Objective To elucidate the changes in the gut microbiota and molecular mechanism of huaier in enhancing the efficacy of oxaliplatin (OXA) chemotherapy in gastric cancer (GC). Methods The effects of huaier on the gut microbiota structure and intestinal barrier function in MKN45-bearing mice were analyzed by using 16S rRNA sequencing, RT-qPCR, and IHC. UPLC-MS and network pharmacology, as well as in vivo experimental approaches, were employed to investigate the key bioactive constituents of huaier systematically and elucidate the underlying mechanisms by which huaier exerts therapeutic effects against GC. The expression of the PI3K/AKT/SREBP pathway was detected in cancer cells and tissues via Western blot analysis. The safety profile of huaier combined with OXA was verified through serum biochemistry and HE-stained tissue section analyses. Results Huaier inhibited the PI3K/AKT/SREBP pathway by increasing the abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila, reduced lipid droplet deposition, and ultimately enhanced the sensitivity to OXA in the treatment of GC. Conclusion This study demonstrates the value of huaier in gastric cancer treatment by enhancing chemosensitivity and provides novel insights into its systemic therapeutic effects through molecular mechanisms and gut microbiota modulation.

AIM:To investigate the role of NLR family CARD domain containing 3(NLRC3)in endothelial cells and evaluate its diagnostic value in coronary artery disease.METHODS:Twenty male ApoE-/-C57BL/6 mice,aged eight weeks,were randomly assigned into two groups:an experimental group and a control group,with each group com-prising ten mice.The experimental group was subjected to a high-fat diet for 8 weeks to induce atherosclerosis(AS),whereas the control group was maintained on a standard diet.The expression of NLRC3 in the aorta was evaluated using RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence techniques.Additionally,human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs)were ex-posed to interleukin-1β(IL-1β)to investigate the expression levels of NLRC3.Lentiviral vectors or plasmid vectors were employed to either overexpress or knock down NLRC3 in endothelial cells,and subsequently subjected to inflammation in-duced by IL-1β.The RT-qPCR and ELISA were employed to assess the impact of NLRC3 on inflammation in endothelial cells.Western blot and immunofluorescence techniques were utilized to investigate the modulation of the NF-κB signaling pathway in endothelial cells by NLRC3.Plasma NLRC3 levels in coronary artery disease patients and healthy controls were measured using ELISA,and its diagnostic potential was assessed through ROC curve analysis.RESULTS:In AS mice,distinct plaque lesions were observed in the aorta,accompanied by a significantly reduced expression of NLRC3 in the aortic arch relative to the control group.Expression of NLRC3 exhibited a significant down-regulation in IL-1β-stimu-lated HUVECs,demonstrating both time-dependent and dose-dependent effects(P<0.01).Overexpression of NLRC3 markedly suppressed the levels of IL-6,IL-8,monocyte chemoatbactant protein-1(MCP-1),p-p65,and p-IκBα in endo-thelial cells stimulated with IL-1β(P<0.01).Conversely,knockdown of NLRC3 resulted in elevated levels of IL-6,IL-8,MCP-1,p-p65 and p-IκBα in endothelial cells(P<0.01).Coronary artery disease patients had significantly lower plasma NLRC3 levels than controls,with an AUC of 0.851(95%CI:0.785～0.918,P<0.01).A diagnostic threshold of 1.605 μg/L yielded a sensitivity of 93.8%and a specificity of 71.3%.CONCLUSION:The NLRC3 may modulate endothelial inflammation and suppress AS progression through inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway,and it holds potential as a diagnostic biomarker for coronary artery disease.

