1.Recent advances in agenesis of the dorsal pancreas
Xueming ZHANG ; Liang CHEN ; Haohao WANG ; Dawei JIANG ; Hongkun ZHOU
Chinese Journal of General Surgery 2025;34(9):2007-2015
Agenesis of the dorsal pancreas(ADP)is an extremely rare congenital pancreatic malformation characterized by the absence or hypoplasia of the pancreatic body and tail.Its pathogenesis is closely related to abnormal embryonic development of the ventral and dorsal pancreatic buds,governed by a complex network of transcription factors,including HLXB9,HNF1B,PDX1,PTF1A,GATA4,and GATA6.The clinical spectrum of ADP is highly variable,ranging from asymptomatic cases to manifestations such as abdominal pain,diabetes mellitus,or pancreatitis.Imaging modalities-including ultrasonography,CT,magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography,and endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography-serve as the main diagnostic tools,with characteristic findings of absent pancreatic body and tail accompanied by compensatory enlargement of the pancreatic head.ADP is frequently associated with congenital anomalies of the kidney,biliary tract,cardiovascular system,or genital organs.Management is primarily symptomatic,with insulin replacement for diabetes and pancreatic enzyme supplementation for exocrine insufficiency.Advances in genetic sequencing and stem cell research have deepened understanding of the pathogenesis,genetic background,and potential therapeutic strategies of ADP.This review summarizes current progress in embryology,genetics,clinical features,diagnosis,and treatment of ADP,aiming to improve clinical recognition and guide future investigations.
2.Exploring the Pathogenesis of Prostate Cancer and Its Prevention and Treatment with Moxibustion Based on"Excessive Fire Dispersing Qi and Mild Fire Generating Qi"in The Inner Canon of Huangdi
Xufeng HE ; Xinyu XU ; Dawei JIANG
Journal of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University 2025;49(5):570-577
[Objective]To explore the pathogenesis of prostate cancer and the prevention and treatment with moxibustion based on the theory of"excessive fire dispersing Qi,and mild fire generating Qi".[Methods]Based on the original text of The Inner Canon of Huangdi,the theoretical connotation of"excessive fire dispersing Qi,and mild fire generating Qi",and its relationship with the pathogenesis of prostate cancer and the reinforcing and reducing of moxibustion were investigated.The application of moxibustion reinforcing and reducing,guided by classical theory,is established in the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer,and illustrated with typical medical cases to substantiate the argument.[Results]The concept of"excessive fire dispersing Qi,and mild fire generating Qi"describes the impact of physiological and pathological fire on the body's genuine Qi.Mild fire is gentle in nature and helps to generate the body's genuine Qi,while excessive fire is intense and can consume the body's genuine Qi.Dampness,heat,blood stasis,and toxins,which are factors that induce prostate cancer,cancer toxins and western medical treatments such as surgery,radiotherapy and chemotherapy can all manifest as"excessive fire"pattern,consume the body's genuine Qi,which cause the course of prostate cancer to present in different stages,such as the initial formation of cancer toxins,deficiency of genuine Qi with toxin accumulation and Yang deficiency with cold stagnation.The moxibustion of reinforcing technique is relatively gentle and suitable in temperature,embodying the momentum of"mild fire",while the moxibustion of reducing technique is relatively intense and high in temperature to expel pathogens,similar to the fierce momentum of"excessive fire".Guiding the treatment of prostate cancer with moxibustion based on"excessive fire dispersing Qi",and"mild fire generating Qi"should focus on nourishing the mild fire and suppressing the excessive fire,using moxibustion of reinforcing to nourish the deficiency with"mild fire generating Qi",and using moxibustion of reducing to suppress cancer toxins and reduce the consumption of Qi dynamics,highlighting the therapeutic effect in disease prevention and treatment,as well as in improving the adverse reactions of western medical treatment.In the medical case mentioned,the patient suffered from urinary incontinence due to the damage to genuine Qi caused by surgery and the failure to consolidate and control it properly.The patient was comprehensively diagnosed with a deficiency of both the spleen and kidney.In the treatment,mild moxibustion was used to strengthen the spleen,warm the kidney,and replenish and consolidate Qi.Emphasis was also placed on the combination of moxibustion and herbal medicine.After two months of treatment,the symptoms were brought under stable control.[Conclusion]Under the guidance of the theory that"excessive fire dispersing Qi,while mild fire generating Qi",moxibustion techniques are flexibly selected in order to drain excess to suppress"excessive fire"and tonify deficiency to enhance"mild fire",which is well-suited to the complex pathogenesis of prostate cancer,which is characterized by a combination of deficiency and excess.This method provides an important reference for the prevention and treatment of the disease.
