1.Safety and efficacy of argon-helium cryoablation combined with targeted therapy and anti-programmed death-1 monoclonal antibody in treatment of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma aged 60 years or older
Shujuan GONG ; Xiujuan CHANG ; Yan LIU ; Dong JI ; Yan CHEN ; Quanwei HE ; Yongping YANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(3):629-638
ObjectiveTo investigate whether anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibody can enhance the efficacy and safety of argon-helium cryoablation combined with targeted therapy in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC) aged 60 years or older. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 124 patients with advanced uHCC aged 60 years or older who were treated at The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2013 to September 2024. After propensity score matching, 57 patients received cryoablation combined with targeted therapy (double combination group), while 57 received cryoablation combined with targeted therapy and anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody (triple combination group). The indicators for efficacy assessment included objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and the incidence rate of adverse events. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups, and the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot survival curves, and the Log-rank test was used for comparison between groups. A Cox proportional-hazards regression model analysis was used to investigate the influencing factors for survival prognosis. ResultsThe triple combination group had a significantly higher ORR than the double combination group (59.6% vs 29.8%, χ2=9.083, P=0.003), while there was no significant difference in DCR between the two groups (87.7% vs 77.2%, χ2=1.516, P=0.218), and compared with the double combination group, the triple combination group had significantly longer median PFS (9.1 months vs 4.8 months, χ2=7.813, P=0.005) and median OS (26.1 months vs 13.6 months, χ2=14.199, P<0.001). The multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression model analysis showed that triple combination treatment was an independent influencing factor for PFS (hazard ratio [HR]=0.52, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.35 — 0.78, P=0.001) and OS (HR=0.32, 95%CI: 0.20 — 0.51, P<0.001). There was no significant difference in the incidence rate of adverse events between the two groups (P>0.05). ConclusionTriple combination treatment with argon-helium cryoablation, targeted therapy, and anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody can significantly improve survival benefits in uHCC patients aged 60 years or older, with a controllable safety profile.
2.Fluid Suppression Techniques Combined With Amide Proton Transfer-Weighted Imaging for the Evaluation of Adult-Type Diffuse Gliomas
Hongquan ZHU ; Yuanhao LI ; Yujie DING ; Yufei LIU ; Nanxi SHEN ; Yan XIE ; Su YAN ; Dong LIU ; Xiaoxiao ZHANG ; Li LI ; Wenzhen ZHU
Korean Journal of Radiology 2026;27(3):252-263
Objective:
To evaluate the diagnostic potential of fluid suppression (FS) techniques combined with amide proton transferweighted imaging (APTw) for assessment of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation status, glioma subtypes, and tumor proliferation.
Materials and Methods:
This retrospective study included 117 patients with adult-type diffuse gliomas. Conventional APTw, FSAPTw, and spillover-corrected FS-APTw (SCFS-APTw) metrics were calculated from 3T MRI data in tumor parenchyma, necrotic or cystic regions, and contralateral normal-appearing white matter. APTw signals were compared across the three techniques within each region, between IDH-mutant and IDH-wildtype gliomas, and among astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, and glioblastoma subtypes. Diagnostic performance for distinguishing IDH mutation status and glioma subtypes was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Correlations between APTw metrics and Ki-67 expression were also analyzed.
Results:
Both FS-APTw and SCFS-APTw significantly reduced signal intensity in tumor parenchyma and necrotic or cystic regions, with SCFS-APTw demonstrating a stronger suppression effect. IDH-wildtype gliomas showed significantly higher APTw metrics than IDH-mutant gliomas (all P < 0.001). Glioblastomas exhibited significantly higher metrics than oligodendrogliomas (all corrected P ≤ 0.015) and astrocytomas (all corrected P < 0.001). SCFS-APTw achieved the highest area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.846 for identification of IDH mutation status. For differentiation between astrocytomas and glioblastomas, the 90th percentile of APTw yielded the highest AUC (0.860), followed by SCFS-APTw (0.849). For discrimination between oligodendrogliomas and glioblastomas, the highest AUC (0.832) was obtained using the 90th percentile of SCFS-APTw. None of these metrics successfully differentiated oligodendrogliomas from astrocytomas. SCFS-APTw demonstrated the strongest correlation with Ki-67 expression (r = 0.451).
