OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether adding Fuzheng Jiedu Xiaoji (FZJDXJ) therapy improves survival in advanced hepatitis B virus-related HCC (HBV-HCC) patients. METHODS: This prospective, randomized controlled study was performed at a major academic medical center in Beijing, China from October 2020 to October 2022. Eligible patients with advanced HBV-HCC were randomly divided equally (1:1) to receive either the combination of FZJDXJ and conventional Western medical therapy (63 cases, FZJDXJ group) or solely Western medicine (66 cases, control group). The study endpoints consisted of overall survival (OS) as the primary outcome, with progression-free survival (PFS), disease control rate (DCR), and adverse events (AEs) as secondary measures. RESULTS: The median OS was significantly prolonged in the FZJDXJ group at 8.9 months (95% CI: 6.0-11.9) vs. 4.4 months (95% CI: 3.2-7.3) in the control group (P<0.05). The hazard ratio for mortality in the FZJDXJ group was 0.59 (95% CI: 0.40-0.89), suggesting a 41% lower risk of death compared to the control group. The results revealed that patients receiving FZJDXJ therapy achieved a PFS of 5.1 months (95% CI: 4.1 to 7.2 months), compared to only 2.9 months (95% CI: 2.0 to 4.6 months) in the control group (P<0.05). Additionally, DCR was significantly elevated in the FZJDXJ group (20.6%) compared to the control group (10.6%, P<0.05). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that FZJDXJ significantly improved OS in patients with alpha-fetoprotein levels <400 ng/mL, age <60 years, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage C, and compensated liver function (Child-Pugh A and B, P<0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that FZJDXJ therapy acted as an independent factor protecting against mortality within 1 year. Gastrointestinal symptoms are rare side effects, and no fatalities associated with the treatment were reported. CONCLUSION This randomized controlled trial demonstrated that FZJDXJ combined Western conventional therapy significantly improves OS and PFS in patients with advanced HBV-HCC. (registration No. ChiCTR2000033941).
Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Liver Neoplasms/virology* ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/virology* ; Treatment Outcome ; Hepatitis B virus ; Adult ; Aged ; Hepatitis B/drug therapy*

Alzheimer's disease(AD), a neurodegenerative disorder associated with aging, is the most prevalent form of dementia.As the aging population continues to expand, AD presents significant health and caregiving challenges for families and society, making it a pressing international public health concern.In recent years, numerous countries have implemented dementia prevention and treatment strategies that emphasize community-based comprehensive approaches.Currently, the community-based AD prevention and treatment model in China is still in the exploratory phase, with community efforts lacking organization.In alignment with China's action plan for advancing dementia prevention and treatment, and to achieve the strategic objective of "healthy aging, " this consensus is based on the principle of three-level prevention and is tailored to the characteristics of AD disease progression.It aims to develop a comprehensive prevention and treatment strategy for AD that is suitable for communities in China, providing technical guidance and support to establish a scientific basis for formulating community AD prevention and treatment models.

AIM To study the chemical constituents from the water fraction of rhizoma of Smilax trinervula Miq.and their biological activities.METHODS Polyamide,silica gel,Sephadex LH-20,ODS and semi-preparative HPLC were used for isolation and purification,then the structures of obtained compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectral data.The antitumor activities were determined by MTT mothod,and the inhibitory activities on α-glucosidase were determined by PNPG method.RESULTS Eleven compounds were isolated and identified as tyrosine(1),uridine(2),2-(2',3',4'-trihydroxybutyl)-6-(2",3",4"-trihydroxybutyl)-pyrazine(3),2-(1',2',3',4'-tetrahydroxybutyl)-6-(2",3",4"-trihydroxybutyl)-pyrazine(4),2-(1',2',3',4'-tetrahydroxybutyl)-5-(2",3",4"-trihydroxybutyl)-pyrazine(5),uracil(6),2-(1',2',3',4'-tetrahydroxybutyl)-5-(1",2",3",4"-tetrahydroxybutyl)-pyrazine(7),dioscin(8),shikimic acid(9),pyrazine(10),3,4-dihydroxyphenyethyl alcohol 8-O-β-D-glycopyranoside(11).The IC50 values of compounds 8 to human breast cancer cell MCF-7 was(2.36±0.26)μg/mL,and the IC50 values of compounds 3-5 and 7 to α-glucosidase were(1.54±0.15)-(10.53±0.38)μg/mL.CONCLUSION Compounds 1-7,10 are isolated from Smilax genus for the first time,and compound 9,11 are first isolated from this plant.Compound 8 has anti-tumor activity,and compounds 3-5,7 have α-glucosidase inhibitory activities.

