BACKGROUND: Diabetic foot is a complex condition with high incidence, recurrence, mortality, and disability rates. Current treatments for diabetic foot ulcers are often insufficient. This study was conducted to identify potential therapeutic targets for diabetic foot. METHODS: Datasets related to diabetic foot and diabetic skin were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using R software. Enrichment analysis was conducted to screen for critical gene functions and pathways. A protein interaction network was constructed to identify node genes corresponding to key proteins. The DEGs and node genes were overlapped to pinpoint target genes. Plasma and chronic ulcer samples from diabetic and non-diabetic individuals were collected. Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were performed to verify the S100 calcium binding protein A9 (S100A9), inflammatory cytokine, and related pathway protein levels. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to measure epidermal layer thickness. RESULTS: In total, 283 common DEGs and 42 node genes in diabetic foot ulcers were identified. Forty-three genes were differentially expressed in the skin of diabetic and non-diabetic individuals. The overlapping of the most significant DEGs and node genes led to the identification of S100A9 as a target gene. The S100A9 level was significantly higher in diabetic than in non-diabetic plasma (178.40 ± 44.65 ng/mL vs. 40.84 ± 18.86 ng/mL) and in chronic ulcers, and the wound healing time correlated positively with the plasma S100A9 level. The levels of inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin [IL]-1, and IL-6) and related pathway proteins (phospho-extracellular signal regulated kinase [ERK], phospho-p38, phospho-p65, and p-protein kinase B [Akt]) were also elevated. The epidermal layer was notably thinner in chronic diabetic ulcers than in non-diabetic skin (24.17 ± 25.60 μm vs. 412.00 ± 181.60 μm). CONCLUSIONS S100A9 was significantly upregulated in diabetic foot and was associated with prolonged wound healing. S100A9 may impair diabetic wound healing by disrupting local inflammatory responses and skin re-epithelialization.
Calgranulin B/therapeutic use* ; Diabetic Foot/metabolism* ; Humans ; Datasets as Topic ; Computational Biology ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Animals ; Mice ; Protein Interaction Maps ; Immunohistochemistry

Obesity, as a chronic recurrent disease, has become a major public health challenge in China. To implement the requirements of the Healthy China Initiative (2019—2030), under domestic guidelines or consensus statements on overweight and obesity, and in alignment with the latest scientific advances globally, the Quality control protocol for adult overweight and obesity screening in health management (examination) institutions (2025 edition) was developed. This protocol was drafted by the Health Management Center of Shanghai Changzheng Hospital and formulated through multiple rounds of deliberation by experts in China’s health examination quality control field. The protocol establishes unified standards for screening facilities, personnel qualifications, and measurement or testing procedures. It defines specific screening items, outlines a standardized screening pathway, and sets requirements for the final medical review, ensuring the scientific validity, effectiveness, and safety of the screening process. The implementation of this protocol will enhance the consistency of weight management practices for adults across health examination institutions and strengthen the quality control of overweight and obesity screening programs.

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of neoadjuvant radiohormonal therapy for oligometastatic prostate cancer (OMPC), we conducted a 3 + 3 dose escalation, prospective, phase I/II, single-arm clinical trial (CHiCTR1900025743), in which long-term neoadjuvant androgen deprivation was adopted 1 month before radiotherapy, comprising intensity modulated radiotherapy to the pelvis, and stereotactic body radiation therapy to all extra-pelvic bone metastases for 4-7 weeks, at 39.6, 45, 50.4, and 54 Gy. Robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy was performed after 5-14 weeks. The primary outcome was treatment-related toxicities and adverse events; secondary outcomes were radiological treatment response, positive surgical margin (pSM), postoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA), pathological down-grading and tumor regression grade, and survival parameters. Twelve patients were recruited from March 2019 to February 2020, aging 66.2 years in average (range, 52-80). Median baseline PSA was 62.0 ng/mL. All underwent RARP successfully without open conversions. Ten patients recorded pathological tumor down-staging (83.3%), and 5 (41.7%) with cN1 recorded negative regional lymph nodes on final pathology. 66.7% (8/12) recorded tumor regression grading (TRG) -I and 25% (3/12) recorded TRG-II. Median follow-up was 16.5 months. Mean radiological progression-free survival (RPFS) was 21.3 months, with 2-year RPFS of 83.3%. In all, neoadjuvant radiohormonal therapy is well tolerated for oligometastatic prostate cancer.
Male ; Humans ; Prostatic Neoplasms/radiotherapy* ; Prostate-Specific Antigen/therapeutic use* ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Androgen Antagonists/therapeutic use* ; Prospective Studies

Humans ; Asthma/drug therapy* ; Biological Therapy

Humans ; COVID-19 ; SARS-CoV-2

AIM: The main chemical components of Yufang Fangji II (Hubei Fang) of COVID-19 were studied systematically and combined with network pharmacology to provide a reference for the study of its effective substances. METHODS: Ultra high-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS) was applied to identify the absorbed components of the prescription in rat plasma. TCMSP database and Swiss Target Prediction data platform were used to predict the target of the identified blood components, and network visualization software Cytoscape 3.7.2 was used draw the association network diagram, and GO enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were conducted for the key targets. With the help of CB-Dock online molecular docking platform, the molecular docking of key targets and blood entering compounds was carried out, and the docking combination with good affinity value was displayed by ligplot software to verify the preventive effect of Yufang Fangji II on COVID-19. RESULTS: A total of 52 chemical components identified in the prescription, in which 13 components were absorbed in the rat plasma as the prototype, and they were from Astragalus membranaceus, Atractylodes macrocephala, Saposhnikoviae Radix, Lonicerae Japonicae Flos, and Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, respectively. These compounds were recognized to act on 17 core targets, including mapk3, TNF and other targets related to inflammation, MPO and other targets related to oxidative stress, VEGFR, KDR and other targets related to vascular endothelium. The results of molecular docking showed that the absorbed components had good binding activity with the key targets. CONCLUSION: Compounds in Yufang Fangji II are involved in regulating inflammation, oxidative stress, vascular and cellular physiological activities, which have preventive effects on COVID-19 through regulating IL-17, PI3K Akt, MAPK and other pathways.

