ObjectiveTo evaluate pharmacological effects of Shengmai injection（SMI）on cerebral ischemia and study its neuroprotective mechanism. MethodsMale specific pathogen-free （SPF） Sprague-Dawley （SD） rats were randomly divided into a sham group， a model group， a low-dose SMI group（3 mL·kg^-1）， a middle-dose SMI group（6 mL·kg^-1）， a high-dose SMI group（12 mL·kg^-1）， and a Ginaton group（4 mL·kg^-1）according to the random number table method， with 12 rats in each group. The rat model of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion（MCAO/R）was prepared via the suture method. The administration groups were intraperitoneally injected with corresponding concentrations of SMI or Ginaton injection after reperfusion， which was conducted for 3 consecutive days. The sham group and model group were administered the equivalent volume of physiological saline. The pharmacological effects of SMI on brain injury in MCAO/R rats were evaluated by neurological function scores， cerebral infarction area， hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， Nissl staining， terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling （TUNEL） staining， and Western blot. The dominant link and key protein of SMI treating cerebral injury were explored using proteomic analysis. The related mechanisms of SMI were further validated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）， Western blot， and chloride ion fluorescence probe with oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation（OGD/R）-treated PC12 cells and MCAO/R rats. ResultsCompared with the sham group， the model group showed significantly increased neurological function scores， cerebral infarction area， neuronal apoptosis rate， and expression levels of apoptosis related proteins （P<0.05， P<0.01）and significantly decreased density of Nissl bodies and neurons（P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the SMI groups exhibited significantly decreased neurological function scores， cerebral infarction area， neuronal apoptosis rate， and expression levels of apoptosis related proteins （P<0.05， P<0.01）and significantly increased density of Nissl bodies and neurons （P<0.05）. The proteomic analysis results showed that oxidative stress and inflammatory response were important processes of SMI intervening in MCAO/R injury， and the chloride intracellular channel protein 1 （CLIC1） was one of key proteins in its action network. The levels of representative indicators of oxidative stress and inflammatory response in the MCAO/R rats of the SMI groups were significantly reduced， compared with those in the model group（P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the expression levels of CLIC1 and downstream NOD-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3） decreased （P<0.01）. In addition， the experimental results based on the OGD/R PC12 cells showed that SMI significantly increased the cell survival rate（P<0.01） and significantly decreased the intracellular chloride ion concentration（P<0.05）. ConclusionSMI has neuroprotective effects. Oxidative stress and inflammatory response are key processes of SMI intervening in MCAO/R injury. The potential mechanism is closely related to the regulation of CLIC1.

Objective To develop a risk assessment scale for immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-associated myocarditis based on multidisciplinary collaboration, and to evaluate its diagnostic performance. Methods Based on multidisciplinary cooperation, integrating clinical experience from oncology and cardiology, literature data, and patient conditions, a risk assessment scale for ICI-associated myocarditis was developed. A total of 101 patients with malignancies who received immunotherapy at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, from October 2020 to October 2024 were included as the validation cohort. Patients were stratified into low-risk (0-1 point), medium-risk (2-4 points), and high-risk (≥5 points) groups based on their scale scores. The association between pretictive risk stratifications and actual assessment results was assessed using the Cox proportional hazards regression model. The predictive value of the scale for ICI-associated myocarditis was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Agreement between the scale scores and actual assessment results was assessed using Cohen’s Kappa coefficient. Results Based on the scale pretictive results, 28(27.7%), 8(7.9%), 65(64.4%) patients were at low risk, medium risk, and high risk for ICI-related myocarditis, respectively; however, 46(45.5%), 8(7.9%), 47(46.5%) were at low risk, medium risk, and high risk actually. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the cumulative incidence of ICI-related myocarditis in the high-risk group was significantly higher than that in the medium- and low-risk groups (P＜0.05). In the multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards model, the ICI-related myocarditis risk in high-risk group was about 4 times that in the low-risk group. ROC curve analysis demonstrated that the average area under the curve (AUC) for predicting ICI-related myocarditis was 0.81, with an accuracy of 0.74. The Cohen’s Kappa coefficient was 0.55, indicating moderate agreement. In the actual high-risk group, no patient was predicted to be at low risk; in the actual low-risk group, 16 patients were predicted to be at high risk. Conclusions This risk assessment scale for ICI-associated myocarditis shows high predictive performance. It provides oncologists with a simple yet effective multidisciplinary diagnostic reference tool, potentially enhancing early identification of ICI-associated myocarditis.

