Obesity is a chronic low-grade inflammation and a risk factor for diseases such as diabetes， hypertension， dyslipidemia， and malignant tumors， demonstrating an increasingly grim development situation. The nuclear factor-kappa B （NF-κB） signaling pathway is a key signaling pathway involved in the immune response and inflammatory response. In obese individuals， the expression of NF-κB is overactivated， which leads to abnormal inflammatory responses in the body. Therefore， it is expected to alleviate inflammation and treat obesity by regulating the NF-κB signaling pathway， which has been proven effective by a large number of studies. The available studies on the NF-κB signaling pathway mostly focus on tumors， and there is no systematic review of the mechanism of this pathway in mediating obesity and the traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） treatment. We reviewed the research progress in the pathological and physiological processes of obesity mediated by NF-κB signaling pathway and TCM treatment， aiming to give insights into the clinical treatment of obesity with TCM and provide reference targets and research directions for exploring the biological foundations and the development of new TCM preparations.

Background Kurtosis reflecting noise's temporal structure is an effective metric for evaluating noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), and its threshold is still unclear. Objective To explore the energy range of kurtosis and the threshold of NIHL induced by kurtosis in this energy rangeMethods Using cross-sectional design, 4631 noise-exposed workers in manufacturing industry were selected. The hearing loss and noise exposure data of each worker were collected. Logistic regression model was used to establish the dose-response relationship between noise exposure and hearing loss and estimate the range of energy effects. Restricted cubic spline model was utilized to analyze the dose-response relationship curves of kurtosis to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHI) and high-frequency noise-induced hearing loss (HFNIHL) under different 8 h equivalent sound levels (L_{EX,8 h}), as well as to estimate the kurtosis effect threshold. Results The logistic regression model analysis showed that the prevalence of NIHI and HFNIHL increased significantly with increase of L_{EX,8 h} for steady noise; when L_{EX,8 h} of non-steady noise was 80-100 dB(A), the risk of hearing loss increased with an increase in kurtosis (P<0.05). The restricted cubic spline model showed that when L_{EX,8 h} of non-steady noise was 0-80 dB(A) or >100 dB(A), there was no significant relationship between kurtosis and NIHI or HFNIHL. When L_{EX,8 h} was 80-100 dB(A), there was a significant nonlinear dose-response relationship between kurtosis and NIHL or HFNIHL (P <0.001), and kurtosis > 28.08 exerted effect in elevating NIHI or HFNIHL. Conclusion The effect threshold of kurtosis on NIHL is 28.08 when non-steady noise levels are in the range of 80-100 dB(A). The effect threshold of kurtosis needs further verification.

