Objective To evaluate the value of serum Mac-2 binding protein (M2BP) for assessment of the severity of schisto somiasis-induced liver fibrosis, so as to provide insights into non-invasive diagnosis and disease surveillance of liver fibrosis caused by schistosomiasis. Methods A total of 234 individuals with a history of Schistosoma japonicum infection were sampled from Xinhua Village, Lushan City, Jiangxi Province from 2019 to 2020, and 234 serum samples were collected from all participants. All participants received B-ultrasound examinations of the liver. Serum samples were categorized into four groups (grades 0, Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis groups) according to B-ultrasound examination results, and then, each group was randomly divided into a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve group and an efficacy assessment group at a ratio of 7∶3. Serum M2BP concentration was measured in four groups using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and differences in serum M2BP concentrations were compared with analysis of variance and Spearman correlation analysis. Serum M2BP concentration was subjected to ROC curve analysis among individuals with different grades of schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis in the ROC curve group to determine the optimal diagnostic threshold of M2BP concentration at different fibrosis grades, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate the diagnostic performance. The diagnostic accuracy was verified by comparing the accordance rate and Kappa consistency test in the efficacy assessment group. Results Among 234 serum samples, there were 79 samples with grade 0 schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis, 87 samples with Grade Ⅰ, 46 samples with Grade Ⅱ and 22 samples with Grade Ⅲ according to the B-ultrasound examinations. The mean serum M2BP concentrations were (0.40 ± 0.31) [95% confidence interval (CI): (0.33, 0.47)], (0.64 ± 0.48) [95% CI: (0.53, 0.74)], (1.76 ± 0.58) [95% CI: (1.59, 1.93)] μg/mL and (2.56 ± 0.93) [95% CI: (2.14, 2.97)] μg/mL in the four groups, respectively (F = 150.796, P < 0.001), and the severity of schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis significantly positively correlated with serum M2BP concentration (rs = 0.715, P < 0. 001). The sample sizes of grades 0, Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis sera were randomly allocated as follows: 55 versus 24, 61 versus 26, 32 versus 14, and 15 versus 7 in the ROC curve and efficacy assessment groups, respectively, and the serum M2BP concentrations were (0.39 ± 0.29) μg/mL and (0.42 ± 0.36) μg/mL (F = 0.196, P > 0.05), (0.59 ± 0.47) μg/mL and (0.75 ± 0.51) μg/mL (F = 1.967, P > 0.05), (1.73 ± 0.59) μg/mL and (1.85 ± 0.57) μg/mL (F = 0.417, P > 0.05), and (2.46 ± 0.64) μg/mL and (2.76 ± 1.41) μg/mL (F = 0.491, P > 0.05), respectively. ROC curve analysis showed that the optimal diagnostic thresholds of serum M2BP concentration were 0.347 86 μg/mL (AUC = 0.635, P < 0.05), 1.188 83 μg/mL (AUC = 0.938, P < 0.000 1) and 2.021 21 μg/mL (AUC = 0.821, P < 0.000 1) for grade Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis. In addition, the accordance rates between the optimal diagnostic threshold of serum M2BP and B-ultrasound examinations for predicting grade Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ schistosomiasis-induceed liver fibrosis were 69.23%, 85.71% and 71.43% (χ2 = 1.340, P > 0.05), and the overall Kappa consistency test showed moderate consistency [Kappa = 0.608, 95% CI: (0.428, 0.788); Z = 6.609, P < 0.000 1]. Conclusions Serum M2BP may serve as a potential biomarker for assessing moderate to advanced schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis; however, its diagnostic value for early-stage schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis remains limited.

