Objective To propose a lung artery segmentation method that integrates shape and position prior knowledge, aiming to solve the issues of inaccurate segmentation caused by the high similarity and small size differences between the lung arteries and surrounding tissues in CT images. Methods Based on the three-dimensional U-Net network architecture and relying on the PARSE 2022 database image data, shape and position prior knowledge was introduced to design feature extraction and fusion strategies to enhance the ability of lung artery segmentation. The data of the patients were divided into three groups: a training set, a validation set, and a test set. The performance metrics for evaluating the model included Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC), sensitivity, accuracy, and Hausdorff distance (HD95). Results The study included lung artery imaging data from 203 patients, including 100 patients in the training set, 30 patients in the validation set, and 73 patients in the test set. Through the backbone network, a rough segmentation of the lung arteries was performed to obtain a complete vascular structure; the branch network integrating shape and position information was used to extract features of small pulmonary arteries, reducing interference from the pulmonary artery trunk and left and right pulmonary arteries. Experimental results showed that the segmentation model based on shape and position prior knowledge had a higher DSC (82.81%±3.20% vs. 80.47%±3.17% vs. 80.36%±3.43%), sensitivity (85.30%±8.04% vs. 80.95%±6.89% vs. 82.82%±7.29%), and accuracy (81.63%±7.53% vs. 81.19%±8.35% vs. 79.36%±8.98%) compared to traditional three-dimensional U-Net and V-Net methods. HD95 could reach (9.52±4.29) mm, which was 6.05 mm shorter than traditional methods, showing excellent performance in segmentation boundaries. Conclusion The lung artery segmentation method based on shape and position prior knowledge can achieve precise segmentation of lung artery vessels and has potential application value in tasks such as bronchoscopy or percutaneous puncture surgery navigation.

Thymoma is a malignant tumor originating from thymus epithelial cells, with an incidence of 1.3-2.6 per million. Due to its low incidence, lack of cells and animal models, there are relatively few studies on thymoma, and its diagnosis and treatment progress is relatively slow. The update of 5th edition of WHO Classification of Thoracic Tumors in 2021 and the NCCN( National Comprehensive Cancer Network) Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Thymoma and Thymoma Cancer in 2024 put forward many new views and suggestions on the diagnosis and treatment strategy of thymoma. This article reviews the research and treatment of thymoma based on the latest research progress in recent years, aiming to improve the clinician's understanding of thymoma, provide reference for treatment, and promote the research of thymoma.

Arginine methylation is a critical post-translational modification that plays multifaceted biological functions. However, the manipulation of protein arginine methylation largely depends on genetic or pharmaceutic inhibition of the regulatory enzymes, protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs), or non-methylation substitution of corresponding arginine residue to lysine or alanine of protein of interest (POI), which inevitably affects other substrates, or disrupts the structure of POI. Thus, it urges an approach to specifically modulate the arginine methylation of a POI under physiological conditions. To this end, we report the discovery of a methylation tagging system (MeTAG), that enables targeted modification of protein arginine methylation. Through bridging the methyltransferase PRMT5 proximity to a POI, MeTAG facilitates the arginine methylation of POIs, including known arginine methylated proteins, androgen receptor (AR) and protein kinase B (AKT), as well as a neo-substrate E1A binding protein (p300), in a reversible and PRMT5-dependent manner. Moreover, MeTAG can regulate downstream signaling in a methylation dependent manner, leading to downregulation of PSMA mRNA level and activation of AKT. Therefore, MeTAG represents a feasible approach to modulate protein methylation and thereby perturbs protein function in biological and therapeutic contexts.

Cardiovascular disease caused by radiotherapy(RT)is the most common cause of non-neoplastic death in cancer patients.Having advantages of dynamic observation and no radiation,echocardiography has been widely used in evaluating heart structure and function of patients after RT,which has become the preferred imaging method for screening,diagnosing and monitoring radiation-induced heart disease(RIHD).The research progresses of echocardiography in evaluating RIHD were reviewed in this article.

