[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.05.019.].

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) presents a significant health burden in Asia and remains a critical challenge. This study aims to delineate the PAH burden in Asia from 1990 to 2021. METHODS: Using the latest data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021, we evaluated and analyzed the distributions and patterns of PAH disease burden among various age groups, sexes, regions, and countries in Asia. Additionally, we examined the associations between PAH disease burden and key health system indicators, including the socio-demographic index (SDI) and the universal health coverage (UHC) index. RESULTS: In 2021, there were 25,989 new PAH cases, 103,382 existing cases, 13,909 PAH-associated deaths, and 385,755 DALYs attributed to PAH in Asia, which accounted for approximately 60% of global PAH cases. The age-standardized rates (ASRs) for prevalence and deaths were 2.05 (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 1.66-2.52) per 100,000 population and 0.31 (95% UI: 0.23-0.38) per 100,000 population, respectively. From 1990 to 2021, Asia reported the lowest ASRs for PAH prevalence but the highest ASRs for deaths compared to other continents. While the ASRs for prevalence increased slightly, ASRs for mortality and DALYs decreased over time. This increasing burden of PAH was primarily driven by population growth and aging. The burden was especially pronounced among individuals aged ≥60 years and <9 years, who collectively accounted for the majority of deaths and DALYs. Moreover, higher SDI and UHC levels were linked to reduced incidence, but higher prevalence rates. CONCLUSIONS Although progress has been made in reducing PAH-related mortality and DALYs, the disease continues to impose a substantial burden in Asia, particularly among older adults and young children. Region-specific health policies should focus on improving early diagnosis, expanding access to treatment, and effectively addressing the growing PAH burden in the region.
Humans ; Global Burden of Disease ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Asia/epidemiology* ; Prevalence ; Aged ; Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension/mortality* ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Infant ; Hypertension, Pulmonary/epidemiology*

