Tumor immunotherapy has attracted worldwide attention in cancer treatment because of its obvious advantages such as strong specificity and long curative effect.It is found that activation of STING signaling pathway in cells is one of directions to effec-tively realize tumor immunotherapy.However,due to low response rate of related drugs,difficult degradation,certain toxic and side effects,its clinical application has been seriously hindered.Nano-drug delivery system can achieve targeted drug delivery,improve drug stability,delivery rate,osmotic effect and long-term retention effect,reduce drug side effects,and show significant advantages in tumor immunotherapy.In this paper,research progress of nano-drug delivery system activating STING pathway in tumor immunother-apy in recent years is reviewed,and many nano-drug delivery systems that can activate STING signal pathway and their application ex-amples after loading drugs are listed,including nucleotide-based drug delivery system,non-nucleotide-based drug delivery system and metal-based drug delivery system,providing reference for application of nano-drugs in tumor immunotherapy.

Purpose To investigate the feasibility of a deep learning framework to automatically analyze echocardiographic color Doppler videos in detecting valvular regurgitation.Materials and Methods This study retrospectively collected echocardiographic images of 1 109 patients with valvular regurgitation in the Fourth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital,from June 2015 to September 2019 as the training and validation sets.A prospective continuous collection of 1 562 echocardiography images was used as the test set in the Fourth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital from May 13 to June 13,2023,including 378 cases of mitral regurgitation and 223 cases of aortic regurgitation.This study developed deep learning networks to establish view classification model and valvular regurgitation recognition model,including the efficiency of section classification of deep learning models.Results The deep learning view classification model in this study could automatically identify two views for diagnosing mitral regurgitation and aortic regurgitation.The recognition accuracy for the parasternal long axis color Doppler view and the apical four chamber mitral color Doppler view was 1.00 and 0.93,respectively.The sensitivity,specificity,accuracy and area under the curve of the deep learning model for diagnosing mitral regurgitation were 0.847,0.852,0.849 and 0.930,respectively.The sensitivity,specificity,accuracy and area under the curve of the deep learning model in diagnosing aortic regurgitation were 0.857,0.861,0.859 and 0.940,respectively.Conclusion Deep learning algorithms can automatically identify valvular regurgitation and have the potential to become a screening tool for valvular heart disease.

Tumor immunotherapy has attracted worldwide attention in cancer treatment because of its obvious advantages such as strong specificity and long curative effect.It is found that activation of STING signaling pathway in cells is one of directions to effec-tively realize tumor immunotherapy.However,due to low response rate of related drugs,difficult degradation,certain toxic and side effects,its clinical application has been seriously hindered.Nano-drug delivery system can achieve targeted drug delivery,improve drug stability,delivery rate,osmotic effect and long-term retention effect,reduce drug side effects,and show significant advantages in tumor immunotherapy.In this paper,research progress of nano-drug delivery system activating STING pathway in tumor immunother-apy in recent years is reviewed,and many nano-drug delivery systems that can activate STING signal pathway and their application ex-amples after loading drugs are listed,including nucleotide-based drug delivery system,non-nucleotide-based drug delivery system and metal-based drug delivery system,providing reference for application of nano-drugs in tumor immunotherapy.

Objective:To investigate the application effects of electroacupuncture at Chang'an acupoint combined with stimulation of Huatuo Jiaji acupoint on non-specific low back pain. Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 200 patients with non-specific low back pain admitted to the Hanzhong Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from October 2021 to October 2022. The patients were divided into two groups based on different treatment methods: a control group and an observation group, with 100 patients in each group. The control group received conventional electroacupuncture treatment, while the observation group received electroacupuncture at the Chang'an acupoint and stimulation of Huatuo Jiaji acupoint. Both groups were treated for three treatment courses. Clinical efficacy was compared between the two groups. Results:The total response rate in the observation group was 97% (97/100), which was significantly higher than the 84% (84/100) in the control group ( χ2 = 9.83, P = 0.002). After treatment, both groups showed an increase in the Japanese Orthopaedic Association score for low back pain (both P<0.05) compared with before treatment. The Japanese Orthopaedic Association score in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group [(23.54 ± 1.81) vs. (20.75 ± 1.57), t = 11.64, P<0.001]. Conclusions:Electroacupuncture at the Chang'an acupoint combined with stimulation of the Huatuo Jiaji acupoints is effective in relieving pain, improving lumbar function, and enhancing clinical outcomes in patients with non-specific low back pain.

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of self-help inflatable balloon in the treatment of refractory benign upper digestive tract stricture.Methods From November 2022 to February 2024,10 patients with refractory benign upper digestive tract stricture underwent self-help inflatable balloon were retrospectively analyzed.Preoperative treatment,intraoperative and postoperative complications,dysphagia score before and after surgery,wearing time of external self-help inflatable balloon,and the clinical efficacy were evaluated.Results All the 10 patients received self-help inflatable balloon treatment.No complications such as bleeding and perforation occurred in all patients during the wearing of the balloon.The placement time of the balloon was 60～180 d,and the average wearing time was 104.9 d.Before surgery,nine cases had a stricture segment length less than 2 cm,and one case had a stricture segment length of 6 cm.The dysphagia score before surgery was(3.60±0.52),and the dysphagia score after removal of the self-help inflatable balloon was(0.60±0.52),and there was statistical significance in preoperative and postoperative comparison(P＜0.05).The dysphagia score 3 months after removal of the external self-help inflatable balloon was(0.70±0.48),there was no significant difference in dysphagia score between the day after surgery and 3 months after surgery(P＞0.05).The diameter of the stricture before and after operation was(5.09±2.02)mm and(10.35±0.73)mm respectively,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).Sore throat,wing of nose pain and balloon displacement were the most common adverse events,with 30.0％(3/10),50.0％(5/10)and 70.0％(7/10),respectively.Conclusion It is safe,effective and feasible to treat refractory benign upper digestive tract stricture with self-help inflatable balloon in vitro.It is worthy for clinical application.

