Esophageal cancer （EC） is a highly prevalent malignant tumor in China. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathway， as one of the key oncogenic pathways， can promote the cell cycle progression， proliferation， migration， and invasion， induce chemoresistance， and inhibit apoptosis and autophagy of EC cells. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， with the advantages of targeting multiple points with multiple components to delay cancer progression， can target the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway for EC treatment. This article preliminarily discusses the molecular mechanism and role of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in EC and elaborates on the specific targets and efficacy of TCM in treating EC through intervention in the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in the past five years. TCM materials and extracts inhibiting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in EC include Borneolum， spore powder of Ganoderma lucidum without spore coat， extract of Celastrus orbiculatus， root extract of Taraxacum， and Bruceae Fructus oil emulsion. TCM active ingredients exerting the effect include flavonoids， terpenoids， saponins， phenols， polysaccharides， alkaloids， and other compounds. TCM compound prescriptions with such effect include Qige San， Huqi San， Xuanfu Daizhetang， Tongyoutang and its decomposed prescriptions， Liujunzi Tang， and Xishenzhi Formula. In addition， TCM injections such as Compound Kushen Injection and Kang'ai injection also inhibit the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in EC. This paper summarizes the role of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in EC and the TCM interventions， aiming to provide reference for the research and clinical application of new drugs for EC.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors （ICIs） combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of early triple-negative breast cancer （TNBC）. METHODS Randomized controlled trials （RCTs） comparing ICIs combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy （experimental group） versus neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone （control group） were retrieved from PubMed， Cochrane Library， Embase， Web of Science， CNKI， Wanfang Data， and VIP databases， as well as relevant studies published at oncology academic conferences. The search period was from database inception to June 30， 2025. After literature screening， data extraction， and quality assessment， a meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan 5.4 software. RESULTS A total of 6 RCTs involving 3 786 patients were finally included. The meta-analysis results showed that the experimental group had superior event-free survival [HR＝0.73， 95%CI （0.62， 0.85）， P＜0.000 1]， overall survival [HR＝0.69， 95%CI （0.57， 0.84）， P＝0.000 3]， and pathological complete response （pCR） [OR＝1.57， 95%CI （1.37， 1.80）， P＜0.000 01] compared to the control group. The incidence of ≥grade 3 adverse event （AE）， severe AE （SAE）， and ≥ grade 3 immune-related adverse event （irAE） in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in the incidence of any AE or any irAE （P＞0.05）. Subgroup analysis revealed that， regardless of programmed cell death ligand 1 expression status （negative or positive），the pCR in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group （P＜0.05）. Additionally， the pCR of the patients with positive lymph nodes in the experimental group was significantly higher to that in the ontrol group （P＜0.05）. There was no statistically significant difference in pCR between the two groups with negative lymph nodes （P＝0.09）. CONCLUSIONS ICIs combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy can significantly improve event-free survival and overall survival in patients with TNBC， providing patients with long-term survival benefits. However， the risk of ≥ grade 3 AE， SAE and ≥ grade 3 irAE has increased.

The principle of "supplementing or draining by the preference and aversions of the the five zang organs" emphasizes that prescriptions should align the five flavors of medicinals with the needs of the five organs， achieving supplementation through harmonizing flavors and drainage through opposing flavors. This paper analyzed the formulas for regulating the spleen found in Wings of the Thousand Gold Pieces Formulary （《千金翼方》） from the perspective of "supplementing or draining by the preference and aversions"， to summarize SUN Simiao's prescription characteristics for treating spleen-related disorders. In terms of the combination rule of medicinal properties and flavors， formulas like Bupi Decoction （补脾汤） for supplementing the spleen use sweet and warm medicinals paired with bitter and drying medicinals； those for draining the spleen use acrid and warm medicinals paired with bitter and cold medicinals； those for warming the spleen employs acrid and hot medicinals with sweet and warm medicinals； those like Jianpi Decoction （建脾汤） for strengthening spleen combines sweet and warm with sour and bitter medicinals； Zhuanpi Pill （转脾丸） pairs acrid and warm medicinals with sweet and warm medicinals； and Roupi Decoction （柔脾汤） uses sweet and warm medicinals with sweet and bitter medicinals. Regarding the medicinal flavors， warm dominates the four qi （the four properties）， while sweet， bitter， and acrid are the main among the five flavors. Clinical practice involves applying comprehensive therapy methods such as the combination of sweet and bitter to harmonize， acrid and sweet to transform yang， pungent to disperse and bitter to descend， balancing cold and warm， and combining supplementation and drainage. The foundational principle is to tonify spleen qi and protect the middle jiao， and treatment is tailored based on the disease condition， location， nature， and the characteristics of the medicinals， with careful selection of suitable dosage forms and administration methods.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy and safety of three aromatase inhibitors （exemestane， anastrozole， letrozole） for postmenopausal hormone receptor （HR）-positive early breast cancer. METHODS PubMed， the Cochrane Library， Embase， CNKI， Wanfang Data， VIP and SinoMed were searched to collect randomized controlled trials （RCTs） of the above three drugs in the treatment of postmenopausal HR-positive early breast cancer patients. The retrieval time limit was from the establishment of the database to October 25， 2024. After literature screening， data extraction and literature quality evaluation， network meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan 5.3 and Stata 18.0 software. RESULTS A total of 15 RCTs involving 44 055 patients were included. The results of network meta-analysis showed that the objective response rate of letrozole group was significantly higher than anastrozole group （P＜0.05）， and the order of surface under the cumulative ranking curve （SUCRA） from high to low was letrozole （85.6%）＞anastrozole （61.5%）＞exemestane （2.8%）. The disease-free survival rate of anastrozole group was significantly higher than exemestane and placebo groups （P＜0.05）， and the order of SUCRA from high to low was letrozole （85.8%）＞ anastrozole （67.3%）＞exemestane （41.4%）＞placebo （5.5%）. The total incidence of adverse reactions in anastrozole group was significantly higher than letrozole and placebo groups （P＜0.05）， and the order of SUCRA from high to low was exemestane （87.4%）＞letrozole （63.9%）＞anastrozole （47.0%）＞placebo （1.7%）. The results of subgroup analysis according to the course of treatment≥104 weeks were consistent with them. CONCLUSIONS Compared with anastrozole， letrozole has better efficacy and safety in the treatment of postmenopausal HR-positive early breast cancer， and the efficacy of exemestane is limited.

