Objective:This study aims to investigate the influence of microvessel density（MVD） and microlymphatic vessel density（MLVD） on the prognosis of patients with hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma（HPSCC） and to develop a nomogram prediction model for prognosis based on pathological characteristics. Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinicopathological and follow-up data from HPSCC patients who underwent surgical treatment at our institution between June 2010 and June 2020. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on tumor tissues and adjacent normal margin tissues to evaluate MVD and MLVD. The associations among MVD, MLVD, and clinicopathological features were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were conducted to identify independent risk factors affecting overall survival（OS）. Based on these findings, a nomogram model was constructed and its predictive accuracy was assessed using C-index, receiver operating characteristic（ROC） curve, and calibration curve. Results:Both MVD and MLVD were significantly higher in HPSCC tumor tissues compared to normal tissues. Patients in the high MVD and high MLVD groups exhibited significantly lower OS rates than those in the low MVD and low MLVD groups. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that N stage, recurrence, nerve invasion, lymph node capsule invasion, MVD, and MLVD were independent prognostic factors of OS. Based on these factors, a nomogram prognosis model was successfully constructed. The nomograms demonstrated superior performance in terms of C-index, area under the ROC curve, and calibration, outperforming the AJCC TNM staging system. Conclusion:Elevated MVD and MLVD levels are associated with poorer prognosis in HPSCC patients. The nomogram model based on pathological features provides valuable insights for clinical assessment and decision-making.
Humans ; Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms/blood supply* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Microvascular Density ; Nomograms ; Lymphatic Vessels/pathology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/blood supply* ; Microvessels/pathology* ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVE To explore the effects of dihydroartemisinin(DHA)on the functions of cancer-associated fibroblasts(CAFs)in the tumor microenvironment in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma(HPSCC).METHODS The influence of conditioned media from CAFs and normal fibroblasts(NFs)on tube formation was assessed using a tube formation assay.Secreted protein levels of IL-6,VEGFA,and VEGFC were measured by immunofluorescence and ELISA.Western blotting was used to evaluate the expression of α-SMA,p-STAT3,STAT3,VEGF-A,and VEGF-C within the STAT3 signaling pathway.After treatment with DHA,the optimal concentration for DHA's effect was determined using CCK8 assays and morphological observations of cells.The impact of DHA on angiogenesis was analyzed through tube formation assays,changes in IL-6 expression were detected using ELISA and immunofluorescence,and alterations in α-SMA,p-STAT3,and STAT3 expression were examined by Western blot.RESULTS Both CAFs and NFs exhibited pro-angiogenic and pro-lymphangiogenic effects,with CAFs showing a more pronounced impact.Activated CAFs overexpressed and secreted high levels of IL-6,VEGF-A,and VEGF-C.The concentration of IL-6 in the conditioned medium supernatants of CAF1 and CAF2 was significantly higher than that of NF1 and NF2(P1<0.001,P2<0.05).Similarly,the concentration of VEGF-A was significantly increased(P1<0.05,P2<0.01),and the concentration of VEGF-C was also significantly increased(P1<0.05,P2<0.01).Treatment with DHA inhibited the activated state of CAFs,reducing the expression and secretion of IL-6 and p-STAT3,thereby suppressing tube formation.CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that CAFs promote angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in HPSCC via activation of the STAT3 pathway.DHA effectively inhibits this process,suggesting a potential new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of HPSCC.

