Purpose: This study aimed to differentiate well-differentiated liposarcoma (WDLPS) from lipoma using the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and improve the preoperative diagnostic accuracy between the two tumors. Although lipoma is a benign tumor that does not necessarily require surgical intervention, WDLPS exhibits local aggressiveness and typically necessitates surgical excision, making its differentiation clinically significant. Materials and Methods: Among 363 patients diagnosed with lipoma or WDLPS at the authors’ institution between January 2013 and April 2022, 45 patients with lipoma and 15 with WDLPS were selected using propensity score matching based on age and sex. The following six MRI features were analyzed: tumor size, shape, septal thickness, tumor depth, fat content ratio, and the presence of nodular non-fatty tissue components. The sensitivity and specificity of each feature were evaluated. Results: Among the MRI features, the fat content ratio (specificity 95%) and the presence of nodular non-fatty tissue components (specificity 98%) were useful for excluding WDLPS, but their sensitivities were relatively low (46% and 27%). The sensitivities of other features, such as tumor size, shape, septal thickness, and depth, ranged from 47% to 67%, suggesting that MRI alone has limitations in reliably distinguishing the two tumors. In addition, fat content ratios below 75% and the presence of nodular non-fatty tissue components were significantly more common in WDLPS than in lipoma. Conclusion The MRI findings can serve as a useful tool for excluding WDLPS when differentiating it from lipoma. Nevertheless, MRI alone has limitations in achieving a definitive diagnosis because of the low sensitivity of individual features. Therefore, additional approaches such as radiomics analysis, artificial intelligence algorithms, and multicenter studies, are needed to improve the diagnostic accuracy and establish personalized treatment strategies.

Purpose: This study evaluated the feasibility of radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and level IV venous tumor thrombus, compared with CPB-assisted surgery. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed patients with RCC and level IV venous tumor thrombus who underwent surgery at a single center between 2014 and 2020. Feasibility of non-CPB surgery was assessed by comparing perioperative safety-related outcomes, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS) between the non-CPB and CPB groups. Perioperative outcomes included operative time, blood loss, severe complications (Clavien-Dindo classification grade ≥III), intensive care unit (ICU) stay, and mortality. Kaplan-Meier analysis and generalized Wilcoxon tests were used to compare survival outcomes. Results: A total of 16 patients met eligibility criteria: 5 underwent surgery without CPB, and 11 underwent CPB-assisted surgery. Median operative time was similar between the CPB and non-CPB groups (490 minutes vs. 480 minutes, p=0.650). Compared with the CPB group, blood loss was lower in the non-CPB group (4000 mL vs. 1080 mL, p=0.333). Severe complications occurred in 36.4% of CPB patients and 0% of non-CPB patients (p=0.245). ICU stay was comparable between the non-CPB and CPB groups (2 days vs. 3 days, p=0.356). OS did not differ significantly between groups (p=0.180), whereas PFS was longer in the non-CPB group (p=0.041). Conclusions Radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy without CPB appears feasible and may be associated with lower perioperative morbidity and blood loss without compromising oncologic outcomes. Non-CPB surgery should be considered in selected patients with level IV venous tumor thrombus when technically feasible.

