Objective To comprehensively investigate the levels of exposure and distribution characteristics of trihalomethanes (THMs) in drinking water in Guangzhou City, and evaluate the health risks of different groups of children, adolescents and adults, and to provide data and evidence for protecting human health and promoting risk control of drinking water. Methods According to the technical requirements of the ^"Standards for Drinking Water Quality Testing Methods^" (GB/T 5750-2023), the concentration of THMs, including trichloromethane (TCM), bromodichloromethane (BDCM), dibromochloromethane (DBCM), and tribromomethane (TBM) in drinking water in Guangzhou City from 2023-2024 were detected. The health risk model recommended by USEPA was used for risk assessment．Results TCM, BDCM and DBCM were detected in the factory water and terminal water, with TCM contributing the most. There was a statistically significant difference (P<0.05) between the wet and dry seasons, and the concentration of TCM in the wet season was higher than that in the dry season. Among the multiple exposure factors, the amount of exposure through drinking water intake was much greater than that through skin absorption. The carcinogenic risk index of THMs for children, adolescents, and adults was 22.0×10^-6, 12.2×10^-6, and 11.4×10^-6, respectively, while the non-carcinogenic risk was less than 1. Conclusion The exposure risks of THMs in children, adolescents, and adults is within an acceptable range, but monitoring needs to be strengthened, with a particular focus on children.

Flap transplantation is a critical surgical strategy for the reconstruction of tissue defects caused by trauma, tumor resection, and congenital malformations, and its survival rate directly determines surgical efficacy and patient prognosis. Following transplantation, flaps inevitably undergo ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, during which oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, and metabolic disturbances are intricately intertwined, ultimately leading to cellular injury and tissue necrosis. Recent studies have demonstrated that multiple forms of programmed cell death—including apoptosis, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, necroptosis, and PANoptosis—play central roles in flap I/R injury. The extensive crosstalk and molecular interactions among these pathways form a highly complex cell death network. Specifically, apoptosis is mediated by the imbalance of Bcl-2 family proteins and the activation of cysteine-dependent aspartate-specific protease (caspase) cascades; pyroptosis is driven by the NLRP3-caspase-1-GSDMD axis, resulting in membrane pore formation and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines; ferroptosis is characterized by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation and dysfunction of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4); necroptosis is triggered by the receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (RIPK1)-RIPK3-MLKL signaling complex, leading to membrane rupture; and PANoptosis represents an integrated form of inflammatory cell death that coordinates multiple death pathways. Importantly, these forms of programmed cell death are not independent but are interconnected through extensive signaling crosstalk. Key regulatory molecules, including caspase-8, reactive oxygen species (ROS), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), collectively modulate the dynamic balance among these pathways. Therefore, the multidimensional interplay and spatiotemporal dynamics of programmed cell death constitute a fundamental pathological basis of flap I/R injury. This review systematically summarizes the latest advances in the mechanisms and interactions of various programmed cell death pathways in flap I/R injury, aiming to elucidate the underlying regulatory network. These insights may provide novel theoretical foundations for optimizing flap protection strategies, improving flap survival, and promoting tissue repair.

Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)emphasizes syndrome differentiation and treatment,characterized by"maintaining the prescription if effective"and"changing the prescription if ineffective".Traditional randomized controlled trials(RCTs)are inadequate for evaluating the efficacy of dynamic treatment adjustments.The Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trial(SMART)is an emerging adaptive research design that incorporates randomization at multiple stages,allowing for adjustments in subsequent interventions based on treatment responses.This approach is suitable for evaluating dynamic treatment regimens while retaining the low bias risk of traditional RCTs,making it highly promising for clinical research in TCM.This paper summarizes recent methodological advancements in SMART design,including different sample size estimation and statistical analysis methods for primary effect objectives,embedded adaptive intervention objectives,and optimization objectives,along with providing corresponding operational software.Additionally,it offers considerations for applying SMART design in TCM research,such as the selection of disease types,interventions,decision points,tailoring variables,sample size calculation,statistical methods,the importance of pilot trials,ethical considerations,and limitations.The aim is to promote the exploration and practice of this method in the field of TCM,thereby contributing to the generation of high-quality evidence-based evidence for TCM.

