Background: High-mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) is a chromatin-binding protein involved in arthritis, ischemia, sepsis, atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative disorders, meningitis, and cancer. HMGB1 exhibits dual roles in cancer, acting as either a tumor suppressor or oncoprotein depending on context. Objective: This research aimed to elucidate HMGB1’s functional significance in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). Methods: We overexpressed HMGB1 in cSCC cell lines using recombinant adenovirus and examined its effects on cell proliferation, colony formation, and cell migration. Results: Immunohistochemical analysis revealed elevated HMGB1 expression levels in cSCC tissue relative to normal epidermis. To assess the influence of HMGB1, we employed recombinant adenoviruses expressing HMGB1 to transduce SCC cell lines (SCC12 and SCC13). Enhanced HMGB1 expression significantly promoted cellular proliferation and colony formation capacity.Notably, HMGB1 overexpression elevated the levels of proliferation regulators, including P63, SOX2, CDK4 and CDK6. Furthermore, HMGB1 overexpression substantially enhanced tumor invasiveness, accompanied by upregulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) biomarkers. Mechanistically, overexpression of HMGB1 enhanced transforming growth factor-β signaling by increasing phosphorylation of SMAD2/3, the key mediators of EMT. Conclusion These data imply that HMGB1 acts as a tumor-promoting factor in cSCC.

Objective:To analyze the medication pattern of traditional chinese medicine for pediatric mesenteric lymphadenitis,and to provide medication reference for clinical treatment of this disease.Methods:A total of 159 traditional chinese medicine prescriptions who were diagnosed with pediatric mesenteric lymphadenitis in the outpatient department of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department of Chongqing Medical University Affiliated Children's Hospital from January 2020 to March 2024 were collected.A medication database was created by Excel software,and the high-frequency application of traditional chinese medicine,four qi of traditional chinese medicine,five flavors,meridian tropism,correlation analysis,and cluster analysis were analyzed by ancient and modern medical case cloud platform and SPSS software.Results:The top 10 drugs in terms of frequency were licorice,hawthorn,tangerine peel,corydalis yanhusuo,malt,white peony,magnolia officinalis,poria cocos,atractylodes macrocephala,and forsythia suspensa.The top three medicinal properties were warm,calm,and cold.The top three medicinal flavors were sweet,spicy,and bitter.The top three drugs classified by meridian were spleen,lung,and stomach.Association rule analysis identified four groups of core drugs.Cluster analysis divides high-frequency traditional Chinese medicine into four effective prescription groups.Conclusion:Traditional chinese medicine treatment for pediatric mesenteric lymphadenitis,association rule analysis has identified core drug combinations,including licorice,hawthorn,tangerine peel,etc;Cluster analysis divides high-frequency traditional chinese medicine into four groups of prescriptions,with the treatment methods of regulating qi and strengthening spleen,strengthening spleen and eliminating dampness,clearing heat and detoxifying,and promoting qi and blood circulation,providing reference for the rational application of traditional chinese medicine in the treatment of pediatric mesenteric lymphadenitis in clinical practice.

OBJECTIVE To explore the risk factors for hospital-associated infections(HAI)in dead patients so as to provide bases for development of prevention strategies for the hospital-associated infections.METHODS Totally 560 patients who died due to non-SARS-CoV-2 infections and hospitalized in Gansu Provincial People's Hospital for more than 48 hours in 2019 and 2023 were retrospectively analyzed,70 of whom had HAI and were assigned as the HAI group,and the rest of 490 patients were assigned as the non-HAI group.The incidence of HAI,major causes of death,risk factors and economic burden were observed.RESULTS The incidence of HAI was 12.50％a-mong the dead patients,the lower respiratory tract infection was the predominant type of infection,and the re-spiratory failure was the primary and direct cause of death in the HAI group;the total treatment cost of the HAI group was higher than that of the non-HAI group(P＜0.05).Univariate analysis showed that there were signifi-cant differences in the length of hospital stay,multidrug-resistant organisms infections,combined use of antibiot-ics,surgery,hemodialysis/peritoneal dialysis,invasive procedures(drainage,puncture,intubation,tracheoto-my),use of equipment like ventilator or urinary catheter,central venous catheter indwelling,blood transfusion,and use of immunosuppressors/glucocorticoids between the HAI group and the non-HAI group(P＜0.05),while there were no significant differences in the sex,age,underlying diseases,modified early warning score(MEWS)and major diagnosis and chemoradiotherapy between the two groups.Multivariate analysis indicated that the length of hospital stay more than 14 days,history of surgery and combined use of antibiotics were the risk factors for HAI in the dead patients(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION It is necessary for the hospital to identify the high-risk pa-tients as early as possible,pay close attention to the lower respiratory tract infection,reduce the risk of HAI by shortening the length of hospital stay,standardizing the invasive procedures and reasonably using antibiotics so as to improve the prognosis of the patients.

