OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy and safety of rituximab （RTX） in the treatment of primary Sjögren syndrome （pSS）. METHODS Randomized controlled trials （RCTs） on the effects of RTX （trial group） versus placebo （control group） in the treatment of pSS were searched from the Cochran Library， PubMed， Embase， Medline， Web of Science， VIP， CNKI， Wanfang， and other databases during the inception to February 2024. After literature screening and quality evaluation， meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS Seven RCTs were finally included， involving a total of 518 patients. Results of meta-analysis showed that European League Against Rheumatism Sjögren syndrome disease activity index （ESSDAI） score [MD＝－1.17， 95%CI（－1.52， －0.82）， P＜0.000 01] and oral dryness visual analogue scale （VAS） score [MD＝－3.97， 95%CI （－5.08， －2.86）， P＜0.000 01] in the trial group were significantly lower than the control group； unstimulated salivary flow rate [SMD＝0.64， 95%CI（0.41， 0.87）， P＜0.000 01] and Schirmer score [MD＝0.19， 95%CI（0.18， 0.20）， P＜0.000 01] were significantly higher than the control group. There was no statistical significance in response rate [RD＝0.10， 95%CI（－0.04， 0.23）， P＝0.16]， fatigue VAS score [MD＝－12.50， 95%CI（－35.14， 10.15）， P＝0.28]， European League Against Rheumatism Sjögren syndrome patient reported index （ESSPRI） score [MD＝0.33， 95%CI（－0.53， 1.18）， P＝0.46]， Short-form 36 health survey physical component summary （SF36-PCS） score [MD＝0.90， 95%CI（－2.97， 4.78）， P＝0.65]， SF-36 mental component summary （SF36-MCS） score [MD＝0.11， 95%CI（－0.41， 0.63）， P＝0.68]， total salivary gland ultrasound score [SMD＝－1.91， 95%CI（－4.01， 0.19）， P＝0.07] or the incidence of adverse drug reactions [OR＝1.15，95%CI（0.62，2.13），P＝0.66] between 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS RTX has advantages in the improvement of ESSDAI score， unstimulated salivary flow rate， Schirmer score and oral dryness VAS score in pSS patients， and has a good safety profile. However， it did not exhibit significant improvement in fatigue VAS score， ESSPRI score， SF36-PCS score， SF36-MCS score or response rates.

Polygonum multiflorum （PM）， a commonly used Chinese herbal medicine in clinical practice， has been associated with frequent reports of liver injury in recent years， and the medication safety of PM has attracted more and more attention in China and globally. This article reviews the recent research advances in the signaling pathways and mechanisms of PM in causing drug-induced liver injury （DILI） and aims to provide new ideas for the proper and rational use of PM in clinical practice. The results show that PM is involved in the regulation of various signaling pathways， and it leads to the death of hepatocytes by destroying mitochondrial function， exacerbating bile acid accumulation， and inducing immune response， oxidative stress， and endoplasmic reticulum stress， thereby inducing the development and progression of DILI through multiple targets， pathways， and levels.

ObjectiveTo investigate the association between urinary thallium （TL） and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD）. MethodsRelated data were collected from the registered participants aged ≥18 years in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2017 to 2020， with th exclusion of the individuals with a lack of liver transient elastography data and urinary TL indicators and those with hepatitis B， hepatitis C or significant alcohol consumption. A total of individuals were divided into NAFLD group and non-NAFLD group. Urinary TL level was quantitatively measured using high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry and online solid-phase extraction combined with isotope dilution. The two groups were compared in terms of age， sex， race， marital status， education， family income poverty impact ratio （FMPIR）， body mass index （BMI）， smoking， alcohol consumption， diabetes mellitus （DM）， hypertension （HTN）， hyperlipidemia （HL）， and urinary TL level. The independent-samples t test or the Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups， and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. Descriptive analysis， multivariable Logistic regression， restricted cubic spline regression analysis， subgroup analysis， and interaction analysis were conducted to investigate the risk association between urinary TL and NAFLD. ResultsA total of 2 511 individuals were included， with 1 612 （64.20%） in the NAFLD group and 899 （35.80%） in the non-NAFLD group， and the NAFLD group had a significantly higher urinary TL level than the non-NAFLD group ［0.18 （0.11‍ ‍— ‍0.26）μg/L vs 0.16 （0.09 — ‍0.25）μg/L， Z=-2.76， P=0.01］. After adjustment for the covariates of age， sex， race， education， marital status， FMPIR， BMI， smoking， alcohol consumption， DM， HTN， and HL， the urinary TL Q4 group had a significant increase in the risk of NAFLD （odds ratio ［OR］=1.90， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 1.48‍ — ‍2.44， P<0.01）. There was a positive dose-response relationship （P<0.01） and a non-linear relationship （P<0.01） between urinary TL and the risk of NAFLD. A significant interaction was observed between urinary TL and smoking/BMI （P<0.05）. For individuals taking ≥100 cigarettes in their lifetime， the risk of NAFLD was increased by 50% for every quartile increase in urinary TL （OR=1.50， 95%CI： 1.24‍ — ‍1.80）， and for individuals taking<100 cigarettes in their lifetime， the risk of NAFLD was increased by 20% for every quartile increase in urinary TL （OR=1.20， 95%CI： 1.03‍ — ‍1.40）； for individuals with a BMI of ≥30 kg/m²， the risk of NAFLD was increased by 30% for every quartile increase in urinary TL （OR=1.30， 95%CI： 1.05‍ — ‍1.70）， with a statistical significance （P<0.05）. ConclusionUrinary TL level is significantly associated with the risk of NAFLD.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the seventh most common malignant tumor in the world, with a 5-year survival rate of only about 50%. Thus, discovering more effective diagnostic and therapeutic approaches is an urgent need. The metabolic reprogramming of tumor cells is a key feature in the development of HNSCC, which widely exhibits alterations in glycolytic metabolism, lipid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism compared with normal cells. Metabolic reprogramming affects the energy supply and biosynthesis of tumor cells. It also participates in the regulation of the tumor microenvironment and promotes key biological processes such as proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of HNSCC. With the progressive understanding of the complexity of tumor biology, targeted-therapy strategies against metabolic reprogramming in HNSCC are emerging as a promising therapeutic approach. These metabolically targeted therapies have performed well in preclinical studies, but their clinical application requires further validation. In the future, we need to deeply explore the more complex features of metabolic reprogramming and its biological significance in HNSCC, with the aim of discovering more effective diagnostic and therapeutic targets, as well as providing new strategies to improve the prognosis of HNSCC patients.

