Xiangyu Fan

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common chronic joint disease, and cadmium (Cd) exposure may contribute to its progression. This study integrated network toxicology, transcriptomic datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), and machine-learning methods to identify molecular signatures potentially associated with Cd exposure-related OA. A total of 740 overlapping targets between Cd-associated genes and OA-related genes were identified. These targets were primarily enriched in oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, extracellular matrix degradation, and the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K-Akt), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), interleukin 17 (IL-17), and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) signaling pathways. Integrated transcriptomic analysis identified 174 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and WGCNA identified the yellow module as the module most strongly associated with OA. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, support vector machine-recursive feature elimination, and random forest analyses identified BCL6 and FOSL2 as robust diagnostic feature genes. Both genes were consistently down-regulated in OA samples and demonstrated strong diagnostic performance across the analyzed cohorts. These findings suggest that BCL6 and FOSL2 may be potential diagnostic biomarkers of Cd-associated OA. Graphical abstract

Drug use disorders (DUDs) are marked by the persistent and compulsive use of addictive substances, such as opioids, cannabis, amphetamines, and certain prescription drugs, for non-medical purposes [1,2], leading to dependence and repeated craving for their psychoactive effects. These behaviours result in serious health damage and public health risks, making DUDs an increasingly severe global […]

Osteoarthritis is a major cause of disability worldwide, and understanding epidemiological trends in osteoarthritis is critical for public health planning and intervention strategies. This study analyzed the global, regional, and national burden on osteoarthritis utilizing the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. Trends from 1990 to 2021 were primarily assessed, with projections to 2050 based on demographic changes and historical data. In 2021, 607 (95% UI: 538–671) million people worldwide suffered from osteoarthritis, including 46.6 (95% UI: 41.1–51.6) million new cases, and the DALYs was 21.3 (95% UI: 10.2–42.9) million. Age-standardized incidence, prevalence and DALYs rates increased to 535.00/100,000 (95% UI: 472.38–591.97), 6967.29/100,000 (95% UI: 6180.70–7686.06), and 244.50/100,000 (95% UI: 117.06–493.11), with knee osteoarthritis accounting for more than 56%. Age-standardized rates of osteoarthritis were higher in females than in males. East Asia, South Asia, and Western Europe were the regions and China, India, and the United States were the countries with the highest burdens. In addition, high body-mass index led to 4.43 (95% UI: -0.42–12.34) million DALYs, with an increase of 205.10%. Bayesian age-period cohort projections showed that the burden of osteoarthritis would continue to rise from 2021 to 2050. As an ageing population and rising obesity rates, the burden of osteoarthritis will continue to rise, with females and the middle-aged and older age groups being the current populations of concern. Awareness-raising, early detection, and effective management are essential to reduce the burden of osteoarthritis in the coming decades, especially among vulnerable groups.

Lead is an environmental and occupational heavy metal and contaminant that can lead to chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study analyzed the long-term trend burden from 1990-2021 using Global Burden of Disease Study 2021, projecting trends through 2050 with Bayesian age-period-cohort models. In 2021, the number of deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of lead-associated CKD was 8635.60 and 189127.20. And age-standardized mortality and DALYs rates were 0.47 per 100,000 population and 9.39 per 100,000 population, respectively. Compared with 1900, all indicators have declined except for death number, all of which were below global level. The sex-specific burden increased with increasing age, and was higher in males. The downward trend in sex-specific burden from 2020-2050 was observed. While overall burden has decreased, persistent environmental lead pollution necessitates targeted prevention for males and middle-aged/elderly populations. CKD management and pollution control remain critical public health challenges in China.

Objectives Osteoarthritis (OA) and has become a global public health problem. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the burden of OA across different geographic regions, ages, sexes, and types. Methods Publicly available data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 were used in this study. The burden of OA was estimated at the global, SDI quintile, regional, and national levels from 1990 to 2021 through systematic analyses. Bayesian age-period-cohort models were utilized to predict the burden over the next 30 years. Results Globally, there were 607 million people suffering from OA with 46.6 million new cases and 21.3 million DALYs in 2021. The age-standardized incidence, prevalence and DALYs rates increased to 535.00, 6967.29, and 244.50 per 100,000 population, with knee OA accounting for more than 56%. The age-standardized rates of OA were higher in females than in males. East Asia, South Asia, and Western Europe were the top three regions and China, India, and the United States were the top three countries with the highest burdens. In addition, high body-mass index (BMI) resulted in 4.43 million DALYs with an increase of 205.10%. BAPC projections showed that the burden of OA will continue to rise over the next 30 years. Conclusions As populations ageing and global obesity rates rise, the burden of total OA and OA due to high BMI will continue to increase. Females and middle-aged and elderly patients are the current populations to focus on. The development and implementation of effective prevention and treatment strategies is critical.