ObjectiveTo explore the possible mechanism of Tongbian Decoction （通便汤， TD） in treating slow transit constipation （STC）. MethodsTwenty-four SD rats were randomly divided into normal group， model group， TD group， and mosapride group， with 6 rats per group. Except for the normal group， STC models were established by intragastric administration of loperamide hydrochloride combined with normal saline. On the day following successful model establishment， rats in the TD group received 18.63 g·kg⁻¹ of TD by gavage， while those in the mosapride group received 1.605 mg·d⁻¹ of mosapride， and those in the normal group and the model group received 10 ml·kg⁻¹ of normal saline by gavage. All treatments were administered once daily for 7 consecutive days. Twenty-four hours after the last administration， fecal pellet number and fecal water content were measured. After intragastric administration of a 10% activated charcoal suspension， the small intestinal transit rate was calculated 30 minutes later. Serum levels of gastrin （GAS） and motilin （MTL） were measured by ELISA. Colonic histopathology was observed by HE staining， and mucus secretion by Alcian blue-periodic acid-Schiff （AB-PAS） staining. Ultrastructure of colon tissue was examined using transmission electron microscopy. Protein expression levels of C-kit， stem cell factor （SCF）， autophagy-related protein 5 （ATG5）， Beclin1， vesicle-associated membrane protein B （VAPB）， and protein tyrosine phosphatase interacting protein 51 （VAPB-PTPIP51） were measured by Western Blot， and the mRNA levels were detected by real-time PCR. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect SCF， C-kit， Beclin1， and ATG5 expression. The calcium content in colon tissue was determined by ELISA. ResultsCompared to the normal group， rats in the model group showed significantly reduced fecal pellet number， fecal water content， small intestinal transit rate， and serum GAS and MTL levels （P＜0.01）； the number of goblet cells decreased， and the mucosal and muscular layers of the colon became thinner； mRNA and protein expression levels of ATG5 and Beclin1 in colon tissue significantly increased， while calcium content decreased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）； and electron microscopy revealed vacuolar degeneration and increased autophagosomes in colonic cells. Compared to the model group， both TD group and mosapride group showed increased fecal pellet number， fecal water content， small intestinal transit rate， serum GAS and MTL levels， and colonic calcium content， along with decreased Beclin1 and ATG5 protein levels （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）； the mucosal thickness and goblet cell number increased significantly， and autophagosomes decreased； in the TD group， ATG5 and Beclin1 mRNA levels decreased； in the mosapride group， SCF， VAPB， and PTPIP51 mRNA levels increased， while Beclin1 mRNA decreased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared to the mosapride group， the TD group showed higher fecal pellet number， fecal water content， serum GAS levels， colonic calcium content， and C-kit expression， along with lower ATG5 and Beclin1 levels （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. ConclusionTD may improve constipation symptoms by upregulating the VAPB-PTPIP51 complex during mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum interactions， reducing autophagy of interstitial cells of Cajal， and promoting intestinal motility.

