Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men, accounting for 14.1% of new cancer cases in 2020. The aggressiveness of prostate cancer is highly variable, depending on its grade and stage at the time of diagnosis. Despite recent advances in prostate cancer treatment, some patients still experience recurrence or even progression after undergoing radical treatment. Accurate initial staging and monitoring for recurrence determine patient management, which in turn affect patient prognosis and survival. Classical imaging has limitations in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer, but the use of novel molecular probes has improved the detection rate, specificity, and accuracy of prostate cancer detection. Molecular probe-based imaging modalities allow the visualization and quantitative measurement of biological processes at the molecular and cellular levels in living systems. An increased understanding of tumor biology of prostate cancer and the discovery of new tumor biomarkers have allowed the exploration of additional molecular probe targets. The development of novel ligands and advances in nano-based delivery technologies have accelerated the research and development of molecular probes. Here, we summarize the use of molecular probes in positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), optical imaging, and ultrasound imaging, and provide a brief overview of important target molecules in prostate cancer.
Humans ; Male ; Prostatic Neoplasms/diagnosis* ; Molecular Probes ; Molecular Imaging/methods* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon ; Ultrasonography ; Optical Imaging ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; Precision Medicine/methods*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the mechanism of Qihuang Jianpi Zishen Granules (QJZ) for ameliorating renal damage in MRL/lpr mice. METHODS: With 6 female C57BL/6 mice as the normal control group, 30 female MRL/lpr mice were randomized into model group, QJZ treatment groups at low, moderate and high doses, and prednisone treatment group (n=6). After 8 weeks of treatment, the mice were examined for 24-h urine protein, creatinine and albumin levels, serum levels of IgG, complement 3 (C3), C4, anti-dsDNA, interferon γ (IFN‑γ) and interleukin 17 (IL-17). Kidney tissues were sampled for histopathological examination with HE staining and observation of glomerular ultrastructure changes using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The expressions of MyD88/NF-κB pathway-related molecules in the kidney tissue were detected using RT-qPCR, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Compared with those in the model group, the mice treated with QJZ at the 3 doses and prednisone showed significant reductions in the renal injury biomarkers and serum IgG, anti-dsDNA, IFN‑γ and IL-17 levels and elevation of serum C3 and C4 levels. HE staining revealed lessened glomerular endothelial cell proliferation and mesangial thickening in all the treatment groups. TEM observation further demonstrated reduced electron-dense deposits and diminished inflammatory cell infiltration in the glomeruli in the intervention groups. QJZ at the 3 doses and prednisone treatment all significantly lowered renal expression levels of MyD88, NF-κB, p65 and p52 in the mouse models. CONCLUSIONS QJZ can improve renal damage in MRL/lpr mice possibly by inhibiting overactivation of the MyD88/NF-κB pathway.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Female ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Inbred MRL lpr ; Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88/metabolism* ; Mice ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Kidney/metabolism* ; Interleukin-17

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the efficacy of Qihuang Jianpi Zishen Granules (QJZ) for inhibiting renal B cell differentiation in MRL/lpr mice and explore its underlying mechanism. METHODS: Thirty 8-week-old female MRL/lpr mice were randomly divided into model group, QJZ group, prednisone (Pred) group, QJZ+Pred group, and AIM2 inhibitor group (n=6), with 6 8-week-old female C57BL/6 mice as the normal control group. After treatments with normal saline, QJZ, Pred, or AIM2 inhibitor for 8 weeks, the mice were examined for urinary total protein-to-creatinine ratio (TPCR) and albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR), serum creatinine (Cr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels, and renal histopathology (with HE, Masson, and PAS staining) and ultrastructural changes (with electron microscopy). ELISA, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry were used to detect blood levels of anti-dsDNA antibodies, cytokines and chemokines, renal deposition of complement components C3 and C4, renal expressions of AIM2, CD19, CD27 and CD138, and changes in splenic B lymphocyte subsets. The effect of QJZ on the AIM2/Blimp-1/Bcl-6 signaling axis was examined using Western blotting. RESULTS: QJZ treatment significantly improved Cr, BUN, TPCR and ACR in MRL/lpr mice, ameliorated renal pathologies, reduced the expressions of ds-DNA, BAFF, IL-21, CXCL12, CXCL13, C3 and C4, and increased IL-10 levels. QJZ significantly downregulated renal expressions of the key B-cell transcription factors Blimp-1 and XBP-1, upregulated Bcl-6 and PAX5 expressions, inhibited B-cell differentiation, and lowered the expressions of AIM2, CD27, CD138 and CD69. Inhibition of AIM2 similarly reduced renal Blimp-1 and XBP-1 expressions, increased Bcl-6 and PAX5 levels, suppressed B-cell differentiation, decreased IgG production, reduced C3 and C4 deposition, and alleviated renal pathology in MRL/lpr mice. CONCLUSIONS QJZ inhibits B cell differentiation and alleviates renal damage in systemic lupus erythematosus possibly by suppressing the AIM2/Blimp-1/Bcl-6 signaling pathway.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Mice, Inbred MRL lpr ; Female ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; B-Lymphocytes/drug effects* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6/metabolism* ; Kidney/drug effects* ; DNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction ; Lupus Nephritis

