BACKGROUND:Despite unrelated cord blood transplantation is expected to become an important method for treating malignant hematological diseases,the manifestation and clinical characteristics of acute graft-versus-host disease in the gastrointestinal tract still require further in-depth investigation. OBJECTIVE:To analyze the clinical characteristics of intestinal acute graft-versus-host disease after unrelated cord blood transplantation. METHODS:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 668 malignant hematological disease patients after unrelated cord blood transplantation who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation subspecialty in the Department of Hematology,First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China from December 2016 to December 2020.Among them,clinical data of 138 patients with intestinal acute graft-versus-host disease were analyzed,including 76 males and 62 females,with a median age of 13(1-62)years.All patients were treated with a myeloablative regimen(without antihuman thymocyte globulin)and cyclosporin A combined with mycophenolate mofetil to prevent graft-versus-host disease. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The patients with intestinal acute graft-versus-host disease had diarrhea of varying degrees,most of which were yellow-green,yellow-brown watery stools or mucous stools.53 patients(38.4%)had blood stools,82 patients(57.9%)had skin involvement,18 patients(13.0%)had a secondary intestinal bacterial infection,and 90 patients(65.2%)had cytomegaloviremia.(2)The clinical characteristics of patients(70 cases,50.7%)with grade 1-2 intestinal acute graft-versus-host disease were compared with those(68 cases,49.3%)with grade 3-4 intestinal acute graft-versus-host disease.It was found that the age of grade 3-4 intestinal acute graft-versus-host disease patients was higher than that of grade 1-2 intestinal acute graft-versus-host disease patients(P<0.001),and they were complicated with cytomegaloviremia probably(P=0.035).Diarrhea lasted longer(P=0.00)and the length of hospital stay increased substantially(P<0.001).However,there were no significant differences in recipient gender,pre-transplant disease status,HLA matching,diagnosis,combined skin graft-versus-host disease,and secondary intestinal infection rate in patients of the two groups.(3)These findings conclude that the clinical characteristics of intestinal acute graft-versus-host disease after unrelated cord blood transplantation are complex,which affects the prognosis and quality of life of patients seriously and requires early identification and precise treatment.

ObjectiveTranscription factor NFE2 was observed abnormal expression in myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) patients. However, how NFE2 is transcriptionally regulated remains ambiguous. This study aims to explore the elements and molecular mechanisms involved in the transcriptional regulation of NFE2. MethodsActive enhancers were predicted by public NGS data and conformed experimentally via dual luciferase reporter assay. After that, PRO-seq and GRO-seq data was used to detect enhancer RNAs transcribed from these enhancers. RACE was utilized to clone the full length enhancer RNA (eRNA) transcripts, and RT-qPCR was used to measure their expression in different leukemia cell lines as well as the transcript levels during induced differentiation. Finally, to investigate the molecular function of the eRNA, overexpression and knockdown of the eRNA via lentivirus system was performed in K562 cells. ResultsWe identified three enhancers regulating NFE2 transcription, which located at -3.6k, -6.2k and +6.3k from NFE2 transcription start site (TSS) respectively. At the -3.6k enhancer, we cloned an eRNA transcript and characterized that as a lncRNA which was expressed and located in the nucleus in three types of leukemia cell lines. When this lncRNA was overexpressed, expression of NFE2 was upregulated and decreases of K562 cell proliferation and migration ability were observed. While knocking down of this lncRNA, the level of NFE2 decreases correspondingly and the proliferation ability of K562 cells increases accordingly. ConclusionWe identified an enhancer lncRNA that regulates NFE2 transcription positively and suppresses K562 cell proliferation.

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) diseases are common clinical conditions. The number of patients with TMJ diseases is large, and the etiology, epidemiology, disease spectrum, and treatment of the disease remain controversial and unknown. To understand and master the current situation of the occurrence, development and prevention of TMJ diseases, as well as to identify the patterns in etiology, incidence, drug sensitivity, and prognosis is crucial for alleviating patients′suffering.This will facilitate in-depth medical research, effective disease prevention measures, and the formulation of corresponding health policies. Cohort construction and research has an irreplaceable role in precise disease prevention and significant improvement in diagnosis and treatment levels. Large-scale cohort studies are needed to explore the relationship between potential risk factors and outcomes of TMJ diseases, and to observe disease prognoses through long-term follw-ups. The consensus aims to establish a standard conceptual frame work for a cohort study on patients with TMJ disease while providing ideas for cohort data standards to this condition. TMJ disease cohort data consists of both common data standards applicable to all specific disease cohorts as well as disease-specific data standards. Common data were available for each specific disease cohort. By integrating different cohort research resources, standard problems or study variables can be unified. Long-term follow-up can be performed using consistent definitions and criteria across different projects for better core data collection. It is hoped that this consensus will be facilitate the development cohort studies of TMJ diseases.

