Objective To evaluate the value of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in patients with stage ⅢA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer who received complete resection and chemotherapy. Methods Patients with stage ⅢA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer who received complete resection and chemotherapy were chosen from the SEER Research Plus Database [17 Registries, November 2012 Submission (2000-2019)]. The patients were divided into a PORT group and a non-PORT group according to whether the PORT was used. To balance baseline characteristics between non-PORT and PORT groups, R software was used to conduct a propensity score matching (PSM) with a ratio of 1 : 1 and a matching tolerance of 0.01. Both the Cox regression analysis and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were conducted to evaluate the value of PORT in terms of overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). Results In total, 2468 patients with stage ⅢA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer were enrolled, including 1078 males and 1390 females with a median age of 65 (58-71) years. There were 1336 patients in the PORT group, and 1132 patients in the non-PORT group. Cox regression analysis showed that PORT was not significantly associated with OS (multivariate analysis: HR=1.051, 95%CI 0.949-1.164, P=0.338) and DSS (multivariate analysis: HR=1.094, 95%CI 0.976-1.225, P=0.123). No statistical difference was found in the OS or DSS between non-PORT group and PORT group after PSM analysis (P＞0.05). Conclusion PORT does not have a survival benefit for patients with stage ⅢA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer who received complete resection and chemotherapy.

Emodin is a hydroxyanthraquinone compound that is widely distributed and has multiple pharmacological activities, including anti-diarrheal, anti-inflammatory, and liver-protective effects. Research indicates that emodin may be one of the main components responsible for inducing hepatotoxicity. However, studies on the mechanisms of liver injury are relatively limited, particularly those related to bile acids(BAs) metabolism. This study aims to systematically investigate the effects of different dosages of emodin on BAs metabolism, providing a basis for the safe clinical use of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)containing emodin. First, this study evaluated the safety of repeated administration of different dosages of emodin over a 5-week period, with a particular focus on its impact on the liver. Next, the composition and content of BAs in serum and liver were analyzed. Subsequently, qRT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of nuclear receptors and transporters related to BAs metabolism. The results showed that 1 g·kg~(-1) emodin induced hepatic damage, with bile duct hyperplasia as the primary pathological manifestation. It significantly increased the levels of various BAs in the serum and primary BAs(including taurine-conjugated and free BAs) in the liver. Additionally, it downregulated the mRNA expression of farnesoid X receptor(FXR), retinoid X receptor(RXR), and sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide(NTCP), and upregulated the mRNA expression of cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase(CYP7A1) in the liver. Although 0.01 g·kg~(-1) and 0.03 g·kg~(-1) emodin did not induce obvious liver injury, they significantly increased the level of taurine-conjugated BAs in the liver, suggesting a potential interference with BAs homeostasis. In conclusion, 1 g·kg~(-1) emodin may promote the production of primary BAs in the liver by affecting the FXR-RXR-CYP7A1 pathway, inhibit NTCP expression, and reduce BA reabsorption in the liver, resulting in BA accumulation in the peripheral blood. This disruption of BA homeostasis leads to liver injury. Even doses of emodin close to the clinical dose can also have a certain effect on the homeostasis of BAs. Therefore, when using traditional Chinese medicine or formulas containing emodin in clinical practice, it is necessary to regularly monitor liver function indicators and closely monitor the risk of drug-induced liver injury.
Emodin/administration & dosage* ; Bile Acids and Salts/metabolism* ; Animals ; Male ; Liver/injuries* ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Humans ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Mice ; Rats

