Objective: To investigate the protective effects of Gouqizi (Lycii Fructus, GQZ)-Danshen (Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, DS) against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced oxidative injury in 661W retinal photoreceptor cells and to explore whether these effects involve angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4). Methods: Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was used to identify the major components of GQZ-DS aqueous extract. An H2O2-induced oxidative injury model was established in 661W cells. Working concentrations of H2O2 and GQZ-DS were determined using the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Cells were subjected to GQZ-DS, ANGPTL4 knockdown, or ANGPTL4 overexpression as indicated. Flow cytometry was used to analyze cell cycle distribution, apoptotic rate, and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Colorimetric determination of malondialdehyde (MDA) content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity using the thiobarbituric acid (TBA) method was performed. The protein expression level of ANGPTL4 was assessed by immunofluorescence. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was performed to quantify the mRNA level of ANGPTL4. Western blot was used to detect the protein levels of ANGPTL4 and cleaved caspase-3. Results: LC-MS identified five major constituents in the GQZ-DS aqueous extract: 2-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-L-ascorbic acid, rutin, D-galactose, salvianolic acid A, and tanshinone IIA. The CCK-8 method selected 300 μmol/L H2O2 as the oxidative stress condition for experiments, and 0.05 and 0.1 g/mL were selected as the low and high doses of GQZ-DS, respectively, for subsequent experiments. The intervention with H2O2 resulted in reduced cell viability, elevated ROS and MDA levels, decreased SOD activity, increased apoptotic rate, upregulated cleaved caspase-3 expression, and G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest of 661W cells. Both low and high doses of GQZ-DS alleviated these alterations, with high dose exhibiting stronger protective effects (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). GQZ-DS also downregulated ANGPTL4 expression at both the mRNA and protein levels. Following plasmid transfection of cells, the study further revealed that ANGPTL4 knockdown mitigated oxidative stress and apoptosis-related injury, whereas ANGPTL4 overexpression exacerbated these pathological changes. Moreover, GQZ-DS partially reversed the degree of cellular oxidative damage induced by ANGPTL4 overexpression. Conclusion GQZ-DS can alleviate the H2O2-induced oxidative injury of 661W retinal photoreceptor cells, and the effects are related to the down-regulation of ANGPTL4 expression.

Prostate cancer is a prevalent malignant tumor of the male genitourinary system in China, with a persistently elevated incidence rate.Given the insidious onset, propensity for metastasis in advanced stages, and poor efficacy of traditional treatments, new hormone therapies have garnered increasing attention in recent years.A number of clinical studies have demonstrated that second-generation androgen receptor inhibitors (SGARIs), including enzalutamide, apalutamide, darolutamide, and rezvilutamide, can be beneficial in different stages of advanced prostate cancer.Furthermore, their early application has been shown to delay disease progression while maintaining a controlled safety profile.At present, SGARIs have increasingly become the primary therapeutic agents for advanced prostate cancer in various stages.This article reviews the clinical research progress of SGARIs in recent years, with the aim of offering valuable clinical reference for clinicians.

Background/Aims: Reflux symptoms frequently present in patients diagnosed with functional dyspepsia (FD). This investigation sought to elucidate the contribution of gastroesophageal reflux in the overlap relationship. Methods: Consecutive patients presenting with reflux symptoms and/or FD symptoms were prospectively included. Comprehensive assessments, including symptoms evaluation, endoscopy, esophageal functional examinations (high-resolution manometry and reflux monitoring), and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) treatment efficacy evaluation, were conducted in these patients. Results: The study enrolled 315 patients, 43.2% of which had concurrent FD symptoms and overlapping reflux symptoms. Notably, a mere 28.7% of patients in the overlap symptoms group had objective gastroesophageal reflux disease evidences (the grade of esophagitis≥ B or the acid exposure time ≥ 4.2%). Functional heartburn was demonstrated to be the main cause of overlapping reflux symptoms(55.1%). Reflux parameters analysis revealed that the reflux burden in the overlap symptoms group paralleled that of the FD symptoms group, with both registering lower levels than the reflux symptoms group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, PPI response rates were notably diminished in the overlap symptoms group (P < 0.001), even for those with objective gastroesophageal reflux disease evidences. Conclusions The study illuminated that overlapping reflux symptoms in FD was common. Strikingly, these symptoms primarily diverged from reflux etiology and exhibited suboptimal responses to PPI intervention. These findings challenge prevailing paradigms and accentuate the imperative for nuanced therapeutic approaches tailored to the distinctive characteristics of overlapping reflux symptoms in the context of FD.

