Objective To compare the efficacy and tolerability of the novel bowel-cleansing agent TCIC-001 and the traditional polyethylene glycol (PEG) regimen for bowel preparation prior to colonoscopy. Methods Prospective inclusion of 62 patients who were scheduled to undergo colonoscopy at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from July 2021 to July 2022. They were randomly divided into TCIC-001 group (n=31) and PEG group (n=31) using a random number table method. The TCIC-001 group took TCIC-001 orally, drinking water in stages, with a total liquid intake of 1 500 mL; the PEG group took PEG orally, taking it in 4 doses, with a total liquid intake of 3 000 mL. The primary endpoint indicator is the quality of intestinal hygiene evaluated by the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS), the secondary endpoint indicators were medication adherence, medication duration, frequency of bowel movements, duration of bowel movements, and incidence of adverse events between two groups. Results No significant differences were observed in sex, age, or defecation frequency between the two groups. For efficacy, both groups achieved equivalent bowel cleanliness, with a “good preparation” rate of 93.55% and comparable BBPS score of each intestinal segment and total scores. For tolerability, the TCIC-001 group had a shorter medication duration compared to the PEG group ([48.8±25.9] min vs [82.8±28.4] min, P<0.001), a longer defecation duration ([288.6±74.0] min vs [236.5±74.3] min, P<0.001), and a lower incidence of first defecation before medication completion (9.68% vs 41.94%, P=0.004). Regarding safety, no significant differences were observed between the TCIC-001 group and the PEG group in incidences of chloride disturbances (0% vs 9.68%) and calcium disturbances (3.23% vs 6.45%), and no other adverse events. Conclusions TCIC-001 demonstrated comparable bowel-cleansing efficacy to PEG while significantly improving tolerability (reduced medication time and lower risk of premature defecation) and maintaining favorable safety.

Objective:To explore the role of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 4 (TRAF4) in promoting the abnormal activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and its effect on lung cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion.Methods:Tumor tissues from patients who underwent lung adenocarcinoma resection at The First Affiliated Hospital of Second Military Medical University, from January 2015 to May 2017 were collected, and the expressions of TRAF4 and Ki-67 in lung cancer tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry, the mRNA levels of Cyclin D and Vimentin were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). The effect of TRAF4 on the tumor growth ability of lung cancer A549 cells was investigated by the xenograft model, the effect of TRAF4 or EGFR on the tumor proliferation ability was detected by using cell counting kit 8 (CCK8) and BrdU assay, and the migration and invasion abilities of tumor cells were detected by Transwell assay. Different structural domain deletion expression vectors of TRAF4 and EGFR were constructed to transfect cells, and the interaction mode of TRAF4 and EGFR was investigated by immunoprecipitation assay.Results:The expression of TRAF4 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues was positively correlated with the expressions of Ki-67, cyclin D, and vimentin ( r2: 0.438, 0.695, and 0.736, respectively, all P＜0.01). Immunohistochemical assay of tumor tissues from NSCLC patients showed that tissues with high expression of TRAF4 were also high in Ki-67. Patients with high TRAF4 expression (TRAF4 positivity >30%) had a shorter progression-free survival (PFS) time than that of patients with low TRAF4 expression (TRAF4 positivity ≤30%) (median PFS of 12 and 19 months, respectively; P=0.034). Traf4 -/- cells had a weakened proliferative capacity than traf4+/+ cells and formed tumors with smaller size ( P＜0.05). The expression level of Ki-67 in the tumor tissues formed by traf4 -/- cells [(45.6±8.7)%] was lower than that in the tumor tissues formed by traf4+/+ cells [(62.3±10.3)%, P=0.015], the mRNA levels of cyclin D (1.01±0.15) and vimentin (1.01±0.12) in the traf4 -/- cells were lower than those of the traf4+/+ cells (3.41±0.32 and 3.12±0.18, respectively, both P＜0.05).The western blot results showed that, with the elevated intracellular expression level of TRAF4, phosphorylation level of EGFR was significantly increased in both wild-type EGFR and activation mutant EGFR-expression cells. The capacities of proliferation, migration and invasion of A549 cells was weakened after EGFR knockdown (all P＜0.01). Immunoprecipitation experiments showed that TRAF4 binds to the peptide segment of the near-membrane region of EGFR through the TRAF structural domain, and the mutual binding between EGFR molecules was enhanced under TRAF4 overexpression conditions. Increasing TRAF4 expression promoted EGFR molecular phosphorylation and activation of downstream signaling. Conclusions:TRAF4 expression is elevated in NSCLC tissues and tumor cells, which promotes tumor proliferation, migration and invasion. TRAF4 directly binds to EGFR molecules, enhances its own phosphorylation and activates the downstream signaling pathway by promoting the interaction between EGFR molecules.

