This study aimed to comprehensively examine the association of gallstones, cholecystectomy, and cancer risk. Multivariable logistic regressions were performed to estimate the observational associations of gallstones and cholecystectomy with cancer risk, using data from a nationwide cohort involving 239 799 participants. General and gender-specific two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was further conducted to assess the causalities of the observed associations. Observationally, a history of gallstones without cholecystectomy was associated with a high risk of stomach cancer (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=2.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.50-4.28), liver and bile duct cancer (aOR=2.46, 95% CI 1.17-5.16), kidney cancer (aOR=2.04, 95% CI 1.05-3.94), and bladder cancer (aOR=2.23, 95% CI 1.01-5.13) in the general population, as well as cervical cancer (aOR=1.69, 95% CI 1.12-2.56) in women. Moreover, cholecystectomy was associated with high odds of stomach cancer (aOR=2.41, 95% CI 1.29-4.49), colorectal cancer (aOR=1.83, 95% CI 1.18-2.85), and cancer of liver and bile duct (aOR=2.58, 95% CI 1.11-6.02). MR analysis only supported the causal effect of gallstones on stomach, liver and bile duct, kidney, and bladder cancer. This study added evidence to the causal effect of gallstones on stomach, liver and bile duct, kidney, and bladder cancer, highlighting the importance of cancer screening in individuals with gallstones.
Humans ; Mendelian Randomization Analysis ; Gallstones/complications* ; Female ; Male ; Cholecystectomy/statistics & numerical data* ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Aged ; Adult ; Neoplasms/etiology* ; Stomach Neoplasms/epidemiology*

Severe pneumonia is one of the most common and critical respiratory diseases in clinical practice. It is characterized by rapid progression， difficult treatment， high mortality， and many complications， posing a significant threat to the life and health of patients. The pathogenesis of severe pneumonia is highly complex， and studies have shown that its occurrence and development are closely related to multiple signaling pathways. Currently， the treatment of severe pneumonia mainly focuses on anti-infection， mechanical ventilation， and glucocorticoids， but clinical outcomes are often not ideal. Therefore， finding safe and effective alternative therapies is particularly important. In recent years， with the deepening of research into traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， it has gained widespread attention in the treatment of severe pneumonia. This paper reviewed the relationship between severe pneumonia and relevant signaling pathways in recent years and how TCM regulated these pathways in the treatment of severe pneumonia. It was found that TCM could regulate the Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）/myeloid differentiation factor 88 （MyD88）/nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， Janus kinase （JAK）/signal transducer and activator of transcription （STAT）， phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）， NOD-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3）， and nuclear factor E₂-related factor 2 （Nrf2） signaling pathways， playing a role in reducing the inflammatory response， inhibiting cell apoptosis and pyroptosis， improving oxidative stress， and other effects in the treatment of severe pneumonia. Among these pathways， it was found that all of them regulated inflammation to treat severe pneumonia. Therefore， reducing inflammation is the core mechanism by which Chinese medicine treats severe pneumonia. This review provides direction for the clinical treatment of severe pneumonia and offers a scientific basis for the research and development of new drugs.

Lung cancer is one of the most common and deadliest cancers globally, with its incidence and mortality rates rising each year. Therefore, finding new, safe, and effective alternative therapies poses a significant research challenge in this field. Programmed cell death refers to the process by which cells actively self-destruct in response to specific stimuli, regulated by genetic mechanisms. Modern research indicates that dysregulation of programmed cell death is widespread in the occurrence and progression of lung cancer, allowing cancer cells to evade death while continuing to proliferate and metastasize. Thus, inducing the death of lung cancer cells can be considered a novel therapeutic strategy for treating the disease. In recent years, research on traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) in the field of oncology has gained widespread attention, becoming a focal point. An increasing number of studies have demonstrated that TCM can inhibit the progression of lung cancer and exert anti-cancer effects by inducing apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis. This paper provided a comprehensive review of the molecular mechanisms of programmed cell death in lung cancer, along with the potential mechanisms and research advancements related to the regulation of these processes by TCM, so as to establish a theoretical foundation and direction for future basic and clinical research on lung cancer.
Humans ; Lung Neoplasms/pathology* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Animals ; Autophagy/drug effects*

Bidirectional communication between the heart and brain has been well documented,and their respective electrophysiological activities are not independent but rather exhibit a measurable degree of coupling.The traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)doctrine of"heart storing the spirit"posits that the heart governs all vital activities and that the heart and brain are functionally interdependent and mutually reinforcing.This paper systematically reviews current methodological approaches for investigating cardio-electroencephalographic coupling,summarizes empirical findings that elucidate human physiological and pathological mechanisms through this coupling framework,and integrates TCM-based perspectives on heart-brain interactions.Finally,prospects for applying emerging cardio-electroencephalographic techniques is outline to advance research on the"heart storing the spirit"theory.

