Objective To explore the impact of number of positive regional lymph nodes (nPRLN) in N1 stage on the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Methods Patients with TxN1M0 stage NSCLC who underwent lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection from 2010 to 2015 were screened from SEER database (17 Regs, 2022nov sub). The optimal cutoff value of nPRLN was determined using X-tile software, and patients were divided into 2 groups according to the cutoff value: a nPRLN≤optimal cutoff group and a nPRLN>optimal cutoff group. The influence of confounding factors was minimized by propensity score matching (PSM) at a ratio of 1 : 1. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate overall survival (OS) and lung cancer-specific survival (LCSS) of patients. Results A total of 1316 patients with TxN1M0 stage NSCLC were included, including 662 males and 654 females, with a median age of 67 (60, 73) years. The optimal cutoff value of nPRLN was 3, with 1165 patients in the nPRLN≤3 group and 151 patients in the nPRLN>3 group. After PSM, there were 138 patients in each group. Regardless of before or after PSM, OS and LCSS of patients in the nPRLN≤3 group were superior to those in the nPRLN>3 group (P<0.001). N1 stage nPRLN>3 was an independent prognostic risk factor for OS [HR=1.52, 95%CI (1.22, 1.89), P<0.001] and LCSS [HR=1.72, 95%CI (1.36, 2.18), P<0.001]. Conclusion N1 stage nPRLN>3 is an independent prognostic risk factor for NSCLC patients in TxN1M0 stage, which may provide new evidence for future revision of TNM staging N1 stage subclassification.

Mass spectrometry imaging （MSI） is an emerging molecular imaging technique that combines high spatial resolution and the ability to acquire molecular information. This technology can directly obtain spatial distribution maps of metabolites, proteins, lipids and other molecules in tumor tissues, reveal the abnormal molecular changes during the occurrence and development of liver cancer, and make up for the deficiency of information at the molecular level in traditional imaging （such as CT, MRI）. In liver cancer research, MSI has demonstrated unique advantages and application potential in early diagnosis and screening, precise classification, tumor heterogeneity analysis, and exploration of molecular mechanisms. The principle characteristics of MSI technology and its latest progress in the early diagnosis, classification and molecular mechanism research of liver cancer were reviewed, and the current challenges and future development directions were discussed, which aimed to provide a new perspective and theoretical basis for an in-depth understanding of the pathological mechanism of liver cancer and promoted its precise diagnosis and treatment.

Objective To establish an individualized nomogram model and evaluate its efficacy to provide a possible evaluation basis for the prognosis of lower third and abdominal part of oesophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Methods Lower third and abdominal part of EAC patients from 2010 to 2015 were chosen from the SEER Research Plus Database (17 Regs, 2022nov sub). The patients were randomly allocated to the training cohort and the internal validation cohort with a ratio of 7∶3 using bootstrap resampling. The Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to determine significant contributors to overall survival (OS) in EAC patients, which would be elected to construct the nomogram prediction model. C-index, calibration curve and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were performed to evaluate its efficacy. Finally, the efficacy to evaluate the OS of EAC patients was compared between the nomogram prediction model and TNM staging system. Results In total, 3945 patients with lower third and abdominal part of EAC were enrolled, including 3475 males and 470 females with a median age of 65 (57-72) years. The 2761 patients were allocated to the training cohort and the remaining 1184 patients to the internal validation cohort. In the training and the internal validation cohorts, the C-index of the nomogram model was 0.705 and 0.713, respectively. Meanwhile, the calibration curve also suggested that the nomogram model had a strong capability of predicting 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates of EAC patients. The nomogram also had a higher efficacy than the TNM staging system in predicting 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates of EAC patients. Conclusion This nomogram prediction model has a high efficiency for predicting OS in the patients with lower third and abdominal part of EAC, which is higher than that of the current TNM staging system.

Numerous research conducted in recent years has revealed that gut microbial dysbiosis, such as modifications in composition and activity, might influence lung tissue homeostasis through specific pathways, thereby promoting susceptibility to lung diseases. The development and progression of lung cancer, as well as the effectiveness of immunotherapy are closely associated with gut flora and metabolites, which influence immunological and inflammatory responses. During abnormal proliferation, non-small cell lung cancer cells acquire more substances and energy by altering their own metabolic pathways. Glucose and amino acid metabolism reprogramming provide tumor cells with abundant ATP, carbon, and nitrogen sources, respectively, providing optimal conditions for tumor cell proliferation, invasion, and immune escape. This article reviews the relationship of immune response with gut flora and metabolic reprogramming in non-small cell lung cancer, and discusses the potential mechanisms by which gut flora and metabolic reprogramming affect the occurrence, development, and immunotherapy of non-small cell lung cancer, in order to provide new ideas for precision treatment of lung cancer patients.
Humans ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/immunology* ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/therapy* ; Lung Neoplasms/therapy* ; Immunotherapy ; Metabolic Reprogramming

