Atherosclerosis (AS), the primary pathological contributor to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), has increasingly affected younger populations due to modern dietary habits and sedentary lifestyles. Current diagnostic modalities, including ultrasound, MRI, and CT, primarily identify advanced lesions and inadequately evaluate plaque vulnerability, thereby hindering early detection. Conventional treatments, which involve long-term medications associated with side effects such as hepatic injury and surgical interventions that carry risks of restenosis and hemorrhage, underscore the urgent need for non-invasive, cost-effective early diagnostic methods and targeted therapies. Gut microbiota metabolites are pivotal in AS pathogenesis, with trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) serving as functionally opposing biomarkers. TMAO is produced when gut bacteria, specifically Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, metabolize dietary choline and carnitine into trimethylamine (TMA), which the liver subsequently converts to TMAO via flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 (FMO3); TMAO is then excreted in urine. Variability in TMAO levels is influenced by marine food consumption and FMO3 modulation, which can be affected by genetics, age, and diet. Mechanistically, TMAO exacerbates AS by disrupting cholesterol metabolism, inducing endothelial dysfunction through the elevation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, and reducing nitric oxide levels. Additionally, TMAO activates NF-κB and NLRP3 pathways while enhancing platelet reactivity. Clinically, elevated TMAO levels correlate with early AS and serve as predictors of mortality in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS), as well as major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in stroke patients. Conversely, SCFAs—namely acetate, propionate, and butyrate—are produced by gut bacteria such as Akkermansia muciniphila and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii through the fermentation of dietary fiber. These metabolites exert anti-AS effects: acetate aids in maintaining metabolic homeostasis; propionate protects endothelial function and reduces plaque area; and butyrate fortifies intestinal barriers while suppressing inflammation. Furthermore, SCFAs cross-regulate bile acid metabolism, thereby influencing TMAO levels, and antagonize the pro-inflammatory and lipid-disrupting effects of TMAO. The use of TMAO and SCFAs as standalone biomarkers is constrained by limitations. TMAO lacks specificity, while SCFA levels fluctuate based on gut microbiota and dietary intake. Traditional AS risk assessment tools, which include clinical indicators, imaging techniques, and single biomarkers such as CRP, LDL-C, and ASCVD scores, overlook gut metabolism and demonstrate inadequate performance in younger populations. This review advocates for an “antagonistic-complementary” combined strategy: utilizing acetate and TMAO for early AS, propionate and TMAO for progressive AS, and butyrate and TMAO for advanced AS, addressing endothelial dysfunction, lipid deposition, and plaque stability/thrombosis risk, respectively. For clinical application, standardization of detection methods is crucial; liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is the gold standard, necessitating a unified sample pretreatment protocol, such as extraction with 1% formic acid in methanol. Additionally, dried blood spots (DBS) facilitate non-invasive testing, provided that dietary controls are implemented prior to detection, including a 12-hour fast and avoidance of high-choline and high-fiber foods. Existing challenges encompass the absence of standardized systems, limited large-scale validation, and ambiguous interactions with conditions such as hypertension. The authors’ team has previously established connections between gut metabolites and AS, including the reduction of TMAO as a preventive measure for AS, thereby reinforcing this proposed strategy. Future research should prioritize standardization, the development of machine learning-optimized models, validation of interventions, and the exploration of multi-omics-based “gut microbiota-metabolite-vascular” networks. In conclusion, the combined detection of TMAO and SCFAs offers a novel framework for AS risk assessment, facilitating early diagnosis and targeted interventions while enhancing the integration of gut metabolism into cardiovascular disease management.

