Purpose: Metastatic rectal cancer (mRC) is a highly lethal and complex disease that demands a multidisciplinary treatment approach. However, the clinical effectiveness of radiotherapy (RT) for de novo mRC remains controversial and uncertain. Methods: This retrospective cohort study examined medical records from Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital for patients with histologically confirmed de novo mRC diagnosed between January 2015 and December 2020. All patients received standard systemic therapy and radical surgery when feasible. The primary outcome, overall survival (OS), was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariable analysis was performed using a Cox regression model. Results: Among 271 patients included in the analysis, 117 received RT and 154 did not. The median OS was significantly longer in the RT group compared with the non-RT group (27.8 months vs. 21.9 months; P=0.046). Multivariate analysis identified several independent predictors of OS: age ≥65 years (hazard ratio [HR], 1.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26–2.27; P=0.001), primary tumor resection (HR, 2.62; 95% CI, 1.90–3.61; P<0.001), M1b or M1c disease (HR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.44–2.69; P<0.001), and receipt of RT (HR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.02–1.94; P=0.036). Conclusion RT significantly improves OS in patients with mRC, underscoring its role in treatment strategies. These findings support its inclusion in therapeutic protocols and highlight the need for larger, multicenter trials to confirm and extend these results.

Objective: Current guidelines recommend surveillance or diagnostic lobectomy for indeterminate thyroid nodules. Although radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has emerged as a potential alternative, its role remains controversial. Functional imaging modalities, including 99mTc-methoxyisobutylisonitrile scintigraphy and 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography, have been used to support risk stratification. This study evaluated the mid-term outcomes of RFA and their predictors in a functionally screened cohort of patients with indeterminate thyroid nodules. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 109 patients with Bethesda category III or IV thyroid nodules who underwent RFA after functional imaging–based evaluation between January 2018 and November 2024. The primary outcome was local treatment failure (LTF), defined as the first occurrence of nodule regrowth, an increase in vital volume, or repeated indeterminate cytology. The secondary outcome was complete disappearance of the nodule.Supplementary outcomes included the volume reduction rate, symptom and cosmetic scores, and biochemical markers. Results: During a median follow-up of 2.2 years (range, 0.7–6.8 years), LTF occurred in 15 of 109 patients (13.8%), whereas complete disappearance was observed in 9 (8.3%) patients. The 3-year LTF-free probability and cumulative incidence of complete disappearance were 85.4% and 6.5%, respectively. Significant reductions were observed in the nodule volume, symptom scores, cosmetic scores, and free T4 and thyroglobulin levels. A greater initial maximum nodule diameter was independently associated with a higher likelihood of LTF (hazard ratio [HR] per 1-cm increase, 2.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23–4.48; P = 0.010) and a lower likelihood of complete disappearance (HR, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.04–0.60; P = 0.006). At 3 years, 93% of the tumors with an initial diameter <3.0 cm remained free of LTF, whereas no tumors >2.1 cm achieved complete disappearance. Conclusion In this functionally screened cohort of patients with indeterminate thyroid nodules, RFA demonstrated acceptable outcomes with volume reduction and symptom relief, particularly in patients with nodules <3 cm.

