Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs. Results: All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027). Conclusion The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs. Results: All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027). Conclusion The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs. Results: All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027). Conclusion The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.

Objective: To explore the impacts of coal mine dust on lung function in rats, so as to provide the basis for the early prevention and treatment of coal worker's pneumoconiosis. Methods: Seventy-two SPF-grade 8-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the coal dust group, the coal-silica dust group, the silica dust group and the control group. The rats in the first three groups of rats were administered 1 mL corresponding dust suspension into the lungs using non-exposure tracheal instillation, while the rats in the control group were administered 1 mL normal saline. Respiratory rate (f), forced vital capacity (FVC), peak expiratory flow (PEF) and dynamic pulmonary compliance (Cdyn) were measured at 1, 3 and 6 months after dust exposure. Lung tissues were collected to measure reactive oxygen species (ROS) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels using corresponding ELISA kits and ATP assay kits, respectively. The relative mRNA expressions of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α) and mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) were detected using real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay. The relative protein expressions of PGC-1α and TFAM were detected using Western blotting. Results: There was no interaction between dust type and exposure duration on f (P>0.05), but there were interactions on FVC, PEF and Cdyn (all P<0.05). Compared with the control group at 6 months after dust exposure, the f of the rats in the silica dust group were increased, while the FVC and PEF of the rats in the coal-silica dust and silica dust groups were decreased, and Cdyn of the rats in the coal dust, coal-silica dust and silica dust groups were decreased (all P<0.05). There were interactions between dust type and exposure duration on ROS and ATP levels, the relative mRNA and protein expressions of PGC-1α and TFAM (all P<0.05). Compared with the control group at 3 and 6 months after dust exposure, the ROS levels in the rats in the coal dust, coal-silica dust and silica dust groups were increased, while the ATP levels, the relative mRNA and protein expressions of PGC-1α and TFAM were decreased (all P<0.05). Conclusion The lung function impairment in rats caused by different types of coal mine dust is related to PGC-1α-mediated mitochondrial biogenesis dysfunction, which leads to increased ROS levels, decreased ATP and TFAM levels.

Five saponins were isolated from the kernels of Momordica cochinchinensis, by macroporous resin, silica gel, ODS column chromatography, and semi preparative HPLC. Based on MS and NMR analysis, combining with alkaline hydrolysis and acid hydrolysis, their structures were identified as: gypsogenin-3-O-{β-D-galactopyranosyl (1→2)-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→3)]-β-D-glucuropyranonosyl}-28-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl (1→3)-[β-D-xylopyranosyl (1→4)]-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→2)-β-D-fucopyranoside (1), quillaic acid-3-O-{β-D-galactopyranosyl (1→2)-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→3)]-β-D-glucuropyranonosyl}-28-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl (1→3)-[β-D-xylopyranosyl (1→4)]-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→2)-β-D-fucopyranoside (2), gypsogenin-3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl (1→2)-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→3)]-β-D-glucuropyranonoside sodium (3), quillaic acid-3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl (1→2)-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→3)]-β-D-glucuropyranonoside sodium (4), 18α-quillaic acid-3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl (1→2)-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→3)]-β-D-glucuropyranonoside (5). Compounds 1-5 were new compounds, and named as mubezhisides A, B, C, D, E, respectively. They all could obviously inhibited the growth of Candida albicans, C. parapsilosis, and C. tropicalis.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs. Results: All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027). Conclusion The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs. Results: All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027). Conclusion The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.