Objective:To evaluate the value of ultrasound radiomics combined with machine learning for early diagnosis of seronegative Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (SN-HT) .Methods:This retrospective study included 164 patients from Liaoning Provincial People’s Hospital , Lixin County People’s Hospital, Linghai Dalinghe Hospital, Fengcheng Phoenix Hospital, who underwent thyroidectomy for solitary nodules with normal thyroid function between Nov. 2016 and Jan. 2024. Postoperative pathology confirmed Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) in some cases, who were further categorized into antibody-positive and antibody-negative groups based on serum antibody status. Patients without Hashimoto’s thyroiditis served as the control group. A total of 298 ultrasound images were analyzed. Radiomics features were extracted from hypoechoic non-nodular areas within 0.5 cm surrounding the tumor. Two senior pathologists and two senior ultrasound physicians independently assessed lymphocytic infiltration, eosinophilic changes of follicular epithelium, and the proportion of hypoechoic areas in pathology and ultrasound images, respectively. A machine learning model, CCH-NET, was developed using linear regression and t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) techniques. The dataset was divided into a training set (80%) and a validation set (20%) to compare the diagnostic accuracy of CCH-NET with that of senior ultrasound physicians. Results:In internal validation, CCH-NET achieved a diagnostic accuracy of 88.89% for both antibody-positive and antibody-negative groups, significantly higher than the 66.67% accuracy of senior ultrasound physicians ( P<0.01). In external validation, CCH-NET achieved 75.00% and 66.67% accuracy for the two groups, compared to 50.00% by senior ultrasound physicians. For the control group, both methods achieved 93.33% accuracy. The AUC of CCH-NET was 0.848, outperforming senior ultrasound physicians (0.681) ,demonstrating superior diagnostic performance. Conclusion:The radiomics-based CCH-NET model, using non-nodular hypoechoic areas as a specific indicator, can accurately identify early SN-HT in euthyroid patients. It significantly outperforms senior ultrasound physicians, improving diagnostic accuracy and reducing missed diagnoses.

AIM To study the chemical constituents from the water fraction of rhizoma of Smilax trinervula Miq.and their biological activities.METHODS Polyamide,silica gel,Sephadex LH-20,ODS and semi-preparative HPLC were used for isolation and purification,then the structures of obtained compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectral data.The antitumor activities were determined by MTT mothod,and the inhibitory activities on α-glucosidase were determined by PNPG method.RESULTS Eleven compounds were isolated and identified as tyrosine(1),uridine(2),2-(2',3',4'-trihydroxybutyl)-6-(2",3",4"-trihydroxybutyl)-pyrazine(3),2-(1',2',3',4'-tetrahydroxybutyl)-6-(2",3",4"-trihydroxybutyl)-pyrazine(4),2-(1',2',3',4'-tetrahydroxybutyl)-5-(2",3",4"-trihydroxybutyl)-pyrazine(5),uracil(6),2-(1',2',3',4'-tetrahydroxybutyl)-5-(1",2",3",4"-tetrahydroxybutyl)-pyrazine(7),dioscin(8),shikimic acid(9),pyrazine(10),3,4-dihydroxyphenyethyl alcohol 8-O-β-D-glycopyranoside(11).The IC50 values of compounds 8 to human breast cancer cell MCF-7 was(2.36±0.26)μg/mL,and the IC50 values of compounds 3-5 and 7 to α-glucosidase were(1.54±0.15)-(10.53±0.38)μg/mL.CONCLUSION Compounds 1-7,10 are isolated from Smilax genus for the first time,and compound 9,11 are first isolated from this plant.Compound 8 has anti-tumor activity,and compounds 3-5,7 have α-glucosidase inhibitory activities.