Atherosclerosis (AS), the primary pathological contributor to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), has increasingly affected younger populations due to modern dietary habits and sedentary lifestyles. Current diagnostic modalities, including ultrasound, MRI, and CT, primarily identify advanced lesions and inadequately evaluate plaque vulnerability, thereby hindering early detection. Conventional treatments, which involve long-term medications associated with side effects such as hepatic injury and surgical interventions that carry risks of restenosis and hemorrhage, underscore the urgent need for non-invasive, cost-effective early diagnostic methods and targeted therapies. Gut microbiota metabolites are pivotal in AS pathogenesis, with trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) serving as functionally opposing biomarkers. TMAO is produced when gut bacteria, specifically Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, metabolize dietary choline and carnitine into trimethylamine (TMA), which the liver subsequently converts to TMAO via flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 (FMO3); TMAO is then excreted in urine. Variability in TMAO levels is influenced by marine food consumption and FMO3 modulation, which can be affected by genetics, age, and diet. Mechanistically, TMAO exacerbates AS by disrupting cholesterol metabolism, inducing endothelial dysfunction through the elevation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, and reducing nitric oxide levels. Additionally, TMAO activates NF-κB and NLRP3 pathways while enhancing platelet reactivity. Clinically, elevated TMAO levels correlate with early AS and serve as predictors of mortality in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS), as well as major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in stroke patients. Conversely, SCFAs—namely acetate, propionate, and butyrate—are produced by gut bacteria such as Akkermansia muciniphila and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii through the fermentation of dietary fiber. These metabolites exert anti-AS effects: acetate aids in maintaining metabolic homeostasis; propionate protects endothelial function and reduces plaque area; and butyrate fortifies intestinal barriers while suppressing inflammation. Furthermore, SCFAs cross-regulate bile acid metabolism, thereby influencing TMAO levels, and antagonize the pro-inflammatory and lipid-disrupting effects of TMAO. The use of TMAO and SCFAs as standalone biomarkers is constrained by limitations. TMAO lacks specificity, while SCFA levels fluctuate based on gut microbiota and dietary intake. Traditional AS risk assessment tools, which include clinical indicators, imaging techniques, and single biomarkers such as CRP, LDL-C, and ASCVD scores, overlook gut metabolism and demonstrate inadequate performance in younger populations. This review advocates for an “antagonistic-complementary” combined strategy: utilizing acetate and TMAO for early AS, propionate and TMAO for progressive AS, and butyrate and TMAO for advanced AS, addressing endothelial dysfunction, lipid deposition, and plaque stability/thrombosis risk, respectively. For clinical application, standardization of detection methods is crucial; liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is the gold standard, necessitating a unified sample pretreatment protocol, such as extraction with 1% formic acid in methanol. Additionally, dried blood spots (DBS) facilitate non-invasive testing, provided that dietary controls are implemented prior to detection, including a 12-hour fast and avoidance of high-choline and high-fiber foods. Existing challenges encompass the absence of standardized systems, limited large-scale validation, and ambiguous interactions with conditions such as hypertension. The authors’ team has previously established connections between gut metabolites and AS, including the reduction of TMAO as a preventive measure for AS, thereby reinforcing this proposed strategy. Future research should prioritize standardization, the development of machine learning-optimized models, validation of interventions, and the exploration of multi-omics-based “gut microbiota-metabolite-vascular” networks. In conclusion, the combined detection of TMAO and SCFAs offers a novel framework for AS risk assessment, facilitating early diagnosis and targeted interventions while enhancing the integration of gut metabolism into cardiovascular disease management.

Objective:To evaluate the safety of neoadjuvant therapy with pembrolizumab combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin in patients with advanced temporal bone squamous cell carcinoma (TBSCC), and its impact on tumor response rate and disease-free survival (DFS).Methods:This prospective, single-arm, open-label clinical study enrolled patients with advanced (Stage Ⅲ/Ⅳ) TBSCC from Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital. Patients received 2-3 cycles of neoadjuvant therapy with pembrolizumab, 5-FU, and cisplatin, followed by definitive surgery. Postoperatively, patients received 6 cycles of pembrolizumab combined with radiotherapy. The primary endpoint was the 2-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate. Secondary endpoints included objective response rate (ORR) and safety indicators. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Adverse events (AE) were assessed using the National Cancer Institute′s Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE), version 5.0. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS software, version 22.0.Results:From August 2021 to April 2024, 16 patients with advanced TBSCC were enrolled (13 males and 3 females), with a median age of 54 years and a median follow-up time of 2.32 years. Following neoadjuvant therapy, the objective response rate (ORR) was 64.3% (9/14), and the disease control rate (DCR) was 92.9% (13/14). The 2-year DFS rate was 86.6%. Common treatment-related adverse events (TRAE) included leukopenia (56.3%, 9/16), nausea and vomiting (50.0%, 8/16), diarrhea, oral mucositis, and elevated liver function tests (25.0%, 4/16). One patient (6.25%) experienced a grade 3 adverse event.Conclusion:Neoadjuvant pembrolizumab-chemotherapy significantly enhances objective response rate and disease-free survival in advanced TBSCC.

