ObjectiveTo investigate the effect and mechanism of Yijingtang （YJT） in treating diminished ovarian reserve （DOR） in rats by regulating the Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）/myeloid differentiation factor 88 （MyD88）/nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway. MethodsFifty female SD rats with normal estrous cycles were randomly allocated into blank， model， low- and high-dose （12.579 and 25.158 g·kg^-1， respectively） YJT， and dehydroepiandrosterone （7.487 5 mg·kg^-1） groups， with 10 rats in each group. The rats in other groups except the blank group were administrated with the tripterygium glycosides tablet suspension （5 mg·kg^-1） by gavage for 14 days for the modeling of DOR. The rats in the drug treatment groups were administrated with corresponding drugs by gavage from day 15 for 30 consecutive days， and those in the blank and model groups received equal volumes of distilled water. The vaginal exfoliated cell smears were observed to assess the changes in the estrous cycle. The wet weight of bilateral ovaries was weighed for calculation of the ovarian index. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was performed to observe the histopathological changes in the ovaries and the proportions of follicles at various levels were calculated. The serum levels of sex hormones ［follicle-stimulating hormone （FSH）， luteinizing hormone （LH）， estradiol （E₂）， and anti-Müllerian hormone （AMH）］ and inflammatory factors ［tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α）， interleukin-1beta （IL-1β）， and interleukin-10 （IL-10）］ were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） was conducted to determine the mRNA levels of TLR4， MyD88， NF-κB profilin α （IκBα）， NF-κB and inflammatory factors in the ovarian tissue. Western blot was employed to measure the protein levels of factors related to the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway in the ovarian tissue. Immunofluorescence （IF） was used to detect the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 in the ovarian tissue. ResultsCompared with the blank group， the model group showed disturbed estrous cycles， increased inflammatory infiltration in the ovarian tissue， decreases in ovarian index and proportion of presinusoidal follicles， and an increase in the proportion of atretic follicles （P<0.05， P<0.01）. In addition， the model group showed elevated serum levels of FSH， LH， TNF-α， and IL-1β， up-regulated mRNA levels of TLR4， MyD88， IκBα， NF-κB， TNF-α， and IL-1β and protein levels of TLR4， MyD88， p-IκBα， and p-NF-κB p65 （P<0.01）， lowered serum levels of AMH， E₂， and IL-10， down-regulated mRNA level of IL-10 （P<0.01）， and massive nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 in the ovarian tissue. Compared with the model group， dehydroepiandrosterone and low and high doses of YJT restored the disturbed estrous cycle， reduced inflammatory infiltration in the ovarian tissue， increased the ovarian index （P<0.01）， and changed the follicular composition ratio （P<0.01）. Furthermore， the drugs lowered the serum levels of FSH， LH， TNF-α， and IL-1β， down-regulated the mRNA levels of TLR4， MyD88， IκBα， NF-κB， TNF-α， and IL-1β and the protein levels of TLR4， MyD88， p-IκBα， and p-NF-κB p65 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， raised the serum levels of AMH， E₂， and IL-10， up-regulated the mRNA level of IL-10 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and reduced the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 in the ovarian tissue. ConclusionYJT may inhibit the release and expression of inflammatory factors by regulating the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway to attenuate the inflammatory responses in the ovarian tissue， thereby improving the ovarian function in DOR rats.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect and mechanism of Yijingtang （YJT） in treating diminished ovarian reserve （DOR） in rats by regulating the Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）/myeloid differentiation factor 88 （MyD88）/nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway. MethodsFifty female SD rats with normal estrous cycles were randomly allocated into blank， model， low- and high-dose （12.579 and 25.158 g·kg^-1， respectively） YJT， and dehydroepiandrosterone （7.487 5 mg·kg^-1） groups， with 10 rats in each group. The rats in other groups except the blank group were administrated with the tripterygium glycosides tablet suspension （5 mg·kg^-1） by gavage for 14 days for the modeling of DOR. The rats in the drug treatment groups were administrated with corresponding drugs by gavage from day 15 for 30 consecutive days， and those in the blank and model groups received equal volumes of distilled water. The vaginal exfoliated cell smears were observed to assess the changes in the estrous cycle. The wet weight of bilateral ovaries was weighed for calculation of the ovarian index. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was performed to observe the histopathological changes in the ovaries and the proportions of follicles at various levels were calculated. The serum levels of sex hormones ［follicle-stimulating hormone （FSH）， luteinizing hormone （LH）， estradiol （E₂）， and anti-Müllerian hormone （AMH）］ and inflammatory factors ［tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α）， interleukin-1beta （IL-1β）， and interleukin-10 （IL-10）］ were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） was conducted to determine the mRNA levels of TLR4， MyD88， NF-κB profilin α （IκBα）， NF-κB and inflammatory factors in the ovarian tissue. Western blot was employed to measure the protein levels of factors related to the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway in the ovarian tissue. Immunofluorescence （IF） was used to detect the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 in the ovarian tissue. ResultsCompared with the blank group， the model group showed disturbed estrous cycles， increased inflammatory infiltration in the ovarian tissue， decreases in ovarian index and proportion of presinusoidal follicles， and an increase in the proportion of atretic follicles （P<0.05， P<0.01）. In addition， the model group showed elevated serum levels of FSH， LH， TNF-α， and IL-1β， up-regulated mRNA levels of TLR4， MyD88， IκBα， NF-κB， TNF-α， and IL-1β and protein levels of TLR4， MyD88， p-IκBα， and p-NF-κB p65 （P<0.01）， lowered serum levels of AMH， E₂， and IL-10， down-regulated mRNA level of IL-10 （P<0.01）， and massive nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 in the ovarian tissue. Compared with the model group， dehydroepiandrosterone and low and high doses of YJT restored the disturbed estrous cycle， reduced inflammatory infiltration in the ovarian tissue， increased the ovarian index （P<0.01）， and changed the follicular composition ratio （P<0.01）. Furthermore， the drugs lowered the serum levels of FSH， LH， TNF-α， and IL-1β， down-regulated the mRNA levels of TLR4， MyD88， IκBα， NF-κB， TNF-α， and IL-1β and the protein levels of TLR4， MyD88， p-IκBα， and p-NF-κB p65 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， raised the serum levels of AMH， E₂， and IL-10， up-regulated the mRNA level of IL-10 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and reduced the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 in the ovarian tissue. ConclusionYJT may inhibit the release and expression of inflammatory factors by regulating the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway to attenuate the inflammatory responses in the ovarian tissue， thereby improving the ovarian function in DOR rats.

