ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Liuwei Dihuangwan drug-containing serum （LDP） on epithelial-mesenchymal transition （EMT） and the expression of cancer stem cell （CSC） properties in 4T1 cells from triple-negative breast cancer by intervening myeloid-derived suppressor cells （MDSCs）. MethodsSPF-grade female SD rats were randomly divided into three groups， which were given 0.39， 1.94， 3.89 g·kg^-1·d^-1 suspension of Liuwei Dihuangwan for 7 days， respectively， to prepare low-， medium-， and high-dose LDPs. 4T1 cells were inoculated subcutaneously into the mammary glands of SPF-grade female Balb/c mice to construct a transplantation tumor model. Bone marrow cells were extracted from the tibia and femur and induced into MDSCs in vitro. The cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay was used to detect the viability of 4T1 cells and MDSCs. The number of MDSCs and the expressions of CSC surface markers CD44 and CD24 in 4T1 cells were detected by flow cytometry （FC）. The migration， invasion， and proliferation of 4T1 cells were detected by cell scratch assay， Transwell invasion assay， and plate colony-forming assay， respectively. Western blot （WB） was used to detect the protein expression of transforming growth factor-β （TGF-β）， nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 2 （CXCL2）， E-cadherin， and N-cadherin. The expression of EMT-related proteins E-cadherin and N-cadherin were detected by immunofluorescence （IF）. ResultsCompared with the normal group， LDP showed no significant inhibitory effect on the cell viability of 4T1 cells， but it significantly reduced the viability and number of MDSCs and reduced the number of MDSCs， as well as the expression of TGF-β （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The migration， invasion， and proliferation of 4T1 cells were increased after co-culture with MDSCs （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The expressions of NF-κB， CXCL2， and N-cadherin and the proportion of CSC （CD44⁺CD24^-） were elevated （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while the expression of E-cadherin was decreased （P<0.05）. After the intervention of MDSCs with LDP， followed by co-culture with 4T1 cells， the migration， invasion， and proliferation of 4T1 cells were obviously reduced （P<0.01）. The expressions of NF-κB， CXCL2， and N-cadherin were decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the expression of E-cadherin was increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. There was no statistical difference in the proportion of CSC （CD44⁺CD24^-） in 4T1 cells. However， the proportion of CSC （CD44⁺CD24^-） was decreased in the co-culture system of 4T1 cells and MDSCs with LDP intervention （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionLDP can reduce the viability and number of MDSCs and the expression of TGF-β， NF-κB， and CXCL2， reverse EMT， and reduce the characteristic expression of CSC to inhibit the migration， invasion， and proliferation of 4T1 cells.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Liuwei Dihuangwan drug-containing serum （LDP） on epithelial-mesenchymal transition （EMT） and the expression of cancer stem cell （CSC） properties in 4T1 cells from triple-negative breast cancer by intervening myeloid-derived suppressor cells （MDSCs）. MethodsSPF-grade female SD rats were randomly divided into three groups， which were given 0.39， 1.94， 3.89 g·kg^-1·d^-1 suspension of Liuwei Dihuangwan for 7 days， respectively， to prepare low-， medium-， and high-dose LDPs. 4T1 cells were inoculated subcutaneously into the mammary glands of SPF-grade female Balb/c mice to construct a transplantation tumor model. Bone marrow cells were extracted from the tibia and femur and induced into MDSCs in vitro. The cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay was used to detect the viability of 4T1 cells and MDSCs. The number of MDSCs and the expressions of CSC surface markers CD44 and CD24 in 4T1 cells were detected by flow cytometry （FC）. The migration， invasion， and proliferation of 4T1 cells were detected by cell scratch assay， Transwell invasion assay， and plate colony-forming assay， respectively. Western blot （WB） was used to detect the protein expression of transforming growth factor-β （TGF-β）， nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 2 （CXCL2）， E-cadherin， and N-cadherin. The expression of EMT-related proteins E-cadherin and N-cadherin were detected by immunofluorescence （IF）. ResultsCompared with the normal group， LDP showed no significant inhibitory effect on the cell viability of 4T1 cells， but it significantly reduced the viability and number of MDSCs and reduced the number of MDSCs， as well as the expression of TGF-β （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The migration， invasion， and proliferation of 4T1 cells were increased after co-culture with MDSCs （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The expressions of NF-κB， CXCL2， and N-cadherin and the proportion of CSC （CD44⁺CD24^-） were elevated （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while the expression of E-cadherin was decreased （P<0.05）. After the intervention of MDSCs with LDP， followed by co-culture with 4T1 cells， the migration， invasion， and proliferation of 4T1 cells were obviously reduced （P<0.01）. The expressions of NF-κB， CXCL2， and N-cadherin were decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the expression of E-cadherin was increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. There was no statistical difference in the proportion of CSC （CD44⁺CD24^-） in 4T1 cells. However， the proportion of CSC （CD44⁺CD24^-） was decreased in the co-culture system of 4T1 cells and MDSCs with LDP intervention （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionLDP can reduce the viability and number of MDSCs and the expression of TGF-β， NF-κB， and CXCL2， reverse EMT， and reduce the characteristic expression of CSC to inhibit the migration， invasion， and proliferation of 4T1 cells.

