Objective To investigate and analyze the occupational stress levels and influencing factors among radiation workers in China, and provide a reference for alleviating occupational stress and promoting mental health. Methods Using the general situation questionnaire, Effort-Reward Imbalance questionnaire, and radiation protection knowledge questionnaire, a convenience sampling method was adopted to investigate the occupational stress of 243 radiation workers in Liaoning, Fujian, Guangdong, and Xinjiang provinces. The independent samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance, chi-square test, and binary logistic regression were used to analyze the influencing factors. Results The average score of Effort-Reward Imbalance was 0.97 ± 0.22, and 100 (41.15%) radiation workers had occupational stress. There were significant differences in the detection rate of occupational stress among radiation workers of different ages, working years in radiation positions, monthly incomes, daily sleep durations, and daily working hours (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis identified daily working hours as a factor contributing to occupational stress. Conclusion The occupational stress among radiation workers in China is relatively severe. It is recommended to pay attention to the associated risks and implement targeted intervention measures to reduce the impact of occupational stress.

Objective To investigate the effects of LBL-007, a novel fully human lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG-3) monoclonal antibody, in combination with programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) antibody, on the invasion, migration and proliferation of tumor cells, and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Methods Human lymphocyte cells Jurkat were co-cultured with A549 and MGC803 tumor cell lines and treated with the isotype control antibody human IgG, LBL-007, anti-PD-1 antibody BE0188, or tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α, the NF-κB signaling pathway agonist). Tumor cell proliferation was assessed using a colony formation assay; invasion was measured by Transwell^TM assay; migration was evaluated using a wound healing assay. Western blotting was employed to determine the expression levels of NF-κB pathway-related proteins: IκB inhibitor kinase alpha (Ikkα), phosphorylated Ikkα (p-IKKα), NF-κB subunit p65, phosphorylated p65 (p-p65), NF-κB Inhibitor Alpha (IκBα), phosphorylated IκBα (p-IκBα), matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), and MMP2. Results Compared with the control and IgG isotype groups, LBL-007 and BE0188 significantly reduced tumor cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. They also decreased the phosphorylation of p-IKKα, p-p65 and p-IκBα, and the expression of MMP9 and MMP2 of tumor cells in the co-culture system. The combined treatment of LBL-007 and BE0188 enhanced inhibitory effects. Treatment with the NF-κB signaling pathway agonist TNF-α reversed the suppressive effects of LBL-007 and BE0188 on tumor cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and NF-κB signaling. Conclusion LBL-007 and anti-PD-1 antibody synergistically inhibit the invasion, migration, and proliferation of A549 and MGC803 tumor cells by blocking the NF-κB signaling pathway.
Humans ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Cell Movement/drug effects* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Antibodies, Monoclonal/pharmacology* ; Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor/antagonists & inhibitors* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Antigens, CD/immunology* ; Lymphocyte Activation Gene 3 Protein ; A549 Cells ; I-kappa B Kinase/metabolism* ; Jurkat Cells ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9/metabolism*

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF), characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) that causes oral mucosal tissue sclerosis, and even cancer transformation, is a chronic, progressive fibrosis disease. However, despite some advancements in recent years, no targeted antifibrotic strategies for OSF have been approved; likely because the complicated mechanisms that initiate and drive fibrosis remain to be determined. In this review, we briefly introduce the epidemiology and etiology of OSF. Then, we highlight how cell-intrinsic changes in significant structural cells can drive fibrotic response by regulating biological behaviors, secretion function, and activation of ECM-producing myofibroblasts. In addition, we also discuss the role of innate and adaptive immune cells and how they contribute to the pathogenesis of OSF. Finally, we summarize strategies to interrupt key mechanisms that cause OSF, including modulation of the ECM, inhibition of inflammation, improvement of vascular disturbance. This review will provide potential routes for developing novel anti-OSF therapeutics.
Humans ; Oral Submucous Fibrosis/immunology* ; Extracellular Matrix/metabolism* ; Myofibroblasts

