Objectives: . The prognostic value of the pretreatment albumin-to-alkaline phosphatase ratio (AAPR) in head and neck cancer (HNC) remains uncertain. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the predictive role of AAPR for survival outcomes in patients with HNC. Methods: . A comprehensive search of the Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Embase databases was conducted to identify relevant studies published up to July 30, 2024. We included studies on AAPR and survival outcomes in HNC patients. Results: . Eight studies comprising 1,737 HNC patients were analyzed using random-effects models. Lower AAPR values were significantly correlated with worse overall survival (hazard ratio [HR], 2.08), progression-free survival (HR, 2.00), and disease-free survival (HR, 2.18). Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these results, with no significant publication bias detected. Conclusion . Our findings suggest that pretreatment AAPR could serve as a valuable and cost-effective prognostic indicator in HNC, potentially aiding clinicians in risk stratification and treatment decision-making. However, additional validation studies are warranted to confirm its clinical applicability.

Objective: To investigate the survival rate of female breast cancer patients in Panyu District, Guangzhou City, so as to provide the basis for improving the prognosis of breast cancer patients. Methods: Basic information including age, clinical stage and surgical treatment of female breast cancer patients registered in Panyu District and diagnosed in 2017 were collected through the Guangzhou Municipal Cancer Registration and Reporting Management System, and were followed up until December 31, 2022. The survival rate was calculated using the life table. Factors affecting survival time among female breast cancer patients were analyzed using a multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression model. Results: A total of 227 female breast cancer patients were reported in Panyu District in 2017, and had a median age of 51 (interquartile range, 17) years. There were 43 cases (18.94%) in stage Ⅰ, 55 cases (24.23%) in stage Ⅱ, 63 cases (27.75%) in stage Ⅲ, 27 cases (11.89%) in stage Ⅳ, and 39 cases (17.18%) with unknown staging. Surgical treatment was performed in 204 cases (89.87%), and chemotherapy was administered in 73 cases (32.16%). By December 31, 2022, there were 40 deaths and 14 patients lost to follow-up. The one-year, three-year and five-year survival rates were 96.44%, 87.45% and 82.87%, respectively. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression analysis showed that older age (HR=1.023, 95%CI: 1.002-1.046), clinical stage Ⅲ (HR=10.050, 95%CI: 1.324-76.270) or IV (HR=42.663, 95%CI: 5.588-325.742) were associated with a higher risk of mortality in female breast cancer patients, while surgical treatment (HR=0.278, 95%CI: 0.130-0.598) was associated with a lower risk of mortality. Conclusions The five-year survival rate of female breast cancer patients in Panyu District was 82.87%. Age, clinical stage and surgical treatment were the main influencing factors for the survival time of female breast cancer patients.

Imaging examination is a crucial part in diagnosis and treatment of central nervous system infection(CNSI),involving complex imaging sequences and parameters.This consensus was jointly written by multiple CNSI imaging experts in China,aimed to standardize imaging examination of CNSI.

Objective:To analyze the correlation between variants in the start codon of the α-globin gene and phenotypes of thalassemia, so as to provide a basis for the diagnosis and prevention of α-thalassemia.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted on 7 patients diagnosed by Yangjiang People′s Hospital and Guangzhou Hybribio Co. Ltd., from June 2019 to October 2022. Routine blood tests and hemoglobin electrophoresis were carried out. Potential variants were identified through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) combined with Reverse dot blotting (RDB), Gap-PCR, and Sanger sequencing. This study has been approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of People′s Hospital of Yangjiang (Ethics No: 20240001).Results:For the 7 patients, results of blood routine test of one case was unknown, and that of another was normal. The remaining 5 cases had presented with microcytic hypochromic anemia. The results of hemoglobin electrophoresis showed that one case had normal Hb A and slightly lower Hb A 2, whilst another had significantly decreased Hb A and Hb A 2, in addition with the appearance of a Hb H band. The content of Hb Bart′s in four neonates was ≥0.4%. The remaining one case had no result. Genetic testing has identified 4 rare start codon mutations, namely HBA2: c. 2delT, HBA2: c. 1A>G, HBA2: c. 1A>T, and HBA1: c. 2T>C. Among these, Patient 1 had harbored compound heterozygous variants of HBA2: c. 427T>C (Hb CS) and HBA2: c. 2delT. Patient 4 had harbored compound heterozygous variants of HBA2: c. 1A>G and Southeast Asian type deletion. Conclusion:Heterozygotes with HBA start codon variants usually present as silent or mild thalassemia, and the symptoms of anemia may deteriorate when combined with other α-thalassemia variant. The HBA2: c. 1A>T start codon variant was unreported previously in China. The detection of start codon variants has helped to clarify the causes of anemia, genetic counseling, and guidance for reproduction.