BACKGROUND: Electroacupuncture (EA) may affect the severity of hot flashes (HFs) associated with natural menopause and provide additional benefits for postmenopausal women. However, the evidence for its effectiveness in the management of early postmenopausal HFs remains inadequately understood. OBJECTIVE: We designed this trial to assess the efficacy and safety of EA for relieving early postmenopausal HFs. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: This randomized sham-controlled trial involved 72 women with HFs. The participants were divided equally into the intervention and control groups. The intervention group was treated with EA, while the control group was treated with sham acupuncture. The main acupoints used were Hegu (LI4), Guanyuan (RN4), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Taixi (KI3), Fuliu (KI7) and Shenshu (BL23). All participants received 18 treatment sessions, distributed across a 6-week period. The treatment was administered on three occasions per week, adhering to a fixed weekday schedule (Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) with a minimum interval of one day between sessions. Each patient received a 12-week follow-up. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The HF score was the primary outcome. Participants documented the frequency and severity of HFs in a 7-day symptom diary, which provided data for calculating the HF score. Secondary outcomes were the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome Score Scale (TCMSSS), as well as estradiol (E₂), luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels. RESULTS: Both groups demonstrated significant reductions in HF scores after the treatment and during the follow-up (P < 0.001). Immediately after completion of the 6-week treatment cycle and at 12 weeks post-intervention, the HF scores were similar in both groups. At week 6, the intervention group showed significantly greater improvements in MRS, MENQOL (vasomotor, psychosocial, and physical), PSQI and TCMSSS scores (P < 0.05). The improvements in the MENQOL (vasomotor, and psychosocial) and PSQI total scores persisted through the follow-up (P < 0.05). However, the results showed no significant inter- or intragroup differences in sexual scores on the MENQOL (P > 0.05). EA did not significantly decrease E₂, LH or FSH levels compared to placebo. The incidence of adverse events was similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: EA does not significantly improve HFs in early postmenopausal patients. However, it enhances the quality of sleep and decreases menopausal symptoms across vasomotor, psychosocial and physical domains. TRIAL REGISTRATION Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (http://www.chictr.org.cn); Trial ID: ChiCTR2300072002. Please cite this article as: Wang HX, Yu XT, Hu J, Chen JJ, Mei YT, Chen YF. Electroacupuncture for hot flashes in early menopause: A randomized sham-controlled trial. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(5):519-527.
Humans ; Female ; Electroacupuncture ; Hot Flashes/therapy* ; Middle Aged ; Acupuncture Points ; Quality of Life ; Menopause ; Treatment Outcome ; Adult

Objective The leptin receptor,encoded by the LEPR gene,is involved in tumorigenesis.A potential functional variant of LEPR,rs1137101(Gln223Arg),has been extensively investigated for its contribution to the risk of digestive system(DS)cancers,but results remain conflicting rather than conclusive.Here,we performed a case-control study and subsequent meta-analysis to examine the association between rs1137101 and DS cancer risk. Methods A total of 1,727 patients with cancer(gastric/liver/colorectal:460/480/787)and 800 healthy controls were recruited.Genotyping of rs1137101 was conducted using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RFLP)assay and confirmed using Sanger sequencing.Twenty-four eligible studies were included in the meta-analysis. Results After Bonferroni correction,the case-control study revealed that rs1137101 was significantly associated with the risk of liver cancer in the Hubei Chinese population.The meta-analysis suggested that rs1137101 is significantly associated with the risk of overall DS,gastric,and liver cancer in the Chinese population. Conclusion The LEPR rs1137101 variant may be a genetic biomarker for susceptibility to DS cancers(especially liver and gastric cancer)in the Chinese population.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of mucin 1 (MUC1) on the proliferation and apoptosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and its regulatory mechanism. MethodsThe 60 NPC and paired para-cancer normal tissues were collected from October 2020 to July 2021 in Quanzhou First Hospital. The expression of MUC1 was measured by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) in the patients with PNC. The 5-8F and HNE1 cells were transfected with siRNA control (si-control) or siRNA targeting MUC1 (si-MUC1). Cell proliferation was analyzed by cell counting kit-8 and colony formation assay, and apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry analysis in the 5-8F and HNE1 cells. The qPCR and ELISA were executed to analyze the levels of TNF-α and IL-6. Western blot was performed to measure the expression of MUC1, NF-кB and apoptosis-related proteins (Bax and Bcl-2). ResultsThe expression of MUC1 was up-regulated in the NPC tissues, and NPC patients with the high MUC1 expression were inclined to EBV infection, growth and metastasis of NPC. Loss of MUC1 restrained malignant features, including the proliferation and apoptosis, downregulated the expression of p-IкB、p-P65 and Bcl-2 and upregulated the expression of Bax in the NPC cells. ConclusionDownregulation of MUC1 restrained biological characteristics of malignancy, including cell proliferation and apoptosis, by inactivating NF-κB signaling pathway in NPC.