Background Temporal kurtosis (without frequency weighting, i.e., Z-weighted kurtosis) can evaluate noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). However, few studies have considered the function of frequency weighting (A- or C-weighted) kurtosis on NIHL. Objective To study the significance of A- and C-weighted kurtosis adjustment for equivalent sound level (L'_{EX,8 h}) in evaluating occupational hearing loss. Methods A cross-sectional survey was used to select 973 noise-exposed workers in seven industries as the subjects. The noise exposure of all workers was assessed by distributions of A-, C-, and Z-weighted kurtosis (e.g., K_A, K_C, and K_Z) and respective adjusted equivalent sound level (e.g., L'_{EX,8 h}-K_A, L'_{EX,8 h}-K_C, and L'_{EX,8 h}-K_Z). The significance of A- and C-weighted kurtosis in evaluating NIHL was evaluated by correlations between three types of L'_{EX,8 h} and NIHL, and improvement of noise-induced permanent threshold shift (NIPTS) underestimation predicted by the ISO prediction model (Acoustics—Estimation of noise-induced hearing loss, ISO 1999-2013). Results The median K_A, K_C, and K_Z were 68.33, 28.22, and 19.82, respectively. The binary logistic regression showed that L_{EX, 8 h}-K_A, L_{EX, 8 h}-K_C, and L'_{EX, 8 h}-K_Z were risk factors for NIHL (OR>1, P<0.001). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed that when the outcome variable was noise-induced hearing impairment (NIHI), the areas under the curves corresponding to L'_{EX,8 h}-K_A, L'_{EX,8 h}-K_C, and L'_{EX,8 h}-K_Z were 0.625, 0.628, and 0.625, respectively. When the outcome variable was high-frequency noise-induced hearing loss (HFNIHL), the areas under the curves corresponding to L'_{EX,8 h}-K_A, L'_{EX, 8 h}-K_C, and L'_{EX,8 h}-K_Z were 0.624, 0.623, and 0.622, respectively (P<0.05). The order of underestimation improvement values predicted by L'_{EX,8 h} for NIPTS₁₂₃₄ was: L'_{EX,8 h}-K_A (4.68 dB HL)>L'_{EX,8 h}-K_C (4.38 dB HL)>L'_{EX,8 h}-K_Z (4.28 dB HL) (P<0.001). The order of underestimation improvement values predicted by L'_{EX,8 h}-K for NIPTS₃₄₆ was: L'_{EX,8 h}-K_A (7.20 dB HL)>L'_{EX,8 h}-K_C (6.83 dB HL)>L'_{EX,8 h}-K_Z (6.71 dB HL) (P<0.001). Conclusion The adjustment of A- and C-weighted kurtosis to equivalent sound level L_{EX,8 h} can effectively improve the accuracy of the ISO 1999 prediction model in NIPTS prediction, and compared with the C-weighted, the A-weighted kurtosis can improve the result of the ISO 1999 prediction model in terms of underestimating NIPTS.

background Current assessment of noise-induced hearing loss relies on the hearing threshold statistical distribution table of ISO 7029-2017 standard (ISO 7029), which is based on foreign population data and lacks a hearing threshold distribution table derived from pure-tone audiometry data of the Chinese population, hindering accurate evaluation of hearing loss in this group. Objective To establish a statistical distribution table of hearing threshold level (HTL) for otologically normal Chinese adults and to provide a scientific basis for revising the diagnostic criteria of occupational noise-induced deafness in China. Methods A total of 1271 otologically normal Chinese adults aged 18-60 years were divided into four groups with 10-year age intervals. Based on the pure tone audiometry data and power function operation formula, the relevant parameters of the median and percentile calculation formula of ISO 7029 were adjusted. Based on the adjusted parameters, a statistical distribution table of HTL of normal Chinese adults in otology was preliminarily constructed according to the calculation formula of ISO 7029. A nonparametric rank sum test was used to compare the difference between the adjusted median deviation value and the ISO 7029 calculation. Results Except for a few frequencies (2000, 3000, and 8000 Hz), the value of parameter α adjusted for the auditory threshold deviation of the Chinese population (α_CHN-md) increased with the increase of frequency, while the value of parameter β adjusted for the auditory threshold deviation of the Chinese population (β_CHN-md) decreased with the increase of frequency. The preliminary distribution table of otologically normal Chinese adults' median hearing threshold deviation (ΔH_CHN-md) showed that the hearing threshold deviation increased with age and frequency. At 8000 Hz, the increase in ΔH_CHN-md with age was the greatest for both men and women, from 0 dB to 23 dB and 21 dB respectively. The minimal threshold elevation was noted at 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz, which increased from 0 dB to 2 dB. In otologically normal Chinese adults, the maximum increase of ΔH_CHN-md with frequency was observed at age of 50 years, which increased from 2 dB at 500 Hz to 23 dB at 8000 Hz in men and from 2 dB at 500 Hz to 21 dB at 8000 Hz in women. The comparison results with the ISO 7029 calculation showed that the trend was consistent. The median hearing threshold deviation value of the adjusted Chinese population was lower than that of the ISO 7029 calculation (ΔH_md). However, they had no significant statistical difference (P>0.05). For otologically normal normal Chinese men and women, the maximum difference of ΔH_md between the 50-year-old group and the ISO calculation at 8000 Hz was 7 dB and 9 dB, respectively. Conclusion This preliminary analysis of hearing threshold deviations in otologically normal Chinese adults suggests that current standards may potentially underestimate hearing loss at frequencies below 8000 Hz while possibly overestimating it at 8000 Hz. These findings require further validation through expanded sample sizes to more accurately assess the characteristics of hearing thresholds in the Chinese population and their discrepancies with existing standards.