OBJECTIVES: Whether vortioxetine has a utility as an adjuvant drug in the treatment of bipolar depression remains controversial. This study aimed to validate the efficacy and safety of vortioxetine in bipolar depression. METHODS: Patients with bipolar Ⅱ depression were enrolled in this prospective, two-center, randomized, 12-week pilot trial. The main indicator for assessing treatment effectiveness was a Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) of ≥50%. All eligible patients initially received four weeks of lurasidone monotherapy. Patients who responded well continued to receive this kind of monotherapy. However, no-response patients were randomly assigned to either valproate or vortioxetine treatment for eight weeks. By comprehensively comparing the results of MADRS over a period of 4‍‒‍12 weeks, a systematic analysis was conducted to determine whether vortioxetine could be used as an adjuvant drug for treating bipolar depression. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients responded to lurasidone monotherapy, and 60 patients were randomly assigned to the valproate or vortioxetine group for eight weeks. After two weeks of combined valproate or vortioxetine treatment, the MADRS score in the vortioxetine group was significantly lower than that in the valproate group. There was no difference in the MADRS scores between the two groups at 8 and 12 weeks. The incidence of side effects did not significantly differ between the valproate and vortioxetine groups. Importantly, three patients in the vortioxetine group appeared to switch to mania or hypomania. CONCLUSIONS This study suggested that lurasidone combination with vortioxetine might have potential benefits to bipolar II depression in the early stage, while disease progression should be monitored closely for the risk of switching to mania.
Humans ; Bipolar Disorder/drug therapy* ; Vortioxetine/therapeutic use* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Valproic Acid/administration & dosage* ; Lurasidone Hydrochloride/administration & dosage* ; Prospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Pilot Projects ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Sulfides/therapeutic use* ; Antidepressive Agents/therapeutic use*

Traditional development of small protein scaffolds has relied on display technologies and mutation-based engineering, which limit sequence and functional diversity, thereby constraining their therapeutic and application potential. Protein design tools have significantly advanced the creation of novel protein sequences, structures, and functions. However, further improvements in design strategies are still needed to more efficiently optimize the functional performance of protein-based drugs and enhance their druggability. Here, we extended an evolution-based design protocol to create a novel minibinder, BindHer, against the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). It not only exhibits super stability and binding selectivity but also demonstrates remarkable properties in tissue specificity. Radiolabeling experiments with ^99mTc, ⁶⁸Ga, and ¹⁸F revealed that BindHer efficiently targets tumors in HER2-positive breast cancer mouse models, with minimal nonspecific liver absorption, outperforming scaffolds designed through traditional engineering. These findings highlight a new rational approach to automated protein design, offering significant potential for large-scale applications in therapeutic mini-protein development.