Objective:To explore the feasibility and preliminary clinical experience of robot-assisted pelvic exenteration (PE) in the treatment of locally advanced (LARC) and recurrent (LRRC) rectal cancer.Method:A descriptive case series research method was adopted. Inclusion criteria included: (1) Age 18-80 years old; (2) Preoperative puncture biopsy performed through endoscopy, and a pathological diagnosis of rectal malignant tumor; (3) Preoperative imaging examinations confirming locally advanced (cT4b stage) or locally recurrent rectal cancer, with tumor location in the pelvic cavity; (4) Physical condition: ECOG score ≤1 point, and radical resection being feasible after assessment. The data for five patients with LARC or LRRC who underwent pelvic exenteration (PE) using the da Vinci robotic surgical system in the Department of Anorectal Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University (Shanghai Changzheng Hospital) from January, 2024 to January, 2025 were collected retrospectively. The mean age was (46.8±7.7) years, with 3 males and 2 females, who comprised 2 cases of LARC and 3 cases of LRRC. Two patients received preoperative radiotherapy, and 4 patients received preoperative chemotherapy. The average body mass index was (21.5±2.7) kg/m2. According to the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, 2 cases were grade II and 3 cases were grade III.Results:All patients with LARC or LRRC successfully underwent robot-assisted PE. The average operation time was (496.4±139.5) minutes; the average intraoperative blood loss was (72.0±29.5) ml; the average postoperative exhaust time was (50.0 ±13.6) hours; and the average postoperative defecation time was(64.2±15.3) hours. Mean early postoperative VAS pain scores was (3.6±1.5) points. Three patients underwent primary intestinal anastomosis, and 2 patients underwent colonic single-lumen ostomy. All 5 patients underwent urinary system reconstruction, among which 2 underwent ureterovesical reimplantation, 1 underwent percutaneous ureterostomy, 1 underwent ileal conduit replacement of bladder, and 1 underwent direct bladder suture. After surgery, except for 1 case of pelvic infection with effusion (Clavien-Dindo grade IIIa), there were no obvious postoperative complications. Postoperative pathological results showed that all patients achieved R0 resection, including 1 case of T4a stage and 4 cases of T4b stage (all involving urogenital organs or tissues), and 3 cases of N0 stage and 2 cases of N1 stage, with a maximum tumor diameter of (4.7±1.9) cm. The median postoperative follow-up time was 11 (range 7 to 17) months, and no patient experienced local recurrence.Conclusion:The above short-term preliminary results of robot-assisted PE in the treatment of LARC or LRRC within the pelvic cavity indicate that it is both safe and feasible.

Objective:To explore the effects of age and gender on the sagittal spinal-pelvic parameters during the natural aging process of healthy adults.Methods:A total of 647 Chinese healthy adults who underwent health check-ups at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine and Songyang County People's Hospital, from January 2017 to September 2024 were collected. There were 277 males and 370 females, aged 18-93 years. Anteroposterior and lateral X-ray films of the whole spine were taken to evaluate the spinal-pelvic sagittal morphology. The following parameters were measured: thoracic kyphosis (TK), lumbar lordosis(LL), sacral slope (SS), pelvic incidence (PI), pelvic tilt (PT), global tilt (GT), T 1-pelvic angle (TPA), sagittal vertical axis (SVA), thoracic Cobb angle (T-Cobb), lower end vertebra of thoracic Cobb angle (T-LEV), apex vertebra of thoracic Cobb angle (T-Apex), lumbar Cobb angle (L-Cobb). Compare the differences in spine-pelvis parameters among patients of different genders and age groups (in this study, the subjects were subdivided into the 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, and 80-93 years groups according to the age range). Results:The results showed that GT, SVA, TPA, and PT increased with age ( P<0.05). For males aged 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, and 80-93 years, PT values were 8.58°±6.47°, 9.60°±5.63°, 12.65°±7.13°, 11.00°±6.99°, 13.01°±8.63°, 15.77°±8.02°, and 18.47°±10.03° respectively; for females in the same age groups, the PT values were 8.44°±6.83°, 9.00°±6.44°, 11.84°±7.35°, 12.07°±7.51°, 15.44°±9.39°, 19.26°±8.28°, and 18.17°±9.43° respectively. For males in these age groups, the global tilt (GT) values were 6.37°±7.20°, 8.77°±6.51°, 10.38°±9.07°, 8.80°±7.49°, 10.80°±8.62°, 16.07°±10.42°, and 21.99°±12.65° respectively; for females, the GT values were 4.46°±8.09°, 5.96°±7.83°, 8.17°±6.88°, 9.41°±8.03°, 9.96°±1.39°, 17.89°±9.39°, and 19.55°±12.34° respectively. The sagittal vertical axis (SVA) values for males in the age groups were -7.94±25.57 mm, -2.98±25.69 mm, -4.63±20.90 mm, -6.43±32.81 mm, 7.85±43.39 mm, 36.49±53.89 mm, and 55.57±51.10 mm respectively; for females, they were -24.12±31.35 mm, -17.49±25.12 mm, -17.88±22.72 mm, -8.25±30.91 mm, 8.80±27.45 mm, 28.67±38.22 mm, and 23.23±35.19 mm respectively. For males, the thoracic pelvic angle (TPA) values across the age groups were 4.46°±5.94°, 6.05°±5.38°, 9.58°±9.35°, 7.52°±7.64°, 11.23°±9.59°, 16.32°±12.38°, and 18.49°±11.70° respectively; for females, the TPA values were 2.72°±6.88°, 3.68°±6.26°, 7.30°±6.11°, 7.44°±6.75°, 12.64°±9.79°, 19.08°±10.39°, and 16.79°±13.19° respectively. T-Cobb, T-LEV, and T-Apex increased slowly with age ( P<0.05). The pelvic incidence (PI) remained relatively constant in males ( P>0.05), while it increased slowly with age in females ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Sagittal anteversion of the spinal-pelvis increases with age. Gender differences are reflected in specific changes in the fluctuation amplitude of certain parameters (such as PI), and the fluctuations of indicators like T-Cobb, T-LEV, and T-Apex are closely related to the natural aging process of the spine.

