Background/Aims: Liver transplantation (LT) following total hepatectomy is a life-saving treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The HCC recurrence after LT hinders the effectiveness of the procedure. The objective of this study is to develop a pre-operative risk stratification model based on a liquid biopsy. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive multi-omics study of 260 HCC patients from three centers, including clinical data, low-coverage whole-genome sequencing of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from plasma, as well as whole-exome, single-nucleus RNA, and spatial transcriptomics from matched tumor and non-tumor tissues. Results: We identified cfDNA-derived copy number alteration (CNA) signatures associated with post-transplant recurrence. By integrating cfDNA-derived CNA profiles with single-cell transcriptomic data, we traced recurrence-associated cfDNA to a distinct subpopulation of malignant cells within the primary tumor. These cells were embedded in a pro-metastatic microenvironment of specialized endothelial subtypes and cancer-associated fibroblasts. Notably, most recurrence-associated lesions were detectable in cfDNA prior to liver transplantation (LT). Building on these insights, we developed the ZJU Criteria based on CNA fragments and tumor markers, a pre-LT risk prediction tool that integrates conventional clinical factors with cfDNA-derived CNA signatures, and validated it using internal and independent external cohorts. Conclusion Our findings suggest that post-transplant recurrence commonly originates from advanced subclones that emerge late during tumor evolution. The ZJU Criteria provides an accurate, non-invasive strategy that significantly improves pre-LT risk stratification and clinical decision-making for patients with HCC.

Objective To optimize the design of the existing water conductivity control system for pharmaceutical water equipment of full membrane process so as to solve its problems in precision and long cycle time due to water source,ambient temperature and intermittent working mode.Methods The optimized water conductivity control system was composed of an alkali metering pump,a conductivity sensor and a programmable logic controller(PLC),which used a fuzzy proportional-integral-derivative(PID)controller to regulate the water conductivity of pharmaceutical water equipment of full membrane process,and the particle swarm optimization(PSO)algorithm to optimize the parameters of the fuzzy PID controller.A simulation model was established with MATLAB software to verify the performance of the optimized control system.Results Simulation results showed the optimized control system had reductions in overshoot(by 19％)and adjustment time(by 29％)when compared with the fuzzy PID control system,and enhanced control efficiency effectively.Conclusion The optimized control system optimized by the PSO algorithm improves the quality of produced water,and can meet the demands for rapid and safe production of pharmaceutical water by pharmaceutical water equipment of full membrane process in different conditions.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(6):14-19]

This study was aimed at establishing a method of ultra-fast quantitative PCR for Brucella detection.We used an exogenous recombinant plasmid as the internal reference and targeted the T4SS secretion system,an important Brucella viru-lence factor,to design specific primers and probes.The sensitivity,specificity,and repeatability of this method were evaluated,and a standard curve was constructed.The coincidence rate of detection findings with this method versus quantitative PCR was determined.This method markedly decreased the detection time to only 10 minutes.The standard curve demonstrated a good linear relationship(Y=-3.410 7x+38.357,R2=0.998 5)with a low minimum detection limit of 10 copies/μL.The method exhibited good specificity and did not specifically amplify several common clinical bacteria other than Brucella.The de-tection of three concentrations of positive plasmids yielded coefficients of variation(CVs)of 0.20％to 0.91％,thus demonstra-ting the method's excellent repeatability.Furthermore,140 clinical samples were analyzed concurrently with the fluorescence PCR method,which yielded a 100％compliance rate and consistent results.Our findings indicated that the Brucella ultra-fast quantitative PCR was ultrafast;had high sensitivity,high specificity,and good specificity;and can be used for the clinical de-tection of Brucella and emergency investigation of epidemics.Therefore,this method is valuable for the early diagnosis of Bru-cella.

Objective To optimize the design of the existing water conductivity control system for pharmaceutical water equipment of full membrane process so as to solve its problems in precision and long cycle time due to water source,ambient temperature and intermittent working mode.Methods The optimized water conductivity control system was composed of an alkali metering pump,a conductivity sensor and a programmable logic controller(PLC),which used a fuzzy proportional-integral-derivative(PID)controller to regulate the water conductivity of pharmaceutical water equipment of full membrane process,and the particle swarm optimization(PSO)algorithm to optimize the parameters of the fuzzy PID controller.A simulation model was established with MATLAB software to verify the performance of the optimized control system.Results Simulation results showed the optimized control system had reductions in overshoot(by 19％)and adjustment time(by 29％)when compared with the fuzzy PID control system,and enhanced control efficiency effectively.Conclusion The optimized control system optimized by the PSO algorithm improves the quality of produced water,and can meet the demands for rapid and safe production of pharmaceutical water by pharmaceutical water equipment of full membrane process in different conditions.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(6):14-19]

