Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of an intelligent handheld ultrasound (US) device for assisting non-expert general practitioners (GPs) in detecting carotid plaques (CPs) in community populations. Methods: This prospective parallel controlled trial recruited 111 consecutive community residents. All of them underwent examinations by non-expert GPs and specialist doctors using handheld US devices (setting A, setting B, and setting C). The results of setting C with specialist doctors were considered the gold standard. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and the features of CPs were measured and recorded. The diagnostic performance of GPs in distinguishing CPs was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic curve. Inter-observer agreement was compared using the intragroup correlation coefficient (ICC). Questionnaires were completed to evaluate clinical benefits. Results: Among the 111 community residents, 80, 96, and 112 CPs were detected in settings A, B, and C, respectively. Setting B exhibited better diagnostic performance than setting A for detecting CPs (area under the curve, 0.856 vs. 0.749; P<0.01). Setting B had better consistency with setting C than setting A in CIMT measurement and the assessment of CPs (ICC, 0.731 to 0.923). Moreover, measurements in setting B required less time than the other two settings (44.59 seconds vs. 108.87 seconds vs. 126.13 seconds, both P<0.01). Conclusion Using an intelligent handheld US device, GPs can perform CP screening and achieve a diagnostic capability comparable to that of specialist doctors.

Aim To explore the effect of the classical famous prescription Dahuang Zhechong pill(DHZCP)on relieving liver cirrhosis by regulating the stress fiber remodeling mediated by mechanistic signaling pathway and to explore the underlying mechanism.Methods Mice were randomly divided into the control group,model group,DHZCP low-dose group,DHZCP high-dose group,and Colchicine-positive control group.The liver cirrhosis mouse model was constructed by intrap-eritoneal injection of olive oil-solubilized CCl4.HE staining and serologic markers were used to reflect liver injury.Masson staining was used to evaluate collagen deposition in liver tissue.ELISA was applied to detect vasoactive molecules and cancer indicators.Atomic force microscopy was employed to detect liver tissue stiffness.Color Doppler diagnostic instrument was used to assess portal blood flow velocity.Western blot was utilized to detect ROCK2 expression and phosphoryla-tion of YAP,Cofilin,and MLC.Results The liver tis-sues in the model group had obvious inflammatory cell infiltration and collagen deposition,accompanied by significant elevation of serum transaminases and fibrosis indexes.Similarly,vasoactive molecules and cancer in-dicators were elevated,and the mechanoregulatory pro-tein ROCK2 expression and phosphorylation of Cofilin and MLC were elevated,with YAP being strongly de-phosphorylated.Both low and high doses of DHZCP re-versed the pathological changes,serological indices,and inhibited the activation of the stress fiber(SF)re-modeling mechanistic signaling pathway.Conclusion DHZCP effectively ameliorates liver tissue lesions in mice with liver cirrhosis,and its mechanism may be re-lated to the inhibition of SF remodeling mechanistic signaling pathway.

Diabetic kidney disease(DKD)is one of the common microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus,and it has become the main cause of chronic kidney disease and end stage renal disease.Traditional Chinese medicine can delay the progress of DKD by inhibiting oxidative stress,improving renal tissue damage,restoring renal function.This paper will summarize the relationship between oxidative stress and DKD and the prevention and treatment of DKD by traditional Chinese medicine,so as to provide reference for clinical drug application,basic research and new drug research and development of DKD.

Objective To quantify the volume and movement of cardiac substructures by using coronary computed tomography angiography(CCTA)to provide guidance for the design of deep inspiratory breath-holding radiation therapy for left breast cancer and the protection of organs at risk.Methods Totally 18 female patients who received conventional chest plain scan and CCTA were selected to simulate the design process of radiotherapy plan for left breast cancer patients with internal mammary lymph nodes.Retrospective reconstruction of CCTA data was performed for each patient,with 10 phase images(with an interval of 10％)within a R-R cardiac cycle(10％-100％)to simulate the true range of motion of the heart.The heart,left atrium(LA),left ventricle(LV),right atrium(RA),right ventricle(RV),left anterior descending artery(LAD),left circumflex coronary artery(LCX)and right coronary artery(RCA)were contoured at each phase.The distances from the centroid position to the average position of LAD,LCX and RCA were measured at each phase in the superior-inferior(SI),anterior-posterior(AP)and left-right(LR).The average volume and range of volume changes of LA,LV,RA,RV and heart were analyzed within a cardiac cycle.The expansion margins of planning organs at risk volume(PRV)were calculated.SPSS 19.0 software was used for statistical analysis.Results The following average absolute displacements were found in SI,AP and LR coordinates:(1.8±0.7)mm,(1.2±0.5)mm and(1.5±0.5)mm for LAD,respectively;(2.1±0.7)mm,(1.5±0.6)mm and(1.9±0.7)mm for LCX,respectively;(1.6±0.5)mm,(2.2±0.9)mm and(2.2±0.8)mm for RCA,respectively.The volume changes of LA,LV,RA,RV and heart within a cardiac cycle ranged from 34.3 to 63.9 cm3,122.1 to 154.3 cm3,29.3 to 53.6 cm3,57.2 to 94.3 cm3 and 480.1 to 515.4 cm3,respectively.The theoretical expansion margins of LAD,LCX and RCA in all the three directions were within 2 mm.Conclusion The ranges of movement and volume changes of cardiac substructure are quantitati-vely displayed,and references are provided for the planning of deep inspiratory breath-holding radiation therapy for left breast cancer and the protection of organs at risk.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(3):54-58]

