Objective To systematically analyze the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics and epidemiological trends of tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer (TBL) disease burden attributed to air pollution globally and in China and the United States from 1990 to 2021, and to assess the patterns of disease burden changes from 2022 to 2031 based on predictive models, providing a scientific basis for formulating targeted TBL prevention and control strategies. Methods Based on the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 database, we analyzed the disease burden data of TBL attributed to air pollution globally and in China and the United States from 1990 to 2021. R Studio 4.3.2 software was used to analyze the corresponding trends and the Bayesian age-period-cohort (BAPC) prediction model was used to predict the status of the disease burden of TBL attributed to air pollution in the world and in China and the United States from 2022 to 2031. Results In 2021, China had the highest number of deaths and disability-adjusted life years attributed to air pollution (211 400 patients and 4.8947 million person-years), followed by the United States (6 000 patients and 124 300 person-years). The age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) and age-standardized disability-adjusted life years rate (ASDR) of TBL due to air pollution in the world and in China and the United States showed a decreasing trend. From 1990 to 2021, the ASMR and ASDR of TBL in China due to air pollution were much higher than those in the United States and the global average. In terms of gender, from 1990 to 2021, the disease burden of male patients with TBL attributed to air pollution was much higher than that of female patients. The BAPC prediction model showed that from 2022 to 2031, the ASMR and ASDR of TBL attributed to air pollution showed an upward trend globally, while they showed a downward trend in China and the United States. Conclusion Over the past 30 years, the air pollution-related TBL disease burden in the world and in China and the United States has continued to decline, but China's disease burden is still significantly higher than the global average. The disease burden in men far exceeds that in women, with men and the population aged ≥50 years being high-risk groups. In the future, the global disease trend may reverse and rise, while China and the United States are expected to continuously decline. However, precise prevention and control for high-risk groups remains a key challenge.

Objective To explore the application of plasma 7 microRNA (miR7) testing in the differential diagnosis of very early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods This study is a multicenter real-world study. Patients with single hepatic lesion (maximum diameter≤2 cm) who underwent plasma miR7 testing at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Anhui Provincial Hospital, and Peking University People’s Hospital between January 2019 and December 2024 were retrospectively enrolled. Patients were divided into very early-stage HCC group and non-HCC group, and the clinical pathological characteristics of the two groups were compared. The value of plasma miR7 levels, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), and des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) in the differential diagnosis of very early-stage HCC was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and area under the curve (AUC). In patients with both negative AFP and DCP (AFP＜20 ng/mL, DCP＜40 mAU/mL), the diagnostic value of plasma miR7 for very early-stage HCC was analyzed. Results A total of 64 528 patients from 4 hospitals underwent miR7 testing, and 1 682 were finally included, of which 1 073 were diagnosed with very early-stage HCC and 609 were diagnosed with non-HCC. The positive rate of miR7 in HCC patients was significantly higher than that in non-HCC patients (67.9% vs 24.3%, P＜0.001). ROC curves showed that the AUCs for miR7, AFP, and DCP in distinguishing HCC patients from the non-HCC individuals were 0.718, 0.682, and 0.642, respectively. The sensitivities were 67.85%, 43.71%, and 44.45%, and the specificities were 75.70%, 92.78%, and 83.91%, respectively. The pairwise comparison of AUCs showed that the diagnostic efficacy of plasma miR7 detection was significantly better than that of AFP or DCP (P＜0.05). Although its specificity was slightly lower than AFP and DCP, the sensitivity was significantly higher. Among patients negative for both AFP and DCP, miR7 maintained an AUC of 0.728 for diagnosing very early-stage HCC, with 67.82% sensitivity and 77.73% specificity. Conclusions Plasma miR7 testing is a potential molecular marker with high sensitivity and specificity for the differential diagnosis of small hepatic nodules. In patients with very early-stage HCC lacking effective molecular markers (negative for both AFP and DCP), miR7 can serve as a novel and effective molecular marker to assist diagnosis.