ObjectiveTo explore the possible mechanism of Tongbian Decoction （通便汤， TD） in treating slow transit constipation （STC）. MethodsTwenty-four SD rats were randomly divided into normal group， model group， TD group， and mosapride group， with 6 rats per group. Except for the normal group， STC models were established by intragastric administration of loperamide hydrochloride combined with normal saline. On the day following successful model establishment， rats in the TD group received 18.63 g·kg⁻¹ of TD by gavage， while those in the mosapride group received 1.605 mg·d⁻¹ of mosapride， and those in the normal group and the model group received 10 ml·kg⁻¹ of normal saline by gavage. All treatments were administered once daily for 7 consecutive days. Twenty-four hours after the last administration， fecal pellet number and fecal water content were measured. After intragastric administration of a 10% activated charcoal suspension， the small intestinal transit rate was calculated 30 minutes later. Serum levels of gastrin （GAS） and motilin （MTL） were measured by ELISA. Colonic histopathology was observed by HE staining， and mucus secretion by Alcian blue-periodic acid-Schiff （AB-PAS） staining. Ultrastructure of colon tissue was examined using transmission electron microscopy. Protein expression levels of C-kit， stem cell factor （SCF）， autophagy-related protein 5 （ATG5）， Beclin1， vesicle-associated membrane protein B （VAPB）， and protein tyrosine phosphatase interacting protein 51 （VAPB-PTPIP51） were measured by Western Blot， and the mRNA levels were detected by real-time PCR. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect SCF， C-kit， Beclin1， and ATG5 expression. The calcium content in colon tissue was determined by ELISA. ResultsCompared to the normal group， rats in the model group showed significantly reduced fecal pellet number， fecal water content， small intestinal transit rate， and serum GAS and MTL levels （P＜0.01）； the number of goblet cells decreased， and the mucosal and muscular layers of the colon became thinner； mRNA and protein expression levels of ATG5 and Beclin1 in colon tissue significantly increased， while calcium content decreased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）； and electron microscopy revealed vacuolar degeneration and increased autophagosomes in colonic cells. Compared to the model group， both TD group and mosapride group showed increased fecal pellet number， fecal water content， small intestinal transit rate， serum GAS and MTL levels， and colonic calcium content， along with decreased Beclin1 and ATG5 protein levels （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）； the mucosal thickness and goblet cell number increased significantly， and autophagosomes decreased； in the TD group， ATG5 and Beclin1 mRNA levels decreased； in the mosapride group， SCF， VAPB， and PTPIP51 mRNA levels increased， while Beclin1 mRNA decreased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared to the mosapride group， the TD group showed higher fecal pellet number， fecal water content， serum GAS levels， colonic calcium content， and C-kit expression， along with lower ATG5 and Beclin1 levels （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. ConclusionTD may improve constipation symptoms by upregulating the VAPB-PTPIP51 complex during mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum interactions， reducing autophagy of interstitial cells of Cajal， and promoting intestinal motility.

AIM: To detect the distribution and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)in radiation retinopathy(RR)through fluorescence targeted imaging.METHODS:Covalent binding of fluorescein FITC with VEGF antibody ranibizumab to prepare targeted fluorescent imaging probe ranibizumab-FITC. SD rats were randomly divided into three groups based on the principle of weight balance: a normal control group(Con group), a low-dose radiation group(10 Gy group), and a high-dose radiation group(30 Gy group). Medical linear accelerators and lead blocks were used to locally irradiate the rat eyeballs for modeling. Western blot and qRT-PCR were used to detect the expression levels of VEGF-A in each group and to screen for appropriate modeling dose. The inverted fluorescence microscope and the confocal microscope were used to observe the distribution of VEGF and imaging probes in the retinas of control and RR model group rats, and to verify the effectiveness of targeted probes.RESULTS:The expression level of VEGF-A in the retina of rats in the high-dose radiation group(30 Gy group)was higher than that in the normal control group(Con group). In early RR, VEGF expression was observed to be associated with microaneurysms and abnormal microvessels in the retina. VEGF accumulation was observed at the site of capillary wall damage. When retinal capillary endothelial damage occurred, targeted probes gathered on the outer surface of the vessel wall.CONCLUSION:The expression level of VEGF in the retina of RR model rats is elevated, and fluorescent targeted molecular imaging probes can detect the spatial distribution of VEGF at the microvascular lesions in the retina of RR rats.

Objective To analyze the trends in the disease burden of tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer (TBL) in China and in low-, middle-, and high-socio-demographic index (SDI) countries and regions from 1990 to 2021, with the aim of providing evidence for the formulation of targeted prevention and control strategies. Methods Utilizing data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2021, we extracted TBL-related data from 1990 to 2021, stratified by sex, age group, and year. We assessed the disease burden and trends of TBL across different groups, conducted a decomposition analysis to identify the leading contributors to the change in disease burden, and examined the relationship between disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and SDI. Results In 2021, the overall burden of TBL in China was substantially higher than that in other groups. The fold-increase in the number of prevalent cases, deaths, and DALYs was significantly greater in China. Moreover, the growth rates of the age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR), age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR), and age-standardized DALYs rate (ASDR) in China were higher than the overall levels in other SDI countries. In all groups, the ASPR of TBL generally followed a pattern of increasing and then decreasing with age; however, for males in China and middle-SDI countries, the ASPR exhibited a decline in the 80-84 age group. Decomposition analysis revealed that the primary drivers of the increasing TBL burden varied among groups: the rise in DALYs in China and middle-SDI countries was mainly driven by population aging, in low-SDI countries by population growth, and in high-SDI countries by epidemiological transition. While global health inequality in TBL showed some improvement, low-SDI countries continued to bear a disproportionately heavy health burden. Conclusion The disease burden of TBL in China has progressively increased from 1990 to 2021, now ranking among the highest globally. Multiple factors, predominantly driven by population aging, are exacerbating this burden. The burden of TBL is influenced by advancing age, sex differences, and SDI levels. China, along with low- and middle-SDI countries, should implement targeted intervention strategies based on epidemiological findings, including expanding investment in public health services and strengthening healthcare systems, to mitigate the growing burden of TBL.

