Objective To study the five-year survival status and influencing factors of elderly patients with lung cancer complicated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods A cohort study was conducted to follow up 450 patients with lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who were hospitalized in our hospital from January 2018 to December 2023. The endpoint of the follow-up was the end of a five-year period or death. The Life Tables method was used to calculate survival rates and plot survival curves. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze the influencing factors of five-year survival. Results The results indicated that the overall five-year survival rate of patients was 4.89%, and it decreased year by year. Cox regression analysis showed that age, gender, family functioning, and psychological status significantly influenced patient survival rate (all P<0.05). Stratified analysis found that the smoking status, family functioning, and psychological status of male patients all had an impact on survival rate (all P<0.05), while the psychological status of female patients had a more significant impact on survival (P=0.008). Conclusion This study provides a scientific basis for comprehensive intervention of elderly lung cancer patients with COPD. It is recommended that clinical attention should be paid to psychological and family factors to improve patient prognosis.

As the second part of this series, this article summarizes and synthesizes the key aspects of UK Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT), SHOT’s continuous promotion of learning from excellent daily transfusion events over the past six years. This summary is based on an introduction to the holistic approach to improving patient safety—proactively learning from both failures and successes. The covered topics include an overview, definitions, case studies, implementation methods, safety culture, psychological safety in the workplace, civility in work, the use of neutral language, leading and lagging indicators, and compassionate governance. It is hoped that this article will assist domestic colleagues in understanding and studying the strategic significance of the transformation of transfusion safety governance in the UK, and inspire reflection on the strategic development direction of transfusion safety governance in China.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the impact of yang-reinforcing and blood-activating therapy on the long-term prognosis for patients with dilated cardiomyopathy （DCM） of yang deficiency and blood stasis syndrome. MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted involving 371 DCM patients with yang deficiency and blood stasis syndrome. The yang-reinforcing and blood-activating therapy was defined as the exposure factor. Patients were categorized into exposure group （186 cases） and non-exposure group （185 cases） according to whether they received yang-reinforcing and blood-activating therapy combined with conventional western medicine for 6 months or longer. The follow-up period was set at 48 months， and the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to assess the cumulative incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events （MACE） in both groups. Cox regression analysis was used to explore the impact of yang-reinforcing and blood-activating therapy on the risk of MACE， and subgroup analysis was performed. Changes in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome score， left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF）， left ventricular fractional shortening （LVFS）， left ventricular end-diastolic diameter （LVEDD）， and Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire （MLHFQ） score were compared between groups at the time of first combined use of yang-reinforcing and blood-activating therapy （before treatment） and 1 year after receiving the therapy （after treatment）. ResultsMACE occurred in 31 cases （16.67%） in the exposure group and 47 cases （25.41%） in the non-exposure group. The cumulative incidence of MACE in the exposure group was significantly lower than that in the non-exposure group ［HR=0.559， 95%CI（0.361，0.895）， P=0.014］. Cox regression analysis showed that yang-reinforcing and blood-activating therapy was an independent factor for reducing the risk of MACE in DCM patients ［HR=0.623， 95%CI（0.396，0.980）， P=0.041］， and consistent results were observed in different subgroups. Compared with pre-treatment， the exposure group showed decreased TCM syndrome score and MLHFQ score， reduced LVEDD， and increased LVEF and LVFS after treatment （P＜0.05）； in the non-exposure group， TCM syndrome score decreased， LVEF and LVFS increased， and LVEDD reduced after treatment （P＜0.05）. After treatment， the exposure group had higher LVEF and LVFS， smaller LVEDD， and lower TCM syndrome score and MLHFQ score compared with the non-exposure group （P＜0.05）. ConclusionCombining yang-reinforcing and blood-activating therapy with conventional western medicine can reduce the risk of MACE in DCM patients with yang deficiency and blood stasis syndrome， meanwhile improving their clinical symptoms， cardiac function， and quality of life.