Yi and Gui,its physiological characteristics and pathological manifestations are closely related to the lumbar spine.The intervertebral disc,chamber of arthrosis,requires nourishment from qi and blood circulation,as well as support from liver and kidney functions to maintain its health.Chinese medicine master Shi Qi has based on the pathological manifestations of discogenic low back pain patients at different stages and followed the guidelines of the Visceral manifestation theory.Combining more than 60 years of experience in traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis and treatment,he has used external observations to infer internal conditions and examined causes to find solutions.By entering the body from the outside and focusing on the"Homology of Yi and Gui"as a benchmark,he emphasizes the distinctive characteristic of traditional Chinese medicine in medical treatment.He states that"visceral pattern is fundamental"and"qi-blood is first,"emphasizing the importance of treating liver and kidney together.This article aims to draw on the wisdom of Taishan to provide a bridge for colleagues.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of the degree of neuromuscular blockade on the intraoperative surgical conditions and postoperative recovery quality in patients undergoing lumbar interbody fusion.Methods:In this randomized controlled trial, 100 patients of either sex, aged 18-79 yr, with a body mass index of 18.5-35.0 kg/m 2, of American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification < Ⅳ, scheduled for elective lumbar interbody fusion at the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from August to October 2024, were allocated into 2 groups ( n=50 each) using stratified randomization based on the number of lumbar segments: deep neuromuscular blockade group (group D) and moderate neuromuscular blockade group (group M). The intraoperative post-tetanic count was maintained at 1 or 2 in group D, and the intraoperative train-of-four was maintained at 1 or 2 in group M. The scores for surgical conditions, duration of operation, blood loss, length of incision, occurrence of severe hypoxemia after extubation, requirement for rescue analgesia in post-anesthesia care unit, 15-item Quality of Recovery scale score and length of stay were recorded. Results:Compared with group M, the scores for surgical conditions were significantly increased, the rate of rescue analgesia in post-anesthesia care unit was decreased, 15-item Quality of Recovery scale scores were increased at 3 days after surgery ( P<0.05), and no significant changes were found in the duration of operation, blood loss, length of incision, incidence of severe hypoxemia after extubation and length of hospital stay in group D ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Compared with moderate neuromuscular blockade, deep neuromuscular blockade can provide better surgical conditions and improve the quality of early postoperative recovery for patients undergoing lumbar interbody fusion.

Objective·To investigate the role of HEN methyltransferase 1(HENMT1)in the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer(GC)and its potential molecular mechanisms.Methods·The expression of HENMT1 in GC was examined using bioinformatics databases,Western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR(qPCR).Kaplan-Meier Plotter and BEST online tools were used to analyze the correlations between HENMT1 expression and overall survival,perineural invasion,subtypes,tumor location and Lauren classification in clinical GC patients.GC cells were cultured in vitro and treated with small interfering RNA(siRNA)targeting HENMT1 and HENMT1 overexpression vectors,in combination with a PI3K activator(740 Y-P)or PI3K inhibitor(3-MA).The roles of HENMT1 in GC cell proliferation and migration were assessed using cell counting kit-8(CCK-8)assay,colony formation assay,wound healing assay and Transwell migration assay.Results·HENMT1 was significantly upregulated in GC and positively associated with perineural invasion.Its expression was closely related to GC subtypes,being most pronounced in the proliferative subtype,and was higher in intestinal-type GC according to the Lauren classification.However,HENMT1 expression showed no significant correlation with overall survival or tumor location(including gastric body,cardia,antrum and whole stomach).Functional experiments demonstrated that silencing HENMT1 inhibited GC cell proliferation and migration,whereas overexpression of HENMT1 enhanced these capabilities.Mechanistically,silencing HENMT1 reduced the levels of phosphorylated PI3K,AKT and mTOR,as well as their total protein expression.Conversely,HENMT1 overexpression upregulated these proteins.Moreover,siHENMT1 combined with the PI3K activator 740 Y-P effectively reversed the proliferation and migration effects induced by 740 Y-P,while overexpressed HENMT1 combined with the PI3K inhibitor 3-MA reversed the suppressive effects of 3-MA on GC cell proliferation and migration.Conclusion·HENMT1 is highly expressed in GC and positively regulates the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer cells by activating the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway.