Critically ill patients often experience significant skeletal muscle wasting due to prolonged bed rest, metabolic disorders, inflammatory responses and malnutrition, which affects the patient's mobility and may also lead to increased mortality. Timely and accurate assessment of muscle status is important for optimizing treatment strategies and improving patient prognosis. There are various limitations in the current methods of assessing muscle mass, and muscle ultrasound, as a noninvasive, convenient, low-cost and suitable technique for bedside monitoring, has received increasing attention for its application in muscle assessment of critically ill patients. However, there are still a number of challenges in its practical application, such as the lack of uniform standards for the measurement method, the high dependence on the operation, and the reproducibility of the data that needs to be optimized, and so on. The aim of this article is to systematize the research progress of muscle ultrasound in muscle assessment of critically ill patients, and to discuss the advantages and limitations of its clinical application, in order to provide a scientific basis for future research and clinical practice.
Humans ; Critical Illness ; Ultrasonography ; Muscle, Skeletal/diagnostic imaging*

Objective: To compare the value of a body shape index (ABSI) and body roundness index (BRI) in predicting non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) among non-obese population, so as to provide a reference for the early identification of populations at high risk of NAFLD. Methods: Adults with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 28 kg/m2 who underwent health check-ups in Xiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences from 2022 to 2024 were selected as the study subjects. Demographic information, disease history, height, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, and blood lipid indicators were collected, and ABSI and BRI were calculated. NAFLD was diagnosed using abdominal ultrasound. A multivariable logistic regression model was employed to analyze the relationships between ABSI, BRI and NAFLD among non-obese population. A generalized additive model combined with the penalized spline method was used to fit smooth curves to identify nonlinear relationships, and threshold effects were utilized to determine inflection points. The values of ABSI and BRI in predicting NAFLD among non-obese population were used the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: A total of 1 195 individuals were surveyed, including 345 males (28.87%) and 850 females (71.13%). A total of 348 cases of NAFLD were detected among the non-obese population, with a detection rate of 29.12%. The adjusted ABSI (sABSI) in the NAFLD group and non-NAFLD group were 7.95±0.33 and 8.08±0.34, while the BRI were 3.35±0.79 and 4.15±0.64, respectively, with statistically significant differences between the two groups (both P<0.05). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that, after adjusting for demographic information, disease history, blood pressure, and blood lipid indicators, both sABSI (OR=1.932, 95%CI: 1.184-3.158) and BRI (OR=1.594, 95%CI: 1.071-2.360) were significantly associated with NAFLD among non-obese population. Nonlinear positive correlations were observed between sABSI, BRI, and NAFLD among non-obese population. When sABSI≤8.46 and BRI≥2.72, both indices were positively associated with NAFLD. The area under the ROC curve for ABSI and BRI in predicting NAFLD risk among non-obese population were 0.619 and 0.782, respectively, with optimal cut-off values of 0.082 and 3.656, respectively. Conclusions ABSI and BRI show a non-linear relationship with NAFLD among non-obese population. BRI demonstrates relatively better performance in predicting NAFLD risk among this population and can serve as an auxiliary indicator for the early identification of NAFLD among non-obese population.

