Objective To observe the expression of phosphorylation of signal transducer and activa -tor of transcription 5 (STAT5) protein and the DNA-binding activity of STAT5 after interleukin 2 therapy for genital herpes .Methods Six patients with recurrent genital herpes were included in this study .CD4 +T cells from patients who underwent interleukin 2 therapy were analyzed for changes in STAT 5 signaling.None had been treated with corticosteroid and immunosuppressive agents .Phosphorylation of STAT 5 was detected in the T cells using Western blot analysis .Electrophoretic mobility shift assay ( EMSA) was carried out to detect the DNA-biding activity of STAT5.Results The expressions of phosphorylated STAT 5 in T cells de-rived from patients with genital herpes 28 days after interleukin treatment were 1.8~2.7 fold to that of be-fore the treatment was given .STAT5 DNA-binding activity in T cells derived form patients with genital her-pes who had received the treatment was 2.3~3.4 fold increased compared to that of before the initiating of interleukin 2 treatment.The differences between the before and after interleukin 2 treatment were statistical-ly significant( t =10.6, P <0.05).Conclusion This study indicates that STAT5 may be an important signaling mediator of interleukin 2 therapies , and that STAT5 activation may predict response to this treat-ment .

Objective To investigate the effects of methylprednisolone pulse therapy on the expression of phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STATI) and DNA-binding activity of STATI in T cells in patients with severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods Six patients were included. Patients were given 0.5～1 g of methylprednisolone on 3 consecutive days. Western Blotting was conducted to explore the phosphorylated STATI expression and electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) were carried out to detect the DNA-biding activity of STATI. Results Methylprednisolone pulse therapy decreased phosphorylated STATI expression of T cells from patients with severe SLE. The expression of phosphorylated STATI decreased to about 30% 72 h after the methylprednisolone pulse therapy started (t=2.858, P<0.05). Methylprednisolone pulse therapy down-regulated DNA-biding activity of STATI of T cells in patients with severe SLE. The STATI DNA-biding activity was inhibited to about 40% 72 h after methy-Iprednisolone pulse, therapy started (t=3.058, P<0.05). Conclusion Phosphorylated STATI expression and DNA-binding activity of T cells is markedly decreased in patients after methylprednisolone pulse therapy, suggesting that inhibition of STATI signaling contributes to the clinical efficacy of this agent.

PURPOSE: Survival of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patient remains unknown and varies greatly from person to person. Thus, we aimed to construct a nomogram to quantify the survival probability of patients with MBC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We had included 793 MBC patients and calculated trends of case fatality rate by Kaplan-Meier method and joinpoint regression. Six hundred thirty-four patients with MBC between January 2004 and July 2011 and 159 patients with MBC between August 2011 and July 2013 were assigned to training cohort and internal validation cohort, respectively. We constructed the nomogram based on the results of univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses in the training cohort and validated the nomogram in the validation cohort. Concordance index and calibration curves were used to assess the effectiveness of nomogram. RESULTS: Case fatality rate of MBC was increasing (annual percentage change [APC], 21.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0 to 46.3; p < 0.05) in the first 18 months and then decreased (APC, -4.5; 95% CI, -8.2 to -0.7; p < 0.05). Metastasis-free interval, age, metastasis location, and hormone receptor status were independent prognostic factors and were included in the nomogram, which had a concordance index of 0.69 in the training cohort and 0.67 in the validation cohort. Calibration curves indicated good consistency between the two cohorts at 1 and 3 years. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the fatality risk of MBC was increasing and reached the summit between 13th and 18th month after the detection of MBC. We have developed and validated a nomogram to predict the 1- and 3-year survival probability in MBC.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Calibration ; Cohort Studies ; Humans ; Methods ; Mortality ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Nomograms ; Risk Assessment*