Objective:To screen the key genes related to the prognosis,diagnosis,and immune infiltration of the hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)patients by bioinformatics analysis methods,and to analyze their potential therapeutic drugs.Methods:The HCC gene expression profile data and corresponding clinical informations of the HCC patients were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)database and The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)database.The R software package limma was used to screen the differentially expressed genes(DEGs)in HCC.Gene Ontology(GO)functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway enrichment analysis were performed on the DEGs.The STRING database was used to construct the protein-protein interaction(PPI)network;the Cytoscape software was used to visualize the PPI network and screen the key genes;Kaplan-Meier survival curve and LASSO regression algorithm were used to identify the key genes related to the HCC prognosis;external data sets were used to validate their expressions and analyze the diagnostic efficacy;CIBERSORT algorithm was used to detect the relationship between the expression of prognosis-related key genes and HCC immune cell infiltration.The MiRNet and Network Analyst databases were used to construct the microRNA(miRNA)-key gene mRNA and transcription factors(TFs)-key gene mRNA molecular regulatory networks;CMap database was used to screen the potential small molecule drugs for HCC treatment.Results:A total of 146 DEGs were screened,including 30 upregulated genes and 116 downregulated genes.The GO functional enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis results showed that the DEGs were significantly enriched in biological processes(BP)such as steroid,alkene compound,and hormone metabolism,as well as signaling pathways such as retinol metabolism,drug metabolism-cytochrome P450(CYP450),complement and coagulation cascades.The PPI network analysis identified 14 key genes,among which formimidoyltransferase cyclodeaminase(FTCD),secreted phosphoprotein 2(SPP2),thrombin-antithrombin complex(TAT),complement C6(C6),and cytochrome CYP450 family member 2C9(CYP2C9)were significantly associated with the prognosis,clinical pathological stage,and histological grade of the HCC patients and also had high diagnostic efficacy for HCC and were closely related to immune cell infiltration in HCC.Hsa-mir-182-5p,CUT-like homeobox 1(CUX1),early growth response 1(EGR1),SMAD family member 4(SMAD4),and tumor protein P53(TP53)were identified as the important regulators targeting the above-mentioned prognosis-related key genes.DL-thiorphan,promethazine,and apigenin may have the therapeutic effects on HCC.Conclusion:FTCD,SPP2,TAT,C6,and CYP2C9 may be the potential targets for the diagnosis,prognosis,and treatment of HCC.Three predicted small molecule drugs,DL-thiorphan,promethazine,and apigenin,may provide the references for the development of therapeutic drugs for HCC.

Objective To explore the clinical effects of single-cavity and COOK cervical ripening balloon in promoting full-term pregnancy cervical mature and inducing labour. Methods 126 puerpera who were expect-ant in the obstetrics department of our hospital were selected from January 2016 to June 2017,and all of the puer-pera were induced labor by cervical ripening balloon.In 61 of them,single-cavity balloon was used,and 65 cases were induced labor by COOK balloon. Determining the cervical ripening situation,the time needed for inducing efficient uterine contraction,the first stage of labor time,the total labor time,vaginal delivery rate,natural labor situation,postpartum hemorrhage,amniotic fluid turbidity,puerperal infection and newborn asphyxia of the two groups.Results the time needed for inducing efficient uterine contraction of the two groups were(16.39±2.68)h, (14.54 ± 3.30)h,and the two groups were statistically different(P<0.05).There were no statistically significant differences in other items of two groups(P>0.05).Conclusion single-cavity balloon and COOK balloon are sim-ilar in promoting full-term pregnancy cervical ripening.The difference is that the time needed for inducing efficient uterine contraction of the single-cavity balloon is longer than COOK balloon,but have no adverse effect to the puer-pera and the newborn.Both types of balloons are recommended to be used in promoting full-term pregnancy cervical ripening and inducing labor.

Triphala consists of Terminalia chebula Retz, Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb. and Phyllanthus emblica L, which are made into Dasanguo Powder. Triphala is rich in a variety of chemical components, including tannins, phenolic acids, triterpenoids and flavonoids. The content of tannin is abundant in Triphala, which are often used as the main indicators of analysis. Modern research found that Triphala has a variety of pharmacological activities such as prevention of gastrointestinal diseases, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidation, anti-tumor and so on. This paper briefly summarized the chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of Triphala, combining the relevant national and international literature in recent years to provide reference for the development and further study of Triphala.

To determine there characteristic components content of Tibetan Medicine Triphala through establishing a HPLC method and its total tannin content through spectrophotometry. The chromatographic column of Agilent ZORBAX SB-Aq (250 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) with methanol-0.1％ formic acid/water as the mobile phase, the flow rate 1 mL/min, and the detection wavelength 270 nm was applied to determine the Gallic acid, colijing and ellagic acid content in medicinal materials and the tannin parts of Tibetan Medicine Triphala. With the gallic acid as control group, total tannin content of Triphala and its tannin parts was determined through spectrophotometry. It revealed in the HPLC test that the linear range of gallic acid, coracine and ellagic acid was 0.91-4.55 μg, 0.274-1.368 μg and 0.329-2.634 μg respectively. It also showed that the average recovery rates of the three components in the medicinal materials were 101.06％, 101.72％and 100.27％ respectively. And the average recovery rates of the three components in the tannins were 100.4％, 100.85％and 101.70％ respectively. The result of spectrophotometry showed that gallic acid was linear in1.008-10.08 μg·mL-1, and that the recovery rate of medicinal materials and tannin parts were 100.25％ and 100.52％ respectively. The method is rapid, accurate and repeatable, and it can provide basis for the quality control of Tribescens and its tannins.