Objective:To evaluate the value of ultrasound radiomics combined with machine learning for early diagnosis of seronegative Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (SN-HT) .Methods:This retrospective study included 164 patients from Liaoning Provincial People’s Hospital , Lixin County People’s Hospital, Linghai Dalinghe Hospital, Fengcheng Phoenix Hospital, who underwent thyroidectomy for solitary nodules with normal thyroid function between Nov. 2016 and Jan. 2024. Postoperative pathology confirmed Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) in some cases, who were further categorized into antibody-positive and antibody-negative groups based on serum antibody status. Patients without Hashimoto’s thyroiditis served as the control group. A total of 298 ultrasound images were analyzed. Radiomics features were extracted from hypoechoic non-nodular areas within 0.5 cm surrounding the tumor. Two senior pathologists and two senior ultrasound physicians independently assessed lymphocytic infiltration, eosinophilic changes of follicular epithelium, and the proportion of hypoechoic areas in pathology and ultrasound images, respectively. A machine learning model, CCH-NET, was developed using linear regression and t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) techniques. The dataset was divided into a training set (80%) and a validation set (20%) to compare the diagnostic accuracy of CCH-NET with that of senior ultrasound physicians. Results:In internal validation, CCH-NET achieved a diagnostic accuracy of 88.89% for both antibody-positive and antibody-negative groups, significantly higher than the 66.67% accuracy of senior ultrasound physicians ( P<0.01). In external validation, CCH-NET achieved 75.00% and 66.67% accuracy for the two groups, compared to 50.00% by senior ultrasound physicians. For the control group, both methods achieved 93.33% accuracy. The AUC of CCH-NET was 0.848, outperforming senior ultrasound physicians (0.681) ,demonstrating superior diagnostic performance. Conclusion:The radiomics-based CCH-NET model, using non-nodular hypoechoic areas as a specific indicator, can accurately identify early SN-HT in euthyroid patients. It significantly outperforms senior ultrasound physicians, improving diagnostic accuracy and reducing missed diagnoses.

Objective To explore the role of Piezo2 in venous vascular smooth muscle cell(VSMC)dysfunction and neointimal hyperplasia following exposure of veins to an arterial mechanical environment,and elucidate its potential role in venous restenosis after coronary artery bypass grafting(CABG)and arteriovenous fistula(AVF)surgery.Methods Based on transcriptomic datasets,differentially expressed genes between AVF or grafted veins with normal veins were analyzed using GEO2R and GO.Immunofluorescence was used to detect expression of Piezo2 in two AVF clinical samples.The FX-5000TM cyclic stretch application system was used to apply 1.25 Hz stretch with 15%amplitude to VSMCs to simulate arterial conditions in vitro.The protein expressions of Piezo2,SM22(VSMC phenotypic marker),and PCNA(proliferation-related molecule)were measured with Western Blot.The calcium-free medium was further used to remove extracellular Ca2+,and the effect of Ca2+on stretch-induced changes in related molecules were analyzed.Results Transcriptomic analysis revealed that Piezo2 was upregulated in AVF and grafted veins compared to normal veins.Immunofluorescence showed the increased protein expression of Piezo2 in AVF tissues compared to normal veins.Notably,in the neointimal tissue of AVF samples,Piezo2 was significantly upregulated,while SMA was downregulated.In vitro,15%cyclic stretch upregulated Piezo2 and PCNA expression but downregulated SM22 expression,which suggested a phenotypic switch of venous VSMCs from the contractile phenotype to the synthetic phenotype.Removal of extracellular Ca2+partially reversed the stretch-induced VSMC phenotypic switch and proliferation.Conclusions After veins are exposed to an arterial mechanical environment,the upregulated Piezo2 may induce neointimal hyperplasia by promoting VSMC phenotypic switch.This study may provide mechanobiological insights and potential therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of venous restenosis following CABG and AVF surgeries.