Aim To determine the effects of Shengjiang Powder on gastric mucosal injury and ex-plore its mechanisms.Methods A bibliometric study was conducted to understand the current research status of Shengjiang Powder.The main pharmacological com-ponents of Shengjiang Powder were obtained using liq-uid chromatography-mass spectrometry(LC-MS),and mechanisms were predicted through network pharma-cology analysis.Sprague-Dawley Rats with gastric mu-cosal injury were treated with Vatacoenayme and differ-ent doses of Shengjiang Powder by intragastric adminis-tration.Gastric tissues were collected and stained with HE to observe morphological changes.ELISA was used to detect the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in serum.IHC was used to evaluate the expression of MUC5AC and MUC6 in the gastric mucosa.Results Bibliometric a-nalysis indicated that Shengjiang Powder is widely used in the treatment of various internal and external inju-ries.LC-MS identified the top 20 compounds as the main pharmacological components of Shengjiang Pow-der,yielding 525 target compounds,of which 129 o-verlapped with gastritis-related targets.GO analysis i-dentified 2,127 entries,and KEGG analysis identified 140 pathways,suggesting that Shengjiang Powder might improve gastric mucosal injury through multiple targets and pathways.HE staining results demonstrated that Shengjiang Powder could significantly improve gas-tric mucosal inflammation in rats.ELISA results showed that Shengjiang Powder effectively reduced the levels of TNF-α and IL-1 β in rat serum.IHC results indicated that Shengjiang Powder effectively downregu-lated MUC5AC expression and upregulated MUC6 ex-pression.Conclusion Shengjiang Powder can im-prove gastric mucosal injury by alleviating inflammation and regulating the surface mucus barrier.

Objective:To investigate the influencing mechanisms and driving pathways of chronic disease management efficiency for older adults under community-and home-based integrated health and social care.Methods:Guided by the Framework for Countries to Achieve an Integrated Continuum of Long-term Care and the Integrated Care for Older People framework,35 cities/counties/districts from eastern,central,and western China were selected.Data envelopment analysis(DEA)was employed to evaluate comprehensive efficiency,complemented by fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis(fsQCA)to identify conditional configurations of high-and low-efficiency pathways.Results:DEA identified six of the 35 regions(17.1%)as DEA-efficient(θ=1,S-/S+=0).fsQCA identified three high-efficiency pathways and four low-efficiency pathways.Governance mechanisms emerged as the core condition across all high-efficiency pathways.Low-efficiency pathways exhibited systemic deficiencies,including governance gaps,fragmented financing,and inadequate health information systems.Conclusion:Under integrated long-term care,governance systems form the cornerstone for enhancing chronic disease management efficacy.Cross-sectoral collaboration is critical to institutional integration,while dynamic resource allocation can mitigate technical limitations.Sustainable financing and interoperable health information systems are pivotal to addressing regional disparities.

