Background: Adrenocortical hormones, particularly 11-oxygenated androgens, are pivotal in female reproductive health and fertility. Standardized detection kits and population-specific reference intervals are lacking in China, hindering related clinical applications. Methods: A HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) pipeline was developed, rigorously validated, and applied to simultaneously quantify corticosterone, cortisone, cortisol, 18-OH cortisol, androstenedione (A4), 11β-hydroxyandrostenedione (11-OH A4), dehydroepiandrosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in serum samples from 455 reproductive-aged women (18–45 yrs) in Guangxi, China. Age-dependent concentration trends were analyzed, and reference intervals stratified by age (2.5th to 97.5th percentiles) were established. Correlations with body-composition metrics, ethnicity, and the menstrual cycle were investigated. Results: The HPLC-MS/MS method demonstrated high precision (intra- and inter-assay CVs < 15%), accuracy, and sensitivity. All eight hormones exhibited significant age-related declines (P < 0.001 for seven hormones; P = 0.001 for 11-OH A4). Notably, 11-OH A4 levels were significantly lower in the 35–45-yr (3.05 nmol/L) and 25–34-yr (3.09 nmol/L) age groups than in the 18–24-yr (3.57 nmol/L) age group, whereas no significant difference was observed between the 35–45-yr and 25–34-yr age groups. Weak negative correlations were observed between the body mass index and corticosterone and cortisone levels, whereas ethnicity and the menstrual cycle showed no significant associations with hormone levels. Conclusions We developed an HPLC-MS/MS-based method for simultaneously quantifying eight adrenocortical hormones, including 11-OH A4, and defined age-specific reference intervals for reproductive-aged Chinese women. These findings advance the clinical utility of adrenocortical hormones in diagnosing and managing reproductive disorders.

Colorectal cancer has an insidious onset， and some patients have already developed local invasion or metastasis at the time of diagnosis， which affects treatment strategy selection and survival prognosis. The tumor microenvironment is not only the basic condition for tumor cell survival but also the core regulatory factor driving their local invasion and distant metastasis. This article reviewed the mechanisms by which traditional Chinese medicine regulates the tumor microenvironment to inhibit colorectal cancer metastasis. It was found that traditional Chinese medicine active ingredients such as astragalus polysaccharides， leonurine， kaempferol， etc.， as well as traditional Chinese medicine formulas such as Jianpi jiedu formula， can inhibit colorectal cancer metastasis by regulating key links of the tumor microenvironment， including immunosuppression， inflammatory response， intestinal microecological disorder， abnormal angiogenesis， and extracellular matrix homeostasis imbalance. However， current related research was still mainly based on cell and animal experiments， with limited clinical evidence-based data， and mechanistic studies mostly focued on single signaling pathways. Future research should integrate multi-omics technologies and systems biology methods to systematically elucidate the key targets and action networks through which traditional Chinese medicine regulates the colorectal cancer tumor microenvironment to combat metastasis.

Cold tumors have a poor response to tumor immunotherapy due to low immune cell infiltration and the ability to evade immune attacks. Converting cold tumors into hot tumors can enhance the clinical effectiveness of anti-tumor immunotherapy. High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) as a non-invasive treatment can damage tumors through mechanical effects, but there is a lack of research on its cytotoxic mechanisms at the cellular level and its role in inducing anti-immune responses. In this study, the role of HIFU in triggering tumor ferroptosis by disrupting the GSH/GSSG balance through mechanochemical action and the associated anti-tumor immune priming effect were investigated. The use of a nano-enhancer loaded with PFOB combined with HIFU could enhance ferroptosis in triple-negative breast cancer at a specific stage of tumor growth (UTGR = 0) while promoting the conversion of a cold tumor into a hot tumor, thereby improving the immune response. Overall, this provides valuable guidance for the clinical application of HIFU in tumor immunotherapy.

Objective:To preliminarily establish a sample clot warning model for coagulation screening tests using 5 machine learning methods.Methods:This cross-sectional study collected 7 401 routine screening test samples from Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, from January 1st, 2015, to August 18th, 2024, including 4 786 clotted (positive) and 2 615 qualified (negative) samples for model development. The dataset was divided into Dataset 1 and Dataset 2 based on a reagent change for APTT in December 2018, with separate models developed for each. An additional 2 493 samples (October 31st to November 8th, 2024) were used to evaluate consistency between the model and manual assessment, while 23 200 samples (October 17th to December 31st, 2024) were used for assessing real-world predictive performance. Five machine learning algorithms were employed to develop the clot prediction model: logistic regression (LR), random forest (RF), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), naive bayes (NB), and artificial neural network (ANN), with the ANN model constructed using two different hidden layer and neuron parameter settings. Model selection was based on AUC, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, F1-score, PPV, and NPV, with the optimal model integrated into the LIS for validation.Results:Among the six models using 5 machine learning algorithms, XGBoost demonstrated the highest performance (AUC=0.961, sensitivity=0.945, F1-score=0.934) and robustness to reagent changes ( Z=-1.333, P=0.113). When deployed, the differences between the model's predictions and manual pre-judgment were statistically significant ( Z=-5.289 to 8.933, all P<0.01). The predictive efficacy indices AUC (95% CI), sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the XGBoost model deployed in real-world operation of the LIS were 0.939 (0.918—0.960), 0.958, 0.921, and 0.921 respectively. Conclusion:In this study, a clot warning model for coagulation screening samples was established based on the XGBoost algorithm, and its prediction efficacy is good, providing a foundation for intelligent pre-analytical quality control for coagulation screening tests.

