1.Exploring the Application of "Cleaning Spleen and Restoring Defensive Qi" Method in Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer based on Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Abnormal Accumulation
Chuanlong ZHANG ; Mengqi GAO ; Yi LI ; Xiaochen JIANG ; Songting SHOU ; Bo PANG ; Baojin HUA
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(1):30-33
The abnormal accumulation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) can promote the initiation and progression of pancreatic cancer, which is considered a potential therapeutic target for this disease. The Miraculous Pivot·Inquiry About Statement (《灵枢·口问》) have recorded the concept of "defensive qi stagnation". Based on the recognition that the function of defensive qi is similar to the immune function of neutrophils, and combining traditional Chinese medicine theory with clinical practice, it is proposed that the abnormal accumulation of NETs may be a pathological product of "defensive qi stagnation", with the spleen being the critical site of pathology. Further exploring the application strategy of cleaning spleen and restoring defensive qi method in pancreatic cancer treatment, it is proposed to employ three approaches such as dredging method to eliminate spleen stagnation and inhibit pancreatic cancer proliferation, cleaning method to remove spleen dampness and suppress the inflammatory micro-environment, and tonifying method to strengthen Weiqi and to improve the immune microenvironment, which aims to provide new insights for the clinical treatment of pancreatic cancer with traditional Chinese medicine.
2.Mining and verification of inflammation-related genes in skeletal muscle of exhaustive exercise rats undergoing cannabidiol intervention
Wenning ZHU ; Lili SUN ; Lina PENG ; Juncheng SI ; Wanli ZANG ; Weidong YIN ; Mengqi LI
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(11):2347-2356
BACKGROUND:Cannabidiol is effective in ameliorating the body's inflammatory response,but no clear mechanistic studies have been conducted to ameliorate skeletal muscle inflammation induced by exhaustive exercise. OBJECTIVE:To explore the mechanism by which cannabidiol improves skeletal muscle inflammation during exhaustive exercise by using transcriptome sequencing technology. METHODS:Thirty-six Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups:blank control group,exercise coconut oil group,exercise control group,50 mg/kg cannabidiol group,60 mg/kg cannabidiol group,and 70 mg/kg cannabidiol group,with six rats in each group.Except for rats in the blank control group,rats in each group were subjected to swimming exercise for 9 days to produce the exhaustive exercise model.At the end of each swimming exercise,rats in the cannabidiol groups were given 2 mL of fat-soluble cannabidiol at different concentrations(50,60,and 70 mg/kg)by gavage;rats in the exercise coconut oil group were given the same volume of coconut oil by gavage until the end of the exercise on the 9th day;and rats in the blank control group and the exercise control group were not given any special treatment.The levels of inflammatory factors and differentially expressed genes in the skeletal muscle of rats in each group were determined using ELISA and transcriptome sequencing techniques.Differentially expressed genes obtained were subjected to KEGG analysis,and the accuracy of the sequencing data was verified by fluorescence quantitative PCR. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The results of ELISA showed that the contents of interleukin-6(P<0.05),tumor necrosis factor-α(P<0.01),interleukin-10 and other inflammatory factors in the exercise group increased significantly compared with the blank control group and the coconut oil group.After cannabidiol intervention,the mass concentrations of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α showed a sequential decrease with increasing cannabidiol concentration.By comparing GO and KEGG databases,the functional properties of differentially expressed genes were analyzed,and the results showed that the differentially expressed genes were mainly involved in the tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway and the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway.RT-qPCR results showed that the trends of five randomly selected differentially expressed genes were in agreement with the transcriptome sequencing results.To conclude,cannabidiol can improve skeletal muscle inflammation caused by exhaustive exercise.
3.Research progress in diagnosis and treatment of salivary gland tumors.