With the increasing proportion of human papilloma virus(HPV)infection in the pathogenic factors of oro-pharyngeal cancer,a series of changes have occurred in the surgical treatment.While the treatment mode has been im-proved,there are still many problems,including the inconsistency between diagnosis and treatment modes,the lack of popularization of reconstruction technology,the imperfect post-treatment rehabilitation system,and the lack of effective preventive measures.Especially in terms of treatment mode for early oropharyngeal cancer,there is no unified conclu-sion whether it is surgery alone or radiotherapy alone,and whether robotic minimally invasive surgery has better func-tional protection than radiotherapy.For advanced oropharyngeal cancer,there is greater controversy over the treatment mode.It is still unclear whether to adopt a non-surgical treatment mode of synchronous chemoradiotherapy or induction chemotherapy combined with synchronous chemoradiotherapy,or a treatment mode of surgery combined with postopera-tive chemoradiotherapy.In order to standardize the surgical treatment of oropharyngeal cancer in China and clarify the indications for surgical treatment of oropharyngeal cancer,this expert consensus,based on the characteristics and treat-ment status of oropharyngeal cancer in China and combined with the international latest theories and practices,forms consensus opinions in multiple aspects of preoperative evaluation,surgical indication determination,primary tumor re-section,neck lymph node dissection,postoperative defect repair,postoperative complication management prognosis and follow-up of oropharyngeal cancer patients.The key points include:① Before the treatment of oropharyngeal cancer,the expression of P16 protein should be detected to clarify HPV status;② Perform enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the maxillofacial region before surgery to evaluate the invasion of oropharyngeal cancer and guide precise surgical resec-tion of oropharyngeal cancer.Evaluating mouth opening and airway status is crucial for surgical approach decisions and postoperative risk prediction;③ For oropharyngeal cancer patients who have to undergo major surgery and cannot eat for one to two months,it is recommended to undergo percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy before surgery to effectively improve their nutritional intake during treatment;④ Early-stage oropharyngeal cancer patients may opt for either sur-gery alone or radiation therapy alone.For intermediate and advanced stages,HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer general-ly prioritizes radiation therapy,with concurrent chemotherapy considered based on tumor staging.Surgical treatment is recommended as the first choice for HPV unrelated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma(including primary and re-current)and recurrent HPV related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma after radiotherapy and chemotherapy;⑤ For primary exogenous T1-2 oropharyngeal cancer,direct surgery through the oral approach or da Vinci robotic sur-gery is preferred.For T3-4 patients with advanced oropharyngeal cancer,it is recommended to use temporary mandibu-lectomy approach and lateral pharyngotomy approach for surgery as appropriate;⑥ For cT1-2N0 oropharyngeal cancer patients with tumor invasion depth＞3 mm and cT3-4N0 HPV unrelated oropharyngeal cancer patients,selective neck dissection of levels ⅠB to Ⅳ is recommended.For cN+HPV unrelated oropharyngeal cancer patients,therapeutic neck dissection in regions Ⅰ-Ⅴ is advised;⑦ If PET-CT scan at 12 or more weeks after completion of radiation shows intense FDG uptake in any node,or imaging suggests continuous enlargement of lymph nodes,the patient should undergo neck dissection;⑧ For patients with suspected extracapsular invasion preoperatively,lymph node dissection should include removal of surrounding muscle and adipose connective tissue;⑨ The reconstruction of oropharyngeal cancer defects should follow the principle of reconstruction steps,with priority given to adjacent flaps,followed by distal pedicled flaps,and finally free flaps.The anterolateral thigh flap with abundant tissue can be used as the preferred flap for large-scale postoperative defects.