OBJECTIVE: To study the genetic polymorphism of red blood cell blood group among in Shenzhen Han, Indian and Xinjiang Uyghur populations, to provide scientific basis for the demand prediction and collection strategy of rare blood group, and to explore the genetic differences of blood group between Han and Caucasians. METHODS: The haplotypes of antigen coding genes of 10 target blood group systems from 87 Han Chinese and 50 Indian blood donors in Shenzhen, and 49 healthy Uyghur people in Xinjiang were obtained by three-generation sequencing technology, and the polymorphism and frequency characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS: Only a single genotype was detected the Langereis and Vel blood group systems in samples from three different populations. Only one genotype of Dombrock blood group was detected in Shenzhen Han, and Junior blood group in Xinjiang Uygur populations. In the MNS, Duffy, Kidd, Dombrock and Junior blood group systems, the haplotype frequency of Indian and Uyghur people was significantly different from that of Han people. Compared with the Han ethnic group, the rare blood group s-, Fy(a-), Jk(a-b-), and Do(a+b-) have a higher frequency among the Uyghur and Indian populations. CONCLUSION Haplotype frequencies of antigen genes for MNS, Duffy, Kidd, Dombrock and Junior blood group system in Shenzhen Han, Indian and Uyghur populations displayed a polymorphic difference with unique distribution characteristics different from the ethnic groups in other regions.
Humans ; Blood Group Antigens/genetics* ; China/ethnology* ; Erythrocytes ; Ethnicity/genetics* ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Haplotypes ; India/ethnology* ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; White People/genetics* ; Central Asian People/genetics* ; East Asian People/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of diagnostic-driven therapy for invasive fungal disease(IFD) in patients with myeloid hematologic malignancies. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 91 patients with myeloid hematologic malignancies who received diagnostic-driven therapy for IFD at the Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2023. The patients were divided into two groups based on medication: 44 patients in the caspofungin group and 47 patients in the voriconazole group. The clinical efficacy and adverse reactions of the two groups were compared and analyzed. RESULTS: The overall response rates in the caspofungin and voriconazole groups were 67.4% and 60.0%, respectively. Among patients who transitioned to diagnostic-driven therapy following prophylactic or empirical treatment with triazole antifungal agents, the response rate of the caspofungin group was significantly higher than that of the voriconazole group (76.9% vs 35.3%, P <0.05). A total of 9 patients in both groups experienced adverse reactions, and no grade III or higher adverse reactions occurred. The incidence of grade I-II adverse reactions in the caspofungin group was lower than in the voriconazole group (2.3% vs 17.0%, P <0.05). CONCLUSION In patients with myeloid hematologic malignancies, caspofungin and voriconazole demonstrate comparable clinical efficacy in diagnostic-driven therapy for IFD, but caspofungin is associated with a lower incidence of adverse reactions. Caspofungin exhibits significant effectiveness when initiating diagnostic-driven therapy after prophylactic or empirical treatment with broad-spectrum triazole antifungal agents.
Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Hematologic Neoplasms/complications* ; Antifungal Agents/therapeutic use* ; Voriconazole/therapeutic use* ; Caspofungin/therapeutic use* ; Invasive Fungal Infections/diagnosis* ; Male ; Female ; Mycoses/drug therapy* ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Aged ; Adult

