Given that ovarian stimulation is vital for assisted reproductive technology (ART) and results in elevated serum estrogen levels, exploring the impact of elevated estrogen exposure on oocytes and embryos is necessary. We investigated the effects of various ovarian stimulation treatments on oocyte and embryo morphology and gene expression using a mouse model and estrogen-treated mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). Female C57BL/6J mice were subjected to two types of conventional ovarian stimulation and ovarian hyperstimulation; mice treated with only normal saline served as controls. Hyperstimulation resulted in high serum estrogen levels, enlarged ovaries, an increased number of aberrant oocytes, and decreased embryo formation. The messenger RNA (mRNA)‍-sequencing of oocytes revealed the dysregulated expression of lysine-specific demethylase 6b (Kdm6b), which may be a key factor indicating hyperstimulation-induced aberrant oocytes and embryos. In vitro, Kdm6b expression was downregulated in mESCs treated with high-dose estrogen; treatment with an estrogen receptor antagonist could reverse this downregulated expression level. Furthermore, treatment with high-dose estrogen resulted in the upregulated expression of histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) and phosphorylated H2A histone family member X (γ-H2AX). Notably, knockdown of Kdm6b and high estrogen levels hindered the formation of embryoid bodies, with a concomitant increase in the expression of H3K27me3 and γ-H2AX. Collectively, our findings revealed that hyperstimulation-induced high-dose estrogen could impair the demethylation of H3K27me3 by reducing Kdm6b expression. Accordingly, Kdm6b could be a promising marker for clinically predicting ART outcomes in patients with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.
Female ; Mice ; Demethylation/drug effects* ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; Estrogens/administration & dosage* ; Gene Expression/drug effects* ; Histones/metabolism* ; Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Oocytes ; Ovary/drug effects* ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Animals

Interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) is a critical transcription factor that governs the differentiation of cluster of differentiation 4⁺ (CD4⁺) T cells. The pathogenesis and progression of psoriasis are primarily attributed to an immune imbalance stemming from the overproduction of interleukin-17A (IL-17A) by T lymphocytes. However, the role of IRF4 in psoriasis remains unexplored. In this study, we found that IRF4 activity is increased in the cutaneous lesions of patients with psoriasis in response to stimulation by IL-23A and IL-1β. This IRF4 elevation heightens its binding to the E1A binding protein p300 (EP300) promoter, triggering the transcription of downstream retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor-γt (RORγt) and increasing the secretion of IL-17A, thereby establishing the IL-1β/IL-23A-IRF4-EP300-RORC-IL-17A inflammatory cascade in psoriasis. The alleviation of imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriatic-like symptoms was achieved through the creation of a Irf4 ^-/- gene deletion mouse model and pharmacological inhibition using antisense oligonucleotides targeted for Irf4. This amelioration was accompanied by a decreased number of IL-17A-producing CD4⁺ T cells in the skin. The findings of this study suggest that IRF4 plays a crucial role in the promotion of inflammation and exacerbation of IMQ-induced psoriasiform dermatitis. Consequently, IRF4 targeting could be a promising therapeutic strategy.

Objective To observe the protective effects of Yiqi Jiedu Decoction on ionizing radiation-induced small intestinal functional injury in mice,and explore whether it alleviates such injury by inhibiting small intestinal ferroptosis,thereby providing scientific support for the discovery and development of intestinal radiation protection drugs in aerospace medicine.Methods A total of 378 male Balb/c mice were randomly divided into 7 groups:blank control group,model group,positive drug group,high-dose Yiqi Jiedu Decoction group,low-dose Yiqi Jiedu Decoction group,Liproxstatin-1 pre-irradiation administration group,and Liproxstatin-1 post-irradiation administration group,with 54 mice in each group.Each group was further divided into 3 batches,with 18 mice per batch.Seven days after preventive administration,all groups except the blank control group were subjected to a single whole-body irradiation with 2.0 Gy 60Co γ-rays.The general condition and morphological structure of the small intestine were observed at 1,3,and 7 days post-irradiation.The small intestinal charcoal propulsion rate,serum D-xylose content,and lactic acid content were measured,along with the levels of Fe,LPO,MDA,GSH,and SOD activity in the small intestine.Results Yiqi Jiedu Decoction could mitigate the decrease in body weight of mice after 2.0 Gy 60Co γ-ray irradiation,improve the morphological structure of the small intestine,reduce the small intestine charcoal propulsion rate,increase serum D-xylose levels,and decrease total serum lactate levels.It also alleviated mitochondrial shrinkage in the small intestine and reduced the contents of Fe and MDA in small intestine tissues.Conclusion Yiqi Jiedu Decoction may alleviate ionizing radiation-induced small intestinal functional injury by inhibiting ferroptosis in the small intestine,providing a new strategy for intestinal radiation injury in deep space exploration missions such as manned spaceflight.