Background and Aims:Laparoscopic cholecystectomy(LC)is a common surgical method for the treatment of gallbladder diseases.However,some patients experience symptoms such as dyspepsia after surgery,which can affect their quality of life.Compound azinomide enteric-coated tablets,a novel drug,may improve dyspeptic symptoms after LC.This study was conducted to explore the clinical efficacy of compound azinomide enteric-coated tablets in treating post-LC dyspepsia symptoms through a multicenter clinical trial.Methods:A multicenter,superior efficacy,open-label,parallel-controlled design was used.Patients with postoperative dyspepsia were enrolled in 7 centers between January 2023 and May 2024.Patients were randomly assigned to either the observation or control groups using a random number table.The observation group received compound azinomide enteric-coated tablets,while the control group was treated with a combination of oryzae pancreatin tablets and ursodeoxycholic acid tablets.Both groups were treated for 4 weeks.The primary endpoints included gastrointestinal symptom scores and quality of life scores assessed before and at 14 and 28 d after treatment.Additionally,the incidence of adverse reactions and cost-effectiveness ratio(CER)were compared between the groups.Results:A total of 303 patients were included,with 150 in the observation group and 153 in the control group.Baseline characteristics were balanced between the groups before treatment(all P>0.05).After treatment,the observation group showed significantly higher effective rates at 14 d and 28 d than the control group(44.7%vs.29.4%;98.0%vs.73.9%,both P<0.05).The observation group also had significantly lower symptom scores and quality of life scores at both 14 and 28 d,with a significantly higher improvement rate in symptom scores compared to the control group(all P<0.05).Further analysis of the improvement rate and treatment efficacy for individual symptoms revealed that,except for the 14-d improvement in abdominal pain/discomfort,the observation group showed better improvement in all other symptoms at 14 d and in all symptoms at 28 d compared to the control group(all P<0.05).No adverse reactions were observed in either group.The CER for the observation group was 283.78 yuan/efficacy rate at 14 d and 128.57 yuan/efficacy rate at 28 d,while the control group's CER was 729.93 yuan/efficacy rate at 14 d and 290.22 yuan/efficacy rate at 28 d.Conclusion:Compound azinomide enteric-coated tablets demonstrated good clinical efficacy in treating dyspepsia symptoms after LC with excellent safety and high cost-effectiveness.Despite some limitations,the results provide a new treatment option for dyspepsia after LC.Larger-scale randomized controlled trials are needed to validate this study's conclusions further.

Intraoperative cell salvage (IOCS) has been widely applied as an important blood conservation measure in surgical operations. However, there is currently a lack of clinical practice guidelines for the implementation of IOCS in patients with malignant tumors. This report aims to provide clinicians with recommendations on the use of IOCS in patients with malignant tumors based on the review and assessment of the existed evidence. Data were derived from databases such as PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library and Wanfang. The guideline development team formulated recommendations based on the quality of evidence, balance of benefits and harms, patient preferences, and health economic assessments. This study constructed seven major clinical questions. The main conclusions of this guideline are as follows: 1) Compared with no perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion (NPABT), perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion (PABT) leads to a more unfavorable prognosis in cancer patients (Recommended); 2) Compared with the transfusion of allogeneic blood or no transfusion, IOCS does not lead to a more unfavorable prognosis in cancer patients (Recommended); 3) The implementation of IOCS in cancer patients is economically feasible (Recommended); 4) Leukocyte depletion filters (LDF) should be used when implementing IOCS in cancer patients (Strongly Recommended); 5) Irradiation treatment of autologous blood to be reinfused can be used when implementing IOCS in cancer patients (Recommended); 6) A careful assessment of the condition of cancer patients (meeting indications and excluding contraindications) should be conducted before implementing IOCS (Strongly Recommended); 7) Informed consent from cancer patients should be obtained when implementing IOCS, with a thorough pre-assessment of the patient's condition and the likelihood of blood loss, adherence to standardized internally audited management procedures, meeting corresponding conditions, and obtaining corresponding qualifications (Recommended). In brief, current evidence indicates that IOCS can be implemented for some malignant tumor patients who need allogeneic blood transfusion after physician full evaluation, and LDF or irradiation should be used during the implementation process.