Objective To systematically review the efficacy and safety of the tislelizumab combined with anlotinib regimen for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer(NSCLC)patients.Methods PubMed,Embase,Cochrane Library,Web of Science,CNKI,WanFang Data databases were electronically searched to collect clinical studies on the combination of trastuzumab and anlotinib in the treatment of advanced NSCLC patients from inception to August 10,2024.Two reviewers independently screened literature,extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of the included studies.Meta-analysis was then performed by using RevMan 5.4.1 software.Results A total of 6 articles of 468 patients were included,involving 4 randomized controlled trials and 2 prospective cohort studies.Meta-analysis showed that the tislelizumab combined with anlotinib group had higher ORR[OR=2.53,95％CI(1.62,3.93),P＜0.001]and DCR[OR=4.45.95％CI(2.43,8.15),P＜0.001]than the anlotinib group.The CYFRA21-1 level in the combination group was significantly lower than that in the anlotinib group[SMD=-1.07,95％CI(-1.63,-0.51),P＜0.001].For safety,there were no significant differences in the incidence of adverse reaction of leukopenia[OR=0.91,95％CI(0.39,2.14),P=0.83],liver/kidney dysfunction[OR=1.16,95％CI(0.39,3.44)P=0.78].The descriptive analysis results indicated that there was no statistically significant difference in CEA levels between the two groups before treatment in each study(P＞0.05),and the CEA levels in the combination therapy group were lower than those in the anlotinib group after treatment(P＜0.05).Conclusion Compared to anlotinib alone,tislelizumab combined with anlotinib improves ORR,DCR,and reduces tumor markers in NSCLC patients,with comparable incidence of adverse reactions.Due to the limited quality and quantity of the included studies,more high quality studies are needed to verify the above conclusion.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of the degree of neuromuscular blockade on the intraoperative surgical conditions and postoperative recovery quality in patients undergoing lumbar interbody fusion.Methods:In this randomized controlled trial, 100 patients of either sex, aged 18-79 yr, with a body mass index of 18.5-35.0 kg/m 2, of American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification < Ⅳ, scheduled for elective lumbar interbody fusion at the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from August to October 2024, were allocated into 2 groups ( n=50 each) using stratified randomization based on the number of lumbar segments: deep neuromuscular blockade group (group D) and moderate neuromuscular blockade group (group M). The intraoperative post-tetanic count was maintained at 1 or 2 in group D, and the intraoperative train-of-four was maintained at 1 or 2 in group M. The scores for surgical conditions, duration of operation, blood loss, length of incision, occurrence of severe hypoxemia after extubation, requirement for rescue analgesia in post-anesthesia care unit, 15-item Quality of Recovery scale score and length of stay were recorded. Results:Compared with group M, the scores for surgical conditions were significantly increased, the rate of rescue analgesia in post-anesthesia care unit was decreased, 15-item Quality of Recovery scale scores were increased at 3 days after surgery ( P<0.05), and no significant changes were found in the duration of operation, blood loss, length of incision, incidence of severe hypoxemia after extubation and length of hospital stay in group D ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Compared with moderate neuromuscular blockade, deep neuromuscular blockade can provide better surgical conditions and improve the quality of early postoperative recovery for patients undergoing lumbar interbody fusion.

Objective:To document any effect of combining transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) with peripheral magnetic stimulation (rPMS) to relieve shoulder pain in hemiplegic stroke survivors.Methods:Sixty hemiplegic stroke survivors with shoulder pain were randomly divided into a Central Group ( n=20), a Peripheral Group ( n=20), and a Combined Group ( n=20). In addition to routine pharmacological intervention and rehabilitation training, the Central Group received 10Hz rTMS over the M1 area of the affected hemisphere, the Peripheral Group received 20Hz rPMS at Erb′s point of the affected limb, while the Combined Group received rTMS followed by rPMS. Before as well as after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment, all were assessed using a numerical pain intensity rating scale (NRS), for passive range of motion (PROM) of the shoulder joint, and using the Fugl-Meyer upper extremity assessment (FMA). Results:Before the treatment there were no significant differences among the 3 groups. After 2 weeks there was significant improvement in the average shoulder PROM and FMA scores, and a significant decrease in the average NRS ratings. After 4 weeks there was continued significant improvement. After 2 and 4 weeks, the Combined Group gave significantly lower NRS ratings than the others and had greater average shoulder PROM improvement. The average FMA score of the Combined Group (36.10±13.32) after two weeks was significantly better than those of the Central and Peripheral groups. However, no significant differences were found between the Central and Peripheral Groups in the other measurements.Conclusions:Both rTMS and rPMS can relieve shoulder pain and promote the recovery of motor function, with superior synergistic effects observed in their combined application.