3.Recent advances in agenesis of the dorsal pancreas
Xueming ZHANG ; Liang CHEN ; Haohao WANG ; Dawei JIANG ; Hongkun ZHOU
Chinese Journal of General Surgery 2025;34(9):2007-2015
Agenesis of the dorsal pancreas(ADP)is an extremely rare congenital pancreatic malformation characterized by the absence or hypoplasia of the pancreatic body and tail.Its pathogenesis is closely related to abnormal embryonic development of the ventral and dorsal pancreatic buds,governed by a complex network of transcription factors,including HLXB9,HNF1B,PDX1,PTF1A,GATA4,and GATA6.The clinical spectrum of ADP is highly variable,ranging from asymptomatic cases to manifestations such as abdominal pain,diabetes mellitus,or pancreatitis.Imaging modalities-including ultrasonography,CT,magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography,and endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography-serve as the main diagnostic tools,with characteristic findings of absent pancreatic body and tail accompanied by compensatory enlargement of the pancreatic head.ADP is frequently associated with congenital anomalies of the kidney,biliary tract,cardiovascular system,or genital organs.Management is primarily symptomatic,with insulin replacement for diabetes and pancreatic enzyme supplementation for exocrine insufficiency.Advances in genetic sequencing and stem cell research have deepened understanding of the pathogenesis,genetic background,and potential therapeutic strategies of ADP.This review summarizes current progress in embryology,genetics,clinical features,diagnosis,and treatment of ADP,aiming to improve clinical recognition and guide future investigations.
4.Relationship between stigma and self-image in postoperative patients with head and neck cancer:the parallel mediating effect of self-disclosure and rumination
Yayun JIANG ; Dawei CHI ; Xiaomin ZHAO
Modern Clinical Nursing 2025;24(10):35-42
Objective To explore the mediating effects of self-disclosure and rumination on stigma and self-image in patients with head and neck cancer after surgery,so as to provide a reference for targeted intervention.Methods A total of 390 postoperative patients with head and neck cancer who were hospitalized in a Class Ⅲ Grade A general hospital in Shandong Province were selected by quota sampling method according to disease type.The general information questionnaire,shame and stigma scale in head and neck cancer distress disclosure index,ruminative responses scale and body image scale were used to investigate.Results A total of 360 patients with head and neck cancer after surgery completed the survey.The scores of stigma,self-image,rumination and self-disclosure were(37.9±11.0),(13.9±5.6),(56.5±12.4)and(28.9±7.3),respectively.There was a negative correlation between stigma and self-disclosure in patients with head and neck cancer after surgery(r=-0.386,P<0.001),and a positive correlation with self-image and rumination(r=0.455,0.565,all P<0.001).Self-disclosure and rumination had parallel mediating effects on stigma and self-image in patients with head and neck cancer after surgery,and the mediating effect accounted for 38.82%of the total effect.Conclusion The degree of self-image of postoperative patients with head and neck cancer not only directly affects the level of stigma,but also indirectly affects stigma through the mediating effect of self-disclosure and rumination.In clinical work,measures can be taken to improve the level of self-image and self-disclosure ability of patients,reduce the level of rumination and reduce the stigma of patients.