Guangyan YU ; Xin PENG ; Min GAO ; Peng YE ; Na GE ; Mengqi JIA ; Bingyu LI ; Zunan TANG ; Leihao HU ; Wenbo ZHANG
Journal of Peking University(Health Sciences) 2025;57(1):1-6
Salivary gland tumor is one of the most common tumors in oral and maxillofacial regions. The diagnosis and treatment of salivary gland tumors had been a clinical characteristic project in Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology since long time ago. Here we introduced the research progress in diagnosis and treatment of salivary gland tumors during the past 10 years. Among 7 190 cases of salivary gland tumors treated in this institution, 4 654 cases (64.7%) were benign, and 2 536 (35.3%) were malignant, with benign ∶ malignant ratio of 1.84 ∶ 1. Parotid was the most common location, followed by minor salivary gland and submandibular gland, while sublingular gland tumor was seldom seen. The proportion of minor salivary gland tumor was relatively high. Among 1 874 cases with primary malignant tumors, the cases with T3 and stage Ⅲ accounted for only 9.6% and 10.3%, respectively, which indicated that there was shortcoming in the T classification and clinical stage formulated by Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), and further revision was required. The 5, 10, and 15 year survival rates of 1 637 cases with postoperative follow-up were 93.1%, 87.2% and 79.3%, respectively, which were much higher than those we reported 30 years ago. The improvement of treatment results was related to more widely used combined treatment with surgery and postoperative radiotherapy, and the increase in patients with early stage. Adenoid cystic carcinoma was the malignant tumor with high rate of distant metastasis. The 5 and 10 year survival rates of the patients with pulmonary metastasis were 76.2% and 51.8%, respectively, which indicated that the pulmonary metastatic carcinomas developed slowly. Recurrent rate of carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma was 46.7% after single treatment of sur-gery, while it decreased to 27.5% after combined theraphy with surgery and radiotherapy, indicating that postoperative radiotheraphy could reduce the recurrent rate effectively. The normal myoepithelial cells had the inhibiting role in the invasion and metastasis of carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma. The evaluation of integrity of myoepithelial cells surrounding the tumor mass is helpful to understand the invasiveness of the tumors. The new surgical modalities such as extracapsular resection and partial sialoadenectomy were used in treatment of benign tumors of parotid gland and submandibular gland with advantages of decreased tissue damage and preservation of glandular function. Application of digital surgical techniques such as mixed reality combined with surgical navigation and real-time three-dimensional holograms in the surgical treatment of parotid gland tumors showed the benifits of more safety and precision, and less tissue da-mage.
Humans
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Salivary Gland Neoplasms/pathology*
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Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic/therapy*
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Adenoma, Pleomorphic/therapy*
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Neoplasm Staging
4.Sexually Dimorphic Cellular Architecture and Neural Circuity of ovBNST Proenkephalin Neurons.
Limei SONG ; Yuqing ZHANG ; Mengqi FENG ; Wenwen SU ; Riming ZHU ; Bin ZHANG ; Xia ZHANG ; Jie LI
Neuroscience Bulletin 2025;41(9):1589-1602
Sexual dimorphism in the brain underlies behavioral differences between sexes. The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is a complex nucleus that differs between males and females, but the sexual dimorphism in cytoarchitecture and the connectome of its oval subdivision (ovBNST) remains largely unexplored. By combining snRNA-seq and transgenic labeling, we found a higher density of ovBNST proenkephalin (ovBNSTPENK) neurons in male than female mice. Anatomically, we virally mapped the efferents and afferents of ovBNSTPENK neurons, finding reciprocally dimorphic connections with the hypothalamus and striatum. Gene enrichment analysis suggests that ovBNSTPENK neurons are modulated by the upstream dopamine pathway. Functionally, by applying caspase-3-mediated depletion of ovBNSTPENK neurons, we found that loss of these neurons enhanced locomotor activity in male but not female mice, without altering the anxiety-like phenotypes in either sex. Our study may pave the way for a better understanding of the anatomical and functional profiles of ovBNSTPENK neurons from a sexually dimorphic perspective.
Animals
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Male
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Female
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Septal Nuclei/physiology*
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Sex Characteristics
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Neurons/physiology*
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Enkephalins/metabolism*
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Mice
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Mice, Transgenic
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Protein Precursors/metabolism*
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Neural Pathways/physiology*
5.SIGLEC-1 and type 1 diabetes autoimmune response: Emerging research
Mengqi GUO ; Yangang WANG ; Shufa LI
Chinese Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism 2024;40(7):570-572
Recent findings from Diabetologia highlight the pivotal role of sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-type lectin 1(SIGLEC-1) positive monocytes in the early onset of type 1 diabetes. These cells activate immune effector cells primarily via the interferon signaling pathway, diverging from traditional antigen presentation methods, thereby triggering pancreatic inflammation and destruction. This discovery paves the way for novel approaches in early diagnosis and targeted therapies for type 1 diabetes.
