AIM: To investigate the relationship between Apelin and δ-like ligand 4(DLL4)expression levels and clinical stage and efficacy in patients with neovascular glaucoma(NVG).METHODS: A total of 96 NVG patients(96 eyes)who were admitted to our hospital from January 2022 to March 2024(NVG group)and 96 cataract patients(96 eyes)who underwent cataract surgery in our hospital during the same period(control group)were selected. NVG patients were divided into stage Ⅰ group(22 eyes), stage Ⅱ group(47 eyes)and stage Ⅲ group(27 eyes)according to the clinical stage; furthermore, patients were divided into ineffective group(20 eyes)and effective group(76 eyes)according to efficacy. Aqueous humor Apelin and DLL4 levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The influencing factors of the efficacy in NVG patients were analyzed by multivariate unconditional Logistic regression analysis, the evaluation efficiency of aqueous humor Apelin and DLL4 levels on the efficacy in NVG patients was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.RESULTS: Compared with the control group, aqueous humor Apelin and DLL4 levels in the NVG group were increased(all P<0.001). Aqueous humor Apelin and DLL4 levels in the stage Ⅰ, stage Ⅱ and stage Ⅲ groups increased in turn(all P<0.001). The effective rate of 96 NVG patients was 79.2%(76/96). Compared with the effective group, aqueous humor Apelin and DLL4 levels in the ineffective group increased(all P<0.001). Clinical stage III, high intraocular pressure, high Apelin and DLL4 were independent risk factors for ineffective treatment in NVG patients(all P<0.05). The area under the curve of the combined evaluation of aqueous humor Apelin and DLL4 levels in evaluating the efficacy of NVG patients was 0.874, which was greater than 0.790 and 0.786 of aqueous Apelin and DLL4 levels alone(all P<0.05).CONCLUSION: Aqueous humor Apelin and DLL4 levels in NVG patients increase, which relate to the increase of clinical stage and poor efficacy, and the combination of aqueous humor Apelin and DLL4 levels is more effective in evaluating the efficacy of NVG patients.

Objective To compare the long-term survival of elderly patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) treated with surgical versus non-surgical treatment. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of elderly patients aged ≥70 years with ESCC who underwent esophagectomy or radiotherapy/chemotherapy at Sichuan Cancer Hospital from January 2009 to September 2017. Patients were divided into a surgical group (S group) and a non-surgical group (NS group) according to the treatment method. The propensity score matching method was used to match the two groups of patients at a ratio of 1∶1, and the survival of the two groups before and after matching was analyzed. Results A total of 726 elderly patients with ESCC were included, including 552 males and 174 females, with 651 patients aged ≥70-80 years and 75 patients aged ≥80-90 years. There were 515 patients in the S group and 211 patients in the NS group. The median follow-up time was 60.8 months, and the median overall survival of the S group was 41.9 months [95%CI (35.2, 48.5)], while that of the NS group was only 24.0 months [95%CI (19.8, 28.3)]. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates of the S group were 84%, 54%, and 40%, respectively, while those of the NS group were 72%, 40%, and 30%, respectively [HR=0.689, 95%CI (0.559, 0.849), P<0.001]. After matching, 138 patients were included in each group, and there was no statistical difference in the overall survival between the two groups [HR=0.871, 95%CI (0.649, 1.167), P=0.352]. Conclusion Compared with conservative treatment, there is no significant difference in the long-term survival of elderly patients aged ≥70 years who undergo esophagectomy for ESCC. Neoadjuvant therapy combined with surgery is still an important choice to potentially improve the survival of elderly patients with ESCC.

Gut microbial communities are likely remodeled in tandem with accumulated physiological decline during aging, yet there is limited understanding of gut microbiome variation in advanced age. Here, we performed a metagenomics-based enterotype analysis in a geographically homogeneous cohort of 367 enrolled Chinese individuals between the ages of 60 and 94 years, with the goal of characterizing the gut microbiome of elderly individuals and identifying factors linked to enterotype variations. In addition to two adult-like enterotypes dominated by Bacteroides (ET-Bacteroides) and Prevotella (ET-Prevotella), we identified a novel enterotype dominated by Escherichia (ET-Escherichia), whose prevalence increased in advanced age. Our data demonstrated that age explained more of the variance in the gut microbiome than previously identified factors such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) or diet. We characterized the distinct taxonomic and functional profiles of ET-Escherichia, and found the strongest cohesion and highest robustness of the microbial co-occurrence network in this enterotype, as well as the lowest species diversity. In addition, we carried out a series of correlation analyses and co-abundance network analyses, which showed that several factors were likely linked to the overabundance of Escherichia members, including advanced age, vegetable intake, and fruit intake. Overall, our data revealed an enterotype variation characterized by Escherichia enrichment in the elderly population. Considering the different age distribution of each enterotype, these findings provide new insights into the changes that occur in the gut microbiome with age and highlight the importance of microbiome-based stratification of elderly individuals.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Bacteroides ; China ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/microbiology* ; Escherichia coli/classification* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/genetics* ; Metagenomics ; East Asian People