Objective To investigate the inhibitory effect of β-elemonic acid(β-EA)on the proliferation and inva-sion of colon cancer cells and the underlying mechanisms through PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.Methods The effects of β-EA on colon cancer cell proliferation were evaluated using the MTT assay and colony formation as-say.Transwell invasion assay were used to assess the impact of β-EA on invasion.Western blot analysis was con-ducted to detect changes in PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway proteins after treatment.Results MTT assay showed thatβ-EA effectively inhibited the proliferation of colon cancer HCT8 and HCT116 cells in a dose-dependent manner.The colony formation assay confirmed its inhibitory effect on cell proliferation.Transwell invasion assays demonstra-ted that β-elemonic acid reduced the invasion abilities of the cells.Western blot analysis revealed increased expression of apoptosis-related proteins cleaved-caspase 3,cleaved-caspase 9,and Bax,while Bcl-2 expression was decreased.Invasion-related proteins vimentin,snail,MMP2,and MMP9 were downregulated after treatment.Addi-tionally,β-EAA reduced the levels of p-PI3K,p-Akt,and p-mTOR,and these reductions were more pronounced af-ter the addition of the PI3K inhibitor LY294002.Conclusions β-EA may inhibit proliferation and invasion in colon cancer cell lines HCT8 and HCT116 through PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway,and potentially be transformed as a novel therapeutic agent for colon cancer.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of radiotherapy in patients with advanced esophageal cancer receiving first-line chemoimmunotherapy.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the data of 137 patients with Stage Ⅳ esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) treated at our hospital from January 2018 to May 2023. These patients were divided into two groups: a group treated with first-line chemoimmunotherapy combined with radiotherapy (chemoimmunotherapy + radiotherapy group, n = 43) and a group treated with only chemoimmunotherapy ( n = 94). Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was applied to balance baseline characteristics between the groups. With overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) as study endpoints, the survival data were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method, the log-rank test, and the Cox regression method. Results:Before calibration, the chemoimmunotherapy + radiotherapy group significantly outperformed the sole chemoimmunotherapy group in median PFS (13.6 months vs. 7.0 months; HR: 0.501, 95% CI: 0.309-0.811, P = 0.005). After calibration using the COX proportional-hazards model for age, gender, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, smoking history, T/N/M stage, and tumor location, the chemoimmunotherapy + radiotherapy group still had significant advantages in PFS (14.7 months vs. 7.0 months; HR: 0.441, 95% CI: 0.261-0.745, P = 0.002). IPTW analysis further confirmed this trend (13.9 months vs. 7.0 months; HR: 0.492, 95% CI: 0.304-0.795, P < 0.001). Specifically, the median OS of the chemoimmunotherapy + radiotherapy group demonstrated significant improvement in all analyses: pre-calibration (29.5 months vs. 18.0 months; HR: 0.507, 95% CI: 0.297-0.867, P = 0.013), after calibration using the Cox model (27.5 months vs. 16.7 months; HR: 0.470, 95% CI: 0.266-0.830, P = 0.009), and after calibration using IPTW (29.5 months vs. 16.9 months; HR: 0.448, 95% CI: 0.262-0.764, P < 0.001). Conclusions:The combination of radiotherapy and first-line chemoimmunotherapy can significantly improve survival outcomes of patients with advanced ESCC, suggesting its potential as a standard treatment strategy.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of radiotherapy in patients with advanced esophageal cancer receiving first-line chemoimmunotherapy.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the data of 137 patients with Stage Ⅳ esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) treated at our hospital from January 2018 to May 2023. These patients were divided into two groups: a group treated with first-line chemoimmunotherapy combined with radiotherapy (chemoimmunotherapy + radiotherapy group, n = 43) and a group treated with only chemoimmunotherapy ( n = 94). Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was applied to balance baseline characteristics between the groups. With overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) as study endpoints, the survival data were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method, the log-rank test, and the Cox regression method. Results:Before calibration, the chemoimmunotherapy + radiotherapy group significantly outperformed the sole chemoimmunotherapy group in median PFS (13.6 months vs. 7.0 months; HR: 0.501, 95% CI: 0.309-0.811, P = 0.005). After calibration using the COX proportional-hazards model for age, gender, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, smoking history, T/N/M stage, and tumor location, the chemoimmunotherapy + radiotherapy group still had significant advantages in PFS (14.7 months vs. 7.0 months; HR: 0.441, 95% CI: 0.261-0.745, P = 0.002). IPTW analysis further confirmed this trend (13.9 months vs. 7.0 months; HR: 0.492, 95% CI: 0.304-0.795, P < 0.001). Specifically, the median OS of the chemoimmunotherapy + radiotherapy group demonstrated significant improvement in all analyses: pre-calibration (29.5 months vs. 18.0 months; HR: 0.507, 95% CI: 0.297-0.867, P = 0.013), after calibration using the Cox model (27.5 months vs. 16.7 months; HR: 0.470, 95% CI: 0.266-0.830, P = 0.009), and after calibration using IPTW (29.5 months vs. 16.9 months; HR: 0.448, 95% CI: 0.262-0.764, P < 0.001). Conclusions:The combination of radiotherapy and first-line chemoimmunotherapy can significantly improve survival outcomes of patients with advanced ESCC, suggesting its potential as a standard treatment strategy.

Fetal lingual lesion is a rare category of embryological anomalies, characterized by distinctive anatomical positioning, which may precipitate mechanical airway obstruction to unfavorable perinatal outcomes. There is a lack of comprehensive prenatal diagnostic strategies and effective treatments. This review has conducted a systematic literature overview of the clinical classification of fetal lingual anomalies, prenatal diagnosis, and perinatal treatment, including prenatal ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging, for optimizing perinatal care and obtaining an improved pregnancy outcome. Utilizing a multidisciplinary team framework, individualized peripartum management strategies are developed, contingent upon the presence or absence of airway compromise, with selective application of the ex-utero intrapartum treatment procedure as clinically warranted. By refining diagnostic accuracy and advancing therapeutic protocols, this review aims to elevate clinical management standards for congenital lingual lesions, thereby enhancing both short-term perinatal outcomes and long-term developmental prognoses.