The present study aimed to explore whether hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) improved hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH) in rats by inhibiting aerobic glycolysis-pyroptosis. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into normal group, normal+NaHS group, hypoxia group, and hypoxia+NaHS group, with 6 rats in each group. The control group rats were placed in a normoxic (21% O₂) environment and received daily intraperitoneal injections of an equal volume of normal saline. The normal+NaHS group rats were placed in a normoxic environment and intraperitoneally injected with 14 μmol/kg NaHS daily. The hypoxia group rats were placed in a hypoxia chamber, and the oxygen controller inside the chamber maintained the oxygen concentration at 9% to 10% by controlling the N₂ flow rate. An equal volume of normal saline was injected intraperitoneally every day. The hypoxia+NaHS group rats were also placed in an hypoxia chamber and intraperitoneally injected with 14 μmol/kg NaHS daily. After the completion of the four-week modeling, the mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) of each group was measured using right heart catheterization technique, and the right ventricular hypertrophy index (RVHI) was weighed and calculated. HE staining was used to observe pathological changes in lung tissue, Masson staining was used to observe fibrosis of lung tissue, and Western blot was used to detect protein expression levels of hexokinase 2 (HK2), pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), pyruvate kinase isozyme type M2 (PKM2), nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), GSDMD-N-terminal domain (GSDMD-N), Caspase-1, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18 in lung tissue. ELISA was used to detect contents of IL-1β and IL-18 in lung tissue. The results showed that, compared with the normal control group, there were no significant changes in all indexes in the normal+NaHS group, while the hypoxia group exhibited significantly increased mPAP and RVHI, thickened pulmonary vascular wall, narrowed lumen, increased collagen fibers, up-regulated expression levels of aerobic glycolysis-related proteins (HK2 and PKM2), up-regulated expression levels of pyroptosis-related proteins (NLRP3, GSDMD-N, Caspase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18), and increased contents of IL-1β and IL-18. These changes of the above indexes in the hypoxia group were significantly reversed by NaHS. These results suggest that H₂S can improve rat HPH by inhibiting aerobic glycolysis-pyroptosis.
Animals ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Male ; Hypertension, Pulmonary/metabolism* ; Glycolysis/drug effects* ; Hydrogen Sulfide/therapeutic use* ; Hypoxia/complications* ; Rats ; Pyroptosis/drug effects*

The aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of lung zinc ions to pathogenesis of lung ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats. Male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into control group, lung I/R group (I/R group), lung I/R + low-dose zinc chloride group (LZnCl₂+I/R group), lung I/R + high-dose ZnCl₂ group (HZnCl₂+I/R group), lung I/R + medium-dose ZnCl₂ group (MZnCl₂+I/R group) and TPEN+MZnCl₂+I/R group (n = 8 in each group). Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to measure the concentration of zinc ions in lung tissue. The degree of lung tissue injury was analyzed by observing HE staining, alveolar damage index, lung wet/dry weight ratio and lung tissue gross changes. TUNEL staining was used to detect cellular apoptosis in lung tissue. Western blot and RT-qPCR were used to determine the protein expression levels of caspase-3 and ZIP8, as well as the mRNA expression levels of zinc transporters (ZIP, ZNT) in lung tissue. The mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) of lung tissue was detected by JC-1 MMP detection kit. The results showed that, compared with the control group, the lung tissue damage, lung wet/dry weight ratio and alveolar damage index were significantly increased in the I/R group. And in the lung tissue, the concentration of Zn²⁺ was markedly decreased, while the cleaved caspase-3/caspase-3 ratio and apoptotic levels were significantly increased. The expression levels of ZIP8 mRNA and protein were down-regulated significantly, while the mRNA expression of other zinc transporters remained unchanged. There was also a significant decrease in MMP. Compared with the I/R group, both MZnCl₂+I/R group and HZnCl₂+I/R group exhibited significantly reduced lung tissue injury, lung wet/dry weight ratio and alveolar damage index, increased Zn²⁺ concentration, decreased ratio of cleaved caspase-3/caspase-3 and apoptosis, and up-regulated expression levels of ZIP8 mRNA and protein. In addition, the MMP was significantly increased in the lung tissue. Zn²⁺ chelating agent TPEN reversed the above-mentioned protective effects of medium-dose ZnCl₂ on the lung tissue in the I/R group. The aforementioned results suggest that exogenous administration of ZnCl₂ can improve lung I/R injury in rats.
Animals ; Reperfusion Injury/pathology* ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; Chlorides/administration & dosage* ; Lung/pathology* ; Zinc Compounds/administration & dosage* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Caspase 3/metabolism* ; Cation Transport Proteins/metabolism*

