Background: Malignant pleural effusion (MPE), a common complication of advanced cancers, is associated with poor prognosis and reduced quality of life. Although host–tumor interactions are known to drive MPE development, the associated immune dynamics during disease progression remain unclear. Using a Lewis lung carcinoma-induced MPE model in C57BL/6JNidfc mice, we systematically evaluated general parameters and immune cell changes at two-day intervals throughout disease progression. Results: The day of Lewis lung carcinoma cell injection into the pleural space was designated as day 0. By day 10 post-injection (p.i.), MPE-bearing mice exhibited ~ 10% body weight loss, marking the experimental endpoint. Pleural tumor mass and pleural effusion volume were minimal up to day 4 p.i. but increased sharply from day 6 onward.CD45⁺ immune cell counts rose over time, and days 6, 8, and 10 p.i. marked key stages of MPE progression. On day 6, B cells, T cells, and natural killer cells, but not macrophages and neutrophils, increased significantly compared to earlier timepoints. By day 8, all immune cell subsets except T cells exceeded day 6 levels, and at day 10, natural killer cell numbers declined while others continued to increase. Besides, the numbers of CD8⁺ T cells, Th1 cells, regulatory T cells, and M2 macrophages progressively increased from day 6 to 10. Based on these data, days 6 and 10 were defined as early and advanced MPE stages, respectively, with distinct immune phenotypes. In advanced MPE, CD8⁺ T cells displayed reduced IFN-γ, TNF-α, Granzyme B, Perforin, FasL, and Ki-67, but upregulated PD-1 and CTLA-4 relative to early stage. Similarly, Th1 cells showed decreased IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-2 production along with reduced Ki-67 expression. Advanced-stage M2 macrophages exhibited lower MHC-II levels and impaired phagocytosis, but higher PD-L1 and IL-10 production, while neutrophils showed reduced TNF-α release and phagocytic activity. Conclusions Our findings characterize the temporal immune dynamics associated with MPE progression in a mouse model, revealing a transition from an early immunostimulatory state to a late immunosuppressive state. This study enhances our understanding of MPE immunopathogenesis and provides a foundation for developing precise, stagespecific therapeutic strategies.

Background: and Purpose Vertebrobasilar fusiform aneurysms (VBFAs) carry substantial morbidity and mortality, but optimal management for unruptured VBFAs remains unclear. We compared the safety and efficacy of conservative management (CM), stent-assisted coiling (SAC), and flow diverters (FDs) in patients with unruptured VBFAs, focusing on long-term prognosis. Methods: This study included data from a nationwide Chinese cohort of patients with vertebrobasilar dissecting aneurysms. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) balanced confounders across groups. The primary outcome was poor prognosis (modified Rankin Scale score >2). Secondary outcomes included aneurysm rupture, ischemic stroke, compression symptoms, and VBFA-related deaths. Logistic regression estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: Among 1,115 patients with unruptured VBFAs, 838 (median age, 54 years; 655 men) were included. After IPTW, baseline characteristics were balanced. Median follow-up was 54 months. FD was associated with a lower risk of poor prognosis than CM (OR, 0.48 [95% CI, 0.30 to 0.77]; p=0.002), with no difference between CM and SAC. FD also reduced aneurysm rupture (OR, 0.20 [95% CI, 0.07 to 0.60]; p=0.004) and compression symptoms (OR, 0.30 [95% CI, 0.13 to 0.68]; p=0.004) versus CM. Time-to-event analyses further revealed significant differences in vertebral artery lesions and Type I–II VBFAs, whereas no significant differences were observed in basilar or vertebrobasilar junction lesions or in Type III–IV VBFAs. Conclusions Compared with CM, FD was associated with improved long-term outcomes in unruptured VBFAs, particularly in vertebral artery lesions and Type I–II VBFAs, although residual confounding cannot be excluded.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of modified Xiangsha Liujunzi Decoction （香砂六君子汤， XLD） in the treatment of abemaciclib-related diarrhea of spleen-stomach deficiency type， and its regulatory effect on immune function in patients with advanced hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative （HR+/HER2-） breast cancer. MethodsA prospective， randomized， open-label， blinded-endpoint （PROBE） study was conducted. A total of 70 patients with advanced HR+/HER2- breast cancer and abemaciclib-related diarrhea were randomly divided into two groups， with 35 cases in each group. In addition to abemaciclib， the control group was treated with oral loperamide， while the trial group was treated with oral modified XLD. Both groups received treatment for 7 days as one course. The efficacy for diarrhea after treatment was compared between groups. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome score， Karnofsky performance status （KPS） score， inflammatory markers including interleukin-6 （IL-6） and C-reactive protein （CRP）， and immune function indicators including CD4⁺， CD8⁺， and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio were compared between groups before and after treatment. Adverse events during the study were recorded， and safety was assessed. ResultsDuring the study， 1 case in the trial group and 2 cases in the control group， were lost to follow-up leaving 34 cases in the trial group and 33 cases in the control group for final analysis. The total effective rate of diarrhea in the trial group was 94.12% （32/34）， higher than 72.73% （24/33） in the control group （P＜0.05）. After treatment， both groups showed decreased TCM syndrome scores， increased KPS scores， increased CD4⁺， CD8⁺， and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio， and decreased IL-6 and CRP levels （all P＜0.05）. Compared to the control group， the trial group had higher KPS scores， CD4⁺ levels， and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratios， and lower TCM syndrome scores and IL-6， CRP， and CD8⁺ levels （P＜0.05）. The incidence of adverse events in the trial group was 20.59% （7/34）， with an incidence of adverse drug reactions of 14.71% （5/34） after causality assessment； in the control group， the corresponding rates were 45.45% （15/33） and 39.39% （13/33）， respectively. The incidence of adverse events in the trial group was significantly lower than that in the control group （P＜0.05）. ConclusionModified XLD can effectively alleviate abemaciclib-related diarrhea in patients with advanced HR+/HER2- breast cancer of the spleen-stomach deficiency type， reduce levels of inflammatory cytokines， and regulate immune function， with a favorable safety profile.

Objective:To investigate the staging criteria of renal tuberculosis，and to analyze the diagnostic and therapeutic characteristics as well as prognostic outcomes at different stages.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 134 patients with renal tuberculosis who were admitted to the Second Hospital of Lanzhou University between January 2019 and December 2023.The study cohort included 62 males and 72 females，with a mean age of（46.63 ± 13.52）years and a mean body mass index（BMI）of（22.85 ± 3.73）kg/m 2. A total of 107 patients resided in rural areas. Sixty patients had a history of pulmonary tuberculosis. Tuberculous lesions were located in the left kidney in 72 cases and in the right kidney in 62 cases. The main presenting complaints included irritative lower urinary tract symptoms in 85 patients and systemic symptoms in 92 patients. Ureteral involvement was observed in 97 patients，bladder involvement in 32 patients，and genital involvement in 9 patients. Based on computed tomography（CT）findings，the number，extent，and degree of renal destruction caused by tuberculous lesions were comprehensively evaluated in axial，coronal，and sagittal planes. The primary staging criteria included lesion diameter（2 cm）and the proportion of renal volume involved by the lesion（one-third，one-half，and two-thirds）. Renal tuberculosis was classified into three stages and six subtypes：Stage Ⅰa，a solitary lesion with a diameter ≤ 2 cm；Stage Ⅰb，a solitary lesion >2 cm or multiple lesions confined within one-third of the renal volume；Stage Ⅱa，lesions involving more than one-third but confined within one-half of the renal volume；Stage Ⅱb，lesions involving more than one-half but confined within two-thirds of the renal volume；Stage Ⅲa，lesions involving more than two-thirds of the renal volume with a glomerular filtration rate（GFR）of the affected kidney <10 ml/min；and Stage Ⅲb，complete renal calcification，presenting as an “autonephrectomy”. Among the 134 patients included in this study，7 were classified as Stage Ⅰa，17 as Stage Ⅰb，20 as Stage Ⅱa，19 as Stage Ⅱb，62 as Stage Ⅲa，and 9 as Stage Ⅲb. The severity of hydronephrosis was graded as follows：mild，renal pelvic separation <2 cm；moderate，2-3 cm；and severe，>3 cm. Prior to treatment，the mean renal pelvic separation was（1.76 ± 0.92）cm in Stage Ⅰa，（1.69 ± 0.81）cm in Stage Ⅰb，and（1.10 ± 0.82）cm in Stage Ⅱa，corresponding to mild to moderate hydronephrosis. All 7 patients in Stage Ⅰa underwent ureteroscopic examination and double-J stent placement，combined with a 6-month short-course anti-tuberculosis regimen consisting of isoniazid，rifampicin，pyrazinamide，and ethambutol for 2 months（intensive phase），followed by isoniazid and rifampicin for 4 months（continuation phase）. Among the 17 patients in Stage Ⅰb，13 presented with hydronephrosis and underwent ureteroscopic examination and