Background and Aims:Laparoscopic cholecystectomy(LC)is a common surgical method for the treatment of gallbladder diseases.However,some patients experience symptoms such as dyspepsia after surgery,which can affect their quality of life.Compound azinomide enteric-coated tablets,a novel drug,may improve dyspeptic symptoms after LC.This study was conducted to explore the clinical efficacy of compound azinomide enteric-coated tablets in treating post-LC dyspepsia symptoms through a multicenter clinical trial.Methods:A multicenter,superior efficacy,open-label,parallel-controlled design was used.Patients with postoperative dyspepsia were enrolled in 7 centers between January 2023 and May 2024.Patients were randomly assigned to either the observation or control groups using a random number table.The observation group received compound azinomide enteric-coated tablets,while the control group was treated with a combination of oryzae pancreatin tablets and ursodeoxycholic acid tablets.Both groups were treated for 4 weeks.The primary endpoints included gastrointestinal symptom scores and quality of life scores assessed before and at 14 and 28 d after treatment.Additionally,the incidence of adverse reactions and cost-effectiveness ratio(CER)were compared between the groups.Results:A total of 303 patients were included,with 150 in the observation group and 153 in the control group.Baseline characteristics were balanced between the groups before treatment(all P>0.05).After treatment,the observation group showed significantly higher effective rates at 14 d and 28 d than the control group(44.7%vs.29.4%;98.0%vs.73.9%,both P<0.05).The observation group also had significantly lower symptom scores and quality of life scores at both 14 and 28 d,with a significantly higher improvement rate in symptom scores compared to the control group(all P<0.05).Further analysis of the improvement rate and treatment efficacy for individual symptoms revealed that,except for the 14-d improvement in abdominal pain/discomfort,the observation group showed better improvement in all other symptoms at 14 d and in all symptoms at 28 d compared to the control group(all P<0.05).No adverse reactions were observed in either group.The CER for the observation group was 283.78 yuan/efficacy rate at 14 d and 128.57 yuan/efficacy rate at 28 d,while the control group's CER was 729.93 yuan/efficacy rate at 14 d and 290.22 yuan/efficacy rate at 28 d.Conclusion:Compound azinomide enteric-coated tablets demonstrated good clinical efficacy in treating dyspepsia symptoms after LC with excellent safety and high cost-effectiveness.Despite some limitations,the results provide a new treatment option for dyspepsia after LC.Larger-scale randomized controlled trials are needed to validate this study's conclusions further.

The amygdala is an important hub for regulating emotions and is involved in the pathophysiology of many mental diseases, such as depression and anxiety. Meanwhile, the endocannabinoid system plays a crucial role in regulating emotions and mainly functions through the cannabinoid type-1 receptor (CB₁R), which is strongly expressed in the amygdala of non-human primates (NHPs). However, it remains largely unknown how the CB₁Rs in the amygdala of NHPs regulate mental diseases. Here, we investigated the role of CB₁R by knocking down the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CNR1) gene encoding CB₁R in the amygdala of adult marmosets through regional delivery of AAV-SaCas9-gRNA. We found that CB₁R knockdown in the amygdala induced anxiety-like behaviors, including disrupted night sleep, agitated psychomotor activity in new environments, and reduced social desire. Moreover, marmosets with CB₁R-knockdown had up-regulated plasma cortisol levels. These results indicate that the knockdown of CB₁Rs in the amygdala induces anxiety-like behaviors in marmosets, and this may be the mechanism underlying the regulation of anxiety by CB₁Rs in the amygdala of NHPs.