Objective To investigate the health status of high-temperature workers in Longhua District, Shenzhen City. Methods A total of 10 323 high-temperature workers in Longhua District from 2019 to 2022 were selected as the research subjects using the judgment sampling method. Their in-service occupational medical examination results during employment were collected and analyzed by grouping. Results The abnormal rates of urinalysis, blood pressure, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), electrocardiogram (ECG), and blood glucose among the research subjects were 34.9%, 12.5%, 8.5%, 7.6%, and 7.2%, respectively. Women had a higher rate of abnormal urinalysis than men (63.0% vs 25.9%, P<0.01), while men had higher rates of abnormal blood pressure and serum ALT than women (13.5% vs 9.4%, 10.2% vs 3.1%, both P<0.01). The abnormal rates of urinalysis, blood pressure, ECG, and blood glucose among the research subjects increased with age (all P<0.05), while the abnormal rate of serum ALT decreased with age (P<0.01). The abnormal rates of blood pressure and blood glucose increased with the length of high-temperature work time (all P<0.01). The most common occupation exposed to high temperatures was injection molding (accounting for 22.2%). The abnormal rates of urinalysis, blood pressure, serum ALT, ECG, and blood glucose among different occupations had significant differences (all P<0.01). Among them, injection molding workers had the highest rate of abnormal urinalysis (43.5%), while inflation film workers had the highest rate of abnormal blood pressure (24.2%). Conclusion The health status of high-temperature workers in Longhua District is concerning. Priority should be given to addressing abnormalities in urinalysis, ALT, ECG, blood pressure, and blood glucose. Occupational medical examinations should focus on elder workers and those with long high-temperature work time.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of governor vessel moxibustion on improving cardiopulmonary fitness in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) of qi deficiency of lung and kidney. METHODS: A total of 40 patients with stable COPD of qi deficiency of lung and kidney were randomized into an observation group (20 cases) and a control group (20 cases). The routine basic treatment and nursing were adopted in the control group. In the observation group, on the basis of the treatment in the control group, governor vessel moxibustion was applied at the area from Dazhui (GV14) to Yaoshu (GV2) of the governor vessel, 1 hour a time, once a week. Both groups were treated for 8 weeks consecutively. The maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max), 6-minute walking test (6MWT) and Borg score, pulmonary function indexes (forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV₁], forced vital capacity [FVC] and ratio of FEV₁ and FVC [FEV₁/FVC]), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment test (CAT) score, and TCM syndrome score were observed in the two groups before and after treatment respectively. RESULTS: After treatment, the VO₂max, 6MWT, FEV₁, FVC and FEV₁/FVC were increased compared with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.001, P<0.05), the above indexes in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01). After treatment, the Borg, CAT and TCM syndrome scores were decreased compared with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.05, P<0.001), the above indexes in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Governor vessel moxibustion can effectively improve the cardiopulmonary fitness, clinical symptoms and the quality of life in patients with stable COPD of qi deficiency of lung and kidney.
Humans ; Moxibustion ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/physiopathology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Qi ; Lung/physiopathology* ; Kidney/physiopathology* ; Acupuncture Points

