A more scientific blood lead reference value urgently needs to be updated in China: From a national and international insight.

Although blood lead levels (BLLs) in children have significantly decreased compared to two decades ago, incidents of lead poisoning and elevated BLLs among children continue to occur frequently. This trend suggests that China's current hygienic regulations are not sufficiently effective in managing children's lead exposure. This study analyzed the revision processes of blood lead reference values (BLRVs) in children from various countries, the current BLLs and their changing trends in China, potential sources of lead pollution and exposure, the requirements for managing and protecting children's health, as well as the national measures and strategies for lead emission management and control.

Pembrolizumab as an effective treatment for diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma with long‑term survival: A case report and literature review.

Primary diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPEM) is a malignant disease without standard treatments recommended. Recently, immunotherapy has revolutionized the field of tumor therapy. According to current clinical evidence, advanced MPEM may gain potential clinical benefits from immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Single-molecule techniques in studying the molecular mechanisms of DNA synapsis in non-homologous end-joining repair.

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are the most severe form of DNA damage, primarily repaired by the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathway. A critical step in this process is DNA synapsis, where the two broken ends are brought together to facilitate timely repair. Deficiencies in NHEJ synapsis can lead to improper DNA end configurations, potentially resulting in chromosomal translocations.

Postprandial triglyceride-rich lipoproteins as predictors of carotid atherosclerosis in individuals with normal fasting lipid profiles: a prospective follow-up study.

Background: Carotid atherosclerosis (CAS), a key precipitator of cardiovascular incidents, is linked to postprandial triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRL), as reflected by elevated triglycerides (TG) and remnant cholesterol (RC). This study explores the oral fat tolerance test (OFTT) for its predictive value in CAS, using postprandial TRL levels as a diagnostic biomarker.

Methods: A total of 107 volunteers with normal fasting lipid profiles and no CAS at baseline were included.

Clinical Analysis and Network Pharmacology in Revealing the Mechanism of Daifu Decoction on the Relapse of UC.

Background: Daifu Decoction (DFD), a patented herbal prescription used to prevent and treat ulcerative colitis (UC). This study aimed to reveal the effect of DFD on the relapse of UC and its mechanism via integrated retrospective clinical analysis, network pharmacology and in vivo and in vitro experimental validation.

Methods: First, the clinical data of UC patients treated with DFD were reviewed from a real-world study (RWS), and the relapse at 24 weeks after drug withdrawal was recorded to evaluate the relapse rate.

A Prospective Observational Study to Evaluate the Actual Use of 1% Pimecrolimus in Chinese Patients with Mild-to-Moderate Atopic Dermatitis Affecting Sensitive Skin Areas.

Introduction: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin disorder that affects both children and adults, characterized by pruritus and scaly, dry eczematous lesions. This study aimed to gather knowledge on the actual use and effectiveness of Pimecrolimus (PIM) in Chinese patients with mild-to-moderate AD affecting sensitive skin areas in routine clinical practice.

Methods: This multicentre and non-interventional study included 130 subjects from China, divided into two age groups (2-12 years and ≥12 years).

Efficient total synthesis of dehydro--viniferin through metal-halogen exchange cyclization.

Bioactive dehydro--viniferin was synthesized through an efficient and practical eight-step route, achieving an overall yield of 27%. The synthesis process involves an intramolecular cyclization and dehalogenation a metal-halogen exchange, producing 3-arylbenzofuran, with the di-iodinated -aryloxyketone serving as the key intermediate. Long reaction times and the use of excess reagent -PrMgCl·LiCl facilitate metal-halogen exchange cyclization and dehalogenation.

Chinese Expert Consensus on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare spindle-cell neoplasm. IMT currently suffers from a paucity of standardized diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines. The Chinese expert consensus committee on the diagnosis and treatment of IMT formed an "Expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor".

Effectiveness and Current Status of Icariin in the Treatment of Rotator Cuff Injury Associated with Osteoporosis.

Rotator cuff injury is a disease in which the muscle and tendon that constitute the rotator cuff are torn causing shoulder pain and limited function. Osteoporosis (OP) is a systemic metabolic bone disease characterized by decreased bone mass, destruction of bone microstructure, decreased bone strength, and increased bone fragility. Both are common musculoskeletal diseases that occur in middle-aged and elderly people, and their prevalence gradually increases with age.

Jiawei Danggui Buxue Decoction Reduces Apoptosis and EMT of Renal Interstitial Fibrosis by Regulating JAK2/STAT3 Signaling Pathway.

Background: Renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF) is the primary pathological progression in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Given the constraints related to cost and adverse effects of current treatments, it is crucial to explore novel and efficacious therapeutic strategies. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the potential of Jiawei Danggui Buxue Decoction (JDBD) to reduce apoptosis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in RIF by regulating the Janus kinase 2 (JAK2)/Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway.

Chinese Medicine for the Treatment of Liver Cirrhosis: The Mechanism of Cellular Autophagy.

Liver cirrhosis is a critical stage in the progression of various chronic liver diseases, often leading to severe complications such as ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, and a high mortality rate, and it thus poses a serious threat to patient life. The activation of hepatic stellate cells is a central driver of disease progression. Cellular autophagy, a lysosome-mediated degradation process, plays a key role in maintaining cellular function and dynamic homeostasis.

Global Greening Major Contributed by Climate Change With More Than Two Times Rate Against the History Period During the 21th Century.

Future variations of global vegetation are of paramount importance for the socio-ecological systems. However, up to now, it is still difficult to develop an approach to project the global vegetation considering the spatial heterogeneities from vegetation, climate factors, and models. Therefore, this study first proposes a novel model framework named GGMAOC (grid-by-grid; multi-algorithms; optimal combination) to construct an optimal model using six algorithms (i.

