Objective To explore the causal relationship between immune cells and heart failure (HF), and the mediating role of serum metabolites, in order to identify potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Methods We employed a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis method based on genome-wide association study (GWAS) data, analyzing the direct and indirect effects of 731 types of immune cells and 1 400 metabolites on HF. We selected valid instrumental variables and conducted statistical analyses using R software. The primary analysis was performed using the inverse variance weighted method, supplemented by MR-Egger analysis and weighted median method. The stability of the results was assessed through tests such as Cochran’s Q test. Results Our research found a negative causal relationship between PD-L1 on CD14−CD16+ and HF. Sensitivity analysis supported this result. The reverse MR analysis did not find an effect of HF on PD-L1 on CD14−CD16+, indicating that PD-L1 on CD14−CD16+ might play a unidirectional role in reducing the risk of HF. Further mediation MR analysis showed that PD-L1 on CD14−CD16+ might influence the risk of HF onset by regulating the levels of sphingomyelin (d17:1/14:0, d16:1/15:0), with a mediation effect ratio of 6.7%. Conclusion PD-L1 on CD14−CD16+ may reduce the risk of HF by elevating the levels of sphingomyelin (d17:1/14:0, d16:1/15:0), which provides a new perspective for understanding the pathogenesis of HF.

ObjectiveAge-related macular degeneration （AMD） is one of the leading causes of low vision and blindness in people over 50 years old， and dry AMD （dAMD） is one type for which there is currently no clear treatment. On the basis of the diagnosis and clinical characteristics of dAMD in traditional Chinese and Western medicine， this paper evaluated the fitting degrees of existing animal models of dAMD with clinical characteristics according to the evaluation methods of animal models， and put forward suggestions and prospects. MethodsLiterature on animal models of dAMD was searched against database， and the characteristics of the models were assigned according to the diagnosis criteria of diseases and syndromes of traditional Chinese and Western medicine， and the fitting degrees of the models with clinical characteristics were analyzed and evaluated. ResultsAt present， the animal models of dAMD are mainly established targeting complement factors， chemokines， oxidative damage， lipid/glucose metabolism， and natural strains. Most of the models can simulate the major pathological changes of dAMD， showing the fitting degree of 25%-50% with clinical characteristics in Western medicine. However， the evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndromes， especially the evaluation of secondary syndromes， is missing， and the models present low fitting degrees with the clinical characteristics in TCM. ConclusionExisting animal models of dAMD are mostly established under the guidance of Western diagnostic standards， which reproduce the main disease characteristics of Western medicine and lack observation of TCM syndromes. Future studies can pay attention to the intervention factors and evaluation systems of spleen deficiency Qi deficiency and liver-kidney Yin deficiency syndrome and build the animal model of dAMD with integration of disease and syndrome based on clinical characteristics of traditional Chinese and Western medicine.

ObjectiveAge-related macular degeneration （AMD） is one of the leading causes of low vision and blindness in people over 50 years old， and dry AMD （dAMD） is one type for which there is currently no clear treatment. On the basis of the diagnosis and clinical characteristics of dAMD in traditional Chinese and Western medicine， this paper evaluated the fitting degrees of existing animal models of dAMD with clinical characteristics according to the evaluation methods of animal models， and put forward suggestions and prospects. MethodsLiterature on animal models of dAMD was searched against database， and the characteristics of the models were assigned according to the diagnosis criteria of diseases and syndromes of traditional Chinese and Western medicine， and the fitting degrees of the models with clinical characteristics were analyzed and evaluated. ResultsAt present， the animal models of dAMD are mainly established targeting complement factors， chemokines， oxidative damage， lipid/glucose metabolism， and natural strains. Most of the models can simulate the major pathological changes of dAMD， showing the fitting degree of 25%-50% with clinical characteristics in Western medicine. However， the evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndromes， especially the evaluation of secondary syndromes， is missing， and the models present low fitting degrees with the clinical characteristics in TCM. ConclusionExisting animal models of dAMD are mostly established under the guidance of Western diagnostic standards， which reproduce the main disease characteristics of Western medicine and lack observation of TCM syndromes. Future studies can pay attention to the intervention factors and evaluation systems of spleen deficiency Qi deficiency and liver-kidney Yin deficiency syndrome and build the animal model of dAMD with integration of disease and syndrome based on clinical characteristics of traditional Chinese and Western medicine.