Objective To compare the early outcomes of domestic third-generation magnetically levitated left ventricular assist device (LVAD) with or without concomitant mitral valvuloplasty (MVP). Methods The clinical data of 17 end-stage heart failure patients who underwent LVAD implantation combined with preoperative moderate to severe mitral regurgitation in Fuwai Central China Cardiovascular Hospital from May 2018 to March 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into a LVAD group and a LVAD+MVP group based on whether MVP was performed simultaneously, and early outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results There were 4 patients in the LVAD group, all males, aged (43.5±5.9) years, and 13 patients in the LVAD+MVP group, including 10 males and 3 females, aged (46.8±16.7) years. All the patients were successful in concomitant MVP without mitral reguragitation occurrence. Compared with the LVAD group, the LVAD+MVP group had a lower pulmonary artery systolic pressure and pulmonary artery mean pressure 72 h after operation, but the difference was not statistically different (P>0.05). Pulmonary artery systolic pressure was significantly lower 1 week after operation, as well as pulmonary artery systolic blood pressure and pulmonary artery mean pressure at 1 month after operation (P<0.01). There was no statistically significant difference in blood loss, operation time, cardiopulmonary bypass time, aortic cross-clamping time, mechanical ventilation time, or ICU stay time between the two groups (P>0.05). The differences in 1-month postoperative mortality, acute kidney injury, reoperation, gastrointestinal bleeding, and thrombosis and other complications between the two groups were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusion Concomitant MVP with implantation of domestic third-generation magnetically levitated LVAD is safe and feasible, and concomitant MVP may improve postoperative hemodynamics without significantly increasing perioperative mortality and complication rates.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the accumulation law of saponins during growth in Paris polyphylla Smith var. chinensis (Franch.) Hara, determine the content of the main saponins in different cultivation years, age groups, cultivation modes and provenances. METHODS The content of 5 kinds saponins(I, II, VI, VII, H) was simultaneous determined by HPLC. RESULTS The total saponins in P. polyphylla Smith var. chinensis (Franch.) Hara were mainly composed of saponin VII and H, supplemented by saponin VI, I and II. The content of saponins(I, II, VII) was significantly different among different cultivation years rhizome, while it reached the standard of Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2020 Edition after 6 years old, 8-year-old rhizome was the highest. The saponins(I, II, VII) content in 4a rhizome and 5a rhizome was significant higher than others, and it ranged from 0.354% to 0.765% in different cultivation modes, from high to low as follows: coniferous forest>bamboo forest>broadleaf forest>greenhouse. In different provenances, it ranged from 0.592% to 0.741%, reached the highest level in Qingyuan Baikan, and was slightly lower than the standard of Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2020 Edition in Sanming Fujian. CONCLUSION There are remarkable correlations among saponins accumulation amounts and cultivation years, age groups, cultivation modes and provenances, which can provide reference for the artificial culvication of P. polyphylla Smith var. chinensis (Franch.) Hara.