COMPERA 2.0 risk stratification has been demonstrated to be useful in patients with precapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH). However, its suitability for patients at risk for post-capillary PH or PH associated with left heart disease (PH-LHD) is unclear. To investigate the use of COMPERA 2.0 in patients with severe aortic stenosis (SAS) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), who are at risk for post-capillary PH, a total of 327 eligible SAS patients undergoing TAVR at our institution between September 2015 and November 2020 were included in the study. Patients were classified into four strata before and after TAVR using the COMPERA 2.0 risk score. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier curves, log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazards regression model. The study cohort had a median (interquartile range) age of 76 (70‒80) years and a pulmonary arterial systolic pressure of 33 (27‒43) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) before TAVR. The overall mortality was 11.9% during 26 (15‒47) months of follow-up. Before TAVR, cumulative mortality was higher with an increase in the risk stratum level (log-rank, both P<0.001); each increase in the risk stratum level resulted in an increased risk of death (hazard ratio (HR) 2.53, 95% confidential interval (CI) 1.54‒4.18, P<0.001), which was independent of age, sex, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), hemoglobin, albumin, and valve type (HR 1.76, 95% CI 1.01‒3.07, P=0.047). Similar results were observed at 30 d after TAVR. COMPERA 2.0 can serve as a useful tool for risk stratification in patients with SAS undergoing TAVR, indicating its potential application in the management of PH-LHD. Further validation is needed in patients with confirmed post-capillary PH by right heart catheterization.
Humans ; Aortic Valve Stenosis/complications* ; Aged ; Hypertension, Pulmonary/mortality* ; Male ; Female ; Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement ; Aged, 80 and over ; Risk Assessment/methods* ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Retrospective Studies

Radiopharmaceuticals operate by combining radionuclides with carriers. The radiation energy emitted by radionuclides is utilized to selectively irradiate diseased tissues while minimizing damage to healthy tissues. In comparison to external beam radiation therapy, radionuclide drugs demonstrate research potential due to their biological targeting capabilities and reduced normal tissue toxicity. This article reviews the applications and research progress of radiopharmaceuticals in cancer treatment. Several key radionuclides are examined, including ²²³Ra, ⁹⁰Y, Lutetium-177 (¹⁷⁷Lu), ²¹²Pb, and Actinium-225 (²²⁵Ac). It also explores the current development trends of radiopharmaceuticals, encompassing the introduction of novel radionuclides, advancements in imaging technologies, integrated diagnosis and treatment approaches, and equipment-medication combinations. We review the progress in the development of new treatments, such as neutron capture therapy, proton therapy, and heavy ion therapy. Furthermore, we examine the challenges and breakthroughs associated with the clinical translation of radiopharmaceuticals and provide recommendations for the research and development of novel radionuclide drugs.
Humans ; Radiopharmaceuticals/therapeutic use* ; Neoplasms/radiotherapy* ; Radioisotopes/therapeutic use* ; Animals

Objective To evaluate the impact of optimizing the stroke green channel on the efficiency of acute ischemic stroke management in a county hospital. Methods A retrospective analysis of the emergency stroke green channel treatment data from Sixian People’s Hospital from May 2020 to April 2021 (before optimization of the green channel) and from May 2021 to April 2022 (after optimization of the green channel) was conducted. The rates of intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and mechanical thrombectomy (MT) patients, as well as door-to-needle time (DNT), door-to-puncture time (DPT), and the modified Rankin scale (mRS) scores of patients three months post-treatment before and after the optimization of the stroke green channel were compared. Results Within one year before and after optimization of the green channel, the number of acute visits for ischemic stroke was 3 143 and 2 623, respectively. Before optimization, 84 and 51 underwent IVT and MT, respectively. After optimization of the green channel, the ratios of patients underwent IVT (n＝215) and MT (n＝103) significantly increased, and both DNT and DPT were significantly shortened (P＜0.000 1); the proportion of MT patients with an mRS score of 0-2 at 3 months post-discharge significantly increased (46/99 vs 13/46, P＝0.038). Conclusion After optimizing the green channel at Sixian People’s Hospital, the efficiency of stroke treatment has significantly improved, and the patients’ prognosis improved.

