Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), caused by the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), is one of the major diseases threatening the swine industry. This study aims to rationally design and optimize natural antimicrobial peptides to identify antiviral candidates with potent inhibitory activity against PRRSV, thereby establishing a foundation for the development of novel preventive and therapeutic agents targeting PRRS. In this study, with cecropin D (CD) as the parent peptide, three derivatives (CD-2, CD-3, and CD-4) were designed through amino acid substitutions. CD and derived peptides were obtained by solid-phase peptide synthesis. MS and reversed-phase (RP)-HPLC were employed for sequence identification, purification, and purity analysis. The secondary structures of the peptides were investigated by circular dichroism spectroscopy. CellTiter 96^® AQueous one solution cell proliferation assay was used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of the peptides. The inhibitory activities and mechanisms of the peptides against PRRSV were studied by Western blotting, RT-qPCR, and indirect immunofluorescence assay. The MS and RP-HPLC results showed that CD and derived peptides were successfully synthesized, with the purity reaching up to 95%. Circular dichroism analysis revealed that the CD derivatives exhibited more stable and abundant α-helices in a cell membrane-mimicking environment. The MTS assay indicated that all tested peptides at 100 μg/mL had negligible cytotoxicity. The experimental results of the action phase of the peptide against PRRSV demonstrated that the derived peptides significantly enhanced antiviral activities at the viral entry stage compared with the parent peptide. This enhancement was attributed to the introduction of lysine, tryptophan, and phenylalanine, which increased the hydrophobicity and positive charge of the peptides. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the application and structural optimization of antiviral peptides and may offer a new strategy for preventing and controlling PRRSV.
Porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus/physiology* ; Animals ; Swine ; Antiviral Agents/chemistry* ; Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome/virology* ; Virus Internalization/drug effects* ; Antimicrobial Peptides/chemistry*

Non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)remains a significant global health burden,and there is an urgent need for new treatment options.Trophoblast cell surface antigen-2(TROP-2),a target closely associated with NSCLC prog-nosis,has become a research hotspot in recent years.Notably,TROP-2-targeted antibody-drug conjugates(ADCs)have made groundbreaking advances in NSCLC therapy.Clinical studies have demonstrated that certain TROP-2 ADCs can significantly improve progression-free survival in previously treated patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC,regardless of the presence of actionable genomic alterations.These agents have shown promising potential in both frontline and subsequent treatment settings.In terms of safety,while adverse effects affecting the hematologic,respiratory,and gastrointestinal systems are gener-ally manageable,close clinical monitoring and timely management are still required.In conclusion,TROP-2 ADCs hold great promise in the treatment of NSCLC.

Objective To investigate the effect of aqueous extract of Scrophularia ningpoensis(AESN)on AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK)activity in INS-1 cells under high glucose(HG)conditions.Methods INS-1 cells were cultured in HG medium and treated with different concentrations of AESN.The influences of AESN on cell viability and pyroptotic body formation were detected using the CCK-8 assay.Western blotting was used to observe the effects of AESN on AMPK expression and phosphorylation.The effect of AESN on AMPK activity was measured using time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer(TR-FRET)assay.Results Compared with normal glucose controls,INS-1 cells exposed to HG showed decreased cell viabilities and increased formation of pyroptotic bubbles using CCK-8 assay.Western blotting results indicated that HG exposure led to a decrease in intracellular AMPK phosphorylation levels.However,co-incubation with AESN under HG exposure AESN treatment increased the cell viabilities and phosphorylation of AMPK and decreased the pyroptotic bubbles formation in a concentration-dependent manner.In addition,the results of TR-FRET revealed that AESN treatment effectively increased AMPK activity in a concentration-dependent manner.Conclusion AESN has an activating effect on AMPK activity in HG-treated INS-1 cells.