Conclusion
FS techniques effectively reduce elevated APTw signals originating from fluid compartments. Their combination with APTw imaging enables evaluation of IDH mutation status, glioma subtypes, and tumor proliferative activity in adulttype diffuse gliomas.
3.Acetyl-coenzyme A synthetase 2-mediated acetyl-coenzyme A accumulation promotes mitophagy and tumor growth via increased H3K27ac in hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma
Shan LI ; Jie HU ; Yihan YAN ; Xinrui LIU ; Xiao DONG ; Huijun LIANG ; Xin TANG ; Junji TAO ; Rong ZHANG ; Yuan HU ; Ailong HUANG ; Kai WANG ; Ni TANG
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology 2026;32(2):661-682
Background/Aims:
Acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) is one of the most essential metabolites in cell metabolism but its function and concentration in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain elusive and controversial.
Methods:
A comprehensive analysis of acetyl-CoA levels and acetyl-CoA synthetase 2 (ACSS2) expression across a range of samples, including patient specimens from both hepatitis B virus (HBV) positive and HBV negative HCC individuals, HBV-transgenic mouse HCC models, and multiple cell lines. Furthermore, to evaluate the functional significance of ACSS2 in HBV-related HCC, we implemented both genetic and pharmacological inhibition strategies targeting ACSS2. Molecular mechanism and mitophagy assessment were revealed by cleavage under target and tagmentation sequencing, RNA sequencing, bioinformatic analyses, transmission electron microscopy and JC-1 staining.
Results:
Our study revealed a distinct metabolic signature of HBV-related HCC, marked by elevated acetyl-CoA, which was driven by ACSS2. ACSS2 was upregulated by the carbohydrate response element-binding protein in HBV-related HCC. Furthermore, ACSS2 improved tumor cell proliferation, an effect that was dependent on its enzymatic activity. Mechanistically, ACSS2-induced acetyl-CoA accumulation activated voltage-dependent anion channels 1 transcription through increased H3K27ac occupancy, which subsequently promoted mitophagy and HBV-related HCC tumorigenesis. Notably, targeting ACSS2 by depletion or inhibition with a catalytic inhibitor significantly suppressed tumor growth.
Conclusions
These findings not only illustrate the interplay between metabolic reprogramming, epigenetic modification, and tumorigenesis in the context of HBV infection, but also highlight ACSS2 as a novel metabolic vulnerability in HBV-related HCC. Therefore, targeting ACSS2 could be a novel strategy against HBV-related HCC.
4.Differences in deltamethrin resistance and kdr gene mutation in Culex tritaeniorhynchus population in and outside the Yellow Sea wetland
Xiao-er ZHANG ; Zhi-ming WU ; Ye TIAN ; Qian CUI ; Yu-qian JI ; Huan WANG ; Shu-juan YANG ; Yi-chao ZHAO ; Yu WANG ; Hua-yu YIN ; Yu DING ; Guo-jin YAN ; Min-sen ZHAO ; Shou-gang ZHANG ; Bing-dong SONG ; Hong-na CHEN ; Jian GAO ; Wei-fang YANG ; Yu-fu ZHANG ; Hui LIU ; Hong-liang CHU
Acta Parasitologica et Medica Entomologica Sinica 2026;33(2):101-107
Objective To gain insights into the biological characteristics of different populations of Culex tritaeniorhynchus within and around the Yellow Sea wetland from the perspective of the occurrence of resistance, we investigated the levels of resistance to deltamethrin and kdr gene mutation in the wetland and its peripheral areas. Methods Specimens were collected from Cx. tritaeniorhynchus populations at two monitoring sites in the Rare Bird National Nature Reserve and Tiaozi Ni Wetland Scenic Area, and also from two populations in Yancheng City and the Liuhe District of Nanjing, and