Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), as the predominant histological subtype of lung cancer, accounts for approximately 85% of all lung cancer cases. In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), represented by programmed death 1/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) inhibitors, have achieved breakthrough advancements in patients with driver gene-negative NSCLC. They have been established as a key component of first-line treatment regimens and have significantly improved clinical outcomes. However, limited clinical evidence has emerged showing the phenomenon of histological transformation from NSCLC to small cell lung cancer (SCLC) in patients experiencing disease progression after ICIs monotherapy or combination therapy. Systematic research data on the clinical characteristics, molecular biological basis, and subsequent treatment strategies for such transformation events are currently lacking. This article reports a case of SCLC transformation occurring in a patient with KRAS-mutated lung adenocarcinoma after 16 months of ICIs combination therapy and provides a systematic review of 22 similar published cases. The study demonstrates that small cell transformation is a critical mechanism of immunotherapy resistance, and transformed patients exhibit poor prognosis. The research emphasizes the importance of dynamic monitoring of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and standardized repeat biopsies during treatment, providing a basis for clinical practice. This aids in enhancing the recognition and management capabilities for this rare histological transformation, ultimately improving patient outcomes.
Humans ; Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/therapeutic use* ; Lung Neoplasms/immunology* ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/immunology* ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma/genetics* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Female

Objectives:This study aimed to observe the disintegration of clopidogrel and ticagrelor in vitro solution with different pH levels and in human digestive tract.Methods:(1)In vitro study:0.9% normal saline was mixed with hydrochloric acid and sodium bicarbonate respectively to mimic fasting gastric fluid,postprandial gastric fluid,gastric fluid after taking acid-inhibiting agent,acid-free gastric fluid and small intestine fluid.The disintegration of clopidogrel and ticagrelor in different pH solutions was observed.(2)In vivo study:12 patients who were admitted to the Department of Geriatric,Peking University First Hospital from 2022.11 to 2023.6 were included and underwent magnetic controlled capsule endoscopy.We observed the disintegration of clopidogrel(n=6)and ticagrelor(n=6)in the digestive tract.Results:(1)In vitro study:clopidogrel began to disintegrate earlier than ticagrelor([21.67±7.53]s vs.[40.00±6.33]s,P=0.001),but clopidogrel disintegrated more slowly than ticagrelor([23.00±9.38]min vs.[8.33±1.97]min,P=0.011).Clopidogrel disintegrated faster in alkaline solution than in acidic and neutral solution([11.50±4.95]min vs.[28.75±2.50]min,P=0.004),and the disintegration rate of ticagrelor in alkaline solutions is comparable to that in acidic and neutral solutions([7.00±1.41]min vs.[9.00±2.00]min,P=0.285).(2)In vivo study:In the study population,the morphology of clopidogrel and ticagrelor began to change after passing through the esophagus,of which 3 cases(clopidogrel 1 case,ticagrelor 2 cases)were in powder state when passing through the cardia,and the remaining 9 cases were basically intact when entering the stomach and completely disintegrated in the stomach.The complete disintegration time of Clopidogrel varied significantly among individuals,ranging from 8 to 33 min,with an average of(18.80±10.38)min,while the complete disintegration time of ticagrelor ranged from 3 to 6 min,with an average of(4.25±1.26)min.Clopidogrel disintegrated slower than ticagrelor(P=0.034).Conclusions:In vitro study,clopidogrel disintegrated more slowly than ticagrelor in solutions at different pH levels.Compared with clopidogrel,the disintegration rate of ticagrelor was less affected by pH.After oral administration of clopidogrel and ticagrelor,clopidogrel disintegrated more slowly than ticagrelor.The difference of complete disintegration time between individuals of ticagrelor was smaller and the disintegration rate was faster.

Cardiovascular disease represent a significant global health threat,featured with continuously increased morbidity and mortality rates worldwide in recent years.Consequently,there is an urgent need for the development of safe and effective novel approaches for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.The advancements in nanotechnology within the medical field,including drug delivery and molecular imaging,have opened innovative avenues for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.Due to their unique physicochemical and biological properties,metal-based nanoparticles have demonstrated remarkable potential and broad prospects in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease.This review summarizes the latest research developments in the application of metal-based nanoparticles in cardiovascular disease and discusses the challenges associated with their clinical application,and presents new insights for the individualized and precise diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Atherosclerosis is a severe disease threatening human health,leading to tremendous consequences such as acute coronary syndrome,myocardial infarction,and stroke.The onset and progression of atherosclerosis are attributed to a chronic inflammatory process,closely associated with the biological activities of various cells.Calpain,a Ca2+-dependent cysteine protease within cells,plays a pivotal role in this context by regulating a plethora of substrates through restricted catalysis of protein hydrolysis,thereby participating in pathological and physiological processes including endothelial damage,inflammatory response,and lipid metabolism.This review summarizes the role of calpain in the development of atherosclerosis and the latest research progress in the application of calpain inhibitors for treatment of atherosclerosis,offering new insights for the clinical realization of personalized and precise treatment of atherosclerosis.

