Compared with traditional gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues, dienogest demonstrates several advantages, including a more favorable side effect profile, enhanced cost-effectiveness, and improved quality of life for patients. This article provides a comprehensive review of the clinical applications of dienogest in the management of endometriosis and its associated infertility. It explores the drug's mechanisms of action as a synthetic progestin, including its ability to inhibit the growth of endometriosis lesions and modulate local inflammatory responses, thereby alleviating symptoms and preserve ovarian function to enhance fertility outcomes. Future research should focus on validating the efficacy and safety of dienogest within assisted reproductive technology, ultimately providing more effective therapeutic options for individuals facing endometriosis-related infertility.

Objective:To investigate the effect of uridine diphosphate ceramide galactosyltransferase 8(UGT8)on colorectal cancer(CRC)cell growth and migration,elucidate an underlying mechanism,and assess the potential regulatory role of SRY-box transcription factor 9(SOX9)on UGT8.Methods:UGT8 and SOX9 mRNA expression levels in CRC tissues,and correlation between their expression levels,were analyzed using GEPIA2,UALCAN,and TIMER 2.0 online databases.UGT8 and SOX9 protein expression in CRC and adjacent tissues was detec-ted using immunohistochemistry,and relationships between their expression and clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed.Impact of UGT8 knockdown on CRC cell proliferation was assessed using a CCK-8 assay,and cell migration was evaluated using Transwell and wound healing assays.Western blot was performed to detect expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)markers(E-cadherin and ZEB1).RT-qPCR and Western blot were used to measure UGT8 mRNA and protein expression levels after SOX9 knockdown.The JASPAR online database was used to assess SOX9 potential for binding to the UGT8 promoter.Results:Bioinformatics analyses revealed significantly higher mRNA expression levels of both UGT8 and SOX9 in CRC tissues than in normal tissues.Positive correlation was observed between expres-sion levels.Immunohistochemistry results showed that tumor UGT8 and SOX9 protein levels were significantly higher than those in adjacent tissues.UGT8 protein level was found to correlates with N stage,and SOX9 protein level correlated with T stage.A positive correlation was observed between UGT8 and SOX9 expression levels.Following UGT8 knockdown,cell proliferation capacity was attenuated and cell migra-tion ability was reduced.E-cadherin expression concurrently increased and ZEB1 expression decreased.RT-qPCR and Western blot results showed that SOX9 knockdown significantly reduced UGT8 mRNA and protein levels.The JASPER website predicts that SOX9 will bind to the UGT8 promoter.Conclusions:UGT8 and SOX9 are highly expressed in CRC tissues,and their expression levels correlate with clinicopatholo-gical features.UGT8 and SOX9 expression levels display significant positive correlation.Mechanistically,UGT8 promotes CRC cell prolifera-tion and migration by facilitating epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT).SOX9 enhances UGT8 mRNA and protein expression and may bind to the UGT8 promoter region.

Objective To explore the effects of exosomes of mesenchymal stem cells(MSC-Exos)on the proliferation,apoptosis,migration and invasion of esophageal cancer ECA109 cells.Methods Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells were cultured,exosomes were extracted and isolated,and identified by transmission electron microscopy.The nanoparticle size determination and protein characterization(TSG101,CD63)were measured by transmission electron microscope.There were the MSC-Exo group(MSC-Exos co-cultured with esophageal cancer ECA109 cells)and the blank control group(only esophageal cancer ECA109 cells),and cells were cultured for 0,24 and 48 h,respectively.CCK-8 proliferation test and scratch test were used to detect the proliferation and migration ability of esophageal cancer EAC109 cells in each group,respectively.After 48 h of culture,cell apoptosis and cell cycle changes were detected by flow cytometry.The protein expression levels of phosphoinositol 3-kinase phosphorylation(p-PI3K),rabbit phosphorylated protein kinase B phosphorylation(p-Akt)and β-catenin were detected by Western blot assay.Results After identification,the obtained MSC-Exos meeted the required standard.Transmission electron microscopy,particle size measurement and marker protein results confirmed that the extracted exosomes of mesenchymal stem cells meeted the identification criteria.At 0 h of cell culture,there were no significant differences in cell proliferation and migration healing rate between the two groups(P＞0.05).After 24 h culture,the cell proliferation ability was lower in the MSC-Exo group than that of the blank control group(P＜0.05).After 48 h culture,the cell proliferation and migration healing rate were lower in the MSC-Exo group than those of the blank control group(P＜0.05).The apoptosis rate of the MSC-Exo group was higher than that of the blank control group,and the proportion of G2+S phase cells was lower than that of blank control group(P＜0.05).The expression levels of p-PI3K,p-Akt and β-catenin protein were significantly lower in the MSC-Exo group than those in the blank control group(P＜0.05).Conclusion MSC-Exos can inhibit the proliferation and migration of esophageal cancer cells and promote cell apoptosis.The inhibitory effect of MSC-Exos on esophageal cancer cells may be related to inhibiting the activation of PI3K and Akt protein and the down-regulating expression of β-catenin protein.

