Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality, characterized by poor prognosis due to its high proliferative and invasive potential. Tumor metabolic reprogramming, particularly involving glucose metabolism, is essential for tumor survival. This study investigates the role of the Hippo pathway effector transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) in regulating gluconeogenesis and promoting tumorigenesis in HCC. Methods: TAZ expression in HCC was analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas data and validated in clinical samples and cell lines. TAZ was overexpressed or silenced in HCC cell lines to evaluate its effects on cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. The expression and prognostic relevance of the gluconeogenesis-related genes phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 (PCK1) and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6PC) were examined, along with their correlation with TAZ expression. Tumor growth was assessed in nude mice. Interactions between TAZ and the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) were investigated using co-immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Results: TAZ was significantly upregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. TAZ overexpression enhanced proliferation, reduced apoptosis, and promoted migration and invasion. In contrast, PCK1 and G6PC were downregulated in HCC and showed a negative correlation with TAZ expression. Conclusion TAZ modulates gluconeogenesis and accelerates tumor growth, whereas its knockdown attenuates tumor progression. TAZ interacts with GR, suppressing its transcriptional activity on gluconeogenic gene promoters.

Objective:To investigate the effects of apical periodontitis of mandibular primary molars on the development of mandibu-lar permanent premolars in children in Guangzhou.Methods:335 children aged 4-9 years with apical periodontitis of mandibular pri-molar at one side and normal healthy homologous tooth at another side were included and divided into 2 groups:Group A(n=200)in-cluded the first mandibular premolars and group B(n=135)included the second mandibular premolars.Subgroup A1 and B1 were the apical periodontitis groups,subgroup A2 and B2 were the normal healthy groups.The degree of root destruction of primary teeth,the degree of destruction and development of the dental follicle of permanent teeth,the mesial and distal direction changes,and the eruption height were observed and measured on the panoramic raidiographs,data were statistically analyzed.Results:In the 7-year-old children of A1 and the 6-year-old of B1 groups,the development degree of successor permanent teeth was lower than that of group A2 and group B2 of the same age children respectively(P＜0.05).In the 6-7-year-old children of group A1,the permanent teeth development of boys was slower than that of the girls(P＜0.05).There was no gender difference in dental follicle destruction and malposition of the perma-nent teeth in both A1 and B1 groups(P＞0.05).The proportion of malposition of the successor permanent teeth in group A1 increased with the primary teeth damage degree increace(P＜0.05),while the proportion of malposition of the successor permanent teeth in group B1 showed no significant difference(P＞0.05).Positive correlation between the damage degree of primary teeth and dental follicle of per-manent teeth was observed(rA1=0.41,rB1=0.21,P＜0.05).In boys aged 7-8 years,the succesor permanent teeth eruption in group A1 was higher than that in group A2(P＜0.05),and there was no significant difference between group B1 and group B2(P＞0.05).Conclusion:In the later stages of root stabilization of primary molars,periapical inflammation of primary teeth may cause developmen-tal delay of the succesor permanent teeth,and the delay degree is higher in boys than in girls.With the deterioration of the periapical tissue of primary teeth,the destruction of the dental follicle of permanent teeth may deepen,and the mandibular first premolar is more likely to have abnormal eruption.

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI), an emerging hybrid imaging modality, integrates the high spatial resolution of optical imaging with the deep-tissue imaging capability of ultrasound. Emerging evidence from recent studies in dental medicine has demonstrated the unique potential of PAI in screening, diagnosis, and therapeutic monitoring of oral pathologies, including periodontal diseases, oral cancers, and pulpal disorders. However, its clinical translation remains contingent upon addressing multiple technical barriers, particularly signal attenuation induced by optical scattering in biological tissues and limitations in real-time imaging efficiency. Therefore, investigating the advancements and challenges of PAI technology in the diagnosis of oral diseases will contribute to advancing further research and clinical applications, thereby providing practical support for improving the accuracy of early diagnosis and the efficacy of treatment for oral diseases.

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI), an emerging hybrid imaging modality, integrates the high spatial resolution of optical imaging with the deep-tissue imaging capability of ultrasound. Emerging evidence from recent studies in dental medicine has demonstrated the unique potential of PAI in screening, diagnosis, and therapeutic monitoring of oral pathologies, including periodontal diseases, oral cancers, and pulpal disorders. However, its clinical translation remains contingent upon addressing multiple technical barriers, particularly signal attenuation induced by optical scattering in biological tissues and limitations in real-time imaging efficiency. Therefore, investigating the advancements and challenges of PAI technology in the diagnosis of oral diseases will contribute to advancing further research and clinical applications, thereby providing practical support for improving the accuracy of early diagnosis and the efficacy of treatment for oral diseases.