Animals ; Callithrix ; Receptors, Cannabinoid ; Anxiety ; Amygdala ; Cannabinoids ; Phenotype

Objective:To analyze the endoscopic characteristics of early gastric cancer and precancerous lesions after Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori) eradication. Methods:From May 2019 to June 2022, at Shanghai Sixth People′s Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, the medical data of patients diagnosed with differentiated early gastric cancer and precancerous lesions were collected. A total of 93 patients with early gastric cancer and precancerous lesions who had previous history of H. pylori infection and had undergone standardized eradication treatment were selected, and their endoscopic characteristics were retrospectively analyzed. Independent sample t-test, chi-square test, and Fisher′s exact test were used for statistical analysis. Results:Among 93 patients with early gastric cancer and precancerous lesions after H. pylori eradication, there were 56 males and 37 females, with an average age of (66.9±8.2) years old. The time after H. pylori eradication was 3.4 years (range 1.0 to 7.0 years). A total of 109 early gastric cancer and precancerous lesions were found, including 79 patients with single lesion and 14 patients with multiple lesions (30 lesions). There were 60 cases with 73 lesions in the early gastric cancer group and 33 cases with 36 lesions in the precancerous group. Among 93 patients, 89 cases (95.7%) were diagnosed with atrophy level above C-2 according to Kimura-Takemoto classification under endoscopy. The long diameter of 109 lesions was (1.38±0.70) cm and the short diameter was (1.04±0.53) cm. A total of 80 lesions (73.4%) were located in the lower 1/3 part of the stomach, and 53 lesions (48.6%) were located in the lesser curvature. A total of 106 lesions (97.2%) were superficial type (0-Ⅱ) under the endoscopy. The long diameter and short diameter in the early gastric cancer group after H. pylori eradication were both greater than those in the precancerous lesion group ((1.54±0.78) cm vs. (1.06±0.35) cm, (1.16±0.58) cm vs. (0.78±0.33) cm), and the differences were statistically significant ( t=3.53 and 3.73, both P<0.001). There was statistically significant difference in the morphological types between early gastric cancer group after H. pylori eradication and precancerous lesion group ( χ2=11.01, P=0.012). The main morphological type of early gastric cancer after H. pylori eradication was superficial depression type (0-Ⅱc), accounting for 45.2% (33/73), while the precancerous lesions were mainly superficial protruded and flat type, both accounting for 38.9% (14/36). Conclusions:After H. pylori eradication, the endoscopic atrophy range of early gastric cancer and precancerous lesions is mostly above C-2. And the lesions are mostly located in the middle and lower 1/3 part of the stomach, long diameter of lesions <20 mm. The main morphological type is superficial type, especially superficial depression type.

Background: During hot environment work tasks with whole-body enclosed anti-bioaerosol suit, the combined effect of heavy sweating and exhaled hot humid air may cause the N95 medical respirator to saturate with water/sweat (i.e., water-blocking). Methods: 32 young male subjects with different body mass indexes (BMI) in whole-body protection (N95 medical respirator + one-piece protective suit + head covering + protective face screen + gloves + shoe covers) were asked to simulate waste collecting from each isolated room in a seven-story building at 27-28°C, and the weight, inhalation resistance (Rf), and aerosol penetration of the respirator before worn and after water-blocking were analyzed. Results: All subjects reported water-blocking asphyxia of the N95 respirators within 36-67 min of the task. When water-blocking occurred, the Rf and 10-200 nm total aerosol penetration (Pt) of the respirators reached up to 1270-1810 Pa and 17.3-23.3%, respectively, which were 10 and 8 times of that before wearing. The most penetration particle size of the respirators increased from 49-65 nm before worn to 115-154 nm under water-blocking condition, and the corresponding maximum size-dependent aerosol penetration increased from 2.5-3.5% to 20-27%. With the increase of BMI, the water-blocking occurrence time firstly increased then reduced, while the Rf, Pt, and absorbed water all increased significantly. Conclusions This study reveals respirator water-blocking and its serious negative impacts on respiratory protection. When performing moderate-to-high-load tasks with whole-body protection in a hot environment, it is recommended that respirator be replaced with a new one at least every hour to avoid water-blocking asphyxia.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC),a common malignancy of the head and neck,ranks sixth worldwide in terms of cancers with the most negative impact,owing to tumor relapse rates,cervical lymphnode metastasis,and the lack of an efficacious systemic therapy.Its prognosis is poor,and its mortality rate is high.Octamer-binding transcription factor 4(OCT4)is a member of the Pit-Oct-Unc(POU)family and is a key reprogramming factor that produces a marked effect in preserving the pluripotency and self-renewal state of embryonic stem cells(ESCs).According to recent studies,OCT4 participates in retaining the survival of OSCC cancer stem cells(CSCs),which has far-reaching implications for the occurrence,recurrence,metastasis,and prognosis of oral carcinogenesis.Therefore,we summarize the structure,subtypes,and function of OCT4 as well as its role in the occurrence,progression,and prognosis of OSCC.

