Esophageal cancer is a prevalent malignant tumor of the digestive tract in China, and radical surgery remains the cornerstone of its comprehensive treatment. However, multifactorial challenges such as postoperative gastrointestinal tract reconstruction, traumatic stress, and tumor-related metabolic disturbances render esophageal cancer patients highly susceptible to malnutrition. Perioperative nutritional support therapy plays a crucial role in enhancing surgical safety, improving clinical outcomes, and elevating patients' quality of life by regulating metabolic homeostasis, preserving organ function, and optimizing the immune microenvironment. This article reviews the mechanisms underlying malnutrition in esophageal cancer, methods for nutritional status assessment, and precision intervention pathways based on multi-omics evaluations. The aim is to strengthen clinicians' awareness of standardized perioperative nutritional management for esophageal cancer patients and promote its clinical implementation, thereby facilitating postoperative recovery and improving long-term quality of life.

Breast cancer prevention and treatment have become major issues that urgently need to be addressed in the field of global public health. As a key pathological transitional stage in the progression of breast cancer， preneoplastic breast cancer （PBC） carries a significant risk of clinical transformation. Effective intervention in the progression of PBC is of great clinical significance in preventing the occurrence of breast cancer. Pathological studies have shown that abnormal angiogenesis is a key mechanism driving the transformation of PBC into breast cancer. Vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）， as a core regulatory molecule that promotes angiogenesis， plays a pivotal role in this process. The malignant transformation of PBC is closely associated with the abnormal activation of the VEGF-mediated pro-angiogenic network. Although modern medicine has achieved certain therapeutic effects through surgery and endocrine therapy， clinical limitations such as invasiveness， drug resistance， and adverse reactions still exist. Recent studies have demonstrated that the VEGF signaling system mediates the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-protein kinase B （PI3K/Akt） signaling pathway and the mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK） pathway. In addition， the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α）/VEGF signaling pathway and the delta-like ligand 4 （DLL4）/Notch receptor 1 （Notch1） signaling pathway， together with other pathways， form a complex regulatory network that plays a central role in angiogenesis during PBC. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， characterized by multi-component synergy， multi-pathway regulation， and high safety， demonstrates significant advantages in inhibiting pathological angiogenesis and blocking PBC progression by targeting the VEGF signaling pathway. From the perspective of VEGF pathway regulation， this paper systematically reviews the latest research progress on TCM in inhibiting angiogenesis and intervening in PBC， and discusses its mechanisms and application value in the early prevention and treatment of PBC， with the aim of providing references for optimizing clinical intervention strategies for PBC.

“Zinc overload” has emerged as a promising strategy in tumor nanomedicine, wherein exogenous modulation of metal ion homeostasis selectively triggers cancer cell death. Among various bioactive ions, zinc (Zn²⁺) stands out due to its unique ability to simultaneously disrupt energy metabolism, damage mitochondria, degrade mutant p53, and activate antitumor immunity. Notably, tumor cells exhibit greater sensitivity to Zn²⁺ overload while normal cells maintain higher tolerance. This review systematically summarizes design strategies for achieving “zinc overload” using biodegradable zinc-based nanomaterials, focusing on two fundamental questions: how to specifically deliver Zn²⁺ to tumors (targeted delivery), and how to trigger controlled release at the tumor site (release strategies). Current challenges are critically analyzed and future perspectives are offered. For targeted delivery, the strategies are categorized into passive, active, and biomimetic approaches. Passive targeting relies on the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect but suffers from poor enrichment efficiency and rapid clearance. Active targeting conjugates ligands (e.g., folic acid, hyaluronic acid) to recognize overexpressed receptors, significantly enhancing cellular uptake. It is emphasized that hyaluronic acid-modified ZIF-8 can co-deliver siRNA for GLUT1 silencing, achieving systematic energy exhaustion. Biomimetic