OBJECTIVE To explore the ameliorative effect of Tiaozhi Xiaoban Mixture on atherosclerosis and the potential role of long non-coding RNA(Linc RNA)in anti-atherosclerosis.METHODS A model of atherosclerosis was established in SD rats subjec-ted to a high-fat diet.At 4 weeks post-modeling,thoracic aortic tissues from atherosclerotic rats were collected for hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining to systematically evaluate the anti-atherosclerotic effects of Tiaozhi Xiaoban Mixture at different doses.Biochemical kits were utilized to assess relevant indices related to blood lipid levels as well as liver and kidney function,thereby evaluating the impact of Tiaozhi Xiaoban Mixture on these parameters.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was employed to measure serum inflam-mation markers influenced by Tiaozhi Xiaoban Mixture.Additionally,TUNEL staining and Western blot analysis were conducted to ex-amine the apoptotic effects of Tiaozhi Xiaoban Mixture on thoracic aorta tissue.Finally,qPCR was used to detect the expression levels of Line-HC,MALAT1,etc.,in order to evaluate how Tiaozhi Xiaoban Mixture affecting these specific RNA molecules.RESULTS Following treatment with Tiaozhi Xiaoban Mixture,the blood lipid profiles indicated that total cholesterol(TC),triglycerides(TG),and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)were significantly down-regulated(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),while high-density lipopro-tein cholesterol(HDL-C)levels were up-regulated in the atherosclerotic rats.Moreover,serum levels of liver and kidney function markers such as aspartate aminotransferase(AST),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),blood urea nitrogen(BUN),and creatinine(Cr)exhibited down-regulation(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Additionally,pro-inflammatory factors including interleukin-6(IL-6),interleukin-1 beta(IL-1β),tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α),high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP),and matrix metallopeptidase 9(MMP-9)were also reduced(P＜0.01),whereas the anti-inflammatory factor interleukin-10(IL-10)was found to be elevated(P＜0.01).Furthermore,after oral administration of Tiaozhi Xiaoban Mixture,expression levels of apoptosis-related factors NLRP3,ASC,Cleaved Caspase-1,Cleaved IL-1 β,Puma,Bax,Noxa,and MDM2 in thoracic aorta tissues from the atherosclerotic rats showed sig-nificant down-regulation(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Notably,following treatment with Tiaozhi Xiaoban Mixture,mRNA levels of Linc-HC decreased while mRNA expression of MALAT1 increased(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).CONCLUSION Tiaozhi Xiaoban Mixture may inhibit the expression of Linc-HC and up-regulate the expression of MALAT1 to reduce the formation of atherosclerotic plaque,improve ab-normal blood lipids and liver and kidney function,alleviate inflammation and inhibit apoptosis.