Objective:To compare the efficacy and safety of crisaborole ointment 2% versus pimecrolimus cream 1% in the treatment of mild to moderate atopic dermatitis in children aged 2 years or older.Methods:A multicenter, randomized, open-label, controlled clinical trial was conducted. A total of 120 pediatric patients aged 2 - 17 years with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis were enrolled from departments of dermatology of 8 hospitals in China between March 2022 and February 2023. The participants were randomly assigned in a 1∶1 ratio to the crisaborole group and the pimecrolimus group, and received the treatment with crisaborole ointment 2% and pimecrolimus cream 1% respectively, twice a day for 4 weeks. Visits were scheduled at baseline/on day 1, as well as on days 8, 15, and 29. The primary efficacy outcome was the percentage of patients achieving the Investigator's Static Global Assessment (ISGA) success (defined as clear [0] or almost clear [1] on the ISGA scale, combined with ≥ 2‐grade improvement from baseline) on day 29. The secondary efficacy outcomes included changes in the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) total scores from baseline to day 29, percentages of patients achieving ISGA improvement (defined as clear [0] or almost clear [1] on the ISGA scale), as well as changes in the Peak Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) scores, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) /Infants' Dermatology Life Quality Index (IDLQI) /Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) scores, and in the Dermatitis Family Impact (DFI) scores. Drug safety was evaluated according to the incidence of adverse events. Categorical data were compared using the chi-square test. Since measurement data did not follow a normal distribution, the rank sum test was used for comparisons of measurement data between groups.Results:A total of 106 children with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis were included in the per-protocol analysis set, with 52 in the crisaborole group (26 males and 26 females) and 54 in the pimecrolimus group (27 males and 27 females). There were no significant differences in age, disease duration, ISGA and EASI scores at baseline between the two groups (all P > 0.05). On day 29, 22 patients (42.31%) in the crisaborole group and 25 (46.30%) in the pimecrolimus group achieved ISGA success, with no significant difference between the two groups ( χ2 = 0.17, P = 0.68) ; 35 patients (67.31%) in the crisaborole group and 45 (83.33%) in the pimecrolimus group achieved ISGA improvement, also with no significant difference between the two groups ( χ2 = 3.68, P = 0.06) ; additionally, there were no significant differences in the EASI, pruritus NRS, DLQI/IDLQI/CDLQI, or DFI scores between the two groups (all P > 0.05). Adverse reactions to the two topical agents were mainly local reactions such as mild to moderate pain, itching, or worsening of itching, and no obvious systemic adverse reactions occurred. The incidence of drug-related adverse reactions was 46.15% (24 cases) in the crisaborole group and 37.04% (20 cases) in the pimecrolimus group, with no significant difference between the two groups ( χ2 = 0.91, P = 0.34) . Conclusion:The efficacy of crisaborole ointment 2% was comparable to that of pimecrolimus cream 1% in the treatment of mild to moderate atopic dermatitis in children aged ≥ 2 years, and it yielded early and rapid improvement in the quality of life of patients and their families, with good safety and tolerability profiles.

Objective:To explore the value of preoperative 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose ( 18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) metabolic heterogeneity parameters in predicting tumor deposits (TD) in colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 91 CRC patients who underwent surgical treatment at the Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School from February 2013 to March 2024. All patients underwent preoperative 18F-FDG PET/CT examination. The LIFEx-7.5.15 software was used to delineate the primary lesion with 40% of maximum standardized uptake value (SUV max) as the relative threshold, and metabolic parameters were extracted. Intratumoral metabolic heterogeneity parameters included cumulative SUV histogram area under the curve (AUC-CSH), heterogeneity index (HI), heterogeneity factor (HF), and coefficient of variation (CV). The presence of TD was confirmed by postoperative pathological examination. Differences in data between the TD group and non-TD (NTD) group were compared. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors for TD, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the predictive efficacy of each parameter for TD. Results:Postoperative pathological diagnosis showed that 27 patients were included in the TD group and 64 in the NTD group. There were statistically significant differences between the TD group and NTD group in CV ( Z=-3.145, P=0.002) and the proportion of patients with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) >10 ng/ml (χ 2=10.751, P=0.001), while no statistically significant differences were found in HI, HF, or AUC-CSH (all P>0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that CV was an independent risk factor for TD. ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of CV for predicting TD was 0.709(95% CI: 0.593-0.826), which was higher than that of other metabolic heterogeneity parameters. Conclusions:The preoperative 18F-FDG PET/CT metabolic heterogeneity parameter CV has value in predicting TD in CRC patients.

