Objective:To analyze the changes in the incidence trend of liver cancer in Taizhou of Jiangsu Province, from 2012 to 2020 and provide reference for tumor prevention and control and management.Methods:Liver cancer incidence data from 2012 to 2020 were extracted from the Taizhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention's tumor registry system. Demographic data were used to calculate the crude incidence rate, age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), Chinese age-standardized incidence rate (CASIR; based on China's 2010 standard population), and world age-standardized incidence rate (WASIR; based on Segi's world standard population). The Joinpoint regression model was applied to identify inflection points in liver cancer incidence trends during 2012-2020, and annual percentage change (APC) with average annual percentage change (AAPC) were calculated.Results:In 2020, the crude incidence ratio (CIR) of liver cancer in Taizhou was 34.6 per 100 000, with CASIR and WASIR at 19.6 per 100 000 and 14.9 per 100 000, respectively. From 2012 to 2020, the male-to-female ratio of new liver cancer cases was 2.94∶1 (10 455 males vs. 3 559 females), with male incidence consistently higher than female. Overall liver cancer incidence in Taizhou initially increased and then decreased after 2017 (2012-2017: APC=6.4%, P=0.014; 2017-2020: APC=-9.5%, P=0.035), peaking at a CASIR of 26.2 per 100 000 in 2017. The trend in male incidence mirrored the overall pattern, rising before 2017 and declining thereafter (2012-2017: APC=6.2%, P=0.005; 2017-2020: APC=-9.0%, P=0.016). Female incidence remained relatively stable (2012-2016: APC=11.0%, P=0.054; 2016-2020: APC=-6.5%, P=0.130). Conclusions:Liver cancer incidence in Taizhou increased before 2017 and declined thereafter, with 2017 as the turning point. Amid population aging, liver cancer remains a persistent public health challenge requiring sustained attention.

Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy of double tract reconstruction and single flap valvuloplasty technique in laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was adopted to analyze the clinical data of 65 patients with gastric cancer who underwent radical proximal gastrectomy at Taizhou People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University from July 2019 to April 2024. According to the different reconstruction methods, the patients were divided into the double tract reconstruction group (double tract; n=43) and oblique anastomosis of esophageal-gastric mucosal window with single flap valvuloplasty technique group (single flap n=22). The baseline data, surgical and postoperative recovery indicators, postoperative pathological results, gastroesophageal reflux at postoperative 6 months, and nutritional status at postoperative 1 year were compared between the two groups. Results:Comparisons of operative time, gastrointestinal reconstruction time, number of lymph nodes dissected, postoperative intestinal function recovery time, total protein, plasma albumin, hemoglobin, and lymphocyte count at 1 week postoperatively, prognostic nutritional index (PNI), time to normalization of postoperative white blood cell count and C-reactive protein, length of hospital stay, hospital costs, and incidence of postoperative pulmonary infection or anastomotic leakage between the two groups showed no statistically significant differences (all P>0.05). However, compared with the double tract group, the single muscle flap group had significantly higher intraoperative blood loss ( P<0.001), higher maximum postoperative body temperature ( P=0.004), and a significantly higher proportion of patients with pleural effusion ≥2 cm ( P=0.029).No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of tumor length, length of esophageal involvement, Siewert classification, tumor differentiation degree, neural invasion, lymphovascular invasion, number of metastatic lymph nodes, tumor T stage and N stage, or UICC TNM staging for gastric cancer (all P>0.05). Nevertheless, the minimum distance of the lower resection margin in the double tract group was significantly longer than that in the single muscle flap group, with a statistically significant difference between the groups ( P<0.001). At 6 months postoperatively, results from the Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (QLQ-C30), Quality of Life Questionnaire-Stomach 22 (QLQ-ST022), Reflux Symptom Index scores, Visick grading, and gastroscopy (Los Angeles classification) all indicated that the incidence of reflux esophagitis in the double tract group was significantly lower than that in the single muscle flap group (all P<0.001). Gastrointestinal contrast examination showed no anastomotic stenosis in either group; gastroesophageal reflux occurred in 5 cases (11.6%) in the double tract group and 4 cases (18.2%) in the single muscle flap group, with no statistically significant difference (χ2=0.524, P=0.469). Gastroscopy results revealed that the incidence of reflux esophagitis at 6 months postoperatively was 9.3% (4/43) in the double tract group and 59.1% (13/22) in the single muscle flap group, with a statistically significant difference between the two groups (χ2=18.680, P<0.001).At 1 year postoperatively, the dual-chamber group showed better performance in body mass index(BMI), proportion of a decrease in BMI, plasma albumin, and PNI compared with the single muscle flap group, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in hemoglobin or lymphocyte count between the two groups (all P>0.05). During 1 year of follow-up, one case of anastomotic recurrence occurred in each group, with no statistically significant difference between the groups ( P=0.624). Conclusions:Both proximal gastrectomy with double-tract anastomosis and esophagogastric mucosal window oblique anastomosis combined with single muscular flap valvuloplasty for digestive tract reconstruction are safe and feasible. However, double-tract anastomosis can better prevent the occurrence of postoperative reflux esophagitis, improve the patient's postoperative nutritional status, and enhance the patient's quality of life.