ObjectiveTo investigate the status of overlapping hepatitis B virus （HBV） infection in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus （HCV） infection and the serological characteristics of such patients. MethodsA total of 8 637 patients with HCV infection who were hospitalized from January 1， 2010 to December 31， 2020 and had complete data of HBV serological markers were enrolled， and the composition ratio of patients with overlapping HBV serological markers was analyzed among the patients with HCV infection. The patients were divided into groups based on age and year of birth， and serological characteristics were analyzed， and the distribution of HBV-related serological characteristics were analyzed across different HCV genotypes. ResultsThe patients with HCV/HBV overlapping infection accounted for 5.85%， and the patients with previous HBV infection accounted for 48.10%； the patients with protective immunity against HBV accounted for 14.67%， while the patients with a lack of protective immunity against HBV accounted for 31.39%. The patients were divided into groups based on age： in the 0 — 17 years group， the patients with protective immunity against HBV accounted for 61.41% （304 patients）； the 18 — 44 years group was mainly composed of patients with previous HBV infection （698 patients， 37.31%）， the 45 — 59 years group was predominantly composed of patients with previous HBV infection （1 945 patients， 50.38%）， and the ≥60 years group was also predominantly composed of patients with previous HBV infection （1 486 patients， 61.66%）. The patients were divided into groups based on the year of birth： in the pre-1992 group， the patients with previous HBV infection accounted for 51.63% （4 112 patients）； in the 1992 — 2005 group， the patients with protective immunity against HBV accounted for 54.72% （168 patients）； in the post-2005 group， the patients with protective immunity against HBV accounted for 64.38% （235 patients）. In this study， 6 301 patients underwent HCV genotype testing： the patients with genotype 1b accounted for the highest proportion of 51.71% （3 258 patients）， followed by those with genotype 2a （1 769 patients， 28.07%）， genotype 3b （63 patients， 1.00%）， genotype 3a （10 patients， 0.16%）， genotype 4 （21 patients， 0.33%）， and genotype 6a （5 patients， 0.08%）. ConclusionWith the implementation of hepatitis B planned vaccination program in China， there has been a significant reduction in the proportion of patients with previous HBV infection among the patients with HCV/HBV overlapping infection， but there is still a relatively high proportion of patients with a lack of protective immunity against HBV.

AIM: To analyze the factors influencing total corneal surgically induced astigmatism(SIA)following implantable collamer lens(ICL)implantation.METHODS:This prospective study enrolled 162 patients(162 eyes)who underwent ICL implantation at our hospital between July 2023 and January 2024. Based on preoperative assessment of anticipated postoperative residual astigmatism, different incisions were selected. Superior incision was selected for patients with expected residual astigmatism with the rule in 75 eyes, and temporal incision was selected for patients with expected residual astigmatism againist the rule in 87 eyes. Parameters including total corneal refractive power, incision length, internal ostium-to-visual axis distance, central corneal thickness, preoperative total corneal astigmatism, and corneal diameter were measured using the Pentacam anterior segment analyzer before and at 3 mo after surgery. Postoperative total corneal SIA was calculated based on the changes in total corneal refractive power. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to assess the influence of the above parameters on postoperative total corneal SIA.RESULTS:A total of 162 cases(162 eyes)that implanted with ICL were included in the analysis, and 8 cases were lost to follow-up, with a loss rate of 4.9%. Eventually 154 cases(154 eyes)completed the research. The superior incision group comprised 72 cases(72 eyes), including 17 males and 55 females, with a mean age of 25.96±6.17 years, while the temporal incision group comprised 82 cases(82 eyes), including 20 males and 62 females, with a mean age of 27.79±6.47 years. No significant difference in postoperative total corneal SIA was observed between the two groups [0.31(0.21, 0.49)D vs. 0.27(0.13, 0.485)D, P=0.159]. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that internal ostium-to-visual axis distance and preoperative total corneal astigmatism significantly influenced postoperative total corneal SIA in the superior incision group(P=0.001). The regression equation was: postoperative total corneal SIA=0.71-0.381×internal ostium-to-visual axis distance+0.16×preoperative total corneal astigmatism. No significant influencing factors for postoperative total corneal SIA were identified in the temporal incision group.CONCLUSION: During ICL implantation, the magnitude of total corneal SIA is comparable between superior and temporal incisions. For patients receiving a superior incision, the internal ostium-to-visual axis distance and preoperative total corneal astigmatism value can be used to quantitatively predict postoperative total corneal SIA to a certain extent, thereby aiding in the optimization of postoperative visual quality.

ObjectiveTo comprehensively identify the O-methyltransferase （OMT） genes in Carthamus tinctorius and explore the key OMTs that can catalyze the methylation of flavonoids， providing a basis for understanding the molecular formation mechanism of the structural diversity of flavonoids in C. tinctorius. MethodsThe hidden Markov model was used to systematically identify the type Ⅰ OMTs from the high-quality genome data of C. tinctorius. A suite of bioinformatics tools was employed to systematically analyze the physicochemical properties， gene structure， conserved motifs， chromosomal localization， gene replication events， and collinearity of the identified genes. The target gene was heterologously expressed through the prokaryotic expression system of E. coli， and the protein function was verified by in vitro enzymatic reactions. ResultsA total of 31 type Ⅰ OMTs were identified. CtFOMT1 was successfully cloned and expressed in a soluble form in Escherichia coli. The recombinant protein was purified via Ni²⁺ affinity chromatography to obtain a high-concentration preparation. In vitro enzymatic assays demonstrated that CtFOMT1 utilized S-adenosylmethionine as the methyl donor to catalyze the methylation of the 4′-OH of naringenin， resulting in the production of isosakuranetin. A similar process occurred with the 4′-OH of luteolin， leading to the formation of diosmetin. Subsequent methylation of the 3′-OH group of diosmetin generated 4′-methylchrysoeriol. ConclusionCtFOMT1 can catalyze the methylation of 4′-/3′-OH in the flavonoid skeleton. It is hypothesized that CtFOMT1 may play a role in the biosynthesis of various 4′-/3′-oxymethyl flavonoids in C. tinctorius.