Objective:To explore the role of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 4 (TRAF4) in promoting the abnormal activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and its effect on lung cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion.Methods:Tumor tissues from patients who underwent lung adenocarcinoma resection at The First Affiliated Hospital of Second Military Medical University, from January 2015 to May 2017 were collected, and the expressions of TRAF4 and Ki-67 in lung cancer tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry, the mRNA levels of Cyclin D and Vimentin were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). The effect of TRAF4 on the tumor growth ability of lung cancer A549 cells was investigated by the xenograft model, the effect of TRAF4 or EGFR on the tumor proliferation ability was detected by using cell counting kit 8 (CCK8) and BrdU assay, and the migration and invasion abilities of tumor cells were detected by Transwell assay. Different structural domain deletion expression vectors of TRAF4 and EGFR were constructed to transfect cells, and the interaction mode of TRAF4 and EGFR was investigated by immunoprecipitation assay.Results:The expression of TRAF4 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues was positively correlated with the expressions of Ki-67, cyclin D, and vimentin ( r2: 0.438, 0.695, and 0.736, respectively, all P＜0.01). Immunohistochemical assay of tumor tissues from NSCLC patients showed that tissues with high expression of TRAF4 were also high in Ki-67. Patients with high TRAF4 expression (TRAF4 positivity >30%) had a shorter progression-free survival (PFS) time than that of patients with low TRAF4 expression (TRAF4 positivity ≤30%) (median PFS of 12 and 19 months, respectively; P=0.034). Traf4 -/- cells had a weakened proliferative capacity than traf4+/+ cells and formed tumors with smaller size ( P＜0.05). The expression level of Ki-67 in the tumor tissues formed by traf4 -/- cells [(45.6±8.7)%] was lower than that in the tumor tissues formed by traf4+/+ cells [(62.3±10.3)%, P=0.015], the mRNA levels of cyclin D (1.01±0.15) and vimentin (1.01±0.12) in the traf4 -/- cells were lower than those of the traf4+/+ cells (3.41±0.32 and 3.12±0.18, respectively, both P＜0.05).The western blot results showed that, with the elevated intracellular expression level of TRAF4, phosphorylation level of EGFR was significantly increased in both wild-type EGFR and activation mutant EGFR-expression cells. The capacities of proliferation, migration and invasion of A549 cells was weakened after EGFR knockdown (all P＜0.01). Immunoprecipitation experiments showed that TRAF4 binds to the peptide segment of the near-membrane region of EGFR through the TRAF structural domain, and the mutual binding between EGFR molecules was enhanced under TRAF4 overexpression conditions. Increasing TRAF4 expression promoted EGFR molecular phosphorylation and activation of downstream signaling. Conclusions:TRAF4 expression is elevated in NSCLC tissues and tumor cells, which promotes tumor proliferation, migration and invasion. TRAF4 directly binds to EGFR molecules, enhances its own phosphorylation and activates the downstream signaling pathway by promoting the interaction between EGFR molecules.

