Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs. Results: All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027). Conclusion The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs. Results: All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027). Conclusion The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs. Results: All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027). Conclusion The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs. Results: All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027). Conclusion The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs. Results: All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027). Conclusion The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.

ObjectiveTo investigate the impact of preoperative frailty on the prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy. MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 435 pancreatic cancer patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. Preoperative frailty was assessed using the FRAIL questionnaire. Binary logistics regression analysis was employed to identify factors influencing frailty， and Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the effect of frailty on survival. According to the demographic characteristics， subgroup analyses were performed on the effect of frailty on prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer with pancreaticoduodenectomy. ResultsAmong the 435 patients enrolled， 119 （27.4%） exhibited frailty， while 316 （72.6%） did not. Significant differences were observed between the two groups in various clinical parameters， including age， body mass index， American Society of Anesthesiologists （ASA） score， postoperative red blood cell transfusion， postoperative abdominal abscess， serum levels of glycoantigens 199， glycoantigens 125， and alpha fetoprotein， leukocyte count， neutrophil， high density lipoprotein （HDL） level， and pain intensity （P＜0.05）. Advanced age and an ASA score of Ⅲ were identified as risk factors for frailty， whereas HDL level was a protective factor. Non-frail patients had better postoperative survival times than frail patients. HDL was determined to be an independent protective factor for prognosis， while LDL was an independent risk factor. ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that preoperative frailty is a significant predictor of poor prognosis in pancreatic cancer patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy.These findings suggest that preoperative frailty assessment and targeted interventions to improve nutritional and metabolic status could potentially enhance postoperative survival and quality of life in pancreatic cancer patients.

ObjectiveTo investigate the perceived experience and acceptance of intrapartum ultrasound （IPUS） as a novel method for labor progress assessment among pregnant women. MethodsFrom February 2023 to December 2024， a total of 180 pregnant women admitted to the Labor Ward of Lingnan Hospital， the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University， who were planned for vaginal trial of labor ， were accessed for labor progress using IPUS and vaginal examination （VE） after the onset of labor and prior to the initiation n of labor analgesia. A self-designed questionnaire was used to investigate the women's perceived experiences with both examination methods and their acceptance of IPUS. The pain intensity associated with the examinations was evaluated using the visual analogue pain scale （VAS）. Differences in the women's experiences and pain intensity between the two labor progress assessment methods were compared. ResultsThe acceptance rate of IPUS was 96.67% （174/180）， with the remaining 6 cases undecided. Over 60% of the pregnant women reported IPUS assessment as comfortable and none of them felt discomfort， whereas 32.8% felt uncomfortable with VE （χ²=196.02， P＜0.001）. Nearly two-thirds of the pregnant women believed that VE would cause psychological distress， while none reported such effect with IPUS （χ²=261.52， P＜0.001）. Approximately 77.78% （140/180） of the pregnant women believed that IPUS could reduce their fear of vaginal delivery and enhance their confidence if it replaced VE. The VAS score for IPUS ［0 （0， 2）］ was significantly lower than that for VE ［4 （4， 6）］ （Z=-14.62， P＜0.001）. Further stratified analysis showed that over 90% （164/180） of the pregnant women found IPUS painless， with no moderate or severe pain reported， compared to 43.33% （78/180） experienced moderate or severe pain with VE （P＜0.001）. ConclusionAs a novel approach for labor progress assessment， IPUS not only alleviates the pain and discomfort associated with traditional VE and reduces the fear of childbirth but also enhances women's confidence in delivery， thereby achieving a high level of acceptance among parturient women in China.