6.Application of Ancient Books in Clinical Practice Guidelines and Expert Consensus of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Current Status and Methodological Recommendations
Changhao LIANG ; Dingran YIN ; Jing CUI ; Xinshuai YAO ; Xinyi GU ; Yifei YAN ; Wanting LIU ; Yingqiao WANG ; Yingqi CHANG ; Haoyu DONG ; Mengqi LI ; Yuanyuan LI ; Yutong FEI
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;65(8):801-809
ObjectiveTo explore the current status and issues regarding the application of ancient books in clinical practice guidelines and expert consensus of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) published in China, and to provide methodological recommendations for the incorporation of ancient books in the development of TCM guidelines. MethodsWe searched China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WanFang Data, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, Embase, as well as six industry websites including China Association of Chinese Medicine, National Group Standards Information Platform, and Chinese Association of the Integration of Traditional and Western Medicine,etc. TCM clinical practice guidelines or expert consensus issued during January 1st, 2017, to November 26th, 2022 were searched. Clinical practice guidelines or expert consensus that explicitly referred to ancient books were included, and the content regarding the searching for ancient books, sources of access to ancient books, methods of evaluating the level of evidence, methods of evaluating the level of recommendation, and methods of evaluating the evidence for the ancient books were analysed. ResultsA total of 1,215 TCM clinical practice guidelines or expert consensus were retrieved, with 442 articles explicitly mentioning the application of ancient books, including 300 (67.87%) clinical practice guidelines and 142 (32.13%) expert consensus. Sixty of the 442 publications explicitly reported that ancient books searching had been conducted (13.57%); among these 60 publications 27 (45.00%) explicitly reported ancient books searching strategies, and the most frequent method was manual searching with a total of 24 articles (40.00%). The most popular search source was Chinese Medical Dictionary, a TCM classics database, with a total of 18 articles. 197 articles (44.57%) explicitly reported the evaluation criteria for the level of evidence, of which 141 articles (71.57%) involved the evaluation criteria for the ancient books; 413 articles (93.44%) mentioned ancient books in the recommendations, and only the source of formula name was mentioned in 409 (99.03%) of the publications. ConclusionThe current application of ancient books in TCM clinical practice guidelines and expert consensus is limited, with issues of non-standard searching and evaluation methods. Standar-dization and uniformity are needed in evidence grading and recommendation standards. Future research should clarify the scope and methods of applying ancient book, emphasize their integration with modern research evidence, and enhance their value and quality in the development of TCM clinical practice guidelines.
7.Inhibitory effect of Lactobacillus reuteri on rotavirus replication in vivo and in vitro and its effect on expression of immune factors
Xiaofeng LI ; Meihui CHENG ; Yang LIU ; Changcheng LIU ; Xuejiao JIA ; Mengqi LIU ; Wei ZHAO
Journal of Jilin University(Medicine Edition) 2024;50(6):1597-1605
Objectives:To discuss the inhibitory effect of Lactobacillus reuteri on the replication of rotavirus(RV)strain SA11 in vivo and in vitro,and to clarify its effect on the expression of related immune factors.Methods:For in vitro experiments,Lactobacillus reuteri was cultured and identified,and the standard curve and growth curve were plotted to screen the optimal time and concentration for Lactobacillus reuteri cultivation.The cells were infected with Lactobacillus reuteri at the concentrations of 5×108,10×108,50×108,100×108,200×108,and 500×108 CFU·mL-1,and the surival rates of Caco-2 cells were detected by trypan blue staining method.Various concentrations of Lactobacillus reuteri were co-incubated with RV in vitro and applied to the Caco-2 cells.The cells were divided into negative control group(NC group),positive control group(PC group),and 107,108,109,and 1010 CFU·mL-1 Lactobacillus reuteri groups.Immunofluorescence focus method was used to detect the viral titers in the Caco-2 cells after treated with Lactobacillus reuteri and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)method was used to detect the copy numbers of RV VP6 gene in the Caco-2 cells after treated with various concentrations of Lactobacillus reuteri.In in vivo experiments,25 litters of SPF suckling mice were divided into control group,RV group(infected with SA11 strain),Ab-NC group(treated with antibiotic to deplete gut microbiota),Ab-RV group(depleting gut microbiota and then infected with SA11 strain),and Ab-Lac-RV group(depleting gut microbiota,treated with Lactobacillus reuteri,and then infected with SA11 strain).The fecal samples were collected on days 2,4,6,8,and 10 gavage,colon tissue sample were collected on day 4 of and RT-qPCR method was used to detect the copy numbers of RV VP6 gene in feces and the mRNA