Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer and one of the leading causes of cancer deaths worldwide. The incidence and lethality of HCC are on the rise, and its invasiveness and metastasis are the key factors affecting patients' prognosis. In recent years, studies in epigenetics have provided new perspectives to unravel the molecular mechanisms of HCC occurrence and development, and epigenetic alterations(such as histone modification and DNA methylation) are closely associated with various invasion and metastasis mechanisms in HCC. Therefore, this paper elucidates the epigenetic modifications and molecular mechanisms related to HCC invasion and metastasis, and explores the application of HCC epigenetic modifications in biomarkers, in order to provide valuable insights for the early diagnosis and treatment of HCC metastasis.

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of heat-sensitive moxibustion on quality of life and immune function in non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC） patients undergoing chemotherapy. MethodsSeventy NSCLC patients with qi deficiency and phlegm stasis syndrome were randomly divided into an intervention group and a control group， with 35 cases in each group. The control group received chemotherapy combined with routine symptomatic treatment， while the intervention group additionally received heat-sensitive moxibustion since the first day of chemotherapy. Acupoints included Dazhui （GV14）， bilateral Feishu （BL13）， Zhongwan （CV12）， Qihai （CV6）， and Guanyuan （CV4）. The site exhibiting the strongest heat-sensitization response was selected for moxibustion. Treatment was administered for 45 minutes per session， three times weekly for three consecutive weeks， totaling nine sessions. Before and after treatment， quality of life was assessed using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire （EORTC QLQ-C30）， and traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome scores were evaluated. Peripheral blood levels of natural killer （NK） cells and T-lymphocyte subsets including CD3⁺， CD4⁺， and CD8⁺， and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio were measured. Levels of programmed cell death protein-1 （PD-1）， including PD-1⁺CD4⁺ and PD-1⁺CD8⁺ cells， were also assessed. Liver and renal function were monitored before and after treatment， and adverse events were recorded. ResultsIn the intervention group， 1 participant withdrew and 1 was excluded， while in the control group， 2 participants withdrew. Ultimately， 33 participants in each group were included in the final analysis. The intervention group showed significant improvements in physical， role， emotional， cognitive， and social functioning， as well as global health status after treatment， while scores for fatigue， nausea and vomiting， dyspnea， appetite loss， diarrhea， and TCM syndrome scale were significantly decreased （P＜0.05）. Moreover， the intervention group demonstrated higher scores in physical functioning， role functioning， and global health status， as well as lower scores for fatigue， nausea and vomiting， dyspnea， appetite loss， diarrhea， and the TCM syndrome scale than the control group （P＜0.05）. After treatment， the levels of peripheral NK cells and PD-1⁺CD8⁺ T cells in the intervention group increased significantly； furthermore， the intervention group exhibited higher peripheral NK cell levels and lower PD-1⁺CD8⁺ T cell levels than the control group （P＜0.05）. No significant differences were found in liver or renal function between the two groups （P＞0.05）. In addition， no adverse events such as burns or moxibustion-induced syncope occurred during the study. ConclusionHeat-sensitive moxibustion as an adjunctive therapy may enhance immune function， alleviate clinical symptoms， and improve quality of life， while demonstrating a favorable safety profile in NSCLC patients with qi deficiency and phlegm stasis.