Oxidative stress due to aberrant metabolism is considered as a crucial contributor to diabetes and its complications. Hyperglycemia and hyperlipemia boost excessive reactive oxygen species generation by elevated mitochondrial respiration, increased nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase activity, and enhanced pro-oxidative processes, including protein kinase C pathways, hexosamine, polyol, and advanced glycation endproducts, which exacerbate oxidative stress. Oxidative stress plays a significant role in the onset of diabetes and its associated complications by impairing insulin production, increasing insulin resistance, maintaining hyperglycemic memory, and inducing systemic inflammation. A more profound comprehension of the molecular processes that link oxidative stress to diabetes is crucial to new preventive and therapeutic strategies. Therefore, this review discusses the mechanisms underlying how oxidative stress contributes to diabetes mellitus and its complications. We also summarize the current approaches for prevention and treatment by targeting the oxidative stress pathways in diabetes.
Oxidative Stress/physiology* ; Humans ; Diabetes Mellitus/physiopathology* ; Diabetes Complications/metabolism* ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; Glycation End Products, Advanced/metabolism* ; Animals

In current clinical practice, various dermal templates and skin substitutes are used to enhance wound healing. However, the role of wound commensal microbiome in regulating scaffold performance and the healing process remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the influence of both natural and synthetic scaffolds on the wound commensal microbiome and wound repair in three distinct models including diabetic wounds, burn injuries, and germ-free (GF) wounds. Remarkably, synthetic electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds were observed to positively promote microbiome diversity, leading to enhanced diabetic wound healing compared to the natural scaffolds Integra® (INT) and MatriDerm® (MAD). In contrast, both natural and synthetic scaffolds exhibited comparable effects on the diversity of the microbiome and the healing of burn injuries. In GF wounds with no detectable microorganisms, a reversed healing rate was noted showing natural scaffold (MAD) accelerated wound repair compared to the open or the synthetic scaffold (PCL) treatment. Furthermore, the response of the wound commensal microbiome to PCL scaffolds appears pivotal in promoting anti-inflammatory factors during diabetic wound healing. Our results emphasize that the wound commensal microbiome, mediated by different scaffolds plays an important role in the wound healing process.