ObjectiveAs a common lifestyle habit, alcohol consumption has a controversial association with the onset of Parkinson’s disease (PD). To demonstrate the correlation between alcohol consumption and PD and to identify associated genes, we integrated findings from clinical surveys, genomics, transcriptomics, and animal experiments. MethodsWe investigated the alcohol consumption rates (including both before and after disease onset) among 244 PD patients in China and 177 PD patients from the U.S. NHANES database. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed using genome-wide association study (GWAS) data for three alcohol-related traits and seven PD-related datasets from the MRC IEU OpenGWAS database. Transcriptomic data from the substantia nigra of PD patients were obtained from three GEO datasets (GSE7621, GSE20141, and GSE49036) to analyze RIT2 gene transcription. Finally, three groups of animal experiments (water/20% ethanol/20% liquor, with 4 C57BL/6J mice per group) were conducted to examine changes in brain RIT2 gene expression and transcriptomic profiles following alcohol consumption. ResultsThe alcohol consumption rates among PD patients in China and the U.S. (9%-18.87%) were significantly lower than the general population rates of 15%-45% in their respective regions (P<0.001), suggesting a possible negative association between alcohol consumption and PD. Subsequently, in 21 bidirectional MR analyses using 3 alcohol-related GWAS datasets and 7 PD-related GWAS datasets, the forward MR analyses (alcohol intake as exposure, PD as outcome) yielded 12 negative associations (OR_IVW<1) and 9 positive associations (OR_IVW>1). Among these, only two negative associations reached statistical significance: alcohol intake frequency (OR_IVW=0.75, 95% CI: 0.60-0.93, P=0.010) and alcohol consumption (OR_IVW=0.20, 95% CI: 0.05-0.83, P=0.026). The forward MR analysis (alcohol intake→PD) identified 235 SNPs, annotated to 316 genes, while the reverse MR analyses (PD→alcohol intake) identified 37 SNPs, annotated to 53 genes. Notably, only the RIT2 gene appeared in both the forward and reverse MR analyses (alcohol intake→PD: rs28597806, rs8083110; PD→alcohol intake: rs4588066). RIT2 is selectively expressed in the human brain (FPKM: 5.259±2.103), with low or no expression in peripheral tissues (FPKM: <1). Analysis of three human substantia nigra transcriptomic datasets revealed a decreasing trend in RIT2 gene expression in PD patients (GSE20141 array signal: 3.49±1.23 vs. 2.33±0.87, P=0.044). Animal experiments demonstrated that administration of 20% ethanol or 20% liquor (approximately 8% ethanol) stimulated a >2-fold upregulation of RIT2 gene expression in the mouse brain. Furthermore, transcriptomic sequencing revealed that the two alcohol-treated groups exhibited 96 (20% ethanol vs. water control) and 4 (20% liquor vs. water control) differentially expressed genes, respectively, indicating that low-dose alcohol consumption can achieve RIT2 upregulation while minimizing impact on other brain genes. In addition to its anti-infective effects, low-dose alcohol consumption primarily influences signaling pathways related to neurodegenerative diseases such as PD and Prion diseases. ConclusionAlcohol consumption is generally considered as a harmful lifestyle habit. However, some studies have also shown a lower risk of mortality among individuals who consume low doses of alcohol (100 g/week of ethanol) or drink occasionally. Currently, one of the research focuses on alcohol consumption is whether the human body can benefit from low-dose alcohol intake. This study provides new evidence supporting a negative association between alcohol consumption and PD, and for the first time, through MR analysis, identifies the RIT2 gene as a potential mediator of the effect of alcohol consumption on PD. RIT2 is selectively expressed in the human brain. Building upon existing evidence indicating downregulated RIT2 gene expression in PD pathogenesis, our experiments confirm that low-dose alcohol consumption can upregulate RIT2 expression in the brain. In brief, alcohol consumption may suppress the pathogenesis of PD by upregulating RIT2 expression in the substantia nigra. China is facing a serious problem of population aging. This study offers important insights for long-term PD prevention and treatment strategies, with the aim of benefiting more potential PD patients through lifestyle modifications, thereby improving the quality of life of the aging population and reducing the economic burden on healthcare.

Definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) has become a cornerstone in the treatment of locally advanced esophageal cancer; however, local control remains suboptimal, and persistent lesions or locoregional recurrences after treatment are not uncommon. For patients without distant metastases but with local failure, whether surgical intervention can still offer curative potential remains a major clinical dilemma. Salvage esophagectomy (SE) offers potential long-term survival for selected patients, but this procedure is performed in the context of severe fibrosis, impaired local blood supply, and obscured anatomical planes following chemoradiotherapy, resulting in significantly higher perioperative risk compared to primary esophagectomy. Consequently, controversies exist regarding patient selection, preoperative restaging, choice of surgical approach, extent of lymphadenectomy, gastrointestinal reconstruction, and perioperative management. In recent years, with the refinement of restaging modalities such as PET/CT, the accumulation of experience in high-volume centers, and emerging evidence from clinical studies, the clinical role of SE has gradually shifted from a "high-risk salvage measure" to a "selective curative strategy aimed at achieving long-term survival in carefully selected patients". Nevertheless, standardized guidelines for patient selection, technical approaches, and perioperative management are still lacking. Based on current evidence and clinical experience, experts organized by the Integrated Esophageal Cancer Committee of Chinese Anti-Cancer Association systematically reviewed key issues regarding SE, including its definition, indications, preoperative evaluation, choice of surgical approach, lymphadenectomy, gastrointestinal reconstruction, and perioperative management, and formulated a Chinese expert consensus. This consensus aims to provide guidance for standardized assessment, appropriate referral, individualized surgical decision-making, and optimized perioperative management of patients with locoregional failure after dCRT. Ultimately, this will increase the likelihood of R0 resection, reduce the risk of severe complications, and promote the safer, more judicious, and standardized implementation of SE in high-risk scenarios.

ObjectiveTraditional Chinese medicine (TCM) constitutes a valuable cultural heritage and an important source of antitumor compounds. Poria (Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf), the dried sclerotium of a polyporaceae fungus, was first documented in Shennong’s Classic of Materia Medica and has been used therapeutically and dietarily in China for millennia. Traditionally recognized for its diuretic, spleen-tonifying, and sedative properties, modern pharmacological studies confirm that Poria exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antitumor activities. Pachymic acid (PA; a triterpenoid with the chemical structure 3β-acetyloxy-16α-hydroxy-lanosta-8,24(31)-dien-21-oic acid), isolated from Poria, is a principal bioactive constituent. Emerging evidence indicates PA exerts antitumor effects through multiple mechanisms, though these remain incompletely characterized. Neuroblastoma (NB), a highly malignant pediatric extracranial solid tumor accounting for 15% of childhood cancer deaths, urgently requires safer therapeutics due to the limitations of current treatments. Although PA shows multi-mechanistic antitumor potential, its efficacy against NB remains uncharacterized. This study systematically investigated the potential molecular targets and mechanisms underlying the anti-NB effects of PA by integrating network pharmacology-based target prediction with experimental validation of multi-target interactions through molecular docking, dynamic simulations, and in vitro assays, aimed to establish a novel perspective on PA’s antitumor activity and explore its potential clinical implications for NB treatment by integrating computational predictions with biological assays. MethodsThis study employed network pharmacology to identify potential targets of PA in NB, followed by validation using molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, MM/PBSA free energy analysis, RT-qPCR and Western blot experiments. Network pharmacology analysis included target screening via TCMSP, GeneCards, DisGeNET, SwissTargetPrediction, SuperPred, and PharmMapper. Subsequently, potential targets were predicted by intersecting the results from these databases via Venn analysis. Following target prediction, topological analysis was performed to identify key targets using Cytoscape software. Molecular docking was conducted using AutoDock Vina, with the binding pocket defined based on crystal structures. MD simulations were performed for 100 ns using GROMACS, and RMSD, RMSF, SASA, and hydrogen bonding dynamics were analyzed. MM/PBSA calculations were carried out to estimate the binding free energy of each protein-ligand complex. In vitro validation included RT-qPCR and Western blot, with GAPDH used as an internal control. ResultsThe CCK-8 assay demonstrated a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect of PA on NB cell viability. GO analysis suggested that the anti-NB activity of PA might involve cellular response to chemical stress, vesicle lumen, and protein tyrosine kinase activity. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis suggested that the anti-NB activity of PA might involve the PI3K/AKT, MAPK, and Ras signaling pathways. Molecular docking and MD simulations revealed stable binding interactions between PA and the core target proteins AKT1, EGFR, SRC, and HSP90AA1. RT-qPCR and Western blot analyses further confirmed that PA treatment significantly decreased the mRNA and protein expression of AKT1, EGFR, and SRC while increasing the HSP90AA1 mRNA and protein levels. ConclusionIt was suggested that PA may exert its anti-NB effects by inhibiting AKT1, EGFR, and SRC expression, potentially modulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. These findings provide crucial evidence supporting PA’s development as a therapeutic candidate for NB.