Objective To construct an in vitro co-culture model of gastric cancer organoids and cancer-associated fibroblasts(CAFs),and investigate the role of cancer-associated fibroblasts in the proliferation and chemotherapy resistance of gastric cancer organoids.Methods Tumor tissues from 12 gastric cancer patients undergoing surgical treatment in Department of General Surgery of Second Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University from February 2023 to March 2024 were collected to construct gastric cancer organoids using 3D culture.HE staining was used to observe the morphology,and immunohistochemical assay was employed to determine the expression of cytokeratin CK7,carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA),and proliferation marker Ki-67.After CAFs derived from the same patient were cultured,observed for their morphology under a light microscope,and detected for the phenotype by flow cytometry,the cells were co-cultured with gastric cancer organoids in a 1:1 ratio.Phase-contrast microscopy was applied to observe the growth of the organoids and analyze the number,average diameter,and total area.Then,organoids cultured alone served as the control group.After the control and co-culture groups were treated with chemotherapy drugs,5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin,for 48 h,the viability and apoptosis of organoids were assessed with CellTiter-Glo??3D assay and CellEvent? Caspase 3/7 activity,respectively.Results Gastric cancer organoids and CAFs were successfully established from 10 gastric cancer patient-derived samples.The gastric cancer organoids exhibited morphological characteristics consistent with the corresponding primary tumors,and showed positive expression of CK7,CEA,and Ki-67.CAFs displayed typical spindle-shaped morphology and exhibited the phenotypic markers CD326-,CD45-,CD31-,α-SMA+,CD73+,CD90+,and CD105+.Compared to the organoids cultured alone,the organoids co-cultured with CAFs showed more formation of organoids,in larger average diameter,and taking larger total area(P<0.05).After the treatment of 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin,the half-maximal inhibitory concentration(IC50)was 10.66 and 3.26 μmol/L,respectively in the control group,while was 46.23 and 91.11 μmol/L in the co-culture group.Additionally,the number of CellEvent? Caspase 3/7 positive apoptotic cells was significantly less in the co-culture group than the control group.Conclusion Compared with individually cultured gastric cancer organoids,the co-culture model of gastric cancer organoids and CAFs better simulates the pro-tumor proliferation and drug resistance effects of in vivo tumor microenvironment.

Objective To explore the pharmacokinetic characteristics of sufentanil in individuals with normal body mass index(BMI),overweight BMI,and different CYP3A4/5 enzyme genotypes.Methods The patients receiving laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia in the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University from November 2020 to September 2021 were prospectively recruited in this study.Before the operation,the oral swabs were collected from all the patients for genotyping using the human CYP3A4/5 gene kit.Based on the potential impact of combination of their polymorphisms on sufentanil metabolism and the proportion of different genotype combinations of CYP3A4/5 enzymes,the patients were divided into groups I(3A4 homozygous mutation or 3A4 heterozygous mutation+3A5 homozygous mutation),II(3A4 heterozygous mutation+3A5 heterozygous mutation),and III(3A4 wild type or 3A4 heterozygous mutation+3A5 wild type).According to their BMI,they were also assigned into a normal body weight group(18.5～24.0 kg/m2)and an overweight group(24～<28 kg/m2),and the differences in drug metabolism parameters were statistically analyze between the 2 groups.After routine general anesthesia induction(sufentanil 0.5 μg/kg),venous blood samples were collected to detect the changes in its concentration using high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(HPLC-MS).The pharmacokinetic data of sufentanil were calculated between the normal BMI group and overweight group in all participants and between the 2 body weight groups among those with different genotype combinations.Results Among the 90 participants completing the blood drug concentration test,8 patients had their blood samples contaminated(including 1 case with an anesthesia duration of<2 h),and 3 were excluded due to low weight or overweight.Eventually,79 participants were included in the pharmacokinetic analysis on the normal body weight group and the overweight group.Compared with the normal body weight group,the central compartment volume of distribution in the overweight group was significantly reduced(P<0.05),while no obvious differences were observed between the 2 groups in terms of peripheral compartment volume of distribution,total clearance rate,peripheral compartment clearance rate,distribution half-life,clearance half-life,and area under the blood concentration-time curve.In group Ⅰ(n=26),the overweight patients(n=13)had significantly reduced central compartment volume of distribution,peripheral compartment volume of distribution,and peripheral compartment clearance rate when compared with the normal body weight patients(n=13)(P<0.05),while no differences were observed in other pharmacokinetic parameters.In groups Ⅱ(n=25)and Ⅲ(n=28),the overweight patients and normal body weight patients had no statistical differences in all pharmacokinetic parameters.Conclusion Among the patients with the same genotype combination of CYP3A4/5 mutations,there was no difference in the metabolism of sufentanil between the overweight and normal weight patients.Additionally,in the population of 3A4 homozygous mutation or 3A4 heterozygous mutation+3A5 homozygous mutation,the overweight patients have smaller peripheral distribution range of sufentanil,and weakened metabolic process.