Objective To investigate the effects of Caenorhabditis elegans(C.elegans)endogenous U6 promoters on dpy-10 gene editing efficiency.Methods We screened endogenous U6 small nuclear RNA(snRNA)genes of C.elegans from the WormBase database and constructed 14 editing plasmids targeting dpy-10 by replacing the U6r07e5.16 promoter in the pSX524 plasmid(Peft-3::cas9::tbb-2 terminator::U6 r07e5.16::dpy-10 sgRNA)through molecular cloning.Gene editing was performed in wild-type C.elegans using a standardized microinjection protocol.Gene editing efficiency and the high-efficiency gene editing index were quantified based on the screening of dpy-10 mutant phenotypes in the F1 progeny.Results A total of 15 U6 snRNA genes(r07e5.16,f35c11.9,t20d3.13,k09b11.15,k09b11.16,w05b2.8,c28a5.7,f54c8.9,k09b11.11,k09b11.12,k09b11.14,t20d3.12,f54c8.8,f54c8.10,and k09b11.13)were identified from the WormBase database.Based on the editing efficiency and high-efficiency gene editing index,the activity of these promoters was evaluated,and 4 U6 promoters(w05b2.8,c28a5.7,f54c8.9,and k09b11.11)were found to have significantly enhanced gene editing success rates,outperforming other promoters,including U6r07e5.16 and U6k09b11.12,which are commonly used in the C.elegans research community.Notably,the gRNAF+E scaffold did not show superior editing efficiency over the gRNA scaffold when paired with the optimal U6w05b2.8 promoter.Conclusion In this study,U6 promoters that significantly improve gene editing efficiency in C.elegans are identified and the critical role of promoter optimization in CRISPR-Cas9 systems is highlighted.These findings provide a valuable foundation for improving genome editing strategies and offer new ideas for optimizing the CRISPR technology applied in nematode research.

Cystic echinococcosis, a zoonotic disease that poses a significant threat to human health and animal husbandry development, is prevalent across the world and predominantly occurs in agricultural and pastoral regions. However, cystic echinococcosis cases are rare in non-endemic areas, which is likely to cause misdiagnosis or missing diagnosis, resulting in delay in treatment. This report presents an overseas imported cystic echinococcosis case misdiagnosed as pulmonary and hepatic cysts, so as to provide insights into diagnosis and treatment of cystic echinococcosis in non-endemic areas.

Background::Breast cancer (BC) risk-stratification tools for Asian women that are highly accurate and can provide improved interpretation ability are lacking. We aimed to develop risk-stratification models to predict long- and short-term BC risk among Chinese women and to simultaneously rank potential non-experimental risk factors.Methods::The Breast Cancer Cohort Study in Chinese Women, a large ongoing prospective dynamic cohort study, includes 122,058 women aged 25-70 years old from the eastern part of China. We developed multiple machine-learning risk prediction models using parametric models (penalized logistic regression, bootstrap, and ensemble learning), which were the short-term ensemble penalized logistic regression (EPLR) risk prediction model and the ensemble penalized long-term (EPLT) risk prediction model to estimate BC risk. The models were assessed based on calibration and discrimination, and following this assessment, they were externally validated in new study participants from 2017 to 2020.Results::The AUC values of the short-term EPLR risk prediction model were 0.800 for the internal validation and 0.751 for the external validation set. For the long-term EPLT risk prediction model, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.692 and 0.760 in internal and external validations, respectively. The net reclassification improvement index of the EPLT relative to the Gail and the Han Chinese Breast Cancer Prediction Model (HCBCP) models for external validation was 0.193 and 0.233, respectively, indicating that the EPLT model has higher classification accuracy.Conclusions::We developed the EPLR and EPLT models to screen populations with a high risk of developing BC. These can serve as useful tools to aid in risk-stratified screening and BC prevention.