Objective To develop and validate an efficient and simple liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS/MS)method for determination of polymyxin E in human plasma,and apply the established method in therapeutic drug monitoring(TDM)of polymyxin E.Methods The LC-MS/MS platform was based on AB SCIEX HPLC-4500MD system.Gradient elution was performed with 0.2％formic acid in water and 0.2％formic acid in acetonitrile.Phenomenex Kinetex XB-C18 column(100 mm × 2.1 mm,2.6 μm)were used.The analytes were detected by electrospray ionization(ESI)positive multiple reaction monitoring mode.The ion pairs for analytes(polymyxins E1,E2)and internal standard(polymyxins B1)were m/z 390.7→101.3,m/z 386.0→101.2,and m/z 402.3→101.2,respectively.Plasma samples were processed with protein precipitation method.Results Polymyxin E1 and E2 showed good linearity in the range of 0.031 2-6.24 mg/L and 0.006 15-1.23 mg/L,respectively.The within-run accuracy of polymyxin E1 and E2 in plasma ranged from 89.4％to 99.8％and 91.5％to 108.2％,respectively,while the between-run accuracy ranged from 91.8％to 104.7％and 95.6％to 105.2％,respectively.The within-run precision of polymyxin E1 and E2 in plasma ranged from 4.9％to 8.9％and 2.8％to 8.5％,respectively,while the between-run precision ranged from 4.1％to 7.6％and 4.2％to 9.8％,respectively.The average internal standard normalized matrix effect factors of polymyxins E1 and E2 were 96.9％-111.2％and 106.1％-112.8％in blank plasma samples from 6 different sources,102.5％-106.8％and 98.8％-105.2％in lipemic plasma,respectively,107.8％-108.9％and 106.9％-1 07.4％in hemolyzed plasma,respectively.The precision of matrix effects was less than 15.0％.The average recovery rate was 102.9％-107.5％for polymyxin E1 and E2,and 107.0％for internal standard polymyxin B1.The precision was less than 3.7％.Conclusions In this study,a simple and efficient LC-MS/MS method was established for determination of polymyxin E1 and E2 in human plasma,which is reliable in the therapeutic drug monitoring and pharmacokinetic study of polymyxin E.

OBJECTIVES: The core pathology of osteoporosis lies in bone resorption exceeding bone formation; thus, promoting osteogenesis is a key therapeutic strategy. The osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) forms the biological basis of bone formation. Astragaloside IV (A-IV), a major active component of Astragalus membranaceus, is known to enhance osteogenesis, but its precise molecular mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the effects of A-IV on the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs from osteoporotic rats and to elucidate its molecular mechanism through the regulation of microRNA-21 (miR-21) and Notch2 expression. METHODS: After 1 week of adaptive feeding, mature female SD rats were randomly divided into a sham-operated (Sham) group (n=4) and an ovariectomized (OVX) group (n=8) to establish an osteoporosis model. Twelve weeks after surgery, BMSCs were isolated from femoral bone marrow and cultured. Cells were divided into a S-BMSCs group (from Sham), an O-BMSCs group (from OVX), and an A-BMSCs group (from OVX-derived BMSCs treated with A-IV). S-BMSCs and O-BMSCs were induced for osteogenic differentiation using osteogenic induction medium, whereas A-BMSCs were treated with A-IV before induction. Flow cytometry was used to identify mesenchymal stem cell surface markers (CD29) and hematopoietic stem cell marker (CD34) to confirm BMSC characteristics. Cell proliferation was assessed using the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay. Alizarin red staining was performed to quantify calcium nodule formation, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assays were used to evaluate osteogenic differentiation. Real-time reverse transcription PCR (real-time RT-PCR) was used to detect changes in osteogenic-related genes, runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) and osteopontin (OPN), as well as miR-21 expression. Western blotting was performed to assess Runx2, OPN, and Notch2 protein expression. RESULTS: Flow cytometry confirmed that O-BMSCs retained the phenotypic characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells. A-IV significantly enhanced the proliferation of BMSCs from osteoporotic rats (P<0.05), increased ALP activity, and upregulated the mRNA and protein expression of Runx2 and OPN (P<0.05). Bioinformatic and experimental analyses demonstrated that miR-21 directly targeted Notch2. A-IV treatment increased miR-21 expression while suppressing Notch2 protein expression and inhibiting activation of the Notch signaling pathway (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Astragaloside IV promotes the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs derived from osteoporotic rats by upregulating miR-21 expression and inhibiting the key Notch signaling protein Notch2, thereby relieving the Notch2-mediated suppression of osteogenesis.
