This study established a droplet digital PCR(ddPCR)EvaGreen assay and probe methods for Schistosoma japonicum detection,and evaluated their application in detecting early infections in the S.japonicum host oncomelania and mice.Primers and corresponding probes for both ddPCR methods were designed and synthesized,and plasmids containing target sequences were constructed.The sensitivity of the two methods was tested through detection of the corresponding plasmids,and infectious and mixed oncomelania genomic DNA.Their specificity was evaluated by the detection of genomic DNA of negative oncomelania,Schistosoma mansoni,Clonorchis sinensis,Spirometra mansoni,and S.japonicum(as a positive control).The ddPCR probe method was evaluated by detection of early infection of oncomelania exposed tomiracidium with various ratios and incubation times,and the early migration and distribution of cercaria or schistosomula in mouse hosts infected with 200 cercaria via abdominal skin contact.According to standard curves constructed through the detection of plasmid serial dilutions,the regression equation for the EvaGreen assay was y=-0.839 9x+7.050 9,with a correlation coefficient R2=0.988 1,and the regression equation for the probe method was y=-1.047 5x+7.255 1,with a correlation coefficient R2=0.999 8.The lowest limit of plasmid detection with the probe method was between 38.94 cp/μL and 194.74 cp/μL.Both methods successfully detected positive reactions in the genomic DNA samples of infectious oncomelania at concentrations above 0.002 ng/μL and in the genomic DNA of each group of oncomelania mixtures.No significant differences between probe methods were observed in the detection values in the control group and the genomic DNA of negative oncomelania,S.mansoni,C.sinensis,and S.mansoni.However,the detection value of genomic DNA of negative oncomelania(291 ng/μL)with the EvaGreen assay was(20.3±4.39)cp/μL,a value significantly higher than the(1.5±0.1)cp/μL observed in the control group.For detection of early infection in oncomelania,the probe method detected Schistosoma japonicum DNA after 30 s incubation at room temperature with a≥5∶1 ratio of miracidium to oncomelania;the detection value peaked after a short time(5 min),and the peak value showed a fold increase similar to the increase in the miracidium to oncomelania ratio.Detection of early stage infection in mice with the probe method revealed that the schistosomula entered the lungs on day 2 and the liver on day 4,and continually migrated within the organs with abundant blood supply(spleen,kidney,and brain)in the first 9 days;moreover,a tendency toward ectopic parasitism was observed in the heart and pancreas on day 9,and a constantly negative control level was observed in the testes.The ddPCR probe method was more accurate and specific than the EvaGreen assay in the detection of plasmids,and infectious and mixed oncomelania,and the latter showed non-specific reactions in negative oncomelania detection.In a practical application,the probe method was demonstrated to be sensitive,to effectively reflect the early infection of oncomelania,and to reveal schistosomula migration and distribution in multiple organs of infected mice.