Objective To investigate the association between urinary lead and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD).Methods The participants,aged≥18 years,were selected from the 2017-2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(NHANES),with the exclusion of the participants with a lack of liver transient elastography data and urinary lead markers and those with hepatitis B,hepatitis C,and significant alcohol consumption.A total of 2 492 participants were enrolled and divided into NAFLD group with 852 participants and non-NAFLD group with 1 640 participants.High-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry and online solid-phase extraction combined with isotope dilution were used to measure urinary lead level.The independent-samples t test or the Wilcoxon rank sum 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.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis,restricted cubic spline,subgroup analysis,and interaction analysis were used to investigate the association between urinary lead and NAFLD.Results The NAFLD group had a significantly higher urinary lead level than the non-NAFLD group(Z=-2.023,P=0.043).After adjustment of the covariates of age,sex,race,marital status,education,family income-to-poverty ratio,body mass index,smoking,drinking,diabetes mellitus,hypertension,and hyperlipidemia,there was a significant increase in the risk of NAFLD in the Q3 urinary lead group(odds ratio[OR]=1.360,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.019-1.817,P=0.037).There was a positive dose-response relationship between urinary lead and the risk of NAFLD(P=0.047),which was a non-linear relationship(Pnon-linear=0.037).There was a significant interaction between urinary lead and race,and for every quartile increase in urinary lead,the risk of NAFLD in Mexican-Americans was increased by 32.40%(OR=1.324,95%CI:1.017-1.632,P<0.05).Conclusion Urinary lead level is significantly associated with the risk of NAFLD.

Objective:To analyze the correlation between the grouping and weighting of two sets of disease combination systems, namely diagnosis-related groups(DRG) and diagnosis-intervention packet(DIP), and to establish a multidimensional analysis and evaluation mode by applying DRG, DIP, and clinical pathway to guide the standardized diagnosis and treatment and management of disease types.Methods:DRG grouping and DIP simulation full enrollment were applied to patients discharged from a tertiary Grade A general hospital in 2019. The correlation analysis between DRG, DIP, and clinical pathway inclusion(entry), correlation analysis between relative weight of DRG group and DIP standard score, and correlation analysis between clinical pathway entry and cost structure of the two disease groups were conducted by using chi-square test, Pearson correlation analysis, t-test, structural change value, degree of structural change, and incremental contribution rate. Results:Among the 130 395 patients, 41 460 cases entered the clinical pathway, 127 535 cases were enrolled in DRG, and 104 227 cases were enrolled in DIP. There was a correlation between the enrollment of DRG, DIP, and clinical pathway( P<0.05), and there was also a correlation between the relative weight of DRG groups and the enrollment of clinical pathway. The relative weight of the DRG disease group was positively correlated with the DIP standard score( r2=0.761 7, P<0.001). There was a significant difference in hospitalization costs between patients with and without clinical pathway access for some diseases( P<0.05), and different cost categories had different impacts on the total costs. Conclusions:The weight assignment and value orientation of DRG and DIP disease types are consistent, and the multi-dimensional fusion evaluation mode for DRG-DIP-clinical pathway is feasible. The correlation analysis of DRG, DIP, and clinical pathways can serve as the basis for disease classification and cost structure evaluation, which could help to carry out hospital′s refined management and optimize disease structure.