Osteoarthritis （OA） and stroke are common clinical diseases that reduce patients' quality of life and place a burden on families and society. Ruyi Zhenbaowan， a classic prescription in Tibetan medicine， have the functions of clearing heat， awakening the brain and opening orifices， relaxing tendons and promoting meridian circulation， and eliminating yellow water. Clinically， they are used to treat osteoarthritis， post-stroke sequelae， neuropathic pain， and other related conditions. Modern pharmacological studies have demonstrated their anti-inflammatory， analgesic， and nerve-repairing effects. However， current research remains insufficient regarding the appropriate indications， timing， and efficacy of this medicine in treating relevant diseases. To enhance clinicians' understanding of this medicine and promote its standardized and rational clinical use， a panel of national experts， including clinical specialists， Tibetan medicine practitioners， pharmacologists， and methodologists， formulated this consensus based on clinical experience and evidence-based practice. The Cochrane systematic review framework， the Grading of Recommendations Assessment， Development and Evaluation （GRADE） system， and the nominal group method were employed to generate seven graded recommendations and 19 consensus-based suggestions. These recommendations clearly define the key points in the clinical application of Ruyi Zhenbaowan， including therapeutic indications， dosage and administration， treatment duration， and medication safety. The consensus specifically addresses the clinical efficacy， appropriate timing of administration， dosage strategies， treatment cycles， and combination medication strategies for treating osteoarthritis and stroke and provides an overview of safety considerations. The aim is to provide standardized guidance for hospitals and healthcare institutions nationwide to ensure the rational application of Ruyi Zhenbaowan in the treatment of osteoarthritis and stroke， reduce medication-related risks， and further leverage its clinical advantages. This consensus has been approved and issued by the China Association of Chinese Medicine， with the standard number GS/CACM 369-2024.

Debates persist regarding the efficacy and safety of azvudine, particularly its real-world outcomes. This study involved patients aged ≥60 years who were admitted to 25 hospitals in mainland China with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between December 1, 2022, and February 28, 2023. Efficacy outcomes were all-cause mortality during hospitalization, the proportion of patients discharged with recovery, time to nucleic acid-negative conversion (T _NANC), time to symptom improvement (T _SI), and time of hospital stay (T _HS). Safety was also assessed. Among the 5884 participants identified, 1999 received azvudine, and 1999 matched controls were included after exclusion and propensity score matching. Azvudine recipients exhibited lower all-cause mortality compared with controls in the overall population (13.3% vs. 17.1%, RR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.67-0.90; P = 0.001) and in the severe subgroup (25.7% vs. 33.7%; RR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.66-0.88; P < 0.001). A higher proportion of patients discharged with recovery, and a shorter T _NANC were associated with azvudine recipients, especially in the severe subgroup. The incidence of adverse events in azvudine recipients was comparable to that in the control group (2.3% vs. 1.7%, P = 0.170). In conclusion, azvudine showed efficacy and safety in older patients hospitalized with COVID-19 during the SARS-CoV-2 omicron wave in China.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of periodontitis induced by Prevotella nigrescens (Pn) combined with ligation on cognitive functions in mice. METHODS: Twenty-four C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into control group, ligation group, and ligation + Pn treatment (P+Pn) group. Experimental periodontitis was induced by silk ligation of the first molars followed by topical application of Pn for 6 weeks. After modeling, alveolar bone resorption was assessed using micro-CT and histological analysis. Learning and memory abilities of the mice were evaluated using open field test (OFT), novel object recognition test (NORT), and Morris water maze test (MWM). Seven weeks after the start of modeling, the mice were sacrificed for examining histopathological changes in the hippocampus using HE and Nissl staining. RESULTS: After 6 weeks of molar ligation, micro-CT revealed horizontal alveolar bone resorption and furcation exposure in the mice, and histological analysis showed apical migration of the junctional epithelium, epithelial ridge hyperplasia, and lymphocyte infiltration, and these changes were obviously worsened in P+Pn group. Alveolar bone height decreased significantly in both ligation groups compared to the control group. Cognitive tests showed that the mice in both of the ligation groups traveled shorter distances in OFT, showed reduced novel object preference in NORT, and exhibited longer escape latencies in MWM, and the mice in P+Pn group had significantly poorer performances in the tests. Histologically, obvious neuronal cytoplasmic degeneration, necrosis, nuclear pyknosis, vacuolation, and reduced Nissl bodies and viable neurons were observed in the hippocampal regions of the mice in the two ligation groups. CONCLUSIONS Pn infection aggravates alveolar bone destruction, accelerates necrosis and causes morphological abnormalities of neuronal cells in the hippocampus to reduce cognitive functions of mice with periodontitis.
Animals ; Periodontitis/microbiology* ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Cognition ; Alveolar Bone Loss ; Hippocampus/pathology* ; Male ; Inflammation ; Maze Learning

