This research investigated the impact of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides(GLP) on hepatoblastoma HepG2 and Huh6 cell models, as well as KM mouse model with in situ transplanted tumors, so as to provide a theoretical basis for the clinical application of GLP. Cell viability was assessed through the CCK-8 assay, whereas cell proliferation was evaluated by using the BeyoClick~(TM)EdU-488 test. Cell apoptosis was visualized via Hochest 33258 staining, and autophagy was detected through Mrfp-GFP-LC3 dual fluorescence staining. An in situ tumor transplantation model was created by using HepG2 cells in mice, and mice were treated with normal saline and GLP of 100, 200, and 300 mg·kg~(-1) for tumor count calculation and size assessment. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was used to observe pathological changes in tumor tissue and vital organs(liver, kidney, lung, spleen, and heart). Western blot analysis was conducted to measure the protein expressions of tumor protein P53(P53), B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax), cleaved-caspase-3, Beclin-1, autophagy related protein-5(Atg-5), microtubule-associated protein-light chain-3Ⅰ(LC3Ⅰ)/LC3Ⅱ, autophagy adapter protein 62(P62), protein kinase B(Akt), p-Akt, mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR), and p-mTOR. The in vitro experiment revealed that compared with the control group, after GLP treatment, tumor cell viability decreased significantly; apoptosis rate increased in a dose-dependent manner, and autophagic flux was inhibited. The in vivo experiments showed that compared with the model group, mice treated with GLP exhibited significantly fewer and smaller tumors. Western blot results showed that compared with the control group or model group, levels of P53, Bax, cleaved-caspase-3, Beclin-1, Atg-5, and LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ were significantly increased after GLP treatment, and the levels of Bcl-2, P62, p-Akt/Akt, and p-mTOR/mTOR were significantly decreased. These outcomes suggest that GLP promotes apoptosis and autophagy in hepatoblastoma cells by regulating the Akt/mTOR pathway.
Animals ; Humans ; Autophagy/drug effects* ; Reishi/chemistry* ; Mice ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/genetics* ; Liver Neoplasms/genetics* ; Hepatoblastoma/genetics* ; Polysaccharides/pharmacology* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Male ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Hep G2 Cells

OBJECTIVE: To explore prevalence, incidence and possible factors of immediate herniated discs after posterior cervical expansive open-door laminoplasty (EODL). METHODS: Totally 29 patients with cervical spinal stenosis and intervertebral disc herniation who underwent EODL from October 2020 to December 2021 were collected, including 24 males and 5 females, aged from 43 to 81 years old with an average of (61.3±9.0) years old;the courses of disease ranged from 1 to 120 months with an average of (36.4±37.0) months. Three or more intervertebral discs on C₃-C₇ were observed. The clinical efficacy was evaluated according to Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score before operation, 3 days and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after operation, respectively. The changes of herniated disc before and after operation were measured by multipoint area method and two-dimensional distance method, and incidence and percentage of herniated disc regression were further calculated. Cervical imaging parameters such as Cobb angle (C₃-C₇), intervertebral angle, T₁ slope (T₁S), spinal canal sagittal diameter, K-line angle, dural sac sagittal diameter were measured and compared before and after operation. Pearson correlation was used to analyze correlation between cervical sagittal imaging parameters and disc herniation changes before and after operation. RESULTS: All patients obtained grade A wound healing, and 14 of them were followed up for 3(1.00, 5.25) months. There were no immediate or long-term postoperative complications. Totally 101 herniated intervertebral discs were measured, of which 79 regression numbers were obtained by area measurement. The number of intervertebral disc regressions by distance measurement was 77. There was no statistically significant difference in Cobb angle, intervertebral angle, T₁S and K-line angle of C₃-C₇ (P>0.05), however, there were statistically significant differences in sagittal diameter of spinal canal, sagittal diameter of dural sac, and JOA score before and after operation(P<0.05). The regression ratio of disc herniation ranged from 5% to 50%, and regression ratio of disc herniation was greater than 25% in 45.57%(36/79). Disc herniation in C_4,5 was positively correlated with sagittal plane diameter in C₅(r=0.423, P=0.028). There was a negative correlation between changes of C_3,4 and C_3,4 intervertebral angle (r=-0.450, P=0.041). The improvement rate of cervical JOA score immediately after operation was (59.54±15.07) %, and postoperative follow-up improved to (76.57±14.66) %. CONCLUSION Herniated disc regression immediately after EODL is a common occurrence, and EODL should be selected as far as possible under the premise of satisfying surgical indications. The regression of disc herniation is positively correlated with spinal canal sagittal diameter, and spinal canal should be enlarged as far as possible in the appropriate scope during EODL, so as to create more opportunities and conditions for disc regression and achieve better clinical results.
Humans ; Female ; Male ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement/diagnostic imaging* ; Spinal Stenosis/diagnostic imaging* ; Laminoplasty/methods* ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Cervical Vertebrae/diagnostic imaging* ; Adult ; Aged, 80 and over ; Intervertebral Disc/surgery*

Insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) is a critical endocrine mediator implicated in male reproductive physiology. To investigate the correlation between IGF2 protein levels and various aspects of male infertility, specifically focusing on sperm quality, inflammation, and DNA damage, a cohort of 320 male participants was recruited from the Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine (Hangzhou, China) between 1 st January 2024 and 1 st March 2024. The relationship between IGF2 protein concentrations and sperm parameters was assessed, and Spearman correlation and linear regression analysis were employed to evaluate the independent associations between IGF2 protein levels and risk factors for infertility. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure IGF2 protein levels in seminal plasma, alongside markers of inflammation (tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α] and interleukin-1β [IL-1β]). The relationship between seminal plasma IGF2 protein levels and DNA damage marker phosphorylated histone H2AX (γ-H2AX) was also explored. Our findings reveal that IGF2 protein expression decreased notably in patients with asthenospermia and teratospermia. Correlation analysis revealed nuanced associations between IGF2 protein levels and specific sperm parameters, and low IGF2 protein concentrations correlated with increased inflammation and DNA damage in sperm. The observed correlations between IGF2 protein levels and specific sperm parameters, along with its connection to inflammation and DNA damage, underscore the importance of IGF2 in the broader context of male reproductive health. These findings lay the groundwork for future research and potential therapeutic interventions targeting IGF2-related pathways to enhance male fertility.
Humans ; Male ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor II/metabolism* ; Infertility, Male/genetics* ; DNA Damage ; Adult ; Inflammation/metabolism* ; Spermatozoa/metabolism* ; Semen Analysis ; Semen/metabolism* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Histones/metabolism* ; Interleukin-1beta/metabolism*

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of a modified Cancer and Aging Research Group(CARG)model in guiding anticancer drug dose adjustments for elderly cancer patients in China.Methods This prospective study enrolled patients aged&ge;65 years with solid tumors at the Department of Oncology,Peking Union Medical College Hospital from September 1,2022 to October 29,2023.All patients underwent comprehensive geriatric assessment(CGA)and CARG risk scoring,and were stratified into low-,intermediate-,and high-risk groups.Anti-cancer drug doses(including chemotherapy,targeted therapy or immunotherapy)were reduced proportionally based on CARG risk stratification and treatment intent(curative vs.palliative).Treatment outcomes and adverse events(AEs)were recorded regularly.Fisher's Exact Test compared AE incidence between the CARG-guided dose adjust-ment group(experimental)and the physician-experience-guided dose adjustment group(control).Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis was used to assess the predictive value of the CARG model for severe toxicity.Results Among 166 enrolled patients(median age:71 years[range:65-90];78.3%were male;68.7%had gastro-intestinal cancers;69.3%had stageⅣ),95 were assigned to the experimental group(CARG low-risk:24[25.3%],intermediate-risk:51[53.7%],high-risk:20[21.0%])and 71 were included into the control group.By December 31,2024,81 patients experienced disease progression and 10 patients died.Overall AE rates was 92.6%in the ex-perimental group and 94.4%in the control group,while grade&ge;3 AEs were recorded in 45.3%vs.43.7%,respec-tively(both P＞0.05).Conclusions The modified CARG model-guided dose adjustment strategy achieved comparable safety to empirical dose adjustment,which is in line with the individualized treatment paradigm for elderly cancer pa-tients,representing a structured framework for optimizing therapeutic decision-making in geriatric oncology.