This study was aimed at establishing a method of ultra-fast quantitative PCR for Brucella detection.We used an exogenous recombinant plasmid as the internal reference and targeted the T4SS secretion system,an important Brucella viru-lence factor,to design specific primers and probes.The sensitivity,specificity,and repeatability of this method were evaluated,and a standard curve was constructed.The coincidence rate of detection findings with this method versus quantitative PCR was determined.This method markedly decreased the detection time to only 10 minutes.The standard curve demonstrated a good linear relationship(Y=-3.410 7x+38.357,R2=0.998 5)with a low minimum detection limit of 10 copies/μL.The method exhibited good specificity and did not specifically amplify several common clinical bacteria other than Brucella.The de-tection of three concentrations of positive plasmids yielded coefficients of variation(CVs)of 0.20％to 0.91％,thus demonstra-ting the method's excellent repeatability.Furthermore,140 clinical samples were analyzed concurrently with the fluorescence PCR method,which yielded a 100％compliance rate and consistent results.Our findings indicated that the Brucella ultra-fast quantitative PCR was ultrafast;had high sensitivity,high specificity,and good specificity;and can be used for the clinical de-tection of Brucella and emergency investigation of epidemics.Therefore,this method is valuable for the early diagnosis of Bru-cella.

Objective:To compare the impact of different treatment strategies on the survival outcomes in rectal cancer patients with poor response to neoadjuvant therapy, and to explore the survival-related influencing factors.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Between January 2018 and November 2022, the clinical, pathological, and follow-up data of 106 rectal cancer patients who received neoadjuvant therapy and were evaluated as grade 4 or 5 based on the Magnetic Resonance Tumor Regression Grade (mrTRG) from the rectal cancer database at Peking Union Medical College Hospital were retrospectively collected. Based on the post-neoadjuvant therapy assessment, patients were classified into three groups: the chemotherapy-radiotherapy group (23 patients), the consolidation therapy group (18 patients), and the standard treatment group (65 patients). General condition, pathological findings, selection of neoadjuvant therapy, comorbidities, as well as 3-year expected DMFS and OS were observed in the three groups.Results:All 106 patients were followed up, with a median follow-up time of 28 (21, 38) months. The overall 3-year DMFS rate was 60%, and the 3-year OS rate was 74%. The 3-year DMFS in the standard treatment and consolidation therapy groups were 74% and 72%, respectively; the 3-year OS were 84%, 81%, respectively. The Log-rank test showed that there was no significant difference in the 3-year expected DMFS and OS between the standard treatment group and the consolidation therapy group (both P>0.05), but both groups had better survival outcomes than the chemotherapy-radiotherapy group (10% and 39%, respectively; all P<0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that the chemotherapy-radiotherapy only regimen was an independent risk factor for DMFS (HR=12.425, 95% CI: 4.436–34.594, P<0.001), and the independent risk factors for OS were chemotherapy-radiotherapy only regimen (HR=8.991, 95%CI:2.220–36.403, P=0.002) and age≥65 years (HR=3.495, 95%CI: 1.017–12.009, P=0.047). Stratified analysis showed that chemotherapy-radiotherapy only regimen was the independent risk factors for DMFS and OS in patients with extramural vascular invasion (EMVI) positive ( n=66) and mesorectal fascial invasion (MRF) positive (n=56) (all P<0.05). Whether consolidation therapy was added to the standard neoadjuvant treatment regimen was not an independent factor affecting 3-year expected DMFS or OS in rectal cancer patients with poor response to neoadjuvant therapy. Further comparisons between the standard neoadjuvant treatment and consolidation therapy groups showed no statistically significant differences in spincter-preservation rate or postoperative complication rates (both P>0.05). However, the consolidation therapy group had a longer interval between the end of radiotherapy and surgery [80.1 (50.8, 109.4) days vs. 61.8 (48.8, 74.8) days, P<0.001], and a higher incidence of chemotherapy-related adverse effects ([10/18] vs. 26.2% [17/65], P=0.018). Conclusion:In rectal cancer patients with poor response to neoadjuvant therapy and clear adverse prognostic features before surgery (locally advanced stage, MRF positive or EMVI positive), the addition of short- or long-course chemotherapy-based systemic therapy does not provide short- or long-term survival benefits. Moreover, an extended chemotherapy duration increases the incidence of chemotherapy-related adverse effects.