5.Investigations into the mechanisms underlying the regulatory effect of EPHA2 on keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation via ERK pathway in psoriasis
Xingyu JIANG ; Zengyang YU ; Rui MA ; Rongcan SHI ; Dawei HUANG ; Yuanyuan WANG ; Jiangluyi CAI ; Yuling SHI
Chinese Journal of Dermatology 2025;58(11):1042-1052
Objective:To investigate the expression of ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EPHA2) in psoriatic lesions and its effect on the proliferation and differentiation of normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs) .Methods:The GDS4602 dataset from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was analyzed to determine EPHA2 gene expression changes in psoriatic lesions. Skin tissue samples were collected from 3 psoriasis patients and 3 healthy controls, and EPHA2 expression was determined in the skin tissues by immunofluorescence staining. Twelve female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 3 groups (4 mice in each group) : a normal control group (receiving no treatment), an imiquimod group (topically treated with 62.5 mg of imiquimod 5% cream), and an imiquimod + ALWⅡ-41-27 group (topically treated with 62.5 mg of imiquimod 5% cream, followed by intraperitoneal injections of the EPHA2 inhibitor ALWⅡ-41-27 at a dose of 20 mg·kg -1·d -1) ; after 6 days of treatment, dorsal skin samples were harvested for hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, immunofluorescence staining was performed to determine the expression of EPHA2 and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2), and real-time fluorescence-based quantitative PCR (qPCR) was conducted to determine the mRNA expression of the nuclear proliferation antigen Ki67, involucrin (Ivl), loricrin (Lor), and keratin 10 (Krt10). In vitro cultured NHEKs were divided into a control group (receiving no treatment), an M5 group (treated with 10 ng/ml M5 cytokines [including interleukin-17A, interleukin-22, interleukin-1α, oncostatin M and tumor necrosis factor-α]), an ALWⅡ-41-27 group (treated with 1 μmol/L ALWⅡ-41-27), and an M5 + ALWⅡ-41-27 group (treated with 10 ng/ml M5 and 1 μmol/L ALWⅡ-41-27) ; after 24 hours of treatment, the 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay was performed to assess cellular proliferative activity, Western blot analysis to determine the expression of EPHA2, ERK and their phosphorylated proteins, and qPCR to determine the mRNA expression of KI67, IVL, LOR, and KRT10. One-way analysis of variance, Dunnett's T3 test, two-independent-sample t test, and paired t test were used for statistical analysis. Results:GEO database analysis revealed upregulated EPHA2 expression in psoriatic lesions compared with normal skin tissues from healthy controls ( t = 21.07, P < 0.001). Immunofluorescence staining showed increased EPHA2 expression in skin tissues from psoriasis patients and mouse models of psoriasis compared with those from healthy controls and normal control mice, respectively (both P < 0.01). In the animal experiments, the imiquimod group showed thicker epidermis, increased Ki67 mRNA expression, decreased mRNA expression of Ivl, Lor, and Krt10, and elevated p-ERK1/2 expression compared with the normal control group and imiquimod + ALWⅡ-41-27 group (all P < 0.05). In the cell experiments, the M5 group showed an increased proportion of EdU-positive cells (35.61% ± 1.18% vs. 24.83% ± 0.60% and 12.49% ± 1.52%, t = 8.12, 12.00, P = 0.015, 0.001, respectively), increased KI67 mRNA expression, and decreased mRNA expression of IVL, LOR, and KRT10 compared with the control group and M5 + ALWⅡ-41-27 group (all P < 0.05) ; Western blot analysis revealed that the expression levels of EPHA2, p-EPHA2, and p-ERK1/2 in NHEKs were significantly higher in the M5 group than in the control group and M5 + ALWⅡ-41-27 group (all P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in the ERK1/2 protein expression among groups ( P > 0.05) . Conclusion:EPHA2 expression was upregulated in psoriatic lesions, which may promote keratinocyte proliferation and inhibit its differentiation, possibly via the ERK pathway.
6.Pay tribute to the physicians dedicated to propel digestive surgery forward in the new times
Hongchi JIANG ; Dawei WANG ; Jianqi WANG
Chinese Journal of Digestive Surgery 2025;24(6):669-673
As the Chinese Medical Association (CMA) marks its 110th anniversary, the authors reflect with profound admiration on the groundbreaking contributions made by its founders Wu Lien-teh, Yan Fuqing, etc. since its establishment in 1915. Their visionary work laid the founda-tion for China's medical advancement. The year 2025 also commemorates the 24th anniversary of the Chinese Journal of Digestive Surgery. This milestone prompts the authors to revisit the enduring academic legacy of the "Zhiqiang Spirit" that continues to inspire future generations, as well as the journal's extraordinary role in establishing itself as a premier publication and fostering a high-quality academic exchange platform to advance digestive surgery in China and even all over the world. At these twin commemorative moments, the authors synthesize pivotal developments in digestive surgery for the new era: the establishment of precise medicine frameworks. The transfor-mative wave of minimally invasive surgery. The diagnosis and treatment models change in digestive surgery. As CMA marks its 110th anniversary, through this work, we pay tribute to the physicians dedicated to propel digestive surgery forward in the new times.