Background/Aims: Reflux symptoms frequently present in patients diagnosed with functional dyspepsia (FD). This investigation sought to elucidate the contribution of gastroesophageal reflux in the overlap relationship. Methods: Consecutive patients presenting with reflux symptoms and/or FD symptoms were prospectively included. Comprehensive assessments, including symptoms evaluation, endoscopy, esophageal functional examinations (high-resolution manometry and reflux monitoring), and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) treatment efficacy evaluation, were conducted in these patients. Results: The study enrolled 315 patients, 43.2% of which had concurrent FD symptoms and overlapping reflux symptoms. Notably, a mere 28.7% of patients in the overlap symptoms group had objective gastroesophageal reflux disease evidences (the grade of esophagitis≥ B or the acid exposure time ≥ 4.2%). Functional heartburn was demonstrated to be the main cause of overlapping reflux symptoms(55.1%). Reflux parameters analysis revealed that the reflux burden in the overlap symptoms group paralleled that of the FD symptoms group, with both registering lower levels than the reflux symptoms group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, PPI response rates were notably diminished in the overlap symptoms group (P < 0.001), even for those with objective gastroesophageal reflux disease evidences. Conclusions The study illuminated that overlapping reflux symptoms in FD was common. Strikingly, these symptoms primarily diverged from reflux etiology and exhibited suboptimal responses to PPI intervention. These findings challenge prevailing paradigms and accentuate the imperative for nuanced therapeutic approaches tailored to the distinctive characteristics of overlapping reflux symptoms in the context of FD.

OBJECTIVE To explore the ameliorative effect of Tiaozhi Xiaoban Mixture on atherosclerosis and the potential role of long non-coding RNA(Linc RNA)in anti-atherosclerosis.METHODS A model of atherosclerosis was established in SD rats subjec-ted to a high-fat diet.At 4 weeks post-modeling,thoracic aortic tissues from atherosclerotic rats were collected for hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining to systematically evaluate the anti-atherosclerotic effects of Tiaozhi Xiaoban Mixture at different doses.Biochemical kits were utilized to assess relevant indices related to blood lipid levels as well as liver and kidney function,thereby evaluating the impact of Tiaozhi Xiaoban Mixture on these parameters.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was employed to measure serum inflam-mation markers influenced by Tiaozhi Xiaoban Mixture.Additionally,TUNEL staining and Western blot analysis were conducted to ex-amine the apoptotic effects of Tiaozhi Xiaoban Mixture on thoracic aorta tissue.Finally,qPCR was used to detect the expression levels of Line-HC,MALAT1,etc.,in order to evaluate how Tiaozhi Xiaoban Mixture affecting these specific RNA molecules.RESULTS Following treatment with Tiaozhi Xiaoban Mixture,the blood lipid profiles indicated that total cholesterol(TC),triglycerides(TG),and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)were significantly down-regulated(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),while high-density lipopro-tein cholesterol(HDL-C)levels were up-regulated in the atherosclerotic rats.Moreover,serum levels of liver and kidney function markers such as aspartate aminotransferase(AST),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),blood urea nitrogen(BUN),and creatinine(Cr)exhibited down-regulation(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Additionally,pro-inflammatory factors including interleukin-6(IL-6),interleukin-1 beta(IL-1β),tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α),high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP),and matrix metallopeptidase 9(MMP-9)were also reduced(P＜0.01),whereas the anti-inflammatory factor interleukin-10(IL-10)was found to be elevated(P＜0.01).Furthermore,after oral administration of Tiaozhi Xiaoban Mixture,expression levels of apoptosis-related factors NLRP3,ASC,Cleaved Caspase-1,Cleaved IL-1 β,Puma,Bax,Noxa,and MDM2 in thoracic aorta tissues from the atherosclerotic rats showed sig-nificant down-regulation(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Notably,following treatment with Tiaozhi Xiaoban Mixture,mRNA levels of Linc-HC decreased while mRNA expression of MALAT1 increased(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).CONCLUSION Tiaozhi Xiaoban Mixture may inhibit the expression of Linc-HC and up-regulate the expression of MALAT1 to reduce the formation of atherosclerotic plaque,improve ab-normal blood lipids and liver and kidney function,alleviate inflammation and inhibit apoptosis.