Animals ; Triterpenes/pharmacology* ; Saponins/pharmacology* ; Osteogenesis/drug effects* ; MicroRNAs/metabolism* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Female ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells/drug effects* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Osteoporosis/pathology* ; Rats ; Cells, Cultured ; Receptor, Notch2/metabolism* ; Receptors, Notch/metabolism* ; Ovariectomy ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the ethnic origin of Chuanqing people, one of the largest unidentified ethnic groups in Guizhou, China, and analyze its genetic relationships with surrounding populations. METHODS: Based on a self-developed microhaplotype system, we conducted genotyping and analyzed the genetic distribution of microhaplotype loci and their forensic applicability in Chuanqing population in Guizhou Province. Using the microhaplotype data from different intercontinental populations and previously reported data from Han population living in Guizhou Province, we systematically investigated the genetic background of Chuanqing people through population genetic approaches, including genetic distance estimation, principal component analysis, and phylogenetic tree construction. RESULTS: Among the studied population, the number of haplotype per microhaplotype ranged from 6 to 25. The average expected heterozygosity (He), observed heterozygosity (Ho), power of discrimination (PD), and probability of exclusion (PE) were 0.8291, 0.8301, 0.9387, and 0.6593, respectively. The cumulative power of discrimination (CPD) and cumulative probability of exclusion (CPE) for these 33 loci were 1-2.62×10^-41 and 1-7.64×10^-17, respectively. Population genetic analyses revealed that the Chuanqing population had close genetic relationships with the East Asian populations, especially the local Guizhou Han population, Beijing Han population and the Han populations living in southern China. CONCLUSIONS The 33 microhaplotypes exhibit high levels of genetic diversity in the Guizhou Chuanqing population, highlighting their potentials for both forensic identification and parentage testing. The Han populations might have contributed a significant amount of genetic material to the Chuanqing population during the formation and development of the latter.
Humans ; China/ethnology* ; Ethnicity/genetics* ; Forensic Genetics/methods* ; Genetics, Population ; Genotype ; Haplotypes ; Phylogeny ; East Asian People/genetics*

OBJECTIVES: To explore the efficacy of DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy for management of cancer pain and provide reference for its standardized clinical application. Methods and. RESULTS: Recommendations were formulated based on literature review and expert group discussion, and consensus was reached following expert consultation. The consensus recommendations are comprehensive, covering the entire treatment procedures from preoperative assessment and preparation, surgical operation process, postoperative management and traditional Chinese medicine treatment to individualized treatment planning. The study results showed that the treatment plans combining traditional Chinese with Western medicine effectively alleviated cancer pain, reduced the use of opioid drugs, and significantly improved the quality of life and enhanced immune function of the patients. Postoperative follow-up suggested good treatment tolerance among the patients without serious complications. CONCLUSIONS The formulated consensus is comprehensive and can provide reference for clinicians to use DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy. The combined treatment has a high clinical value with a good safety profile for management of cancer pain.
Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Cancer Pain/therapy* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Pain Management/methods* ; China

Xiaoaiping (XAP) Injection demonstrates the anti-prostate cancer (PCa) effects, yet the underlying mechanism remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the impact of XAP on PCa and elucidate its mechanism of action. PCa cell proliferation was evaluated using a cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Cell apoptosis was assessed through Hoechst staining and Western blotting assays. Proteomics technology was employed to identify key molecules and significant signaling pathways modulated by XAP in PCa cells. To further validate potential key genes and important pathways, a series of assays were conducted, including acridine orange (AO) staining, transmission electron microscopy, and immunofluorescence assays. The molecular mechanism of XAP against PCa in vivo was examined using a PC3 xenograft mouse model. Results demonstrated that XAP significantly inhibited cell proliferation in multiple PCa cell lines. In C4-2 and prostate cancer cell line-3 (PC3) cells, XAP induced cellular apoptosis, evidenced by reduced B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) levels and elevated Bcl-2-associated X (Bax) levels. Proteomic, immunofluorescence, and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) investigations revealed a strong correlation between forkhead box O3a (FoxO3a) autophagic degradation and the anti-PCa action of XAP. XAP hindered autophagy by reducing the expression levels of autophagy-related protein 5 (Atg5)/autophagy-related protein 12 (Atg12) and enhancing FoxO3a expression and nuclear translocation. Furthermore, XAP exhibited potent anti-PCa action in PC3 xenograft mice and triggered FoxO3a nuclear translocation in tumor tissue. These findings suggest that XAP induces PCa apoptosis via inhibition of FoxO3a autophagic degradation, potentially offering a novel perspective on XAP injection as an effective anticancer therapy for PCa.