BACKGROUND:The cervical facet joint,as an important anatomical structure of the posterior column of the cervical spine,plays an important role in neck activity,stress transmission,and maintaining cervical stability. In recent years,anatomical and biomechanical studies have shown that asymmetry of cervical facet joints can cause degeneration of facet joints,which may be the main cause of cervical spine degeneration in young people. Existing research is mostly focused on adults,and there are also reports on preschool and school-age children in China,while there are few reports on the morphological parameters of cervical facet joints in adolescents.OBJECTIVE:Through three-dimensional reconstruction of the cervical facet joints in adolescents,measuring their relevant morphological parameters,and comparing them with those in children and adults,we explored the age-related changes in the morphological development of cervical facet joints,providing a theoretical basis for the diagnosis,treatment,and prevention of cervical spondylosis arising from cervical facet joints.METHODS:A total of 62 adolescents aged 13-18 years were selected to undergo spiral CT scan of cervical vertebrae and 3D reconstruction,requiring no bone destruction,tumor,deformity,or fracture,no changes in vertebrae morphology and structure,no previous spinal operations. The guardian's informed consent to the experimental protocol was obtained. By age group,group A was 13-14 years old;group B was 15-16 years old;group C was 17-18 years old. Thecorrelation morphometry and statistical analysis of C2-C7 facet joints were performed in adolescents of each group.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) In three groups of subjects,the facet joint surface heights and widths displayed decreasing and increasing trends in relation to the change of vertebra order. The facet joint surfaces on the inferior surface showed larger height and width compared to the corresponding indicators on the superior surface. (2) The intra-articular height of the articular process was lowest in C5 among the three groups of ages,and it showed a positive correlation with age. (3) Among the three groups,the gaps between the articular surfaces of the joints in C4-5 of group A,C3-4 of group B,and C4-5 of group C weresignificantly larger than the rest of the gaps in each group. Except for C4-5,there were no significant differences between the two groups. Except for C2-3,the remaining gaps between the vertebrae in group C were significantly larger than those in the two groups. (4) It is indicated that the morphology of the cervical facet joint surface gradually transitions from circular to elliptical as the vertebral order increases. In inter-group comparison,facet joint surface height is significantly affected by age compared to facet joint surface width. The area of the lower facet joint surface of each segment is greater than that of the upper facet joint surface,with only significant differences in the shape and area of C4-5 and C5-6. In addition,the minimum height of the facet joint is located at C5,and the significantly widened gap between the facet joint surfaces is mainly located at C3-4 and C4-5. Therefore,cervical instability often occurs at the mid-level.

Objective:To observe any effect of combining interactive scalp acupuncture with constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) in treating the upper extremity motor function of children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy.Methods:Fifty-seven children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy were randomly divided into a control group of 28 and an observation group of 29. The control group was given conventional rehabilitation and routine CIMT, while the observation group was additionally provided with interactive scalp acupuncture. In the observation group the CIMT lasted for 30 minutes while the needles were retained. Then, after the needles were removed, the family administered simple rehabilitation training for 2.5 hours guided by a rehabilitation therapist. The treatments were administered 5 days per week for 3 weeks as a session, and the whole treatment consisted of 3 sessions. Before, as well as 1 month and 3 months after the treatment, upper extremity motor function in both groups was evaluated using the Melbourne assessment scale 2 (MA2) and the fine motor Peabody developmental motor scales. Muscle tone in the children′s elbow flexors was assessed using the modified Ashworth scale (MAS).Results:After both 1 and 3 months of treatment, the average MA2 scores of both groups were significantly better than those before treatment, with those of the observation group significantly superior to the control group′s averages. After both 1 and 3 months, both groups′ visual-motor integration scores, grasping ability scores and total scores had improved significantly, with those of the observation group significantly better than in the control group, on average. The MAS scores of both groups were also significantly better than before the treatment, but with no significant differences between the two groups at either time point.Conclusions:Interactive scalp acupuncture combined with constraint-induced movement therapy can significantly improve the upper extremity motor functioning and fine motor ability of children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy.

