ObjectiveTo investigate the inhibitory effect of Biejiajian Pills （BJJW） on the growth of liver cancer， as well as its potential mechanism in mediating the AMP-activated protein kinase （AMPK）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） pathway through mitochondrial energy metabolism. MethodsHuman hepatoma Huh7 cells were used to establish a nude mouse model of subcutaneous xenograft tumor. A total of 18 tumor-bearing nude mice were randomly divided into model group， BJJW group （2.2 g/kg）， and metformin group （250 mg/kg）， and the corresponding drug was given by gavage for 14 consecutive days. Tumor volume and weight were monitored during the experiment； HE staining was used to observe histopathological changes； the levels of reactive oxygen species （ROS） and adenosine triphosphate （ATP） in tumor tissue were measured； immunohistochemistry and Western blotting were used to measure the expression levels of proteins associated with the AMPK/mTOR pathway. A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between multiple groups， and the Tukey’s test was used for further comparison between two groups； the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between multiple groups， and the Dunn’s test was used for further comparison between two groups. ResultsCompared with the model group， the BJJW group had a tumor inhibition rate of 45.73%， with significant reductions in both tumor volume and weight （P<0.01）. Pathological examination showed that compared with the model group， the BJJW group had a significant reduction in the number of tumor cells and the presence of extensive necrosis. Mechanistic studies showed that compared with the model group， the BJJW group had a significant increase in ROS level （P<0.001） and a significant reduction in ATP level （P<0.001）， as well as significant increases in p-AMPK/AMPK ratio （0.81±0.20 vs 0.13±0.04， P<0.01） and p-ULK1/ULK1 ratio （0.69±0.17 vs 0.18±0.13， P<0.01） and a significant reduction in p-mTOR/mTOR ratio （1.34±0.16 vs 3.20±0.62， P<0.01）. ConclusionBJJW may inhibit the growth of liver cancer by inducing mitochondrial energy metabolism dysfunction， increasing the level of ROS， reducing the level of ATP， and activating the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE To explore the distribution and drug resistance trends of the main pathogens causing blood-stream infections(BSI)in neonatal intensive care unit(NICU)of Henan Province from 2014 to 2023 so as to pro-vide bases for prevention and control of hospital-associated infections in the neonates and reasonable use of antibi-otics in the whole province.METHODS The data regarding to the pathogens causing BSI in the NICU neonates and drug resistance were retrospectively collected from Jan.2014 to Dec.2023,and the statistical analysis was per-formed by SPSS 26.0 and WHONET 5.6 software.RESULTS Totally 27,984 strains of pathogens were collected from 2014 to 2023,13,547(48.41％)of which were gram-negative bacteria,and 14,437(51.59％)were gram-pos-itive bacteria.Klebsiella pneumoniae(4221 strains,15.08％),Escherichia coli(3735 strains,13.35％),Acine-tobacter baumannii(1288 strains,4.60％),Enterobacter cloacae(847 strains,3.12％)and Pseudomonas aerugi-nosa(655 strain,2.34％)were the major species of gram-negative bacteria;Staphylococcus aureus(4545 strains,16.24％),Staphylococcus epidermidis(3306 strains,11.81％),Staphylococcus haemolyticus(2048 strains,7.32％),Staphylococcus hominis(1085 strains,3.88％)and Enterococcus faecalis(946 strains,3.38％)were the predominant species of gram-positive bacteria.The drug resistant analysis indicated that the drug resistance rate of the K.pneumoniae strains to imipenem showed an upward trend during the past six years,peaking at 44.23％,and it began to decline in 2021;though the drug resistance rate of the E.coli strains to imipenem showed some fluctuations,it gener-ally presented a downward trend,peaking at 7.00％.The drug resistance rates of the K.pneumoniae strains to the third generation of cephalosporins and carbapenems were higher than those of the E.coli,and there was significant differ-ence in the antimicrobial prevalence trend between the two species of Enterobacter during the ten years(P＜0.05).CONCLUSIONS K.pneumoniae and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus are dominant among the pathogens causing BSI in the ICU neonates of the whole province,and the isolation rates of drug-resistant strains are high.It is grossly necessary for the reasonable clinical use of antibiotics to carry out the bacterial drug resistance surveillance.