Cardiovascular disease caused by radiotherapy(RT)is the most common cause of non-neoplastic death in cancer patients.Having advantages of dynamic observation and no radiation,echocardiography has been widely used in evaluating heart structure and function of patients after RT,which has become the preferred imaging method for screening,diagnosing and monitoring radiation-induced heart disease(RIHD).The research progresses of echocardiography in evaluating RIHD were reviewed in this article.

Thymoma is a malignant tumor originating from thymus epithelial cells, with an incidence of 1.3-2.6 per million. Due to its low incidence, lack of cells and animal models, there are relatively few studies on thymoma, and its diagnosis and treatment progress is relatively slow. The update of 5th edition of WHO Classification of Thoracic Tumors in 2021 and the NCCN( National Comprehensive Cancer Network) Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Thymoma and Thymoma Cancer in 2024 put forward many new views and suggestions on the diagnosis and treatment strategy of thymoma. This article reviews the research and treatment of thymoma based on the latest research progress in recent years, aiming to improve the clinician's understanding of thymoma, provide reference for treatment, and promote the research of thymoma.

Objective:To conduct a systematic evaluation of prognostic factors for retreatment of esophageal cancer patients with locoregional recurrence after radical chemoradiotherapy, and provide a clinical reference for selecting individualized retreatment schemes and improving their survival.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 85 patients with esophageal cancer who experienced locoregional recurrence at least 1 year after radical radiotherapy or chemotherapy at the Department of Radiation Oncology in the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2008 to December 2017. The effects of different nutritional and immune status and retreatment schemes on survival were compared, and the prognostic factors for retreatment were subjected to comprehensive subgroup analysis.Results:As of December 2021, the follow-up rate for all patients was 93%. The 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates of all patients after retreatment were 31.5%, 18.6%, 10.6%, and 6.6%, respectively. For patients who received radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy, the 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates were 36.8%, 22.3%, 13.0% and 9.3%, respectively. Multivariable analysis showed that the time interval between the first treatment and recurrence, the retreatment schemes after recurrence, the level of serum albumin before retreatment, and the prognostic nutritional index before retreatment were independent prognostic factors for survival after retreatment ( P<0.05). Subgroup analysis was performed on the combinations of peripheral blood hemoglobin level, albumin level, and prognostic nutritional index before retreatment, as well as systemic immune inflammation index and short-term curative effect after retreatment. The results showed that the comprehensive analysis of blood routine and serum albumin indicators could accurately predict the survival after retreatment. Conclusions:The nutritional and immune status of patients with locoregional recurrence of esophageal cancer after chemoradiotherapy can be used to predict the prognosis of retreatment. The time interval between the first treatment and recurrence and the retreatment scheme significantly affect the survival after retreatment. The retreatment scheme should be rigorously evaluated and appropriately selected to improve the benefit-risk ratio.

Objective     To assess the safety and clinical outcomes of segmentectomy in one- or two-staged video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for bilateral lung cancer. Methods    We retrospectively enrolled 100 patients who underwent VATS segmentectomy for bilateral lung cancer at the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Peking Union Medical College Hospital from December 2013 to May 2022. We divided the patients into two groups: a one-stage group (52 patients), including 17 males and 35 females with a mean age of 55.17±11.09 years, and a two-stage group (48 patients), including 16 males and 32 females with a mean age of 59.88±11.48 years. We analyzed multiple intraoperative variables and postoperative outcomes. Results     All 100 patients successfully completed bilateral VATS, and at least unilateral lung received anatomical segmentectomy. Patients in the one-stage group were younger (P=0.040), had lower rate of comorbidities (P=0.030), were less likely to have a family history of lung cancer (P=0.018), and had a shorter interval between diagnosis and surgery (P=0.000) compared with patients in the two-stage group. Wedge resection on the opposite side was more common in the one-stage group (P=0.000), while lobectomy was more common in the two-stage   group. The time to emerge from anesthesia in the one-stage group was longer than that in the first and second operations of the two-stage group (P=0.000, P=0.002). Duration of surgery and anesthesia were similar between two groups (P>0.05). Total number of lymph node stations for sampling and dissection (P=0.041) and lymph nodes involved (P=0.026) were less in the one-stage group. Intraoperative airway management was similar between two groups (P>0.05). The one-stage group was associated with lower activities of daily living (ADL) scores. Conclusion     Segmentectomy is safe in one- or two-staged VATS for bilateral lung cancer, including contralateral sublobectomy and lobectomy. Duration of surgery and perioperative complications are similar between two groups, but the one-stage group is associated with lower ADL scores. On the basis of comprehensive consideration in psychological factors, physical conditions and personal wishes of patients, one-staged sequential bilateral VATS can be the first choice.