Objective To investigate the effects of Zhongfengting granule on plasma metabolites in acute cerebral ischemia MCAO model rats by non-targeted metabolomics techniques,and to elucidate the neuroprotective mechanism of Zhongfengting granule.Methods 24 male SD rats were randomly divided into blank group,model group and Chinese medicine group,with 8 rats in each group.Model group and Chinese medicine group were treated with middle cerebral artery thrombus method to establish the MCAO rat model,and the medicine was administered on the same day after the successful modeling.The Chinese medicine group was given(22.68 g·kg-1)Zhongfengting granule solution by gavage,and the blank group and model group were given equal volume normal saline for 7 days.After administration,blood was collected intravenously.Plasma samples from blank group,model group and Chinese medicine group were analyzed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatogre-quadrupole tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometer,and differential metabolites were screened by multivariate statistical analysis.The metabolic pathways of the differentiated metabolites were analyzed based on KEGG database.Results Multivariate statistical analysis showed that the content of 22 potential biomarkers in the rat model of acute cerebral ischemia had significant changes,and the above-mentioned 22 potential biomarkers were significantly reversed by Zhongfengting granule(P<0.05).The enrichment results of metabolic pathways showed that Zhongfengting granule mainly affected phenylalanine metabolism,tyrosine metabolism,ascorbic acid metabolism and arachidonic acid metabolism.Conclusion Metabolites and metabolic pathways in MCAO model rats with acute cerebral ischemia are changed,and the different metabolites and metabolic pathways can be reversed by Zhongfengting granule,which mainly involve phenylalanine metabolism and regulate energy metabolism.

Objective:To evaluate the value of peripheral blood systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), D-dimer, and albumin (ALB) alone or their combination in the diagnosis of early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC).Methods:From January 1, 2023 to November 30, 2024, 104 patients with EOCRC (EOCRC group) hospitalized at Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University were enrolled. During the same period, by simple random sampling method, 104 patients with benign colorectal polyps (benign polyp group) and 104 healthy individuals for health examinations (healthy control group) from outpatient department were enrolled. The peripheral blood parameters (including neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, CEA, and others) and pathological characteristics of EOCRC (including TNM stage, tumor differentiation grade, and depth of invasion) were collected. The relationship between peripheral blood parameters and EOCRC pathological features were analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) were plotted, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate the diagnostic value. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the peripheral blood parameters which independently correlated with EOCRC and a combined diagnostic model was established. Simple random sampling method was used to divide the subjects in the negative control group (healthy control group + benign polyp group) and positive group (EOCRC group) into a training set (218 cases) and a validation set (94 cases) at a ratio of 7∶3, and the diagnostic performance of the combined diagnostic model in the training and validation sets was assessed. Hosmer-Lemeshow test and calibration curve were used to evaluate the fit and consistency of the model. Independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis H test were used for statistical analysis. Results:EOCRC group had the highest levels of SII(744.03 (473.01, 1 246.28), 437.77 (342.28, 607.47), 497.31 (385.76, 721.63)×10 9/L), NLR(2.42 (1.76, 3.94), 1.96 (1.54, 2.52), 1.91 (1.55, 2.75)), CEA (3.58 (1.96, 20.85), 1.31 (0.95, 1.93), 1.21 (0.76, 2.11) μg/L) and D-dimer (0.36 (0.20, 0.90), 0.19 (0.12, 0.28), 0.18 (0.12, 0.30) mg/L), and the lowest levels of LMR(3.51±1.56, 4.38±1.37, 4.72±1.84) and ALB(42.40 (39.90, 44.70), 44.57 (42.83, 46.25), 44.95 (43.10, 46.58) g/L) than benign polyp group and healthy control group, and the differences were statistically significant ( H=31.18, 16.21, 76.72 and 47.72, F=15.40, H=34.19; all P<0.001). In EOCRC patients, there were statistically significant differences in SII and LMR between patients with different tumor invasion depth ( Z=-2.48, t=2.31; both P<0.05), in CEA between patients with different TNM stage, with or without lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis( Z=-2.68, -2.50 and -2.65; all P<0.05), in D-dimer between patients with different TNM stage, differentiation grade, invasion depth, and with or without lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis ( Z=-2.50, -2.60, -2.06, -2.14 and -3.33; all P<0.05), and in ALB between patients with or without distant metastasis ( Z=-2.52, P=0.012).The AUC of combination of SII, NLR, LMR, CEA, D-dimer, and ALB in differential diagnosis of the healthy control group and the EOCRC group was 0.914 (95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.870 to 0.958, P<0.001), and the AUC of the combination in differential diagnosis of the benign polyp group and the EOCRC group was 0.904 (95% CI: 0.857 to 0.950, P<0.001). The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that SII, NLR, LMR, CEA, and ALB were all independently correlated with EOCRC (all P<0.05). The diagnostic model for EOCRC was established by the combination of SII, NLR, LMR, CEA, and ALB, and the AUC of the model in the training set and validation set was 0.911 and 0.883, respectively. The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test indicated good model fit ( P=0.437). Calibration curve analysis showed strong consistency between predicted probabilities and actual probabilities, and the mean absolute error was 0.015. Conclusions:SII, NLR, LMR, CEA, D-dimer, and ALB all demonstrate diagnostic value in the diagnosis of EOCRC. The combined diagnostic model based on SII, NLR, LMR, CEA, and ALB demonstrates excellent diagnostic performance, which may serve as an adjunctive diagnostic approach for EOCRC.

