Radiotherapy is a crucial treatment modality for head and neck tumors. However, while effectively killing tumor cells, it significantly disrupts the homeostasis of the oral microecology, which is closely associated with various complications such as radiation-induced oral mucositis. Literature review indicates that as radiotherapy doses accumulate and treatment durations extend, the richness and diversity of the oral microbiota show a declining trend, with the genus Streptococcus decreasing most markedly. In contrast, radiotherapy selectively promotes the proliferation of bacterial phyla such as Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, which are rich in opportunistic pathogens. Mechanistically, radiotherapy activates the nuclear factor-kappa B pathway, triggering chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, damaging the epithelial barrier, suppressing local immunity, and causing damage to organs such as the salivary glands. It can also induce systemic diseases via the oral-gut axis, forming a multi-level, interconnected pathogenic network. In terms of interventions, treatment strategies including probiotics and prebiotics have shown promising efficacy against side effects such as radiation-induced oral mucositis. Saliva-based oral microbiota transplantation is an emerging strategy that is expected to become widely utilized for restoring oral microecological balance. Existing interventions provide preliminary pathways for clinical practice, but this field still faces several key scientific questions. The association between oral microecology and systemic diseases remains largely correlative, lacking causal evidence. Furthermore, critical parameters for oral microbiota transplantation, such as donor screening criteria, transplantation protocols, and long-term safety, are not yet well-defined. Therefore, future research should focus on conducting large-scale clinical trials to establish standardized protocols and safety evaluation systems for oral microecological interventions, and explore combined treatment therapies such as probiotics, prebiotics, and microbiota transplantation to advance the development of personalized precision modulation. These will enable more effective management of radiotherapy-induced oral microecological dysbiosis and improve treatment outcomes and quality of life for patients with head and neck tumors.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of SU056， an azo-podophyllotoxin derivative， on carbon tetrachloride （CCl₄）-induced liver fibrosis in mice and related mechanisms of action. MethodsA total of 12 mice were randomly divided into control group， model group （CCl₄+normal saline）， and treatment group （CCl₄+SU056）， with 4 mice in each group. Mice were given intraperitoneal injection of CCl₄ to establish a model of liver fibrosis， and during the middle stage of modeling， the mice in the treatment group were given daily intraperitoneal injection of SU056. Liver histopathological injury， collagen deposition， and liver function were assessed based on HE staining， Masson staining， Sirius Red staining， the content of hydroxyproline in liver tissue， and the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase， and immunofluorescence assay was used to measure the expression levels of smooth muscle actin α （α-SMA）， collagen type Ⅰ， and Y-box binding protein 1 （YB1）. The human hepatic stellate cell （HSC） line LX-2 and primary mouse HSC were used， and CCK-8 assay was used to measure cell proliferation； Transwell assay was used to observe cell migration； quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western Blot were used to measure the expression levels of collagen type Ⅰ， collagen type Ⅲ， YB1， phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）， and phosphorylated S6K， so as to validate the function of the YB1/mTOR signaling axis. The one-way or two-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of continuous data between multiple groups， and the least significant difference t-test was used for further comparison between two groups. ResultsIn the mouse model of liver fibrosis induced by CCl₄， compared with the model group， the treatment group had significant alleviation of inflammatory cell infiltration， collagen deposition， and pseudolobule formation in liver tissue and significant reductions in the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase and the content of hydroxyproline in liver tissue （all P<0.01）. Immunofluorescence assay showed that SU056 significantly inhibited the abnormal high expression of α-SMA， collagen type I， and YB1 in liver tissue （all P<0.01）. In vitro experiments showed that SU056 inhibited the transforming growth factor-β1-induced proliferation of LX-2 cells （P<0.01）， the migration of LX-2 cells （P<0.05）， and the transcriptional up-regulation of collagen type Ⅰ and collagen type Ⅲ （all P<0.05） in a dose-dependent manner， and SU056 could inhibit the spontaneous activation of primary HSC in vitro. Mechanistic studies revealed that transforming growth factor-β1 simultaneously upregulated the expression levels of YB1， phosphorylated mTOR， and phosphorylated S6K in LX-2 cells， and treatment with SU056 （10 and 20 µmol/L） could downregulate the protein expression levels of collagen type I， YB1， phosphorylated mTOR， and phosphorylated S6K. Specific knockdown of YB1 or administration of the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin exerted a similar effect as SU056. SU056 also inhibited the co-upregulation of α-SMA and phosphorylated mTOR in liver tissue of model mice （P<0.01）. ConclusionSU056 can effectively inhibit HSC activation， proliferation， migration， and extracellular matrix production both in vivo and in vitro and thus delay the progression of liver fibrosis， by disrupting the YB1/mTOR positive feedback signaling axis.