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) complicated by fatigue.Methods:COPD patients enrolled in the RealDTC study from June 2023 to March 2024 were included. Demographic data, history of acute exacerbations in the past year, smoking status, biofuel exposure, occupational exposure, modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea score, COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score, forced expiratory volume in the first second predicted of percentage (FEV 1%pred), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1)/forced vital capacity (FVC), and comorbidities (bronchial asthma, bronchiectasis, tuberculosis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus) were collected. Fatigue was evaluated using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) questionnaire, with a score ≤43 defined as fatigue. Patients were divided into fatigue and non-fatigue groups, and multivariate regression analysis was used to screen factors associated with fatigue in COPD patients. Results:A total of 597 COPD patients were included, of which 280(46.9%) had fatigue symptoms. Compared with non-fatigue patients, fatigue patients had lower FEV 1%pred, FEV 1/FVC, and body mass index (BMI), higher CAT and mMRC scores, and a higher proportion of occupational exposure, bronchiectasis, and treatment with long-acting β 2-agonists (LABA)/long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMA)/inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) (all P<0.05). Multivariate regression analysis showed that high CAT score ( OR=2.312, 95% CI: 1.366-3.911), high mMRC score ( OR=1.484, 95% CI: 1.053-2.091), occupational exposure ( OR=1.513, 95% CI: 1.082-2.116), comorbid bronchiectasis ( OR=2.452, 95% CI: 1.102-5.457), low BMI ( OR=0.935, 95% CI: 0.891-0.981), and high CAT-energy score ( OR=1.301, 95% CI: 1.149-1.473) were risk factors for fatigue in COPD patients. The CAT-energy score was highly correlated with the FACIT-F score ( r=0.260, P<0.001), and a CAT-energy score ≥2 could preliminarily screen COPD patients with fatigue. Conclusions:COPD patients with comorbid fatigue have a heavy symptom burden, are more likely to have a history of occupational exposure and bronchiectasis, and the CAT-energy score is of great reference value for screening COPD patients with fatigue.

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) complicated by anorexia.Methods:This cross-sectional study included patients registered in the RealDTC study from May 2023 to December 2023. Demographic data, COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score, modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea questionnaire score, Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ) score, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1), forced expiratory volume in the first second predicted of percentage (FEV 1%pred), FEV 1/forced vital capacity (FVC), Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) grade, GOLD group, number of acute exacerbations and hospitalizations in the past year, and score of the Functional Assessment of Anorexia Cachexia Therapy-Anorexia/Cachexia Subscale-12 (FAACT-A/CS-12) were collected. Patients with a FAACT-A/CS-12 score ≤30 were diagnosed as having anorexia. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the influencing factors of anorexia in COPD patients. Results:A total of 617 COPD patients were included, of whom 109(17.7%) had anorexia. Compared with non-anorexia patients, COPD patients with anorexia had higher age, CAT, mMRC and CCQ scores, and more acute exacerbations and hospitalizations in the past year, while body mass index, FEV 1, FEV 1%pred and FEV 1/FVC were lower (all P<0.05). The proportions of patients with primary education or below, GOLD 3-4 grade and GOLD E group were higher in COPD patients with anorexia (all P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that a CAT score of 10-<20 [odds ratio ( OR)=4.017, 95% confidence interval ( CI): 1.673-59.645], a CAT score of 20-<30 ( OR=9.686, 95% CI: 3.777-24.842), a CAT score of ≥30 ( OR=78.286, 95% CI: 7.654-800.689) and ≥1 hospitalization in the past year ( OR=2.050, 95% CI: 1.292-3.254) were independent risk factors for anorexia in COPD patients (all P<0.05). Conclusions:COPD patients with anorexia have poor lung function, high symptom burden and high risk of acute exacerbation. Clinicians should pay attention to the management of COPD patients with anorexia and take corresponding intervention measures.