7.Investigations into the mechanisms underlying the regulatory effect of EPHA2 on keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation via ERK pathway in psoriasis
Xingyu JIANG ; Zengyang YU ; Rui MA ; Rongcan SHI ; Dawei HUANG ; Yuanyuan WANG ; Jiangluyi CAI ; Yuling SHI
Chinese Journal of Dermatology 2025;58(11):1042-1052
Objective:To investigate the expression of ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EPHA2) in psoriatic lesions and its effect on the proliferation and differentiation of normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs) .Methods:The GDS4602 dataset from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was analyzed to determine EPHA2 gene expression changes in psoriatic lesions. Skin tissue samples were collected from 3 psoriasis patients and 3 healthy controls, and EPHA2 expression was determined in the skin tissues by immunofluorescence staining. Twelve female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 3 groups (4 mice in each group) : a normal control group (receiving no treatment), an imiquimod group (topically treated with 62.5 mg of imiquimod 5% cream), and an imiquimod + ALWⅡ-41-27 group (topically treated with 62.5 mg of imiquimod 5% cream, followed by intraperitoneal injections of the EPHA2 inhibitor ALWⅡ-41-27 at a dose of 20 mg·kg -1·d -1) ; after 6 days of treatment, dorsal skin samples were harvested for hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, immunofluorescence staining was performed to determine the expression of EPHA2 and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2), and real-time fluorescence-based quantitative PCR (qPCR) was conducted to determine the mRNA expression of the nuclear proliferation antigen Ki67, involucrin (Ivl), loricrin (Lor), and keratin 10 (Krt10). In vitro cultured NHEKs were divided into a control group (receiving no treatment), an M5 group (treated with 10 ng/ml M5 cytokines [including interleukin-17A, interleukin-22, interleukin-1α, oncostatin M and tumor necrosis factor-α]), an ALWⅡ-41-27 group (treated with 1 μmol/L ALWⅡ-41-27), and an M5 + ALWⅡ-41-27 group (treated with 10 ng/ml M5 and 1 μmol/L ALWⅡ-41-27) ; after 24 hours of treatment, the 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay was performed to assess cellular proliferative activity, Western blot analysis to determine the expression of EPHA2, ERK and their phosphorylated proteins, and qPCR to determine the mRNA expression of KI67, IVL, LOR, and KRT10. One-way analysis of variance, Dunnett's T3 test, two-independent-sample t test, and paired t test were used for statistical analysis. Results:GEO database analysis revealed upregulated EPHA2 expression in psoriatic lesions compared with normal skin tissues from healthy controls ( t = 21.07, P < 0.001). Immunofluorescence staining showed increased EPHA2 expression in skin tissues from psoriasis patients and mouse models of psoriasis compared with those from healthy controls and normal control mice, respectively (both P < 0.01). In the animal experiments, the imiquimod group showed thicker epidermis, increased Ki67 mRNA expression, decreased mRNA expression of Ivl, Lor, and Krt10, and elevated p-ERK1/2 expression compared with the normal control group and imiquimod + ALWⅡ-41-27 group (all P < 0.05). In the cell experiments, the M5 group showed an increased proportion of EdU-positive cells (35.61% ± 1.18% vs. 24.83% ± 0.60% and 12.49% ± 1.52%, t = 8.12, 12.00, P = 0.015, 0.001, respectively), increased KI67 mRNA expression, and decreased mRNA expression of IVL, LOR, and KRT10 compared with the control group and M5 + ALWⅡ-41-27 group (all P < 0.05) ; Western blot analysis revealed that the expression levels of EPHA2, p-EPHA2, and p-ERK1/2 in NHEKs were significantly higher in the M5 group than in the control group and M5 + ALWⅡ-41-27 group (all P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in the ERK1/2 protein expression among groups ( P > 0.05) . Conclusion:EPHA2 expression was upregulated in psoriatic lesions, which may promote keratinocyte proliferation and inhibit its differentiation, possibly via the ERK pathway.
8.New uses of halofuginone to treat cancer
Runan ZUO ; Xinyi GUO ; Xinhao SONG ; Xiuge GAO ; Junren ZHANG ; Shanxiang JIANG ; Vojtech ADAM ; Kamil KUCA ; Wenda WU ; Dawei GUO
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(3):501-510
The small-molecule alkaloid halofuginone(HF)is obtained from febrifugine.Recent studies on HF have aroused widespread attention owing to its universal range of noteworthy biological activities and therapeutic functions,which range from parasite infections and fibrosis to autoimmune diseases.In particular,HF is believed to play an excellent anticancer role by suppressing the proliferation,adhesion,metastasis,and invasion of cancers.This review supports the goal of demonstrating various anticancer effects and molecular mechanisms of HF.In the studies covered in this review,the anticancer molecular mechanisms of HF mainly included transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β)/Smad-3/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2),serine/threonine kinase proteins(Akt)/mechanistic target of rapa-mycin complex 1(mTORC1)/wingless/integrated(Wnt)/β-catenin,the exosomal microRNA-31(miR-31)/histone deacetylase 2(HDAC2)signaling pathway,and the interaction of the extracellular matrix(ECM)and immune cells.Notably,HF,as a novel type of adenosine triphosphate(ATP)-dependent inhibitor that is often combined with prolyl transfer RNA synthetase(ProRS)and amino acid starvation therapy(AAS)to suppress the formation of ribosome,further exerts a significant effect on the tumor microenvironment(TME).Additionally,the combination of HF with other drugs or therapies obtained universal attention.Our results showed that HF has significant potential for clinical cancer treatment.