Objective To explore the correlation between thyroid hormones and massive proteinuria in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods A total of 308 patients with T2DM admitted to 3201 Hospital between June 2020 and June 2025 were selected as the observation group, and another 250 healthy individuals who underwent physical examinations during the same period served as the control group. The thyroid hormones levels [free triiodothyronine (FT₃), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and free thyroxine (FT₄)] were measured and compared between the two groups. Based on whether 24-hour urinary protein quantification was ≥ 3.5 g, the patients in the observation group were divided into a massive proteinuria group and a non-massive proteinuria group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the factors influencing the occurrence of massive proteinuria in T2DM patients. Pearson method was applied to analyze the relationship of thyroid hormone indicators with severity indicators of massive proteinuria. Results Compared with the control group and the non-massive proteinuria group, FT₃ and FT₄ in the massive proteinuria group were lower, while TSH was higher (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that glycosylated hemoglobin (OR=1.113, 95%CI: 1.045-1.185), TSH (OR=1.123, 95%CI: 1.006-1.253), eGFR (OR=0.894, 95%CI: 0.822-0.973), and FT₃ (OR=0.898, 95%CI: 0.828-0.973) were related factors for the occurrence of massive proteinuria in T2DM patients (P<0.05). Pearson correlation analysis revealed that FT3 and FT4 levels in T2DM patients were significantly negatively correlated with 24-hour urinary protein quantification (r=-0.514, -0.502), while the level of TSH was positively correlated with 24-hour urinary protein quantification (r=0.486) (P<0.001). Conclusion In T2DM patients, low FT3 and eGFR levels and high TSH and glycosylated hemoglobin levels are related factors for the occurrence of massive proteinuria, and thyroid hormone levels are significantly associated with the severity of massive proteinuria.

Objective To identify mechanisms regulating disease progression in rat models of pulmonary arterial hy-pertension(PAH).Methods Rat PAH models were established using subcutaneous monocrotaline(MCT)injec-tion and the SU5416/hypoxia(SU/Hx)method.Transcriptomic sequencing of lung tissues was performed to identify gene expression and pathway alterations in PAH rats,followed by a comparative analysis with transcriptomic data of patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension(IPAH)in NCBI database.Results Inflammatory-related genes such as CXCL9,CCL24,and SECTM1 were upregulated in both PAH rat models and IPAH patient lungs,while genes such as DGKG and DOCK9 were downregulated(P＜0.05).Pathways related to endothelial cell proliferation regulation and extracellular matrix(ECM)remodeling were significantly upregulated(P＜0.05).Conclusions The imbalance in endothelial cell proliferation and abnormal ECM remodeling may collectively contribute to PAH pathogenesis.Further exploration of these signaling pathways may provide deep in-sights for early diagnosis and targeted therapy of PAH.

ObjectiveTo develop a patient-reported traditional Chinese medicine kidney deficiency pattern (TCM-KDP) scale for colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and evaluate its reliability and validity.MethodsWe administered the TCM-KDP questionnaire to postoperative patients with stage II and III CRC as part of a multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) conducted in China from December 2018 to September 2021. The TCM-KDP scale consists of eight items on patient-reported symptoms and is scored on a five-point Likert scale. The scale’s reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s α and test-retest reliability, while content validity was evaluated with the content validity index. We compared the differences in serum cytokine levels and other clinical factors between patients with higher and lower KDP scores.ResultsOf the 378 patients analyzed in the original RCT, 352 (93.2%) completed the TCM-KDP questionnaire. The Cronbach’s α of the eight-item TCM-KDP scale was 0.734, and the test-retest reliability was 0.745. Our exploratory factor analysis yielded eight factors that explained the variance of 50.34%. The mean TCM-KDP score was 2.80 ± 0.92. Compared with patients with stage II CRC, those with stage III CRC had significantly higher TCM-KDP scores (2.25 vs. 2.50, P = .026). We categorized all patients into high- or low-KDP score groups (the cut-off score was 2.8). Patients with lower TCM-KDP scores had significantly higher serum interleukin-1β expression levels (P = .04).ConclusionThe patient-reported TCM-KDP scale demonstrated relatively good feasibility, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability among patients with CRC. Future studies could apply this scale to other cancer types and diseases.