double-J stent placement in combination with 6 months of anti-tuberculosis therapy，while 4 patients with isolated renal tuberculosis received anti-tuberculosis therapy alone for 6 months.Of the 20 patients in Stage Ⅱa，4 with hydronephrosis underwent ureteroscopic examination and double-J stent placement plus 6 months of anti-tuberculosis therapy，whereas 16 underwent nephroureterectomy. All 19 patients in Stage Ⅱb underwent nephroureterectomy. Among the 62 patients in Stage Ⅲa，60 underwent nephroureterectomy，while 2 refused surgery and were treated with the 6-month short-course anti-tuberculosis regimen. Of the 9 patients in Stage Ⅲb，8 underwent nephroureterectomy；in 1 patient，surgery was not performed due to severe adhesions in the operative field，and the patient received the 6-month short-course anti-tuberculosis regimen instead. Follow-up assessments included clinical symptoms，erythrocyte sedimentation rate（ESR），serum creatinine，degree of renal pelvic separation，and imaging findings from urinary tract CT. Efficacy was evaluated according to the following criteria：Cure was defined as clinical stability with all of the following conditions：① improvement of systemic symptoms，including absence of flank pain，fever，and lower urinary tract irritative symptoms，with normalization of erythrocyte sedimentation rate（ESR）；② negative urine culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis；and ③ complete calcification of renal lesions and/or no evidence of tuberculous lesions at other sites. Stable disease was defined as no change in the size or extent of renal tuberculosis lesions. Progressive disease was defined as enlargement or increase in the number of tuberculous lesions or involvement of additional sites. Results:Among the 7 patients in Stage Ⅰa，follow-up imaging after treatment showed a mean renal pelvic separation of（0.44 ± 0.56）cm，which was significantly reduced compared with baseline（ t = 3.909， P = 0.008）. Five patients achieved cure，1 remained stable，and 1 showed disease progression and subsequently underwent nephroureterectomy，resulting in postoperative cure. In Stage Ⅰb，among 13 patients with hydronephrosis，post-treatment imaging showed a mean renal pelvic separation of（0.8 ± 0.75）cm，a statistically significant improvement from baseline（ t = 5.633， P < 0.01）. Six patients were cured，4 remained stable，and 3 experienced disease progression and underwent nephroureterectomy. Of the 4 patients with isolated renal tuberculosis，2 were controlled，and 2 progressed and underwent nephroureterectomy. In Stage Ⅱa，among 4 patients with tuberculous hydronephrosis，post-treatment renal pelvic separation was（1.20±0.98）cm，with no significant difference from baseline（ t = -1.675， P = 0.193）；these patients underwent nephroureterectomy 1-2 years later. The remaining 16 patients without hydronephrosis underwent nephroureterectomy and were cured. All 19 patients in Stage Ⅱb underwent nephroureterectomy；17 were cured，and 2 developed ipsilateral perirenal fluid collections 3 months postoperatively，which resolved spontaneously with the standard 6-month anti-tuberculosis regimen. Among 62 patients in Stage Ⅲa，60 underwent nephroureterectomy. Of these，54 were cured；1 developed a urinary tract infection within 2 weeks postoperatively；3 showed contralateral renal disease progression at 3 months；and 1 developed ipsilateral perirenal fluid at 3 months，which resolved spontaneously with standard anti-tuberculosis therapy. One patient developed solitary kidney failure 7 months postoperatively and underwent ureteral stent placement，with disease remaining stable thereafter. Two patients refused surgery and received only anti-tuberculosis therapy；during follow-up，1 patient experienced disease progression and died of disseminated tuberculosis after 1 year，while the other developed contralateral renal involvement at 3 months and received standard 6-month therapy，with disease remaining stable. Among 9 patients in Stage Ⅲb，8 underwent nephroureterectomy and were cured. One patient，with severe adhesions precluding surgery，received anti-tuberculosis therapy alone，and disease remained stable over a 2-year follow-up. Conclusions:The CT-based staging system for renal tuberculosis proposed in this study（three stages and six subtypes）effectively reflects the severity of renal lesions and clearly delineates the clinical characteristics and prognostic outcomes at each stage. Stage Ⅰ patients treated with anti-tuberculosis drugs combined with double-J stent placement demonstrated favorable outcomes and high renal preservation rates. In contrast，Stages Ⅱ and Ⅲ patients showed poor responses to anti-tuberculosis therapy combined with drainage，with a higher risk of disease progression and relatively worse prognosis，highlighting the recommendation for early nephroureterectomy of the affected kidney.