Objective To investigate the effects of Zhongfengting granule on plasma metabolites in acute cerebral ischemia MCAO model rats by non-targeted metabolomics techniques,and to elucidate the neuroprotective mechanism of Zhongfengting granule.Methods 24 male SD rats were randomly divided into blank group,model group and Chinese medicine group,with 8 rats in each group.Model group and Chinese medicine group were treated with middle cerebral artery thrombus method to establish the MCAO rat model,and the medicine was administered on the same day after the successful modeling.The Chinese medicine group was given(22.68 g·kg-1)Zhongfengting granule solution by gavage,and the blank group and model group were given equal volume normal saline for 7 days.After administration,blood was collected intravenously.Plasma samples from blank group,model group and Chinese medicine group were analyzed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatogre-quadrupole tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometer,and differential metabolites were screened by multivariate statistical analysis.The metabolic pathways of the differentiated metabolites were analyzed based on KEGG database.Results Multivariate statistical analysis showed that the content of 22 potential biomarkers in the rat model of acute cerebral ischemia had significant changes,and the above-mentioned 22 potential biomarkers were significantly reversed by Zhongfengting granule(P<0.05).The enrichment results of metabolic pathways showed that Zhongfengting granule mainly affected phenylalanine metabolism,tyrosine metabolism,ascorbic acid metabolism and arachidonic acid metabolism.Conclusion Metabolites and metabolic pathways in MCAO model rats with acute cerebral ischemia are changed,and the different metabolites and metabolic pathways can be reversed by Zhongfengting granule,which mainly involve phenylalanine metabolism and regulate energy metabolism.

Objective:To establish 30-day of age transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) reference curves for healthy neonates, and to investigate regional variations in bilirubin dynamics.Methods:A multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted. A total of 220 950 healthy neonates born at a gestational age of 35-<42 weeks, with a birth weight ≥2 000 g, who did not receive phototherapy within 60 h after birth were recruited. All of them underwent remote TcB monitoring using the Bilibaby remote jaundice monitoring system between August 1 st, 2020 and December 31 st, 2024 in 426 hospitals. TcB data were collected within the period from birth to 30-day of age. The P40, P75, and P95 of TcB values were calculated, and dynamic TcB curves for 30-day of age were constructed. Patterns of bilirubin change, rates of change, and transition outcomes were described. Regional comparisons between South and North were conducted using linear mixed-effects models for TcB trajectories and Pearson′s chi-square test for outcome differences. Results:A total of 220 950 neonates were included, of whom 101 711 (46.03%) were female. Gestational age at birth was (38.75±1.12) weeks, and birth weight was (3 272±417) g. TcB levels increased rapidly within 3-day of age, peaked at 4-6-day of age, with peak values at P40, P75, and P95 of 200.6, 239.7 and 275.4 μmol/L (11.8, 14.1 and 16.2 mg/dl), respectively. TcB levels gradually declined thereafter and stabilized after 13-day of age, with values at P40, P75, and P95 fluctuating