Aim To study the effects of whole herb of Prunella and its active components on the malignant progression of breast cancer and its mechanism.Meth-ods Breast cancer transplantation tumor model was constructed and randomly divided into the model group,low,medium and high dose group of whole herb of Prunella(0.1,0.2,0.4 g·mL-1 by gavage)and paclitaxel(10 mg·kg-1 by intraperitoneal injection),which was administered by gavage every day,and the tumor tissues were collected after 28 days of interven-tion.The weight,tumor volume and mass of nude mice in each group were detected,HE staining was used to observe the morphology of breast cancer tumor tissues,and immunohistochemical staining was used to observe the proliferation of cell-cycle regulatory protein-67(Ki-67)and cytokeratin 17(CK17)in breast cancer tumor tissues.The cellular experiments were performed by u-sing different concentrations of the ethyl acetate extract of the whole herb of Prunella in breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells for 24 h.The proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells and the effects on the cell cycle and apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 cells were detected by using the CCK-8 assay,the cell cycle flow and the apoptotic cell flow.Western blot was used to detect the effect of ethyl ace-tate extract of whole herb of Prunella on the expression of apoptosis-related proteins in breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells.UPLCQ-TOF MS/MS was used to detect the chemical compositions of the ethyl acetate extract of Prunella whole herb.Results The whole herb of Pru-nella had no significant effect on the growth of nude mice(P＞0.05);it could significantly inhibit the growth of transplanted tumors in nude mice with human breast cancer(P＜0.05);the results of HE staining showed that the cells in the tissues appeared to be rela-tively sparse with the increase of the dose of Prunella and had different degrees of nuclear consolidation and deep staining of nuclei and the apoptosis of the tumor cells increased;the metastasis of tumor cells to the liv-er and lungs was inhibited,when compared with that in the model group.Compared with the model group,the low,medium and high groups of Prunella had no signif-icant effect on the liver index,while the spleen index was significantly reduced(P＜0.05);the expression of Ki-67 and CK17 was reduced.The ethyl acetate ex-tract of the whole herb of Prunella could inhibit the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells in breast cancer(P＜0.01);the results of flow cytometry showed that,with the increase of the concentration of the ethyl ace-tate extract of the whole herb of Prunella,the proportion of S-phase cells in the MDA-MB-231 cells significantly increased,and the proportion of G0/G1-phase cells sig-nificantly decreased,while the proportion of G2-phase cells did not change significantly(P＜0.01);Western blotting was not affected in the low,medium and high groups,and the spleen index significantly decreased(P＜0.05);the expression of Ki-67 and CK17 was re-duced;the results of Western blot showed that the eth-yl acetate extract of the whole herb of Prunella promo-ted the expression of Bax,cleaved caspase-3,cleaved caspase-9 proteins,and inhibited the expression of Bcl-2,caspase-3,caspase-9,cyclinA2,and CDK2 proteins(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The acetic acid of the whole herb of Prunella ethyl ester extract identified a total of 51 compounds.Conclusions The whole herb of Pru-nella can inhibit the growth of breast cancer in nude mice transplanted with tumors,promote the apoptosis of tumor cells,inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells,inhibit the metastasis of tumor cells to the liver and lungs,protect the liver and spleen,and reduce the expression of the value-added markers Ki-67 and CK17 in tumor tissues,and the ef-fective ingredient of the whole herb,the ethyl acetate extract,can induce apoptosis.The mechanism may be related to the down-regulation of cyclinsA2,CDK2,Bcl-2,caspase-3,caspase-9 and up-regulation of Bax,cleaved caspase-3,cleaved caspase-9 protein expres-sion.

Objective:To quantitatively evaluate the level of the three medical linkage in China from 2009 to 2022,explore the influencing factors and driving paths of the three medical linkage in China,and provide a new perspective for promoting the development of the three medical linkage.Methods:An optimized coupling coordination degree model was used to calculate the coupling coordination degree between the trinity healthcare systems and different binary systems within the systems in 31 provinces of China(excluding Hong Kong,Macao and Taiwan),and the Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis method was used to explore the condition configurations of multi-factor-driven three medical linkage.Results:From 2009 to 2022,the coupling coordination degree between the trinity healthcare systems in each province of China generally showed an increasing trend year by year.Among the binary systems,the overall coordinated development situation between the medical and medical insurance systems was the best and the regional development was the most balanced.The coupling coordination degree gap between the trinity healthcare system and the internal binary systems among provinces gradually widened,and the multi-polarization trend intensified.The paths to promote high-level three medical linkage can be summarized into two types:internal and external balanced development type(H1)and government-led type(H2,H3),among which the H1 path with per capita GDP and health expenditure as core conditions was the most common.Conclusion:It is suggested to enhance institutional and technological innovation,and integrate resources through a cross-departmental collaboration mechanism and digital technology.Provinces should select high-level optimization paths by leveraging regional endowments to narrow the regional development gap.Meanwhile,under the impetus of high-level policies,the protection and supervision system continues to improve,thereby promoting the three medical linkage.

Aim To explore the mechanism of baicalin combined with heat stimulation in treating acute lym-phoblastic leukemia(ALL)based on network pharma-cology and in vitro experiments.Methods The CCK-8 assay was used to screen the suitable conditions for heat stimulation to interfere ALL cell lines Jurkat,CCRF-CEM,Hut-78 and a normal lymphocyte HMy2.CIR,and the effects of baicalin combined with heat stimulation on the proliferation of three ALL cell lines and a normal lymphocyte were tested.The key targets of baicalin combined with fever stimulation for the treatment of ALL were obtained based on network phar-macological analysis,and the potential mechanisms were predicted by gene ontology(GO)annotation and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG)en-richment.The expression levels of TNF-α,AKT1,TYMS and CASP3 mRNA in ALL cell lines Jurkat and CCRF-CEM were examined by RT-qPCR with baicalin alone and baicalin combined with heat stimulation.Results The optimal conditions for heat stimulation to intervene ALL cells were 41 ℃ for 24 h,and heat stimulation combined with baicalin synergistically inhibited the growth of ALL cell lines and effectively reduced the cy-totoxicity of baicalin.Based on the network pharmaco-logical analysis,55 intersecting targets of baicalin with ALL diseases and 77 intersecting targets of baicalin with fever were obtained.The results of GO annotation and KEGG enrichment suggested that baicalin com-bined with fever stimulation to intervene ALL might be associated with influencing intracellular reactive oxygen species metabolism,DNA transcription and apoptotic processes involved in cysteine enzymes.Apoptosis,TNF and IL-17 signaling pathways were the key pathways for baicalin combined with heat stimulation in treating ALL.Under heat stimulation at 41 ℃ using SDHA gene as housekeeping gene,in vitro experiments showed that baicalin significantly up-regulated the expression of TNF-α and CASP3,and down-regulated the expression of TYMS in ALL cells.Conclusions Based on net-work pharmacologic analyses and in vitro experiments,baicalin combined with heat stimulation can regulate TNF-α and CASP3 gene levels in ALL cells and de-stroy cellular structure to promote cell apoptosis,thus synergistically treating ALL.