Objective:To analyze the predictive value of the prognostic nutritional index combined with inflammatory indicators for clinical outcomes in patients with ischemic stroke, providing a basis for targeted therapeutic interventions and nursing care for patients at potential risk of poor outcomes.Methods:This retrospective cohort study recruited 424 ischemic stroke patients admitted to the Stroke Center of the First Hospital of Jilin University from June 2021 to May 2024 by the convenience sampling method. Collect the general demographic data, routine laboratory examination results within 24 hours of admission, as well as the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores at admission and discharge of the patients. Based on 3-month functional outcomes, patients were divided into a favorable prognosis group and a poor prognosis group. Univariate analysis, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression, and binary Logistic regression were employed to screen predictive variables and develop a nomogram model. Internal validation was performed using the Bootstrap method. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration curve, and decision curve were drew to evaluate the predictive performance of the model.Results:The favorable prognosis group comprised 256 patients, including 57 females and 199 males, with an age of 61(54, 68) years. The poor prognosis group included 168 patients, with 55 females and 113 males, and an age of 66(58, 72) years. Binary Logistic regression identified age, sex, hyperlipidemia, NIHSS score at discharge, prognostic nutritional index, systemic inflammatory response index, and systemic immune-inflammation index as independent predictors of prognosis in ischemic stroke patients ( χ2 values were 4.52-56.18, all P<0.05). The prediction model demonstrated the area under the curve of ROC of 0.806 (95% CI 0.764-0.849), with an optimal cutoff value of 0.406, achieving specificity of 78% and sensitivity of 68%. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test yielded a non-significant P>0.05, and the calibration curve showed good agreement between predicted and observed outcomes, with a mean absolute error of 0.012. Decision curve analysis confirmed the clinical utility of the model across a wide range of threshold probabilities. Conclusions:The integrated prognostic model combining the prognostic nutritional index and inflammatory indicators demonstrated favorable discriminative ability, robust calibration, and substantial clinical utility. This risk stratification tool shows high applicability for predicting ischemic stroke outcomes, facilitating early identification of high-risk patients with poor prognosis and guiding personalized intervention strategies.

Objective:To evaluate the safety of neoadjuvant therapy with pembrolizumab combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin in patients with advanced temporal bone squamous cell carcinoma (TBSCC), and its impact on tumor response rate and disease-free survival (DFS).Methods:This prospective, single-arm, open-label clinical study enrolled patients with advanced (Stage Ⅲ/Ⅳ) TBSCC from Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital. Patients received 2-3 cycles of neoadjuvant therapy with pembrolizumab, 5-FU, and cisplatin, followed by definitive surgery. Postoperatively, patients received 6 cycles of pembrolizumab combined with radiotherapy. The primary endpoint was the 2-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate. Secondary endpoints included objective response rate (ORR) and safety indicators. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Adverse events (AE) were assessed using the National Cancer Institute′s Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE), version 5.0. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS software, version 22.0.Results:From August 2021 to April 2024, 16 patients with advanced TBSCC were enrolled (13 males and 3 females), with a median age of 54 years and a median follow-up time of 2.32 years. Following neoadjuvant therapy, the objective response rate (ORR) was 64.3% (9/14), and the disease control rate (DCR) was 92.9% (13/14). The 2-year DFS rate was 86.6%. Common treatment-related adverse events (TRAE) included leukopenia (56.3%, 9/16), nausea and vomiting (50.0%, 8/16), diarrhea, oral mucositis, and elevated liver function tests (25.0%, 4/16). One patient (6.25%) experienced a grade 3 adverse event.Conclusion:Neoadjuvant pembrolizumab-chemotherapy significantly enhances objective response rate and disease-free survival in advanced TBSCC.