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics of frailty in elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Methods:COPD patients aged ≥65 years registered in the RealDTC study from June 2023 to March 2024 were included. Demographic data, history of exacerbations in the past year, exposure to risk factors (smoking, biomass fuel exposure, occupational exposure), modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea score, COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score, forced expiratory volume in the first second predicted of percentage (FEV 1%pred), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1) to forced vital capacity (FVC), and comorbidities (bronchial asthma, bronchiectasis, pulmonary tuberculosis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus) were collected. According to Fried′s frailty phenotype, patients meeting any 3 of the 5 criteria were defined as frail and divided into a frailty group and a non-frailty group. Multivariate regression analysis was used to screen the related factors of frailty in elderly COPD patients, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to calculate the area under the curve (AUC) of related factors for frailty assessment. Results:A total of 496 elderly COPD patients were included, of which 144(29.0%) had comorbid frailty. The frailty group had lower mass body index (BMI), FEV 1%pred, and FEV 1/FVC, higher mMRC and CAT scores, more exacerbations and hospitalizations in the past year (all P<0.001), and higher proportions of patients with junior high school education or below, Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) group E, and GOLD grades 3 and 4 (all P<0.05). Multivariate regression analysis showed that low education level ( OR=2.117, 95% CI: 1.119-4.003), low BMI ( OR=0.927, 95% CI: 0.867-0.991), GOLD grade 4 ( OR=4.251, 95% CI: 1.477-12.235), high CAT score ( OR=1.174, 95% CI: 1.127-1.224), and high mMRC score ( OR=4.578, 95% CI: 3.364-6.231) were independent risk factors for frailty in elderly COPD patients (all P<0.05). The ROC curve showed that CAT score (AUC=0.78) and mMRC score (AUC=0.81) had the highest AUC for assessing frailty in elderly COPD patients. Conclusions:Elderly COPD patients with frailty have lower BMI, worse lung function, and more severe symptom burden. The results provide clinical reference for the management of frail elderly COPD patients.

AIM To investigate the clinical effects of Yifei Tongluo Decoction combined with azithromycin on patients with childern severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia due to Toxic Heat Blocking Lung.METHODS One hundred and fifty-six patients were randomly assigned into control group(78 cases)for 7-day administration of azithromycin,and observation group(78 cases)for 7-day administration of both Yifei Tongluo Decoction and azithromycin.The changes in clinical effects,disappearance time of local symptoms,mycoplasmas,pulmonary imaging score,Toxic Heat Blocking Lung score,pulmonary function indices(PEF,VPTEF,MMF,TPTEF),inflammatory factors(sB7-H3,Cgp-39,sICAM-1,CCL5),immune function indices(RBC-C3bR,RBC-ICR,CD3+,CD4+)and safety indices were detected.RESULTS The observation group demonstrated higher total effective rate than the control group(P＜0.05),along with shorter disappearance time of local symptoms(P＜0.05).After the treatment,the two groups displayed decreased mycoplasmas,pulmonary imaging score,Toxic Heat Blocking Lung score,inflammatory factors,RBC-ICR(P＜0.05),and increased pulmonary function indices,RBC-C3bR,CD3+,CD4+(P＜0.05),especially for the observation group(P＜0.05).No obvious difference in incidence of adverse reactions was found between the two groups(P＞0.05).CONCLUSION For the patients with childern severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia due to Toxic Heat Blocking Lung,Yifei Tongluo Decoction combined with azithromycin can safely and effectively alleviate clinical symptoms,improve pulmonary functions,and reduce body inflammatory responses.

OBJECTIVE To explore the risk factors for hospital-associated infections(HAI)in dead patients so as to provide bases for development of prevention strategies for the hospital-associated infections.METHODS Totally 560 patients who died due to non-SARS-CoV-2 infections and hospitalized in Gansu Provincial People's Hospital for more than 48 hours in 2019 and 2023 were retrospectively analyzed,70 of whom had HAI and were assigned as the HAI group,and the rest of 490 patients were assigned as the non-HAI group.The incidence of HAI,major causes of death,risk factors and economic burden were observed.RESULTS The incidence of HAI was 12.50％a-mong the dead patients,the lower respiratory tract infection was the predominant type of infection,and the re-spiratory failure was the primary and direct cause of death in the HAI group;the total treatment cost of the HAI group was higher than that of the non-HAI group(P＜0.05).Univariate analysis showed that there were signifi-cant differences in the length of hospital stay,multidrug-resistant organisms infections,combined use of antibiot-ics,surgery,hemodialysis/peritoneal dialysis,invasive procedures(drainage,puncture,intubation,tracheoto-my),use of equipment like ventilator or urinary catheter,central venous catheter indwelling,blood transfusion,and use of immunosuppressors/glucocorticoids between the HAI group and the non-HAI group(P＜0.05),while there were no significant differences in the sex,age,underlying diseases,modified early warning score(MEWS)and major diagnosis and chemoradiotherapy between the two groups.Multivariate analysis indicated that the length of hospital stay more than 14 days,history of surgery and combined use of antibiotics were the risk factors for HAI in the dead patients(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION It is necessary for the hospital to identify the high-risk pa-tients as early as possible,pay close attention to the lower respiratory tract infection,reduce the risk of HAI by shortening the length of hospital stay,standardizing the invasive procedures and reasonably using antibiotics so as to improve the prognosis of the patients.