between 147.9-159.8, 190.4-200.6, and 231.2-239.7 μmol/L (8.7-9.4, 11.2-11.8, 13.6-14.1 mg/dl), respectively. Notably, among neonates categorized as low-or low-intermediate-risk within 3-day of age, 6 700 (12.76%) progressed to intermediate-high or high risk between 4 and 30 days of age. Before 13-day of age, TcB levels in the southern regions were consistently higher than those in the northern regions ( P=0.039); from 14 to 30 days of age, the overall TcB levels had no statistically difference, but the temporal changes in TcB still showed regional differences (degrees of freedom=3, all interaction P<0.05). Among neonates classified as low-or low-intermediate risk within 3-day of age, 25 326 were from southern regions, of whom 4 254 (16.80%) progressed to intermediate-high or high risk between 4 and 30 days of age. In northern regions, 27 193 neonates were classified as low-or low-intermediate risk within 3-day of age, among whom 2 446 (8.99%) progressed to intermediate-high or high risk. The risk progression between the 2 regions had statistically difference ( χ2=716.49, P<0.001). Conclusions:A TcB percentile curve for neonates within 30-day of age was established, revealing that both the overall TcB level and its temporal trend were higher in southern than in northern newborns. These findings provide baseline data to support continuous management of neonatal jaundice.

Objective:To explore the diagnostic value of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transsacral magnetic root stimulation combined with sacral reflexes, external anal sphincter electromyography and pudendal nerve somatosensory evoked potentials in the assessment of neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD).Methods:Twenty-one NLUTD patients (1 with a supra-pontine lesion, 5 with a spinal cord injury, 5 with a cauda equina injury, and 10 with pelvic floor disorders) were enrolled. Needle electromyography (EMG) was used to record TMS-induced and transsacral magnetic stimulation-induced motor evoked potentials (tc-MEPs and ts-MEPs, respectively) related to the external anal sphincter (EAS). The dorsal nerve of the penis or clitoris was stimulated electrically to record the latency of the sacral reflex related to the EAS. Central motor conduction time (CMCT) and the tc/ts-MEP latency ratio were calculated to distinguish central from peripheral lesions.Results:In the one patient with a supra-pontine lesion, although the tc-MEP and ts-MEP latencies were within normal limits, the CMCT was prolonged (28.2ms) and the tc/ts-MEP ratio was large (7.4). Among the five patients with a spinal cord injury, one exhibited prolonged tc-MEP latency (50.6ms) and CMCT (47.8ms), along with a large tc/ts-MEP ratio (18.1). In the five patients with cauda equina injury and the ten with NLUTD secondary to pelvic floor disorders, CMCT was within the normal range [averaging (22.9±4.9ms) and (24.2±3.5ms), respectively], but the ts-MEP latency was prolonged [(7.1±2.1ms) and (8.6±3.7ms), respectively], and the tc/ts-MEP ratio was small [(4.4±0.9) and (4.3±1.5), respectively]. The tc/ts-MEP ratio demonstrated the best rate of abnormality detection (93.8%), with an area under the curve of 0.99, indicating good sensitivity.Conclusions:The tc/ts-MEP ratio can be useful for distinguishing central and peripheral lesions. A markedly increased tc/ts-MEP ratio may suggest central nervous system injury, whereas a decreased ratio may indicate peripheral nervous system injury.