Objective:To investigate the current status of research on the construction of leadership indicator system in the medical field at home and abroad, and to analyze the characteristics of the indicator system therein.Methods:This was a bibliometric study. The group applied subject keywords to search relevant literature on the construction of leadership indicator system in the medical field at home and abroad on English websites PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, CINAHL, Scopus and Chinese websites Baidu Academic, CNKI, CQVIP, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, with a time frame of 2016-2023. The basic characteristics of the literature, the theoretical framework of the research application and the research theme were extracted, and the content of the indicator system in the literature was reviewed and summarized.Results:A total of 21 literatures were included, including 7 Chinese literatures and 14 English literatures. Of these literatures, 10 focused on physician leadership, 5 on medical manager leadership, and 2 on general practitioner leadership. Among 16 research literatures, 9 informed the theoretical basis of leadership, and 4 literatures were applied research. Five main themes were identified: leadership studies of individual healthcare administrators, leadership development in healthcare, interest and attitudes of healthcare workers towards leadership learning, applications of leadership in healthcare, and the impact of leadership in healthcare on patients and healthcare organizations.Conclusions:At present, research on the construction of the leadership indicator system in the medical field presents is diverse, with differences in theoretical basis and content. The original and empirical research is still insufficient.

Conventional chemotherapy based on cytotoxic drugs is facing tough challenges recently following the advances of monoclonal antibodies and molecularly targeted drugs. It is critical to inspire new potential to remodel the value of this classical therapeutic strategy. Here, we fabricate bisphosphonate coordination lipid nanogranules (BC-LNPs) and load paclitaxel (PTX) to boost the chemo- and immuno-therapeutic synergism of cytotoxic drugs. Alendronate in BC-LNPs@PTX, a bisphosphonate to block mevalonate metabolism, works as both the structure and drug constituent in nanogranules, where alendronate coordinated with calcium ions to form the particle core. The synergy of alendronate enhances the efficacy of paclitaxel, suppresses tumor metastasis, and alters the cytotoxic mechanism. Differing from the paclitaxel-induced apoptosis, the involvement of alendronate inhibits the mevalonate metabolism, changes the mitochondrial morphology, disturbs the redox homeostasis, and causes the accumulation of mitochondrial ROS and lethal lipid peroxides (LPO). These factors finally trigger the ferroptosis of tumor cells, an immunogenic cell death mode, which remodels the suppressive tumor immune microenvironment and synergizes with immunotherapy. Therefore, by switching paclitaxel-induced apoptosis to mevalonate metabolism-triggered ferroptosis, BC-LNPs@PTX provides new insight into the development of cytotoxic drugs and highlights the potential of metabolism regulation in cancer therapy.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and programmed death-1 (PD-1) immunotherapy combined with single-agent chemotherapy for patients with local failure of esophageal cancer after initial radical chemoradiotherapy.Methods:Clinical data of 80 patients with local failure of esophageal cancer after initial radical chemoradiotherapy treated with IMRT or PD-1 immunotherapy combined with single-agent chemotherapy in People's Hospital of Xinghua between June 2014 and June 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. IMRT was delivered at 1.8-2.0 Gy per fraction, 5 fractions per week, with a total dose of 45.0-60.0 Gy in 40 patients (IMRT group). The other 40 patients received PD-1 immunotherapy combined with single-agent chemotherapy (PD-1 immunotherapy combined with single-agent chemotherapy group). Kaplan-Meier method was used for univariate analysis and the cumulative survival probability. Log-rank test was used for survival significance test. Cox proportional hazards model was used for multivariate analysis of related factors affecting overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and local control (LC).Results:By December 2023, the follow-up rate was 100%. The 1- and 2-year OS rates in the IMRT group were 66.1% and 18.9%, with a median OS time of 10.1 months. In the PD-1 immunotherapy combined with single-agent chemotherapy group, the 1- and 2-year OS rates were 72.3% and 36.9%, with a median OS time of 12.4 months. There was a significant difference in OS rates between two groups ( χ2=3.89, P=0.049). The 1- and 2-year PFS rates in the IMRT group were 47.4% and 31.6%, with a median PFS time of 8.5 months. In the PD-1 immunotherapy combined with single-agent chemotherapy group, the 1- and 2-year PFS rates were 70.0% and 64.2%, with a median PFS time of 11.9 months. There was no significant difference in the PFS rates between two groups ( χ2=2.66, P=0.103). The 1- and 2-year LC rates in the IMRT group were 68.6% and 62.3%, with a median LC time of 8.9 months. In the PD-1 immunotherapy combined with single-agent chemotherapy group, the 1- and 2-year LC rates were 72.8% and 66.7%, with a median LC time of 12.0 months. There was no significant difference in LC rates between two groups ( χ2=0.18, P=0.672). Grade 2 radiation esophagitis and radiation pneumonitis developed in 82.5% (33/40) and 32.5% (13/40) in the IMRT group, respectively. The incidence of grade 1-2 peripheral blood leukopenia was 40.0% (16/40), 50.0% (20/40) for grade 1-2 peripheral blood thrombocytopenia, 27.5% (11/40) for moderate to severe anemia, and 20.0% (8/40) for grade 1-2 thyroid dysfunction in the PD-1 immunotherapy combined with single-agent chemotherapy, respectively. Single- and multi-factor analysis showed that the failure site ( χ2=9.01, P=0.011) and short-term efficacy ( χ2=7.78, P=0.005) were the independent prognostic factors affecting OS. The short-term efficacy was the independent prognostic factor for PFS ( χ2=31.63, P<0.001). The short-term efficacy was the independent prognostic factors affecting LCS ( χ2=17.64, P=0.001) too. Conclusion:For the patients with local failure of esophageal cancer after initial radical chemoradiotherapy, the combination of PD-1 immunotherapy with single-agent chemotherapy yields better survival prognosis than re-irradiation alone, but it is still necessary to pay attention to the related drug toxicities.

