offer a comprehensive description of the molecular basis for sarcomatoid HCC, and identify genomic alteration (ARID2 mutation) together with the tumor microenvironment (hypoxic microenvironment), that may contribute to the formation of the sarcomatoid tumor component through EMT, leading to sarcomatoid HCC development and progression.

Background: s/Aims: Sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a rare histological subtype of HCC characterized by extremely poor prognosis; however, its molecular characterization has not been elucidated. Methods: In this study, we conducted an integrated multiomics study of whole-exome sequencing, RNA-seq, spatial transcriptome, and immunohistochemical analyses of 28 paired sarcomatoid tumor components and conventional HCC components from 10 patients with sarcomatoid HCC, in order to identify frequently altered genes, infer the tumor subclonal architectures, track the genomic evolution, and delineate the transcriptional characteristics of sarcomatoid HCCs. Results: Our results showed that the sarcomatoid HCCs had poor prognosis. The sarcomatoid tumor components and the conventional HCC components were derived from common ancestors, mostly accessing similar mutational processes. Clonal phylogenies demonstrated branched tumor evolution during sarcomatoid HCC development and progression. TP53 mutation commonly occurred at tumor initiation, whereas ARID2 mutation often occurred later. Transcriptome analyses revealed the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and hypoxic phenotype in sarcomatoid tumor components, which were confirmed by immunohistochemical staining. Moreover, we identified ARID2 mutations in 70% (7/10) of patients with sarcomatoid HCC but only 1–5% of patients with non-sarcomatoid HCC. Biofunctional investigations revealed that inactivating mutation of ARID2 contributes to HCC growth and metastasis and induces EMT in a hypoxic microenvironment. Conclusions We offer a comprehensive description of the molecular basis for sarcomatoid HCC, and identify genomic alteration (ARID2 mutation) together with the tumor microenvironment (hypoxic microenvironment), that may contribute to the formation of the sarcomatoid tumor component through EMT, leading to sarcomatoid HCC development and progression.

Background: s/Aims: Sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a rare histological subtype of HCC characterized by extremely poor prognosis; however, its molecular characterization has not been elucidated. Methods: In this study, we conducted an integrated multiomics study of whole-exome sequencing, RNA-seq, spatial transcriptome, and immunohistochemical analyses of 28 paired sarcomatoid tumor components and conventional HCC components from 10 patients with sarcomatoid HCC, in order to identify frequently altered genes, infer the tumor subclonal architectures, track the genomic evolution, and delineate the transcriptional characteristics of sarcomatoid HCCs. Results: Our results showed that the sarcomatoid HCCs had poor prognosis. The sarcomatoid tumor components and the conventional HCC components were derived from common ancestors, mostly accessing similar mutational processes. Clonal phylogenies demonstrated branched tumor evolution during sarcomatoid HCC development and progression. TP53 mutation commonly occurred at tumor initiation, whereas ARID2 mutation often occurred later. Transcriptome analyses revealed the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and hypoxic phenotype in sarcomatoid tumor components, which were confirmed by immunohistochemical staining. Moreover, we identified ARID2 mutations in 70% (7/10) of patients with sarcomatoid HCC but only 1–5% of patients with non-sarcomatoid HCC. Biofunctional investigations revealed that inactivating mutation of ARID2 contributes to HCC growth and metastasis and induces EMT in a hypoxic microenvironment. Conclusions We offer a comprehensive description of the molecular basis for sarcomatoid HCC, and identify genomic alteration (ARID2 mutation) together with the tumor microenvironment (hypoxic microenvironment), that may contribute to the formation of the sarcomatoid tumor component through EMT, leading to sarcomatoid HCC development and progression.

Objective To analyze and compare the disease burden, trends, and influencing factors of lung cancer in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) in China and globally from 1990 to 2021, providing a reference for the prevention and treatment of lung cancer in China. Methods Indicators of lung cancer disease burden in different genders and age groups in 204 countries or regions from 1990 to 2021 were retrieved and standardized from GBD 2021 database. The Joinpoint regression model was used to calculate the average annual percentage change (AAPC) of the standardized rates of lung cancer in AYAs in China and globally from 1990 to 2021; changes in incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) rates due to population growth, aging, and epidemiological changes were analyzed; differences in lung cancer disease burden in AYAs in different socio-demographic index (SDI) regions were analyzed; and the influencing factors of lung cancer in AYAs in China and globally were explored. Results From 1990 to 2021, the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) (AAPC=−0.18%, P<0.001), age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) (AAPC=−0.62%, P<0.001), and age-standardized DALYs rate (AAPC=−0.62%, P<0.001) of lung cancer in AYAs in China showed a downward trend, consistent with the global trend, but the decline in China was relatively small. During this period, the age-standardized rates of various indicators of lung cancer in males in China and globally were higher than those in females, and the burden of lung cancer in Chinese males was heavier. However, due to the significant downward trend in males, the gap in lung cancer burden between males and females was narrowing. At the same time, from 2013 to 2021, the ASIR [annual percent change (APC)=2.01%, P<0.001], ASMR (APC=1.46%, P<0.001), and standardized DALYs rate (APC=1.46%, P<0.001) in China showed an upward trend. From 1990 to 2021, among the main influencing factors for the incidence, mortality, and DALYs rates of lung cancer in Chinese AYAs, the contribution of aging was upward-pushing, while the increase in global indicators was mainly attributed to population growth. The global burden of lung cancer in AYAs was overly concentrated in high SDI regions. Although the gap in lung cancer burden between high SDI and low SDI regions was narrowing, it remained widespread. Globally, smoking, environmental PM2.5, insufficient fruit intake, second-hand smoke, and indoor air pollution were prominent risk factors. Conclusion From 1990 to 2021, the global and Chinese AYAs lung cancer incidence and mortality rates generally show a downward trend, but the female lung cancer burden relatively increases, especially in young women without a history of smoking. Continued efforts are needed to reduce the burden of lung cancer in AYAs, especially the specific risk for young women.