Plant natural products have a wide range of pharmacological properties, not only can they be used as plant dietary supplements to meet the nutritional needs of the human body in the accelerated pace of life, but also occupy an important position in the research and development of therapeutic drugs for the treatment of tumors, inflammation and other diseases, and have been widely accepted by the public due to their good safety. However, despite the above advantages of plant natural products, limiting factors such as low solubility, poor stability, lack of targeting, high toxicity and side effects, and unacceptable odor have greatly impeded their conversion to clinical applications. Therefore, the development of new avenues for the application of new natural products has become an urgent problem to be solved at present. In recent years, with the continuous development of research, various strategies have been developed to improve the bioavailability of natural products. Among them, nanocarrier delivery system is one of the most attractive strategies at present. In past studies, a large number of nanomaterials (organic, inorganic, etc.) have been developed to encapsulate plant-derived natural products for their efficient delivery to specific organs and cells. Up to now, nanotechnology has not only been limited to pharmaceutical applications, but is also competing in the fields of nanofood processing technology and nanoemulsions. Among the various nanocarriers, liposomes are the largest nanocarriers with the largest market share at present. Liposomes are bilayer nanovesicles synthesized from amphiphilic substances, which have advantages such as high drug loading capacity and stability. Attractively, the flexible surface of liposomes can be modified with various functional elements. Functionalized modification of liposomes with different functional elements such as antibodies, nucleic acids, peptides, and stimuli-responsive moieties can bring out the excellent drug delivery function of liposomes to a greater extent. For example, the modification of functional elements with targeting function such as nucleic acids and antibodies on the surface of liposomes can deliver natural products to the target location and improve the bioavailability of drugs; the modification of stimulus-responsive groups such as photosensitizers, magnetic nanoparticles, pH-responsive groups, and temperature sensitizers on the surface of liposomes can achieve controlled release of drugs, localized targeting, and synergistic thermotherapy. In addition to the above properties, by using functionalized liposomes to encapsulate natural products with irritating properties can also effectively mask the irritating properties of natural products, improve public acceptance, and increase the possibility of application of irritating natural products. There are various strategies for modifying liposomes with functional elements, and the properties of functionalized liposomes constructed by different construction strategies differ. The commonly used construction strategies for functionalized liposomes include covalent modification and non-covalent modification. These two types of construction strategies have their own advantages and disadvantages. Covalent modification has better stability than non-covalent modification, but its operation is cumbersome. With the above background, this review focuses on the three typical problems faced by plant natural products at present, and summarizes the specific applications of functionalized liposomes in them. In addition, this paper summarizes the construction strategies for building different types of functionalized liposomes. Finally, this paper will also review the opportunities and challenges faced by functionalized liposomes to enter clinical therapy, and explore the opportunities to overcome these problems, with a view to better realizing the precise control of plant nanomedicines, and providing ideas and inspirations for researchers in related fields as well as relevant industrial staff.

Objective: To investigate the status and influencing factors of abnormal spinal curvature among middle school students in Zhejiang Province, so as to provide insights into formulating intervention measures of abnormal spinal curvature among students. Methods: Middle school students were selected from 90 counties (cities or districts) for abnormal spinal curvature screening using the stratified random cluster sampling method based on the Student Common Diseases and Influencing Factors Program in 2022. Basic information, nutritional status, sedentary time and sleep time were collected through questionnaire surveys and physical examination. Influencing factors for abnormal spinal curvature among middle school students were identified using a multivariable logistic regression model. Results: Totally 93 988 students were recruited, and 92 559 students responded effectively, with a response rate of 98.48%. There were 48 578 males (52.48%) and 43 981 females (47.52%). A total of 1 690 students with abnormal spinal curvature were detected, accounting for 1.83%. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the students who were female (OR=1.331, 95%CI: 1.204-1.471), lived in suburb areas (OR=1.254, 95%CI: 1.135-1.385), were at ages of 14 years and above (14 to 16 years, OR=1.252, 95%CI: 1.108-1.414; >16 years, OR=1.273, 95%CI: 1.090-1.486) and had sedentary time greater than 10 h/d (OR=1.162, 95%CI: 1.034-1.305) might have higher risks of abnormal spinal curvature, while the students who were overweight or obesity (OR=0.491, 95%CI: 0.426-0.565), regularly adjust the heights of the desks and chairs (OR=0.883, 95%CI: 0.797-0.979), and slept 8 hours or more per day (OR=0.850, 95%CI: 0.765-0.945) might have lower risks of abnormal spinal curvature. Conclusions The prevalence of abnormal spinal curvature among middle school students in Zhejiang Province is associated with gender, region, age, nutritional status, regularly adjusting the heights of desks and chairs, sedentary time and sleep time.