Objective:To investigated the safety and efficacy of donor-derived CD19+ or sequential CD19+ CD22+ chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy in patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).Methods:The data of 22 patients with B-ALL who relapsed after allo-HSCT and who underwent donor-derived CAR-T therapy at the Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University and the 920th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force of the People’s Liberation Army of China from September 2015 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS), and the secondary endpoints were event-free survival (EFS), complete remission (CR) rate, and Grade 3-4 adverse events.Results:A total of 81.82% ( n=18) of the 22 patients achieved minimal residual disease-negative CR after CAR-T infusion. The median follow-up time was 1037 (95% CI 546–1509) days, and the median OS and EFS were 287 (95% CI 132-441) days and 212 (95% CI 120-303) days, respectively. The 6-month OS and EFS rates were 67.90% (95% CI 48.30%-84.50%) and 58.70% (95% CI 37.92%-79.48%), respectively, and the 1-year OS and EFS rates were 41.10% (95% CI 19.15%-63.05%) and 34.30% (95% CI 13.92%-54.68%), respectively. Grade 1-2 cytokine release syndrome occurred in 36.36% ( n=8) of the patients, and grade 3-4 occurred in 13.64% of the patients ( n=3). Grade 2 and 4 graft-versus-host disease occurred in two patients. Conclusion:Donor-derived CAR-T therapy is safe and effective in patients with relapsed B-ALL after allo-HSCT.

Objective To explore the changes and significane of USP20 and HIF-α expression in breast cancer.Methods Following transfection of shRNA-USP20 lentivirus into breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells,the gene and protein expression levels of USP20 were detected using fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western Blot.Subsequently,the overexpression of USP20 was observed to determine its effect on HIF-α expression.Similarly,siRNA-USP20 was used to knock down USP20 in breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells,followed by detection of gene and protein expression levels using fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western Blot.The subsequent changes in HIF-α expression were then examined.Rusults The positive expression rates of USP20 and HIF-α in breast cancer tissues were 69.6%and 46.83%,respectively,while they were negatively expressed in the adjacent normal tissues,with statistically significant differences(P＜0.01).The positive expressions of USP20 and HIF-α were predomi-nantly observed in the cytoplasm of breast cancer tissue,with a smaller amount present in the nucleus.There was a significant positive correlation between USP20 and HIF-α in breast cancer.Following transfection of shRNA-USP20 lentivirus into MDA-MB-231 cells,both the protein and gene expression levels of USP20 significantly increased(P＜0.01).Over-expression of USP20 did not affect HIF-α mRNA levels but led to a significant increase in HIF-α protein expression(P＜0.01).Conversely,siRNA-USP20 interference resulted in a significant decrease in both the protein and gene expression levels of USP20(P＜0.01),without affecting HIF-α mRNA levels;however,it caused a notable reduction in HIF-α protein expression(P＜0.01).Conclusion The expression of USP20 exhib-ited a significant positive correlation with HIF-α in breast cancer.Overexpression of USP20 led to a substantial increase in HIF-α protein expression,while knock-down of the USP20 gene resulted in a significant decrease in HIF-α protein levels.Therefore,it can be inferred that USP20 may exert its influence on the development of breast cancer through modulation of HIF-α expression,thereby providing crucial experimental evidence for clinical treat-ment,prognosis,and further investigations.

Objective:To examine the burden and trends of acute viral hepatitis in Guangdong Province from 1990 to 2019, and provide reference evidences for hepatitis prevention and control in the province.Methods:Data on acute viral hepatitis (hepatitis A, B, C, and E) in Guangdong from 1990 to 2019 were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 database. The incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) data were analyzed by age and gender, and the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) was calculated to describe the changing trends in disease burden.Results:From 1999 to 2019, the standardized incidence, prevalence, mortality, and DALY of acute viral hepatitis in Guangdong were higher than the national averages. In 2019, 51.43% (2 245 087/4 365 221) of acute viral hepatitis cases in Guangdong Province were mainly attributed to hepatitis B, and 77.18% (106/138) of deaths were due to acute hepatitis B. In different age groups, except for acute hepatitis B, which was more common in adults, the incidence rates of other types of viral hepatitis such as hepatitis A, B, and E showed an overall decreasing trend with age. The mortality rates of different types of acute viral hepatitis, except for the <5 age group, increased with age. The overall incidence and mortality rates of acute viral hepatitis were higher in men than in women.Conclusions:The overall burden of acute viral hepatitis in Guangdong declined in 2019, but remained higher than the national level. Further efforts are needed to strengthen hepatitis prevention and screening in different population in Guangdong Province, especially in children and the elderly.