Objective To investigate the risk factors for lymph node metastasis in resectable lung adenocarcinoma by combining spatial location, clinical, and imaging features, and to construct a lymph node metastasis prediction model. Methods A retrospective study on patients who underwent chest CT at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from June 2016 to June 2020 and were surgically confirmed to have invasive lung adenocarcinoma with or without lymph node metastasis was conducted. Patients were divided into a positive group and a negative group based on the presence or absence of lymph node metastasis. Clinical and imaging data of the patients were collected, and the independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis in resectable lung adenocarcinoma were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. A combined spatial location-clinical-imaging feature prediction model for lymph node metastasis was established and compared with the traditional lymph node metastasis prediction model that does not include spatial location features. Results A total of 611 patients were included, with 333 in the positive group, including 172 males and 161 females, with an average age of (58.9±9.7) years; and 278 in the negative group, including 127 males and 151 females, with an average age of (60.1±11.4) years. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that the spatial relationship of the lesion to the lung hilum, nodule type, pleural changes, and serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels were independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis. Based on this, the combined spatial location-clinical-imaging feature prediction model had a sensitivity of 91.67%, specificity of 74.05%, accuracy of 87.88%, and area under the curve (AUC) of 0.885. The traditional lymph node metastasis prediction model, which did not include spatial location features, had a sensitivity of 76.40%, specificity of 72.10%, accuracy of 53.86%, and AUC of 0.827. The difference in AUC between the two prediction methods was statistically significant (P=0.026). Compared with the traditional prediction model, the predictive performance of the combined spatial location-clinical-imaging feature prediction model was significantly improved. Conclusion In patients with resectable lung adenocarcinoma, those with central/inner spatial location, solid density, pleural changes with wide base depression, and elevated serum CEA levels have a higher risk of lymph node metastasis.

Background::Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is gradually accepted as the standard of care in breast cancer patients with down-staged axillary disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). However, it is still difficult to precisely define pre-NAC clinical node-positive (cN1) and post-NAC clinical node-negative (ycN0). This prospective single-center trial was designed to evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of standard targeted axillary dissection (TAD) after NAC in highly selective pre-NAC cN1 patients (not considering ultrasound-based axillary ycN staging).Methods::This prospective trial included patients with initial pre-NAC cT1–3N1M0 invasive breast cancer but with a rigorous definition of cN1 from the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University. When NAC was effective (including complete and partial responses) and preoperative axillary palpation was negative, preoperative ultrasound-based axillary staging was not considered, and all patients underwent TAD followed by axillary lymph node (LN) dissection. The detection rate (DR) and false-negative rate (FNR) of TAD were calculated.Results::A total of 82 patients were included, and 77 of them were eligible for data analysis. The DR for TAD was 94.8% (73/77). There were 26 patients with one abnormal LN at the time of diagnosis based on ultrasound, 45 patients with two, and 2 patients with three. One patient had one TAD LN, four patients had two TAD LNs, and 68 patients had three or more TAD LNs. Preoperative axillary palpation yielded negative results for all 73 patients who successfully underwent TAD. Preoperative ultrasound-based ycN0 and ycN+ conditions were detected for 52 and 21 cases, respectively. The FNR was 7.4% (2/27) for standard TAD (≥3 SLNs), which was lower than that of all successful TAD (≥1 SLN; 10.0%, 3/30).Conclusions::In rigorously defined pre-NAC cN1 breast cancer patients, standard TAD is feasible for those with negative axillary palpation after NAC, and FNR is also less than 10%.Registration::chictr.org.cn, ChiCTR2100049093

Objective:To investigate the level of functional fitness of elderly hypertensive patients in the community and to analyze its influencing factors.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was used from November 2021 to September 2022, questionnaire survey and Senior Functional Fitness Test (SFT) were conducted on 189 elderly hypertensive patients in the community by convenience sampling method, multiple linear regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of SFT in elderly hypertensive patients in the community.Results:Totally 189 cases of community-aged hypertensive patients completed the investigation, 88 cases were male and 101 were female. The total SFT score of community-aged hypertensive patients was (58.61 ± 16.07). Single factor analysis showed that there were significant differences in SFT scores among patients with different gender, age and education ( t=-2.57, F=6.24, 7.54, all P<0.05). Multifactorial analysis revealed that age ( t=-5.55), gender ( t=2.63), and literacy ( t=5.69) were influential factors in the total SFT scores of community-dwelling elderly hypertensive patients (all P<0.05). Conclusions:Age, gender, and literacy level are the main factors affecting the total SFT scores of elderly hypertensive patients in the community, and community caregivers should pay close attention to the above elderly hypertensive population.