Objective:To identify the latent profiles of kinesiophobia in elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and explore associated influencing factors.Methods:Elderly COPD patients were selected using a convenience sampling method from the respiratory departments of three Grade A tertiary hospitals in Anhui Province between July 2023 and January 2024. Data were collected using a general demographic questionnaire, the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK), and the Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3). Latent profile analysis was performed using Mplus 8.3, and multinomial Logistic regression was applied to identify influencing factors associated with different latent classes.Results:A total of 348 questionnaires were distributed, and 330 valid responses were obtained, with a valid response rate of 94.83%. The mean TSK score of the 330 patients was (44.53±6.60). Kinesiophobia in elderly COPD patients could be classified into three latent categories: high kinesiophobia-low perceived exercise benefit (25.8%, 85/330), moderate kinesiophobia-low perceived exercise risk (40.9%, 135/330), and low kinesiophobia-high perceived exercise benefit (33.3%, 110/330). Multinomial Logistic regression analysis showed that physical activity level, educational background, body mass index, disease severity, and employment status were the influencing factors of kinesiophobia classification (all P<0.05) . Conclusions:Kinesiophobia in elderly COPD patients presents with distinct classification characteristics. Healthcare providers should develop and implement targeted interventions based on the identified profiles and their influencing factors to help patients reduce their fear of physical activity.

Objective To observe the value of non-parallel transmission(non-PTX)reduced field-of-view(rFOV)echo planar imaging(EPI)sequence applied in diffusion weighted imaging(DWI)for displaying prostate lesions.Methods Conventional EPI-DWI and non-PTX rFOV-EPI-DWI were prospectively acquired in 30 patients with prostate lesions,including 22 cases of prostatic hyperplasia and 8 cases of prostate cancer.Subjective scoring of imaging quality,as well as objective evaluation on indexes including signal-to-noise ratio(SNR),contrast ratio(CR),contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR)and lesions'apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)values were performed and compared between two kinds of DWI.Results The subjective score of non-PTX rFOV-EPI-DWI was higher than that of conventional EPI-DWI(P＜0.001).SNR,CR,CNR of non-PTX rFOV-EPI-DWI and lesions'ADC values measured on non-PTX rFOV-EPI-DWI were all higher than those of conventional EPI-DWI(all P＜0.05).Conclusion non-PTX rFOV-EPI DWI could display prostate lesions better than conventional EPI-DWI.

Objective To observe the effect of mild moxibustion at"Qihai","Guanyuan"and"Zhongji"on GnRH and its receptor in rats with gynecological cold coagulation and blood stasis syndrome(CCBS);To explore the mechanism of moxibustion on reproductive function of gynecological CCBS.Methods Totally 48 female SD rats were randomly divided into blank group,model group,moxibustion group,inhibitor group,inhibitor+moxibustion group and angonist group,with 8 rats in each group.The gynecological CCBS model was prepared by ice bath and adrenalin injection.GnRHant or GnRHa injection and mild moxibustion intervention were given to each treatment group.The score of CCBS symptoms and the amount of microcirculation blood perfusion in uterus were detected,the morphology of ovarian tissue and uterine tissue were observed by HE staining,serum reproductive hormones(GnRH,FSH,LH)and neurotransmitters(DA,GABA)contents were detected by ELISA,the expressions of GnRHR,FSHR and LHR mRNA and protein in ovarian and uterine tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry,RT-qPCR and Western blot.Results Compared with the blank group,the symptom score of CCBS in model group was significantly increased,the amount of microcirculation blood perfusion in uterus was decreased,the ovarian follicles were decreased,and the endometrial epithelium was thinner and the structure was chaotic,the contents of serum GnRH,FSH,LH,GABA decreased,DA content increased;the mRNA and protein expressions of GnRHR,FSHR and LHR in ovarian tissue decreased(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the symptom score of CCBS in each intervention group were significantly decreased,the amount of microcirculation blood perfusion in uterus increased,ovarian follicles increased,endometrium thickened and glands increased,the contents of serum GnRH,FSH,LH,GABA increased,DA content decreased;the mRNA and protein expressions of GnRHR,FSHR and LHR were increased(P<0.05,P<0.01).Conclusion Moxibustion can regulate GnRH and its receptor and improve HPO axis function by regulating neurotransmitters,so as to improve the general state and reproductive function of gynecological CCBS model rats.