The importance of gait assessment in the rehabilitation of cancer patients is gradually being recognized. However, quantitative analysis of balance ability in cancer patients is still limited. A total of 102 cancer patients meeting the inclusion criteria were recruited from Hefei Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Their balance ability was evaluated using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS). Gait data were collected by an electronic walkway and an IMU sensor system, including spatial-temporal and kinematic gait features such as step length, cadence, support time, and range of motion. Recursive feature elimination was used for feature selection. Ridge, Elastic Net, SVR, RF, and AdaBoost models were used to predict balance ability scores. Five-fold cross-validation was used to evaluate the performance of these models. Results show that the SVR model achieves the best performance with fifteen features (RMSE=3.22, R ²=0.91), followed by Ridge (RMSE=3.63, R ²=0.89). A method for evaluating balance ability based on gait features is proposed, providing a quantitative tool for personalized rehabilitation interventions in cancer patients.
Humans ; Postural Balance ; Neoplasms/rehabilitation* ; Gait ; Gait Analysis ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Female

OBJECTIVES: To investigate YEATS2 expression in gastric cancer (GC), its prognostic value, and its regulatory role in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of GC cells. METHODS: YEATS2 expression in GC was analyzed using publicly available databases. Paired GC and adjacent tissues were collected from 100 patients undergoing radical surgery for immunohistochemical detection of YEATS2 expression, and its correlations with the patients' clinicopathological parameters and Ki67 expression were analyzed. The prognostic value of YEATS2 was assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis, Cox regression and ROC curves, and its regulatory mechanisms were analyzed using KEGG enrichment analysis. In cultured GC cell lines (HGC-27 and AGS), the effect of YEATS2 knockdown and overexpression on migration, invasion and EMT of the cells were examined with scratching assay, Transwell assay and Western blotting. RESULTS: YEATS2 was significantly overexpressed in GC tissues with a positive correlation with Ki67 (P<0.05). High YEATS2 expression was associated with elevated CEA (≥5 μg/L), CA19-9 (≥37 kU/L), T3-4 stage, and N2-3 stage (all P<0.05). Patients with high YEATS2 expression had significantly reduced 5-year survival (P<0.001); ROC analysis showed that YEATS2 expression levels had a sensitivity of 80.00% and a specificity of 66.67% for predicting patient survival (P<0.05). Cox regression identified high YEATS2 as an independent risk factor for poor postoperative 5-year survival outcome of GC patients (HR: 1.675, 95%CI: 1.013-2.771; P=0.045). KEGG enrichment analysis suggested involvement of YEATS2 in EMT in GC and Wnt/β-catenin signaling. In cultured GC cells, YEATS2 overexpression significantly promoted cell migration and invasion, upregulated the expressions of vimentin, N-cadherin, Wnt and active β-catenin, and downregulated E-cadherin expression, and these changes were obviously suppressed by treatment with XAV-939 (a Wnt/β-catenin inhibitor). CONCLUSIONS High YEATS2 expression activates Wnt/β-catenin signaling to promote EMT in GC and is correlated with poor prognosis of GC patients.