Objective:To evaluate the value of peripheral blood systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), D-dimer, and albumin (ALB) alone or their combination in the diagnosis of early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC).Methods:From January 1, 2023 to November 30, 2024, 104 patients with EOCRC (EOCRC group) hospitalized at Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University were enrolled. During the same period, by simple random sampling method, 104 patients with benign colorectal polyps (benign polyp group) and 104 healthy individuals for health examinations (healthy control group) from outpatient department were enrolled. The peripheral blood parameters (including neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, CEA, and others) and pathological characteristics of EOCRC (including TNM stage, tumor differentiation grade, and depth of invasion) were collected. The relationship between peripheral blood parameters and EOCRC pathological features were analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) were plotted, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate the diagnostic value. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the peripheral blood parameters which independently correlated with EOCRC and a combined diagnostic model was established. Simple random sampling method was used to divide the subjects in the negative control group (healthy control group + benign polyp group) and positive group (EOCRC group) into a training set (218 cases) and a validation set (94 cases) at a ratio of 7∶3, and the diagnostic performance of the combined diagnostic model in the training and validation sets was assessed. Hosmer-Lemeshow test and calibration curve were used to evaluate the fit and consistency of the model. Independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis H test were used for statistical analysis. Results:EOCRC group had the highest levels of SII(744.03 (473.01, 1 246.28), 437.77 (342.28, 607.47), 497.31 (385.76, 721.63)×10 9/L), NLR(2.42 (1.76, 3.94), 1.96 (1.54, 2.52), 1.91 (1.55, 2.75)), CEA (3.58 (1.96, 20.85), 1.31 (0.95, 1.93), 1.21 (0.76, 2.11) μg/L) and D-dimer (0.36 (0.20, 0.90), 0.19 (0.12, 0.28), 0.18 (0.12, 0.30) mg/L), and the lowest levels of LMR(3.51±1.56, 4.38±1.37, 4.72±1.84) and ALB(42.40 (39.90, 44.70), 44.57 (42.83, 46.25), 44.95 (43.10, 46.58) g/L) than benign polyp group and healthy control group, and the differences were statistically significant ( H=31.18, 16.21, 76.72 and 47.72, F=15.40, H=34.19; all P<0.001). In EOCRC patients, there were statistically significant differences in SII and LMR between patients with different tumor invasion depth ( Z=-2.48, t=2.31; both P<0.05), in CEA between patients with different TNM stage, with or without lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis( Z=-2.68, -2.50 and -2.65; all P<0.05), in D-dimer between patients with different TNM stage, differentiation grade, invasion depth, and with or without lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis ( Z=-2.50, -2.60, -2.06, -2.14 and -3.33; all P<0.05), and in ALB between patients with or without distant metastasis ( Z=-2.52, P=0.012).The AUC of combination of SII, NLR, LMR, CEA, D-dimer, and ALB in differential diagnosis of the healthy control group and the EOCRC group was 0.914 (95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.870 to 0.958, P<0.001), and the AUC of the combination in differential diagnosis of the benign polyp group and the EOCRC group was 0.904 (95% CI: 0.857 to 0.950, P<0.001). The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that SII, NLR, LMR, CEA, and ALB were all independently correlated with EOCRC (all P<0.05). The diagnostic model for EOCRC was established by the combination of SII, NLR, LMR, CEA, and ALB, and the AUC of the model in the training set and validation set was 0.911 and 0.883, respectively. The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test indicated good model fit ( P=0.437). Calibration curve analysis showed strong consistency between predicted probabilities and actual probabilities, and the mean absolute error was 0.015. Conclusions:SII, NLR, LMR, CEA, D-dimer, and ALB all demonstrate diagnostic value in the diagnosis of EOCRC. The combined diagnostic model based on SII, NLR, LMR, CEA, and ALB demonstrates excellent diagnostic performance, which may serve as an adjunctive diagnostic approach for EOCRC.