Objective To explore the role of Piezo2 in venous vascular smooth muscle cell(VSMC)dysfunction and neointimal hyperplasia following exposure of veins to an arterial mechanical environment,and elucidate its potential role in venous restenosis after coronary artery bypass grafting(CABG)and arteriovenous fistula(AVF)surgery.Methods Based on transcriptomic datasets,differentially expressed genes between AVF or grafted veins with normal veins were analyzed using GEO2R and GO.Immunofluorescence was used to detect expression of Piezo2 in two AVF clinical samples.The FX-5000TM cyclic stretch application system was used to apply 1.25 Hz stretch with 15%amplitude to VSMCs to simulate arterial conditions in vitro.The protein expressions of Piezo2,SM22(VSMC phenotypic marker),and PCNA(proliferation-related molecule)were measured with Western Blot.The calcium-free medium was further used to remove extracellular Ca2+,and the effect of Ca2+on stretch-induced changes in related molecules were analyzed.Results Transcriptomic analysis revealed that Piezo2 was upregulated in AVF and grafted veins compared to normal veins.Immunofluorescence showed the increased protein expression of Piezo2 in AVF tissues compared to normal veins.Notably,in the neointimal tissue of AVF samples,Piezo2 was significantly upregulated,while SMA was downregulated.In vitro,15%cyclic stretch upregulated Piezo2 and PCNA expression but downregulated SM22 expression,which suggested a phenotypic switch of venous VSMCs from the contractile phenotype to the synthetic phenotype.Removal of extracellular Ca2+partially reversed the stretch-induced VSMC phenotypic switch and proliferation.Conclusions After veins are exposed to an arterial mechanical environment,the upregulated Piezo2 may induce neointimal hyperplasia by promoting VSMC phenotypic switch.This study may provide mechanobiological insights and potential therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of venous restenosis following CABG and AVF surgeries.

Alzheimer's disease(AD), a neurodegenerative disorder associated with aging, is the most prevalent form of dementia.As the aging population continues to expand, AD presents significant health and caregiving challenges for families and society, making it a pressing international public health concern.In recent years, numerous countries have implemented dementia prevention and treatment strategies that emphasize community-based comprehensive approaches.Currently, the community-based AD prevention and treatment model in China is still in the exploratory phase, with community efforts lacking organization.In alignment with China's action plan for advancing dementia prevention and treatment, and to achieve the strategic objective of "healthy aging, " this consensus is based on the principle of three-level prevention and is tailored to the characteristics of AD disease progression.It aims to develop a comprehensive prevention and treatment strategy for AD that is suitable for communities in China, providing technical guidance and support to establish a scientific basis for formulating community AD prevention and treatment models.

Objective:This study aims to explore the synergistic effects of DIP and other medical insurance supply-side policies.Method:City A that has piloted DIP reform was set as the treatment group,and City B without reform was set as the control group.A total of 1 120 public medical institution samples from 2019 to 2022 were collected.The total medical expenses during hospitalization and some structural expenses were analyzed using DID method.Result:DIP had a significant inhibitory effect on the medical expenses,and the expenses of checkups and examinations during hospitalization in city A,but had no impact on the drug and the material expenses during hospitalization.Conclusion:DIP played a significant cost control role and effectively controlled the total medical expenses during hospitalization.The synergistic effects of price adjustment of medical services policy and national centralized drug/material procurement policy on cost control were insufficient.DIP synergized with other supply-side policies to promote rational medical cost structure.It is suggested that medical insurance departments should focus on the synergistic effects of medical insurance supply-side policies to jointly improve the efficiency of medical insurance fund utilization.