Humans ; Stomach Neoplasms/pathology* ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; Wnt Signaling Pathway ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Prognosis ; Cell Movement ; Male ; Female ; beta Catenin/metabolism*

High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), when released extracellularly, plays a pivotal role in the development of spinal cord synapses and exacerbates autoimmune diseases within the central nervous system. In experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a condition that models multiple sclerosis, the levels of extracellular HMGB1 and interleukin-33 (IL-33) have been found to be inversely correlated. However, the mechanism by which IL-33 deficiency enhances HMGB1 release during EAE remains elusive. Our study elucidates a potential signaling pathway whereby the absence of IL-33 leads to increased binding of P300/CBP-associated factor with HMGB1 in the nuclei of astrocytes, upregulating HMGB1 acetylation and promoting its release from astrocyte nuclei in the spinal cord of EAE mice. Conversely, the addition of IL-33 counteracts the TNF-α-induced increase in HMGB1 and acetylated HMGB1 levels in primary astrocytes. These findings underscore the potential of IL-33-associated signaling pathways as a therapeutic target for EAE treatment.
Animals ; Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/metabolism* ; Astrocytes/metabolism* ; Interleukin-33/metabolism* ; HMGB1 Protein/metabolism* ; Acetylation ; Mice, Knockout ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; p300-CBP Transcription Factors/metabolism* ; Mice ; Spinal Cord/metabolism* ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Signal Transduction

Astragali Radix (AR), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has demonstrated therapeutic efficacy against various diseases, including cardiovascular conditions, over centuries of use. While doxorubicin serves as an effective chemotherapeutic agent against multiple cancers, its clinical application remains constrained by significant cardiotoxicity. Research has indicated that AR exhibits protective properties against doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy (DIC); however, the specific bioactive components and underlying mechanisms responsible for this therapeutic effect remain incompletely understood. This investigation seeks to identify the protective bioactive components in AR against DIC and elucidate their mechanisms of action. Through network medicine analysis, astragaloside IV (AsIV) and formononetin (FMT) were identified as potential cardioprotective agents from 129 AR components. In vitro experiments using H9c2 rat cardiomyocytes revealed that the AsIV-FMT combination (AFC) effectively reduced doxorubicin-induced cell death in a dose-dependent manner, with optimal efficacy at a 1∶2 ratio. In vivo, AFC enhanced survival rates and improved cardiac function in both acute and chronic DIC mouse models. Additionally, AFC demonstrated cardiac protection while maintaining doxorubicin's anti-cancer efficacy in a breast cancer mouse model. Lipidomic and metabolomics analyses revealed that AFC normalized doxorubicin-induced lipid profile alterations, particularly by reducing fatty acid accumulation. Gene knockdown studies and inhibitor experiments in H9c2 cells demonstrated that AsIV and FMT upregulated peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) and PPARα, respectively, two key proteins involved in fatty acid metabolism. This research establishes AFC as a promising therapeutic approach for DIC, highlighting the significance of multi-target therapies derived from natural herbals in contemporary medicine.
Animals ; Doxorubicin/adverse effects* ; Saponins/administration & dosage* ; Isoflavones/pharmacology* ; Rats ; Cardiomyopathies/prevention & control* ; Mice ; Fatty Acids/metabolism* ; Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism* ; Triterpenes/administration & dosage* ; Male ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Humans ; Cardiotonic Agents/administration & dosage* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Cell Line ; Astragalus Plant/chemistry* ; Astragalus propinquus

Objective:To investigate the driver gene mutation status and prognostic influencing factors in patients with operable lung adenosquamous carcinoma (LASC).Methods:A retrospective case series study was conducted. Clinical and pathologic data were retrospectively collected from patients with LASC who underwent surgical treatment at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University from January 2008 to December 2018, and the patients' surgically resected specimens were sequenced for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and Kirsten rat sarcoma (KRAS) genes. The distribution of driver gene EGFR and KRAS mutations in patients was analyzed, and the differences in the distribution of mutations among patients stratified by clinical factors were compared; disease-free survival (DFS) of patients stratified by clinical factors was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method, and the comparison between groups was performed by the log-rank test.Results:A total of 106 patients were included, including 64 (60.4%) males and 42 (39.6%) females, aged (58±10) years old. Patients with EGFR and KRAS gene mutations accounted for 38.7% (41/106), of which 33.0% (35/106) were patients with EGFR mutations and 5.7% (6/106) were patients with KRAS mutations. The