ObjectiveTo observe the short-term and long-term efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） surgical operations in treating mixed hemorrhoids. MethodsA multi-center retrospective cohort study was conducted， collecting clinical data from 17，831 mixed hemorrhoid surgery patients in 8 top-tier TCM hospitals in Jiangsu Province. Standardized and structured datasets were obtained through artificial intelligence models. Patients who underwent western surgical treatment were categorized into the western surgery group （11,646 cases）， and those receiving TCM surgical operations were categorized into the TCM surgery group （6185 cases）. Propensity score matching （1∶1 matching） was used to balance baseline data between groups. The primary outcome was the one-year recurrence rate， and secondary outcomes included the main symptoms （rectal bleeding， degree of prolapse） and secondary symptoms （anal distension， anal edema， wound secretion and exudation， anal stenosis， residual skin tags， perianal itching， and anal pain） measured on days 7， 28， and 60 after discharge. ResultsAfter matching， 2194 patients were included in each group. Symptom scores showed that at 28 days after discharge， the TCM surgical group had superior improvement in rectal bleeding ［OR=5.786， 95%CI （3.092，10.827）］， degree of prolapse ［OR=4.510， 95%CI （1.649，12.333）］， and anal edema ［OR=3.188， 95%CI （1.295，7.845）］ compared to the western surgical group. At 60 days post-discharge， the TCM group still showed advantages in improving rectal bleeding ［OR=5.237， 95%CI （1.077，25.464）］ and anal pain ［OR=11.697， 95%CI （1.186，115.336）］ （P＜0.05）. Long-term follow-up showed that the one-year recurrence rate in the TCM surgery group was 1.1% （8/726）， while that in the western surgery group was 2.3% （10/444）， with no statistically significant difference between the two groups （P＞0.05）. ConclusionBased on real-world data， TCM surgical treatment for mixed hemorrhoids shows significant short-term symptom improvement， particularly in terms of hemostasis， reducing swelling， and alleviating prolapse of anal masses.

Organoid-on-a-chip technology represents a promising interdisciplinary advancement that merges two cutting-edge biomedical platforms: stem cell-derived organoids and microfluidics-based organ-on-a-chip systems. Organoids are self-organizing three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures that mimic the key structural and functional features of in vivo organs. However, traditional organoid culture systems are often static, lacking dynamic environmental cues and suffering from limitations such as batch-to-batch variability, low stability, and low throughput. Organ-on-a-chip platforms, by contrast, utilize microfluidic technologies to simulate the dynamic physiological microenvironment of human tissues and organs, enabling more controlled cell growth and differentiation. By integrating the advantages of organoids and organ-on-a-chip technologies, organoid-on-a-chip systems transcend the limitations of conventional 3D culture models, offering a more physiologically relevant and controllable in vitro platform. In organoid-on-a-chip systems, stem cells or pre-formed organoids are cultured in micro-engineered environments that mimic in vivo conditions, enabling precise control over fluid flow, mechanical forces, and biochemical cues. Specifically, these platforms employ advanced strategies including bio-inspired 3D scaffolds for structural support, precise spatial cell patterning via 3D bioprinting, and integrated biosensors for real-time monitoring of metabolic activities. These synergistic elements recreate complex extracellular matrix signals and ensure high structural fidelity. Based on structural complexity, organoid-on-a-chip systems are classified into single-organoid and multi-organoid types, forming a trajectory from unit biomimicry to systemic simulation. Single-organoid chips focus on highly biomimetic units by integrating vascular, immune, or neural functions. Multi-organoid chips simulate inter-organ crosstalk and systemic homeostasis, advancing complex disease modeling and PK/PD evaluation. This emerging technology has demonstrated broad application potential in multiple fields of biomedicine. Organoid-on-a-chip systems can recapitulate organ developmentin vitro, facilitating research in developmental biology. They mimic organ-specific physiological activities and mechanisms, showing promising applications in regenerative medicine for tissue repair or replacement. In disease modeling, they support the reconstruction of models for neurodegenerative, inflammatory, infectious, metabolic diseases, and cancers. These platforms also enable in vitro drug testing and pharmacokinetic studies (ADME). Patient-derived chips preserve genetic and pathological features, offering potential for precision medicine. Additionally, they reduce species differences in toxicology, providing human-relevant data for environmental, food, cosmetic, and drug safety assessments. Despite progress, organoid-on-a-chip systems face challenges in dynamic simulation, extracellular matrix (ECM) variability, and limited real-time 3D imaging, requiring improved materials and the integration of developmental signals. Current bottlenecks also include the high technical threshold for automation and the lack of standardized validation frameworks for regulatory adoption. Meanwhile, the concept of a “human-on-a-chip” has been proposed to mimic whole-body physiology by integrating multiple organoid modules. This approach enables systemic modeling of drug responses and toxicity, with the potential to reduce animal testing and revolutionize drug development. Future advancements in bio-responsive hydrogels and flexible biosensors will further empower these platforms to bridge the gap between bench-side research and personalized clinical interventions. In conclusion, organoid-on-a-chip technology offers a transformative in vitro model that closely recapitulates the complexity of human tissues and organ systems. It provides an unprecedented platform for advancing biomedical research, clinical translation, and pharmaceutical innovation. Continued development in biomaterials, microengineering, and analytical technologies will be essential to unlocking the full potential of this powerful tool.