delivery using cell membranes confers immune evasion, prolonged circulation, and homologous targeting, exhibiting the lowest off-target toxicity. This approach is considered to guide future nanocarrier design. For Zn²⁺ release, 4 mechanisms are discussed. Endogenous environment-responsive release exploits acidic pH to degrade materials like ZIF-8 or ZnO, causing mitochondrial dysfunction, reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst, and autophagic blockade. Incorporation of other ions (Ca²⁺, Mn²⁺, Ni²⁺) enables synergistic metabolic interference and immune activation. Exogenous responsive release using near-infrared light offers spatiotemporally precise activation. For example, a nanorobot combining black phosphorus with ZIF-8 accelerates Zn²⁺ release under dual acid and light stimuli. Ion exchange represents an elegant trigger: zinc complexes (e.g., Zn-carnosine) have higher affinity for Cu²⁺; competitive coordination releases Zn²⁺ while depleting Cu²⁺, dually inhibiting oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis. This mechanism is proposed to hold promise for overcoming metabolic reprogramming. Finally, biological regulation—silencing the ZnT1 zinc transporter to block Zn²⁺ efflux—represents a paradigm shift from passive delivery to active homeostatic disruption. This “block and attack” strategy may prevent acquired resistance. The therapeutic consequences of zinc overload are multifaceted. Zn²⁺ causes lysosomal membrane permeabilization and impaired SNARE complex formation, blocking autophagic flux and inducing a distinct cell death termed “zincosis”. In mitochondria, Zn²⁺ inhibits glutathione reductase, causing oxidative stress and electron transport chain blockade. Meanwhile, Zn²⁺ suppresses glycolytic enzymes (GAPDH, LDHA), leading to ATP depletion and reversing drug resistance by downregulating P-glycoprotein. Moreover, zinc overload triggers immunogenic cell death, promoting dendritic cell maturation and CD8⁺ T cell infiltration. Combined with cGAS-STING activation, this reshapes the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and inhibits distant metastasis. These interconnected mechanisms endow zinc overload with a unique advantage over single-modality treatments. Despite remarkable preclinical efficacy, challenges remain: systemic toxicity from off-target release, potential zinc tolerance via metallothionein upregulation, and insufficient pharmacokinetic data. Future directions should prioritize: (1) intelligent stimuli-responsive materials; (2) combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors;(3) theragnostic integration; (4) deeper mechanistic studies; and (5) artificial intelligence-assisted screening. Zinc overload therapy is expected to become an indispensable component of integrated tumor treatment.

Perforin 2(MPEG 1)is a member of the MACPF(membrane attack complex/PRF membrane attack complex/perforin)superfamily,which is mainly secreted by cytotoxic T lymphocytes,natural killer cells and mac-rophages Through the formation of active pores on the target cell membrane,perforin 2 participates in altering the permeability-pressure of the target cell,or collaborates with granzymes to induce the apoptosis of target cells.Re-cently,with the development of molecular biology,MPEG 1 has been increasingly studied,and the unique gene se-quence and cell types of perforin 2 have specific functions and adaptive evolution in different immune cells,which may determine its performance and therapeutic potential in different disease states.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze four patients with a 16q22 fragile site with miscarriage or infertility by using cytogenetic methods. METHODS: Four patients presented at Northwest Women's and Children's Hospital between January 2022 and December 2024 were selected as the study subjects. Peripheral blood samples were collected from the patients and subjected to G-banded chromosomal karyotyping, among whom two were also subjected to copy number variation (CNV) sequencing. This study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the Hospital (Ethics No. 2020-022). RESULTS: The chromosomal karyotypes of the patients were mos 46,XX,fra(16)(q22)[26]/47,XX,del(16)(q22),+chrb(16)(q22)[4]/46,XX,del(16)(q22)[3]/46,XX[91], mos 46,XY,fra(16)(q22)[21]/46,XY,del(16)(q22)[3]/46,XY[76], mos 46,XX,fra(16)(q22)[21]/ 46,XX,del(16)(q22)[4]/46,XX[75] and mos 46,XX,fra(16)(q22)[16]/46,XX,del(16)(q22)[7]/47,XX,del(16)(q22),+chrb(16)(q22)[6]/47,XX,fra(16)(q22),+chrb(16)(q22)[3]/46,XX[68], respectively. CNV sequencing of patients 2 and 4 revealed no deletion or duplication on chromosome 16. CONCLUSION Identification of the 16q22 fragile site has facilitated genetic counseling for these patients.