Objective:To analysis the prognosis related factors of patients with small cell cancer of the esophagogastric junction treated by surgery.Methods:The clinicopathologic data of 129 patients with small cell cancer of the esophagogastric junction underwent surgery treatment in the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2004 to December 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. Univariate survival survival was performed by Kaplan-Meier method and Log rank test. Multivariate survival was analyzed by using Cox proportional hazard model.Results:Radical surgery was performed in 123 patients, whereas other 6 cases were conducted palliative operation. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate of this cohort was 21.0% and median survival time was 25.7 months. The 5-year progression free survival (PFS) rate of this cohort was 11.0% and median PFS time was 19.1 months. The univariate analysis result showed that operation manner, radical or not, tumor length, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, intravascular cancer embolus surgical margin positive or not, the expression of Syn, comprehensive treatment and radiochemotherapy after progression were associated with the OS of these patients ( P<0.05). Multivariate analysis result showed that lymph node metastasis, radiochemotherapy after progression were independent risk factors of OS ( P<0.05). Univariate analysis result showed that operation manner, radical or not, tumor length, TNM stage, lymph node metastasis, intravascular cancer embolus, surgical margin positive or not, the expression of Syn, comprehensive treatment and radiochemotherapy after progression were associated with PFS ( P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that lymph node metastasis and radiochemotherapy after progression were independent risk factors of PFS ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The prognosis of small cell cancer of the esophagogastric junction patients remains poor. Lymph node metastasis and radiochemotherapy after progression are regarded as independent prognostic factors of these patients.

Objective:To analysis the prognosis related factors of patients with small cell cancer of the esophagogastric junction treated by surgery.Methods:The clinicopathologic data of 129 patients with small cell cancer of the esophagogastric junction underwent surgery treatment in the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2004 to December 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. Univariate survival survival was performed by Kaplan-Meier method and Log rank test. Multivariate survival was analyzed by using Cox proportional hazard model.Results:Radical surgery was performed in 123 patients, whereas other 6 cases were conducted palliative operation. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate of this cohort was 21.0% and median survival time was 25.7 months. The 5-year progression free survival (PFS) rate of this cohort was 11.0% and median PFS time was 19.1 months. The univariate analysis result showed that operation manner, radical or not, tumor length, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, intravascular cancer embolus surgical margin positive or not, the expression of Syn, comprehensive treatment and radiochemotherapy after progression were associated with the OS of these patients ( P<0.05). Multivariate analysis result showed that lymph node metastasis, radiochemotherapy after progression were independent risk factors of OS ( P<0.05). Univariate analysis result showed that operation manner, radical or not, tumor length, TNM stage, lymph node metastasis, intravascular cancer embolus, surgical margin positive or not, the expression of Syn, comprehensive treatment and radiochemotherapy after progression were associated with PFS ( P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that lymph node metastasis and radiochemotherapy after progression were independent risk factors of PFS ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The prognosis of small cell cancer of the esophagogastric junction patients remains poor. Lymph node metastasis and radiochemotherapy after progression are regarded as independent prognostic factors of these patients.