ObjectiveMigraine is a leading neurological disorder and the fourth most common cause of years lived with disability worldwide, affecting nearly 116 million individuals. Although pharmacological treatments are available, their efficacy is often limited by side effects and variable response rates. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) offers a safe, non-invasive alternative for migraine management. However, the neurophysiological mechanisms, particularly how rTMS modulates local cortical excitability and distributed pain-related circuits, remain poorly understood. Elucidating these mechanisms is essential for optimizing treatment protocols and improving clinical outcomes. MethodsThis study employed concurrent transcranial magnetic stimulation and electroencephalography (TMS-EEG) to investigate neuroplastic and neurocircuitry mechanisms of DLPFC-rTMS in migraine. Study 1 compared 30 migraineurs and 28 healthy controls to identify abnormalities in TMS-evoked potentials (TEPs) and significant current density (SCD) within sensory-discriminative regions including the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) and posterior insula (pINS), cognitive-affective regions including the anterior insula (aINS) and midcingulate cortex (MCC), and a descending modulatory region, the periaqueductal gray (PAG). Study 2 used a single-blind, crossover, sham-controlled design in 34 healthy participants. Each participant received both active (10 Hz, 80% RMT, 1 500 pulses) and sham DLPFC-rTMS in counterbalanced order. TMS-EEG and cold pain tolerance were assessed before and after each session. ResultsIn Study 1, migraineurs showed a significantly less negative N120 amplitude compared to healthy controls (P=0.027, Cohen’s d=0.60), indicating local intracortical disinhibition. No group differences were observed for N40, P60, or P180 components. At the source level, migraineurs exhibited significantly higher SCD in the S1, pINS, aINS, and MCC (allQ<0.05), but not in the ventroposterior thalamus (vpTHAL), mediodorsal thalamus (mdTHAL), or PAG. In Study 2, active rTMS significantly reduced SCD from pre- to post-stimulation in the S1, aINS, and MCC (all Q<0.05). Sham stimulation also reduced SCD in the S1 (Q<0.05) but not in the aINS or MCC. Although no significant group-level analgesic effect was observed between active and sham conditions (P=0.107), correlation analyses revealed that greater SCD reductions in the S1 and MCC were significantly associated with higher post-rTMS pain tolerance (R=-0.487 and -0.495, both Q<0.01) and larger improvements in pain tolerance(R=-0.487 and -0.451, both Q<0.05). No such correlations were found following sham stimulation, suggesting that the behavioural relevance of neural changes is specific to active rTMS. ConclusionThis study provides novel evidence that migraineurs exhibit both local neuroplastic abnormalities (reduced N120 amplitude) and hyperactivity in key pain-processing regions (S1, pINS, aINS, MCC). A single session of DLPFC-rTMS reduced hyperactivity in the aINS, MCC, and S1. Notably, greater reductions in the S1 and MCC were associated with improved pain tolerance. These findings identify distinct cortical circuitries, particularly within the cognitive-affective pain network, that may serve as potential biomarkers for optimizing rTMS treatment in migraine and other chronic pain conditions. Future studies should validate these results in patient populations experiencing spontaneous migraine attacks and explore multi-session or accelerated rTMS protocols.

Objective To compare the efficacy of alkaline enzyme-containing versus multi-enzyme cleaner for pre-cleaning dental zinc phosphate cement fillers.Methods One hundred new dental cement fillers were selected and contaminated to moderate-to-heavy levels by simulating clinical contamination,and divided into the alkaline enzyme-containing group and the multi-enzyme group,with 50 cases in each group.The two groups underwent manual brushing followed by automated spray-type washer-disinfector cleaning.The effica-cy of the two groups of pre-cleaning were evaluated by naked-eye visual detection,10×illuminated magnifica-tion and residual protein quantification.Results The alkaline enzyme-containing group demonstrated signifi-cantly higher pass rates than the multi-enzyme group by naked-eye visual detection and 10×illuminated mag-nification(P<0.05),while there was no statistically significant difference in the residual protein quantifica-tion between the two groups(P>0.05).The qualified cleaning rates of the three parts of the instruments in the alkaline enzyme-containing group were all higher than those in the multi-enzyme group,but only the quali-fied cleaning rate of the handle threaded surface was statistically significant(P<0.05).There was no statisti-cally significant difference in the cleaning qualification rates of the instruments three parts of the alkaline en-zyme-containing group(P>0.05),while there was statistically significant difference in the cleaning qualifica-tion rates of the instruments three parts of the multi-enzyme group(P<0.05).Conclusion Compared with the multi-enzyme cleaner,alkaline enzyme-containing cleaner has better effects in the pre-cleaning of zinc phosphate cement fillers.