OBJECTIVE To establish an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UHPLC-MS/MS) method for determination and comparison of 26 components in different parts of two base plants of Shiliang tea(Chimonanthus salicifolius S.Y.Hu and Chimonanthus zhejiangensis M.C.Liu), and screen quality markers of different parts. METHODS The UHPLC method was performed on an Agilent RRHD Eclipse Plus C18 (2.1 mm×50 mm, 1.8 μm) column with a gradient elution of methanol and 0.1% formic acid in water at a flow rate of 0.3 mL·min−1, the column temperature was 35 ℃, and the injection volume was 0.5 μL; the multiple reaction monitoring mode was employed for the quantification of 26 components with electrospray ionization(ESI) source polarity in negative and positive mode. RESULTS Good linear relationship(r >0.999) were observed in the test ranges for 26 compounds, and the average recovery was 88.5%−111.7% with RSD was 3.4%−9.8%. There was no significant difference between the two base plants of Shiliang tea, and all of these samples were divided into two categories by hierarchical cluster analysis. The main components in leaves was flavonoids, among them, the content of kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside was the highest, reaching 12.902 mg.g−1; the main components in stems and roots was coumarins, and the content of alkaloids in roots was higher, relatively; 7 quality markers of difference were screened by OPLS-DA, which were kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside, chimonanthine, rutin, fraxetin, calycanthoside, scopolin, neochlorogenic acid. CONCLUSION These study elucidates the differences of chemical components in the different parts of two base plants of Shiliang tea, which providing basis for the research of pharmacodynamic substances and references for the comprehensive utilization of Chimonanthus salicifolius S.Y. Hu and Chimonanthus zhejiangensis M.C.Liu resources.

Objective To investigate the dietary patterns of rural residents in the high-incidence areas of esophageal cancer (EC), and to explore the clustering and influencing factors of risk factors associated with high-incidence characteristics. Methods A special structured questionnaire was applied to conduct a face-to-face survey on the dietary patterns of rural residents in Yanting county of Sichuan Province from July to August 2021. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyze the influencing factors of risk factor clustering for EC. Results There were 838 valid questionnaires in this study. A total of 90.8% of rural residents used clean water such as tap water. In the past one year, the people who ate fruits and vegetables, soybean products, onions and garlic in high frequency accounted for 69.5%, 32.8% and 74.5%, respectively; the people who ate kimchi, pickled vegetables, sauerkraut, barbecue, hot food and mildew food in low frequency accounted for 59.2%, 79.6%, 68.2%, 90.3%, 80.9% and 90.3%, respectively. The clustering of risk factors for EC was found in 73.3% of residents, and the aggregation of two risk factors was the most common mode (28.2%), among which tumor history and preserved food was the main clustering pattern (4.6%). The logistic regression model revealed that the gender, age, marital status and occupation were independent influencing factors for the risk factors clustering of EC (P<0.05). Conclusion A majority of rural residents in high-incidence areas of EC in Yanting county have good eating habits, but the clustering of some risk factors is still at a high level. Gender, age, marital status, and occupation are influencing factors of the risk factors clustering of EC.

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical efficacy of Qihuang Jianpi Zishen Granules in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus （SLE） and its effect on the signal transducer and activator of tranSCription 3/mammalian target of rapamycin （STAT3/mTOR） signaling pathway， and to decipher the possible mechanism. MethodSixty female SLE patients who met the criteria in the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine from May 2022 to May 2023 were selected and randomized into a control group and an observation group （30 cases in each group）. The control group was treated with prednisone acetate + hydroxychloroquine sulfate orally， and the observation group was additionally treated with Qihuang Jianpi Zishen granules. The treatment lasted for 8 weeks. The SLE disease activity （SLEDAI）， TCM syndrome score， erythrocyte sedimentation rate （ESR）， hypersensitive C-reactive protein （hs-CRP）， immune indexes ［immunoglobulin G （IgG）， C3， C4， CD4⁺， and CD8⁺］， interleukin （IL）-17， IL-23， interferon （IFN）-γ， 24 h urinary protein （24 h PRO）， serum creatinine （SCr）， and expression of proteins ［STAT3， phosphorylated （p）-STAT3， mTOR protein and STAT3，mTOR mRNA］ in the STAT3/mTOR signaling pathway were determined before and after treatment. In addition， the adverse reactions were recorded. ResultAfter 8 weeks of treatment， the total response rate in the observation group was 93.33% （28/30）， which was higher than that （70.00%， 21/30） in the control group （χ²=4.007， P<0.05）. After treatment， both groups showed declined SLEDAI， TCM syndrome score， ESR， hs-CRP， IgG， CD8⁺， IL-17， IL-23， IFN-γ， 24 h PRO， SCr， and expression of proteins in the STAT3/mTOR pathway （P<0.01） and elevated levels of C3， C4， and CD4⁺ （P<0.01）. Moreover， the observation group had lower SLEDAI， TCM syndrome score， ESR， hs-CRP， IgG， CD8⁺， IL-17， IL-23， IFN-γ， 24 h PRO， SCr， and expression of proteins in the STAT3/mTOR pathway （P<0.05， P<0.01） and higher levels of C3， C4， and CD4⁺ （P<0.05， P<0.01） than the control group after treatment. Neither group showed serious adverse reactions during the treatment period. ConclusionQihuang Jianpi Zishen Granules can ameliorate the inflammatory response， reduce the disease activity， and mitigate the kidney injury in SLE by inhibiting the STAT3/mTOR signaling pathway to regulate the immune function.