Objective:To observe the changes in the nutritional status of pediatric patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(allo-HSCT)for one year,and to analyze the risk factors.Methods:We collected data from 88 pediatric patients who underwent allo-HSCT at the Department of Hematology and Oncology in Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between May 2018 and November 2022.All pediatric patients underwent nutritional status analysis before transplantation,at enrollment,3 months,6 months and 1 year after allo-HSCT.Linear regression model was used to analyze the risk factors for growth rate.Results:The body mass index Z score(BMI-Z)before allo-HSCT was(0.096±1.349),and decreased to(-0.258±1.438)、(-0.715±1.432)、(-0.584±1.444)at enrollment,3 months,6 months after allo-HSCT,and(-0.130±1.317)at 1 year after allo-HSCT(P<0.001).There was no significant change in BMI-Z between pre-transplantation and 1 year after transplantation(P=1.000).Height for age Z score(HAZ)before transplantation was(0.137±1.305)and decreased to(-0.083±1.267)、(-0.221±1.299)、(-0.269±1.282)in 3 months,6 months and 1 year after allo-HSCT(P<0.001).Multivariate linear regression showed that age≥10 years old(P=0.015)and chronic graft-versus-host disease(cGVHD)(P=0.005)were independent risk factors for change in HAZ.Conclusion:The BMI-Z of pediatric patients treated with allo-HSCT returned to the pre-transplantation level after one year,while HAZ continued to decrease.Allo-HSCT may cause impaired growth rate in pediatric patients.Attention should be paid to HAZ changes in pediatric patients before and after allo-HSCT,especially in pediatric patients≥10 years old of age and those with cGVHD.Effective nutritional intervention should be provided in time.

Objective:To explore the causal relationship between human inhalation injury and circulating inflammatory proteins.Methods:This research was based on two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. With inhalation injury as the exposure factor and circulating inflammatory proteins as the result, data on inhalation injury (216 993 samples) and 91 circulating inflammatory proteins (14 824 samples) were obtained from the genome-wide association study database, and analysis was conducted by two-sample MR analysis methods. Based on linkage disequilibrium analysis, independent site single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that were significantly associated with inhalation injury were identified as the instrumental variables. The inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was mainly used to analyze the causal relationship between inhalation injury and 91 circulating inflammatory proteins, which were further verified using the weighted median method, weighted pattern method, MR-Egger method, and simple pattern method. Based on the aforementioned IVW method analysis results, SNPs of inhalation injury conformed to the hypothesis were subjected to Cochran's Q test for heterogeneity assessment, the MR-Egger regression test and MR-PRESSO outlier test for assessment of horizontal pleiotropy, and the leave-one-out method analysis for reliability assessment.Results:Six SNPs with a significant threshold ( P<5×10 -5) were identified as representative instrumental variables of inhalation injury, with F values greater than 10, indicating strong correlated instrumental variables. Based on the 6 inhalation injury SNPs, the IVW method analysis revealed a significant causal relationship between inhalation injury and interleukin-20 (IL-20), IL-20 receptor subunit alpha (IL-20RA), IL-5, and tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 9 (TNFRSF9), with odds ratios of 1.01, 1.01, 1.02, and 1.01, respectively, and 95% confidence intervals of 1.00-1.02, 1.00-1.03, 1.01-1.03, and 1.00-1.03, respectively, P<0.05. Verification through the weighted median method and MR-Egger method confirmed that the causal relationships between inhalation injury and IL-5 (with odds ratios of 1.02 and 1.03, respectively, confidence intervals of 1.00-1.04 and 1.01-1.04, respectively, P<0.05) as well as TNFRSF9 (with odds ratios of 1.02 and 1.03, respectively, confidence intervals of 1.00-1.04 and 1.01-1.04, respectively, P<0.05) were statistically significant. Conversely, verification through the weighted pattern method and simple pattern method indicated that the causal relationships between inhalation injury and IL-20, IL-20RA, IL-5, and TNFRSF9 were not statistically significant (with all P values >0.05), thus still needing IVW method results as standards. Based on the aforementioned IVW method analysis results, the Cochran's Q test demonstrated there was no significant heterogeneity in the 6 inhalation injury SNPs that had significant causal relationships with IL-20, IL-20RA, IL-5, and TNFRSF9 (with Q values of 2.67, 5.00, 5.17, and 5.29, respectively, P>0.05); assessments using the MR-Egger regression test along with MR-PRESSO outlier test showed that none of the 6 inhalation injury SNPs that had significant causal relationships with IL-20, IL-20RA, IL-5, and TNFRSF9 had significant horizontal pleiotropy (with intercepts of 0.01, <0.01, -0.02, and -0.03, respectively, RSSobs values of 3.33, 9.00, 7.88, and 7.26, respectively, P>0.05); the leave-one-out method analysis showed that the significant causal relationship between inhalation injury and IL-20, IL-20RA, IL-5, and TNFRSF9 was stable and reliable after removing the 6 inhalation injury SNPs one by one. Conclusions:Through two-sample MR analysis, it is clear that there is a significant causal relationship between inhalation injury and four circulating inflammatory proteins, namely IL-20, IL-20RA, IL-5, and TNFRSF9, suggesting the production of the above four circulating inflammatory proteins is in an increasing trend following inhalation injury.