Objective:To investigate the relationship between efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for gastric cancer and gastric microecology.Methods:This was a retrospective observational study using fresh frozen operative specimens. The specimens had been stored in the tumor sample bank of the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from January 2017 to January 2023 after having been collected from 31 patients with pathologically diagnosed gastric cancer who had no metastases and had received only neoadjuvant chemotherapy preoperatively. The study patients had all successfully undergone radical gastric cancer surgery. Patients with metastases or other primary tumor foci and/or had received other therapies within 1 month prior to surgery, including immunotherapy, targeted therapies and probiotics, were excluded. The tumors were graded and grouped in accordance with the 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system and the Tumor Regression Grading System (TRG) of the College of American Pathologists. Those with TRG Grades 0-1, ypT0-1 and ypN0 were classified as responsive (Group R, 12 cases), whereas those with TRG Grades 2-3 and ypT2-4 or ypN+ were classified as non-responsive (Group NR, 19 cases). The fresh frozen samples were processed and analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing. Alpha and beta diversity analyses were performed using the Q2-diversity plug-in for QIIME2 and STAMP was used to determine the default parameters and differentially enriched bacterial taxa in the two groups. High-dimensional class comparisons were performed by effect size linear discriminant analysis, and potential functional distributions of microbiomes were predicted using PICRUST2 (v2.3.0-b) software.Results:Groups R and NR did not differ significantly in sex, age, body mass index, smoking history, tumor location, cTNM stage before NACT, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (all P>0.05), whereas tumor size and ypTNM stage after NACT differed significantly between the two groups (both P=0.001). Alpha and beta diversity analysis of the gastric microbiota did not reveal a statistically significant difference in alpha diversity between the two groups ( P>0.05), whereas there was a statistically significant difference in beta diversity between the two groups ( P=0.004). Four family-level bacterial taxa, namely Coriobacteriaceae, Ruminococcaceae, Veillonellaceae, and Lachnospiraceae, were enriched in the R group, whereas four bacterial taxa dominated by phylum Proteobacteria were enriched in the NR group. Metabolic pathways of various amino acids, including citric acid cycle and alanine, were found to be potentially predictive. Conclusions:There are significant differences in the abundance and composition of gastric microecology in gastric cancer patients with different responses to NACT.

Objective:To compare the patient-reported outcomes and short-term clinical outcomes between robotic-assisted and laparoscopic-assisted radical gastrectomy for locally advanced gastric cancer.Methods:This single-center prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted in the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from October 2020 to August 2022. Patients with locally advanced gastric cancer who were to undergo radical gastrectomy were selected and randomly divided into two groups according to 1∶1, and received robotic surgery and laparoscopic surgery, respectively. Patient-reported outcomes and short-term clinical outcomes (including postoperative complications, surgical quality and postoperative short-term recovery) were compared between the two groups by independent sample t test, Mann-Whitney U test, repeated ANOVA, generalized estimating equation, χ2 test and Fisher′s exact test. Results:A total of 237 patients were enrolled for modified intention-to-treat analysis (120 patients in the robotic group, 117 patients in the laparoscopic group). There were 180 males and 59 females, aged (63.0±10.2) years (range: 30 to 85 years). The incidence of postoperative complications was similar between the robotic group and laparoscopic group (16.7% (20/120) vs. 15.4% (18/117), χ2=0.072, P=0.788). The robotic group had higher patient-reported outcomes scores in general health status, emotional, and social domains compared to the laparoscopic group, differences in time effect, intervention effect, and interaction effect were statistically significant (general health status: χ2 value were 275.68, 3.91, 6.38, P value were <0.01, 0.048, 0.041; emotional: χ2 value were 77.79, 6.04, 6.15, P value were <0.01, 0.014, 0.046; social: χ2 value were 148.00, 7.57, 5.98, P value were <0.01, 0.006, 0.048). However, the financial burden of the robotic group was higher, the differences in time effect, intervention effect and interaction effect were statistically significant ( χ2 value were 156.24, 4.08, 36.56, P value were <0.01, 0.043,<0.01). Conclusion:Compared to the laparoscopic group, the robotic group could more effectively relieve postoperative negative emotions and improve recovery of social function in patients.