Objective:To investigate the prognostic value of Onodera's prognostic nutrition index (PNI) before treatment in patients with cervical and upper thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (CUTESCC) undergoing definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) and its predictive value in the occurrence of ≥ grade 2 radiation esophagitis (RE).Methods:The data of 163 CUTESCC patients eligible for inclusion criteria admitted to the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2012 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to calculate the best cut-off value of PNI for predicting the prognosis of patients. The prognosis of patients was analyzed by univariate and Cox multivariate analyses. Logistics binary regression model was adopted to analyze the risk factors of ≥ grade 2 RE in univariate and multivariate analyses. The significant factors in logistic multivariate analysis were used to construct nomogram for predicting ≥ grade 2 RE.Results:The optimal cut-off value of PNI was 48.57 [area under the curve (AUC): 0.653, P<0.001]. The median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were 26.1 and 19.4 months, respectively. The OS ( χ2=6.900, P=0.009) and PFS ( χ2=9.902, P=0.003) of patients in the PNI ≥ 48.57 group ( n=47) were significantly better than those in the PNI < 48.57 group ( n=116). Cox multivariate analysis showed that cTNM stage and PNI were the independent predictors of OS ( HR=1.513, 95% CI: 1.193-1.920, P=0.001; HR=1.807, 95% CI: 1.164-2.807, P=0.008) and PFS ( HR=1.595, 95% CI: 1.247-2.039, P<0.001; HR=2.260, 95% CI: 1.439-3.550, P<0.001). Short-term efficacy was another independent index affecting PFS ( HR=2.072, 95% CI: 1.072-4.003, P=0.030). Logistic multivariate analysis showed that the maximum transverse diameter of the lesion ( OR=3.026, 95% CI: 1.266-7.229, P=0.013), gross tumor volume (GTV) ( OR=3.456, 95% CI: 1.373-8.699, P=0.008), prescription dose ( OR=3.124, 95% CI: 1.346-7.246, P=0.009) and PNI ( OR=2.072, 95% CI: 1.072-4.003, P=0.030) were the independent factors affecting the occurrence of ≥ grade 2 RE. These four indicators were included in the nomogram model, and ROC curve analysis showed that the model could properly predict the occurrence of ≥ grade 2 RE (AUC=0.686, 95% CI: 0.585-0.787). The calibration curve indicated that the actually observed values were in good agreement with the predicted RE. Decision curve analysis (DCA) demonstrated satisfactory nomogram positive net returns in most threshold probabilities. Conclusions:PNI before treatment is an independent prognostic factor for patients with CUTESCC who received definitive chemoradiotherapy. The maximum transverse diameter of the lesion, GTV, prescription dose and PNI are the risk factors for ≥ grade 2 RE in this cohort. Establishing a prediction model including these factors has greater predictive value.

Tuberculosis(TB) caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb) is a worldwide public health threat.Microbiota in body affects human health and is involved in human diseases, and its clinical importance is begi-nning to be understood.In this review, studies on the relationship between the establishment of Mtb infection and microbiota as well as the development and antibiotic treatment of Mtb infection were discussed.Studies have shown that: (1) microbiota influences the establishment of Mtb infection; (2) co-infection of Helicobacter pylori alters susceptibility to Mtb infection and progression of active TB; (3) microbiota influences the progression of TB by regulating the nutritio-nal, metabolic and immune status of the host; (4) susceptibility to reinfection increases in TB patients treated with antibiotics, possibly due to T-cell epitope depletion of common intestinal non-Mtb Mycobacterium, the effects of antibio-tics are long-term in patients; (5) the occurrence of childhood TB is age-related and many factors such as co-infection and vaccine inoculation increase risk.An in-depth study of the relationship between the microbiota and TB will provide a new perspective on the prevention of TB.