Objective To systematically review the efficacy and safety of the tislelizumab combined with anlotinib regimen for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer(NSCLC)patients.Methods PubMed,Embase,Cochrane Library,Web of Science,CNKI,WanFang Data databases were electronically searched to collect clinical studies on the combination of trastuzumab and anlotinib in the treatment of advanced NSCLC patients from inception to August 10,2024.Two reviewers independently screened literature,extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of the included studies.Meta-analysis was then performed by using RevMan 5.4.1 software.Results A total of 6 articles of 468 patients were included,involving 4 randomized controlled trials and 2 prospective cohort studies.Meta-analysis showed that the tislelizumab combined with anlotinib group had higher ORR[OR=2.53,95％CI(1.62,3.93),P＜0.001]and DCR[OR=4.45.95％CI(2.43,8.15),P＜0.001]than the anlotinib group.The CYFRA21-1 level in the combination group was significantly lower than that in the anlotinib group[SMD=-1.07,95％CI(-1.63,-0.51),P＜0.001].For safety,there were no significant differences in the incidence of adverse reaction of leukopenia[OR=0.91,95％CI(0.39,2.14),P=0.83],liver/kidney dysfunction[OR=1.16,95％CI(0.39,3.44)P=0.78].The descriptive analysis results indicated that there was no statistically significant difference in CEA levels between the two groups before treatment in each study(P＞0.05),and the CEA levels in the combination therapy group were lower than those in the anlotinib group after treatment(P＜0.05).Conclusion Compared to anlotinib alone,tislelizumab combined with anlotinib improves ORR,DCR,and reduces tumor markers in NSCLC patients,with comparable incidence of adverse reactions.Due to the limited quality and quantity of the included studies,more high quality studies are needed to verify the above conclusion.

Objective To investigate the effect of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation(taVNS)on quality of early postoperative recovery in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung resection.Methods A total of 168 patients scheduled for elective thoracoscopic lung resection(wedge resection,segmentectomy,lobectomy)under general anesthesia were enrolled and randomly assigned to active-taVNS group(group T)or sham-taVNS group(group S)(n=84).Participants received four consecutive 30-minute sessions of active stimulation or sham stimulation at four time points:(1)the afternoon prior to the surgery,(2)the morning of the surgery,(3)following extubation,and(4)the first afternoon post-surgery.The Quality of Recovery-15(QoR-15)scores of the patients,the Numerical Rating Scale(NRS)scores at rest and during cough at 24,48,and 72 hours after surgery were recorded;and the usage of opioids within 48 hours after surgery was recorded;the duration of chest tube indwelling,incidence of severe pulmonary complications,postoperative hospital stay and adverse reactions to the stimulation(such as nausea and vomiting,fever,constipation,dizziness and itching)were observed.Results Compared with group S,group T exhibited significantly higher QoR-15 scores at 24,48,and 72 h postoperatively,lower NRS pain scores during resting and coughing,and reduced opioid consumption within 48 hours postoperatively(P<0.05).There were no significant differences between the two groups in the duration of chest tube indwelling,incidence of severe pulmonary complications,hospital stay,and the incidence of adverse reactions to the stimula-tion(P>0.05).Conclusion TaVNS can significantly improve quality of early postoperative recovery in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung resection,and provide more effective postoperative analgesia without increasing the risk of postoperative complications.