Objective:To evaluate the association between heatwaves and fall-related mortality.Methods:A total of 61 421 fall-related mortality from 2013 to 2022 in 7 provinces of China were included in a time-stratified case-crossover design, with daily meteorological data derived from the fifth generation European Reanalysis dataset produced by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Conditional logistic regression chimeric distributed lag nonlinear model was used to analyze the association between heatwaves and fall-related mortality and stratified analysis was conducted according to gender and age.Results:Heatwaves were associated with an increased risk of fall-related morality. The risk of fall-related mortality during heatwaves was higher than during non-heatwave periods ( OR=1.11, 95% CI: 1.05-1.18). The attributable fraction of fall-related motality due to heatwaves was 10.25% (95% CI: 4.49%-15.36%). For each 1 ℃ increase above the heatwave threshold, the risk of fall-related mortality increased by 34% ( OR=1.34, 95% CI: 1.02-1.76). The effect of heatwave duration on fall-related mortality was not statistically significant. Stratified analyses indicated that women experienced a higher risk of fall-related mortality during heatwaves ( OR=1.13, 95% CI: 1.04-1.22) compared to man ( OR=1.10, 95% CI: 1.04-1.17). Conclusions:Heatwave increases the risk of fall-related mortality, and the intensity of heatwaves modify this risk. Women are vulnerable populations.

In recent years, research on the quality and safety detection of bear bile powder has mainly involved three aspects. First, the identification of active components and substitutes. Quantitative analysis of bile acids and other components is performed using HPLC, HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry, and other techniques, combined with near-infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and polymerase chain reaction to identify adulteration. Isotope fingerprint analysis and glycosylation modification detection are used to distinguish natural products from biosynthetic substitutes, revealing significant differences in δ13C values and the proportion of specific glycosylation modifications between natural bear bile powder and synthetic products. Second, the detection of veterinary drug residues, mainly based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, which can screen over 100 types of residues, but targeted purification strategies are needed to address interference from the bile acid matrix. Thirdly, heavy metal detection, mainly using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and atomic absorption spectrometry, has revealed that contamination is associated with the breeding environment, with significant regional differences. Related detection technologies are gradually evolving from single-target analysis to multi-modal and intelligent approaches. Existing research faces issues, such as matrix effect interference, lack of international standards, and ethical controversies. It is suggested that future efforts should focus on the interdisciplinary application of detection technologies, develop rapid detection methods such as non-invasive monitoring and microfluidic chips, promote the standardization and equivalence evaluation of synthetic alternatives, and establish a full-chain quality control system integrating spatially resolved mass spectrometry imaging, artificial intelligence, and big data.

Objective:To evaluate the association between heatwaves and fall-related mortality.Methods:A total of 61 421 fall-related mortality from 2013 to 2022 in 7 provinces of China were included in a time-stratified case-crossover design, with daily meteorological data derived from the fifth generation European Reanalysis dataset produced by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Conditional logistic regression chimeric distributed lag nonlinear model was used to analyze the association between heatwaves and fall-related mortality and stratified analysis was conducted according to gender and age.Results:Heatwaves were associated with an increased risk of fall-related morality. The risk of fall-related mortality during heatwaves was higher than during non-heatwave periods ( OR=1.11, 95% CI: 1.05-1.18). The attributable fraction of fall-related motality due to heatwaves was 10.25% (95% CI: 4.49%-15.36%). For each 1 ℃ increase above the heatwave threshold, the risk of fall-related mortality increased by 34% ( OR=1.34, 95% CI: 1.02-1.76). The effect of heatwave duration on fall-related mortality was not statistically significant. Stratified analyses indicated that women experienced a higher risk of fall-related mortality during heatwaves ( OR=1.13, 95% CI: 1.04-1.22) compared to man ( OR=1.10, 95% CI: 1.04-1.17). Conclusions:Heatwave increases the risk of fall-related mortality, and the intensity of heatwaves modify this risk. Women are vulnerable populations.