Purpose: To develop and validate an artificial intelligence (AI)-based personalized outcome prediction model for upper-urinary tract urothelial carcinoma patients undergoing radical nephroureterectomy. Materials and Methods: Data from patients who underwent radical nephroureterectomy between 2010 and 2020 across three hospitals were retrospectively analyzed. A model was developed using one tertiary center’s data and externally validated with data from two other hospitals. An AI model using XGBoost as risk estimator and bootstrapped Weibull Accelerated Failure Time model for 10-year survival probability was employed. Hyperparameter tuning used Optuna method. Model efficacy was assessed using concordance index, average Brier score, D-calibration, and six-month interval time-dependent area under the curve (AUC). Results: Of 1,039 patients, 627 qualified after excluding 50 with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Model development used 564 patients (507 training, 57 test) with 9:1 stratified random split, plus 63 for internal validation and 362 for external validation. Significant parameters included preoperative glomerular filtration rate (p<0.001), hydroureteronephrosis (p=0.013), pathological N stage (p<0.001), concurrent carcinoma in situ (p<0.001), disease progression (p<0.001), and survival rate (p<0.001). Disease-free survival (DFS) model’s concordance index: internal validation 0.789, external validations 0.734 and 0.771. Overall survival (OS) model’s concordance index: internal validation 0.819, external validations 0.780 and 0.771. Mean time-dependent AUC was 0.66–0.77 for DFS and 0.67–0.80 for OS during 10-year periods. Conclusions AI-based model effectively predicts disease-free and OS outcomes for upper-urinary tract urothelial carcinoma patients with post-radical nephroureterectomy, showcasing robust performance across multicenter settings.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） is one of the most prevalent forms of liver diseases globally. Its progression can lead to cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease， and there is currently a lack of effective pharmacological treatments. Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase （AMPK）， as a regulatory hub for maintaining cellular energy homeostasis， can coordinate key cellular processes such as adipogenesis， glucose metabolism， and mitochondrial functions. Its activation exerts metabolic regulatory effects through pathways including inhibiting lipogenesis， enhancing mitochondrial β-oxidation， regulating inflammation and oxidative stress， and promoting autophagy. Accordingly， AMPK emerges as a potential target for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD. Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM）， with low toxicity， high accessibility， and multi-component， multi-target synergistic effects， has demonstrated unique value in NAFLD treatment， particularly showing notable advantages in regulating the AMPK signaling pathway. Sichuan is known as the treasure house of TCM， and the active components of its authentic medicinal materials such as Coptidis Rhizoma not only reflect regional characteristics in AMPK signaling regulation but also form a multi-level metabolic regulatory network through crosstalk with pathways such as sirtuin 1 （SIRT1） and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α （PPARα）. They can achieve specific regulation by directly activating AMPK and modulating upstream and downstream targets， exerting prominent effects in ameliorating hepatic steatosis and inflammation. This study systematically reviews the research findings on TCM for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD over the past five years， elaborating the mechanisms by which TCM treats NAFLD through regulating the AMPK signaling pathway. It aims to provide new perspectives and references for clinical diagnosis and treatment， basic research， and drug development.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to compare the detection ability of quality of life (QoL) changes and responsiveness of the KOrean QUality of life in Stomach cancer patients Study group (KOQUSS)-40 and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ). Materials and Methods: A multicenter prospective observational study was conducted to evaluate QoL changes after various gastrectomies between January 2021 and April 2022. Participants were instructed to complete the KOQUSS-40 and EORTC QLQ-C30/STO22 preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. QoL changes over time and QoL responsiveness were assessed for each questionnaire. Results: Data from 491 patients who underwent curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer at 22 institutions were analyzed. The summary scores of the KOQUSS-40 and EORTC QLQ-STO22 showed significant differences between the total and proximal gastrectomy groups (p=0.044 and p=0.038, respectively), but no difference was observed for the EORTC QLQ-C30. Dysphagia on the KOQUSS-40 was significantly different between the total and proximal gastrectomy groups (p=0.031); however, dysphagia on the EORTC QLQ-STO22 did not differ. The responsiveness of the KOQUSS-40 was similar to that of the EORTC QLQ in patients who experienced ≥ 10% body weight loss, but approximately 10% less in patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy than the EORTC QLQ. Conclusion KOQUSS-40 has several advantages over EORTC QLQ-C30/STO22 when comparing QoL between the total and proximal gastrectomy groups. The findings provide information for researchers investigating the QoL of patients who have undergone curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease （MAFLD） is a chronic liver condition closely associated with dysregulated lipid metabolism， with the central pathological event of mitochondrial dysfunction in hepatocytes. The mitochondrial calcium uniporter （MCU） complex is a key molecular apparatus regulating mitochondrial calcium （mtCa²⁺） homeostasis， and mtCa²⁺ overload due to its dysfunction plays a critical role in the progression of MAFLD. This article systematically elaborates on the pathogenesis of MAFLD， with a particular focus on how the central signaling axis of “MCU complex dysfunction-mtCa²⁺ overload” drives the disease progression of MAFLD by disrupting energy metabolism， activating the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase signaling pathway， triggering the NOD-like receptor protein 3 inflammasome， and inducing cell death. It also points out that traditional Chinese medicine can exert an interventional effect on multiple downstream pathways through various targets and has shown unique advantages and a significant potential in alleviating MAFLD by maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis and targeting the MCU complex， and therefore， it is expected to provide new strategies for the prevention and treatment of MAFLD.

ObjectiveTo screen for and validate key differentially expressed proteins in serum of patients with metabolic dysfunction‑associated fatty liver disease （MAFLD）， and to provide a basis for identifying diagnostic biomarkers and developing intervention strategies for this disease. MethodsA total of 20 patients who were diagnosed with MAFLD in the third affiliated hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from December 2024 to January 2025 were enrolled as MAFLD group， and 20 healthy controls were enrolled as HC group. Demographic data and serum biochemical parameters were collected from both groups. Data-independent acquisition （DIA） quantitative proteomics was used to measure the relative expression levels of serum proteins， and related methods were used to obtain significantly differentially expressed proteins， including the gene ontology functional enrichment analysis， the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis， protein-protein interaction （PPI） network， Hub node interaction， and weighted gene co-expression network analysis （WGCNA）. Rats were given a high-fat diet to establish a model of MAFLD， and randomly assigned to the control group and model group. Serum biochemical parameters and inflammatory factors were measured， liver histopathological changes were observed， and the protein expression levels of MER proto-oncogene tyrosine kinase （MERTK） and matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9） in liver tissue were verified. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between groups， while the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data or data with heterogeneity of variance between groups； the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. ResultsCompared with the HC group， the MAFLD group had significant increases in the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase （t=-7.348， P<0.05）， alanine aminotransferase （Z=5.088， P<0.05）， alkaline phosphatase （t=-3.943， P<0.05）， triglyceride （Z=2.070， P<0.05）， and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （t=3.867， P<0.05）. A total of 3 559 proteins were identified by DIA serum proteomics， among which 160 differentially expressed proteins were mainly enriched in pathways including metabolic disorders， immune inflammatory response， and extracellular matrix remodeling. The PPI network and the Hub node analysis showed that serpin family E member 1， MMP-9， and intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 were core regulatory proteins. WGCNA showed that the MEyellow module was significantly positively correlated with MAFLD phenotype （cor=0.55， P<0.001）， which was functionally enriched in the efferocytosis pathway. MERTK （P<0.001） and MMP-9 （P<0.001） showed the most significant differential expression in this module. A rat model of MAFLD was successfully established using a high-fat diet， and compared with the control group， the model group had enlarged， yellowish， and greasy liver and disordered structure of hepatic lobules， hepatocyte fatty degeneration， and inflammatory cell infiltration based on HE staining， as well as massive lipid droplet deposition based on oil red O staining， while no obvious fibrous cords were observed in Masson staining. Compared with the control group， the model group had significant increases in the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase （t=-5.148， P<0.05）， alanine aminotransferase （t=-5.663， P<0.05）， total bilirubin （t=-13.061， P<0.05）， triglyceride （Z=-2.722， P<0.05）， total cholesterol （t=3.588， P<0.05）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （t=-16.741， P<0.05）， as well as significant increases in the protein expression levels of MERTK （t=-11.448， P<0.001） and MMP-9 （t=-10.875， P<0.001） in liver tissue. ConclusionMMP-9 and MERTK are abnormally expressed in MAFLD and may be used as potential diagnostic biomarkers for this disease.