Emerging evidence suggests that dysbiosis of the gut microbiota is associated with the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder. The microbiota-gut-brain axis plays a crucial role in the development and progression of PD, and numerous studies have demonstrated the potential therapeutic benefits of modulations in the intestinal microbiota. This review provides insights into the characterization of the gut microbiota in patients with PD and highlights associations with clinical symptoms and underlying mechanisms. The discussion underscores the increased influence of the gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of PD. While the relationship is not fully elucidated, existing research demonstrates a strong correlation between changes in the composition of gut microbiota and disease development, and further investigation is warranted to explain the specific underlying mechanisms.
Humans ; Parkinson Disease/microbiology* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/physiology* ; Dysbiosis/microbiology*

Microbial-derived metabolites are important mediators of host-microbial interactions. In recent years, the role of intestinal microbial metabolites in colorectal cancer has attracted considerable attention. These metabolites, which can be derived from bacterial metabolism of dietary substrates, modification of host molecules such as bile acids, or directly from bacteria, strongly influence the progression of colitis-associated cancer (CAC) by regulating inflammation and immune response. Here, we review how microbiome metabolites short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), secondary bile acids, polyamines, microbial tryptophan metabolites, and polyphenols are involved in the tumorigenesis and development of CAC through inflammation and immunity. Given the heated debate on the metabolites of microbiota in maintaining gut homeostasis, serving as tumor molecular markers, and affecting the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in recent years, strategies for the prevention and treatment of CAC by targeting intestinal microbial metabolites are also discussed in this review.
Humans ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/physiology* ; Animals ; Carcinogenesis/metabolism* ; Colitis-Associated Neoplasms/microbiology* ; Fatty Acids, Volatile/metabolism* ; Bile Acids and Salts/metabolism* ; Colitis/microbiology*

OBJECTIVE: To develop a clinical automated diagnostic system for temporomandibular disorders (TMD) based on the diagnostic criteria for TMD (DC/TMD) to assist dentists in making rapid and accurate clinical diagnosis of TMD. METHODS: Clinical and imaging data of 354 patients, who visited the Center for TMD & Orofacial Pain at Peking University Hospital of Stomatology from September 2023 to January 2024, were retrospectively collected. The study developed a clinical automated diagnostic system for TMD using the DC/TMD, built on the. NET Framework platform with branching statements as its internal structure. Further validation of the system on consistency and diagnostic efficacy compared with DC/TMD were also explored. Diagnostic efficacy of the TMD clinical automated diagnostic system for degenerative joint diseases, disc displacement with reduction, disc displacements without reduction with limited mouth opening and disc displacement without reduction without limited mouth opening was evaluated and compared with a specialist in the field of TMD. Accuracy, precision, specificity and the Kappa value were assessed between the TMD clinical automated diagnostic system and the specialist. RESULTS: Diagnoses for various TMD subtypes, including pain-related TMD (arthralgia, myalgia, headache attributed to TMD) and intra-articular TMD (disc displacement with reduction, disc displacement with reduction with intermittent locking, disc displacement without reduction with limited opening, disc displacement without reduction without limited opening, degenerative joint disease and subluxation), using the TMD clinical automated diagnostic system were completely identical to those obtained by the TMD specialist based on DC/TMD. Both the system and the expert showed low sensitivity for diagnosing degenerative joint disease (0.24 and 0.37, respectively), but high specificity (0.96). Both methods achieved high accuracy (> 0.9) for diagnosing disc displacements with reduction and disc displacements without reduction with limited mouth opening. The sensitivity for diagnosing disc displacement without reduction without limited mouth opening was only 0.59 using the automated system, lower than the expert (0.87), while both had high specificity (0.92). The Kappa values for most TMD subtypes were close to 1, except the disc displacement without reduction without limited mouth opening, which had a Kappa value of 0.68. CONCLUSION This study developed and validated a reliable clinical automated diagnostic system for TMD based on DC/TMD. The system is designed to facilitate the rapid and accurate diagnosis and classification of TMD, and is expected to be an important tool in clinical scenarios.
Humans ; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders/diagnosis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Facial Pain/diagnosis* ; Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted/methods* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVES: To explore the efficacy of DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy for management of cancer pain and provide reference for its standardized clinical application. Methods and. RESULTS: Recommendations were formulated based on literature review and expert group discussion, and consensus was reached following expert consultation. The consensus recommendations are comprehensive, covering the entire treatment procedures from preoperative assessment and preparation, surgical operation process, postoperative management and traditional Chinese medicine treatment to individualized treatment planning. The study results showed that the treatment plans combining traditional Chinese with Western medicine effectively alleviated cancer pain, reduced the use of opioid drugs, and significantly improved the quality of life and enhanced immune function of the patients. Postoperative follow-up suggested good treatment tolerance among the patients without serious complications. CONCLUSIONS The formulated consensus is comprehensive and can provide reference for clinicians to use DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy. The combined treatment has a high clinical value with a good safety profile for management of cancer pain.
Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Cancer Pain/therapy* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Pain Management/methods* ; China