Objective To explore the clinical application value of CT radiomics in predicting the grade of liver cancer and the prognosis after hepatectomy.Methods A retrospective selection was conducted on 385 liver cancer patients who underwent preoperative CT scans,and they were divided into training group(265 cases)and testing group(120 cases).The CT radiomics features were extracted and logistic regression was used to construct radiomics markers.A retrospective analysis was performed on 60 patients with liver cancer who underwent hepatectomy and regular follow-up.Results The area under the curve(AUC)of the radiomics signature in the train-ing group was 0.889.The AUC in the testing group was 0.941.For predicting prognosis after hepatectomy,the radiomics features with filter parameter of Filter 1.0 achieved optimal performance,with Dif.Scale1.2 being a good independent predictor of overall survival(OS).Conclusion CT radiomics has certain application value in predicting the grade of liver cancer and the prognosis after hepatectomy.

BACKGROUND:The cervical facet joint,as an important anatomical structure of the posterior column of the cervical spine,plays an important role in neck activity,stress transmission,and maintaining cervical stability. In recent years,anatomical and biomechanical studies have shown that asymmetry of cervical facet joints can cause degeneration of facet joints,which may be the main cause of cervical spine degeneration in young people. Existing research is mostly focused on adults,and there are also reports on preschool and school-age children in China,while there are few reports on the morphological parameters of cervical facet joints in adolescents.OBJECTIVE:Through three-dimensional reconstruction of the cervical facet joints in adolescents,measuring their relevant morphological parameters,and comparing them with those in children and adults,we explored the age-related changes in the morphological development of cervical facet joints,providing a theoretical basis for the diagnosis,treatment,and prevention of cervical spondylosis arising from cervical facet joints.METHODS:A total of 62 adolescents aged 13-18 years were selected to undergo spiral CT scan of cervical vertebrae and 3D reconstruction,requiring no bone destruction,tumor,deformity,or fracture,no changes in vertebrae morphology and structure,no previous spinal operations. The guardian's informed consent to the experimental protocol was obtained. By age group,group A was 13-14 years old;group B was 15-16 years old;group C was 17-18 years old. Thecorrelation morphometry and statistical analysis of C2-C7 facet joints were performed in adolescents of each group.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) In three groups of subjects,the facet joint surface heights and widths displayed decreasing and increasing trends in relation to the change of vertebra order. The facet joint surfaces on the inferior surface showed larger height and width compared to the corresponding indicators on the superior surface. (2) The intra-articular height of the articular process was lowest in C5 among the three groups of ages,and it showed a positive correlation with age. (3) Among the three groups,the gaps between the articular surfaces of the joints in C4-5 of group A,C3-4 of group B,and C4-5 of group C weresignificantly larger than the rest of the gaps in each group. Except for C4-5,there were no significant differences between the two groups. Except for C2-3,the remaining gaps between the vertebrae in group C were significantly larger than those in the two groups. (4) It is indicated that the morphology of the cervical facet joint surface gradually transitions from circular to elliptical as the vertebral order increases. In inter-group comparison,facet joint surface height is significantly affected by age compared to facet joint surface width. The area of the lower facet joint surface of each segment is greater than that of the upper facet joint surface,with only significant differences in the shape and area of C4-5 and C5-6. In addition,the minimum height of the facet joint is located at C5,and the significantly widened gap between the facet joint surfaces is mainly located at C3-4 and C4-5. Therefore,cervical instability often occurs at the mid-level.

Objective To explore the clinical application value of CT radiomics in predicting the grade of liver cancer and the prognosis after hepatectomy.Methods A retrospective selection was conducted on 385 liver cancer patients who underwent preoperative CT scans,and they were divided into training group(265 cases)and testing group(120 cases).The CT radiomics features were extracted and logistic regression was used to construct radiomics markers.A retrospective analysis was performed on 60 patients with liver cancer who underwent hepatectomy and regular follow-up.Results The area under the curve(AUC)of the radiomics signature in the train-ing group was 0.889.The AUC in the testing group was 0.941.For predicting prognosis after hepatectomy,the radiomics features with filter parameter of Filter 1.0 achieved optimal performance,with Dif.Scale1.2 being a good independent predictor of overall survival(OS).Conclusion CT radiomics has certain application value in predicting the grade of liver cancer and the prognosis after hepatectomy.