the resistance of these mosquitoes to deltamethrin was determined using the CDC biotest bottle method. For each concentration of deltamethrin assessed, a random subset of exposed specimens was selected for amplification of the kdr gene fragment, followed by Sanger sequencing to identify and analyze resistance-associated mutations. Results The LC50 levels of deltamethrin among mosquitoes from the four populations in Luhe, Yancheng, the Rare Bird National Nature Reserve and the Tiaozi Ni Wetland Scenic Area were 2.048 5, 7.798 2, 3.473 3, and 17.695 5 mg/mL, respectively, with corresponding concentrations of deltamethrin ranging from 0.005 to 5.000,0.050 to 50.000,0.050 to 25.000 and 0.050 to 50.000 mg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the ranges of the KT50 values were 11.76-107.43, 67.05-216.30,29.77-107.43 and 28.40-329.51 min; the 1-h knockdown rates were 34.58%-99.15%, 9.52%-43.80%, 55.09%-73.01%, and 10.09%-68.07%; and the 24-h mortality rates were 12.15%-67.52%,9.52%-79.56%,13.17%-82.21%, and 11.01%-78.99%, respectively. With respect to kdr gene mutation, we assayed a total of 63,70,59, and 57 mosquitoes for the four populations, for which we detected L1014F mutation frequencies of 14.29%, 35.00%, 20.34%, and 31.58%, respectively, with a majority of these mutations being heterozygous for resistance. In addition, five adult mosquitoes were identified has having synonymous mutations at site 1011[i. e. , AAT(asparagine)mutation to AAC(asparagine)]. Conclusions Our findings revealed the clear resistance of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus to deltamethrin in the Yancheng region of the Yellow Sea wetland, and the resistance phenotype and kdr frequency of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in the wetland environment were comparable to those of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in the wetland environment, thereby indicating that the resistance of different populations of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus was homogeneous under the pressure of different insecticide selection within and around the wetland. However, the underlying mechanisms need to be further studied.
5.The first record of Anopheles messeae (Diptera: Culicidae) parasitized by water mites in China
Xue-ru CHEN ; Wen-zhen YAO ; Yu-hao LI ; Gui-chang LI ; Tao MENG ; Qun-ling FENG ; Xin-hui LIU ; Li-hong QIAO ; Xiang-ting WU ; Xue-feng ZHANG ; Cheng-lin LI ; Xue-cheng DONG ; Da-wei WANG ; Xiao-yan SI ; Yu-hong GUO
Acta Parasitologica et Medica Entomologica Sinica 2026;33(1):53-57
Objective This study reports on the obligatory parasitism of water mites Arrenurus sp. on Anopheles messeae at the Manzhouli Port, Inner Mongolia, China. Methods Duing July 2024, a survey on the mosquito diversity was conducted at the Manzhouli Port. Captured mosquitoes and their ectoparasites were identified to species level. Results A total of 1840 adult mosquitoes were collected, representing species from three genera: Culex(Cx. modestus, Cx. pipiens pallens), Aedes(Ae. dorsalis, Ae. flavidorsalis, Ae. flavescens), and Anopheles (An. messeae). Among all the mosqutioes specimens,3 out of 150 captured An. messeae were found to carry ectoparasitic mites, with number of 2,4,27 mites separately. Morphological and molecular identification reached the same result as water mites(Hydrachnidiae, Hydracrina). COI gene sequence showed 94% similarity with the closest species Arrenurus truncatellus. Conlusions Literature review suggests water mites are host-specific parasitism of mosquito species and herein with the first record of Arrenurus sp. parasiting on An. Messeae in the most high-latitude region globally.