Objective:To explore the clinical outcome and applicability of the comb flap technique and stepwise design concept in plastic aesthetic and reconstructive surgery.Methods:The clinical data of patients who underwent plastic aesthetic and reconstructive surgery with the comb flap technique in Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from January 2018 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The application of the comb flap technique follows the concept of stepwise design, that was, preoperative and intraoperative design and adjustment were carried out step by step and in sequence, and the design was combined with the surgical procedure. Its main operations included: an incision was designed along the edge of the target area, the tissue flap was widely separated at the base of the target area. The tissue flap was cut in sequence perpendicular to the cutting edge and temporarily sutured and fixed, the edge was cut and fixed. During the operation, the tension of the incision and the local appearance could be adjusted. The incisal edge was finely sutured, and the temporary suture was finally removed. The healing of surgical incision and complications were observed after the operation, and the facial recovery and surgical effect were followed up.Results:Six patients were enrolled, including 3 males and 3 females, aged from 2 to 58 years. One patient underwent upper eyelid tightening and lower eyelid blepharoplasty through subeyebrow incision. One patient underwent middle and lower face rhytidectomy. One patient underwent thick lip thinning and right facial liposuction. One patient underwent facial congenital melanocytic nevi resection. One patient underwent eyebrow congenital melanocytic nevus resection. One patient underwent facial flap repair. All patients had primary healing of incision, and no surgery-related complications occurred. All patients were followed up for 3 to 18 months, and all patients were satisfied with the surgical effect.Conclusion:The application of comb flap technique and stepwise design concept in plastic aesthetic and reconstructive surgery can delicately adjust the alignment of the incision margin, make the tension evenly distributed, and reduce the risk of scar formation and deformity after the operation. It has a wide range of clinical applications and good applicability.

Objective To investigate the distribution of B cells in both tumor and non-tumor tissues of gastric cancer patients,analyze their phenotypic characteristics and explore the impact on T cell proliferation.Methods Immunohistochemical staining was utilized to detect the expression of B cell surface marker CD 19 in tumor and non-tumor tissues from 33 gastric cancer patients.The expression levels of chemokine receptors and immunoglobulin molecules on B cells in both tumor and non-tumor tissues were measured using flow cytometry.Chemotaxis experiments were conducted to examine the role of the CXCL12-CXCR4 axis in B cell chemotaxis.B cells isolated and purified from both tissue types were co-cultured with autologous peripheral T cells to assess their effect on T cell proliferation.Results There were significantly more B cells infiltrated in tumor tissues than those infitrated in the non-tumor tissues of gastric cancer patients(P＜0.01),and CXCR4 was highly expressed on tumor-infiltrating B cells compared with B cells derived from non-tumor tissues(P＜0.05).The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)analysis indicated that the expression level of CXCL12 in tumor tissues was positively correlated with the expression level of CD19 in gastric cancer patients(r=0.15,P＜0.01).And the expression level of CXCL12 in tumor tissues of the gastric cancer patients was also positively correlated with the number of B cells infiltrated in tumor tissues.Chemotaxis experiments confirmed that the CXCL12-CXCR4 axis was involved in promoting B cell chemotaxis(P＜0.05).Although B cells in tumor and non-tumor tissues had similar levels of IgM,IgG,and IgA expression,tumor-infiltrating B cells significantly inhibited the proliferation of T cells when compared with B cells derived from non-tumor tissues(P＜0.01).Conclusion There are more B cells infiltrated in gastric cancer tissues,which may be recruited to tumor tissues through the CXCL12-CXCR4 axis,and then inhibit T cell proliferation to promote the progression of gastric cancer.