A 71-year-old male presented with esophageal cancer and severe aortic valve regurgitation. Treatment strategies for such patients are controversial. Considering the risks of cardiopulmonary bypass and potential esophageal cancer metastasis, we successfully performed transcatheter aortic valve implantation and minimally invasive three-incision thoracolaparoscopy combined with radical resection of esophageal cancer (McKeown) simultaneously in the elderly patient who did not require neoadjuvant treatment. This dual minimally invasive procedure took 6 hours and the patient recovered smoothly without any surgical complications.

Objective To describe the significance of the pretreatment inflammatory indicators in predicting the prognosis of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) after undergoing radical radiotherapy. Methods The data of 246 ESCC patients who underwent radical radiotherapy were retrospectively collected. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn to determine the optimal cutoff values for platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII). The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis. We conducted univariate and multivariate analyses by using the Cox proportional risk regression model. Software R (version 4.2.0) was used to create the nomogram of prognostic factors. Results The results of the ROC curve analysis showed that the optimal cutoff values of PLR, NLR, and SII were 146.06, 2.67, and 493.97, respectively. The overall response rates were 77.6% and 64.5% in the low and high NLR groups, respectively (P<0.05). The results of the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that the prognosis of patients in the low PLR, NLR, and SII group was better than that of patients in the high PLR, NLR, and SII group (all P<0.05). The results of the multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that gender, treatment modalities, T stage, and NLR were independent factors affecting the overall survival (OS). In addition, T stage and NLR were independent factors affecting the progression-free survival (PFS) (all P<0.05). The nomogram models of OS and PFS prediction were established based on multivariate analysis. The C-index values were 0.703 and 0.668. The calibration curves showed excellent consistency between the predicted and observed OS and PFS. Conclusion The pretreatment values of PLR, NLR, and SII are correlated with the prognosis of patients with ESCC who underwent radical radiotherapy. Moreover, NLR is an independent factor affecting the OS and PFS of ESCC patients. The NLR-based nomogram model has a good predictive ability.

Objective To investigate the independent risk factors for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy(HCM)with atrial fibrillation(AF)based on cardiac magnetic resonance(CMR)using logistic regression analysis.Methods We reviewed 80 patients diagnosed with HCM at our hospital between January 2022 and December 2023.Statistical differences in the CMR and clinical parameters between patients with HCM with and without AF were compared.The cut-off value of HCM with AF was obtained by receiver operator characteristic curve,and binary logistic regression analysis was performed on statistically significant variables to identify independent risk factors for HCM in patients with AF.Results Univariate analysis showed that there were significant differences in the type of left ventricular late gadolinium enhancement(LGE),native T1 mapping value of the left ventricular myocardium without LGE,left atrial anteroposterior diameter,number of left ventricular LGE myocardial segments,and LGE in the basal anterior interventricular septum,mid anterior interventricular septum,and mid inferior interventricular septum were between HCM with and without AF(P＜0.05).Multivariate analysis revealed that there were significant differences in left ventricular subendocardial LGE(P=0.048,OR=5.3,95％CI:0.642-43.311),native T1 mapping value of left ventricular myocardium without LGE≥1 247 ms(P=0.03,OR=5.7,95％CI:0.734-27.41),and left atrium anteroposterior diameter 50 mm(P=0.013,OR=6.9,95％CI:1.489-31.538)between HCM with and without AF.Conclusion Left ventricular subendocardial LGE,native T1 mapping value≥1 247 ms,and left atrium anteroposterior diameter≥50 mm are independent risk factors for HCM with AF.

Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) with radiolabeled SSTR2 agonists is a treatment option that is highly effective in controlling metastatic and progressive neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). Previous studies have shown that an SSTR2 agonist combined with albumin binding moiety Evans blue (denoted as ¹⁷⁷Lu-EB-TATE) is characterized by a higher tumor uptake and residence time in preclinical models and in patients with metastatic NETs. This study aimed to enhance the in vivo stability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of ¹⁷⁷Lu-EB-TATE by replacing the maleimide-thiol group with a polyethylene glycol chain, resulting in a novel EB conjugated SSTR2-targeting radiopharmaceutical, ¹⁷⁷Lu-LNC1010, for PRRT. In preclinical studies, ¹⁷⁷Lu-LNC1010 exhibited good stability and SSTR2-binding affinity in AR42J tumor cells and enhanced uptake and prolonged retention in AR42J tumor xenografts. Thereafter, we presented the first-in-human dose escalation study of ¹⁷⁷Lu-LNC1010 in patients with advanced/metastatic NETs. ¹⁷⁷Lu-LNC1010 was well-tolerated by all patients, with minor adverse effects, and exhibited significant uptake and prolonged retention in tumor lesions, with higher tumor radiation doses than those of ¹⁷⁷Lu-EB-TATE. Preliminary PRRT efficacy results showed an 83% disease control rate and a 42% overall response rate after two ¹⁷⁷Lu-LNC1010 treatment cycles. These encouraging findings warrant further investigations through multicenter, prospective, and randomized controlled trials.

Body weight abnormalities, including overweight, obesity, and underweight, have become a dual public health challenge in Chinese adults: overweight and obesity lead to a variety of chronic complications, while underweight increases the risks of malnutrition, sarcopenia, and organ dysfunction. To systematically address these issues, multidisciplinary experts in endocrinology, sports science, nutrition, and psychiatry from various regions have held multiple weight management seminars. Based on the latest epidemiological data and clinical evidence, they expanded the guideline to include assessment and intervention strategies for underweight, in addition to the core content of obesity management. This guideline outlines the etiological mechanisms, evaluation methods, and multidimensional management strategies for overweight and obesity, covering key areas such as diagnosis and assessment, medical nutrition therapy, exercise prescription, pharmacological intervention, and psychological support. It is intended to provide a scientific and standardized approach to weight management across the adult population, aiming to curb the rising prevalence of obesity, mitigate complications associated with abnormal body weight, and improve nutritional status and overall quality of life.

This study aims to explore the mechanism of Jiaotai Pills in treating depression based on metabolomics and network pharmacology. The chemical constituents of Jiaotai Pills were identified by UHPLC-Orbitrap Exploris 480, and the targets of Jiaotai Pills and depression were retrieved from online databases. STRING and Cytoscape 3.7.2 were used to construct the protein-protein interaction network of core targets of Jiaotai Pills in treating depression and the "compound-target-pathway" network. DAVID was used for Gene Ontology(GO) function and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses of the core targets. The mouse model of depression was established with chronic unpredictable mild stress(CUMS) and treated with different doses of Jiaotai Pills. The behavioral changes and pathological changes in the hippocampus were observed. UHPLC-Orbitrap Exploris 120 was used for metabolic profiling of the serum, from which the differential metabolites and related metabolic pathways were screened. A "metabolite-reaction-enzyme-gene" network was constructed for the integrated analysis of metabolomics and network pharmacology. A total of 34 chemical components of Jiaotai Pills were identified, and 143 core targets of Jiaotai Pills in treating depression were predicted, which were mainly involved in the arginine and proline, sphingolipid, and neurotrophin metabolism signaling pathways. The results of animal experiments showed that Jiaotai Pills alleviated the depression behaviors and pathological changes in the hippocampus of the mouse model of CUMS-induced depression. In addition, Jiaotai Pills reversed the levels of 32 metabolites involved in various pathways such as arginine and proline metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, and porphyrin metabolism in the serum of model mice. The integrated analysis showed that arginine and proline metabolism, cysteine and methionine metabolism, and porphyrin metabolism might be the key pathways in the treatment of depression with Jiaotai Pills. In conclusion, metabolomics combined with network pharmacology clarifies the antidepressant mechanism of Jiaotai Pills, which may provide a basis for the clinical application of Jiaotai Pills in treating depression.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Depression/genetics* ; Mice ; Network Pharmacology ; Metabolomics ; Male ; Disease Models, Animal ; Humans ; Protein Interaction Maps/drug effects* ; Antidepressive Agents