Objective To investigate the differences in clinical characteristics among children on prolonged mechanical ventilation(PMV)due to different primary diseases.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 59 pediatric patients requiring PMV from July 2017 to September 2022.According to the primary disease,they were divided into respiratory disease(RD)group,central nervous system(CNS)group,neuromuscular disease(NMD)group,and other disease group.The four groups were compared in terms of general information,treatment,and outcome.Results There were significant differences among the four groups in age,body weight,Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2(PELOD-2)score,Pediatric Risk of Mortality Ⅲ(PRISM Ⅲ)score,analgesic and sedative treatment,nutrition supply,rehabilitation treatment,tracheotomy,successful ventilator weaning,and outcomes(P＜0.05).Compared with the RD group,the CNS group and the other disease group had a significantly higher age and a significantly higher proportion of children receiving rehabilitation treatment,and the CNS group had a significantly higher proportion of children receiving tracheotomy(P＜0.008).Compared with the other disease group,the CNS group and the NMD group had significantly lower PELOD-2 and PRISM Ⅲ scores,and the CNS group had a significantly higher proportion of children with successful ventilator weaning and a significantly higher proportion of children who were improved and discharged(P＜0.008).Conclusions There are differences in clinical characteristics among children receiving PMV due to different etiologies.Most children in the RD group have a younger age,and children in the CNS group have a relatively good prognosis.

Objective:To analyze the characteristics and prognosis of patients with mucormycosis after chemotherapy for acute leukemia,and to strengthen understanding of the disease.Methods:7 cases of acute leukemia(AL)patients diagnosed with mucormycosis by metagenomic next generation sequencing(mNGS)after chemotherapy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College from October 2021 to June 2022 were collected,and their clinical data,including clinical characteristics,diagnosis,treatment,and prognosis,were retrospectively analyzed.Results:Among the 7 patients with AL complicated with mucormycosis,there were 3 males and 4 females,with a median age of 52(20-59)years.There were 6 cases of acute myeloid leukemia(AML)and 1 case of acute lymphocytic leukemia(ALL).Extrapulmonary involvement in 4 cases,including 1 case suspected of central nervous system involvement.The median time for the occurrence of mucor infection was 16(6-69)days after chemotherapy and 19(14-154)days after agranulocytosis.The main clinical manifestations of mucormycosis were fever(7/7),cough(3/7),chest pain(3/7)and dyspnea(1/7).The most common chest CT imaging findings were nodules,patchy or mass consolidation(6/7).All patients were treated with posaconazole or voriconazole prophylaxis during neutropenia phase.5 patients died within 8 months,and the median time from diagnosis to death was 1 month.Conclusion:Although prophylactic antifungal therapy is adopted,patients with acute leukemia still have a risk of mucor infection during the neutropenia phase.Fever is the main manifestation in the early stage of mucor infection.The use of intravenous antifungal drugs alone is ineffective and there is a high mortality rate in acute leukemia patients with mucormycosis.