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) complicated by fatigue.Methods:COPD patients enrolled in the RealDTC study from June 2023 to March 2024 were included. Demographic data, history of acute exacerbations in the past year, smoking status, biofuel exposure, occupational exposure, modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea score, COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score, forced expiratory volume in the first second predicted of percentage (FEV 1%pred), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1)/forced vital capacity (FVC), and comorbidities (bronchial asthma, bronchiectasis, tuberculosis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus) were collected. Fatigue was evaluated using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) questionnaire, with a score ≤43 defined as fatigue. Patients were divided into fatigue and non-fatigue groups, and multivariate regression analysis was used to screen factors associated with fatigue in COPD patients. Results:A total of 597 COPD patients were included, of which 280(46.9%) had fatigue symptoms. Compared with non-fatigue patients, fatigue patients had lower FEV 1%pred, FEV 1/FVC, and body mass index (BMI), higher CAT and mMRC scores, and a higher proportion of occupational exposure, bronchiectasis, and treatment with long-acting β 2-agonists (LABA)/long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMA)/inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) (all P<0.05). Multivariate regression analysis showed that high CAT score ( OR=2.312, 95% CI: 1.366-3.911), high mMRC score ( OR=1.484, 95% CI: 1.053-2.091), occupational exposure ( OR=1.513, 95% CI: 1.082-2.116), comorbid bronchiectasis ( OR=2.452, 95% CI: 1.102-5.457), low BMI ( OR=0.935, 95% CI: 0.891-0.981), and high CAT-energy score ( OR=1.301, 95% CI: 1.149-1.473) were risk factors for fatigue in COPD patients. The CAT-energy score was highly correlated with the FACIT-F score ( r=0.260, P<0.001), and a CAT-energy score ≥2 could preliminarily screen COPD patients with fatigue. Conclusions:COPD patients with comorbid fatigue have a heavy symptom burden, are more likely to have a history of occupational exposure and bronchiectasis, and the CAT-energy score is of great reference value for screening COPD patients with fatigue.

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) complicated by anorexia.Methods:This cross-sectional study included patients registered in the RealDTC study from May 2023 to December 2023. Demographic data, COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score, modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea questionnaire score, Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ) score, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1), forced expiratory volume in the first second predicted of percentage (FEV 1%pred), FEV 1/forced vital capacity (FVC), Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) grade, GOLD group, number of acute exacerbations and hospitalizations in the past year, and score of the Functional Assessment of Anorexia Cachexia Therapy-Anorexia/Cachexia Subscale-12 (FAACT-A/CS-12) were collected. Patients with a FAACT-A/CS-12 score ≤30 were diagnosed as having anorexia. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the influencing factors of anorexia in COPD patients. Results:A total of 617 COPD patients were included, of whom 109(17.7%) had anorexia. Compared with non-anorexia patients, COPD patients with anorexia had higher age, CAT, mMRC and CCQ scores, and more acute exacerbations and hospitalizations in the past year, while body mass index, FEV 1, FEV 1%pred and FEV 1/FVC were lower (all P<0.05). The proportions of patients with primary education or below, GOLD 3-4 grade and GOLD E group were higher in COPD patients with anorexia (all P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that a CAT score of 10-<20 [odds ratio ( OR)=4.017, 95% confidence interval ( CI): 1.673-59.645], a CAT score of 20-<30 ( OR=9.686, 95% CI: 3.777-24.842), a CAT score of ≥30 ( OR=78.286, 95% CI: 7.654-800.689) and ≥1 hospitalization in the past year ( OR=2.050, 95% CI: 1.292-3.254) were independent risk factors for anorexia in COPD patients (all P<0.05). Conclusions:COPD patients with anorexia have poor lung function, high symptom burden and high risk of acute exacerbation. Clinicians should pay attention to the management of COPD patients with anorexia and take corresponding intervention measures.