Baotou Medical College

This paper reports a case of an 82-year-old male with a giant peritoneal loose body (GPLB) complicated by pancreatic head cancer. The patient was admitted for upper abdominal pain and jaundice. CT revealed a 5.5 × 5.6 cm oval low-density mass on the right side of the pelvis with a central high-density calcified focus, initially diagnosed as a gastrointestinal stromal tumor. During surgery, a yellow free mass measuring 6 × 6 × 5 cm was found in the pelvic cavity; pathology confirmed that it was a peritoneal loose body. Grossly, it was yellow and ovoid, with central calcification on the cut surface; microscopically, necrotic adipose tissue and hyalinized collagen fibers were visible. Meanwhile, we comprehensively reviewed and analyzed 32 previously reported cases of GPLB, summarizing the disease characteristics, clinical manifestations, formation mechanisms, diagnostic approaches, and treatment strategies. We propose a hypothesis-generating observation that abnormal liver and kidney function may accelerate the growth rate of giant peritoneal loose bodies. We also recommend that surgical removal be performed regardless of whether symptoms are present, with laparoscopy as the preferred procedure. This study aims to improve clinicians’ understanding of this disease and reduce misdiagnosis.

• A low-cost, eco-friendly functional brick for agricultural applications was developed, utilizing graphene-modified paraffin as the core material, a mixture of cement and fly ash as the wall material, and a coating composed of resin blended with micron-sized carbon spheres. • Surface modification enhances carrier performance: Chemical functionalization of perlite with sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC-Na) significantly improves the substrate characteristics, achieving enhanced paraffin loading capacity. • Micro-nano structured carbon spheres were synthesized using tea waste biomass as the carbon source, which were then composited with epoxy resin via a sol-gel method to form a high-efficiency photothermal conversion coating. • The semi-industrial validation experiments conducted in high-latitude winter conditions demonstrated the practical feasibility of phase change materials (PCMs) in real-world applications. A carbon sphere modification approach was developed to construct a perlite/paraffin composite phase change material (CS-PCM) with both high photothermal conversion efficiency and stable thermal energy storage capability. The surface of the perlite matrix was modified using sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC-Na), increasing the water contact angle from 0° to 67°. Micro/nanoscale carbon spheres (0.1–20 μm) derived from tea waste were embedded into a resin matrix, demonstrating superior performance compared to conventional carbon-based additives. The CS-PCM was incorporated into thermal storage walls through a scalable manufacturing process, with phase change materials comprising 30% of the system. Experimental application in high-latitude greenhouses during winter confirmed that the integrated system maintained an internal crop environment at 13.6 ± 4 °C. This composite material features both low cost and reduced carbon emissions. The results offer a promising solution for thermal management in protected agriculture in cold regions and provide a theoretical and technical reference for the design of multifunctional phase change materials.

The presence of microplastics in the human body has been widely confirmed. This study aimed to characterize the presence of microplastics in human gastric tissue and explore the relationship between microplastic exposure and gastric cancer risk, as well as the potential underlying molecular mechanisms. Microplastics present in human gastric tissues are characterized using three methods. Following this, the relationship between microplastic exposure and the development of gastric cancer, as well as the potential underlying molecular mechanisms, is explored using clinical case data and transcriptome sequencing. Microplastics are widely present in human gastric tissues, with a significantly higher microplastic load observed in gastric tumor tissues than para-tumor and normal gastric tissues. Furthermore, a high microplastic load is significantly associated with lymph node metastasis in patients with gastric cancer. A high microplastic load leads to significant enrichment of biological processes and signaling pathways, such as cytotoxicity and oxidative stress. Additionally, a high microplastic load is associated with significant upregulation of genes associated with malignant disease, which is significantly associated with poor prognosis in patients with gastric cancer. Microplastic exposure may be a potential risk factor for the onset of gastric cancer.