This paper aimed at investigating the water-soluble constituents of Terminalia billirica (Gaert.) Roxb.Compounds were isolated and purified by Diaion HP-20, Sephadex LH-20, Toyopearl HW-40, MCI gel CHP 20 P and ODS column chromatographies. The chemical structures were elucidated according to spectral data and physicochemical properties. The results showed that ten compounds were isolated and identified as corilagin, salicoside, methyl-α-Darabinofuranoside, 1, 4-dimethyl-β-d-fructopyranose, β-fructopyranose, β-fructofuranose gallic acid, ellagic acid, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6-penta-O-galloyl-β-D-glucopyranonside, Chebulagic acid. Except compound 7 and 8, others compounds are separated from Terminalia billirica (Gaert.) Roxb for the first time, and except corilgin, the other compounds are separated from Terminalia for the first time.

The aim of this work was to identify and analyze the chemical constituents of Terminalia chebular Retz by establishing high performance liquid chromatography-linear ion trap/electrostatic field orbitrap combined high resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS) technique. With the application of C18 reverse phase column (4.6 mm×250 mm, 5 μm), gradient elution was performed with methanol and water (0.2％ acetic acid) as mobile phase.In negative ionization mode, the data of LTQ-Orbitrap was collected. Accurate molecular mass of molecular ion peaks and fragment ions provided by the high-resolution mass spectrometry were compared with the literature and the reference substance to determine the possible structure of the compound. The results indicated that 62 compounds from the extract of Terminalia chebular Retz. were identified, including acids and hydrolysable tannins (60), triterpenoids (2) . There were14 compounds were detected from this specie for the first time. It is proved as an effective method to provide reference for Chemical composition mass spectrometry and the quality control in further phytochemical studies of Terminalia chebular Retz.

The spectrophotometric method was established for the determination of total tannin content in gardenia medicinal materials and tannins, and HPLC method was applied to simultaneously determine gallic acid, punical glucoside A, methyl gallate, punny glucoside B, corilagin, pentagalloyl glucose and the content of ellagic acid. Taking gallic acid as a reference substance, a phosphomolybdate tungstic acid colorimetric method (Pharmacopoeia method) was used to determine the total tannin content. With the chromatographic column Agilent ZORBAX SB-Aq-C18 (250 × 4.6 mm, 5 microns), mobile phase for phosphoric acid (0.1％), methanol, water flow rate of 1 ml/min, column temperature 30℃, detection wavelength of 270 nm, gradient elution, 7 kinds of component contents in myrobalan medicinal materials were measured at the same time. The result showed that the average content of total tannins of Radix Scutellariae was 30.31％, RSD was 0.55％; the average recovery rate was 99.70％, and the RSD was 21.97％ (n = 6) . In the scorpion medicinal materials, gallic acid, punical glucoside A, punny glucoside B, methyl gallate, punny glucoside B, creatin, pentagalloglucose and ellagic acid have a good linear relationship in their respective ranges. The recovery rate of the sample is between100.10％ and 102.77％. The establishment of the determination method of total tannin, gallic acid, punical glucoside, methyl gallate, corridain, pentagalloglucose and ellagic acid in the scorpion medicinal materials is simple and accurate, which has strong specificity and can be used for quality control of Terminalia chebular.

This paper was aimed to establish the HPLC fingerprint of Terminalia chebular Retz The analysis was performed on Agilent ZORBAX SB-Aq C18 column (4.6×250 mm, 5 μm) . The mobile phase was 0.1％ phosphate watermethanol solution with gradient elution. The flow rate was 1 mL·min-1. The temperature was maintained at 35℃. The detection wavelength was 270 nm. The injection volume was 20 μL. The chromatographic data of 10 samples was analyzed by similarity of chromatographic data, SPSS software and SIMCA software. The results showed that there were17 common peaks in the diagram. The similarity of 10 samples was between 0.984 and 0.999, which showed that there was no significant difference among these chemical components. The samples were classified into four types according to cluster analysis, which shared the similar results as the principal components analysis (PCA) and partial least sq uares analysis (PLS-DA) . VIP analysis result showed that peak 5 (methyl gallate), 11 and 1 (gallic acid), 10, 12 may be the main chromatographic peaks to identify the samples. It was concluded that chemometrics analysis could be used to analyze, find and distinguish the marker ingredients of Terminalia chebular Retz. This method was accurate and stable, which can provide a reference for the quality control and evaluation of Terminalia chebular Retz.