Objective:To compare the surgical outcomes between scarless endoscopic thyroidectomy-lateral neck dissection (SET-LND) and open LND for papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) with lymph node metastasis and to share the experience in the prevention and treatment of lymphatic leakage after LND.Methods:Totally 90 PTC patients (25 males) who underwent LND in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine from Jan. 2021 to Aug. 2022 were retrospectively enrolled, with an average age of (28.06±4.89) years. They were divided into the SET-LND group ( n=50) and the open LND group ( n=40). The intraoperative blood loss, operation time, drainage volume on the first and the second days, postoperative lymphatic leakage, tumor (T), and node (N) were observed. The categorical variable data were compared between groups by χ 2 test, and the continuous variable data confirming normal distribution were compared between groups by independent sample t-test. Results:The operation time of the SET-LND group was (284.00±74.65) min, significantly longer than that of the open LND group (145.38±43.26) min ( t=-10.42, P<0.001). The intraoperative blood loss ( t=-1.309, P=0.194), postoperative hospital stay ( t=-0.136, P=0.892), drainage volume on the first day ( t=-1.074, P=0.286), and drainage volume on the second day ( t=-1.595, P=0.114), postoperative lymphatic leakage ( χ2=0.001, P=0.989), T ( t=0.367, P=0.714), N ( t=-1.614, P=0.110) were not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion:Two surgical methods of LND have similar therapeutic effects and no significant difference was observed in the incidence of postoperative lymphatic leakage between the two groups.

Objective To compare conventional MRI manifestations of brain epithelioid glioblastoma(eGBM)and pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma(PXA),and to explore the value of radiomics model for differentiating eGBM and PXA.Methods Forty-three cases of brain eGBM(eGBM group)and 79 cases of PXA(PXA group)confirmed by surgical pathology were retrospectively analyzed,and conventional MRI maniofestations were compared between groups.The patients were divided into training set(n=85,including 30 cases of eGBM and 55 cases of PXA)and test set(n=37,including 13 cases of eGBM and 24 cases of PXA)at the ratio of 7∶3.A radiomics regression model was established based on T2WI and enhanced T1WI.Receiver operating characteristic curve was drawn to assess the value of the model for discriminating eGBM and PXA.Results Patients in eGBM group were older than in PXA group,and the proportion of minors in eGBM group was lower than that in PXA group(both P＜0.05).Compared with PXA group,eGBM group showed higher proportion of multiple lesions,with high T1WI signals and peritumoral edema,more unclear boundary and uneven signals(all P＜0.05).After administration of contrast agents,circular enhancement was more often observed in eGBM group,while lesions in PXA group tended to present wall nodule enhancement(both P＜0.05).The sensitivity,specificity,accuracy and area under the curve(AUC)of the radiomics model based on 19 selected features was 88.91％,79.94％,86.75％and 0.892 in training set,respectively,which was 84.58％,79.20％,81.12％and 0.824 in test set,respectively.Conclusion Conventional MRI manifestations of eGBM and PXA were different to a certain extent.Radiomics model was valuable for distinguishing eGBM and PXA.