【Objective】 To review the scientific research advances in the field of preschool children′s nutrition from 2012 to 2022, in order to provide reference for relevant policy formulation and further scientific exploration in this area. 【Methods】 High-quality literature published both domestically and internationally between 2012 and 2022 was retrieved through Web of Science (WOS) and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database. Excel and CiteSpace software were applied to visualize the research hotspots and frontier trends. 【Results】 A total of 1 816 English articles and 110 Chinese articles were included in the analysis. The cooperation network density of research institutions and authors was found to be low. Excluding the search terms, the top three English keywords were vitamin A (0.74), intervention (0.67), obesity prevention (0.55); the top three Chinese keywords were "anemia" (0.41), "obesity" (0.38), and "nutritional status" (0.18). In Chinese and English clusters, "anemia" and "physical activity" ranked first, respectively. The latest burst words identified were "dietary pattern" and "diet quality". 【Conclusions】 The number of English literature published in the field of preschool children′s nutrition is increasing, but it has shown a downward trend in the past three years in China. There are few studies in this field in China. The research hotspots primarily focus on the nutritional status of preschool children, with less attention paid to intervention research and methodological exploration. Further research in the field of preschool children′s nutrition in China may need to focus on the external determinants of preschool children′s nutrition, such as parental education, diet and food supply.

【Objective】 To identify the risk factors for recurrence and malignant transformation (MT) in patients with low-grade glioma (LGG) after surgery. 【Methods】 The data of 163 patients who underwent LGG resection and subsequent follow-up from March 2009 to April 2019 were retrospectively collected. Patients who did not experience recurrence or MT after surgery were included in the control group (85 cases), those who experienced recurrence after surgery were included in the observation 1 group (44 cases), and those who experienced MT after surgery were included in the observation 2 group (34 cases). Based on the clinical data of the three groups of patients, their clinical characteristics were analyzed, and the risk factors and predictive value for recurrence and MT were explored using Logistic regression model and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. 【Results】 There were significant differences between the control group and the observation 1 group in preoperative seizure, preoperative Karnofsky performance status (KPS) score, and surgical approach (P<0.05). There were significant differences between the control group and the observation 2 group in gender, preoperative KPS score, tumor size, and surgical approach (P<0.05). There were significant differences between the control group and the observation 1 group in isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), cancer-testis antigen OY-TES-1, OY-TES-1 mRNA protein, tumor suppressor protein p53, mouse double minute 2 (MDM2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), or epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) (P<0.05). There were significant differences between the control group and the observation 2 group in PCNA, MMP-9, cancer-testis antigen OY-TES-1, OY-TES-1 mRNA protein, or VEGF (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that IDH mutation, MMP-9, and PCNA were independent risk factors for LGG recurrence (P<0.05), while VEGF, MMP-9, and PCNA were independent risk factors for LGG MT (P<0.05). The area under curve (AUC) of PCNA, MMP-9 and IDH mutation for predicting LGG MT after surgery was 0.744, 0.790, and 0.799, respectively. The AUC of PCNA, MMP-9, and VEGF for predicting LGG recurrence after surgery was 0.729, 0.750, and 0.900, respectively. 【Conclusion】 This study found that IDH mutation, MMP-9 and PCNA were independent risk factors for LGG recurrence, while VEGF, MMP-9 and PCNA were independent risk factors for LGG MT by retrospectively analyzing the clinical data and protein expression of 163 patients with LGG after surgery. These proteins have high accuracy in predicting LGG recurrence and MT after surgery. Therefore, the proteins may play an important role in the biological behavior and treatment effect of LGG, and can be used as reference indicators for prognosis evaluation and individualized treatment of LGG patients after surgery.