Laboratory animals serve as the cornerstone in life science research, acting as surrogate models for human physiology, pathology, and disease treatment. They play an irreplaceable role in basic research, drug development, and translational medicine. Gut microbiota, a complex microbial community comprising bacteria, fungi, viruses, and unicellular organisms, colonizes the host's intestinal tract and is closely associated with the maintenance of normal physiological metabolism and overall health. Studies have shown that dysbiosis of the gut microbiota can lead to various diseases, including obesity, diabetes, hypertension, inflammatory bowel disease, and Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, conducting characteristic analyses of the gut microbial composition of laboratory animals can not only enhance the reliability of experimental outcomes but also facilitate their translational application. Sex differences represent a critical variable in biological research, significantly influencing the physiological functions, metabolic traits, and gut microbial composition of laboratory animals. However, a pronounced sex bias has been widely observed in many biological studies, thereby limiting the generalizability of results. This study focused on ten commonly used laboratory animals in life sciences, including mice, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, dogs, cats, non-human primates, miniature pigs, and chickens. Their gut microbial composition was summarized and related sex-specific differences of certain species were analyzed. Furthermore, by comparing the gut microbiota of laboratory animals with that of humans, this study offers novel perspectives for comparative medical research. In summary, this study not only deepens researchers' understanding of gut microbiota characteristics and sex-dependent variations across laboratory animal species but also provides practical guidance for selecting appropriate laboratory animals, constructing sex-specific disease models, and interpreting experimental results in scientific studies.

Laboratory animals serve as the cornerstone in life science research, acting as surrogate models for human physiology, pathology, and disease treatment. They play an irreplaceable role in basic research, drug development, and translational medicine. Gut microbiota, a complex microbial community comprising bacteria, fungi, viruses, and unicellular organisms, colonizes the host's intestinal tract and is closely associated with the maintenance of normal physiological metabolism and overall health. Studies have shown that dysbiosis of the gut microbiota can lead to various diseases, including obesity, diabetes, hypertension, inflammatory bowel disease, and Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, conducting characteristic analyses of the gut microbial composition of laboratory animals can not only enhance the reliability of experimental outcomes but also facilitate their translational application. Sex differences represent a critical variable in biological research, significantly influencing the physiological functions, metabolic traits, and gut microbial composition of laboratory animals. However, a pronounced sex bias has been widely observed in many biological studies, thereby limiting the generalizability of results. This study focused on ten commonly used laboratory animals in life sciences, including mice, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, dogs, cats, non-human primates, miniature pigs, and chickens. Their gut microbial composition was summarized and related sex-specific differences of certain species were analyzed. Furthermore, by comparing the gut microbiota of laboratory animals with that of humans, this study offers novel perspectives for comparative medical research. In summary, this study not only deepens researchers' understanding of gut microbiota characteristics and sex-dependent variations across laboratory animal species but also provides practical guidance for selecting appropriate laboratory animals, constructing sex-specific disease models, and interpreting experimental results in scientific studies.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the current status and challenges in importing rare disease drugs in China， providing references for optimizing the import process and improving relevant policies. METHODS Questionnaires and interviews were conducted with stakeholders involved in rare disease drug importation， including government departments， multinational pharmaceutical enterprises， healthcare institutions， and patient organizations. This explored the current situation and challenges encountered by each party. Expert opinions were synthesized to propose improvement suggestions. RESULTS A questionnaire survey of representatives from 25 multinational pharmaceutical companies in the rare disease field revealed that these companies had a strong willingness to import rare disease drugs， with 58.33% of them practicing diverse import models. However， significant challenges hindered this process， including unclear regulations （54.17%）， complex approval procedures （45.83%）， and excessively long approval cycles （41.67%）， negatively impacting their motivation. Meanwhile， interviews with 13 experts from government departments， healthcare institutions， pharmaceutical enterprises， and patient organizations identified deficiencies in policy design， approval processes， sampling inspection costs， and communication efficiency with regulators. Additionally， the drug import model in special medical zones also required improvement. CONCLUSIONS The importation of rare disease drugs in China faces challenges such as incomplete policies， inflexible regulatory mechanisms， and insufficient communication channels. It is recommended to enhance the rare disease definition criteria， optimize import incentive policies， and refine regulatory models， so as to further optimize the import process of rare disease drugs and improve relevant policies.