Polygonati Rhizoma demonstrates significant potential for addressing both chronic and hidden hunger. The supply of high-quality seedlings is a primary factor influencing the development of the Polygonati Rhizoma industry. Warm water soaking is often used in agriculture to promote the rapid germination of seeds, while its application and molecular mechanism in Polygonati Rhizoma have not been reported. To rapidly obtain high-quality seedlings, this study treated Polygonatum kingianum var. grandifolium seeds with sand storage at low temperatures, warm water soaking, and cultivation temperature gradients. The results showed that the culture at 25 ℃ or sand storage at 4 ℃ for 2 months rapidly broke the seed dormancy of P. kingianum var. grandifolium, while the culture at 20 ℃ or sand storage at 4 ℃ for 1 month failed to break the seed dormancy. Soaking seeds in 60 ℃ warm water further increased the germination rate, germination potential, and germination index. Specifically, the seeds soaked at 60 ℃ and cultured at 25 ℃ without sand storage treatment(Aa25) achieved a germination rate of 78. 67%±1. 53% on day 42 and 83. 40%±4. 63% on day 77. The seeds pretreated with sand storage at 4 ℃ for 2 months, soaked in 60 ℃ water, and then cultured at 25 ℃ achieved a germination rate comparable to that of Aa25 on day 77. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that warm water soaking might promote germination by triggering reactive oxygen species( ROS), inducing the expression of heat shock factors( HSFs) and heat shock proteins( HSPs), which accelerated DNA replication, transcript maturation, translation, and processing, thereby facilitating the accumulation and turnover of genetic materials. According to the results of indoor controlled experiments and field practices, maintaining a germination and seedling cultivation environment at approximately 25 ℃ was crucial for the one-year seedling cultivation of P. kingianum var. grandifolium.
Germination ; Seedlings/genetics* ; Water/metabolism* ; Seeds/metabolism* ; Polygonatum/genetics* ; Temperature ; Plant Proteins/genetics* ; Plant Dormancy

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the protective effects and underlying mechanisms of Gynostemma pentaphyllum (GP)ethanol extract on motor dysfunction in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease (PD). METHODS: Eighty C57BL/6 male mice were randomly divided into five groups: control group, model group, levodopa group (positive control group), low-dose GP group, and high-dose GP group, with 16 mice per group. The PD model was induced by injection of 6-hydroxydopamine into the substantia nigra pars reticulata of the mice. Two weeks after 6-hydroxydopamine, positive control group received intraperitoneal injection of levodopa 10 mg·kg^－1·d^－1, while low-dose GP and high-dose GP groups received GP extract 100 or 200 mg·kg^－1·d^－1 orally for three weeks. After a 3-week-treatment, the effects of GP on motor dysfunction in 6-hydroxydopamine-induced PD were assessed using open field and CatWalk gait tests, while the effects on muscle strength were evaluated by forelimb grip strength. Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) positive neurons. The levels of dopamine and serotonin in the midbrain were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In addition, Western blotting was performed to detect the expression of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family proteins such as p-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2, p-p38 and p-c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)1/2, and mitochondrial apoptosis pathway proteins such as B-cell lymphoma (Bcl)-2, Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax), and cleaved-cysteine aspartic acid specific protease (caspase)-3. RESULTS: Behavioral experiments showed that GP significantly improved the spontaneous activity and motor coordination of PD mice (P<0.05). The forelimb grip strength was also increased by GP treatment (P<0.05), compared to the PD model group. In addition, compared with the model group, the number of TH-positive neurons in substantia nigra pars reticulata region, the levels of dopamine and serotonin in midbrain and the expression of p-ERK1/2 were significantly increased by GP treatment (all P<0.05), whereas the expression of p-p38 and p-JNK1/2, the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 and cleaved-caspase-3/caspase-3 were significantly decreased (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The results indicate that GP might increase dopamine and serotonin levels in the midbrain and promote the survival of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra pars reticulata by regulating the expression of phosphorylation of MAPK family proteins and the expression of mitochondrial apoptosis-related proteins, thereby ameliorating motor deficits in PD mice.
Animals ; Mice ; Male ; Gynostemma/chemistry* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Plant Extracts/therapeutic use* ; Parkinson Disease/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Neurons/pathology*