Cardiovascular disease represent a significant global health threat,featured with continuously increased morbidity and mortality rates worldwide in recent years.Consequently,there is an urgent need for the development of safe and effective novel approaches for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.The advancements in nanotechnology within the medical field,including drug delivery and molecular imaging,have opened innovative avenues for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.Due to their unique physicochemical and biological properties,metal-based nanoparticles have demonstrated remarkable potential and broad prospects in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease.This review summarizes the latest research developments in the application of metal-based nanoparticles in cardiovascular disease and discusses the challenges associated with their clinical application,and presents new insights for the individualized and precise diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Objectives:This study aimed to observe the disintegration of clopidogrel and ticagrelor in vitro solution with different pH levels and in human digestive tract.Methods:(1)In vitro study:0.9% normal saline was mixed with hydrochloric acid and sodium bicarbonate respectively to mimic fasting gastric fluid,postprandial gastric fluid,gastric fluid after taking acid-inhibiting agent,acid-free gastric fluid and small intestine fluid.The disintegration of clopidogrel and ticagrelor in different pH solutions was observed.(2)In vivo study:12 patients who were admitted to the Department of Geriatric,Peking University First Hospital from 2022.11 to 2023.6 were included and underwent magnetic controlled capsule endoscopy.We observed the disintegration of clopidogrel(n=6)and ticagrelor(n=6)in the digestive tract.Results:(1)In vitro study:clopidogrel began to disintegrate earlier than ticagrelor([21.67±7.53]s vs.[40.00±6.33]s,P=0.001),but clopidogrel disintegrated more slowly than ticagrelor([23.00±9.38]min vs.[8.33±1.97]min,P=0.011).Clopidogrel disintegrated faster in alkaline solution than in acidic and neutral solution([11.50±4.95]min vs.[28.75±2.50]min,P=0.004),and the disintegration rate of ticagrelor in alkaline solutions is comparable to that in acidic and neutral solutions([7.00±1.41]min vs.[9.00±2.00]min,P=0.285).(2)In vivo study:In the study population,the morphology of clopidogrel and ticagrelor began to change after passing through the esophagus,of which 3 cases(clopidogrel 1 case,ticagrelor 2 cases)were in powder state when passing through the cardia,and the remaining 9 cases were basically intact when entering the stomach and completely disintegrated in the stomach.The complete disintegration time of Clopidogrel varied significantly among individuals,ranging from 8 to 33 min,with an average of(18.80±10.38)min,while the complete disintegration time of ticagrelor ranged from 3 to 6 min,with an average of(4.25±1.26)min.Clopidogrel disintegrated slower than ticagrelor(P=0.034).Conclusions:In vitro study,clopidogrel disintegrated more slowly than ticagrelor in solutions at different pH levels.Compared with clopidogrel,the disintegration rate of ticagrelor was less affected by pH.After oral administration of clopidogrel and ticagrelor,clopidogrel disintegrated more slowly than ticagrelor.The difference of complete disintegration time between individuals of ticagrelor was smaller and the disintegration rate was faster.

Atherosclerosis is a severe disease threatening human health,leading to tremendous consequences such as acute coronary syndrome,myocardial infarction,and stroke.The onset and progression of atherosclerosis are attributed to a chronic inflammatory process,closely associated with the biological activities of various cells.Calpain,a Ca2+-dependent cysteine protease within cells,plays a pivotal role in this context by regulating a plethora of substrates through restricted catalysis of protein hydrolysis,thereby participating in pathological and physiological processes including endothelial damage,inflammatory response,and lipid metabolism.This review summarizes the role of calpain in the development of atherosclerosis and the latest research progress in the application of calpain inhibitors for treatment of atherosclerosis,offering new insights for the clinical realization of personalized and precise treatment of atherosclerosis.