Background: s/Aims: Non-invasive models stratifying clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) are limited. Herein, we developed a new non-invasive model for predicting CSPH in patients with compensated cirrhosis and investigated whether carvedilol can prevent hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified using the new model. Methods: Non-invasive risk factors of CSPH were identified via systematic review and meta-analysis of studies involving patients with hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG). A new non-invasive model was validated for various performance aspects in three cohorts, i.e., a multicenter HVPG cohort, a follow-up cohort, and a carvediloltreating cohort. Results: In the meta-analysis with six studies (n=819), liver stiffness measurement and platelet count were identified as independent risk factors for CSPH and were used to develop the new “CSPH risk” model. In the HVPG cohort (n=151), the new model accurately predicted CSPH with cutoff values of 0 and –0.68 for ruling in and out CSPH, respectively. In the follow-up cohort (n=1,102), the cumulative incidences of decompensation events significantly differed using the cutoff values of <–0.68 (low-risk), –0.68 to 0 (medium-risk), and >0 (high-risk). In the carvediloltreated cohort, patients with high-risk CSPH treated with carvedilol (n=81) had lower rates of decompensation events than non-selective beta-blockers untreated patients with high-risk CSPH (n=613 before propensity score matching [PSM], n=162 after PSM). Conclusions Treatment with carvedilol significantly reduces the risk of hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified by the new model.

Objective To compare the safety and efficacy of directional atherectomy with anti-restenosis therapy(DAART,drug-coated balloon)versus conventional balloon angioplasty(bare-metal stent,BMS)in elderly patients with femoropopliteal artery disease.Methods A retrospec-tive cohort study was conducted on 116 elderly patients undergoing endovascular intervention due to femoropopliteal artery disease in our hospital between May 2016 and September 2019,divided into DAART group(57 cases)and BMS group(59 cases).Results No statistical differences were observed between the DAART and BMS groups in terms of age,risk factors,distribution of Ruth-erford classification,lesion length,lesion type,lesion location,Global Limb Anatomic Staging Sys-tem grade,infra-popliteal runoff status,or preoperative ankle-brachial index(P＞0.05).However,the BMS group had significantly larger proportion of chronic limb-threatening ischemia than the other group(P＜0.05).Both groups achieved a 100％success rate of surgery.The DAART group obtained obviously higher primary patency rates at 1 and 2 years than the BMS group(90.4％vs 75.0％,76.3％vs 57.3％;P＜0.045).There were no significant differences in the rate of freedom from target lesion revascularization at 1 and 2 years between the two group(96.1％vs 88.8％,91.6％vs 77.7％;P＞0.05).In 2 years of follow-up,the incidence of major adverse events was 10.0％(5 cases)in the DAART group and 20.8％(12 cases)in the BMS group,but no obvious difference(P＞0.05).Conclusion DAART demonstrates superior mid-term efficacy than BMS in treating femoropopliteal artery disease in elderly patients.However,comprehensive preoperative assessment is essential to optimize individualized treatment strategies for this population.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the prognostic factors of chondrosarcoma of the larynx,deeply analyze its clinical data,and provide a theoretical basis for better treatment of chondrosarcoma of the larynx.METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted on the complete clinical data of patients with primary chondrosarcoma of the larynx admitted to the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery,Beijing Tongren Hospital,Capital Medical University from January 2010 to December 2024.RESULTS A total of 15 patients were included,including 11 males and 4 females,with a gender ratio of 11∶4.The average age of onset was 57.3 years,and the average clinical symptom duration was 12.2 months.The tumors were mainly located in the cricoid cartilage in 11 patients,in the arytenoid cartilage in 2 patients,and in the thyroid cartilage in 2 patients.Tumor grading showed that 7 patients were grade I and 8 were grade II.Four patients underwent transoral laser minimally invasive surgery,2 patients underwent partial laryngectomy+tracheotomy,and 9 patients underwent total laryngectomy/cervical lymph node dissection+tracheostomy.The 5-year overall survival rate was 85.7%,the 5-year disease-specific survival rate was 100%,and the 5-year local-regional control rate was 90.9%.Gender,tumor location,tumor grade,Ki-67,tumor size,and whether larynx preservation surgery was performed did not affect the local-regional control rate or disease-specific survival rate.CONCLUSION Laryngeal chondrosarcoma generally has a longer disease history and is difficult to detect.The pathological type is mostly well-differentiated.Regional or distant metastasis is rare,and the long-term survival rate is good.Surgical resection is the preferred treatment option.On the basis of not reducing the tumor control rate,surgery that prioritizes preserving laryngeal function should be given priority,while comprehensive treatment is generally not recommended.