Objective:To study the effects of arsenic exposure on neurological function including voluntary motor ability, anxiety, and short-term memory ability of rats, as well as its impact on the expression levels of synaptic function related genes such as neuropeptide 1 (NLGN1), glutamate receptor 2A (NR2A), and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95).Methods:Forty 3-week-old male specific pathogen free (SPF) grade Wistar rats [weighing (453.97 ± 35.68) g] were selected and divided into four groups using a random number table: 0 (control group) and 2, 10, and 50 mg/L arsenic exposure groups, with 10 rats in each group. They were given deionized water and 2, 10, and 50 mg/L sodium arsenite solutions for 12 weeks, respectively. The open field experiment and Y-maze experiment were used to test the voluntary motor ability, anxiety, and short-term memory ability of rats. Nissl staining was used to observe the pathological damage of the hippocampus in the brain. Real time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression levels of NLGN1, NR2A, and PSD95 in the hippocampus, respectively.Results:The results of the open field experiment revealed that the horizontal movement distances of rats in the 2 and 10 mg/L arsenic exposure groups were reduced compared to the control group, the movement distances in the central area in the 2, 10, and 50 mg/L arsenic exposure groups were reduced compared to the control group, and the residence time in the central area in the 10 and 50 mg/L arsenic exposure groups was reduced compared to the control group ( P < 0.05). The results of Y-maze experiment showed that the retention time of new arms in rats of the 2 and 10 mg/L arsenic exposure groups was shorter than that in the control group ( P < 0.05). The pathological examination results of Nissl staining showed that the control group had abundant Nissl bodies in hippocampal tissues of the cytoplasm with intact neuronal structures, tightly arranged cells, appearing blue purple in color and clear visible nuclei. However, the number of Nissl bodies decreased, intercellular gaps increased, disordered arrangement increased, cytoplasmic staining was lighter, and nuclear shrinkage phenomenon increased in the hippocampal tissues of rats in the 2, 10 and 50 mg/L arsenic exposure groups. The real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR detection results showed that there was a statistically significant difference in the mRNA expression levels of NLGN1, NR2A, and PSD95 in the hippocampal tissues of the four groups ( F = 13.85, 44.94, 4.63, P < 0.05). The results of Western blot analysis showed that the protein expression levels of NLGN1 and NR2A in the hippocampal tissues of rats in the 10 and 50 mg/L arsenic exposure groups were lower than those in the control group (0.65 ± 0.07, 0.69 ± 0.03 vs 1.00 ± 0.04, 0.51 ± 0.11, 0.51 ± 0.13 vs 1.00 ± 0.07, P < 0.05), and the expression level of PSD95 in the hippocampal tissues of rats in the 50 mg/L arsenic exposure group was lower than that in the control group (0.51 ± 0.09 vs 1.00 ± 0.05, P < 0.05). Conclusion:Arsenic may affect synaptic function and cause neurological dysfunction in rats by adjusting the expression levels of NLGN1, NR2A, and PSD95.

Objective To analyze the changes and clinical significance of aqueous humor stromal cell-de-rived factor-1(SDF-1),macrophage chemoattractant protein-1(MCP-1)and soluble adhesion molecule CD44(sCD44)in patients with diabetic cataract(DC).Methods A total of 80 patients with DC admitted to the hos-pital from January 2021 to January 2023 were selected as the DC group,and 40 patients with simple cataract during the same period were selected as the age-related cataract group.According to the stage of cataract,DC patients were divided into group A(incipient stage,32 cases),group B(intumescent stage,26 cases)and group C(mature stage and over mature stage,22 cases).According to the presence or absence of macular ede-ma after treatment,the patients were divided into occurrence group(20 cases)and non-occurrence group(60 cases).The levels of SDF-1,MCP-1 and sCD44 in each group were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The receiver operating characteristic curve and area under the curve(AUC)were used to analyze the value of SDF-1,MCP-1 and sCD44 levels in the diagnosis of DC.Results The levels of SDF-1,MCP-1 and sCD44 in the DC group were higher than those in the age-related cataract group(P<0.05),and the levels of SDF-1,MCP-1 and sCD44 in the A,B and C groups increased sequentially(P<0.05).The level of MCP-1 in the occurrence group was higher than that in the non-occurrence group(P<0.05).The AUC of MCP-1,sCD44 and SDF-1 in the diagnosis of DC was 0.869,and the diagnostic efficiency was better.Conclusion The changes of aqueous SDF-1,MCP-1 and sCD44 levels are related to the stage of cataract in DC patients.Dynam-ic monitoring of these three indexes,especially MCP-1,is helpful to judge the condition and prognosis of DC patients.