Objective To investigate the role and molecular mechanism of exosomal miR-224-5p in colorectal cancer (CRC).Methods The miR-224-5p expression in CRC patient tissues and cell-derived exosomes was measured by laser capture microdissection and qRT-PCR, respectively. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was used to determine the target gene of miR-224-5p. The protein expressions of p53 and unc-51 like kinase 2 (ULK2) in CRC cells were detected by western blot. Flow cytometry was used to detect cell cycle and apoptosis. Cell proliferation was measured by CCK8 and EdU assay.Results The miR-224-5p expression was upregulated in CRC tissues and increased progressively with the rise of CRC stage. CRC cells secreted extracellular miR-224-5p mainly in an exosome-dependent manner, and then miR-224-5p could be transferred to surrounding tumor cells to regulate cell proliferation in the form of autocrine or paracrine. Moreover, ULK2 was characterized as a direct target of miR-224-5p and was downregulated in CRC tissues. Interestingly, ULK2 inhibited CRC cell proliferation in a p53-dependent manner. Furthermore, exosome-derived miR-224-5p partially reversed the proliferation regulation of ULK2 on CRC cells.Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that exosome-transmitted miR-224-5p promotes p53-dependent cell proliferation by targeting ULK2 in CRC, which may offer promising targets for CRC prevention and therapy.

Objective To investigate the effect of Yantiao Fang on apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells in mice with acute gastrointestinal injury caused by sepsis by regulating the Rho/ROCK signaling pathway.Methods Seventy BALB/c mice were randomly divided into normal,sham,and model groups.Except for normal and sham groups,mice were subjected to cecal ligation and perforation to establish a mouse model of acute gastrointestinal injury caused by sepsis.The mouse models were randomly divided into model,Low,Medium,and High dose of Yantiao Fang,and ROCK inhibitor groups.Histopathological changes of the ileum were observed by HE staining.Serum levels of IL-1β,IL-6,TNF-α,and IL-10 were measured by ELISA.PCNA and Ki-67 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry.Cleaved caspase3 and Bax expression was detected by Western blot.ROCK and MLC mRNA expression in the ileum was measured by RT-qPCR.Results Compared with normal and sham groups,Chiu's pathological score,proinflammatory factor(IL-1β,IL-6,and TNF-α)levels,cleaved caspase3 and Bax protein expression,and ROCK and MLC mRNA levels were increased in the model group(P＜0.05).Moreover,anti-inflammatory mediator IL-10 and expression of PCNA and Ki-67 in the ileum were decreased in the model group(P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,histopathological changes of the ileum in all Yantiao Fang groups were improved by various degrees with the increase in dose.Chiu's pathological score,IL-1β,IL-6,and TNF-α serum levels,cleaved caspase3 and Bax protein expression,and ROCK and MLC mRNA levels were decreased in Yantian Fang groups(P＜0.05).The IL-10 level and expression of PCNA and Ki-67 in the ileum were increased in Yantian Fang groups(P＜0.05).Conclusions Yantiao Fang may inhibit apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells in mice with acute gastrointestinal injury due to sepsis by regulating the Rho/ROCK signaling pathway,thereby alleviating intestinal tissue inflammation and ultimately preventing intestinal mucosal tissue injury.