Objective:To investigate the expression of nuclear matrix protein 4 (NMP4) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and its relationship with clinicopathological features and survival prognosis of patients.Methods:The clinical data of 100 HCC patients who were treated with radical resection of liver cancer in the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from July 1, 2014 to July 1, 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 63 males and 37 females, aged (58.5±10.4) years old. Immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expression of NMP4 protein in HCC cancer tissue and the corresponding adjacent normal tissue. According to the expression of NMP4 in HCC tissues, 100 patients were divided into two groups: the NMP4-positive expression group ( n=62) and the NMP4-negative expression group ( n=32). Univariate analysis was performed on the relationship between NMP4 expression and clinical pathological features as well as overall survival of HCC patients. Cox multivariate analysis was performed on the factors influencing postoperative prognosis of HCC patients. Results:Immunohistochemistry results showed that NMP4 was primarily expressed in the nucleus, the positive expression rate of NMP4 in HCC tissues was higher than that in adjacent non-cancerous tissues [62.0% (62/100) vs. 8.0%(8/100)], and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=2.12, P=0.003). Univariate analysis revealed that the overall survival of HCC patients was correlated with the degree of tumor differentiation, tumor length, BCLC stage, number of tumor foci, vascular tumor thrombus and expression of NMP4 (all P<0.05). Cox multivariate analysis revealed that low differentiation, high BCLC stage (stage C), number of tumor foci (≥3), and positive expression of NMP4 were independent risk factors affecting postoperative survival and recurrence-free survival of HCC patients. The median overall survival and median recurrence-free survival of HCC patients in the NMP4-positive expression group were 22.3 months and 11.5 months, respectively. In contrast, that in the NMP4-negative expression group were 40.6 months and 19.4 months, respectively. The cumulative survival rate and recurrence-free survival rate of HCC patients in the NMP4-positive expression group were lower than those in the NMP4-negative expression group, and the differences were statistically significant (both P<0.05). Conclusion:Positive NMP4 expression was closely correlated with malignant biological progression and poor prognosis of HCC patients.

Objective:To investigate the effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) on mindfulness attention awareness, experiential avoidance, and cognitive fusion in individuals with general anxiety disorder(GAD).Methods:A total of 53 patients aged 18-60 years who met the GAD diagnostic criteria of DSM-5 were selected from the Seventh People's Hospital of Hangzhou from May 2021 to September 2022.After receiving routine treatment, patients were randomly assigned to two groups: MBCT group( n=26) for an 8-week mindfulness cognitive therapy and health education group( n=27) for an 8-week health education program. Participants were evaluated using the generalized anxiety disorder scale(GAD-7), acceptance and action questionnaire-2nd edition(AAQ-Ⅱ), cognitive fusion questionnaire(CFQ), and mindful attention awareness scale (MAAS) before and after the intervention.Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 software, with the chi-square test, independent sample t-test, and paired sample t-test. Results:(1)There was no significant difference in MAAS score between the two groups before the intervention (42.63±10.18, 47.67±9.52, t=-1.55, P=0.13). However, after the intervention, the MAAS score in MBCT group was significantly higher than that in the health education group(54.42±9.87, 47.83±7.59, t=-2.27, P=0.03). (2) No significant difference was observed in CFQ score between the two groups before the intervention (57.11±15.97, 53.50±12.01, t=-0.77, P=0.45). However, after the intervention, the CFQ score in the MBCT group was significantly lower than that in the health education group(38.32±10.31, 47.11±10.66, t=-2.51, P<0.01). (3) There was no significant difference in AAQ-Ⅱ scores between the two groups before the intervention(33.79±7.90, 30.00±7.23, t=1.52, P=0.14). After the intervention, the AAQ-Ⅱ score in the MBCT group was significantly lower than that in the health education group(21.89±8.69, 30.22±8.68, t=-3.51, P<0.01) . Conclusion:MBCT has a positive effect on enhancing mindfulness attention awareness, reducing cognitive fusion, and mitigating experiential avoidance in GAD patients.

OBJECTIVETo compare fecal microbiota and metabolites between colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and healthy population.

METHODSFeces from fifteen CRC patients and twelve normal people were analyzed by using pyrosequencing and gas chromatography mass spectrometry(GC/MS).

RESULTSThere were no significant differences in the overall microbial community structure associated with the disease state, but 18 bacterial genera were underrepresented or overrepresented in the CRC samples. GC-MS profiling revealed higher concentrations for 9 kinds of amino acids and metabolites of short-chain fatty acids, lower concentrations for 3 kinds of unsaturated fatty acids and 2 kinds of glycerin and ursodeoxycholic acid in stool samples from CRC patients. Correlative analysis between the combined datasets revealed some potential relationships between stool metabolites and certain bacterial species.

CONCLUSIONSThere are significant differences in fecal metabolites and the relative abundance of certain types of bacteria between CRC patients and healthy people, which can provide insight into microbial functions occurring in a cancer environment and will help direct future mechanism studies.