Objective:To study the effects of arsenic exposure on neurological function including voluntary motor ability, anxiety, and short-term memory ability of rats, as well as its impact on the expression levels of synaptic function related genes such as neuropeptide 1 (NLGN1), glutamate receptor 2A (NR2A), and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95).Methods:Forty 3-week-old male specific pathogen free (SPF) grade Wistar rats [weighing (453.97 ± 35.68) g] were selected and divided into four groups using a random number table: 0 (control group) and 2, 10, and 50 mg/L arsenic exposure groups, with 10 rats in each group. They were given deionized water and 2, 10, and 50 mg/L sodium arsenite solutions for 12 weeks, respectively. The open field experiment and Y-maze experiment were used to test the voluntary motor ability, anxiety, and short-term memory ability of rats. Nissl staining was used to observe the pathological damage of the hippocampus in the brain. Real time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression levels of NLGN1, NR2A, and PSD95 in the hippocampus, respectively.Results:The results of the open field experiment revealed that the horizontal movement distances of rats in the 2 and 10 mg/L arsenic exposure groups were reduced compared to the control group, the movement distances in the central area in the 2, 10, and 50 mg/L arsenic exposure groups were reduced compared to the control group, and the residence time in the central area in the 10 and 50 mg/L arsenic exposure groups was reduced compared to the control group ( P < 0.05). The results of Y-maze experiment showed that the retention time of new arms in rats of the 2 and 10 mg/L arsenic exposure groups was shorter than that in the control group ( P < 0.05). The pathological examination results of Nissl staining showed that the control group had abundant Nissl bodies in hippocampal tissues of the cytoplasm with intact neuronal structures, tightly arranged cells, appearing blue purple in color and clear visible nuclei. However, the number of Nissl bodies decreased, intercellular gaps increased, disordered arrangement increased, cytoplasmic staining was lighter, and nuclear shrinkage phenomenon increased in the hippocampal tissues of rats in the 2, 10 and 50 mg/L arsenic exposure groups. The real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR detection results showed that there was a statistically significant difference in the mRNA expression levels of NLGN1, NR2A, and PSD95 in the hippocampal tissues of the four groups ( F = 13.85, 44.94, 4.63, P < 0.05). The results of Western blot analysis showed that the protein expression levels of NLGN1 and NR2A in the hippocampal tissues of rats in the 10 and 50 mg/L arsenic exposure groups were lower than those in the control group (0.65 ± 0.07, 0.69 ± 0.03 vs 1.00 ± 0.04, 0.51 ± 0.11, 0.51 ± 0.13 vs 1.00 ± 0.07, P < 0.05), and the expression level of PSD95 in the hippocampal tissues of rats in the 50 mg/L arsenic exposure group was lower than that in the control group (0.51 ± 0.09 vs 1.00 ± 0.05, P < 0.05). Conclusion:Arsenic may affect synaptic function and cause neurological dysfunction in rats by adjusting the expression levels of NLGN1, NR2A, and PSD95.

OBJECTIVE To explore the distribution and drug resistance trends of the main pathogens causing blood-stream infections(BSI)in neonatal intensive care unit(NICU)of Henan Province from 2014 to 2023 so as to pro-vide bases for prevention and control of hospital-associated infections in the neonates and reasonable use of antibi-otics in the whole province.METHODS The data regarding to the pathogens causing BSI in the NICU neonates and drug resistance were retrospectively collected from Jan.2014 to Dec.2023,and the statistical analysis was per-formed by SPSS 26.0 and WHONET 5.6 software.RESULTS Totally 27,984 strains of pathogens were collected from 2014 to 2023,13,547(48.41％)of which were gram-negative bacteria,and 14,437(51.59％)were gram-pos-itive bacteria.Klebsiella pneumoniae(4221 strains,15.08％),Escherichia coli(3735 strains,13.35％),Acine-tobacter baumannii(1288 strains,4.60％),Enterobacter cloacae(847 strains,3.12％)and Pseudomonas aerugi-nosa(655 strain,2.34％)were the major species of gram-negative bacteria;Staphylococcus aureus(4545 strains,16.24％),Staphylococcus epidermidis(3306 strains,11.81％),Staphylococcus haemolyticus(2048 strains,7.32％),Staphylococcus hominis(1085 strains,3.88％)and Enterococcus faecalis(946 strains,3.38％)were the predominant species of gram-positive bacteria.The drug resistant analysis indicated that the drug resistance rate of the K.pneumoniae strains to imipenem showed an upward trend during the past six years,peaking at 44.23％,and it began to decline in 2021;though the drug resistance rate of the E.coli strains to imipenem showed some fluctuations,it gener-ally presented a downward trend,peaking at 7.00％.The drug resistance rates of the K.pneumoniae strains to the third generation of cephalosporins and carbapenems were higher than those of the E.coli,and there was significant differ-ence in the antimicrobial prevalence trend between the two species of Enterobacter during the ten years(P＜0.05).CONCLUSIONS K.pneumoniae and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus are dominant among the pathogens causing BSI in the ICU neonates of the whole province,and the isolation rates of drug-resistant strains are high.It is grossly necessary for the reasonable clinical use of antibiotics to carry out the bacterial drug resistance surveillance.