Objective To analyze ethnic differences in mutations of the PIK3CA and TP53 genes among breast cancer patients from the Han, Tibetan, and Hui ethnic groups in Qinghai, China, and their associations with clinicopathological characteristics. Methods A total of 382 breast cancer tissue samples were retrospectively collected from surgical patients (Jan 2020−Dec 2022), comprising 200 Han, 93 Tibetan, and 89 Hui ethnicity. Mutations in PIK3CA (E542K, H1047R, and E545K) and TP53 (R273H and R175H) were detected by using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Correlations between mutations and clinicopathological parameters were analyzed. Results Significant differences were observed in pTNM stage, lymph node metastasis, molecular subtypes, and PR status among the three ethnic groups. The overall mutation rate of PIK3CA and TP53 was 48.95%. The PIK3CA-p.E542K mutation rate in Tibetan cohort was significantly higher than those in Han and Hui cohort, whereas the detection rate of the PIK3CA-p.E545K mutation was lower in Tibetan cohort than that in Han cohort. The PIK3CA-p.E542K mutation was associated with an increased risk of lymph node metastasis. The TP53-p.R175H mutation was significantly correlated with advanced pTNM stage, vascular invasion, and triple-negative breast cancer. The PIK3CA-H1047R and E545K mutations were enriched in the luminal A subtype of breast cancer. Conclusion Considerable ethnic disparities exist in breast cancer mutation profiles in Qinghai, with the high-frequency PIK3CA-p.E542K mutation in Tibetan population potentially serving as a region-specific therapeutic target. Mutations are closely linked to tumor aggressiveness and molecular subtypes, highlighting the value of PIK3CA/TP53 mutation detection for early risk stratification and personalized treatment of breast cancer in high-altitude populations.

For muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) patients, preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) can reduce the tumor stage, treat micrometastases, prolong the median survival, and improve the prognosis.However, NAC is associated with side effects such as renal impairment, thromboembolism and drug toxicity.NAC itself suffers from deficiencies such as renal function impairment, thromboembolism, and drug toxicity.Its therapeutic efficacy is affected by factors such as tumor pathology type, DNA repair gene defects, whether it is primary MIBC, and TNM staging, so there are certain limitations in its use.Based on the cisplatin treatment regimen, more and more studies are exploring the limitations and shortcomings of NAC in MIBC treatment regimen.Therefore, this paper provides an overview and outlook of the application of NAC in MIBC treatment.

Objective : Based on metabolomics and transcriptomics analysis , to explore the molecular mechanism of spleen inflammation induced by high altitude hypoxia in mice through NOD⁃like receptor signaling pathway . Methods : C57BL/6 mice were raised at an altitude of 400 m and 4 200 m respectively , with five mice in each group , and spleen tissues were collected after 30 days . Differential metabolites and differentially expressed genes in key pathways were screened by metabolomics and transcriptome analysis and correlation KEGG enrichment analysis , and the related network interaction diagram of differential metabolites and differentially expressed genes in key pathways was constructed and verified by RT⁃qPCR . Results : Metabolomics analysis showed that 133 differential metabolites were screened from in the plain spleen control group (PSC group) and the plateau spleen test group (HST group) , 95 of which were up⁃regulated while 38 of which were down⁃regulated . KEGG enrichment analysis showed that they were mainly involved in NOD⁃like receptor signaling pathway , HIF⁃1 signaling pathway , cholesterol metabolism and other metabolic pathways . The results of transcriptome analysis showed that a total of 4213 differentially expressed genes were identified in PSC group and HST group , including 1947 up⁃regulated genes and 2266 down⁃regulated genes . KEGG was enriched in 173 signaling pathways , including NOD⁃like receptor signaling pathway , MAPK signaling pathway , NF⁃κB signaling pathway and other pathways . Comprehensive analysis showed that the differential metabolites and differentially expressed genes were obviously enriched in NOD⁃like receptor signaling pathway . Therefore , the correlation network interaction map was constructed for the differential metabolites ATP and differentially expressed genes in NOD⁃like receptor signaling pathway . RT⁃qPCR results showed that compared with PSC group , the expression levels of DEGs related to NOD1 and NOD2 (CHUK , TAB3 , MAPK8) in the signaling pathway of NOD⁃like receptor and NLRP1 ⁃CASP1 pathway (NLRP1b , CASP1) in HST group were significantly enhanced . The mRNA expression levels of downstream inflammatory factors IL⁃6 , IL⁃1 β , IL⁃18 , INF⁃γ and TNF⁃α were up⁃regulated and differentially expressed . Conclusion Based on the combined analysis of metabolomics and transcriptomics , it was found that hypoxia stimulation at high altitude may affect the NOD⁃like receptor signaling pathway in vivo , and the differential metabolite ATP is positively correlated with the differential key genes in the pathway . ATP mediates the release of downstream inflammatory factors by activating NOD1 , NOD2 pathways and NLRP1 inflammable⁃CASP1 pathways . Inflammatory response occurred in spleen tissue of mice.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has an insidious onset, and most patients are in the advanced stage when attending the hospital and thus lose the opportunity for radical surgical resection, which results in the poor prognosis of patients. With the development of clinical treatment, the treatment of advanced HCC has gradually transitioned from the relatively single and limited treatment options in the past to the new model of comprehensive treatment. In recent years, immunotherapy, represented by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), has become widely used in clinical practice. At present, a number of clinical studies have been conducted for immunotherapy combined with local and targeted antitumor therapy, and in particular, ICIs combined with targeted therapy have become a research hotspot in the field of HCC treatment. This article reviews the research advances in immunotherapy for the treatment of HCC.