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of serum containing Zhenwutang on myocardial mast cell apoptosis induced by angiotensin Ⅱ （AngⅡ） and the mechanism of the correlation between apoptosis and mitochondrial autophagy. MethodsIn this experiment， AngⅡ and serum containing Zhenwutang with different concentrations were used to interfere with H9C2 cardiomyocytes for 24 h， and the survival rate of H9C2 cardiomyocytes was detected by cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） to screen the optimal concentration for the experiment. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the content of B-type natriuretic peptide （BNP） in cell culture supernatant， and immunofluorescence was used to detect the cell surface area to verify the construction of the myocardial mast cell model. Subsequently， the experiment was divided into a blank group （20% blank serum）， a model group （20% blank serum + 5×10^-5 mol·L^-1 AngⅡ）， low-， medium-， and high-dose （5%， 10% and 20%） serum containing Zhenwutang groups， an autophagy inhibitor group （1×10^-4 mol·L^-1 3-MA）， and autophagy inducer group （1×10^-7 mol·L^-1 rapamycin）. The apoptosis level of H9C2 cells and the changes of mitochondrial membrane potential were detected by flow cytometry. The lysosomal probe （Lyso Tracker） and mitochondrial probe （Mito Tracker） co-localization was employed to detect autophagy. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect Caspase-3， Caspase-9， B-cell lymphoma 2 （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2-related X protein （Bax）， and cytochrome C （Cyt C） in apoptosis-related pathways and the relative mRNA expression of ubiquitin ligase （Parkin）， phosphatase and tensin homolog （PTEN）-induced kinase 1 （PINK1）， and p62 protein in mitochondrial autophagy-related pathways. Western blot was used to detect cleaved Caspase-3， cleaved Caspase-9， Bax， Bcl-2， and Cyt C in apoptosis-related pathways， phosphorylated ubiquitin ligase （p-Parkin）， phosphorylated PTEN-induced kinase 1 （p-PINK1）， p62， and Bcl-2 homology domain protein Beclin1 in mitochondrial autophagy-related pathways， and the change of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 （LC3） Ⅱ/Ⅰ ratio. ResultsCCK-8 showed that when the concentration of AngⅡ was 5×10^-5 mol·L^-1， the cell activity was the lowest， and there was no cytotoxicity. At this concentration， the surface area of cardiomyocytes was significantly increased （P<0.01）， and the content of BNP in the supernatant of culture medium was significantly increased （P<0.05）. Therefore， AngⅡ with a concentration of 5×10^-5 mol·L^-1 was selected for the subsequent modeling of myocardial mast cells. Compared with the blank group， the model group and the autophagy inhibitor 3-MA group had a significantly increased apoptosis rate （P<0.01） and significantly decreased mitochondrial membrane potential （P<0.01）. The results of immunofluorescence co-localization showed that compared with the blank group， the model group had a significantly decreased number of red and green fluorescence spots. The results of Real-time PCR showed that compared with that in the blank group， the relative mRNA expression of Bax， Caspase-3， Caspase-9， Cyt C， and p62 in the model group was significantly up-regulated （P<0.01）， while the relative mRNA expression of Bcl-2， Parkin， and PINK1 was significantly down-regulated （P<0.01）. In addition， the relative protein expression of Bax， cleaved Caspase-3， cleaved Caspase-9， Cyt C， and p62 was significantly up-regulated （P<0.01）. The LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ was significantly decreased， and the relative protein expression of Bcl-2， p-Parkin， p-PINK1， and Beclin1 was significantly down-regulated （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the serum containing Zhenwutang groups and the autophagy inducer group had significantly decreased apoptosis rate （P<0.01）， and the decrease ratio of mitochondrial membrane potential is significantly lowered （P<0.01） in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally， both red and green fluorescence spots became more in these groups. In the 3-MA group， the number of red and green fluorescence spots decreased significantly. The relative mRNA expression of Bax， Caspase-3， Caspase-9， Cyt C， and p62 was significantly down-regulated （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while that of Bcl-2， Parkin， and PINK1 was significantly up-regulated （P<0.01）. In the serum containing Zhenwutang groups， the relative protein expression levels of Bax， cleaved Caspase-3， cleaved Caspase-9， Cyt C， and p62 were significantly down-regulated （P<0.05，P<0.01）. The LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ was significantly increased， and the relative protein expression levels of Bcl-2， p-Parkin， p-PINK1， and Beclin1 were significantly up-regulated （P<0.01）. ConclusionThe serum containing Zhenwutang can reduce the apoptosis of myocardial mast cells and increase mitochondrial autophagy. This is related to the inhibition of intracellular Bax/Bcl-2/Caspase-3 apoptosis pathway and regulation of Parkin/PINK1 mitochondrial autophagy pathway.