Autism spectrum disorder involves challenges in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors. Historically, males have received autism diagnoses at comparatively high rates, prompting an underrepresentation of females in research and an incomplete understanding of sex-specific symptom presentations and comorbidities. This review examines sex differences in the prevalence of common comorbidities of autism to inform tailored clinical practices. These conditions include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety disorders, conduct disorder, depression, epilepsy, intellectual disability, and tic disorders. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is prevalent in both sexes; however, females may more frequently exhibit the inattentive subtype. Anxiety disorders display inconsistent sex differences, while conduct disorder more frequently impacts males. Depression becomes more common with age; some studies indicate more pronounced symptoms in adolescent girls, while others suggest greater severity in males. Epilepsy is more prevalent in females, especially those with intellectual disabilities. Despite displaying a male predominance, intellectual disability may exacerbate the severity of autism to a greater degree in females. No clear sex differences have been found regarding tic disorders. Overall, contributors to sex-based differences include biases stemming from male-centric diagnostic tools, compensatory behaviors like camouflaging in females, genetic and neurobiological differences, and the developmental trajectories of comorbidities. Recognizing these factors is crucial for developing sensitive diagnostics and sex-specific interventions. Inconsistencies in the literature highlight the need for longitudinal studies with large, diverse samples to investigate autism comorbidities across the lifespan. Understanding sex differences could facilitate earlier identification, improved care, and personalized interventions, thus enhancing quality of life for individuals with autism.

BACKGROUND: Spicy food consumption has been reported to be inversely associated with mortality from multiple diseases. However, the effect of spicy food intake on the incidence of vascular diseases in the Chinese population remains unclear. This study was conducted to explore this association. METHODS: This study was performed using the large-scale China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) prospective cohort of 486,335 participants. The primary outcomes were vascular disease, ischemic heart disease (IHD), major coronary events (MCEs), cerebrovascular disease, stroke, and non-stroke cerebrovascular disease. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to assess the association between spicy food consumption and incident vascular diseases. Subgroup analysis was also performed to evaluate the heterogeneity of the association between spicy food consumption and the risk of vascular disease stratified by several basic characteristics. In addition, the joint effects of spicy food consumption and the healthy lifestyle score on the risk of vascular disease were also evaluated, and sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the reliability of the association results. RESULTS: During a median follow-up time of 12.1 years, a total of 136,125 patients with vascular disease, 46,689 patients with IHD, 10,097 patients with MCEs, 80,114 patients with cerebrovascular disease, 56,726 patients with stroke, and 40,098 patients with non-stroke cerebrovascular disease were identified. Participants who consumed spicy food 1-2 days/week (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.95, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = [0.93, 0.97], P <0.001), 3-5 days/week (HR = 0.96, 95% CI = [0.94, 0.99], P = 0.003), and 6-7 days/week (HR = 0.97, 95% CI = [0.95, 0.99], P = 0.002) had a significantly lower risk of vascular disease than those who consumed spicy food less than once a week ( Ptrend <0.001), especially in those who were younger and living in rural areas. Notably, the disease-based subgroup analysis indicated that the inverse associations remained in IHD ( Ptrend = 0.011) and MCEs ( Ptrend = 0.002) risk. Intriguingly, there was an interaction effect between spicy food consumption and the healthy lifestyle score on the risk of IHD ( Pinteraction = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS Our findings support an inverse association between spicy food consumption and vascular disease in the Chinese population, which may provide additional dietary guidance for the prevention of vascular diseases.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Prospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Vascular Diseases/etiology* ; Risk Factors ; China/epidemiology* ; Adult ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Cerebrovascular Disorders/epidemiology* ; East Asian People