Objective:To investigate the impact of relative locations of multiple foci and microsatellite status of sporadic, synchronous, multiple, primary, colorectal carcinomas on clinicopathological features and prognosis.Methods:The clinicopathologic and prognostic data of 278 patients with sporadic, synchronous, multiple, primary, colorectal carcinomas who had been admitted to the Department of Colorectal Surgery at Zhejiang Cancer Hospital from January 2008 to July 2022 were retrospectively collected. The patients were categorized into three groups based on the relative locations of their multiple cancer foci: (1) a right-sided group that comprised patients with multiple cancer foci in the cecum, ascending colon, hepatic flexure of the colon, and transverse colon; (2) a left-sided group that comprised patients with multiple cancer foci in the splenic flexure of the colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon, and rectum; and (3) a left- and right-sided group that comprised patients with multiple cancer foci in the right half of the colon and left half of the colon/rectum. Additionally, the patients were further divided into two groups based on microsatellite status: a high microsatellite instability (MSI-H) and a low MSI/stable MSI (MSI/L&MSS) group. We compared differences in clinical characteristics and prognostic indicators between these groups. The χ 2 test was utilized to compare selected clinical characteristics, whereas Kaplan-Meier survival analyses and log-rank tests were performed to compare their effects on prognosis. Result:Among 278 patients with SSCRC, 256 (92.1%) presented with two cancer foci and 22 (7.9%) with more than two foci. Additionally, 255 patients (91.7%) had adenocarcinomas, whereas the remaining 23 (8.3%) had mucinous adenocarcinomas. Lymph node metastases were identified in 136 patients (48.9%); the cancer foci had infiltrated beyond the muscular layer in 238 (85.6%); and 147 patients (52.9%) were diagnosed with TNM Stage III–IV disease. There were 155 patients (55.8%) in the left-sided group, 55 (19.8%) in the right-sided group, and 68 (24.5%) in the left- and right-sided group. Immunohistochemical examination of all four mismatch repair proteins were performed in 199 cases, revealing that 166 of these patients had MSI/L&MSS and 33 MSI-H disease. In the left-sided, left- and right-sided, and right-sided groups, the proportion of women was 16.8% (26/155), 26.5% (18/68), and 49.1% (27/55), respectively; these differences are statistically significant (χ 2=22.335, P<0.001). The proportions of patients with more than three cancer foci were 5.2% (8/155), 16.2% (11/68), and 5.5% (3/55), respectively; these differences are statistically significant (χ 2=8.438, P=0.015). The proportions of mucinous adenocarcinomas were 4.5% (7/155), 8.8% (6/68), and 18.2% (10/55), respectively; these differences are statistically significant (χ 2=10.026, P=0.007). The proportions of patients with lymph node metastases were 55.5% (86/155), 48.5% (33/68), and 30.9% (17/55); these differences are statistically significant (χ 2=9.817, P=0.007). The proportions of patients with Stage T3 & T4 disease in each group according to location were 81.3% (126/155), 88.2% (60/68), and 94.5% (52/55), respectively; these differences are statistically significant (χ 2=6.293, P=0.043). The proportions of TNM Stage III–IV tumors were 59.4% (92/155), 54.4% (37/68), and 32.7% (18/55), respectively; these differences are statistically significant (χ 2=11.637, P=0.003). Age, size of cancer foci, presence of distant metastasis, adenoma, nerve invasion, and vascular invasion did not differ significantly between the three groups (all P>0.05). Compared with those with MSI-H, patients with MSI/L&MSS disease were more likely to be aged >65 years and male (50.6% [84/166] vs. 15.2% [5/33], χ 2=13.994, P<0.001; 80.7% [134/166] vs. 54.5% [18/33], χ 2=10.457, P=0.001), more likely to be in the left-sided group (63.3% [105/166] vs. 24.2% [8/33], χ 2=18.232, P<0.001), had a higher proportion of cancer foci of diameter <4 cm (54.8% [91/166] vs. 33.3% [11/33], χ 2=5.086, P=0.024), and a lower proportion of mucinous adenocarcinomas (4.2% [7/166] vs. 27.3% [9/33], χ 2=19.791, P<0.001), more likely to develop distant metastases (22.3% [37/166] vs. 6.1% [2/33], χ 2=4.601, P=0.032), more likely to have lymph node metastases (57.2% [95/166) vs. 24.2% [8/33], χ 2=11.996, P<0.001) and nerve invasion (28.9% [48/166] vs. 6.1% [2/33], χ 2=7.643, P=0.006), had a higher proportion of TNM Stage III–IV disease (60.2% [100/166] vs. 24.2% [8/33], χ 2=14.374, P<0.001), and a smaller proportion of family history of tumors (28.9% [48/166] vs. 60.6% [20/33], χ 2=12.228, P<0.001). All the above-listed differences are statistically significant (all P<0.05). The differences in number of cancer foci, depth of infiltration, presence or absence of adenomas, and vascular invasion were not statistically significant (all P>0.05). In the 33 patients with MSI-H status and mismatch repair protein loss, the highest frequency of deletion was found in PMS-2 (66.7%, 22/33), followed by MLH-1 (57.6%, 19/33), whereas the proportions of MSH-2 (33.3%, 11/33) and MSH-6 (24.2%, 8/33) deletions were relatively low. There were statistically significant differences in the 3-year overall survival rates among the groups according to relative locations of cancer foci. The 3-year overall survival rates were 96.8%, 79.6%, and 88.5% in the right-sided, left- and right-sided, and left-sided groups, respectively ( P=0.021). As to microsatellite status, the 3-year overall survival rate of patients with MSI-H disease was 93.8%, which is significantly better than the 78.4% for those with MSI/L & MSS ( P=0.026). Conclusions:Among sporadic, synchronous, multiple, primary, colorectal carcinomas, those with right-sided disease had the deepest local infiltration, whereas those with left-sided disease had the greatest number of lymph node metastases, most advanced clinical TNM stage, lowest percentage of MSI-H disease, and the poorest prognosis.