Psychotropic medication plays a crucial role in the field of mental illness,and the issues of drug efficacy and safety due to individual differences cannot be ignored.Genetic factors,especially the genetic poly-morphisms related to drug-metabolizing enzymes,drug action targets,and risk,have a significant impact on drug responses.Pharmacogenomics,by detecting genetic polymorphisms,can reveal a patient's inherited tend-encies towards drug efficacy,pharmacokinetic characteristics,and potential toxicity,thereby predicting the therapeutic effects and adverse reactions of drug treatment,and providing guidance for personalized therapy.Therefore,individualized medication based on pharmacogenomics helps to improve cure rates,reduce relapse rates,and decrease medical costs,which is of great significance to clinical medication in mental illness.

Background The high work intensity and possible subsequently increased susceptibility to occupational hazards of calcium carbide plants may lead to hypertension in workers, but there are few studies on the relationship between occupational hazard exposure and hypertension in workers involving the production process of calcium carbide. Objective To explore the influence of occupational hazards on the incidence of hypertension in calcium carbide plants. Methods Using historical cohort design, the employees of a calcium carbide factory in the western part of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region were selected as research subjects. According to the pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria, the study population comprised an exposure group of 377 employees (including furnace workers, inspection workers, and maintenance workers) exposed to dust, noise & carbon monoxide, and a control group of 388 employees (including central control workers, electricians, and administrative personnel) without above-mentioned exposure. The total sample size was 765 participants. The follow-up period was from April 2011 to October 2022, and the study endpoint was defined as the conclusion of the follow-up period or diagnosed hypertension in annual occupational health examination. Information on general demographic characteristics, living habits, and work status was collected from all study subjects. Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze the association between occupational hazard exposure and the risk of hypertension among the calcium carbide plant employees. Results The average age, mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure, proportion of males, smoking rate, and alcohol consumption rate in the exposure group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). Compared to baseline, both systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels increased in the exposure group and the control group at the end of the follow-up (P<0.05). At the end of the follow-up, the average differences between systolic/ diastolic blood pressure and baseline values in the exposure group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). During the follow-up period, a total of 223 cases of hypertension occurred, with a total follow-up of 2785 person-years, resulting in an incidence density of 8007.18 per 100000 person-years, an average age of onset of (35.90±8.22) years, and an average working age of onset of (2.69±1.97) years. The incidence density in the exposure group was 128.71% higher than that in the control group, and the risk of hypertension in the exposure group was 2.115 times that of the control group. The risk of hypertension was 2.199 times higher for men than for women, 1.344 times higher for those aged 30 and above than for those under 30, 1.546 times higher for smokers than for non-smokers, and 1.750 times higher for drinking workers than for non-drinking ones. The results of Cox proportional hazards regression modeling indicated that the hazard ratio (95%CI) of hypertension among the employees exposed to dust, noise, and carbon monoxide was 2.254 (1.703, 2.982), 1.594 (1.107, 2.295), and 1.567 (1.079, 2.274), respectively, when different covariates (gender, age, smoking, and alcohol consumption) were included. The results of Log-rank test showed that there were statistically significant differences in the distribution of disease-free survival between the exposure group and the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion Occupational exposures to dust, noise, and carbon monoxide may increase the risk of hypertension among calcium carbide plant workers.

Background: s/Aims: Non-invasive models stratifying clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) are limited. Herein, we developed a new non-invasive model for predicting CSPH in patients with compensated cirrhosis and investigated whether carvedilol can prevent hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified using the new model. Methods: Non-invasive risk factors of CSPH were identified via systematic review and meta-analysis of studies involving patients with hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG). A new non-invasive model was validated for various performance aspects in three cohorts, i.e., a multicenter HVPG cohort, a follow-up cohort, and a carvediloltreating cohort. Results: In the meta-analysis with six studies (n=819), liver stiffness measurement and platelet count were identified as independent risk factors for CSPH and were used to develop the new “CSPH risk” model. In the HVPG cohort (n=151), the new model accurately predicted CSPH with cutoff values of 0 and –0.68 for ruling in and out CSPH, respectively. In the follow-up cohort (n=1,102), the cumulative incidences of decompensation events significantly differed using the cutoff values of <–0.68 (low-risk), –0.68 to 0 (medium-risk), and >0 (high-risk). In the carvediloltreated cohort, patients with high-risk CSPH treated with carvedilol (n=81) had lower rates of decompensation events than non-selective beta-blockers untreated patients with high-risk CSPH (n=613 before propensity score matching [PSM], n=162 after PSM). Conclusions Treatment with carvedilol significantly reduces the risk of hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified by the new model.