Humans ; Chromosome Fragile Sites/genetics* ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 16/genetics* ; DNA Copy Number Variations/genetics* ; Karyotyping

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the results of prenatal diagnosis for fetuses with a high risk for sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCAs) indicated by non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), and to assess the influence of maternal chromosomal factors on the results of NIPT. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 454 pregnant women with a high risk for SCAs indicated by NIPT undergoing invasive prenatal diagnosis at the Medical Genetics Center of Northwest Women's and Children's Hospital from January 2022 to September 2024. The data has included prenatal diagnosis indications, results, pregnancy outcomes, and the chromosomal results of pregnant women. RESULTS: Among the 454 women (including 10 with twin pregnancy) with a high risk for SCAs indicated by NIPT, 149 (including 4 twin cases) were diagnosed with SCAs through invasive prenatal diagnosis. These had included 47,XXX (37 cases), 47,XXY (56 cases), 47,XYY (29 cases), 45,X (1 case), 48,XXYY (1 case), mosaicism (20 cases), sex chromosome structural abnormalities (6 cases), and small-scale pathogenic copy number variations (3 cases). 383 pregnant women (including 7 with twin pregnancy) had accepted chromosomal karyotyping analysis. In total 49 cases of SCAs abnormalities were detected. Among them, 41 cases were pregnant women with SCAs but normal fetal chromosomes, which yielded a false positive rate for NIPT caused by maternal factors by 10.7%. In addition, 8 cases (including 1 twin case) had SCAs abnormalities in both the pregnant woman and the fetus. Among the 383 pregnant women, 129 cases (including 3 twin cases) of fetal SCAs were diagnosed, which yielded an overall positive predictive value (PPV) of NIPT for SCAs by 33.7% (129/383). With the 41 false positive cases caused by maternal SCAs abnormalities excluded, the PPV of NIPT for SCAs will be increased to 37.7% (129/342). Among the 454 pregnant women, twin pregnancies have accounted for 2.2% (10/454). Among the confirmed cases of SCAs abnormalities, twin cases accounted for 2.7% (4/149). Among the 383 pregnant women undergoing chromosomal karyotyping, twin cases accounted for 1.8% (7/383). Among the detected cases of chromosomal abnormalities, twin cases accounted for 2.0% (1/49). By calculation, the proportion of singleton pregnant women with a high risk for SCAs indicated by NIPT was approximately 32.1%, and the proportion of twin pregnant women was approximately 38.6%, indicating that twin pregnancies could increase the positive rate of NIPT. CONCLUSION NIPT can improve the screening efficiency for SCAs, but its PPV is limited. Therefore, pregnant women with a high risk for SCAs indicated by NIPT need to undergo invasive prenatal diagnosis for a definite diagnosis, and twin pregnancies can increase the positive rate of NIPT. The study confirmed that chromosomal abnormalities in pregnant women can significantly affect the accuracy of NIPT in detecting fetal SCAs. Therefore, when NIPT indicates SCAs abnormalities, it is recommended to simultaneously conduct chromosomal testing on the pregnant women. The combined application of chromosomal karyotyping analysis, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and copy number variation detection techniques can significantly improve the diagnostic accuracy for SCAs, especially for the detection of mosaicisms.