Fetal lingual lesion is a rare category of embryological anomalies, characterized by distinctive anatomical positioning, which may precipitate mechanical airway obstruction to unfavorable perinatal outcomes. There is a lack of comprehensive prenatal diagnostic strategies and effective treatments. This review has conducted a systematic literature overview of the clinical classification of fetal lingual anomalies, prenatal diagnosis, and perinatal treatment, including prenatal ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging, for optimizing perinatal care and obtaining an improved pregnancy outcome. Utilizing a multidisciplinary team framework, individualized peripartum management strategies are developed, contingent upon the presence or absence of airway compromise, with selective application of the ex-utero intrapartum treatment procedure as clinically warranted. By refining diagnostic accuracy and advancing therapeutic protocols, this review aims to elevate clinical management standards for congenital lingual lesions, thereby enhancing both short-term perinatal outcomes and long-term developmental prognoses.

Gliomas are commonly central nervous system tumors. The conventional treatment is surgical resection combined with chemoradiotherapy， but glioma patients often have a poor prognosis. Therefore， there is an urgent need to identify new potential targets in gliomas and develop more effective treatments. Valproic acid has the properties of histone deacetylase inhibitor， which has been proven to have inhibitory effects on various tumors. It is confirmed that valproic acid could promote apoptosis and cell arrest of glioma cells， inhibit cell invasion and glioma stem cells， increase the sensitivity of glioma cells to radiotherapy and chemotherapy by regulating ERK/Akt signaling pathway， Akt/mTOR signaling pathway， and regulating expression levels of RECK， MGMT， Nrf2， PON2， Smad4， GSK3β and other proteins. In addition， valproic acid can also enhance the effectiveness of anticancer drugs by inhibiting the growth of glioma stem cells and inducing their differentiation. In conclusion， valproic acid can inhibit glioma through multiple targeted actions， and may become a new targeted drug for the treatment of glioma.

Gallbladder dysplasia is not common but can be associated with chromosome abnormality and/or some severe complications such as biliary atresia and cystic fibrosis. Therefore, prenatal detection of this problem is of great significance for timely management after birth. However, abnormal gallbladder development is often overlooked in routine mid-term fetal ultrasound scanning. Here, we reviewed the research progress on fetal gallbladder dysplasia, including clinical characteristics and perinatal prognosis of gallbladder duplication, echo substances in gallbladder and gallbladder cholelithiasis, ectopic gallbladder, gallbladder enlargement, and cystic fibrosis, and summarized the types, incidence, clinical features, prenatal diagnosis and perinatal prognosis of non-visualized fetal gallbladder, in order to emphasize the prenatal screening of fetal gallbladder dysplasia.

Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer, including lung cancer. However, the exact underlying mechanism and therapeutic potential are largely unknown. Here we report that protein arginine methyltransferase 6 (PRMT6) is highly expressed in lung cancer and is required for cell metabolism, tumorigenicity, and cisplatin response of lung cancer. PRMT6 regulated the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) flux and glycolysis pathway in human lung cancer by increasing the activity of 6-phospho-gluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD) and α-enolase (ENO1). Furthermore, PRMT6 methylated R324 of 6PGD to enhancing its activity; while methylation at R9 and R372 of ENO1 promotes formation of active ENO1 dimers and 2-phosphoglycerate (2-PG) binding to ENO1, respectively. Lastly, targeting PRMT6 blocked the oxidative PPP flux, glycolysis pathway, and tumor growth, as well as enhanced the anti-tumor effects of cisplatin in lung cancer. Together, this study demonstrates that PRMT6 acts as a post-translational modification (PTM) regulator of glucose metabolism, which leads to the pathogenesis of lung cancer. It was proven that the PRMT6-6PGD/ENO1 regulatory axis is an important determinant of carcinogenesis and may become a promising cancer therapeutic strategy.