ObjectiveTo investigate the status and dietary intake risk of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables sold in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province from 2020 to 2023, so as to provide a scientific basis for the regulation and management of pesticide in the future. MethodsIn accordance with the requirements and methods specified in the “National Food Contamination and Hazardous Factor Risk Monitoring Work Manual” and the current corresponding national food inspection standards for various foods, a total of 807 samples of vegetables and fruits from various counties and districts of Wenzhou City were collected for testing and analysis. Eventually, 23 types of pesticides with a detection rate greater than 5% and those exceeding the standard were selected for dietary intake risk assessment. ResultsFrom 2020 to 2023, the overall detection rate of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables monitored in Wenzhou was 71.62%, with an overall exceedance rate of 5.27%. From the results of the monitoring of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables, fresh legume vegetables had the highest detection rate of 90.00%. Among the six major categories of pesticides monitored, fungicides in vegetables and fruits had the highest detection rates of 68.18% and 85.03%, respectively. The highest exceedance rate in vegetables was organophosphorus pesticides, accounting for 2.85%, while in fruits, neonicotinoid pesticides had the highest exceedance rate of 3.21%. From the perspective of sampling time, the peak detection rate of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables in Wenzhou occurred in June and October. The index of food safety (IFS) of the 23 pesticides with a detection rate higher than 5% ranged from 0.000 7 to 0.694 2 based on the 95% monitoring value of pesticide residues, which were all less than 1. Calculated at maximum content, the IFS values of dithiocarbamate (calculated by CS₂), chlorothalonil and propiconazole were all greater than 1, indicating that the maximum detection values of the three pesticides exceeded the acceptable safety risk. The risk level of acute dietary intake of the 23 pesticides ranged from 1.26% to 52.65%. ConclusionThe overall situation of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables sold in Wenzhou from 2020 to 2023 is favourable, but the exceedance rate of pesticide in some fruits and vegetables is high. Special attention should be paid to the pesticide residues of fungicides, neonicotinoid insecticides and organophosphorus pesticides in fresh legume vegetables, bulb vegetables and some fruits sold in Wenzhou, such as acetamiprid in bayberry and cowpea, dimethomorph in strawberry, chlorpyrifos in leek, etc., and monitoring of pesticide residues in food need to be strengthened.

Elderly end-of-life patients often experience distress due to being caught in dilemmas of contemplation and decision-making. Narrative wills， grounded in life values and premised on respecting individual wishes and needs， present an individual’s unique life story through narrative forms， conveying their overall experience， interpretation of meaning， and understanding of life. They are preserved and passed on in a way that meets individual expectations， thereby promoting human exploration， reflection， and growth regarding the meaning of life through interpersonal interactions that transcend space and time. This paper explored the concept of narrative wills among elderly end-of-life patients， the ethical value and ethical principles of narrative wills， and the moral and ethical risks. It also provided specific ethical interpretations， assisting in the application and development of narrative wills in elderly end-of-life patients.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of implantable neuromuscular electrical stimulation system on stress urinary incontinence (SUI) model in female rats. Methods: A total of 21 female infertile SD rats were randomly divided into the control，sham stimulation，and stimulation groups，with 7 rats in each group.All rats received vaginal dilation (VD) to simulate postpartum SUI.One week after VD，the control group was given normal feeding，stimulators were implanted in the pelvic floor muscles of the sham stimulation and stimulation groups.The sham stimulation group received normal feeding for 2 weeks，and the stimulation group received pelvic floor electrical stimulation (PFES) for 2 consecutive weeks.The leak point pressure (LPP) of each rat was measured with cystometry before VD (baseline value)，1 week after VD，and 2 weeks after PFES. Results: In the control group and sham stimulation group，LPP increased after 2 weeks of treatment compared with that after 1 week of VD，but it still did not return to the baseline level (P<0.001).In the stimulation group，after 2 consecutive weeks of PFES，LPP increased significantly compared with that 1 week after VD，and returned to the baseline value (P>0.05).There was no significant difference in the LPP baseline values and levels after 1 week of VD among the 3 groups (P>0.05).The LPP in the stimulation group after 2 weeks of PFES was significantly higher than that in the sham stimulation group and stimulation group (P<0.001). Conclusion: The implantable neuromuscular electrical stimulation system is effective in short-term intervention of SUI in female rats，the further studies are needed to confirm the long-term efficacy and safety of the system，the optimal stimulation sites，optimal stimulation parameters，and potential mechanisms of action.