Humans ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Sex Chromosome Aberrations ; Adult ; Retrospective Studies ; False Positive Reactions ; Prenatal Diagnosis/methods* ; Noninvasive Prenatal Testing/methods* ; Aneuploidy ; Male ; Sex Chromosome Disorders/genetics*

Objective To observe the feasibility and accuracy of simplified prenatal ultrasonic evaluation on fetal bilateral lateral fissures.Methods A total of 513 pregnant women with gestational ages ranging from 20-34 weeks were prospectively enrolled.Transabdominal ultrasound screening of fetal bilateral lateral ventricular fissures on the transforaminal plane were performed,the ultrasonic display rate and characteristics like morphology of bilateral lateral fissures were recorded,and a simple grading system(3 levels)was applied for evaluating the fissures.Fetuses with abnormalities were further examined with MR,amniotic fluid/cord blood tests or whole-exome sequencing of umbilical cord tissue after birth.The pregnancy outcomes were documented.Results Normal fetal bilateral lateral fissures were observed using simplified prenatal ultrasonic evaluation in 500 fetuses whom were then successfully delivered,and normal cortical development was found in these 500 newborns,while abnormalities were detected in 13 fetuses.The display rate of transabdominal ultrasound on transforaminal plane for fetal bilateral lateral ventricular fissures was 92.20％(473/513).From 20 to 34 weeks,the morphology of bilateral lateral fissures could be simply graded into 3 levels:Level 1 presented as a shallow arc shape from 20-22 weeks,Level 2 presented as a blunt or right-angled broad platform from 22-26 weeks,and Level 3 presented as an acute-angled broad platform from 25-34 weeks.In 500 fetuses with normal development,the morphology of the near-field lateral fissures consistently developed in parallel with the far-field lateral fissures as gestational age increased.Among 13 fetuses with abnormal findings,abnormalities of bilateral lateral fissures were found in 8 fetuses,while unilateral abnormality was noticed in 5 fetuses.MR examination of all 13 fetuses and amniotic fluid whole-genome sequencing of 9 fetuses indicated abnormal cortical development.Conclusion Simplified prenatal ultrasound based on transforaminal column cross-section could conveniently and accurately classify morphology of fetal bilateral lateral sulcus.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of dexzopiclone combined with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for post-stroke sleep disorders (PSSD) and its effects on sleep electroencephalography and neuroelectrophysiological parameters.Methods:180 PSSD patients admitted to Yulin First Hospital (December 2019-December 2020) were randomized into medication group ( n=90, dexzopiclone) and rTMS group ( n=90, dexzopiclone+rTMS). Outcomes included clinical efficacy, sleep quality [Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Self-Rating Scale for Sleep (SRSS)], electroencephalogram parameters [sleep latency (SL), total sleep time (TST), sleep efficiency], neuroelectrophysiological indices [bilateral motor thresholds], biochemical markers [S100β protein, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)], adverse reactions, and 1-year recurrence rate. Results:After treatment, the rTMS group had a significantly higher efficacy (92.22%, 83/90) compared to the medication group (81.11%, 73/90) ( χ2=4.81, P=0.028). Compared to post-treatment, PSQI decreased to [7.47 (6.63,8.69) points vs. 13.56 (3.15,19.51) points] in the rTMS group and [9.56 (8.59,11.11) points vs. 14.01 (2.58,20.55) points] in the medication group ( U=8.82, 8.38; both P<0.001). SRSS scores decreased to [(15.23±2.88) points vs. (28.81±4.99) points) ( t=32.74, P<0.001) and (19.54±3.59) points vs. (28.15±4.71) points) ( t=19.68, P<0.001)], respectively. Compared to before treatment, the rTMS group had lower scores than the medication group ( U=7.80, t=8.88; P<0.01). SL reduced to (27.65±5.12) min vs. (44.92±8.21) min ( t=24.58, P<0.001) in rTMS group and (38.78±6.34) min vs. (45.23±8.56) min ( t=8.24, P<0.001) in medication groups. TST increased to (348.50±56.27) min vs. (299.21±52.14) min ( t=8.63, P<0.001) and (311.42±55.39) min vs. (275.65±52.23) min ( t=6.31, P<0.001), sleep efficiency improved to (70.96±12.33%) vs. (57.43±10.98%) ( t=11.01, P<0.001) and (62.37±11.28%) vs. (56.78±10.72%) ( t=4.82, P<0.001), while the rTMS group showed greater improvement ( t=4.46, 4.88; P<0.001). Compared to before treatment, left motor thresholds decreased to (55.65±2.48)% vs. (64.37±3.12)% and (61.76±3.17)% vs. (65.12±3.45)% post-treatment ( t=29.54, 9.63; P<0.001), with significant intergroup differences ( t=14.40, P<0.001). Right motor thresholds decreased to (56.28±3.45)% vs. (67.42±3.61)% and (60.89±3.39)% vs. (66.62±3.54)% ( t=29.94, 15.69; P<0.001), with intergroup differences ( t=9.04, P<0.01). Compared to before treatment, serum S100β levels decreased in both group post-treatment (23.65±3.23) ng/L vs. (65.37±7.89) ng/L and (29.76±3.61) ng/L vs. (63.48±7.34) ng/L ( t=71.19, 58.43; P<0.001), with lower levels in the rTMS group ( t=11.97, P<0.001). Compared to before treatment, BDNF increased to (554.48±69.78) ng/L vs. (502.82±64.11) ng/L and (524.90±67.66) ng/L vs. (505.12±64.45) ng/L post-treatment ( t=7.32, 2.84; P=0.001, 0.030), with higher levels in the rTMS group ( t=2.89, P=0.004). Adverse reaction rates were 4.44% (4/90) and 3.33% (3/90), respectively ( χ2=0.15, P=0.700). Recurrence rates were 1.18% (1/85) in the rTMS group and 3.90% (3/77) in the medication group ( χ2=0.37, P=0.544). Conclusion:The combination of dexzopiclone and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) demonstrates significant advantages and efficacy in treating post-stroke sleep disorders (PSSD). This approach comprehensively improves patients' sleep quality, EEG parameters and neuroelectrophysiological indicators while enhancing the regulatory effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Additionally, the therapy exhibits a favorable safety profile and prognosis.