Objective:To explore the value of dual-layer detector spectral CT quantitative parameters in evaluating the treatment response of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC).Methods:The study was a cross-sectional study. From May 2021 to March 2023, a total of 52 patients with LARC who received complete nCRT and were pathologically confirmed rectal adenocarcinoma at the Guangdong Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine were retrospectively enrolled. Each patient underwent spectral CT examination before and after nCRT, including plain scan, arterial phase (AP), and venous phase (VP) scans. According to the tumor regression grade, the patients were divided into the good response ( n=20) and the poor response group ( n=32). Measurements of the primary tumor′s spectral CT parameters, including effective atomic number (Z eff) at plain scan, iodine concentration (IC), CT values of 40 keV and 100 keV virtual monochromatic image (VMI) at dual-enhanced phases, were taken before and after nCRT. Additionally, the normalized iodine concentration (NIC), spectral curve slope (λHU), and the change rate of the above parameters before and after nCRT were calculated. The independent sample t-test or Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the differences between the two groups. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to assess the efficacy of various metrics in evaluating the tumor treatment response of nCRT. A binary logistic regression analysis of combined parameter results was performed for the parameters with the areas under curve (AUC)>0.75, and the AUC of the combined parameter was evaluated. Results:There were significant differences in NIC AP and λHU VP before nCRT, NIC VP and λHU VP after nCRT, and the change rates of Z eff, NIC AP, NIC VP and λHU AP between the good response group and the poor response group ( P<0.05). The remaining parameters showed no statistically significant difference ( P>0.05). The ROC curve results showed that the AUCs of the above 8 parameters for evaluating tumor treatment response of nCRT were 0.702, 0.655, 0.695, 0.769, 0.738, 0.807, 0.791, and 0.677, respectively. The AUC of the combined model of the three parameters with AUC>0.75 (λHU VP after nCRT, the change rate of NIC AP and NIC VP) was 0.869, with 80.0% sensitivity and 84.4% specificity. Conclusion:The quantitative parameters derived from spectral CT may provide new markers for evaluating the response to nCRT treatment in patients with LARC. The multi-parameter combined model can improve diagnostic efficacy.

Objective:To retrospectively analyze the detection and diagnosis process of two cases with double rare thalassemia genotypes,explore the causes of missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis of rare thalassemia,and improve the diagnosis level of rare thalassemia.Methods:Base on the family history,hematological phenotype and hemoglobin electrophoretic analysis results,the common genotypes of α and β-thalassemia were detected by PCR+diversion hybridization.DNA sequencing technology was used for rare α and β protein genes sequencing.Results:Both subjects were combined with double rare thalassemia genotypes,and both rare thalassemia gene combinations were reported for the first time.One of them was αβ complex thalassemia with αα*53_55 del TCC/αα heterozygous merger βIVS Ⅱ2(-T)/βN heterozygous,the other was ααIVS-Ⅱ-55(T→G)in α1/αα4,2-Q double azygous heterozygous α-thalassemia,among whichαα*53_55 del TCC/αα genotype was also reported for the first time.Conclusion:The reported rare gene type αα*53_55 del TCC/αα and two cases of rare gene combinations enriches the spectrum of gene mutations in the Chinese population,and provides richer molecular information for thalassemia diagnosis and eugenics counseling.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma(PPAR-γ)is a member of the ligand-activated nuclear tran-scription factor superfamily.Activated PPAR-γ is involved in the regulation of many central nervous system(CNS)events,and is involved in cholesterol metabolism by inducing or inhibi-ting a series of gene pathways,thereby inhibiting the deposition of β-amyloid protein(Aβ).It plays an important neuroprotec-tive role in Alzheimer's disease(AD),improves memory and cognition in AD,and is a potential target for AD.Drug develop-ment aimed at restoring cholesterol homeostasis may be a poten-tial strategy to counteract AD.By analyzing the distribution and structure of PPAR-γ,focusing on the biological correlation be-tween PPAR-γ-mediated cholesterol metabolism and AD,this paper describes the mechanism regulation of PPAR-γ on key proteins,genes and their corresponding molecules,providing a new reference for the treatment of AD.