Objective To investigate the role of silencing regulatory protein 1(Sirt1)in the regulation of Vibrio vulnificus sepsis-induced macrophage apoptosis and the molecular mechanisms.Methods Mouse RAW264.7 macrophages which stably overexpressed Sirt1 were constructed and screened by genistein G418.CCK-8 analysis was used to detect the proliferation of cells in the control group and Sirt1-Flag group.The changes of expression levels of apoptosis-associated protein poly ADP-ribose polymerase(PARP),cleaved-PARP,caspase3,cleaved-caspase3 and acetylated p53 in different treatment groups were detected via Western blotting.A Vibrio vulnificus sepsis model in mice was established,and the expression levels of apoptosis-associated protein cleaved-caspase3 in the lung,spleen and liver of mice of different treatment groups were detected by immunohistochemistry.Results Overexpression of Sirt1 reduced VVC-induced RAW264.7 cell damage.Overexpression of Sirt1 as well as RSV pretreatment lowered the expression of apoptosis-associated protein cleaved-PARP,cleaved-caspase3 and acetylated p53 in VVC-stimulated RAW264.7 cells and mouse peritoneal macrophages.In the mouse model of Vibrio vulnificus sepsis,therapeutic administration of RSV reduced the expression of apoptosis-associated protein marker cleaved-caspase3 in lung,spleen and liver tissues.Conclusion Sirt1 can inhibit p53 acetylation and reduces apoptosis in mouse macrophages,which helps protect against Vibrio vulnificus sepsis.

Objective: To investigate the effect of activation of the stimulator of interferon genes(STING) pathway on macrophage polarization function and its role in T-cell response. Methods: Mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells were used.STING signaling related proteins in RAW264.7 macrophage treated with STING agonist diABZI were analyzed by Western blot,including TANK-binding kinase-1(TBK1),interferon regulatory factor-3(IRF3),STING,p-TBK1,p-IRF3,p-STING.The polarization of macrophage RAW264.7 cells treated with diABZI was analyzed by flow cytometry.Co-culture of diABZI-treated RAW264.7 macrophage and T cells was applied to evaluate the change of T cell response. Results: STING signaling related proteins were upregulated in macrophage RAW264.7 cells treated with diABZI for 3 hours.The expression of CD86 was upregulated on the surface of macrophages after 12 hours of diABZI treatment,and the CD86/CD206 ratio was elevated,which presented the M1 polarization phenotype.When coculturing diABZI-treated macrophage RAW264.7 cells with T cells,the cytokine secretion ability of T cells including CD4+T and CD8+T cells was enhanced and the expression of CD107a in CD8+T cells was upregulated. Conclusion STING signaling induces M1 polarization of macrophages which enhance the function of T cells,especially CD8+T cell immune response.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for gastric cancer and gastric microecology.Methods:This was a retrospective observational study using fresh frozen operative specimens. The specimens had been stored in the tumor sample bank of the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from January 2017 to January 2023 after having been collected from 31 patients with pathologically diagnosed gastric cancer who had no metastases and had received only neoadjuvant chemotherapy preoperatively. The study patients had all successfully undergone radical gastric cancer surgery. Patients with metastases or other primary tumor foci and/or had received other therapies within 1 month prior to surgery, including immunotherapy, targeted therapies and probiotics, were excluded. The tumors were graded and grouped in accordance with the 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system and the Tumor Regression Grading System (TRG) of the College of American Pathologists. Those with TRG Grades 0-1, ypT0-1 and ypN0 were classified as responsive (Group R, 12 cases), whereas those with TRG Grades 2-3 and ypT2-4 or ypN+ were classified as non-responsive (Group NR, 19 cases). The fresh frozen samples were processed and analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing. Alpha and beta diversity analyses were performed using the Q2-diversity plug-in for QIIME2 and STAMP was used to determine the default parameters and differentially enriched bacterial taxa in the two groups. High-dimensional class comparisons were performed by effect size linear discriminant analysis, and potential functional distributions of microbiomes were predicted using PICRUST2 (v2.3.0-b) software.Results:Groups R and NR did not differ significantly in sex, age, body mass index, smoking history, tumor location, cTNM stage before NACT, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (all P>0.05), whereas tumor size and ypTNM stage after NACT differed significantly between the two groups (both P=0.001). Alpha and beta diversity analysis of the gastric microbiota did not reveal a statistically significant difference in alpha diversity between the two groups ( P>0.05), whereas there was a statistically significant difference in beta diversity between the two groups ( P=0.004). Four family-level bacterial taxa, namely Coriobacteriaceae, Ruminococcaceae, Veillonellaceae, and Lachnospiraceae, were enriched in the R group, whereas four bacterial taxa dominated by phylum Proteobacteria were enriched in the NR group. Metabolic pathways of various amino acids, including citric acid cycle and alanine, were found to be potentially predictive. Conclusions:There are significant differences in the abundance and composition of gastric microecology in gastric cancer patients with different responses to NACT.