Objective To investigate the clinical application value of MRI Radiomics score(Radscore)combined with clinicopatho-logical features in predicting postoperative progression-free survival(PFS)of patients with endometrial cancer(EC).Methods A total of 127 patients with EC were selected.The radiomic features of the lesions were extracted from T2 WI,diffusion weighted imaging(DWI)and apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)images.The features were screened by random forest model and Radscore was calcu-lated.Simultaneously,clinical and pathological characteristics of patients were collected and incorporated,and multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to screen the risk factors related to PFS.The MRI Radscore and clinicopathological features were mapped to the nomogram,and the performance of nomogram was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve and calibration curve.Results Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that progesterone receptor(PR),human epididymis protein 4(HE4)and MRI Radscore were independent risk factors for predicting PFS in patients with EC(P＜0.05).The area under the curve(AUC)of the predicted PFS at 1,3 and 5 years after surgery were 0.91,0.804 and 0.776,respectively.Calibration curves showed that nomogram had a good fit in predicting PFS in patients with EC 1,3 and 5 years after surgery.Conclusion The nomogram con-structed based on multi-sequence MRI Radscore and clinicopathological features has favorable accuracy and stability in predicting postoperative PFS in individuals diagnosed with EC.

Taking the reform of payment methods based on diagnosis related groups as an opportunity, implementing performance management based on disease groups is an important lever to promote the improvement of hospital diagnosis and treatment level and high-quality development. In 2023, a tertiary comprehensive hospital introduced benchmarking management into performance management, using the average days of stay, drug costs, and consumables costs of the disease group as cost benchmark indicators. The cost benchmark values for each disease group was determined based on the big data of the disease group of the tertiary comprehensive hospital in the region and the clinical pathway management goals of the hospital. Through multidimensional and multi-level comparative analysis of the hospital′s historical values and regional big data distribution values of the benchmark indicators for each disease group, the cost benchmark values for each disease group was determined. The hospital has established a performance reward and punishment mechanism based on the benchmark value of disease group costs, and at the same time, established a performance management communication mechanism to promote relevant departments and medical groups to improve their management against the benchmark. In addition, with changes in the external environment and internal practices, the cost benchmark value of the disease group was dynamically optimized, forming a closed-loop management system that included establishing benchmarks, comparing benchmarks, achieving benchmarks, and optimizing benchmarks. Since the implementation of performance management based on disease group cost benchmarking in March 2023, the hospital′s case mix index has increased from 1.52 in March to 1.54 in September; The average days of stay decreased from 6.22 days to 5.90 days; The monthly payment weight has increased from 18 103 to 18 558; The average hospitalization cost has decreased from 16 724 yuan/person to 15 278 yuan/person, mainly due to the decrease in drug and consumables costs. The proportion of drug costs has decreased from 27.45% to 26.32%, the proportion of consumables costs has decreased from 28.75% to 26.85%, and the proportion of medical service revenue has increased from 24.64% to 26.08%; The proportion of low magnification cases decreased from 9.09% to 8.24%; The medical insurance payment rate has increased from 99.3% to 107.0%; The job satisfaction of physicians has increased from 70.00% in 2022 to 76.77% in 2023, which can provide reference for performance management practices in other hospitals.

Objective To study the effectiveness of pro-abdominal exercise in improving the quality of gastroscopy,and provide patients with a better preoperative preparation for gastroscopy.Methods 307 patients who underwent painless gastroscopy from March to July 2023 were selected and divided into three groups according to the random number table method.There were 106 cases in the abdominal massage group,103 cases in the bed turning group and 98 cases in the control group.On the basis of routine medication,different preoperative activity guidance was used to compare and analyze the preoperative preparation time,examination time and gastric mucosal visual field clarity score in each group.Results The gastroscopy time in the abdominal massage group and the bed-turning group was significantly shorter than that in the control group,and the clarity score of the gastric mucosal visual field was significantly lower than that of the control group,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).However,there were no statistically significant differences in the gastroscopy time or visual field clarity score for gastric body,gastric fundus,and gastric antrum between the abdominal massage group and the bed-turning group(P>0.05).The satisfaction rate of endoscopists in the abdominal massage group and the bed turning group was higher than that in the control group,and the differences were statistically significant.Conclusion Abdominal massage and turning over in bed as preoperative preparation methods for gastroscopy can improve the quality of gastroscopy,while abdominal massage can shorten the preparation time before gastroscopy,which is helpful for the efficient operation of digestive endoscopy center and is worthy of clinical application.