Immunotherapy has become the first-line standard treatment option for driver gene-negative advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). But not all patients can benefit from immunotherapy, and can even have serious adverse reactions. It is crucial to identify the predictors of clinical response to immunotherapy. Several studies have shown that elevated baseline C-reactive protein (CRP) or persistent elevation of CRP during the treatment process may indicate a poorer prognosis for patients, and high CRP may be correlated with adverse reactions. Attention to the dynamic changes of CRP during immunotherapy for NSCLC may become an important predictor of prognosis.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of the Mini-Mental State Scale (MMSE) versus the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA) in screening cognitive impairment in patients with a lacunar cerebral infarction. Methods:138 eligible patients who received treatment in the Affiliated Hospital of Shanxi Datong University from January 2018 to October 2019 were recruited for this study. They received cognitive function evaluation by the MMSE and MoCA. These patients were grouped according to the median number of age or the median number of years of education. The sensitivity and consistency of the MMSE versus MoCA in screening cognitive impairment in patients with a lacunar cerebral infarction were analyzed using the χ2 test. The total cognitive scores of the MMSE and MoCA, and the scores of each cognitive domain such as memory, execution, visual space, attention, language, and orientation, were compared between groups using multiple linear regression analysis. Results:The sensitivity of MoCA in screening for cognitive impairment in low-age, high-age, low-year-education, and high-year-education groups and the whole population of patients with a lacunar cerebral infarction was 76.5%, 75.7%, 74.2%, 77.8%, 76.1%, respectively, which were significantly higher than those of MMSE (44.1%, 65.7%, 60.6%, 50.0%, 55.1%, χ2 = 12.17, 13.13, 9.33, 15.75, 23.86, all P < 0.01). The Kappa coefficients of low-age, high-age, low-year-education and high-year-education groups were 0.336, 0.391, 0.358, 0.389, and 0.373, respectively, all of which were less than 0.4 (all P < 0.01). These findings suggest that the consistency of the two scales in screening cognitive impairment is poor. The cognitive impairment detection rate by the MMSE was significantly higher in the high-age group than in the low-age group (65.7% vs. 44.1%, χ2 = 6.50, P < 0.05). The total cognitive scores of MMSE and MoCA and the scores of memory, execution, visual space, attention, language, and orientation in patients with a lacunar cerebral infarction were significantly lower in the high-age group or low-year-education group than in the low-age group ( tMMSE = 3.61, 2.49, 3.12, 4.26, 1.70, 3.69, 2.24, all P < 0.01; tMoCA = 3.83, 1.75, 3.28, 3.80, 2.21, 4.08, 2.52, all P < 0.05) or high-year-education group ( tMMSE = -2.87, -2.32, -0.85, -2.54, -0.73, -2.57, -2.96, all P < 0.01; tMoCA = -2.95, -1.12, -3.39, -1.54, -1.52, -3.09, -3.02, all P < 0.05). Conclusion:Combined application of MMSE and MoCA has a high clinical value in screening cognitive impairment in patients with a lacunar cerebral infarction. High-age patients with a lacunar cerebral infarction who receive low-year education have memory, execution, visual space, attention, language, and orientation impairments.

Objective:To estimate and analyze the occurrence of post-thyroidectomy syndrome (PTS) following endoscopic thyroidectomy via areola approach (ETAA) vs open thyroidectomy (OT) .Methods:Data of 903 consecutive cases, aged from 20 to 66 with 231 males and 672 females, in Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, from Jan. 2016 to Dec. 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. They were enrolled according to the same criteria. Based on different procedures, the cases were divided into ETAA group (n=162) and OT group (n=741) . Intraoperative procedure was according to unified principle. Drainage tube was removed if 24-hour drainage volume was less than 20 ml. Following-up was implemented by telephone or outpatient clinic. Data of 2 groups of 5 PTS items during 1 m, 3 m, 6 m and 1 y postoperatively and the scores of the medical outcomes study short form 36-item health survey (SF-36) V2 were analyzed by independent sample t test and repeated measures analysis of variance. Results:The patients of 2 groups were all followed up for more than 1 y with 43 cases censored (4.8%) . Demographic data of the rest of 2 groups were not different statistically ( P>0.05) . Median of every phase scores of the 5 items of PTS were 0 to 1. Scores of the 5 items were decreased gradually in accordance with time factor ( P=0.000) . The scores of peculiar feeling at the surgical site and discomfort in neck were different statistically during 1 m and 3 m postoperatively ( P=0.000) . Incidence of peculiar feeling at the surgical site in 1 m and 3 m postoperatively in ETAA group (54, 38.8% and 8, 5.8%) was higher than that in OT group (153, 21.2% and 20, 2.8%) . However, incidence of discomfort in neck in ETAA group (14, 10.1% and 0) was lower than in OT group (194, 26.9% and 53, 7.4%) . The other 3 items at all phases were not different statistically ( P>0.05) . The SF-36 V2 scores at 1 y postoperatively of 2 groups were not different statistically ( P=0.458) . Conclusions:PTS is a common symptom after OT or ETAA. It is frequent within early phase after thyroidectomy and is decreased significantly within 6 m. Peculiar feeling at the surgical site occurs less in OT than in ETAA in early postoperative phase and discomfort in neck occurs more, conversely.