6.Annual review of basic research on lung transplantation worldwide in 2025
Jier MA ; Kemeng SUN ; Xiaohan JIN ; Jiaqi LI ; Xinyue ZHANG ; Chama LOUJAINE ; Junmin ZHU ; Hengtao LIN ; Xiangyun ZHENG ; Junjie WANG ; Zengwei YU ; Yaling LIU ; Haoji YAN ; Dong TIAN
Organ Transplantation 2026;17(4):582-593
Lung transplantation is a definitive treatment for end-stage lung disease and can significantly improve patient prognosis. However, postoperative complications such as infection, rejection, ischemia-reperfusion injury and chronic lung allograft dysfunction intertwine to form a complex pathological network, posing persistent challenges to long-term patient survival. In 2025, research teams worldwide have made systematic progress in the field of basic lung transplantation research. By integrating cutting-edge technologies including single-cell multi-omics, spatial transcriptomics and novel animal models, significant breakthroughs have been achieved in the evolutionary dynamics of drug-resistant infections, molecular mechanisms of immune regulation, programmed cell death, optimization of donor lung protection strategies and early warning of chronic lung allograft dysfunction. This article systematically reviews the representative advances in basic lung transplantation research worldwide in 2025, and deeply analyzes the implications of mechanistic breakthroughs for optimizing diagnosis and treatment strategies, aiming to anchor the direction for innovative breakthroughs and clinical translation in basic lung transplantation research.
7.Influence evaluation of pharmaceutical quality control on medication therapy management services by the ECHO model
Kun LIU ; Huanhuan JIANG ; Yushuang LI ; Yan HUANG ; Qianying ZHANG ; Dong CHEN ; Xiulin GU ; Jinhui FENG ; Zijian WANG ; Yunfei CHEN ; Yajuan QI ; Yanlei GE ; Aishuang FU
China Pharmacy 2025;36(9):1123-1128
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the influence of pharmaceutical quality control on the efficiency and outcomes of standardized medication therapy management (MTM) services for patients with coronary heart disease by using Economic, Clinical and Humanistic Outcomes (ECHO) model. METHODS This study collected case data of coronary heart disease patients who received MTM services during January-March 2023 (pre-quality control implementation group, n=96) and June-August 2023 (post-quality control implementation group, n=164). Using propensity score matching analysis, 80 patients were selected from each group. The study subsequently compared the economic, clinical, and humanistic outcome indicators of pharmaceutical services between the two matched groups. RESULTS There were no statistically significant differences in baseline data between the two groups after matching (P>0.05). Compared with pre-quality control implementation group, the daily treatment cost (16.26 yuan vs. 24.40 yuan, P<0.001), cost-effectiveness ratio [23.12 yuan/quality-adjusted life year (QALY) vs. 32.32 yuan/QALY, P<0.001], and the incidence of general adverse drug reactions (2.50% vs. 10.00%, P=0.049) of post-quality control implementation group were decreased significantly; the utility value of the EuroQol Five-Dimensional Questionnaire (0.74± 0.06 vs. 0.71±0.07, P=0.003), the reduction in the number of medication related problems (1.0 vs. 0.5, P<0.001), the medication adherence score ([ 6.32±0.48) points vs. (6.10±0.37) points, P=0.001], and the satisfaction score ([ 92.56±1.52) points vs. (91.95±1.56) points, P=0.013] all showed significant improvements. Neither group experienced serious adverse drug reactions. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of new adverse reactions between the two groups (1.25% vs. 3.75%, P=0.310). CONCLUSIONS Pharmaceutical quality control can improve the quality of pharmaceutical care, and the ECHO model can quantitatively evaluate the effect of MTM services, making pharmaceutical care better priced and more adaptable to social needs, thus being worthy of promotion.
8.Annual review of clinical research on lung transplantation of China in 2024
Xiaohan JIN ; Yixin SUN ; Jier MA ; Zengwei YU ; Yaling LIU ; Senlin HOU ; Xiangyun ZHENG ; Haoji YAN ; Dong TIAN
Organ Transplantation 2025;16(3):379-385
Lung transplantation is currently the only recognized effective treatment for end-stage lung disease and has improved the quality of life for patients. However, lung transplantation still faces many challenges, including rejection, infection, post-transplant acute kidney injury, post-transplant diabetes mellitus, ischemia-reperfusion injury and donor shortage, etc. Chinese lung transplantation scholars made a series of important progress in the field of clinical research in 2024, focusing on the study and solution of the above problems, and providing new ideas for lung transplantation surgery. This article systematically reviews the clinical research and technological innovation in the field of lung transplantation in 2024, summarizes the achievements of clinical research in the field of lung transplantation in China in 2024, and aims to providing new directions and strategies for future research.