Male ; Humans ; Prostatic Neoplasms/physiopathology* ; Autophagy/drug effects* ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Proteomics ; Mice ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Forkhead Box Protein O3/genetics* ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays ; Mice, Nude ; Mice, Inbred BALB C

Background:With the widespread use of vonoprazan-based dual therapy for Helicobacter pylori(Hp)eradication,a comparative analysis of its efficacy and safety against bismuth-containing quadruple therapy is warranted.Aims:To compare the efficacy and safety of vonoprazan and amoxicillin-based 14-day dual therapy and 10-day bismuth-containing quadruple therapy for eradication of Hp infection.Methods:This study is a single-center,prospective,randomized,controlled,open-label,non-inferiority trial.Patients with chronic gastritis,diagnosed with Hp infection and scheduled for eradication therapy at Yuancheng District People's Hospital between December 2023 and December 2025 are planned to enroll in this study and randomly assigned into two groups.Patients in the control group received bismuth-containing quadruple therapy(vonoprazan 20 mg+bismuth potassium citrate 220 mg+amoxicillin 1.0 g+furazolidone 0.1 g,all twice daily)for 10 days,and those in the treatment group received dual therapy(vonoprazan 20 mg twice daily+amoxicillin 1.0 g three times daily)for 14 days.Both groups were supplemented with compound lactobacillus capsule.Adverse events were recorded during the treatment period.Hp eradication was assessed by 13C-or 14C-urea breath test at least four weeks after the completion of therapy.Results:As of the interim analysis,a total of 160 patients have been enrolled in the study,with 80 in each group.The per-protocol(PP)Hp eradication rates were 93.6%(95%CI:85.6%-97.9%)for the treatment group and 94.7%(95%CI:86.8%-98.5%)for the control group,with an intergroup difference of-1.147%(95%CI:-8.5%-6.1%).While in intention-to-treat(ITT)analysis,the Hp eradication rates were 91.2%(95%CI:82.9%-96.4%)for the treatment group and 90.0%(95%CI:81.2%-95.6%)for the control group,with an intergroup difference of 1.25%(95%CI:-7.8%-10.4%).Non-inferiority was confirmed for both PP and ITT analyses(P=0.012,P=0.021).No significant difference in symptoms relieve was observed between the two groups(92.1%vs.91.0%,P=0.81).The incidence of adverse events was significantly lower in the treatment group(7.7%vs.18.4%,P=0.043).The symptoms were mild and required no intervention.Conclusions:The 14-day vonoprazan-amoxicillin dual therapy is non-inferior to 10-day bismuth-containing quadruple therapy in Hp eradication rate with fewer adverse events,making it a preferred option for family-based management and primary care settings for Hp eradication.