Objective:To compare the patient-reported outcomes and short-term clinical outcomes between robotic-assisted and laparoscopic-assisted radical gastrectomy for locally advanced gastric cancer.Methods:This single-center prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted in the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from October 2020 to August 2022. Patients with locally advanced gastric cancer who were to undergo radical gastrectomy were selected and randomly divided into two groups according to 1∶1, and received robotic surgery and laparoscopic surgery, respectively. Patient-reported outcomes and short-term clinical outcomes (including postoperative complications, surgical quality and postoperative short-term recovery) were compared between the two groups by independent sample t test, Mann-Whitney U test, repeated ANOVA, generalized estimating equation, χ2 test and Fisher′s exact test. Results:A total of 237 patients were enrolled for modified intention-to-treat analysis (120 patients in the robotic group, 117 patients in the laparoscopic group). There were 180 males and 59 females, aged (63.0±10.2) years (range: 30 to 85 years). The incidence of postoperative complications was similar between the robotic group and laparoscopic group (16.7% (20/120) vs. 15.4% (18/117), χ2=0.072, P=0.788). The robotic group had higher patient-reported outcomes scores in general health status, emotional, and social domains compared to the laparoscopic group, differences in time effect, intervention effect, and interaction effect were statistically significant (general health status: χ2 value were 275.68, 3.91, 6.38, P value were <0.01, 0.048, 0.041; emotional: χ2 value were 77.79, 6.04, 6.15, P value were <0.01, 0.014, 0.046; social: χ2 value were 148.00, 7.57, 5.98, P value were <0.01, 0.006, 0.048). However, the financial burden of the robotic group was higher, the differences in time effect, intervention effect and interaction effect were statistically significant ( χ2 value were 156.24, 4.08, 36.56, P value were <0.01, 0.043,<0.01). Conclusion:Compared to the laparoscopic group, the robotic group could more effectively relieve postoperative negative emotions and improve recovery of social function in patients.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic poses negative impacts on psychological health among healthcare workers. If timely diagnosis and interventions are not given, the pandemic not only threatens physical and psychological health among healthcare workers, and greatly reduces the quality and efficiency of medical treatment. Based on review of national and international publications pertaining to psychological problems and interventions among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, this article describes the prevalence of psychological problems among healthcare workers, influencing factors and psychological interventions, so as to provide insights into the protection of psychological health among healthcare workers.