Hearing loss is one of the common radiotherapy-induced complications of head and neck tumors, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma. These side reactions can be classified into acute or delayed types, which affect all structures of the auditory organs, resulting in conductive, sensorineural or mixed hearing loss. Up to 40% of patients develop acute middle ear side effects during radical radiotherapy, while approximately 1/3 develop late sensorineural hearing loss. The total radiation dose and tumor site appear to be the most important factors associated with the risk of hearing loss. The mechanisms of conductive and sensorineural hearing impairment are different. New radiotherapy techniques (three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy, intensity modulated radiotherapy, proton therapy) enable better dose distribution, lower dose to non-target organs, and gradually increase the feasibility of protecting normal tissues. The present article illustrates recent progress in radiotherapy-induced hearing loss, specially focusing on the occurrence, the mechanisms and related factors of ear toxicity, detection and diagnosis, and treatment.

Radiotherapy is one of the main treatment methods for malignant tumors, which can cause the radiation damage to normal tissues. Radiation-induced skin injury (RISI) is one of the main adverse reactions caused by radiotherapy. The main clinical manifestations of RISI are dermatitis, ulcer, erosion and necrosis, which seriously affect the quality of life and treatment effect of tumor radiotherapy patients, and even affect the overall survival of patients. The pathological mechanism of RISI is still unclear. Some studies have shown that inflammation and oxidative stress are the main causes of RISI. RISI can be divided into acute and chronic RISI according to the different onset time, and different treatment strategies can be formulated according to the severity of the injury. In this article, clinical manifestations, classification, pathogenesis, prevention and treatment of RISI are comprehensively summarized.

The incidence and detection rates of benign and low-grade malignant pancreatic tumors have risen yearly.For patients with such tumors,traditional radical resection procedures often result in excessive loss of normal pancreatic parenchyma,leading to complications such as postoperative insufficiency of both exocrine and endocrine functions.Studies have shown that functional-preserving surgeries,such as minimally invasive enucleation or partial resection surgeries,can maximize the protection of patients'pancreatic function and improve long-term quality of life.However,for some tumors deep within the pancreatic parenchyma,accurately locating the tumor and protecting the pancreatic duct pose challenges.Intraoperative ultrasound(IOUS)has become an ideal intraoperative imaging tool,often referred to as the surgeon's"third eye"because of its portability,ability to provide real-time high-resolution information,non-reliance on ionizing radiation,and the fact that it does not require special patient preparation.With advancements in technology,the application scope of IOUS has expanded beyond its initially limited diagnostic role to various surgical applications,including identifying non-palpable lesions,guiding surgical strategies,and staging tumors.In the current era of minimally invasive and precision surgery,the proficiency of surgeons in using IOUS has become an important issue.This article reviews the history of IOUS applications,summarizes the advantages and basic usage methods of robotic IOUS,and shares techniques for applying IOUS in robot-assisted precise resection of pancreatic tumors.

With the development of clinical related disciplines, the update and establishment of relevant standards/guidelines at home and abroad, GBZ 185-2006 Diagnostic Criteria for Occupational Medicamentose-like Dermatitis due to Trichloroethylene (hereinafter referred to as “GBZ 185-2006”) was unable to meet clinical needs. Therefore, the GBZ 185-2006 was revised based on the principles of evidence-based medicine, in accordance with relevant laws/regulations and relevant standards/guidelines in combination with review of research data on occupational medicamentose-like dermatitis due to trichloroethylene (OMDT) home and abroad, and the development of clinical practice and clinical related disciplines. The main modifications include: adding terms and definitions of OMDT, modifying the description of clinical manifestations of the diagnostic principles, adjusting the description of latency, deleting the diagnostic requirement of the incidence probability, adding the specific allergen patch test as the etiological diagnostic index, standardizing the application scope, operating procedure and precautions of the specific allergen patch test. In addition, the relevant content of “Basic Characteristics and Clinical Types of Skin Damage of Medicamentose-like Dermatitis due to Trichloroethylene” in Appendix A is improved, the treatment principles are revised, and the content of new progress in treatment, artificial liver application, are added. The revised GBZ 185-2024 Diagnostic Standard for Occupational Medicamentose-like Dermatitis due to Trichloroethylene is more scientific and practical, and can provide technical basis for the standardized diagnosis and treatment of OMDT in medical and health institutions.