expression levels of interleukin(IL)-1β,IL-8,IL-10,interferon-γ(IFN-γ),and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)in colon tissue of the suckling mice in vartious groups.Results:The Lactobacillus reuteri grew well,with round,smooth,and milky white convex colonies and neat edges.After Gram staining,the bacteria appeared purple,irregular,and square-shaped rods.16SrDNA sequencing showed 99%sequence homology,indicating successful activation of Lactobacillus reuteri.The number of live Lactobacillus reuteri was linearly related to the absorbance(A)value,and the standard curve for regression analysis was Y=0.437 5X+0.000 6,R2=0.999 4.During the 0-2 h cultivation period,the bacteria were at the logarithmic growth phase with slow growth;from 2-14 h,the bacteria grew rapidly and stabilized at 14-16 h,reaching the growth rate peak at 16 h,after which they entered the decline phase.Infection with Lactobacillus reuteri at concentrations of 5×108,10×108,50×108,100×108,and 200×108 CFU·mL-1 resulted in the survival rates of Caco-2 cells were all>90%,so these concentrations were selected for the further experiments.Compared with PC group,the copy numbers of RV VP6 gene in the Caco-2 cells in 5×108,10×108,50×108,100×108,and 200×108 CFU·mL-1 Lactobacillus reuteri groups were significantly decreased(P<0.01).Compared with PC group,the viral titers in the Caco-2 cells in 107,108,109,and 1010 CFU·mL-1 Lactobacillus reuteri groups were significantly decreased(P<0.01).Compared with control group,the numbers of gut microbiota colonies in Ab-NC,Ab-RV,and Ab-Lac-RV groups were significantly decreased,indicating successful depletion of gut microbiota in the suckling mice.On days 2 and 4 after gavage,the RV VP6 gene copy number in the feces in Ab-RV group was significantly lower than that in RV group(P<0.05).On days 4,6,8,and 10 after gavage,the RV VP6 gene copy number in the feces in Ab-Lac-RV group was significantly lower than that in Ab-RV group(P<0.05).Compared with control group,the expression levels of IL-1β,IL-10,IFN-γ,and TNF-α mRNA in colon tissue in Ab-RV and Ab-Lac-RV groups were significantly increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01),while the expression level of IL-8 mRNA was significantly decreased(P<0.05),and the expression level of IL-10 mRNA in colon tissue in Ab-LAC-RV group was significantly increased(P<0.01).Conclusion:Lactobacillus reuteri may inhibit the RV replication by upregulating the expressions of IL-1β,IL-10,IFN-γ,and TNF-α mRNA and downregulating the expression of IL-8 mRNA.
8.Construction and Validation of a Nomogram for Predicting Lymph Node Metas-tasis in Cervical Cancer Using Preoperative Inflammatory and Immune Nutri-tional Indicators
Xingyue XU ; Yilin GUO ; Lu WANG ; Mengqi LI ; Rui LI ; Fuhua LU ; Hu ZHAO
Journal of Practical Obstetrics and Gynecology 2024;40(8):645-650
Objective:To predict lymph node metastasis in patients preoperatively diagnosed with early-stage cervical cancer based on preoperative inflammatory and immune nutritional indicators,and to construct a nomo-gram prediction model,providing a basis and tool for preoperative diagnosis of lymph node metastasis in cervical cancer.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 307 patients preoperatively diag-nosed with early-stage cervical cancer who underwent surgical treatment at the Obstetrics and Gynecology De-partment of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2018 to July 2023.R software was used to randomize the groups into a training set(n=231)and a validation set(n=76)in a 3∶1 ratio.Uni-variate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed to identify factors influencing lymph node me-tastasis in patients preoperatively diagnosed with early-stage cervical cancer.R software was used to establish a nomogram prediction model and draw receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves and calibration curves for validation.Results:① The results of univariate logistic regression analysis showed that positive lymphovascular invasion,platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio(PLR)≥151.70,neutrophil-to-white blood cell ratio(NWR)≥0.65,plate-let-to-albumin ratio(PAR)≥ 4.94,preoperative systemic immune-inflammation index(SII)≥604.03,and sys-temic inflammatory response index(SIRI)≥ 1.05 were associated with lymph node metastasis(P<0.05).②Multivariate logistic regression analysis found that positive lymphovascular invasion,NWR≥0.65,and PAR≥4.94 were independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis in patients preoperatively diagnosed with early-stage cervical cancer(OR>1,P<0.05).③ A nomogram was constructed to predict lymph node metastasis in patients preoperatively diagnosed with early-stage cervical cancer.The ROC curve shows an area under the train-ing set curve(AUC)of 0.821 and a validation set AUC of 0.858.The calibration curve shows an average abso-lute error of 0.024 for the training set and 0.059 for the validation set.Conclusions:The prediction model for lymph node metastasis in cervical cancer constructed using preoperative inflammatory and immune nutritional indi-cators such as NWR,PAR is helpful for gynecological oncologists to predict lymph node metastasis in cervical cancer patients before surgery.