Objective:To construct and validate the physical fitness age model for community-dwelling elderly people, so as to provide new methods and reference for the health assessment and rehabilitation guidance of the elderly.Methods:From March to September 2021, 794 community-dwelling health people in six districts of Suzhou (Wuzhong District, Gusu District, Xiangcheng District, Wujiang District, Huqiu District and Industrial Park) were selected by multi-stage stratified sampling. Postgraduates who received unified training used unified monitoring tools to assess the physical function and physical fitness of the subjects in the designated community health service centers. Principal component analysis was used to construct a physical fitness age model. According to the scores of Short Physical Performance Battery, people with high physical function and people with low physical function were divided to verify the effectiveness of the model evaluation.Results:A total of four indicators, including 2-min step test, 30 s chair stand test, biceps flexion and lift test, and time up and go test (TUGT) , were finally included to build a physical fitness age model. The model formula was physical fitness age=-0.126×2-min step test-0.612×biceps flexion and lift test-0.625×30 s chair stand test+1.855×TUGT+0.51×age+55.29. The model validation showed that the physical fitness age of the community-dwelling elderly people of the high physical function group was lower than the age, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.01) . The physical fitness age of the community-dwelling elderly people of the low physical function group was higher than that of the age, and the difference was also statistically significant ( P<0.01) . The research results were consistent with the research assumptions, suggesting that the model was reasonable and effective. Conclusions:The construction of the physical fitness age model for community-dwelling elderly people can reflect the decline of the elderly's physical function, can be used for the elderly's health assessment and rehabilitation guidance, and can provide evaluation indicators for the elderly to provide community and home medical care services.

Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) is an emerging powerful cancer immunotherapy, which includes a complex process of genetic modification, stimulation and expansion. During these