Objective To investigate the expression profile, prognostic value, gene co-expression network, and immunomodulatory role of BRF1 in a pan-cancer context, and to explore its biological functions and molecular regulatory mechanisms in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods The pan-cancer dataset from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was utilized to analyze the differential expression of BRF1 in tumor versus normal tissues, its association with patient survival, pathway enrichment for co-expressed genes, and immune features (including immune checkpoints, cytokines, and immune cell infiltration). The expression profile of BRF1 in ESCC was validated using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. In vitro, BRF1 was knocked down in ESCC cells using siRNA. Cell proliferation and migration were assessed by MTT and Transwell assays, respectively. The expression levels of proliferation- and migration-related proteins were detected by Western blotting. The correlation between BRF1 and ferroptosis was analyzed using TCGA data. Results BRF1 was significantly upregulated in over 20 types of cancer, and its high expression was associated with poor prognosis in patients with adrenocortical carcinoma and prostate adenocarcinoma. BRF1 was found to positively regulate the T-cell-mediated cell death pathway in esophageal adenocarcinoma and was associated with the circadian rhythm regulation pathway in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The correlation of BRF1 with immune checkpoints, cytokine networks, and immune cell infiltration was found to be cancer type-specific. In vitro experiments demonstrated that knocking down BRF1 significantly inhibited the proliferation of ESCC cells, accompanied by the downregulation of the proliferation marker PCNA. Cell migration was also significantly impaired, with decreased expression of Vimentin and MMPs and increased expression of E-cadherin. Furthermore, the expression of BRF1 was positively correlated with that of ferroptosis-antagonizing genes, such as GPX4, HSPA5, and SLC7A11. Conclusion BRF1 plays complex roles in pan-cancer, participating in the regulation of tumorigenesis, progression, and immune infiltration. BRF1 promotes the proliferation and migration of ESCC cells, a mechanism potentially associated with the regulation of ferroptosis resistance. These findings suggest that BRF1 could be a potential therapeutic target for ESCC.