Objective:To explore the categories and influencing factors of family caregivers′benefit finding in patients with esophageal cancer based on latent profile analysis.Methods:From May 2020 to February 2021, 255 primary family caregivers of patients with esophageal cancer in the First People′s Hospital of Changzhou and Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University were selected for the study using a cross-sectional survey method. Surveys were conducted by the General Information Questionnaire, the Benefit finding Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Event Related Rumination Inventory.Results:The benefit finding among family caregivers of patients with esophageal cancer was divided into 2 latent profile classifications, low benefit rumination group 33.3% (85/255) and high growth adaptation group 66.7% (170/255), and the results of binary Logistic regression analysis showed that caregivers with high school education or above ( OR=0.053, P<0.05) and higher deliberate rumination scores ( OR=0.778, P<0.01) had a higher degree of benefit finding; caregivers with higher intrusive rumination scores ( OR=1.163, P<0.05) and higher anxiety ( OR=1.323, P<0.01) and depression scores ( OR=1.128, P<0.05) had a lower benefit finding. Conclusions:There is heterogeneity in the caregiver′s benefit finding of patients with esophageal cancer. Health professionals and nursing staff should develop targeted psychological support and interventions to improve the caregiver ′s benefit finding according to the different sub-types of caregivers.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the safety and efficacy of submucosal tunneling endoscopic septum division (STESD) for escophageal diverticulum.

METHODSClinical data of six consecutive patients with symptomatic esophageal diverticula who received STESD in Endoscopy Center of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from April 2016 to November 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. STESD was performed as following: mucosal entry was made 3 cm from the septum of esophageal diverticulum; submucosal tunnel was created towards the septum; after the satisfactory exposure of the septum, endoscopic division was made down to the bottom of the diverticulum; mucosal closure of the tunnel entry was made. The symptoms were scored using a system modified according to Eckardt score, namely dysphagia, heartburn, regurgitation, weight loss and retrosternal pain with each ranging from 0 to 3 (maximum score 15, minimum score 0, the higher the score, the more severe the symptoms).

RESULTSThere were four males and two females with median age of 56.5 (range 50-67) years. Four patients were epiphrenic diverticula, and the other two were Zenker's diverticula. Median duration of disease was 2.5 years (range 5 months-29 years). No previous treatment was attempted. All the patients completed STESD successfully. The median septum division length was 2.5(1-4) cm. The median number of metallic clips for mucosal closure was 5(2-6). The median operation time was 51.5 (33-135) min. No major adverse events, such as perforation or bleeding were found in perioperative period. The median time of hospital stay was 5(3-9) days. All the patients had symptom relief after operation. One patient with Zenker's diverticulum reported foreign body sensation after operation and experienced relief two weeks afterwards. During a median follow-up time of 5(4-10) months, the median symptom score of 6 cases was 4.5 (1-13) before and 0.5 (0-4) after operation. The symptom scores went down to zero in 3 patients (preoperative scores 13, 1, 1, respectively), and down to 1 in 2 patients with main symptom of backflow (preoperative scores 5, 4, respectively). One patient with 29 years history of disease did not report obvious improvement in symptoms (preoperative and postoperative scores 5, 4, respectively).

CONCLUSIONSubmucosal tunneling endoscopic septum division is efficient and safe to relieve symptomatic esophageal diverticulum in short term.

Aged ; Diverticulum, Esophageal ; surgery ; Endoscopy, Digestive System ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mucous Membrane ; Operative Time ; Perioperative Period ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Instruments ; Treatment Outcome ; Video-Assisted Surgery ; methods ; Zenker Diverticulum ; surgery

Objective To study the browning-related genes of Poria cocos mycelia,so as to provide a basis for their further verification and to discuss the browning molecular mechanism of Poria cocos.Methods Four samples of normal and brown Poria cocos mycelia were analyzed by transcriptome sequencing.After aligned with the reference genome sequence of Poria cocos,the expression levels of the genes in different samples were analyzed.Results A total of 12 383 transcripts were identified.Among them,1 017 genes were firstly found,and 260 genes were functionally annotated.Based on the alignment results,336 common differentially-expressed genes overlapped between the normal mycelia and 3 browned mycelia were obtained,and part of them were evaluated.Conclusion Transcriptome sequencing results showed that plenty of differentially-expressed genes were found in brown Poria cocos mycelia,and the difference of the expression levels of some genes was up to several hundred folds or even thousands of folds,whose related-functions were worth of further analysis.