Aim To explore the potential genes and mechanism of alisol B in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC).Methods The proliferation and migration of NSCLC cells were detected by CCK-8 and Transwell.Genes of NSCLC and alisol B were col-lected through TCGA and compound gene prediction database,and their intersection genes were obtained.The network of protein-protein interaction(PPI)was constructed by using String database,and the top 20 key nodes were screened out,and the prognosis-related proteins related to the prognosis of NSCLC were screened out by using R language,and the intersection of them was obtained.The potential mechanism of ali-sol B on NSCLC was explored by KEGG and GO en-richment analysis and the relationship between related genes and immune cells,which was verified by cell-lev-el experiments.Results Alisol B inhibited the cell activity and migration ability of NSCLC cells.Five im-portant genes were identified by network pharmacologi-cal analysis:CCNE1,CDK1,COL1A1,COL1A2 and COL3A1.The results of cell experiment showed that al-isol B down-regulated the expression of Cyclin E1,CDK1 and COL1A2 in NSCLC cells.In addition,alisol B could inhibit the expression of COL1A2 and M2 macrophage marker CD206 in macrophages.Conclu-sions Alisol B may inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells by down-regulating CDK1 and Cyclin E1,and may affect the function of macrophages by inhibiting COL1A2,thus regulating the tumor immune microenvi-ronment and inhibiting NSCLC.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical and prognostic value of prothrombin time(PT)and activated partial thromboplastin time(APTT)in newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma(MM).Methods:The clinical data of 116 newly diagnosed MM patients in the Second Hospital and Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from October 2014 to March 2022 were analyzed retrospectively,and the patients were divided into two groups:normal PT and APTT group and prolonged PT or APTT group.The differences in sex,age,classification,staging,bleeding events,laboratory indicators[including hemoglobin(Hb),platelet count(PLT),serum calcium,serum albumin(ALB),lactate dehydrogenase(LDH),serum creatinine and β 2-microglobulin],and cytogenetic characteristics between the two groups of patients were compared.The effect of prolonged PT or APTT on survival of patients with MM was analyzed.Results:Compared with patients in normal PT and APTT group,patients in prolonged PT or APTT group were more likely to experience bleeding events(x2=5.087,P=0.024),with lower ALB levels(x2=4.962,P=0.026)and PLT levels(x2=4.309,P=0.038),and higher serum calcium levels(x2=5.056,P=0.025).The positive rates of del17p,del13q and 1q21+in prolonged PT or APTT group were higher than those in normal PT and APTT group,but the difference was not statistically significant(P＞0.05).K-M survival analysis showed that the prolonged PT or APTT group had a shorter median progression-free survival(PFS)(P=0.032)and overall survival(OS)(P=0.032).Multivariate Cox analysis showed that prolonged PT or APTT(HR=2.1 16,95％CI:1.025-4.372,P=0.043)and age ≥65 years(HR=2.403,95％CI:1.195-4.836,P=0.014)were independent risk factor for OS in newly diagnosed MM patients.However,prolonged PT or APTT had no significant effect on PFS of newly diagnosed MM patients(HR=1.162,95％CI:0.666-2.026,P=0.597).Conclusion:Newly diagnosed MM patients with prolonged PT or APTT have worse clinical indicators,shorter PFS and OS.Prolonged PT or APTT is an independent risk factor for OS in MM patients.

Background Coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) is a serious occupational lung disease and one of the prescript occupational diseases in China. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is involved in the diffuse fibrosis of lung tissue of pneumoconiosis patients, and its mechanism may be related to the polarization of macrophages regulated by let-7c. Objective To investigate the effect of let-7c on the regulation of macrophage polarization in EMT in rats induced by coal dust exposure with different content of free SiO₂. Methods SD rats were randomly divided into a control group, a 5% SiO₂ group, a 30% SiO₂ group, and a 99.9% SiO₂ group, with 16 rats in each group. The rats in each group were tracheally titrated with 100 μL of 20 mg·mL⁻¹ suspension (5% SiO₂, 30% SiO₂, and 99.9% SiO₂) or normal saline, respectively. Alveolar lavage fluid was collected at the ends of the 1st month and the 3rd month. The relative expression levels of M1 or M2 markers, CD86 or CD206, in alveolar macrophages (AMs) were detected by immunofluorescence. The inflammation and fibrosis of lung tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and Masson staining. The expression levels of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), E-cadherin, and vimentin were detected by Western blotting. The expression levels of let-7c and c/EBP-δ genes were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. Results The HE and Masson staining results showed that compared with the control group, the degree of pulmonary fibrosis in the 5% SiO₂ group, the 30% SiO₂ group, and the 99.9% SiO₂ group gradually increased with the increase of dust exposure time. Compared with the control group, the expressions of CD86 and CD206 in the 5% SiO₂ group, the 30% SiO₂ group, and the 99.9% SiO₂ group gradually increased at the end of the 1st month (F=330.904, 146.801, P<0.05), and the expression of CD86 in each group decreased gradually at the end of the 3rd month (F=331.781, P<0.05), but the expression of CD206 increased (F=1164.190, P<0.05). At the end of the 1st month, the expressions of TGF-β1 (F=8.847, P<0.05) and vimentin (F=13.275, P<0.05) gradually increased, and the expression of E-cadherin (F=6.253, P<0.05) gradually reduced in the 5% SiO₂ group, the 30% SiO₂ group, and the 99.9% SiO₂ group. At the end of the 3rd month, the expressions of TGF-β1 (F=16.833, P<0.05) and vimentin (F=55.021, P<0.05) increased, and the expression of E-cadherin (F=12.790, P<0.05) gradually decreased in all groups. The PCR results showed that compared with the control group, the expression of let-7c mRNA in the 5% SiO₂ group, the 30% SiO₂ group, and the 99.9% SiO₂ group increased at the ends of the 1st month and the 3rd month (F=11.251, 28.136, P<0.05). The expression of c/EBP-δ mRNA decreased in all groups at the ends of the 1st month and the 3rd month (F=49.204, 177.090, P<0.05). Conclusion In response to dust stimulation, let-7c promotes EMT by modulating macrophage polarization, which is involved in the formation of pulmonary fibrosis and thus influences the progression of CWP .