Objective:To assess the effectiveness of a 6-month Ba Duan Jin exercise program in improving the balance of community-dwelling older adults.Methods:A two arms, parallel-group, cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted in 1 028 community residents aged 60-80 years in 40 communities in 5 provinces of China. Participants in the intervention group (20 communities, 523 people) received Ba Duan Jin exercise 5 days/week, 1 hour/day for 6 months, and three times of falls prevention health education, and the control group (20 communities, 505 people) received falls prevention health education same as the intervention group. The Berg balance scale (BBS) score was the leading outcome indicator, and the secondary outcome indicators included the length of time of standing on one foot (with eyes open and closed), standing in a tandem stance (with eyes open and closed), the closed circle test, and the timed up to test.Results:A total of 1 028 participants were included in the final analysis, including 731 women (71.11%) and 297 men (28.89%), and the age was (69.87±5.67) years. After the 3-month intervention, compared with the baseline data, the BBS score of the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group by 3.05 (95% CI: 2.23-3.88) points ( P<0.001). After the 6-month intervention, compared with the baseline data, the BBS score of the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group by 4.70 (95% CI: 4.03-5.37) points ( P<0.001). Ba Duan Jin showed significant improvement ( P<0.05) in all secondary outcomes after 6 months of exercise in the intervention group compared with the control group. Conclusions:This study showed that Ba Duan Jin exercise can improve balance in community-dwelling older adults aged 60-80. The longer the exercise time, the better the improvement.

Objective To establish and validate a Nomogram model for predicting the overall survival(OS)of the patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(ICC)based on domestic multicenter data,and screen the beneficiaries of adjuvant chemotherapy based on the prediction model.Methods From December 2011 to December 2017,the data of 278 patients with postoperative pathological diagnosis of ICC from 4 medical centers in our country were collected retrospectively COX regression model was used to screen the independent risk factors of OS and constructed a Nomogram model.This model was used to stratify the risk of OS for all patients and to screen the beneficiaries of adjuvant chemotherapy.Results A total of 278 patients were enrolled,and 23 cases(8.3%)received adjuvant chemotherapy.COX multivariate analysis showed that drinking history,ECOG score,method of hepatectomy,lymph node status,number of tumors,and tumor differentiation were independent risk factors for postoperative OS.The Nomogram model had a C-index of 0.690(95%CI:0.646-0.734)in the training cohort and 0.740(95%CI:0.863-0.617)in the validation cohort.According to risk stratification by Nomogram model,in the high-risk group there was a statistically significant difference in survival between adjuvant chemotherapy and non-adjuvant chemotherapy(P=0.033),whereas in the low-risk group,there was no significant difference in survival(P=0.59).Conclusions Nomogram model based on independent risk factors of OS demonstrated excellent predictive capability for survival and could be used to screen,and identify the patients with ICC who benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of febuxostat in the treatment of hyperuricemia with hypertension.Methods:Randomized controlled trials (RCT) on the treatment of hyperuricemia with hypertension using febuxostat were retrieved from Medline, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, and VIP Database from January 2013 to July 2023, according to the retrieval strategy. Two trained researchers completed the literature screening, quality evaluation, and data extraction. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3. The fixed-effect model or random-effects model was used to analyze the research data, and subgroup analysis was conducted to identify the source of heterogeneity.Results:A total of 5 RCTs involving 456 patients (228 in the experimental group and 228 in the control group) were included in the meta-analysis, all of which were English-language literatures and foreign studies. In the treatment of hyperuricemia with hypertension, febuxostat showed a statistically significant difference in reducing serum uric acid (sUA) levels compared to control drugs [MD(95% CI)=-1.31(-2.55, -0.07), P=0.040]; there was no statistically significant difference in reducing systolic blood pressure (SBP) [SMD(95% CI)=-0.12(-0.51, 0.27), P=0.540] or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) [SMD(95% CI)=-0.15(-0.40, 0.09), P=0.220]. Subgroup analysis showed that the difference in intervention drugs in the control group may be the cause of heterogeneity in sUA levels, and the difference in intervention time may be the cause of heterogeneity in SBP levels among different studies. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the febuxostat group and the control group [RD (95% CI) =-0.01(-0.08, 0.06), P=0.770]. Conclusion:Febuxostat has a significant advantage in improving sUA levels and is relatively safe in the treatment of hyperuricemia with hypertension, but it does not show significant advantages in blood pressure control.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy(DCM)is a unique myocardial disease caused by diabetes mellitus,which can increase the risk of heart failure and death,and is one of the main causes of death of diabetes mellitus patients worldwide.Although the research on the pathogenesis of DCM has made great progress,it has not yet been fully clarified.Many studies have shown that long noncoding RNAs(lncRNAs)can interact with microRNAs(miRNAs)as competitive endogenous RNAs(ceRNAs),participate in the regulation of gene expression,and then affect the development of DCM.This article gives an overview of lncRNAs and its biological functions as well as ceRNA hypothesis,and focuses on the role of lncRNAs as ceRNAs in regulating the occurrence and development of DCM.