PURPOSE: To investigate the incidence and influencing factors of bone loss in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS: A retrospective case-control study was conducted. Patients with SCI in our hospital from January 2019 to March 2023 were collected. According to the correlation between bone mineral density (BMD) at different sites, the patients were divided into the lumbar spine group and the hip joint group. According to the BMD value, the patients were divided into the normal bone mass group (t > -1.0 standard deviation) and the osteopenia group (t ≤ -1.0 standard deviation). The influencing factors accumulated as follows: gender, age, height, weight, cause of injury, injury segment, injury degree, time after injury, start time of rehabilitation, motor score, sensory score, spasticity, serum value of alkaline phosphatase, calcium, and phosphorus. The trend chart was drawn and the influencing factors were analyzed. SPSS 26.0 was used for statistical analysis. Correlation analysis was used to test the correlation between the BMD values of the lumbar spine and bilateral hips. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to explore the influencing factors of osteoporosis after SCI. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The incidence of bone loss in patients with SCI was 66.3%. There was a low concordance between bone loss in the lumbar spine and the hip, and the hip was particularly susceptible to bone loss after SCI, with an upward trend in incidence (36% - 82%). In this study, patients with SCI were divided into the lumbar spine group (n = 100) and the hip group (n = 185) according to the BMD values of different sites. Then, the lumbar spine group was divided into the normal bone mass group (n = 53) and the osteopenia group (n = 47); the hip joint group was divided into the normal bone mass group (n = 83) and the osteopenia group (n = 102). Of these, lumbar bone loss after SCI is correlated with gender and weight (p = 0.032 and < 0.001, respectively), and hip bone loss is correlated with gender, height, weight, and time since injury (p < 0.001, p = 0.015, 0.009, and 0.012, respectively). CONCLUSIONS The incidence of bone loss after SCI was high, especially in the hip. The incidence and influencing factors of bone loss in the lumbar spine and hip were different. Patients with SCI who are male, low height, lightweight, and long time after injury were more likely to have bone loss.
Humans ; Spinal Cord Injuries/complications* ; Male ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Incidence ; Adult ; Bone Density ; Middle Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Osteoporosis/etiology* ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic/etiology* ; Aged ; Risk Factors

Nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA), one of the most severe types of male infertility, etiology often remains unclear in most cases. Therefore, this study aimed to detect four biallelic detrimental variants (0.5%) in the minichromosome maintenance domain containing 2 ( MCMDC2 ) genes in 768 NOA patients by whole-exome sequencing (WES). Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) demonstrated that MCMDC2 deleterious variants caused meiotic arrest in three patients (c.1360G>T, c.1956G>T, and c.685C>T) and hypospermatogenesis in one patient (c.94G>T), as further confirmed through immunofluorescence (IF) staining. The single-cell RNA sequencing data indicated that MCMDC2 was substantially expressed during spermatogenesis. The variants were confirmed as deleterious and responsible for patient infertility through bioinformatics and in vitro experimental analyses. The results revealed four MCMDC2 variants related to NOA, which contributes to the current perception of the function of MCMDC2 in male fertility and presents new perspectives on the genetic etiology of NOA.
Humans ; Male ; Azoospermia/genetics* ; Meiosis/genetics* ; Spermatogenesis/genetics* ; Adult ; Exome Sequencing ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins/genetics* ; Alleles ; Infertility, Male/genetics*