BACKGROUND:The asymmetrical biomechanical environment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis can lead to further wedge deformation of the vertebral body,which may affect cardiopulmonary function and compress nerves in severe cases.Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis with different degrees of scoliosis should be treated with exercise,bracing,and surgery.However,the mechanical mechanism of selecting an orthopedic approach remains unclear due to the individual variability of patients.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the biomechanical mechanism of different orthopedic modalities for the treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis to provide a basis for clinical selection of treatment modalities based on the spine model of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients.METHODS:Based on the CT images of an adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patient,a scoliosis model(C7-L5)was reconstructed in Mimics software in three dimensions,and lateral thrust force was applied at the T8/T9 thorax and vertical distraction force was applied over the C7 vertebra with the magnitude of 20,40,60,80,100,and 120 N.The intervertebral disc stress and vertebral displacement in concave and convex sides,and Cobb angle of the spine were analyzed under two orthopedic modalities.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)With lateral thrust,there was no significant change in the C7T1-T7T8 intervertebral disc.The concave and convex stress of T7T8-L4L5 segment decreased first and then increased with the increase of lateral thrust force.The correction effect of lateral thrust on the segment near T8T9 was obvious and weakened with the extension of the segment to the cephalic and caudal ends.At 120 N of lateral thrust,the thoracic Cobb angle changed from 53.2° to 32.5° and the lumbar Cobb angle changed from 50.2° to 43.9°.(2)With the vertical distraction,the thoracic intervertebral disc stresses first decreased and then increased,and all the lumbar disc stresses decreased.The C7 displacement was the most obvious,and the correction effect gradually diminished with the segment extended to the caudal end.At a vertical distraction force of 120 N,the thoracic Cobb angle changed from 53.2° to 39.4° and the lumbar Cobb angle changed from 50.2° to 47.6°.(3)It is concluded that both orthopedic modalities provide improvement in the degree of scoliosis,with the thoracic correction being greater than the lumbar correction.Also,the asymmetric stress distribution on the concave and convex sides is improved,which contributes to normal bone growth.A vertical distraction approach is appropriate for larger Cobb angles,and a lateral thrust approach is appropriate for smaller Cobb angles.The results of this study help to understand the mechanism of spinal orthosis and provide a theoretical basis for the choice of orthopedic approach.

Objective To analyze the correlation between SLC7A5 expression and clinicopathological features in breast cancer by bioinformatics,and to provide reference for the treatment and prognosis evaluation of breast cancer.Methods The expression of SLC7A5 in breast cancer was analyzed by bioinformatics in Timer2.0,The cancer genome atlas(TCGA),UALAN in gene expression profiling in-teractive analysis 2(GEPIA2)and human protein atlas(HPA).Human protein atlas(HPA)and other databases to obtain the expression characteristics of SLC7A5 in breast cancer.Western blot was used to detect the expression of SLC7A5gene in normal breast cells MCF-10A and breast cancer cell line MCF-7.the prognostic value of SLC7A5 in breast cancer was analyzed by using R software,and double-validated in Kaplan-Meier plotter and gene expression omnibus(GEO)databases.validation,as well as analyzing the correla-tion between its expression and different pathological features of breast cancer patients.The correlation between SLC7A5 and tumor muta-tion burden(TMB)and immunodetection point-related genes was analyzed using R language,and gene set enrichment analysis(GSEA)was performed,and the results were further visualized.Results The expression of SLC7A5 was significantly elevated in a variety of solid malignant tumors,including breast cancer,and the overall survival of breast cancer patients with high expression of SLC7 A5 was signifi-cantly shortened.The expression level of SLC7A5 in breast cancer was significantly correlated with estrogen receptor(ER),progesterone receptor(PR),lymph node metastasis,and molecular typing of breast cancer.The results showed that the expression of SLC7A5 in breast cancer was positively correlated with TMB(r=0.33,P＜0.001).The results of the immune checkpoint analysis showed that the expres-sion of SLC7 A5 was significantly correlated with the expression of programmed death-1(PD-1),cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4(cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4(cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4),and the expression of SLC7A5 was significantly correlated with the expression of ER,PR,lymph node metastasis and molecular typing.cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associ-ated antigen 4(CTLA4)and B and T lymphocyte attenuator(BTLA).GSEA enrichment analysis showed that SLC7 A5 was mainly associ-ated with the interferon γ response(IFN-γ)related pathway.Conclusion SLC7A5 is up-regulated in breast cancer,and its expres-sion level correlates with poor prognosis,which may affect the progression of breast cancer by participating in the IFN-γ-related path-way to promote the expression of immune checkpoints,and it may be used as a biomarker for prognostic assessment and guidance of treat-ment for breast cancer patients.