Objective:This study aimed to explore the utility of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) combined with skin sympathetic response (SSR) in assessing the effectiveness of perigastric autonomic nerve preservation during radical gastrectomy.Methods:A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted involving 221 patients who underwent laparoscopic radical gastrectomy at the Department of Gastric Surgery, Taizhou People's Hospital, affiliated with Nanjing Medical University, between June 2022 and September 2024. The cohort comprised 109 patients who underwent laparoscopic radical total gastrectomy without autonomic nerve preservation (total gastrectomy without nerve preservation group). Additionally, 112 patients underwent laparoscopic radical distal gastrectomy, including 34 patients who received autonomic nerve preservation (nerve preservation group) and 78 patients who did not (without nerve preservation group). TEAS was administered at the Zusanli and Tianshu acupoints one day before and one day after surgery, during which SSR latency and voltage amplitudes in the upper and lower extremities were recorded and compared across groups. Differences in SSR latency and voltage amplitude between the nerve preservation and non-nerve preservation groups of the distal gastrectomy cohort were also analyzed. Further, TEAS was applied at the same acupoints for 15 minutes on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd postoperative days, and changes in intestinal sounds and intestinal functional recovery time were monitored. Surgical parameters, including operative duration, intraoperative blood loss, and harvested lymph node, were documented. Postoperative inflammatory indicators, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), and the incidence of anastomotic leakage, were evaluated. At three months postoperatively, gastroscopy was performed to assess residual gastric food and bile reflux. Additionally, the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) was evaluated across all patient groups.Results:Following total gastrectomy, TEAS of Zusanli combined with arms' SSR revealed a latency of (23 59.71±410.55) ms and a voltage amplitude of (0.43±1.67) mV; for the legs, latency was (2 596.88±369.01) ms and voltage amplitude was (0.25±0.08) mV. TEAS of Tianshu combined with arms' SSR demonstrated a latency of (2 746.47±224.37) ms and a voltage amplitude of (0.31±0.14) mV; for the legs, latency was (2 891.90±193.61) ms and voltage amplitude was (0.19±0.72) mV. Postoperative latency was significantly prolonged, and voltage amplitude was markedly reduced (all P < 0.01). In the distal gastrectomy with nerve preservation group, TEAS of Zusanli combined with arms' SSR showed a latency of (1 668.04±261.91) ms and a voltage amplitude of (0.78±0.26) mV; for the legs, latency was (1 568.86±220.09) ms and voltage amplitude was (0.61±0.24) mV. TEAS of Tianshu combined with arms' SSR demonstrated a latency of (1 519.36±206.99) ms and a voltage amplitude of (0.66±0.34) mV; for the legs, latency was (2 004.80±508.53) ms and voltage amplitude was (0.55±0.28) mV. In the distal gastrectomy without nerve preservation group, TEAS of Zusanli combined with arms' SSR revealed a latency of (2 385.95±710.27) ms and a voltage amplitude of (0.23±0.11) mV; for the legs, latency was (2 506.81±779.37) ms and voltage amplitude was (0.26±1.29) mV. TEAS of Tianshu combined with arms' SSR indicated a latency of (2 697.78±385.55) ms and a voltage amplitude of (0.21±0.14) mV; for the legs, latency was (2 949.14±506.61) ms and voltage amplitude was (0.17±0.11) mV. The group without nerve preservation exhibited significantly prolonged latencies and reduced voltage amplitudes (all P<0.01). No statistically significant differences were observed between the groups in operative time, intraoperative bleeding, the number of dissected lymph nodes, inflammatory indicators (IL-6, CRP, PCT) at 3 days postoperatively, or anastomotic leakage rates (all P>0.05). In the group without nerve preservation, bowel sounds on postoperative days 1, 2, and 3 were (0.36±0.58), (1.04±0.97), and (1.74±1.10) times/min, respectively, with bowel function recovery time of (62.24±9.91) hours. The PNI at 3 months postoperatively was (37.42±3.01). Incidences of food residue in the residual stomach and bile reflux were 21.79% (17/78) and 29.49% (23/78), respectively. In the group with nerve preservation, bowel sounds on postoperative days 1, 2, and 3 were (0.76±0.82), (2.03±1.34), and (3.71±1.27) times/min, respectively, with bowel function recovery time of (44.94±8.05) hours. The PNI at 3 months postoperatively was (41.34±3.40). Incidences of food residue and bile reflux were 5.88% (2/34) and 11.76% (4/34), respectively. Statistically significant differences were observed between the groups (all P < 0.05). Conclusion:TEAS of Zusanli and Tianshu combined with SSR provides an objective measure for assessing the preservation of perigastric autonomic nerves during radical gastrectomy.

Objective Based on the concept of quality by design(QbD),to establish the design space of Zhihuang detumescence gel plaster extraction process.Methods With Zhihuang detumescence gel plaster as the model drug,geniposide content and extract yield as critical quality attributes(CQA),failure mode effects analysis(FMEA)combined with fishbone diagram was used to evaluate the risk of extraction process,and single factor experiment was used to determine the critical process parameters(CPPs).The mathematical model of CPPs and CQAs was established by Box-Behnken experimental design,and the design space was obtained and verified by Monte Carlo method.Results The ethanol volume fraction,solvent multiplication and extraction times were determined as CPPs,the mathematical model established by Box-Behnken experimental design was statistically significant at P＜0.05,and combined with the production experience,the resulting operable space was:ethanol volume fraction of 67％-70％,solvent multiplication of 7.5-9 times,and the number of times of extraction was 3 times,Extraction time 1 h.Conclusion The establishment of the extraction process design space of Zhihuang detumescence gel plaster is helpful to improve the quality stability and controllability of the traditional Chinese medicine compound preparation,lay an experimental foundation for the development of subsequent preparations,and provide a reference for the application of the design space method to the compound preparation of traditional Chinese medicine.