ObjectiveTo investigate the distribution and characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndromes in patients with colorectal cancer and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease （CRC-MAFLD）， to explore the correlation between influencing factors and syndrome distribution， and to provide a reference for clinical syndrome differentiation. MethodsA total of 319 patients who were admitted to Shanxi Provincial Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and The Affiliated Hospital of Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine from January 2021 to December 2025 and were diagnosed with CRC-MAFLD based on pathology and radiological examination were enrolled as subjects， and TCM syndrome differentiation was performed for all subjects. A one-way analysis of variance or the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison of continuous data between multiple groups， and the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between multiple groups. The indicators with statistical significance in the univariate analysis were incorporated into the unordered multinomial Logistic regression model， and the syndrome of liver depression and spleen deficiency was set as the reference group to identify the independent influencing factors for each TCM syndrome. ResultsThe main clinical symptoms of CRC-MAFLD included fatigue （78.06%）， abdominal distension （64.26%）， poor appetite （61.13%）， loose stool （57.05%）， and costal pain （52.04%）. The syndrome of liver depression and spleen deficiency showed the highest distribution frequency， followed by intermingled phlegm and blood stasis， internal retention of dampness turbidity， damp-heat accumulation， deficiency of liver and kidney， and deficiency of spleen and kidney. Comparison between groups with different TCM syndromes showed significant differences in the distribution of body mass index （χ²=42.216， P<0.001）， the clinical stage of colorectal cancer （χ²=11.666， P=0.040）， liver metastasis （χ²=19.279， P=0.002）， degree of hepatic steatosis （χ²=71.085， P<0.001）， diabetes （χ²=12.486， P=0.029）， chemotherapy （χ²=21.920， P<0.001）， fasting plasma glucose （FPG） （F=10.367， P<0.001）， glycosylated hemoglobin （HbA1c） （F=3.696， P=0.003）， albumin （Alb） （F=3.302， P=0.006）， alkaline phosphatase （ALP） （H=34.350， P<0.001）， gamma-glutamyl transferase （GGT） （H=41.679， P<0.001）， and triglyceride （TG） （H=28.826， P<0.001）. An unordered multinomial Logistic regression model was constructed with the syndrome of liver depression and spleen deficiency as the reference， and the results showed that overweight/obesity was a common independent risk factor for intermingled phlegm and blood stasis （odds ratio ［OR］=4.468， P=0.002）， internal retention of dampness turbidity （OR=2.944， P=0.024）， and damp-heat accumulation （OR=5.651， P=0.001）； clinical stage Ⅳ was an independent risk factor for deficiency of liver and kidney （OR=6.746， P=0.003） and deficiency of spleen and kidney （OR=10.074， P=0.001）； presence of liver metastasis was an independent risk factor for intermingled phlegm and blood stasis （OR=5.145， P=0.001）； severe fatty liver disease was an independent risk factor for intermingled phlegm and blood stasis （OR=5.201， P=0.007） and internal retention of dampness turbidity （OR=7.412， P=0.001）， and moderate fatty liver disease was an independent risk factor for intermingled phlegm and blood stasis （OR=2.643， P=0.045）， internal retention of dampness turbidity （OR=3.182， P=0.029）， and damp-heat accumulation （OR=3.073， P=0.036）； diabetes was an independent risk factor for internal retention of dampness turbidity （OR=5.133， P=0.003） and damp-heat accumulation （OR=3.716， P=0.031）. As for continuous variables， elevated FPG was an independent risk factor for internal retention of dampness turbidity （OR=2.375， P=0.003） and damp-heat accumulation （OR=2.701， P=0.005）； elevated HbA1c was an independent risk factor for intermingled phlegm and blood stasis （OR=2.029， P=0.032） and deficiency of liver and kidney （OR=3.308， P=0.010）； elevated ALP was an independent risk factor for damp-heat accumulation （OR=1.053， P=0.019）； elevated GGT was an independent risk factor for intermingled phlegm and blood stasis （OR=1.029， P=0.026） and damp-heat accumulation （OR=1.030， P=0.047）； elevated TG was an independent risk factor for intermingled phlegm and blood stasis （OR=2.931， P=0.006） and internal retention of dampness turbidity （OR=2.449， P=0.019）； elevated Alb was a protective factor against deficiency of spleen and kidney （OR=0.756， P=0.005）. ConclusionBody mass index， the clinical stage of colorectal cancer， liver metastasis， degree of hepatic steatosis， diabetes， chemotherapy， FPG， HbA1c， Alb， ALP， GGT， and TG are the main influencing factors for TCM syndromes in CRC-MAFLD.

Objective:To investigate the effects of 177Lu-prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-I&T combined with poly (adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor (PARPi) fluzoparib on the proliferation and migration of prostate cancer cells and the tumor inhibitory effects. Methods:177Lu-PSMA-I&T was synthesized. Cytotoxicity assay, colony formation assay, 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) cell proliferation assay, Transwell cell migration assay, and terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, flow cytometry were performed to detect apoptosis and cell cycles. 22RV1 tumor-bearing mice models ( n=16) were established, and were randomly divided into 4 groups: control group (no treatment; n=4), fluzoparib monotherapy group (6mg/kg; n=4), 177Lu-PSMA-I&T monotherapy group (14.8MBq; n=4) and combination group (14.8MBq 177Lu-PSMA-I&T+ 6mg/kg fluzoparib; n=4). All mice were treated for 14 d. Tumor volume and body mass changes of tumor-bearing mice were observed and recorded. After the treatment, 18F-FDG PET/CT was performed to evaluate the tumor′s uptake of 18F-FDG. Effects of 177Lu-PSMA-I&T combined with fluzoparib on cell and tumor-bearing mice were observed. One-way analysis of variance and the least significant difference t test were used to analyze the data. Results:At half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC 50) of 177Lu-PSMA-I&T (13.06MBq/ml) and fluzoparib (72.13μmol/L), compared to the fluzoparib monotherapy group and the 177Lu-PSMA-I&T monotherapy group, the combination treatment significantly enhanced the anti-tumor effect on 22RV1 cells, inhibited the DNA synthesis rate and colony-forming ability of 22RV1 cells, reduced cell migration rate, increased the percentage of DNA damage, resulted in a higher proportion of cells arrested in the G2/M phase and increased the apoptosis rate ( F values: 9.77-162.20, t values: 2.98-21.60, all P<0.05). Compared to the fluzoparib monotherapy group and the 177Lu-PSMA-I&T monotherapy group, the combination treatment resulted in a significant reduction in relative tumor volume (RTV%) 14 d post-administration and markedly decreased 18F-FDG uptake ( F values: 25.28 and 67.42, t values: 4.64-8.61, P values: 0.001-0.009). Conclusion:The combination of 177Lu-PSMA-I&T and fluzoparib can inhibit prostate cancer cell proliferation and migration, suppress tumor growth and metabolism, and demonstrates synergistic effects more effectively.