9.Construction and Validation of a Nomogram for Predicting Lymph Node Metas-tasis in Cervical Cancer Using Preoperative Inflammatory and Immune Nutri-tional Indicators
Xingyue XU ; Yilin GUO ; Lu WANG ; Mengqi LI ; Rui LI ; Fuhua LU ; Hu ZHAO
Journal of Practical Obstetrics and Gynecology 2024;40(8):645-650
Objective:To predict lymph node metastasis in patients preoperatively diagnosed with early-stage cervical cancer based on preoperative inflammatory and immune nutritional indicators,and to construct a nomo-gram prediction model,providing a basis and tool for preoperative diagnosis of lymph node metastasis in cervical cancer.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 307 patients preoperatively diag-nosed with early-stage cervical cancer who underwent surgical treatment at the Obstetrics and Gynecology De-partment of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2018 to July 2023.R software was used to randomize the groups into a training set(n=231)and a validation set(n=76)in a 3∶1 ratio.Uni-variate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed to identify factors influencing lymph node me-tastasis in patients preoperatively diagnosed with early-stage cervical cancer.R software was used to establish a nomogram prediction model and draw receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves and calibration curves for validation.Results:① The results of univariate logistic regression analysis showed that positive lymphovascular invasion,platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio(PLR)≥151.70,neutrophil-to-white blood cell ratio(NWR)≥0.65,plate-let-to-albumin ratio(PAR)≥ 4.94,preoperative systemic immune-inflammation index(SII)≥604.03,and sys-temic inflammatory response index(SIRI)≥ 1.05 were associated with lymph node metastasis(P<0.05).②Multivariate logistic regression analysis found that positive lymphovascular invasion,NWR≥0.65,and PAR≥4.94 were independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis in patients preoperatively diagnosed with early-stage cervical cancer(OR>1,P<0.05).③ A nomogram was constructed to predict lymph node metastasis in patients preoperatively diagnosed with early-stage cervical cancer.The ROC curve shows an area under the train-ing set curve(AUC)of 0.821 and a validation set AUC of 0.858.The calibration curve shows an average abso-lute error of 0.024 for the training set and 0.059 for the validation set.Conclusions:The prediction model for lymph node metastasis in cervical cancer constructed using preoperative inflammatory and immune nutritional indi-cators such as NWR,PAR is helpful for gynecological oncologists to predict lymph node metastasis in cervical cancer patients before surgery.
10.Construction and Validation of a Nomogram for Predicting Lymph Node Metas-tasis in Cervical Cancer Using Preoperative Inflammatory and Immune Nutri-tional Indicators
Xingyue XU ; Yilin GUO ; Lu WANG ; Mengqi LI ; Rui LI ; Fuhua LU ; Hu ZHAO
Journal of Practical Obstetrics and Gynecology 2024;40(8):645-650
Objective:To predict lymph node metastasis in patients preoperatively diagnosed with early-stage cervical cancer based on preoperative inflammatory and immune nutritional indicators,and to construct a nomo-gram prediction model,providing a basis and tool for preoperative diagnosis of lymph node metastasis in cervical cancer.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 307 patients preoperatively diag-nosed with early-stage cervical cancer who underwent surgical treatment at the Obstetrics and Gynecology De-partment of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2018 to July 2023.R software was used to randomize the groups into a training set(n=231)and a validation set(n=76)in a 3∶1 ratio.Uni-variate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed to identify factors influencing lymph node me-tastasis in patients preoperatively diagnosed with early-stage cervical cancer.R software was used to establish a nomogram prediction model and draw receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves and calibration curves for validation.Results:① The results of univariate logistic regression analysis showed that positive lymphovascular invasion,platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio(PLR)≥151.70,neutrophil-to-white blood cell ratio(NWR)≥0.65,plate-let-to-albumin ratio(PAR)≥ 4.94,preoperative systemic immune-inflammation index(SII)≥604.03,and sys-temic inflammatory response index(SIRI)≥ 1.05 were associated with lymph node metastasis(P<0.05).②Multivariate logistic regression analysis found that positive lymphovascular invasion,NWR≥0.65,and PAR≥4.94 were independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis in patients preoperatively diagnosed with early-stage cervical cancer(OR>1,P<0.05).③ A nomogram was constructed to predict lymph node metastasis in patients preoperatively diagnosed with early-stage cervical cancer.The ROC curve shows an area under the train-ing set curve(AUC)of 0.821 and a validation set AUC of 0.858.The calibration curve shows an average abso-lute error of 0.024 for the training set and 0.059 for the validation set.Conclusions:The prediction model for lymph node metastasis in cervical cancer constructed using preoperative inflammatory and immune nutritional indi-cators such as NWR,PAR is helpful for gynecological oncologists to predict lymph node metastasis in cervical cancer patients before surgery.

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