To evaluate outcomes between extraperitoneal robotic single-port radical prostatectomy (epR-spRP) and extraperitoneal robotic multiport radical prostatectomy (epR-mpRP) performed with the da Vinci Si Surgical System, comparison was performed between 30 single-port (SP group) and 26 multiport (MP group) cases. Comparisons included operative time, estimated blood loss (EBL), hospital stay, peritoneal violation, pain scores, scar satisfaction, continence, and erectile function. The median operation time and EBL were not different between the two groups. In the SP group, the median operation time of the first 10 patients was obviously longer than that of the latter 20 patients (P < 0.001). The median postoperative hospital stay in the SP group was shorter than that in the MP group (P < 0.001). The rate of peritoneal damage in the SP group was less than that in the MP group (P = 0.017). The pain score and overall need for pain medications in the SP group were lower than those in the MP group (P < 0.001 and P = 0.015, respectively). Patients in the SP group were more satisfied with their scars than those in the MP group 3 months postoperatively (P = 0.007). At 3 months, the cancer control, recovery of erectile function, and urinary continence rates were similar between the two groups. It is safe and feasible to perform epR-spRP using the da Vinci Si surgical system. Therefore, epR-spRP can be a treatment option for localized prostate cancer. Although epR-spRP still has a learning curve, it has advantages for postoperative pain and self-assessed cosmesis. In the absence of the single-port robotic surgery platform, we can still provide minimally invasive surgery for patients.
Aged ; Blood Loss, Surgical/statistics & numerical data* ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Outcome Assessment, Health Care/statistics & numerical data* ; Perioperative Medicine/statistics & numerical data* ; Prostatectomy/methods* ; Prostatic Neoplasms/surgery* ; Quality Assurance, Health Care/statistics & numerical data* ; Robotic Surgical Procedures/statistics & numerical data*

Unraveling the genetic basis of medicinal plant metabolism and developmental traits is a long-standing goal for pharmacologists and plant biologists. This paper discusses the definition of molecular genetics of medicinal plants, which is an integrative discipline with medicinal plants as the research object. This discipline focuses on the heredity and variation of medicinal plants, and elucidates the relationship between the key traits of medicinal plants(active compounds, yield, resistance, etc.) and genotype, studies the structure and function, heredity and variation of medicinal plant genes mainly at molecular level, so as to reveal the molecular mechanisms of transmission, expression and regulation of genetic information of medicinal plants. Specifically, we emphasize on three major aspects of this discipline.(1)Individual and population genetics of medicinal plants, this part mainly highlights the genetic mechanism of the domestication, the individual genomics at the species level, and the formation of genetic diversity of medicinal plants.(2)Elucidation of biosynthetic pathways of active compounds and their evolutionary significance. This part summarizes the biosynthesis, diversity and molecular evolution of active compounds in medicinal plants.(3) Molecular mechanisms that shaping the key agronomic traits by internal and external factors. This part focuses on the accumulation and distribution of active compounds within plants and the regulation of metabolic network by environmental factors. Finally, we prospect the future direction of molecular genetics of medicinal plants based on the rapid development of multi-omics technology, as well as the application of molecular genetics in the future strategies to achieve conservation and breeding of medicinal plants and efficient biosynthesis of active compounds.
Biosynthetic Pathways ; Genomics ; Molecular Biology ; Plant Breeding ; Plants, Medicinal

Objective:To explore the inhibitory effects of Mentha haplocalyx Briq. With different extraction methods on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in vitro and antiviral mechanism of it seffective parts. Methods:By using the virus infection model in vitro to detect the cytopathic effect (CPE) of the anti-RSV effect of Mentha haplocalyx Briq. in vitro. Make the anti-RSV therapeutic index (TI) in vitroas the index to screen the extraction method of mint and the macro-porous adsorption resin, so as to determine the best extraction method, and the best macroporous adsorption resin was used for separation and purification. Elution with different concentrations of eluent was used to determine the effective parts of Mentha haplocalyx Briq. resisting RSV. The antiviral mechanism was analyzed by different administration methods. Results:The supernatant of Mint after water extraction and alcohol precipitation had the strongest inhibitory effect on RSV, with TI value of 37.58; HPD100 resin had the best separation and purification effect on the supernatant, and 25% ethanol elution site had the best effect, and the TI value was 57.8. The effective substances were determined to be polyphenols by physicochemical identification reaction. After the effective parts are mixed with the virus, the antiviral experiment is the best.Conclusions:The supernatant of mint after water extraction and alcohol precipitation was adsorbed by HPD100, and 25% ethanol eluent had the best anti-RSV effect, with preventive and therapeutic effects.