{L-End}Objective To explore the status of quality control assessment of pure tone audiometry (PTA) and to analyze its influencing factors in occupational medical examination (OME) institutions in Guangzhou City. {L-End}Methods A total of 41 OME institutions in Guangzhou City were selected as the research subjects from 2021 to 2022 using random sampling method, and its status of on-site quality and PTA quality for individuals exposed to noise were assessed. {L-End}Results A total of 205 rectification items were identified among the 41 OME institutions from 2021 to 2022. Among them, 19, 28, 30, and 28 OME institutions did not meet the requirements of organizational structure, quality management system, quality control of OME, and health examination information reporting, respectively. A total of 1 095 OME reports for individuals exposed to noise were assessed, with 820 reports having correct results and conclusions, resulting in an accuracy rate of 74.9%. The results of the multiple logistic regression analysis showed that OME institutions without meeting the requirements for the quality management system had a higher risk of failing the PTA quality control assessment and having inaccurate hearing test results compared with those meeting the requirements (all P<0.05). OME institutions with a filing period less than one year had a higher risk of having inaccurate hearing test results than those with a filing period of one year or more (P<0.05). OME institutions not meeting the requirements for quality control of OME had a higher risk of having abnormal OME conclusions than those meeting the requirements (P<0.05). OME institutions not meeting the requirements for health examination information reporting had a higher risk of having abnormal conclusions in suspected occupational disease than those meeting the requirements (P<0.05). OME institutions not meeting the requirements for the quality management system had a higher risk of having abnormal conclusions of occupational contraindications than those meeting the requirements (P<0.05). {L-End}Conclusion The quality of PTA in OME institutions in Guangzhou City needs to be improved. And a well-established quality management system for OME is beneficial for improving the quality of PTA.