BACKGROUND:Traditional therapies for temporomandibular joint disorders are limited by the severity of the condition and individual differences.In contrast,tissue engineering,as an emerging therapeutic approach,offers personalized treatment options tailored to the specific needs of patients,reducing uncertainties during surgical procedures,and enhancing clinical outcomes.OBJECTIVE:To summarize the latest research achievements and advancements in tissue engineering for temporomandibular joint repair.METHODS:Literature searches were conducted on PubMed and China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI)databases using the Chinese and English search terms"temporomandibular joint,tissue engineering,seed cell,scaffold,growth factor,animal model."The search period covered the inception of each database up to March 2024.Literature screening was performed by analyzing and reviewing relevant articles according to exclusion criteria,ultimately including 57 articles for review.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)With advancements in biology,materials science,and engineering,significant progress has been made in temporomandibular joint tissue engineering,including the selection of seed cells,development of novel scaffolds,exploration of growth factor mechanisms,and construction of various animal models.Most studies are still in the in vitro experimental stage,and in vivo studies such as animal experiments are not yet widely conducted.The clinical application of tissue engineering in repairing the temporomandibular joint requires more evidence.(2)Despite the remaining challenges and issues to be addressed in temporomandibular joint tissue engineering research,it still presents vast clinical application prospects and is poised to become an excellent and efficient treatment modality for temporomandibular joint disorders in the future.

Objective To explore the factors influencing blood drug concentrations of first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs in fixed-dose combinations by analyzing therapeutic drug monitoring data from tuberculosis patients receiving these regimens.Methods This retrospective study enrolled 224 patients who received treatment at Guangzhou Chest Hospital between January 2020 and December 2024.All participants underwent standardized therapy during the intensive phase,with therapeutic drug monitoring of first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs(ANTDs),including isoniazid(INH)and rifampicin(RFP).Data collection was completed in January 2025,at which time clinical records and measured INH and RFP plasma concentrations were updated.Data analysis was conducted from January to February 2025.Eight baseline variables—gender,age,hypoproteinemia(serum albumin<35 g/L),glomerular filtration rate(GFR),and others—were collected.Univariate chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent risk factors associated with subtherapeutic INH and RFP plasma concentrations.Results Among the study participants,71.43%(160/224)exhibited blood drug concentrations below the reference range for INH,compared to 41.07%(92/224)for RFP.The mean blood concentrations(mg/L,±SD)were 2.532±1.371 for INH and 9.428±4.317 for RFP,respectively.One-way analysis indicated significant associations between male gender,positive etiological test results,and subtherapeutic RFP concentrations(P<0.05),suggesting statistically significant differences.Multivariate regression analysis further revealed that male gender(OR=1.992,95%CI:1.094～3.628)and positive etiological tests(OR=1.929,95%CI:1.058～3.517)were independent risk factors for low RFP levels.Conclusions This study demonstrates that therapeutic drug monitoring(TDM)frequently identifies subtherapeutic RFP concentrations in tuberculosis patients undergoing treatment.Multivariate analysis reveals that male sex and positive pathogen test results are independent risk factors associated with low RFP plasma levels.Consequently,clinicians should exercise heightened vigilance in patients exhibiting these characteristics,promptly implementing TDM to guide individualized dose adjustments.Such an approach is crucial for optimizing treatment efficacy and minimizing the risk of drug resistance development.

Osteoarthritis(OA)is a common joint disease in clinical practice,and cartilage damage is a typical pathological change.The pathogenesis of OA is complex,and various adverse factors can lead to the occurrence of OA.Mitochondria are im-portant organelles within cells and play important roles in cellular physiological and pathological activ-ities.Mitochondrial quality control is an important regulatory mechanism in the body to maintain nor-mal mitochondrial structure and function,mainly including mitochondrial biogenesis,mitochondrial dynamics,mitochondrial autophagy,mitochondrial oxidative stress,and other forms.The imbalance of mitochondrial quality control in chondrocytes is closely related to the occurrence and development of osteoarthritis,and regulating the balance of mi-tochondrial quality control is a potential therapeu-tic point for osteoarthritis.The author reviewed rel-evant research literature in recent years to provide a review of the relationship between mitochondrial quality control and the occurrence and develop-ment of osteoarthritis,in order to provide new ideas and directions for the research and diagnosis and treatment strategies of osteoarthritis.

Cochlear implantation is the most effective method to restore hearing in patients with severe and profound hearing impairment.There are individual differences in rehabilitation after cochlear implantation.In order to better understand the underlying factors of rehabilitation,machine learning has been gradually applied to the reha-bilitation prediction of cochlear implant patients.Since related literature is still in its infancy,many problems still remain unresolved,such as insufficient sample size and lack of diversification of data features.We suggest that fu-ture research may expand the sample size,optimize machine learning models,and fully explore the predictive factors affecting the rehabilitation of cochlear implantation,and make machine learning a better tool in the area of cochlear implantation.