Thoracoscopic mitral valve replacement is a common minimally invasive cardiac surgery procedure. However, small annulus, severe calcification of the annulus, and severe thickening of the posterior valve leaflet or sub valvular structure are the difficulties of thoracoscopic mitral valve replacement. Improper treatment can easily lead to left ventricular rupture or prosthesis-patient mismatch. This paper reports a thoracoscopic mitral bioprosthesis replacement case using the chimney technique in Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital and summarizes its operating key points. The patient was a 68-year-old female, weighing 36 kg. The preoperative diagnosis was rheumatic mitral stenosis and atrial fibrillation, the preoperative transthoracic echocardiogram showed the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter was 39 mm. The surgical effect was satisfactory. The patient was in good condition at the follow-up 2 months after the operation.

Objective To study the effect of STAT3 over-expression-mediated A2 astrocyte polarization on type 1 diabetic mellitus(T1DM)peripheral neuropathy.Methods STAT3 over-expression virus was intrathecally injected into type 1 diabetic rats with painful diabetic neuropathy(PDN).The rats were divided into four groups:control group,T1DM group,T1DM+vector group,and T1DM+STAT3 OE group.Paw withdrawal threshold and paw withdrawal latency were measured.Flow cytometry and RT-qPCR were used to sort astrocytes and determine the phenotype of reactive astrocytes.Immune-fluorescence staining microscopy was performed to observe the changes of A2 phenotype astrocytes in the spinal dorsal horn of each group.Results Compared to the control group,the me-chanical(P＜0.001)and heat thresholds(P＜0.05)were significantly reduced in the T1DM group.The mechanical threshold was significantly increased in the T1DM+STAT3 OE group as compared to that in the T1DM group(P＜0.001).Histolgical analysis showed degenerative pathological changes of spinal dorsal horn astrocytes in the T1DM group.Astrocytes in the T1DM+STAT3 OE group were activated and polarized toward the A2 phenotype.Conclusions The STAT3 pathway in the spinal dorsal horn astrocytes of rats with type 1 diabetic neuropathy is im-paired.Restoring STAT3 expression promotes activation of astrocyte proliferation,activation,and polarization toward the A2 phenotype,thereby alleviating diabetic neuropathic pain.

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)-based intratumoral and peritumoral radiomics of prostate cancer(PCa)for bone metastases.Methods A total of 211 patients diagnosed with PCa by biopsy pathology at Gansu Provincial People's Hospital from January 2018 to January 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.These patients were randomly divided into a training set(n=147)and a validation set(n=64)in a 7:3 ratio.Regions of interest(ROIs)were delineated from the patients'T2-weighted imaging(T2WI),diffusion-weighted imaging(DWI),and apparent diffusion coefficient imaging(ADC)sequences to extract radiomic features.Z-score(normalization)and the LASSO algorithm were used for feature dimensionality reduction,selection,and construction.A predictive model was then built using a logistic regression(LR)machine learning classifier.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was plotted,and the area under the curve(AUC)was calculated to assess the model's performance.Calibration curves and decision curves(DCA)were plotted to evaluate the model's fit and clinical net benefit.Results Radiomic features were extracted from the tumor and peritumoral regions in each patient's T2WI,DWI,and ADC images,with a total of 312 features from each region.The LASSO regression model ultimately identified 10 intratumoral radiomic features closely related to bone metastasis,including 2 T2 sequence features,7 DWI features,and 1 ADC sequence feature;and 9 peritumoral radiomic features,including 4 T2 sequence features,3 DWI features,and 2 ADC sequence features.The predictive model based on intratumoral radiomic features achieved an AUC of 0.845(95%CI 0.747-0.943),while the predictive model based on peritumoral radiomic features had an AUC of 0.818(95%CI 0.716-0.919).A combined nomogram model incorporating intratumoral features,peritumoral radiomic features,and clinical features(including Gleason score,total prostate specific antigen,and body mass index)yielded an AUC of 0.936(95%CI 0.902-0.970).Calibration curves indicated that the combined model had good fit,and DCA demonstrated that the combined model provided better clinical net benefit.Conclusions Peritumoral radiomics has excellent predictive value for bone metastasis in newly diagnosed PCa.Combining with intratumoral radiomics features and clinical features,it significantly enhances the predictive capability of the model.

In recent years,more and more researches has focused on the correlation between cognitive activity and physiological variables.The change of pupil is regarded as an important target in the cognitive process,and has become a hot research field.This review focuses on the three key brain regions that regulate pupil change,and reflects the neurophysiological mechanism behind pupil change by elaborating the neural pathways related to pupil change and cognitive performance.Based on recent studies on pupil change in cognitive diseases,it aims to promote the application of pupil change in the field of cognitive science in the future.