Objective:To explore the effects of age and gender on the sagittal spinal-pelvic parameters during the natural aging process of healthy adults.Methods:A total of 647 Chinese healthy adults who underwent health check-ups at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine and Songyang County People's Hospital, from January 2017 to September 2024 were collected. There were 277 males and 370 females, aged 18-93 years. Anteroposterior and lateral X-ray films of the whole spine were taken to evaluate the spinal-pelvic sagittal morphology. The following parameters were measured: thoracic kyphosis (TK), lumbar lordosis(LL), sacral slope (SS), pelvic incidence (PI), pelvic tilt (PT), global tilt (GT), T 1-pelvic angle (TPA), sagittal vertical axis (SVA), thoracic Cobb angle (T-Cobb), lower end vertebra of thoracic Cobb angle (T-LEV), apex vertebra of thoracic Cobb angle (T-Apex), lumbar Cobb angle (L-Cobb). Compare the differences in spine-pelvis parameters among patients of different genders and age groups (in this study, the subjects were subdivided into the 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, and 80-93 years groups according to the age range). Results:The results showed that GT, SVA, TPA, and PT increased with age ( P<0.05). For males aged 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, and 80-93 years, PT values were 8.58°±6.47°, 9.60°±5.63°, 12.65°±7.13°, 11.00°±6.99°, 13.01°±8.63°, 15.77°±8.02°, and 18.47°±10.03° respectively; for females in the same age groups, the PT values were 8.44°±6.83°, 9.00°±6.44°, 11.84°±7.35°, 12.07°±7.51°, 15.44°±9.39°, 19.26°±8.28°, and 18.17°±9.43° respectively. For males in these age groups, the global tilt (GT) values were 6.37°±7.20°, 8.77°±6.51°, 10.38°±9.07°, 8.80°±7.49°, 10.80°±8.62°, 16.07°±10.42°, and 21.99°±12.65° respectively; for females, the GT values were 4.46°±8.09°, 5.96°±7.83°, 8.17°±6.88°, 9.41°±8.03°, 9.96°±1.39°, 17.89°±9.39°, and 19.55°±12.34° respectively. The sagittal vertical axis (SVA) values for males in the age groups were -7.94±25.57 mm, -2.98±25.69 mm, -4.63±20.90 mm, -6.43±32.81 mm, 7.85±43.39 mm, 36.49±53.89 mm, and 55.57±51.10 mm respectively; for females, they were -24.12±31.35 mm, -17.49±25.12 mm, -17.88±22.72 mm, -8.25±30.91 mm, 8.80±27.45 mm, 28.67±38.22 mm, and 23.23±35.19 mm respectively. For males, the thoracic pelvic angle (TPA) values across the age groups were 4.46°±5.94°, 6.05°±5.38°, 9.58°±9.35°, 7.52°±7.64°, 11.23°±9.59°, 16.32°±12.38°, and 18.49°±11.70° respectively; for females, the TPA values were 2.72°±6.88°, 3.68°±6.26°, 7.30°±6.11°, 7.44°±6.75°, 12.64°±9.79°, 19.08°±10.39°, and 16.79°±13.19° respectively. T-Cobb, T-LEV, and T-Apex increased slowly with age ( P<0.05). The pelvic incidence (PI) remained relatively constant in males ( P>0.05), while it increased slowly with age in females ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Sagittal anteversion of the spinal-pelvis increases with age. Gender differences are reflected in specific changes in the fluctuation amplitude of certain parameters (such as PI), and the fluctuations of indicators like T-Cobb, T-LEV, and T-Apex are closely related to the natural aging process of the spine.

Nipah virus (NiV) and related viruses form a distinct henipavirus genus within the Paramyxoviridae family. NiV continues to spillover into the humans causing deadly outbreaks with increasing human-bat interaction. NiV encodes the large protein (L) and phosphoprotein (P) to form the viral RNA polymerase machinery. Their sequences show limited homologies to those of non-henipavirus paramyxoviruses. We report two cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of the Nipah virus (NiV) polymerase L-P complex, expressed and purified in either its full-length or truncated form. The structures resolve the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and polyribonucleotidyl transferase (PRNTase) domains of the L protein, as well as a tetrameric P protein bundle bound to the L-RdRp domain. L-protein C-terminal regions are unresolved, indicating flexibility. Two PRNTase domain zinc-binding sites, conserved in most Mononegavirales, are confirmed essential for NiV polymerase activity. The structures further reveal anchoring of the P protein bundle and P protein X domain (XD) linkers on L, via an interaction pattern distinct among Paramyxoviridae. These interactions facilitate binding of a P protein XD linker in the nucleotide entry channel and distinct positioning of other XD linkers. We show that the disruption of the L-P interactions reduces NiV polymerase activity. The reported structures should facilitate rational antiviral-drug discovery and provide a guide for the functional study of NiV polymerase.
Nipah Virus/chemistry* ; Cryoelectron Microscopy ; Viral Proteins/genetics* ; RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase/genetics* ; Phosphoproteins/genetics* ; Humans ; Models, Molecular ; Protein Binding