9.New uses of halofuginone to treat cancer.
Runan ZUO ; Xinyi GUO ; Xinhao SONG ; Xiuge GAO ; Junren ZHANG ; Shanxiang JIANG ; Vojtech ADAM ; Kamil KUCA ; Wenda WU ; Dawei GUO
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(3):101080-101080
The small-molecule alkaloid halofuginone (HF) is obtained from febrifugine. Recent studies on HF have aroused widespread attention owing to its universal range of noteworthy biological activities and therapeutic functions, which range from parasite infections and fibrosis to autoimmune diseases. In particular, HF is believed to play an excellent anticancer role by suppressing the proliferation, adhesion, metastasis, and invasion of cancers. This review supports the goal of demonstrating various anticancer effects and molecular mechanisms of HF. In the studies covered in this review, the anticancer molecular mechanisms of HF mainly included transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)/Smad-3/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), serine/threonine kinase proteins (Akt)/mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1(mTORC1)/wingless/integrated (Wnt)/β-catenin, the exosomal microRNA-31 (miR-31)/histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) signaling pathway, and the interaction of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and immune cells. Notably, HF, as a novel type of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent inhibitor that is often combined with prolyl transfer RNA synthetase (ProRS) and amino acid starvation therapy (AAS) to suppress the formation of ribosome, further exerts a significant effect on the tumor microenvironment (TME). Additionally, the combination of HF with other drugs or therapies obtained universal attention. Our results showed that HF has significant potential for clinical cancer treatment.
10.Clinical application of the posterior to anterior malleolar extended lateral approach in the treatment of quadrimalleolar fractures
Yanjiang FENG ; Dawei ZHAO ; Guangrong YU ; Jiang XIA ; Kun ZHANG ; Zhen WANG
Chinese Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma 2025;27(1):46-51
Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy of the posterior to anterior malleolar extended lateral approach (PAMELA) in the treatment of quadrimalleolar fractures.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 12 patients with quadrimalleolar fracture who had been admitted to Foot and Ankle Surgery Department, Henan Luoyang Orthopaedic & Traumatological Hospital from June 2022 to June 2023. There were 5 males and 7 females, with an age of (37.3±12.2) years and a duration from injury to surgery of (8.8±3.5) d. Open reduction and internal fixation of displaced Chaput tubercle fractures, lateral and posterior malleolar fractures were conducted through the PAMELA for all patients. The incision exposure, operation time, intraoperative bleeding, and incision healing were noted. Postoperatively, the fracture reduction was evaluated using the Burwell-Charnley criteria. The clinical efficacy was evaluated at the final follow-up using the ankle-hindfoot score of American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS), visual analogue scale (VAS), and range of motion (ROM) of the ankle joint.Results:Good exposure of the Chaput tubercle, anterolateral tibiotalar joint, and lateral and posterior malleoli was achieved during surgery in all patients. The follow-up time for the 12 patients was (14.3±1.8) months, the operation time (152.5±26.0) minutes, and the intraoperative bleeding (137.5±44.1) mL. All incisions healed at the first stage postoperatively without any complications. According to the Burwell-Charnley criteria, anatomic reduction was achieved in all patients. CT scans showed good reduction of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis. At the final follow-up, their AOFAS score was (94.1±8.3) points, VAS 0 (0, 1) point, and ankle joint ROM 17.5°±9.0° for dorsiflexion and 35.2°±9.6° for plantarflexion.Conclusions:In the treatment of quadrimalleolar fractures, because the PAMELA can lead to good exposure of the anterolateral ankle joint, distal tibiofibular syndesmosis, and lateral and posterior malleolar fractures, it results in a high rate of anatomic reduction of the fractures, safe incisions and limited soft tissue complications. Therefore, it is a safe, simple, and effective surgical approach.

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