IntroductionWith the ongoing advancement of comfort-oriented healthcare, procedural sedation is increasingly applied in clinical practice. As a novel benzodiazepine derivative, remimazolam offers distinct advantages in procedural sedation. This paper aims to thoroughly examine its pharmacological properties and key clinical applications, providing systematic guidance for rational clinical use while promoting further adoption and development of this medication in relevant fields.MethodsConduct a systematic analysis and summary by examining the pharmacological characteristics of remimazolam, including its mechanism of action and pharmacokinetic properties, and integrating its application scenarios, dosing regimens, and comparative efficacy data across various clinical sedation procedures.ResultsRemimazolam, with its unique pharmacological advantages—such as rapid onset, short duration of action, inactive metabolites, and high safety profile—demonstrated excellent sedative efficacy and tolerability in clinical procedural sedation. It effectively meets sedation requirements across diverse procedural settings while exhibiting a low incidence of adverse reactions, thereby offering significant clinical value.DiscussionAs a novel benzodiazepine derivative, remimazolam overcomes the limitations of traditional sedatives, offering a new option for procedural sedation in palliative care. Its unique pharmacologic properties ensure rapid onset, controllable duration of action, and high safety, thereby enhancing clinical procedural efficiency and patient experience. This systematic review of its clinical applications provides scientific evidence for the rational and standardized use of remimazolam in clinical practice. Future research should focus on expanding its application in more complex clinical scenarios and conducting long-term safety and efficacy studies to further promote the widespread use of remimazolam in procedural sedation.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterized by progressive articular cartilage destruction, subchondral bone alterations, and localized inflammation. With global population aging, the prevalence of OA continues to rise, imposing a substantial social and economic burden. In recent years, lipid metabolism disorders have been identified as key contributors to the development and progression of OA. Adipose tissue functions not only as an energy reservoir but also as an endocrine organ that regulates immune responses, inflammation, and cartilage degradation through the secretion of adipokines (e.g., leptin and lipocalin). Abnormal fatty acid metabolism, particularly the imbalance between fatty acid synthesis and catabolism and the dysregulated secretion of adipokines, is closely associated with OA pathogenesis. Bioactive phytochemicals are increasingly recognized as promising therapeutic agents for regulating lipid metabolism and slowing OA progression, due to their favorable biological activity and low toxicity. This review summarizes the relationship between lipid metabolism disorders and OA, highlights the mechanisms by which representative phytochemicals (e.g., curcumin, green tea polyphenols, and resveratrol) regulate lipid metabolism and attenuate OA progression, and further analyzes the endocrine role of adipose tissue, the impact of fatty acid metabolism on OA, and the therapeutic potential of phytochemicals through lipid metabolism modulation.

Smoking addiction is a common mental disorder, and numerous imaging studies have shown that adolescents with smoking addiction exhibit abnormalities in brain function and structure. This study aims to investigate changes in the topological characteristics of the white matter (WM) functional network in young smokers. Forty-two young smokers and 42 age-, gender-, and education-matched nonsmokers were included in the study. The functional connectome of white matter and graph theory were used to study these participants. Two-sample t-test were used for the detection of the abnormal graph properties in young smokers. Pearson correlation was applied for the correlation analyses between properties and clinical indicators of smoking. The global level WM functional network analyses showed that the and values were higher in young smokers than in the control group, and the was positively correlated with the age of first smoking. At the node level, five nodes of the WM functional network exhibited abnormal node properties in the WM regions of the bilateral hippocampal parahippocampal gyrus (CGH), bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), bilateral inferior frontal gyrus (IFO), middle cerebellar peduncle (MCP), and the bilateral anterior commissure (ACR) in young smokers. The node degree centrality value of MCP was positively correlated with age of first smoking. Our neuroimaging findings provide evidence of WM functional alterations associated with nicotine addiction, which may enhance our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying smoking addiction in young smokers.

As one of the most frequent malignancies, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) exhibits a rising occurrence, imposing a substantial burden on healthcare systems. This meta-analysis unveils the link to cSCC susceptibility of polymorphisms in Tumor Protein p53 (TP53 Arg72Pro, rs1042522), X-ray Repair Cross-Complementation Group 1 (XRCC1 Arg399Gln, rs25487), Glutathione S-Transferase Pi 1 (GSTP1 Ile105Val, rs1695), and the 3-bp insertion/deletion polymorphism in intron 6 of the Glutathione S-Transferase Mu 3 (GSTM3) gene. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, as well as Web of Science were retrieved systematically to obtain pertinent case-control research until September 2024. The relations of TP53 Arg72Pro, XRCC1 Arg399Gln, GSTP1 Ile105Val, to the GSTM3 intron 6 insertion/deletion polymorphism (hereafter, GSTM3 indel) and cSCC risk were elucidated utilizing odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in additive, dominant, recessive, homozygous, heterozygous, as well as allelic models. Heterogeneity was assessed using the Cochrane Q test and the I² statistic. To further explore potential sources of heterogeneity, subgroup analyses were conducted based on geographic region, sample size, source of controls, genotyping methods, and conformity with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The robustness of the results was evaluated through sensitivity analyses. Publication bias was assessed using funnel plots and Egger’s test when ten or more eligible studies were included. This meta-analysis revealed no significant association between the TP53 Arg72Pro, XRCC1 Arg399Gln, GSTP1 Ile105Val, and the GSTM3 indel and the risk of cSCC across all genetic models and the risk of cSCC across all genetic models. However, these gene polymorphisms exhibited substantial population heterogeneity and model-dependent associations with cSCC risk. Among the five genetic models, excluding the recessive model, TP53 Arg72Pro polymorphism was associated with an increased cSCC risk in Asian populations. XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism was associated with elevated cSCC risk in European populations under the additive, allelic, and homozygous models, whereas it was associated with a decreased risk in North American populations. Notably, GSTP1 Ile105Val displayed a bidirectional effect in European populations: it was associated with reduced risk under the additive, allelic, and recessive models, but with increased risk under the homozygous model. The GSTM3 indel showed no significant association in any analysis. Our findings suggest that TP53 Arg72Pro, XRCC1 Arg399Gln, GSTP1 Ile105Val, and the GSTM3 indel are unlikely to be risk factors for cSCC. Further well-designed case-control studies are warranted to comprehensively assess the potential roles of these four polymorphisms in cSCC susceptibility.