Objective To explore their inter-relationship,cognitive performance and cardio-electroencephalographic coupling in coronary heart disease(CHD)patients with heart-qi deficiency pattern were characterized.Methods Thirty CHD patients who met the diagnostic criteria for heart-qi deficiency were enrolled.Thirty healthy volunteers without heart-qi deficiency or CHD served as controls.Cognitive function was assessed with the repeatable battery for the assessment of neuropsychological status(RBANS).Simultaneous resting-state electrocardiogram and electroencephalogram were recorded,and the strength of heart-brain coupling was quantified by calculating the maximal information coefficient(MIC)between heart-rate variability(HRV)and EEG signals.Results Compared with controls,heart-qi deficiency CHD patients showed lower RBANS total scores and reduced performance in immediate memory,visuospatial/constructional ability,and attention.Significant between-group differences in HRV-EEG MIC values were observed at several channels(P<0.05).In patients,the MIC values for HRV-Beta(channel FC1)and HRV-Delta(channel F2)were positively correlated with RBANS total score(P<0.05).Conclusion CHD patients with heart-qi deficiency exhibit impaired cognition and altered cardio-electroencephalographic coupling.These findings suggest that heart-brain interactions may contribute to the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying cognitive decline in this population.

Objective To explore the abnormality of top-down and bottom-up attention patterns in patients suffering from coronary heart disease(CHD)patients with heart-qi deficiency syndrome based on the theory of"five spirits".Methods From July 2024 to December 2024,30 CHD patients with heart-qi deficiency syndrome were recruited,and 30 subjects without CHD as the control group according to the principle of matching age,sex and years of education.Two groups of subjects were tested with top-down and bottom-up spatial cueing paradigm.Results Compared with the control group,CHD patients with heart-qi deficiency syndrome had longer valid reaction time(vRT)and lower average reaction time difference value(△RT)in top-down test(P＜0.05),and longer vSRT in bottom-up test.Correlation analysis showed that heart-qi deficiency syndrome score was positively correlated with top-down test indexes invalid reaction time(ivRT)(P＜0.05),negatively correlated with △RT(P＜0.01)and valid accurany(vAC)(P＜0.05).It was positively correlated with valid long reaction time(vLRT)(P＜0.01)and invalid long reaction time(ivLRT)(P＜0.01).Generalized linear model analysis showed that non-CHD subjects had shorter vRT(P＜0.01)and larger △ RT(P＜0.05)than CHD patients for top-down test.For bottom-up tests,non-CHD subjects had shorter vSRT than CHD patients(P＜0.05).Conclusion The change of top-down and bottom-up attention patterns in CHD patients with heart-qi deficiency syndrome provides a modern neuropsychological basis for the theory of"heart stores spirits".

Coronary heart disease(CHD)imposes a high disease burden in China and it is still increasing significantly.There is a two-way connection between the heart and the brain,and the premature and rapid decline of cognitive function in patients with CHD has attracted increasing interesting from researchers,but clinical professionals often pay more attention to heart-related symptoms and ignore the impact of cognitive function decline on the quality of life of patients with CHD.This article reviews the current research progresses of cognitive decline in CHD patients from the aspects of manifestation,influencing factors,pathological mechanism and intervention measures.It offers a reference for medical professionals to understand this problem more deeply.

Objective To explore the abnormality of top-down and bottom-up attention patterns in patients suffering from coronary heart disease(CHD)patients with heart-qi deficiency syndrome based on the theory of"five spirits".Methods From July 2024 to December 2024,30 CHD patients with heart-qi deficiency syndrome were recruited,and 30 subjects without CHD as the control group according to the principle of matching age,sex and years of education.Two groups of subjects were tested with top-down and bottom-up spatial cueing paradigm.Results Compared with the control group,CHD patients with heart-qi deficiency syndrome had longer valid reaction time(vRT)and lower average reaction time difference value(△RT)in top-down test(P＜0.05),and longer vSRT in bottom-up test.Correlation analysis showed that heart-qi deficiency syndrome score was positively correlated with top-down test indexes invalid reaction time(ivRT)(P＜0.05),negatively correlated with △RT(P＜0.01)and valid accurany(vAC)(P＜0.05).It was positively correlated with valid long reaction time(vLRT)(P＜0.01)and invalid long reaction time(ivLRT)(P＜0.01).Generalized linear model analysis showed that non-CHD subjects had shorter vRT(P＜0.01)and larger △ RT(P＜0.05)than CHD patients for top-down test.For bottom-up tests,non-CHD subjects had shorter vSRT than CHD patients(P＜0.05).Conclusion The change of top-down and bottom-up attention patterns in CHD patients with heart-qi deficiency syndrome provides a modern neuropsychological basis for the theory of"heart stores spirits".

Coronary heart disease(CHD)imposes a high disease burden in China and it is still increasing significantly.There is a two-way connection between the heart and the brain,and the premature and rapid decline of cognitive function in patients with CHD has attracted increasing interesting from researchers,but clinical professionals often pay more attention to heart-related symptoms and ignore the impact of cognitive function decline on the quality of life of patients with CHD.This article reviews the current research progresses of cognitive decline in CHD patients from the aspects of manifestation,influencing factors,pathological mechanism and intervention measures.It offers a reference for medical professionals to understand this problem more deeply.