AIM To establish a UPLC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous content determination of liquiritin,liquiritin apioside,verbascoside,narirutin,isoacteoside,apigetrin,hesperidin,isoliquiritin,ononin,liquiritigenin,glycyrrhizic acid,isoliquiritigenin,honokiol,obovatol,pogostone and magnolol in Jiawei Huoxiang Zhengqi Soft Capsules.METHODS The analysis was performed on a 40 ℃ thermostatic ZORBAX Eclipse Plus C18 column(2.1 mm×100 mm,1.8 μm),with the mobile phase comprising of 0.1％formic acid-acetonitrile flowing at 0.4 mL/min in a gradient elution manner,and electron spray ionization source was adopted in positive and negative ion scanning with multiple reaction monitoring mode.RESULTS Sixteen constituents showed good linear relationships within their own ranges(r＞0.990 0),whose average recoveries were 83.74％-105.12％with the RSDs of 1.10％-4.8％.CONCLUSION This accurate,sensitive,stable and reproducible method can provide a reference for the overall quality control of Jiawei Huoxiang Zhengqi Soft Capsules.

Body weight abnormalities, including overweight, obesity, and underweight, have become a dual public health challenge in Chinese adults: overweight and obesity lead to a variety of chronic complications, while underweight increases the risks of malnutrition, sarcopenia, and organ dysfunction. To systematically address these issues, multidisciplinary experts in endocrinology, sports science, nutrition, and psychiatry from various regions have held multiple weight management seminars. Based on the latest epidemiological data and clinical evidence, they expanded the guideline to include assessment and intervention strategies for underweight, in addition to the core content of obesity management. This guideline outlines the etiological mechanisms, evaluation methods, and multidimensional management strategies for overweight and obesity, covering key areas such as diagnosis and assessment, medical nutrition therapy, exercise prescription, pharmacological intervention, and psychological support. It is intended to provide a scientific and standardized approach to weight management across the adult population, aiming to curb the rising prevalence of obesity, mitigate complications associated with abnormal body weight, and improve nutritional status and overall quality of life.

Osteoporosis is a prevalent skeletal condition characterized by reduced bone mass and strength, leading to increased fragility. Buqi-Tongluo (BQTL) decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription, has yet to be fully evaluated for its potential in treating bone diseases such as osteoporosis. To investigate the mechanism by which BQTL decoction inhibits osteoclast differentiation in vitro and validate these findings through in vivo experiments. We employed MTS assays to assess the potential proliferative or toxic effects of BQTL on bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) at various concentrations. TRAcP experiments were conducted to examine BQTL's impact on osteoclast differentiation. RT-PCR and Western blot analyses were utilized to evaluate the relative expression levels of osteoclast-specific genes and proteins under BQTL stimulation. Finally, in vivo experiments were performed using an osteoporosis model to further validate the in vitro findings. This study revealed that BQTL suppressed receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis and osteoclast resorption activity in vitro in a dose-dependent manner without observable cytotoxicity. The inhibitory effects of BQTL on osteoclast formation and function were attributed to the downregulation of NFATc1 and c-fos activity, primarily through attenuation of the MAPK, NF-κB, and Calcineurin signaling pathways. BQTL's inhibitory capacity was further examined in vivo using an ovariectomized (OVX) rat model, demonstrating a strong protective effect against bone loss. BQTL may serve as an effective therapeutic TCM for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis and the alleviation of bone loss induced by estrogen deficiency and related conditions.
Animals ; NFATC Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Ovariectomy ; Osteoclasts/metabolism* ; Female ; Osteogenesis/drug effects* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; NF-kappa B/genetics* ; Osteoporosis/genetics* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Bone Resorption/genetics* ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; Humans ; RANK Ligand/metabolism* ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/genetics* ; Transcription Factors

A microchannel-based electrochemiluminescence(ECL)sensor was developed for detection of tetracycline(TC)utilizing luminol/H2O2 as ECL reporting system.The low excitation potential of luminol/H2O2 effectively mitigated the impact of clamping voltage,thereby enhancing the detection performance of the microchannel-based ECL sensor.The microchannel modified with TC aptamer selectively recognized and captured target TC.The positively charged TC reduced the surface charge density within the microchannel,thereby increasing the ionic current in the microchannel,leading to change of ECL signal of system.The experimental conditions such as electrolyte concentration,TC-aptamer concentration,and reaction time between TC and TC-aptamer were optimized.Under optimal conditions,the difference of ECL signal in the absence and presence of TC(?ECL)exhibited a good linear relationship with TC concentration in the range from 1.00 ng/mL to 200 ng/mL,with a detection limit as low as 0.69 ng/mL.The sensor had good selectivity and was successfully used in detection of TC in milk samples.