Ruxolitinib， a small molecule inhibitor， selectively targets Janus kinase （JAK） by competitively binding to adenosine triphosphate on the catalytic site of the JAK1 and JAK2 domain， thereby inhibiting JAK activation and signal transducer and activator of transcription （STAT） phosphorylation and prevents the expressions of the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. Oral ruxolitinib has demonstrated promising efficacy for myelofibrosis and polycythemia vera. The topical Ruxolitinib cream， approved by the US FDA as the first non-segmental vitiligo home treatment drug， is set to be launched in domestic medical pioneer areas in August 2023 and is expected to bring about a breakthrough in the treatment of vitiligo. Clinical cases have also shown that Ruxolitinib cream has significant curative effects on atopic dermatitis， alopecia areata， and other conditions， indicating great application prospects.

With the widespread application of colorectal cancer screening, the surveillance and management of the increasing number of screened population has become a pivotal aspect in preventing and controlling colorectal cancer. In recent years, researches have been conducted on the risk of colorectal cancer incidence and mortality in the population after screening. At the same time, various organizations in Europe and the United States have continuously updated colonoscopy surveillance after screening and polypectomy based on the latest research evidence. In this review, we summarized the current progress of studies on colorectal cancer risk in post-screening colorectal cancer populations and the key points of relevant guideline updates, in order to provide a reference for conducting relevant studies and formulating surveillance guidelines or consensus in China.

Objective:To analyze the clinical features, risk factors and prognosis of IPA combined with lung infection, aiming to further improve clinicians' understanding and diagnosis and treatment of it.Methods:Patients with IPA admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January 2013 to October 2021 were retrospectively enrolled, and their clinical data was collected from the electronic medical record, including demographic information, clinical characteristics, biochemical indicators, auxiliary examination, microbial data and prognostic indicators. Patients were divided into two groups of IPA with pulmonary infection and IPA alone, and the clinical features, risk factors and prognosis of IPA patients with pulmonary infection were compared and analyzed in comparison with IPA patients alone.Results:A total of 156 IPA patients were finally recruited, with an average age of (67.12±12.89) years old and a main male proportion of 69.20%. Among them, there were 86 cases (55.13%) with IPA with pulmonary infection and 70 cases (44.87%) with IPA alone. Half of the IPA patients with pulmonary infection were mixed with one pathogen. The main pathogen of mixed infection was bacteria (82.72%), whereas acinetobacter baumannii accounted for the most common pathogen(25.93%, 42/162). Multivariate logistic regression analysis found that mechanical ventilation ( OR 4.89, 95% CI 2.23-10.70) and prior neutropenia ( OR 6.41, 95% CI 1.33-30.93) were independent risk factors for the occurrence of IPA with pulmonary infection. Compared with IPA alone, IPA patients with pulmonary infection were more likely to develop septic shock(69.80% vs. 32.90%, P <0.05), and have longer lengthes of hospital stay [16.00(8.00,36.50) vs.13.50 (7.00,20.50)] and ICU stay[11.50(6.00,31.25) vs.8.50(1.75,11.00)], and mechanical ventilation days [12.00(6.75, 25.25) vs.8.00(2.00,10.00)], as well as a higher 28-day mortality (55.80% vs.35.70%) and in-hospital mortality (64.00% vs. 35.70%). Conclusions:IPA patients with pulmonary infection accounts for more than half of IPA patients. The main respiratory etiology of IPA with pulmonary infection is acinetobacter baumannii. The independent risk factors of IPA patients with pulmonary infection are mechanical ventilation and neutropenia. The prognosis of IPA patients with pulmonary infection is worse than patients with IPA alone, which is worthy for the attention of physicians.

With the widespread application of colorectal cancer screening, the surveillance and management of the increasing number of screened population has become a pivotal aspect in preventing and controlling colorectal cancer. In recent years, researches have been conducted on the risk of colorectal cancer incidence and mortality in the population after screening. At the same time, various organizations in Europe and the United States have continuously updated colonoscopy surveillance after screening and polypectomy based on the latest research evidence. In this review, we summarized the current progress of studies on colorectal cancer risk in post-screening colorectal cancer populations and the key points of relevant guideline updates, in order to provide a reference for conducting relevant studies and formulating surveillance guidelines or consensus in China.