BACKGROUND:With the increasing degree of population aging in China,the incidence of osteoporosis is rising annually.This growing demand for screening and diagnosis poses significant challenges to the healthcare system,increasing the time costs,financial burdens,and radiation exposure risks for patients.OBJECTIVE:To develop a novel interpretable prediction method based on traditional CT examination data and demographic data,aiming to reduce the number of patient examinations and enable multiple screenings from one examination.METHODS:A two-stage interpretable framework for osteoporosis prediction was designed.In the first stage,a human-computer collaborative method was used for annotating CT images,with an innovative vertebra 7-point CT value measurement technique.Patient's sex and age were used as key demographic features to enrich the model's input.In the second stage,the LightGBM model was enhanced by SHapley Additive exPlanations for quantitative analysis of feature importance,improving the interpretability of predictions and increasing clinical trust.Systematic experiments validated the effectiveness of the framework and the stability of the optimal feature set through the comparative analysis of different feature combinations with six machine learning models.To further assess the generalization ability of the model,the model was further tested on an external dataset.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The experiment compared six machine learning models suitable for medical applications,and the results showed that LightGBM model achieved an F1 score of 0.902 2 and an area under the curve of 0.938 7,outperforming the other models.In terms of interpretability,the clinical application credibility and operability of the model was increased by ranking and visualizing the contribution of input features to the results.Additionally,this study realized a prototype system,and testing results indicated that the system is user-friendly,capable of quickly processing data to provide prediction results,with visualized outcomes demonstrating good interpretability.This system effectively assists doctors in clinical decision-making and provides robust support for the screening and preliminary diagnosis of osteoporosis.

Objective:Systematically integrate the real experience and multi-dimensional needs of patients with breast cancer related lymphedema (BCRL) in the process of self-management to provide reference for clinical development of targeted and systematic interventions.Methods:Computer searches were conducted on qualitative studies on the real experiences, psychological feelings, and multidimensional needs of BCRL patients during self-management in databases such as China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Database, Wanfang Database, China Biomedical Literature Database, CINAHL, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and PsycINFO. The search period was from database establishment to January 31, 2024. According to the qualitative research quality evaluation criteria of the Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence Based Healthcare Center in Australia, the quality of literature was evaluated, and the results were analyzed and integrated using a pooled integration method.Results:A total of 10 articles were included, and 44 research results were extracted. Similar results were classified into 10 categories and synthesized into 3 integrated results, highlighting the difficulties and challenges encountered; need external multidimensional support and assistance; seeking a new normal and perceiving its benefits.Conclusions:BCRL patients face physical and mental challenges in their lifelong self-management process. Hospitals, society, and related institutions should attach importance to and pay attention to the needs, burdens, and beneficial experiences of patients, provide them with more professional guidance and supervision, and collaborate with families and peers to provide support and encouragement, helping patients reduce negative emotions and strengthen coping abilities, thereby improving overall quality of life.