AIM To investigate the promotional effects of esculin combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(BM-MSCs)transplantation on the repair of spinal cord injury(SCI)in rats.METHODS The rats were randomly divided into the sham operation group,the model group,the esculin group for gavage of 20 mg/kg esculin,the BM-MSCs group for tail vein injection of 1 mL of 1×106/mL BM-MSCs,and the combinaiton treatment group.The SCI rat model was established using Allen's method,followed by the 14 days consecutive corresponding drug administration starting from the 2nd day after modeling.On days 3,7 and 14 of drug administration,the rats had their hind limbs motor function evaluated by the BBB scoring;and their footprint experiment conducted on the 14th day after modeling.After 14 days of administration,the rats had their morphological changes of spinal cord tissue observed with HE staining and Nissl staining;their activities of SOD and GSH,and level of MDA in spinal cord tissue detected by kits;their expressions of MAP2,GAP43 and GFAP in spinal cord tissue detected by immunofluorescence;and their expressions of NQO-1,Nrf-2,Bcl-2 and Bax proteins in spinal cord tissue detected by Western blot.RESULTS Compared with the model group,the groups interved with esculin,or BM-MSCs,or the combination treatment showed improvements in hind limb function and spinal cord tissue morphology(P＜0.05);decreased MDA levels(P＜0.05);increased SOD and GSH activities(P＜0.05);increased MAP2 and GAP43 fluorescence intensity(P＜0.05);decreased GFAP fluorescence intensity(P＜0.05);increased NQO-1,Nrf-2 and Bcl-2 protein expressions(P＜0.05);and decreased Bax protein expression(P＜0.05).And the combination treatment group was observed with an even better effects(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION The combination of esculin and BM-MSCs transplantation can effectively improve the spinal cord tissue damage and hind limb function in SCI rats.This effect may be achieved by activating the Nrf-2/NQO-1 signaling pathway to inhibit oxidative stress response,thereby reducing neuronal apoptosis,blocking glial scar formation,and promoting stem cell differentiation to rebuild neurons.

Objective To construct an exercise intervention scheme for postoperative colorectal cancer patients and evaluate its application.Methods The research team summarized the evidence on exercise recommendations for patients with colorectal cancer(CRC)and constructed an exercise intervention scheme through group discussion,expert consultation,semi-structured interviews,and onsite consultation.Patients with CRC admitted to the Department of Colorectal Surgery of a tertiary A hospital in Jilin province were selected as the study subjects by a convenience sampling method from October 2023 to March 2024.The test group and the control group included 35 patients in each group.The test group received basic nursing and exercise intervention,the control group received basic nursing and knowledge-based education.The 2 groups were compared in terms of physical activity,number of 30 s chair-stand test,and physical activity compliance score at 1 week post-intervention and 1 month post-intervention.Results There were 4 cases dropped in the test group and 3 cases dropped in the control group.The results of repeated measures ANOVA showed that there were between-group and time interaction effects for walking time,sedentary time,and the number of chair stands in 30 s in the 2 groups(P＜0.05).The experimental group's walking time,sedentary time,the number of chair stands in 30 s,moderate physical activity time and the physical activity compliance scores were better than those of the control group after the intervention,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).Conclusion This exercise intervention based on a multi-theory model significantly increased the moderate physical activity time and walking time,decreased the sedentary time and improved compliance with physical activity recommendations,which may improve lower limb muscle strength in postoperative colorectal cancer patients.

Objective:To explore the construction of a core competency evaluation indicator system for pediatric surgery operating room specialist nurses.Methods:The evaluation indicator system was constructed by reviewing literature, analyzing semi-structured interview results, and examining the characteristics of training specialized nurses in pediatric surgery operating rooms, as well as combining the characteristics of pediatric surgery and multi-source data. The research group discussed and proposed a preliminary core competency evaluation indicator system for specialized nurses in pediatric surgery operating rooms. This study used the Delphi expert inquiry method to conduct two rounds of expert consultation and ultimately established the core competency evaluation indicator system for pediatric surgery operating room specialist nurses. The expert positivity coefficient was represented by the questionnaire response rate, and the expert authority coefficient was calculated using the judgment coefficient and familiarity degree. The coefficient of variation and Kendall's W coefficient were used to measure the degree of coordination of expert opinions. Results:The effective response rates for the two rounds of expert consultation were 100.00% and 95.24%, respectively. The authority coefficients of the two rounds of expert consultation were 0.92 and 0.90, respectively. The coefficients of variation of indicators at various levels were less than 0.25. The Kendall's W coefficients for the first-, second-, and third-level indicators in the first and second rounds of expert consultation were 0.516-0.664 and 0.652-0.711, respectively ( P<0.001). The final core competency evaluation indicator system for pediatric surgery operating room specialist nurses included 3 first-level indicators, 15 second-level indicators, and 52 third-level indicators. Conclusions:The core competency evaluation indicator system for pediatric surgery operating room specialist nurses constructed in this study provides a scientific and practical guidance for training pediatric surgery operating room specialist nurses in China.