Objective:To investigate the risk factors for anastomotic leakage after laparo-scopic lower anterior resection (LAR) of rectal cancer, and the application value of its risk assess-ment scoring model.Methods:The retrospective case-control study was conducted. The clinico-pathological data of 539 patients who underwent laparoscopic LAR of rectal cancer in 13 medical centers, including 248 cases in Renji Hospital of Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 35 cases in Ningbo First Hospital, 35 cases in Changzhou Second People's Hospital, 32 cases in the First People's Hospital of Nantong, 32 cases in Linyi People's Hospital, 31 cases in Changzhou Wujin People's Hospital, 28 cases in Jiading District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 27 cases in the First Hospital of Taizhou, 26 cases in Shanghai Pudong Gongli Hospital, 21 cases in the People's Hospital of Rugao, 11 cases in Central Hospital of Fengxian District, 7 cases in Ningbo Hangzhou Bay Hospital and 6 cases in Jiangsu jianhu People's Hospital, from January 2016 to November 2020 were collected. There were 157 males and 382 females, aged (62.7±0.5)years. Observation indicators: (1) follow-up; (2) risk factors for anastomotic leakage after laparoscopic LAR; (3) establishment of risk assessment scoring model for anastomotic leakage after laparoscopic LAR. Follow-up was conducted by outpatient examination or telephone interview. Patients were followed up at 1 week after discharge or 1 month after the operation to detect the anastomotic leakage. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M(range). Count data were represented as absolute numbers or percentages, and comparison between groups was analyzed using the chi-square test. Univariate analysis was conducted using the chi-square test and multivariate analysis was conducted usong the Logistic regression model. The area under curve of receiver operating characteristic curve was used to estimate the efficiency of detecton methods. The maximum value of the Youden index was defined as the best cut-off value. Results:(1) Follow-up: 539 patients were followed up at postoperative 1 week and 1 month. During the follow-up, 79 patient had anastomotic leakage, with an incidence of 14.66%(79/539). Of the 79 patients, 39 cases were cured after conservative treatment, 40 cases were cured after reoperation (ileostomy or colostomy). (2) Risk factors for anastomotic leakage after laparoscopic LAR. Results of univariate analysis showed that sex, age, body mass index, smoking and/or drinking, tumor diameter, diabetes mellitus, hemoglobin, albumin, grade of American Society of Anesthesio-logists (ASA), neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, distance from anastomotic level to dentate line, the number of pelvic stapler, reinforced anastomosis, volume of intraoperative blood loss, placement of decompression tube, preservation of left colic artery, operation time and professional doctors were related factors for anastomotic leakage after laparoscopic LAR ( χ2=14.060, 4.387, 5.039, 4.094, 17.488, 33.485, 25.066, 28.959, 34.973, 34.207, 22.076, 13.208, 16.440, 17.708, 17.260, 4.573, 5.919, 5.389, P<0.05). Results of multivariate analysis showed that male, tumor diameter ≥3.5 cm, diabetes mellitus, hemoglobin <90 g/L, albumin <30 g/L, grade of ASA ≥Ⅲ, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, distance from anastomotic level to dentate line <1 cm, the number of pelvic stapler ≥3, non-reinforced anastomosis, volume of intraoperative blood loss ≥100 mL and no placement of decom-pression tube were independent risk factors for anastomotic leakage after laparoscopic LAR ( odds ratio=2.864,3.043,12.556,7.178,8.425,12.895,8.987,4.002,3.084,4.393,3.266,3.224,95% confidence interval as 1.279?6.411, 1.404?6.594, 4.469?35.274, 2.648?19.459, 2.471?28.733, 4.027?41.289, 3.702?21.777, 1.746?9.171, 1.365?6.966, 1.914?10.083, 1.434?7.441, 1.321?7.867, P<0.05). (3) Establishment of risk assessment scoring model for anastomotic leakage after laparoscopic LAR. based on the results of univariate analysis, clinicopathological factors with χ2>20, χ2>10 and ≤20 or χ2≤10 were defined as scoring of 3, 2, 1, respectively. The cumulative clinicopatho-logical factors scoring ≥6 was defined as an effective evaluating indicator for postoperative anastomotic leakage. The risk assessment scoring model (6-321) for anastomotic leakage after laparoscopic LAR was established. The cumulative value ≥6 indicated high incidence of anastomotic leakage, and the cumulative value <6 indicated low incidence of anastomotic leakage. Conclusions:Male, tumor diameter ≥3.5 cm, diabetes mellitus, hemoglobin <90 g/L, albumin <30 g/L, grade of ASA ≥Ⅲ, neo-adjuvant chemoradiotherapy, distance from anastomotic level to dentate line <1 cm, the number of pelvic stapler ≥3, non-reinforced anastomosis, volume of intraoperative blood loss ≥100 mL and no placement of decompression tube are independent risk factors for anastomotic leakage after laparoscopic LAR. The risk assessment scoring model (6-321) is established according to the above results.The cumulative value ≥6 indicates high incidence of anastomotic leakage and the cumulative value <6 indicates low incidence of anastomotic leakage.

Objective:To investigate the relationship of osteoporotic vertebral body compression fracture(OVCF)with multifidus muscle and intervertebral disc degeneration in the lower lumbar spine and the lumbar-pelvic parameters in elderly women.Methods:Clinical data of a total of 108 elderly women with osteoporosis were retrospectively analyzed.They were divided into the fracture group(n=56)and the control group(n=52)according to the presence of vertebral body compression fractures.Age, body mass index(BMI)and bone mineral density(BMD)were collected in two groups.The angle of pelvic incidence(PI), angle of pelvic tilt(PT), low lumbar lordosis(LLL)and sacral slope(SS)were measured by the standing lumbar lateral X-ray photography.The degree of degeneration of intervertebral disc L 3-S 1 and multifidus muscle were detected by using the lumbar MRI.These parameters were compared between the two groups. Results:The age, BMI and BMD had no significant difference between the two groups( P>0.05). The degree of intervertebral disc degeneration of L 3-L 4 and L 4-L 5 was statistically significant higher in the fracture group than in the control group( Z=-4.656 and -2.675, P=0.000 and 0.007), while the degree of intervertebral disc degeneration of L 5-S 1 had no statistically significant difference between the two groups( Z=-1.784, P=0.075). There were statistically significant higher multifidus muscle degeneration of L 3-L 4 and L 4-L 5 in the fracture group than in the control group( Z=-3.248 and -4.073, P=0.001 and 0.000), while no significant difference between the two groups in multifidus muscle degeneration of L 5-S 1( Z=-1.096, P=0.282). No statistically significant differences were found in PI, PT, SS and LLL between the two groups( t=1.162, 0.827, -0.082 and -0.677, P=0.248, 0.410, 0.935 and 0.500). Conclusions:The degeneration of intervertebral disc and multifidus muscle of L 3-L 4 and L 4-L 5 is positively correlated with OVCF in elderly women.