BACKGROUND:With the increasing degree of population aging in China,the incidence of osteoporosis is rising annually.This growing demand for screening and diagnosis poses significant challenges to the healthcare system,increasing the time costs,financial burdens,and radiation exposure risks for patients.OBJECTIVE:To develop a novel interpretable prediction method based on traditional CT examination data and demographic data,aiming to reduce the number of patient examinations and enable multiple screenings from one examination.METHODS:A two-stage interpretable framework for osteoporosis prediction was designed.In the first stage,a human-computer collaborative method was used for annotating CT images,with an innovative vertebra 7-point CT value measurement technique.Patient's sex and age were used as key demographic features to enrich the model's input.In the second stage,the LightGBM model was enhanced by SHapley Additive exPlanations for quantitative analysis of feature importance,improving the interpretability of predictions and increasing clinical trust.Systematic experiments validated the effectiveness of the framework and the stability of the optimal feature set through the comparative analysis of different feature combinations with six machine learning models.To further assess the generalization ability of the model,the model was further tested on an external dataset.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The experiment compared six machine learning models suitable for medical applications,and the results showed that LightGBM model achieved an F1 score of 0.902 2 and an area under the curve of 0.938 7,outperforming the other models.In terms of interpretability,the clinical application credibility and operability of the model was increased by ranking and visualizing the contribution of input features to the results.Additionally,this study realized a prototype system,and testing results indicated that the system is user-friendly,capable of quickly processing data to provide prediction results,with visualized outcomes demonstrating good interpretability.This system effectively assists doctors in clinical decision-making and provides robust support for the screening and preliminary diagnosis of osteoporosis.

Objective:Systematic evaluation and integration of the real experience of dietary restriction in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, providing reference for the development of targeted intervention strategies.Methods:Qualitative studies on the dietary restriction experience of patients with inflammatory bowel disease retrieved from PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, VIP, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database using computer search. The search period was from the establishment of the database to May 31, 2024. According to the Australian Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence Based Healthcare Center Qualitative Research Quality Evaluation Criteria, the quality of included literature was evaluated, and the results were subjected to meta-analysis using a pooled integration method.Results:A total of 9 studies were included, and 36 research results were extracted and summarized into 9 categories. Then, three integrated results were further synthesized, namely physical and mental impairment and social limitation; change attitude and actively explore; seeking external support to promote beneficial growth.Conclusions:Dietary restrictions for inflammatory bowel disease have various impacts on patients. Medical staff should focus on the nutritional status and emotional needs of patients, and provide multidimensional social support based on their actual dietary management experience. They should develop patient-centered personalized intervention measures to help patients achieve more scientific and effective dietary management and improve their overall quality of life.

To investigate the prevalence of influenza D virus(IDV)in cattle and swine populations in Jilin Province,China,277 nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from livestock exhibiting influ-enza-like symptoms for IDV detection.Virus isolation was performed using swine testicular(ST)cells for PCR-positive samples,followed by comprehensive analyses including whole-genome se-quencing,phylogenetic analysis,electron microscopic observation of viral morphology,and glycosy-lation site prediction.Two IDV strains were successfully isolated from bovine samples,designated as D/bovine/China/JL22/2024(JL22)and D/bovine/China/JL34/2024(JL34).These strains were demonstrated to have specific hemagglutination activity against turkey red blood cells,while no he-magglutination to chicken,rabbit,or guinea pig erythrocytes.Virus-inoculated ST cells exhibited distinct cytopathic effects(CPE)within 48 h,with a hemagglutination titer of 4 log2 in the culture supernatant.Phylogenetic analysis of the hemagglutinin-esterase-fusion(HEF)gene indicated that these strains were most closely related to the Japanese isolate D/Yamagata2019,belonging to the YAMA2019 lineage.Genomic sequence analysis showed the absence of genetic reassortment in these isolates.In this study,two IDV strains were successfully isolated and characterized,which provides preliminary insights into their genomic sequences and biological properties.The findings confirm the presence of IDV in bovine populations in Jilin Province and provide the fundamental data for future epidemiological surveillance and control strategies of IDV.