Objective To investigate the value of predicting microsatellite instability(MSI)status in endometrial cancer based on whole-tumor apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)histogram.Methods The data of 131 endometrial cancer patients who underwent preoperative MRI examination and were confirmed by pathology were retrospectively analyzed.According to the pathological immu-nohistochemical results,they were divided into microsatellite stability(MSS)group(103 cases)and MSI group(28 cases).The whole-tumor volume of interest(VOI)was outlined using ITK-SNAP software,and ADC histogram analysis was performed using uAI Research Portal software.The t-test or Mann-Whitney U-test were used to compare the differences between the two groups,and multifactorial logistic regression analysis was used to screen independent predictors for the above parameters with differences.The area under the curve(AUC),sensitivity and specificity were calculated using the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results The ADC histogram parameters that were statistically significant between groups were ADC10th,ADC90th,ADCmaximum,ADCmedian,ADCmean,ADCrange,ADCinterquartile range,ADCuniformity,ADCvariance,ADCenergy,ADCentropy,ADCtotal energy,ADCroot mean square,ADCmean absolute deviation,ADCrobust mean absolute deviation,all the above parameters were significantly smaller in the MSI group than in the MSS group.Further multifactorial logistic regression analysis results showed that ADCmedian[odds ratio(OR)=1.019,P=0.020]and ADCroot mean square(OR=0.977,P=0.005)were independent predictors of the MSI status in endometrial cancer.The results of ROC curve showed that the AUC of ADCmedian and ADCroot mean square for predicting MSI status were 0.699 and 0.731,respectively,and the AUC of combining the two parameters to predict MSI status was 0.760,with a sensitivity of 57.14%and a specificity of 86.41%.Conclusion The parameters of ADCmedian and ADCroot mean square based on whole-tumor ADC histogram can be used to predict the MSI status of endometrial cancer,and the combined use of these two parameters helps to improve the efficacy of predicting MSI.

Objective:To explore the mechanism by which moxibustion improves cold-induced blood stasis pattern(CIBSP)and to uncover the biological basis underlying the correlation between the Conception Vessel(CV),Governor Vessel(GV),Thoroughfare Vessel(TV),and the uterus by investigating the effects of mild moxibustion on the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovary axis(HPOA)in CIBSP model rats.Methods:Forty-eight female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into a blank group,a model group,a CV group,a GV group,a TV group,and a non-meridian non-point(NMNP)group according to the random number table method,with 8 rats in each group.Except for rats in the blank group,the other rats were subjected to an ice water bath plus epinephrine to prepare CIBSP models.Each intervention group was given mild moxibustion on the first day of modeling.Qihai(CV6),Guanyuan(CV4),and Zhongji(CV3)were selected in the CV group;Huangshu(KI16),Dahe(KI12),and Henggu(KI11)were selected in the TV group;Xuanshu(GV5),Mingmen(GV4),and Yaoyangguan(GV3)were selected in the GV group;three NMNP spots were selected in the NMNP group.Mild moxibustion was administered for 20 min each time,once a day,for 14 consecutive days.The symptom scores of CIBSP and uterine electromyogram were compared among groups;morphological changes in reproductive organs were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining;enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect serum reproductive hormones and neurotransmitters.The mRNA and protein expression levels of estrogen receptor(ER),follicle-stimulating hormone receptor(FSHR),and luteinizing hormone receptor(LHR)were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction,immunohistochemistry,or Western blotting assays.Results:Compared to the blank group,the model group showed a significantly increased CIBSP symptom score,an amplified in vivo uterine myoelectric value;decreased ovarian follicles,thinner endometrial epithelium,and disordered structure with the pathological examination,decreased serum levels of reproductive hormones,6-keto-prostaglandin F1α(6-keto-PGF1α),and β-endorphin(β-EP),increased thromboxane B2(TXB2),5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT),and substance P(SP),and decreased mRNA and protein expression of ovarian ER,FSHR,and LHR(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Compared to the model and NMNP groups,each point-intervention group showed a decreased CIBSP symptom score and uterine myoelectric value;increased ovarian follicles,thickened endometrium,increased glands,up-regulated serum reproductive hormones,6-keto-PGF1α,and β-EP,down-regulated serum TXB2,5-HT,and SP and increased mRNA and protein expression of ovarian ER,FSHR,and LHR(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Conclusion:Moxibustion at points from the CV,GV,and TV("three branches from one source")can improve the reproductive neuroendocrine function of CIBSP rats,and this effect may be mediated through the regulation of the HPOA.These detections suggest that the biological basis of point-uterus correlation may be based on HPOA regulation.