Objective:To investigate the safety and therapeutic effect of split liver transplantation (SLT) in clinical application.Methods:This is a retrospective case-series study. The clinical data of 203 consecutive SLT, 79 living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and 1 298 whole liver transplantation (WLT) performed at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from July 2014 to July 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Two hundred and three SLT liver grafts were obtained from 109 donors. One hundred and twenty-seven grafts were generated by in vitro splitting and 76 grafts were generated by in vivo splitting. There were 90 adult recipients and 113 pediatric recipients. According to time, SLT patients were divided into two groups: the early SLT group (40 cases, from July 2014 to December 2017) and the mature SLT technology group (163 cases, from January 2018 to July 2023). The survival of each group was analyzed and the main factors affecting the survival rate of SLT were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test were used for survival analysis.Results:The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3-, and 5-year were 74.58%, 71.47%, and 71.47% in the early SLT group, and 88.03%, 87.23%, and 87.23% in the mature SLT group, respectively. Survival rates in the mature SLT group were significantly higher than those in the early SLT group ( χ2=5.560, P=0.018). The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3- and 5-year were 93.41%, 93.41%, 89.95% in the LDLT group and 87.38%, 81.98%, 77.04% in the WLT group, respectively. There was no significant difference among the mature SLT group, the LDLT group and the WLT group ( χ2=4.016, P=0.134). Abdominal hemorrhage, infection, primary liver graft nonfunction,and portal vein thrombosis were the main causes of early postoperative death. Conclusion:SLT can achieve results comparable to those of WLT and LDLT in mature technology liver transplant centers, but it needs to go through a certain time learning curve.

Objective:To investigate the safety and therapeutic effect of split liver transplantation (SLT) in clinical application.Methods:This is a retrospective case-series study. The clinical data of 203 consecutive SLT, 79 living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and 1 298 whole liver transplantation (WLT) performed at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from July 2014 to July 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Two hundred and three SLT liver grafts were obtained from 109 donors. One hundred and twenty-seven grafts were generated by in vitro splitting and 76 grafts were generated by in vivo splitting. There were 90 adult recipients and 113 pediatric recipients. According to time, SLT patients were divided into two groups: the early SLT group (40 cases, from July 2014 to December 2017) and the mature SLT technology group (163 cases, from January 2018 to July 2023). The survival of each group was analyzed and the main factors affecting the survival rate of SLT were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test were used for survival analysis.Results:The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3-, and 5-year were 74.58%, 71.47%, and 71.47% in the early SLT group, and 88.03%, 87.23%, and 87.23% in the mature SLT group, respectively. Survival rates in the mature SLT group were significantly higher than those in the early SLT group ( χ2=5.560, P=0.018). The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3- and 5-year were 93.41%, 93.41%, 89.95% in the LDLT group and 87.38%, 81.98%, 77.04% in the WLT group, respectively. There was no significant difference among the mature SLT group, the LDLT group and the WLT group ( χ2=4.016, P=0.134). Abdominal hemorrhage, infection, primary liver graft nonfunction,and portal vein thrombosis were the main causes of early postoperative death. Conclusion:SLT can achieve results comparable to those of WLT and LDLT in mature technology liver transplant centers, but it needs to go through a certain time learning curve.