Objective To summarize the experience of multi-disciplinary team(MDT)in the pediatric department of Qujing Maternal and Child Health Hospital,and to evaluate the effectiveness of MDT on neonatal brain injury.Methods The clinical data of children with brain injury and treated in the pediatrics department of Qujing Maternal and Child Health Hospital from November 2019 to April 2023 were collected.The children with brain injury and treated from October 2019 to June 2020 were regarded as the non-MDT group,and the children with brain injury and treated from July 2020 to April 2023 were regarded as the MDT group for comparative analysis.Chi-square test/t-test was used to compare and analyze the clinical data of the two groups.Results Among the 890 cases of pediatric brain injury,there were 519 males and 371 females.The median and quartiles of the age distribution for the two groups were as follows:MDT group 2.00(0.82,5.00)years and non-MDT group 1.00(1.00,4.00)years.Craniocerebral injury was the main type of brain injury in both groups,in addition,among children with craniocerebral injury and intracranial hemorrhage,the cure rate of MDT group was higher than that of non-MDT group,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).Among the 405 children in MDT group,154(38.0%)underwent the surgery,while among the 485 children in non-MDT group,121(24.9%)underwent the surgery.The difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).23.2% of children in MDT group were in critical condition during the hospitalization,which was significantly lower than that in non-MDT group(30.5%),and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).The unhealed rate of MDT group(2.0%)was also significantly lower than that of non-MDT group(5.6%),the cure rate of MDT group(40.5%)was significantly higher than that of non-MDT group(34.4%),and there was a statistically significant difference(P<0.05).The expense of treatment,medicine and sanitary materials in MDT group were lower than those in non-MDT group,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).The multivariate Logistic regression model analysis of the cure rate of children with brain injury showed that the MDT model could effectively improve the cure rate of children with brain injury(RR = 1.513,95% CI = 1.134-2.020).The results of multiple linear regression model analysis showed that there was no statistical difference in the effect of MDT on the actual hospitalization days of children(P>0.05).Conclusion Using MDT model to diagnose and treat children with brain injury is helpful to improve the cure rate,reduce the risk of children's disease aggravation,and achieve the significant therapeutic effects in children with brain injury.MDT model is worth popularizing and applying in children with brain injury.

Objective:To investigate the clinical value of AB classification combined with Arima classification for predicting the invasion depth of superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (SESCC).Methods:From July 2017 to December 2022, 76 cases of SESCC receiving endoscopic submucosal dissection and intra-epithelial papillary capillary loops (IPCL) AB classification as type B2 in Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital and Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine were included in the study. IPCL was reclassified according to Arima classification. The depth of infiltration determined by pathology was the gold standard. The sensitivity, the specificity, the positive predictive value and the negative predictive value of B2-Arima combined classification in predicting the invasion depth of SESCC were analyzed.Results:In the 76 cases of type B2 IPCL lesions, 31 cases (40.79%) were T1a-MM/T1b-SM1 SESCC. The sensitivity, the specificity, the positive predictive value, the negative predictive value and the diagnostic accuracy of type B2 IPCL to predict T1a-MM/T1b-SM1 SESCC were 70.45% (31/44), 79.64% (176/221), 40.79% (31/76), 93.12% (176/189), and 78.11% (207/265), respectively. After Arima classification, the above corresponding indicators of type B2-4ML and type B2-AVA-4M IPCL in predicting T1a-MM/T1b-SM1 SESCC were 61.36% (27/44), 88.24% (195/221), 50.94% (27/53), 91.98% (195/212), 83.77% (222/265) and 38.64% (17/44), 94.57% (209/221), 58.62% (17/29), 88.56% (209/236), 85.28% (226/265), respectively.Conclusion:B2 IPCL combined with Arima classification can improve the diagnostic accuracy of T1a-MM/T1b-SM1 ESSCC.