Glutamine provides carbon and nitrogen to support the proliferation of cancer cells. However, the precise reason why cancer cells are particularly dependent on glutamine remains unclear. In this study, we report that glutamine modulates the tumor suppressor F-box and WD repeat domain-containing 7 (FBW7) to promote cancer cell proliferation and survival. Specifically, lysine 604 (K604) in the sixth of the 7 substrate-recruiting WD repeats of FBW7 undergoes glutaminylation (Gln-K604) by glutaminyl tRNA synthetase. Gln-K604 inhibits SCFFBW7-mediated degradation of c-Myc and Mcl-1, enhances glutamine utilization, and stimulates nucleotide and DNA biosynthesis through the activation of c-Myc. Additionally, Gln-K604 promotes resistance to apoptosis by activating Mcl-1. In contrast, SIRT1 deglutaminylates Gln-K604, thereby reversing its effects. Cancer cells lacking Gln-K604 exhibit overexpression of c-Myc and Mcl-1 and display resistance to chemotherapy-induced apoptosis. Silencing both c-MYC and MCL-1 in these cells sensitizes them to chemotherapy. These findings indicate that the glutamine-mediated signal via Gln-K604 is a key driver of cancer progression and suggest potential strategies for targeted cancer therapies based on varying Gln-K604 status.
Glutamine/metabolism* ; Myeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 Protein/genetics* ; Humans ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc/genetics* ; Cell Proliferation ; Signal Transduction ; Neoplasms/pathology* ; F-Box-WD Repeat-Containing Protein 7/genetics* ; Cell Survival ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Apoptosis

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of an intelligent handheld ultrasound (US) device for assisting non-expert general practitioners (GPs) in detecting carotid plaques (CPs) in community populations. Methods: This prospective parallel controlled trial recruited 111 consecutive community residents. All of them underwent examinations by non-expert GPs and specialist doctors using handheld US devices (setting A, setting B, and setting C). The results of setting C with specialist doctors were considered the gold standard. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and the features of CPs were measured and recorded. The diagnostic performance of GPs in distinguishing CPs was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic curve. Inter-observer agreement was compared using the intragroup correlation coefficient (ICC). Questionnaires were completed to evaluate clinical benefits. Results: Among the 111 community residents, 80, 96, and 112 CPs were detected in settings A, B, and C, respectively. Setting B exhibited better diagnostic performance than setting A for detecting CPs (area under the curve, 0.856 vs. 0.749; P<0.01). Setting B had better consistency with setting C than setting A in CIMT measurement and the assessment of CPs (ICC, 0.731 to 0.923). Moreover, measurements in setting B required less time than the other two settings (44.59 seconds vs. 108.87 seconds vs. 126.13 seconds, both P<0.01). Conclusion Using an intelligent handheld US device, GPs can perform CP screening and achieve a diagnostic capability comparable to that of specialist doctors.

In view of the characteristics of H5N6 subtype avian influenza virus(AIV)that it has both high pathogenicity and the risk of cross-species transmission,posing a serious threat to the poultry farming industry and public health security,in order to effectively prevent and control the spread of H5N6 avian influenza,a rapid,sensitive and specific detection technolo-gy was established in this study.The specific monoclonal antibodies against the neuraminidase N6 protein of avian influenza A virus subtype H5N6 were obtained through hybridoma and monoclonal antibody technology.These antibodies were coupled and labeled with carboxyl-functionalized fluorescent quantum dots,along with previously prepared specific antibodies against the hemagglutinin H5 protein.A rapid fluorescence immunochromatographic detection method for the H5N6 subtype of avian influ-enza virus was established according to the principle of double-antibody sandwich immunochromatography.This method a-chieved a detection sensitivity of 1 ng/mL for recombinant hemagglutinin H5 subtype protein and 0.1 ng/mL for recombinant neuraminidase N6 subtype protein.Moreover,the method exhibited no cross-reactivity with other influenza subtypes or patho-gens,such as Newcastle disease(ND),infectious bronchitis(IB),and infectious laryngotracheitis(ILT),thus demonstrating good specificity.The method effectively identified the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5 subtype and directly distin-guished the H5N6 subtype with good accuracy.The fluorescent quantum dot immunochromatographic typing detection method established herein met the sensitivity,specificity,and accuracy requirements for H5N6 subtype detection,and can be further used for rapid detection of the H5 and H5N6 subtypes of avian influenza virus.

The chemical constituents in dried roots of Atractylodes macrocephala were investigated in this study. Through utilizing normal-phase silica gel and ODS column chromatography, TLC, and semi-preparative HPLC, 4 new sesquiterpenoids were purified from the ethyl acetate extract of A. macrocephala. By various spectroscopic techniques, such as 1D and 2D NMR, HR-ESI-MS, IR, UV, and CD, their structures were identified as atractylmacron A (1), 9β-hydroxyasterolide (2), atractylenolide H (3), atractylenolide J (4). Compound 1 possesses a rare 6/7 bicyclic skeleton.