ObjectiveTo investigate the alleviating effect of calcium cyanamide （CaCN₂） soil fumigation on replanting problems of Rehmannia glutinosa. MethodsNewly soil （NP） was used as the control group， while three treatment groups were established： replanted soil （RP）， newly soil treated with CaCN₂ （120 g·m²， tillage depth 25 cm） （NPCC）， and replanted soil treated with CaCN₂ （RPCC）. R. glutinosa was cultivated in all groups. At harvest， the tuber agronomic traits （number of enlarged roots， maximum root diameter， fresh weight， dry weight） were measured. The content of catalpol and rehmannioside D was quantified by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography （UPLC） to evaluate medicinal quality. Rhizosphere soil available nutrients and enzyme activities were analyzed by assay kits. The community structure and composition of fungi and bacteria in rhizosphere soil were assessed via internal transcribed spacer 2 （ITS2） sequencing and 16S rDNA sequencing， respectively. ResultsCompared with NP， the RP group showed obviously reduced in tuber agronomic traits and quality indicators （P0.05）. However， the RPCC group showed significant improvement in agronomic traits and a notable increase in rehmannioside D content compared to RP （P0.05）. The contents of available phosphorus and potassium in RPCC and NP groups were obviously lower than those in RP （P0.05）. The polyphenol oxidase soil （S-PPO） activity in RP was obviously lower than in NP （P0.05）， while sucrose soil （S-SC）， acid phosphatase soil （S-ACP）， and S-PPO activities in RPCC were obviously higher than in RP （P0.05）. Microbial richness and diversity in RP were obviously higher than in NP （P0.05）， whereas no significant differences were observed between the RPCC and NP. The relative abundances of fungal genera Nectria， Myrothecium， Tomentella， and bacterial genus Skermanella were obviousl lower in RPCC and NP than in RP （P0.05）. Correlation analysis that S-ACP activity was positively correlated with the content of rehmannioside D （P0.05）. Fungal genera Engyodontium and Alternaria， and bacterial genera Pir4 lineage， Pirellula， Methyloversatilis， Brevundimonas， Ralstonia， and Acidibacter were obviously positively correlated with tuber dry weight （P0.05）. Conversely， fungal genera Pseudaleuria， Nectria， Haematonectria， Ceratobasidium， and bacterial genera Streptomyces， Skermanella， RB41， Gemmatimonas， and Bacillus were obviously negatively correlated with dry weight （P0.05）. The fungal genus Alternaria and bacterial genera Brevundimonas， Ralstonia， Acidibacter， and Dongia showed positive correlations with medicinal quality of R.glutinosa tuber， while fungal genera Pseudaleuria， Nectria， Stachybotrys， Fusarium， Gibberella， Ceratobasidium， and bacterial genera Sphingomonas， Skermanella， RB41， Gemmatimonas， and Bacillus were obviously negatively correlated （P0.05）. ConclusionCaCN₂ soil fumigation can significantly improve enzyme activities in replanted Rehmannia rhizosphere soil， enhance the utilization of available nutrients， reshape microbial community structure of replanted R.glutinosa at the family and genus level， and notably improve tuber agronomic traits and medicinal quality. This study provides a novel approach to alleviating replanting problems and offers insights for the integrated development of standardized cultivation techniques， including soil disinfection， nutrient-targeted regulation， and microbial inoculant application.