Objective:To explore the impact of residents′ health literacy on healthcare choices.Methods:This mixed cross-sectional study utilized data from the 2009, 2011, and 2015 waves of the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), including adults aged≥18 years. Guided by Andersen′s Behavioral Model of Health Services Use and the Knowledge-Attitude-Practice (KAP) framework, variables were collected across three dimensions-predisposing, enabling, and need factors-including gender, marital status, age, education level, employment status, urban/rural residence, health management awareness, income, health insurance coverage, self-rated health, and chronic disease status. A multinomial Logistic regression model was applied to assess the association between health literacy and healthcare choice. Bootstrap analysis was conducted to test the mediating effect of health management awareness.Results:After excluding cases with missing or invalid data, 4 736 valid observations were included. The proportions of choosing township-, county-, and city-level hospitals were 60.60%, 15.08%, and 24.32%, respectively. After adjusting for confounders, health literacy showed a significant effect on healthcare choice ( P<0.05): individuals with higher health literacy were more likely to choose county-level hospitals ( RR=1.035, P<0.05) and city-level hospitals ( RR=1.044, P<0.01). Health management awareness mediated the relationship between health literacy and healthcare choice ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Health literacy significantly influences healthcare choices; individuals with higher health literacy are more inclined to utilize higher-level medical institutions. Furthermore, health literacy affects healthcare choices partly through the mediating role of health management awareness.

Objective To explore the effect of remnant cholesterol(RC)levels on carotid atherosclerotic plaque risk in elderly individuals with normal low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C).Methods A total of 753 elderly individuals with normal LDL-C levels who were examined at Quanzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from March 2017 to January 2023 were included in the study.They were divided into low RC group and high RC group according to the RC levels.Kaplan-Meier risk curves were constructed,and the Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze the risk factors for the occurrence of carotid atherosclerotic plaques.Results During the follow-up period,the risk of plaque occurrence in high RC group was significantly higher than that in low RC group(P＜0.001).Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed that age,gender,RC levels and glycated hemoglobin were independent influencing factors for carotid atherosclerotic plaque.After comprehensive adjustment for confounding factors,the independent predictive effect of RC levels on the risk of carotid atherosclerotic plaque remained significant.Conclusion Elevated RC increases the risk of carotid artery atherosclerotic plaques in elderly individuals with normal LDL-C levels.

Objective To investigate the needs and gains of eight-year clinical medicine program students during their oncology internships,and provide reference for the reform of clinical teaching in oncology.Methods A ques-tionnaire survey was conducted among 52 students from Peking Union Medical College,Tsinghua University School of Medicine,and Peking Union Medical College"4+4"medical doctor program who underwent internships in the Department of Oncology at Peking Union Medical College from July 2023 to June 2024 in order to examine their basic knowledge of oncology,the courses they are interested in,their preference for teaching methods and the gains from the internships.The exam was conducted before and after the internship.Results All 52 students participated in the survey and examination.Most students were interested in clinical diagnosis and treatment,new drug develop-ment and progress in basic research.All students acknowledged that their ability to solve actual clinical problems had been improved after the internship in oncology,51(98.08%)recognized that their capacity of literature searching and reviewing,integrating the information and reasoning had improved,while 50(96.15%)believed that their capacity to read Computed Tomography(CT)images or perform imaging diagnosis had improved.The number of students who were interested in oncology increased from 41(78.85%)before the internship and up to 47(90.38%)after the training.The average score of the students before internship was 63.88±8.90,and then signif-icantly increased up to 82.94±9.12 afterwards.Conclusions Eight-year program students of clinical medicine are quite interested in oncology,their learning and training outcomes have been further improved through the clinical training during internship.