Objective:To summarize the best evidence for external auditory canal irrigation in patients with cerumen embolism.Methods:The clinical decisions, guidelines, systematic reviews, expert consensus, group standards, evidence summaries, and randomized controlled trials regarding external auditory canal irrigation in patients with cerumen embolism were retrieved from databases and websites such as BMJ Best Practice, UpToDate, Guidelines International Network, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence-Based Health Care Center Database, PubMed, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang data, and China Biology Medicine disc. The search period was from database establishment to February 15, 2023. Six researchers screened the literature, evaluated the methodological quality, and extracted and summarized the best evidence for external auditory canal irrigation in patients with cerumen embolism.Results:A total of nine articles were included, including one clinical decision, two guidelines, two systematic reviews, one group standard, and three randomized controlled trials. Sixteen pieces of evidence were summarized from six aspects of operators: pre-operation evaluation and preparation, operation process, post-operation handling, health education, and adverse reactions during operation.Conclusions:This paper summarizes the best evidence for external auditory canal irrigation in patients with cerumen embolism. Medical and nursing staff should carefully select and apply evidence based on clinical scenarios and patient's wishes.

Objective:To explore the efficacy of precise and empirical bismuth-containing quadruple therapy guided by clarithromycin sensitivity testing in the first eradication of Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori) in Ningxia. Methods:From August 12, 2022 to March 22, 2023, 600 patients diagnosed as H. pylori-positive by 14C-urea breath test ( 14C-UBT) for the first time in People′s Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Ningnan Hospital of People′s Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Zhongwei People′s Hospital, Yanchi County People′s Hospital, and Pingluo People′s Hospital were selected, and divided into empirical treatment group (hereinafter referred to as the empirical group), genetic testing group (hereinafter referred to as the genetic group), and drug sensitivity testing group (hereinafter referred to as the drug sensitivity group) by using random number table with 200 patients in each group. The empirical group did not undergo drug sensitivity testing and genetic testing, while the genetic and drug sensitivity groups were confirmed to be sensitive to clarithromycin through genetic testing and drug sensitivity testing, and the patients with drug-resistant were excluded, respectively. All the patients of the 3 groups received the same clarithromycin bismuth-containing quadruple therapy. Intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analyses were performed to compare the eradication rates of H. pylori among 3 groups. Cost-effectiveness ratio (CER) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) were used for cost-effectiveness and sensitivity analysis based on the ITT. Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. Results:There were 200, 126, and 168 patients included in the empirical group, genetic group, and drug sensitivity group in ITT analysis, and 190, 123, and 164 patients were enrolled in the 3 groups in PP analysis, respectively. The results of ITT analysis showed that the eradication rates of H. pylori in the empirical group, genetic group, and drug sensitivity group were 80.5% (161/200), 94.4% (119/126), and 95.2% (160/168), respectively. The results of PP analysis indicated that the eradication rates of H. pylori in the 3 groups were 84.7% (161/190), 96.7% (119/123), and 97.6% (160/164), respectively, and the differences were statistically significant ( χ2=25.39 and 24.93, both P<0.001). The H. pylori eradication rates of genetic group and drug sensitivity group were both higher than that of empirical group in ITT and PP analysis( χ2=12.40, 17.80, 11.42, and 17.13; all P<0.001). The cost-effectiveness analysis showed that the direct treatment cost of the empirical group, genetic group, and drug sensitivity group was 400.8, 729.2, and 779.2 yuan, respectively, and the CER was 4.98, 7.72, and 8.18 yuan/%, respectively. Compared to the empirical group, the ICER of the genetic group and drug sensitivity group was 23.6 and 25.7 yuan/%, respectively. The sensitivity analysis demonstrated that, when the cost of genetic testing reduced or increased by 20%, the ICER of the genetic group compared to the empirical group was 21.8 or 25.5 yuan/%, respectively. When the cost of drug sensitivity testing reduced or increased by 20%, the ICER of the drug sensitivity group compared to the empirical group was 23.3 or 28.2 yuan/%. When the cost of gastroscopy reduced or increased by 20%, the ICER of the genetic group compared to the empirical group was 20.8 or 26.5 yuan/%, and the ICER of the drug sensitivity group compared to the empirical group was 23.0 or 28.4 yuan/%, respectively. Conclusion:In Ningxia, if the clarithromycin bismuth-containing quadruple regimen is applied as the first H. pylori eradication regimen, in order to achieve the clinical eradication efficacy of H. pylori, and the patients can accept an additional payment of 23.6 or 25.7 yuan for each 1% increasing in the H. pylori eradication rate, then the precision treatment after clarithromycin resistance test is recommended.