Objective: To investigate the effect of neurite outgrowth inhibitor extracellular peptide residues 1-40 (NEP1-40) combined with poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and gelatin electrospun fiber membrane on facial nerve repair in rats. Methods: According to the principle of random grouping, 108 male SD rats were divided into four groups (n = 27 in each group, approved by the ethics committee), namely, the sham group, control group, PLGA group, and NEP1-40 + PLGA group. A facial nerve fracture model was established for all of the groups except for the sham group. The control group received no further treatment, the PLGA group and the NEP1-40+PLGA group were supported by PLGA membrane, and the NEP1-40+PLGA group received one immediate local injection of NEP1-40 (5 μg/μL) at a dose of 10 μL. Facial nerve function analysis, electrophysiological examination, transmission electron microscope observation, HE staining, and immunohistochemical staining of myelin marker S100β and axonal marker β3-tubulin were used to evaluate the recovery of injured facial nerves of rats at 2, 4 and 8 weeks. Results : At 8 weeks, the facial nerve function score of the NEP1-40+PLGA group was better than that of the control group and PLGA group (P < 0.001), and facial nerve function was significantly restored. Electrophysiological examination of nerve action potentials at the injured facial nerve showed that the amplitude in the NEP1-40+PLGA group was higher than that of the control group and PLGA group (P < 0.001), but there was no significant difference in latency and conduction velocity results between the groups (P > 0.05). At 2, 4, and 8 weeks, transmission electron microscopy showed that the number of myelinated nerve fibers and myelin sheath thickness in the cross-section of the injured facial nerve in the NEP1-40+PLGA group were greater than those in the other groups (P < 0.05). At 8 weeks, HE staining showed that the facial nerves in the control group had partially recovered, but the overall cell distribution was uneven and the boundary with surrounding tissues was slightly blurred. In contrast, the NEP1-40+PLGA group had a relatively uniform cell distribution and a clearer boundary with surrounding tissues. At 2, 4, and 8 weeks, the immunohistochemical results showed that in the cross-section of the injuried facial nerve, NEP1-40 increased the expression of neural markers S100 β and β3-tubulin, especially β3-tubulin, which was close to normal levels (P > 0.05) Conclusion NEP1-40 is beneficial for the generation of new myelin sheaths and axons at the site of injury, and it can promote the repair and regeneration of injured facial nerves to a certain extent, thus accelerating the recovery of injured nerve function.

Objective To observe the effect of mild moxibustion at"Qihai","Guanyuan"and"Zhongji"on GnRH and its receptor in rats with gynecological cold coagulation and blood stasis syndrome(CCBS);To explore the mechanism of moxibustion on reproductive function of gynecological CCBS.Methods Totally 48 female SD rats were randomly divided into blank group,model group,moxibustion group,inhibitor group,inhibitor+moxibustion group and angonist group,with 8 rats in each group.The gynecological CCBS model was prepared by ice bath and adrenalin injection.GnRHant or GnRHa injection and mild moxibustion intervention were given to each treatment group.The score of CCBS symptoms and the amount of microcirculation blood perfusion in uterus were detected,the morphology of ovarian tissue and uterine tissue were observed by HE staining,serum reproductive hormones(GnRH,FSH,LH)and neurotransmitters(DA,GABA)contents were detected by ELISA,the expressions of GnRHR,FSHR and LHR mRNA and protein in ovarian and uterine tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry,RT-qPCR and Western blot.Results Compared with the blank group,the symptom score of CCBS in model group was significantly increased,the amount of microcirculation blood perfusion in uterus was decreased,the ovarian follicles were decreased,and the endometrial epithelium was thinner and the structure was chaotic,the contents of serum GnRH,FSH,LH,GABA decreased,DA content increased;the mRNA and protein expressions of GnRHR,FSHR and LHR in ovarian tissue decreased(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the symptom score of CCBS in each intervention group were significantly decreased,the amount of microcirculation blood perfusion in uterus increased,ovarian follicles increased,endometrium thickened and glands increased,the contents of serum GnRH,FSH,LH,GABA increased,DA content decreased;the mRNA and protein expressions of GnRHR,FSHR and LHR were increased(P<0.05,P<0.01).Conclusion Moxibustion can regulate GnRH and its receptor and improve HPO axis function by regulating neurotransmitters,so as to improve the general state and reproductive function of gynecological CCBS model rats.