EGFR mutation loci included 19del, L858R, L861Q and 20in, and the KRAS mutation loci included G12A, G12D, G12C and G12V. Patients aged ≤65 years old, female, with lesions in the lower lobe of the left lung, non-squamous cell carcinoma as the main pathological component, and with a smoking index of <400 were more likely to have EGFR and KRAS gene mutations, but the differences were not statistically significant (all P>0.05), and there was no statistically significant difference in the proportions of patients with EGFR and KRAS gene mutations among patients with different TNM stages, T stages and N stages (all P > 0.05). The median follow-up time was 51 months (range: 14-96 months). The difference in DFS among patients with different N stages was statistically significant ( P= 0.002), and the DFS of N 0 stage was better than that of N 1, N 2 and N 3 stages, and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). The median DFS time of N 0, N 1 and N 2 stages was 44.4, 17.5 and 23.9 months, respectively, and the median DFS time of N 3 stage (1 case) was 8.7 months. Patients with different TNM stages had a tendency to have differences in DFS, but the difference was not statistically significant ( P = 0.060); the difference in DFS between patients with different pathological components was not statistically significant ( P = 0.177); patients without pleural invasion had a tendency to have better DFS than patients with pleural invasion, but the difference was not statistically significant ( P = 0.252). The difference in DFS between patients with and without driver gene EGFR and KRAS mutations was not statistically significant ( P = 0.809), and further subgroup analysis showed that the difference in DFS among mutated patients with different TNM stages was not statistically significant ( P = 0.684). Conclusions:The driver gene EGFR and KRAS mutations are more common in patients with early LASC; DFS may be related to TNM stage and N stage, but may not be related to the mutation status of EGFR and KRAS genes, the type of pathology, or whether or not the pleura is invaded.Objective To investigate the driver gene mutation status and prognostic influencing factors in patients with operable lung adenosquamous carcinoma (LASC). Methods A retrospective case series study was conducted. Clinical and pathologic data were retrospectively collected from patients with LASC who underwent surgical treatment at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University from January 2008 to December 2018, and the patients' surgically resected specimens were sequenced for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and Kirsten rat sarcoma (KRAS) genes. The distribution of driver gene EGFR and KRAS mutations in patients was analyzed, and the differences in the distribution of mutations among patients stratified by clinical factors were compared; disease-free survival (DFS) of patients stratified by clinical factors was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method, and the comparison between groups was performed by the log-rank test. Results A total of 106 patients were included, including 64 (60.4%) males and 42 (39.6%) females, aged (58±10) years old. Patients with EGFR and KRAS gene mutations accounted for 38.7% (41/106), of which 33.0% (35/106) were patients with EGFR mutations and 5.7% (6/106) were patients with KRAS mutations. The EGFR mutation loci included 19del, L858R, L861Q and 20in, and the KRAS mutation loci included G12A, G12D, G12C and G12V. Patients aged ≤65 years old, female, with lesions in the lower lobe of the left lung, non-squamous cell carcinoma as the main pathological component, and with a smoking index of <400 were more likely to have EGFR and KRAS gene mutations, but the differences were not statistically significant (all P>0.05), and there was no statistically significant difference in the proportions of patients with EGFR and KRAS gene mutations among patients with different TNM stages, T stages and N stages (all P > 0.05). The median follow-up time was 51 months (range: 14-96 months). The difference in DFS among patients with different N stages was statistically significant ( P= 0.002), and the DFS of N 0 stage was better than that of N 1, N 2 and N 3 stages, and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). The median DFS time of N 0, N 1 and N 2 stages was 44.4, 17.5 and 23.9 months, respectively, and the median DFS time of N 3 stage (1 case) was 8.7 months. Patients with different TNM stages had a tendency to have differences in DFS, but the difference was not statistically significant ( P = 0.060); the difference in DFS between patients with different pathological components was not statistically significant ( P = 0.177); patients without pleural invasion had a tendency to have better DFS than patients with pleural invasion, but the difference was not statistically significant ( P = 0.252). The difference in DFS between patients with and without driver gene EGFR and KRAS mutations was not statistically significant ( P = 0.809), and further subgroup analysis showed that the difference in DFS among mutated patients with different TNM stages was not statistically significant ( P = 0.684). Conclusions The driver gene EGFR and KRAS mutations are more common in patients with early LASC; DFS may be related to TNM stage and N stage, but may not be related to the mutation status of EGFR and KRAS genes, the type of pathology, or whether or not the pleura is invaded.