9.Annual review of basic research on lung transplantation of China in 2024
Jier MA ; Junmin ZHU ; Lan ZHANG ; Xiaohan JIN ; Xiangyun ZHENG ; Senlin HOU ; Zengwei YU ; Yaling LIU ; Haoji YAN ; Dong TIAN
Organ Transplantation 2025;16(3):386-393
Lung transplantation is the optimal treatment for end-stage lung diseases and can significantly improve prognosis of the patients. However, postoperative complications such as infection, rejection, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and other challenges (like shortage of donor lungs) , limit the practical application of lung transplantation in clinical practice. Chinese research teams have been making continuous efforts and have achieved breakthroughs in basic research on lung transplantation by integrating emerging technologies and cutting-edge achievements from interdisciplinary fields, which has strongly propelled the development of this field. This article will comprehensively review the academic progress made by Chinese research teams in the field of lung transplantation in 2024, with a focus on the achievements of Chinese teams in basic research on lung transplantation. It aims to provide innovative ideas and strategies for key issues in the basic field of lung transplantation and to help China's lung transplantation cause reach a higher level.
10.Objective characteristics of tongue manifestation in different stages of damp-heat syndrome in diabetic kidney disease
Zhaoxi DONG ; Yang SHI ; Jiaming SU ; Yaxuan WEN ; Zheyu XU ; Xinhui YU ; Jie MEI ; Fengyi CAI ; Xinyue ZANG ; Yan GUO ; Chengdong PENG ; Hongfang LIU
Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;48(3):398-411
Objective:
To investigate the objective characteristics of tongue manifestation in different stages of damp-heat syndrome in diabetic kidney disease (DKD).
Methods:
A cross-sectional study enrolled 134 patients with DKD G3-5 stages who met the diagnostic criteria for damp-heat syndrome in DKD. The patients were treated at Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, from May 2023 to January 2024. The patients were divided into three groups: DKD G3, DKD G4, and DKD G5 stage, with 53, 33, and 48 patients in each group, respectively. Clinical general data (gender, age, and body mass index) and damp-heat syndrome scores were collected from the patients. The YZAI-02 traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) AI Tongue Image Acquisition Device was used to capture tongue images from these patients. The accompanying AI Open Platform for TCM Tongue Diagnosis of the device was used to analyze and extract tongue manifestation features, including objective data on tongue color, tongue quality, coating color, and coating texture. Clinical data and objective tongue manifestation characteristics were compared among patients with DKD G3-5 based on their DKD damp-heat syndrome status.
Results:
No statistically significant difference in gender or body mass index was observed among the three patient groups. The DKD G3 stage group had the highest age (P<0.05). The DKD G3 stage group had a lower score for symptoms of poor appetite and anorexia(P<0.05) than the DKD G5 group. No statistically significant difference was observed in damp-heat syndrome scores among the three groups. Compared with the DKD G5 stage group, the DKD G3 stage group showed a decreased proportion of pale color at the tip and edges of the tongue (P<0.05). The DKD G4 stage group exhibited an increased proportion of crimson at the root of the tongue, a decreased proportion of thick white tongue coating at the root, a decreased proportion of pale color at the tip and edges of the tongue, an increased hue value (indicating color tone) of the tongue color in the middle, an increased brightness value (indicating color lightness) of the tongue coating color in the middle, and an increased thickness of the tongue coating (P<0.05). No statistically significant difference was observed in other tongue color proportions, color chroma values, body characteristics, coating color proportions, coating color chroma values, and coating texture characteristics among the three groups.
Conclusion
Tongue features differ in different stages of DKD damp-heat syndrome in multiple dimensions, enabling the inference that during the DKD G5 stage, the degree of qi and blood deficiency in the kidneys, heart, lungs, liver, gallbladder, spleen, and stomach is prominent. Dampness is more likely to accumulate in the lower jiao, particularly in the kidneys, whereas heat evil in the spleen and stomach is the most severe. These insights provide novel ideas for the clinical treatment of DKD.


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