Objective:To investigate the effects of apical periodontitis of mandibular primary molars on the development of mandibu-lar permanent premolars in children in Guangzhou.Methods:335 children aged 4-9 years with apical periodontitis of mandibular pri-molar at one side and normal healthy homologous tooth at another side were included and divided into 2 groups:Group A(n=200)in-cluded the first mandibular premolars and group B(n=135)included the second mandibular premolars.Subgroup A1 and B1 were the apical periodontitis groups,subgroup A2 and B2 were the normal healthy groups.The degree of root destruction of primary teeth,the degree of destruction and development of the dental follicle of permanent teeth,the mesial and distal direction changes,and the eruption height were observed and measured on the panoramic raidiographs,data were statistically analyzed.Results:In the 7-year-old children of A1 and the 6-year-old of B1 groups,the development degree of successor permanent teeth was lower than that of group A2 and group B2 of the same age children respectively(P＜0.05).In the 6-7-year-old children of group A1,the permanent teeth development of boys was slower than that of the girls(P＜0.05).There was no gender difference in dental follicle destruction and malposition of the perma-nent teeth in both A1 and B1 groups(P＞0.05).The proportion of malposition of the successor permanent teeth in group A1 increased with the primary teeth damage degree increace(P＜0.05),while the proportion of malposition of the successor permanent teeth in group B1 showed no significant difference(P＞0.05).Positive correlation between the damage degree of primary teeth and dental follicle of per-manent teeth was observed(rA1=0.41,rB1=0.21,P＜0.05).In boys aged 7-8 years,the succesor permanent teeth eruption in group A1 was higher than that in group A2(P＜0.05),and there was no significant difference between group B1 and group B2(P＞0.05).Conclusion:In the later stages of root stabilization of primary molars,periapical inflammation of primary teeth may cause developmen-tal delay of the succesor permanent teeth,and the delay degree is higher in boys than in girls.With the deterioration of the periapical tissue of primary teeth,the destruction of the dental follicle of permanent teeth may deepen,and the mandibular first premolar is more likely to have abnormal eruption.

Objective To investigate the influence of serum cystatin C (Cys-C) and hypersensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels on the 3-year survival of patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). Methods A total of 358 patients with chronic renal failure who underwent MHD at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University from April 2011 to October 2020 were selected as study subjects. General clinical data, pre-dialysis laboratory test indicators, and echocardiographic indicators 3 months after dialysis were recorded. The survival status of patients after 3 years of dialysis was followed up, and the general clinical data, pre-dialysis laboratory test indicators, and echocardiographic indicators 3 months after dialysis were compared between surviving and deceased patients. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to screen influencing factors of 3-year survival in MHD patients. Results At the 3-year follow-up, of the 302 MHD patients' 203 survived, and 99 died. Statistically significant differences were observed in age, primary disease, diabetes status, congestive heart failure, statin use, antiplatelet drug use, diuretic use, dialysis mode, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (AKP), total bilirubin (TBIL), β₂-microglobulin (β₂-MG), creatinine (Cr), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and serum phosphorus (P) levels between surviving patients and deaths(P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Univariate Cox regression results showed that age of MHD patients, primary disease (diabetic nephropathy, hypertensive nephropathy, polycystic kidney disease, others), comorbidities(diabetes, congestive heart failure, other cardiovascular diseases), drug use (statins, antiplatelet drugs), dialysis method (hemodialysis, hemodialysis + perfusion), laboratory test indicators [GGT, AKP, TBIL, total bile acid (TBA), albumin (ALB), Cr, Cys-C, eGFR, apolipoprotein A (APO-A), hs-CRP]were all influential factors of 3-year survival rate of MHD patients. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that age, primary disease, other cardiovascular diseases, dialysis mode, AKP, ALB, TBIL, Cys-C, and hs-CRP were significant influencing factors for the survival of patients with chronic renal failure (P < 0.05). Conclusion Serum Cys-C and hs-CRP levels before MHD in patients with chronic renal failure may be associated with their 3-year survival after dialysis treatment. High serum Cys-C may reduce the risk of poor clinical prognosis, while high serum hs-CRP may increase the risk of poor clinical prognosis.

Objective To construct and apply a management plan for microaspiration of oropharyngeal secretions in ICU intubated patients.Methods Based on evidence summaries and expert consultation,a management plan for microaspiration of oropharyngeal secretions in ICU intubated patients was constructed,consisting of 19 items covering 7 aspects including identification of risk factors,position management,tube and cuff selection,cuff management,mechanical ventilation management,pain and sedation management,removal of oropharyngeal and subglottic secretions,and oral care.Convenience sampling was used to select 141 ICU intubated patients from a tertiary A comprehensive hospital in Suzhou from June,2022 to September,2023.Patients were divided into an experimental group(n=72)and a control group(n=69)according to the wards.The experimental group received the management plan for microaspiration of oropharyngeal secretions in ICU intubated patients.The control group received the nursing bundle for ventilator associated pneumonia(VAP).The incidence and time from intubation to microaspiration and VAP,duration of mechanical ventilation,ICU length of stay,and disease outcome were compared between the 2 groups.Results The incidence of microaspiration of oropharyngeal secretions,the duration of mechanical ventilation,time from intubation to microaspiration showed significant differences between the 2 groups(P<0.05).There were no significant differences in the incidence of ventilator associated pneumonia,ICU length of stay,and disease outcome between the 2 groups(P>0.05).The time from intubation to VAP in the experimental group was 7.5 days,and that in the control group was 3.8 days.Conclusion The application of the management plan for microaspiration of orophaiyngeal secretions in ICU intubated patients is beneficial for reducing the incidence of microaspiration,delaying the time from intubation to microaspiration and VAP,and shortening the duration of mechanical ventilation.