Objective:To explore the diagnostic value of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transsacral magnetic root stimulation combined with sacral reflexes, external anal sphincter electromyography and pudendal nerve somatosensory evoked potentials in the assessment of neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD).Methods:Twenty-one NLUTD patients (1 with a supra-pontine lesion, 5 with a spinal cord injury, 5 with a cauda equina injury, and 10 with pelvic floor disorders) were enrolled. Needle electromyography (EMG) was used to record TMS-induced and transsacral magnetic stimulation-induced motor evoked potentials (tc-MEPs and ts-MEPs, respectively) related to the external anal sphincter (EAS). The dorsal nerve of the penis or clitoris was stimulated electrically to record the latency of the sacral reflex related to the EAS. Central motor conduction time (CMCT) and the tc/ts-MEP latency ratio were calculated to distinguish central from peripheral lesions.Results:In the one patient with a supra-pontine lesion, although the tc-MEP and ts-MEP latencies were within normal limits, the CMCT was prolonged (28.2ms) and the tc/ts-MEP ratio was large (7.4). Among the five patients with a spinal cord injury, one exhibited prolonged tc-MEP latency (50.6ms) and CMCT (47.8ms), along with a large tc/ts-MEP ratio (18.1). In the five patients with cauda equina injury and the ten with NLUTD secondary to pelvic floor disorders, CMCT was within the normal range [averaging (22.9±4.9ms) and (24.2±3.5ms), respectively], but the ts-MEP latency was prolonged [(7.1±2.1ms) and (8.6±3.7ms), respectively], and the tc/ts-MEP ratio was small [(4.4±0.9) and (4.3±1.5), respectively]. The tc/ts-MEP ratio demonstrated the best rate of abnormality detection (93.8%), with an area under the curve of 0.99, indicating good sensitivity.Conclusions:The tc/ts-MEP ratio can be useful for distinguishing central and peripheral lesions. A markedly increased tc/ts-MEP ratio may suggest central nervous system injury, whereas a decreased ratio may indicate peripheral nervous system injury.

Objective:To establish 30-day of age transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) reference curves for healthy neonates, and to investigate regional variations in bilirubin dynamics.Methods:A multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted. A total of 220 950 healthy neonates born at a gestational age of 35-<42 weeks, with a birth weight ≥2 000 g, who did not receive phototherapy within 60 h after birth were recruited. All of them underwent remote TcB monitoring using the Bilibaby remote jaundice monitoring system between August 1 st, 2020 and December 31 st, 2024 in 426 hospitals. TcB data were collected within the period from birth to 30-day of age. The P40, P75, and P95 of TcB values were calculated, and dynamic TcB curves for 30-day of age were constructed. Patterns of bilirubin change, rates of change, and transition outcomes were described. Regional comparisons between South and North were conducted using linear mixed-effects models for TcB trajectories and Pearson′s chi-square test for outcome differences. Results:A total of 220 950 neonates were included, of whom 101 711 (46.03%) were female. Gestational age at birth was (38.75±1.12) weeks, and birth weight was (3 272±417) g. TcB levels increased rapidly within 3-day of age, peaked at 4-6-day of age, with peak values at P40, P75, and P95 of 200.6, 239.7 and 275.4 μmol/L (11.8, 14.1 and 16.2 mg/dl), respectively. TcB levels gradually declined thereafter and stabilized after 13-day of age, with values at P40, P75, and P95 fluctuating between 147.9-159.8, 190.4-200.6, and 231.2-239.7 μmol/L (8.7-9.4, 11.2-11.8, 13.6-14.1 mg/dl), respectively. Notably, among neonates categorized as low-or low-intermediate-risk within 3-day of age, 6 700 (12.76%) progressed to intermediate-high or high risk between 4 and 30 days of age. Before 13-day of age, TcB levels in the southern regions were consistently higher than those in the northern regions ( P=0.039); from 14 to 30 days of age, the overall TcB levels had no statistically difference, but the temporal changes in TcB still showed regional differences (degrees of freedom=3, all interaction P<0.05). Among neonates classified as low-or low-intermediate risk within 3-day of age, 25 326 were from southern regions, of whom 4 254 (16.80%) progressed to intermediate-high or high risk between 4 and 30 days of age. In northern regions, 27 193 neonates were classified as low-or low-intermediate risk within 3-day of age, among whom 2 446 (8.99%) progressed to intermediate-high or high risk. The risk progression between the 2 regions had statistically difference ( χ2=716.49, P<0.001). Conclusions:A TcB percentile curve for neonates within 30-day of age was established, revealing that both the overall TcB level and its temporal trend were higher in southern than in northern newborns. These findings provide baseline data to support continuous management of neonatal jaundice.