Increasing RB1 Expression by Targeting EZH2 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Loss of RB1 function represents a defining characteristic of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and is intricately associated with resistance to therapeutic interventions. In this study, we investigate the epigenetic mechanisms governing RB1 expression in TNBC. Employing a combination of bioinformatics analyses and experimental validations, we identified lysine histone methyltransferase EZH2 as a key upstream regulator of RB1 expression.

Development of a Novel 11-Gene Signature Related to Immune Subtypes for Fibromyalgia.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to identify molecular subtypes and hub genes in fibromyalgia [FM] based on immune-related genes [IRGs].

Background: FM is a chronic disease featuring widespread pain, and the immune system may be involved in the FM progression.

Objective: The objectives of this study are as follows: 1] To identify the molecular subtypes of FM based on IRGs.

Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors and Diabetic-Ketoacidosis in T2DM Patients: An Updated Meta-Analysis and a Mendelian Randomization Analysis.

To evaluate the association of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients across different subgroups, we searched randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing SGLT2i with the control groups among T2DM patients and including DKA as a safety outcome. Pooled risk ratios (RRs) were calculated using random or fixed-effects models, as appropriate. An inverse-variance-weighted Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed to estimate the genetic correlation.

Hormone correction of dysfunctional metabolic gene expression in stem cell-derived liver tissue.

The increase in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and its progression to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is a worldwide healthcare challenge. Heterogeneity between men and women in the prevalence and mechanisms of MASLD and MASH is related to differential sex hormone signalling within the liver, and declining hormone levels during aging. In this study we used biochemically characterised pluripotent stem cell derived 3D liver spheres to model the protective effects of testosterone and estrogen signalling on metabolic liver disease 'in the dish'.

Circulating tumor DNA in lymphoma: technologies and applications.

Lymphoma, a malignant tumor derived from lymphocytes and lymphoid tissues, presents with complex and heterogeneous clinical manifestations, requiring accurate patient classification for appropriate treatment. While invasive pathological examination of lymph nodes or lymphoid tissue remains the gold standard for lymphoma diagnosis, its utility is limited in cases of deep-seated tumors such as intraperitoneal and central nervous system lymphomas. In addition, biopsy procedures carry an inherent risk of complications.

Modeling of lung organoid-based fibrosis for testing the sensitivity of anti-fibrotic drugs.

Background: Pulmonary fibrosis models play crucial roles in research of pulmonary fibrosis and anti-fibrosis drug screening. Despite the establishment of several pulmonary fibrosis models including lung fibrosis animals, stem cell differentiation, pulmospheres and so on, the one that mimic the personalized native lung lacks.

Methods: We here developed a lung organoid-based fibrosis (LOF) model from native lung tissue, and the potential of the LOFs for the sensitivity test of anti-fibrotic drugs was evaluated.

Precision therapeutic targets for HPV-positive cancers: an overview and new insights.

The increasing incidence and mortality rates of HPV-positive cancers, particularly HPV-positive head and neck cancer, in recent years have emphasized the pressing need for more efficacious treatment options. Recent studies have elucidated the molecular distinctions between HPV-positive and HPV-negative cancers, which are crucial for developing precise and effective therapeutic strategies. This review updates the most recent findings on the molecular variances between HPV-positive and HPV-negative cancers, evaluates current treatments for HPV-positive cancers, and summarizes emerging frontiers in HPV-targeted therapies aimed at developing more effective and precise interventions against these cancers.

Efficacy and safety of Chinese classical prescriptions for dilated cardiomyopathy: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis.

Background: Chinese classical prescriptions (CCPs) are commonly utilized in China as an adjuvant treatment for dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Nevertheless, there was insufficient systematic evidence data to show the advantages of CCPs plus current conventional therapy (CT) against DCM. This network meta-analysis (NMA) sought to evaluate and prioritize the six different CCP types' respective efficacies for DCM.

Disruption and adaptation: infant gut microbiota's dynamic response to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Background: The responses of the infant gut microbiota to infection significantly disrupt the natural intrahost evolutionary processes of the microbiome. Here, we collected a 16-month longitudinal cohort of infant gut microbiomes affected by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Then, we developed a multicriteria approach to identify core interaction network driving community dynamics under environmental disturbances, which we termed the Conserved Variated Interaction Group (CVIgroup).

Temporal and Spatial Effects of Extreme Drought Events on Human Epidemics over Ancient China in 1784-1787 CE.

Extreme drought events can impact human health, notably triggering epidemics that impose significant global health and economic burdens. Understanding these effects and developing response strategies is crucial. However, there is limited epidemiological evidence on how climate change influenced ancient epidemics before large-scale urbanization and frequent population movements.

Analysis of the current status and characteristics of osteoporosis in adult hemophilia patients based on high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography: a case control study.

Background: Current research on osteoporosis (OP) in hemophilia is insufficient. The suitability of high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) for evaluating osteoporosis in hemophilia remains unclear.

Aim: To investigate the current status of osteoporosis and the applicability of HR-pQCT in adult hemophilia patients.

Clinical features, treatment and prognosis of primary pulmonary rhabdomyosarcoma: A systemic review.

Background: Primary pulmonary rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), a rare soft tissue sarcoma, is characterized by a high recurrence rate and a poor prognosis. This systematic review aims to summarize the clinical characteristics, pathological features, treatment, and clinical outcomes of primary pulmonary RMS, and to analyze prognostic-related risk factors to provide robust evidence for future treatment strategies.

Methods: Five databases (MEDLINE, Scopus, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, and Web of Science) were searched using the relevant terms including "pulmonary", "lung", "alveolar", "ERMS", "ARMS", "RMS" and "rhabdomyosarcoma".