The gastric fundus fornix and upper part of the gastric body pose challenges for endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), resulting in unsatisfactory resection outcomes for lesions in these areas,because of the difficulty in the endoscope reaching the lesion site. Drawing inspiration from the formation of α loop during flexible colonoscopy and double-channel multibending gastroscope, a single-channel treatment gastroscope was utilized to create a multibending state (referred to as single-channel endoscope multibending method, SCMB). This method was employed to treat 6 patients with lesions in the stomach at Digestive Endoscopy Center of Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine from June 2021 to December 2021. There were 3 cases in the gastric fundus fornix, 2 cases in the greater curvature on the upper part of the gastric body, and 1 case in the posterior wall of gastric fundus and subcardia. After 2-3 attempts during surgery, SCMB was successfully performed in all cases within 60-120 seconds. All 6 cases completed successful endoscopic resection within 20-80 minutes without significant complications, including 4 cases of ESD and 2 cases of endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFR). Preliminary results indicate that SCMB method during ESD and its derivative technologies are both safe and effective for lesions in challenging areas where gastric ESD is difficult to perform. During surgery, this approach facilitates the front end of endoscope access to the lesion, providing a clear visual field and a stable dissection plane.

Objective:To assess the impact of preoperative short-course radiotherapy combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy on elderly patients with locally advanced rectal cancer after a 2-year follow-up.Methods:In this retrospective cohort study, we included 446 consecutive cases of elderly patients diagnosed and treated for locally advanced rectal cancer(stage Ⅱ-Ⅲ with T3-T4 and/or positive regional lymph nodes)at the First People's Hospital of Shangqiu city from January 2012 to December 2019.The patients were divided into two groups based on the treatment method: an observation group(107 cases)and a control group(339 cases).The patients in the observation group underwent preoperative short-course radiotherapy combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy.The regimen included short-term radiotherapy(25 Gy over 1 week in 5 fractions)followed by 4 courses of chemotherapy(CAPOX regimen).On the other hand, the control group received concurrent radiotherapy and chemotherapy.The regimen involved 50 Gy over 5 weeks in 25 fractions and concurrent capecitabine chemotherapy.Afterward, total rectal mesentery resection was performed, and postoperatively, 2 and 6 courses of CAPOX chemotherapy were continued.Follow-up was conducted until 31 December 2021, with the primary observation being the disease-free survival(DFS)of patients in both groups.Secondary observations included overall survival(OS)time, lesion progression-free survival(PFS)time, local recurrence rate, and the rate of acute toxicity events.Cox regression analyses were conducted to compare the factors influencing DFS.Results:Among the 446 patients, 303(67.9%)were male and 143(32.1%)were female.The patients in the observation group were found to be younger and had a higher proportion of Eastern Collaborative Oncology Group(ECOG)physical status score 0 compared to the control group(both P<0.05).Additionally, the two groups differed significantly in terms of MRI T stage, N stage, distance from the external anal verge, rectal mesorectal fascial infiltration, pathological stage, and chemotherapy-to-surgery time interval(all P<0.05).Throughout a mean follow-up period of(20.7±3.5)months, there were 76 deaths, 89 distant metastases, and 32 local recurrences.The results of Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that the observation group had a higher disease-free survival(DFS)rate at 2 years of follow-up compared to the control group[73.8%(79/107) vs.68.1%(231/339), Log-rank χ2=2.676, P=0.041].Additionally, the median DFS time was longer in the observation group[19(12, 22)months]compared to the control group[16(11, 19)months]( Z=2.774, P=0.038).Furthermore, the observation group exhibited a significantly longer OS time[26(21, 33)months]compared to the control group[22(18, 14)months]( Z=2.879, P=0.032).However, the median PFS time was similar in both groups[20(14, 25)months vs.16(12, 21)months]( Z=1.545, P=0.123).The incidence of distant metastasis was 18.7%(20/107)in the observation group and 20.4%(69/339)in the control group(Log-rank χ2=0.341, P=0.708), indicating no significant difference.Similarly, there was no significant difference in the risk of local recurrence between the observation group[9.3%(10/107)]and the control group[6.5%(22/339)](Log-rank χ2=0.996, P=0.318).In terms of adverse reactions, there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of grade≥3 acute toxic reactions between the two groups[19.6%(21/107) vs.12.1%(41/339), Log-rank χ2=1.661, P=0.148].A multifactorial Cox regression analysis revealed that age( HR=0.586, P=0.005), ECOG score( HR=0.721, P=0.028), MRI T-stage( HR=0.605, P=0.008), rectal mesenteric fascial infiltration( HR=1.649, P=0.012), and distance from the external anal verge( HR=0.638, P=0.041)were associated with DFS. Conclusions:The findings indicate that the combination of preoperative short-course radiotherapy and neoadjuvant chemotherapy in elderly patients with locally advanced rectal cancer demonstrates favorable short-term effectiveness and safety.This approach shows promise in improving outcomes for elderly patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.