Organoid-on-a-chip technology represents a promising interdisciplinary advancement that merges two cutting-edge biomedical platforms: stem cell-derived organoids and microfluidics-based organ-on-a-chip systems. Organoids are self-organizing three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures that mimic the key structural and functional features of in vivo organs. However, traditional organoid culture systems are often static, lacking dynamic environmental cues and suffering from limitations such as batch-to-batch variability, low stability, and low throughput. Organ-on-a-chip platforms, by contrast, utilize microfluidic technologies to simulate the dynamic physiological microenvironment of human tissues and organs, enabling more controlled cell growth and differentiation. By integrating the advantages of organoids and organ-on-a-chip technologies, organoid-on-a-chip systems transcend the limitations of conventional 3D culture models, offering a more physiologically relevant and controllable in vitro platform. In organoid-on-a-chip systems, stem cells or pre-formed organoids are cultured in micro-engineered environments that mimic in vivo conditions, enabling precise control over fluid flow, mechanical forces, and biochemical cues. Specifically, these platforms employ advanced strategies including bio-inspired 3D scaffolds for structural support, precise spatial cell patterning via 3D bioprinting, and integrated biosensors for real-time monitoring of metabolic activities. These synergistic elements recreate complex extracellular matrix signals and ensure high structural fidelity. Based on structural complexity, organoid-on-a-chip systems are classified into single-organoid and multi-organoid types, forming a trajectory from unit biomimicry to systemic simulation. Single-organoid chips focus on highly biomimetic units by integrating vascular, immune, or neural functions. Multi-organoid chips simulate inter-organ crosstalk and systemic homeostasis, advancing complex disease modeling and PK/PD evaluation. This emerging technology has demonstrated broad application potential in multiple fields of biomedicine. Organoid-on-a-chip systems can recapitulate organ developmentin vitro, facilitating research in developmental biology. They mimic organ-specific physiological activities and mechanisms, showing promising applications in regenerative medicine for tissue repair or replacement. In disease modeling, they support the reconstruction of models for neurodegenerative, inflammatory, infectious, metabolic diseases, and cancers. These platforms also enable in vitro drug testing and pharmacokinetic studies (ADME). Patient-derived chips preserve genetic and pathological features, offering potential for precision medicine. Additionally, they reduce species differences in toxicology, providing human-relevant data for environmental, food, cosmetic, and drug safety assessments. Despite progress, organoid-on-a-chip systems face challenges in dynamic simulation, extracellular matrix (ECM) variability, and limited real-time 3D imaging, requiring improved materials and the integration of developmental signals. Current bottlenecks also include the high technical threshold for automation and the lack of standardized validation frameworks for regulatory adoption. Meanwhile, the concept of a “human-on-a-chip” has been proposed to mimic whole-body physiology by integrating multiple organoid modules. This approach enables systemic modeling of drug responses and toxicity, with the potential to reduce animal testing and revolutionize drug development. Future advancements in bio-responsive hydrogels and flexible biosensors will further empower these platforms to bridge the gap between bench-side research and personalized clinical interventions. In conclusion, organoid-on-a-chip technology offers a transformative in vitro model that closely recapitulates the complexity of human tissues and organ systems. It provides an unprecedented platform for advancing biomedical research, clinical translation, and pharmaceutical innovation. Continued development in biomaterials, microengineering, and analytical technologies will be essential to unlocking the full potential of this powerful tool.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study. METHODS: A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m ²) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m ²) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m ²) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m ² ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Adult ; Mortality ; Cause of Death ; Obesity/mortality* ; Overweight/mortality*