Objective To examine the quinolone resistance and mechanisms of resistance,including prevalence of transferable mechanisms of quinolone resistance(TMQR)genes in carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae(CRKP).Methods Antimicrobial susceptibility was tested for CRKP isolated from 7 hospitals in China during 2019 by broth microdilution method.Genome sequencing analysis was performed on Illumina HiseqX sequencing platform.The virulence genes,multilocus sequence typing(MLST),chromosome quinolone resistance-determining region(QRDR)variation,and prevalence of TMQR genes in CRKP were analyzed.Results Overall,98.4％and 99.2％of the 481 CRKP strains were non-susceptible to levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin,respectively.ST11(77.8％)and ST15(15.8％)were the dominant clones.Among the 303 CRKP strains carrying virulence gene(CV-CRKP),ST11 type and ST15 type strains accounted for 92.1％and 5.0％,respectively,while ST11 and ST15 type strains accounted for 53.4％and 34.3％in the 178 CRKP strains without the virulence gene(non-CV-CRKP).All of the ST11 and ST 15 type strains were resistant to quinolones associated with gyrA and parC mutation.All of the quinolone-sensitive strains were not ST11 type or not ST15 type.TMQR analysis showed that qnrS1(61.1％,294 strains),qnrB4(10.0％,48 strains)and aac(6)-Ib-cr(18.7％,90 strains)were most prevalent in CRKPs,while qnrB1(4 strains),qnrB2(2 strains),qnrD1(2 strains)and qnrB6(1 strain)were infrequently identified in CRKPs.Specifically,qnrB4 was mainly identified in high-level levofloxacin-resistant strains(MIC≥8 mg/L),while aac(6)-Ib-cr was found mainly in ciprofloxacin-resistant strains(MIC＞8 mg/L).Conclusions Clinical CRKPs were highly resistant to quinolone.The rate of QRDR variation were high in quinolone resistant CRKP strains,with high TMQR gene carriage.

Objective:To provide evidence-based recommendations for the prevention and management of lower limb ischemia in veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) patients during treatment according to search, evaluate, and summarize the best evidence on the prevention and management of lower limb ischemia in patients with VA-ECMO.Methods:Based on the PIPOST framework (population, intervention, professional, outcome, setting, and type of evidence), an evidence-based question was formulated. A systematic search was conducted according to the "6S" evidence pyramid model in both domestic and international databases, as well as professional association websites, for all evidence related to the prevention and management of lower limb ischemia in VA-ECMO patients (aged ≥18 years). The types of evidence included clinical decisions, guidelines, expert consensus, systematic reviews, evidence summaries, and original studies. The search was conducted from the construction of the databases to February 2024. Two researchers independently conducted a literature quality evaluation, extracted and summarized evidence from the studies that met the quality criteria.Results:A total of 13 articles were included, consisting of 3 clinical decisions, 3 guidelines, 3 expert consensus, 3 systematic reviews, and 1 randomized controlled trial. A total of 18 pieces of evidence in 7 dimensions were summarized, including risk factors of VA-ECMO lower limb ischemia, evaluation before catheterization, evaluation and monitoring during treatment, prevention of lower limb ischemia, treatment of lower limb ischemia, management of distal perfusion catheter (DPC), and monitoring after VA-ECMO weaning.Conclusion:This evidence summary provides evidence-based recommendations for the prevention and management of lower limb ischemia in VA-ECMO patients, aiming to assist clinical healthcare professionals in developing tailored strategies for the prevention and management of lower limb ischemia based on during VA-ECMO support.