ObjectiveTo assess the predictive value of the bladder deformation index (BDI) in determining upper urinary tract (UUT) damage among patients with neurogenic bladder (NB). MethodsClinical data of 132 NB patients admitted to Beijing Bo'ai Hospital from January, 2015 to December, 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into UUT damage group and normal UUT group according to the presence or absence of hydronephrosis. The demographics, biochemical parameters and video-urodynamics (VUDS) findings were collected, and BDI was calculated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were utilized to evaluate the predictive capability. ResultsThere were 54 patients in UUT damage group and 33 in normal UUT group. The course of disease, creatinine level and BDI were siginificantly different between two groups (P < 0.05), while the area under the curve were 0.686, 0.836 and 0.928, respectively. ConclusionCourse of disease, creatinine level and BDI are associated with UUT damage in NB patients, and BDI demonstrates the highest sensitivity and specificity, which may play a role in diagnosis of UUT damage.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) refer to traumatic events such as abuse and neglect experienced before the age of 18 years, which have negative impacts on an individual's physical and mental health. Studies have shown that ACEs not only increase the risk of health-harming behaviors such as smoking and alcohol abuse, but are also risk factors for depression and anxiety. The influence of ACEs on depression and anxiety exhibits type-specificity, cumulative effects, and temporal dynamics. The impact of ACE types on depression and anxiety varies across populations and genders, a dose-response relationship exists between the number of ACEs and depression/anxiety, and the phase, trajectory, and frequency of ACEs also significantly influence depression and anxiety. This article collected literature on ACEs and depression/anxiety from January 1995 to June 2024 by searching the CNKI and PubMed databases. It provides a comprehensive review of the associations between different ACEs types, quantities, categories, timing, trajectories, frequencies, and the risks of depression and anxiety, while also exploring the underlying mechanisms of these associations. The findings aim to offer references for the prevention and intervention of ACEs and the improvement of mental health.

OBJECTIVE To introduce the characteristics and practice of billable pharmacy service programs in the United States， aiming to provide reference for the development of clinical pharmacy service and the establishment of corresponding billing criteria in China. METHODS By searching the official websites of American Pharmacists Association， American Society of Health- System Pharmacists， Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention， and the PubMed database， the contents of American billable pharmacy service programs， corresponding service billing criteria， the approaches to being paid as pharmacists and the clinical practice evidence were summarized. RESULTS Current major billable pharmacy service programs implemented in the United States included medication therapy management， outpatient pharmacy service， transition of care management， chronic disease management， annual wellness visits， as well as diabetes self-management training/education. Except for diabetes self-management training/education， which lacked robust data on practice outcomes， all other programs mentioned above were demonstrated to have positive impact on patient outcomes， reducing health care cost and/or generating revenues. The most common approaches for pharmacists to obtain reimbursement were “incident to” billing and using procedure codes. CONCLUSIONS Billable pharmacy practice programs in the United States are achieving progress in service specialization and billing standardization. China can learn from successful cases in the United States while considering its own national context， with the ultimate goal of improving the overall health outcomes of patients， so that pharmacy services can become an important part of the medical service system.

Cancer represents a major worldwide disease burden marked by escalating incidence and mortality. While therapeutic advances persist, developing safer and precisely targeted modalities remains imperative. Nanomedicines emerges as a transformative paradigm leveraging distinctive physicochemical properties to achieve tumor-specific drug delivery, controlled release, and tumor microenvironment modulation. By synergizing passive enhanced permeation and retention effect-driven accumulation and active ligand-mediated targeting, nanoplatforms enhance pharmacokinetics, promote tumor microenvironment enrichment, and improve cellular internalization while mitigating systemic toxicity. Despite revolutionizing cancer therapy through enhanced treatment efficacy and reduced adverse effects, translational challenges persist in manufacturing scalability, longterm biosafety, and cost-efficiency. This review systematically analyzes cutting-edge nanoplatforms, including polymeric, lipidic, biomimetic, albumin-based, peptide engineered, DNA origami, and inorganic nanocarriers, while evaluating their strategic advantages and technical limitations across three therapeutic domains: immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. By assessing structure-function correlations and clinical translation barriers, this work establishes mechanistic and translational references to advance oncological nanomedicine development.
Humans ; Neoplasms/radiotherapy* ; Immunotherapy/methods* ; Nanoparticles/chemistry* ; Animals ; Nanomedicine/methods* ; Drug Delivery Systems/methods* ; Drug Carriers/chemistry* ; Radiotherapy/methods*

Isolated axillary recurrence(AR)after breast cancer surgery is one of the critical factors influencing patients'prognosis.With advancements in diagnostic and therapeutic techniques,the clinical understanding of AR has progressively deepened.However,due to the low incidence of AR,systematic studies on its clinical features remain limited.High-quality clinical trials,such as ACOSOG Z0011 and AMAROS,have demonstrated that in patients with varying statuses of sentinel lymph node,axillary lymph node dissection(ALND)and sentinel lymph node dissection(SLND)provide comparable control of AR.In recent years,the trend towards de-escalation axillary surgery has advanced the development of less invasive techniques such as targeted axillary lymph node dissection.The SOUND trial further confirmed the safety and feasibility of omitting axillary surgery in patients with tumors≤2 cm.In addition,a series of clinical studies have identified a variety of potential high-risk factors,including patient age,number of positive lymph nodes,high Ki-67 proliferation,extranodal extension,and axillary soft tissue infiltration.However,there is no broad consensus regarding the association of these factors with AR.This review comprehensively summarized the clinical characteristics,risk factors and personalized management strategies of AR,with an emphasis on the impact of different axillary surgical approaches,radiotherapy and systemic therapy on the AR risk.In addition,more high-quality clinical studies are urgently needed to further clarify prognostic factors and optimize individualized treatment strategies,so as to provide more precise management for patients.