Lumbar disc (LD) herniation and aging are prevalent conditions that can result in substantial morbidity. This study aimed to clarify the mechanisms connecting the LD aging and herniation, particularly focusing on cellular senescence and molecular alterations in the nucleus pulposus (NP). We performed a detailed analysis of NP samples from a diverse cohort, including individuals of varying ages and those with diagnosed LD herniation. Our methodology combined histological assessments with single-nucleus RNA sequencing to identify phenotypic and molecular changes related to NP aging and herniation. We discovered that cellular senescence and a decrease in nucleus pulposus progenitor cells (NPPCs) are central to both processes. Additionally, we found an age-related increase in NFAT1 expression that promotes NPPC senescence and contributes to both aging and herniation of LD. This research offers fresh insights into LD aging and its associated pathologies, potentially guiding the development of new therapeutic strategies to target the root causes of LD herniation and aging.
Intervertebral Disc Displacement/metabolism* ; Humans ; Aging/pathology* ; Nucleus Pulposus/pathology* ; Male ; Female ; Transcriptome ; Middle Aged ; Lumbar Vertebrae/pathology* ; Adult ; Cellular Senescence ; Stem Cells/pathology* ; Aged ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration/metabolism*

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of self-help inflatable balloon in the treatment of refractory benign upper digestive tract stricture.Methods From November 2022 to February 2024,10 patients with refractory benign upper digestive tract stricture underwent self-help inflatable balloon were retrospectively analyzed.Preoperative treatment,intraoperative and postoperative complications,dysphagia score before and after surgery,wearing time of external self-help inflatable balloon,and the clinical efficacy were evaluated.Results All the 10 patients received self-help inflatable balloon treatment.No complications such as bleeding and perforation occurred in all patients during the wearing of the balloon.The placement time of the balloon was 60～180 d,and the average wearing time was 104.9 d.Before surgery,nine cases had a stricture segment length less than 2 cm,and one case had a stricture segment length of 6 cm.The dysphagia score before surgery was(3.60±0.52),and the dysphagia score after removal of the self-help inflatable balloon was(0.60±0.52),and there was statistical significance in preoperative and postoperative comparison(P＜0.05).The dysphagia score 3 months after removal of the external self-help inflatable balloon was(0.70±0.48),there was no significant difference in dysphagia score between the day after surgery and 3 months after surgery(P＞0.05).The diameter of the stricture before and after operation was(5.09±2.02)mm and(10.35±0.73)mm respectively,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).Sore throat,wing of nose pain and balloon displacement were the most common adverse events,with 30.0％(3/10),50.0％(5/10)and 70.0％(7/10),respectively.Conclusion It is safe,effective and feasible to treat refractory benign upper digestive tract stricture with self-help inflatable balloon in vitro.It is worthy for clinical application.

Objective:To explore the pathogenesis,clinical features,treatment strategies,and prognosis of pediatric lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma(LELC).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of patients with LELC aged<18 years,treated at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from March 2008 to June 2023.Results:A total of 19 children and adolescents were included in the analys-is,comprising 10 males(52.6%)and 9 females(47.4%),with a median age of 12.9(4.3-17.0)years.Fourteen patients(73.7%)lived in Guangdong province,with the remainder scattered across other regions.Primary LELC sites were the mediastinum(11 cases,57.9%),parot-id glands(4 cases,21%),neck(1 case,5.3%),lungs(1 case,5.3%),salivary glands(1 case,5.3%),and submandibular glands(1 case,5.3%).Among these,15 patients(78.9%)had at least one distant metastasis at initial diagnosis,with common metastasis sites being cervical lymph nodes.Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified tumor volume≥801 cm3 as an independent adverse prognostic factor of poor overall survival(OS)(P<0.01).The 2-year OS and progression-free survival(PFS)rates were 84.2%and 57.9%,respectively.The 2-year OS for pa-tients who underwent surgery,chemotherapy,and radiotherapy was 100%,compared with 25%for those who received only partial treat-ment(P=0.007).The 2-year PFS rate was significantly higher in patients receiving first-line combination therapy with programmed death-1(PD-1)antibodies(100%)compared with those not treated with PD-1 antibodies(38.5%)(P=0.020).For patients with tumor volume≥801 cm3,the 2-year OS was 40.0%,whereas for those with a tumor volume<801 cm3,the 2-year OS was 100%(P<0.001).The 2-year OS for pa-tients who underwent radiotherapy was 100%,while it was 0 for those who did not receive radiotherapy(P<0.001).Conclusions:Pediatric LELC exhibits a relatively favorable prognosis with multidisciplinary treatment,including surgery,chemotherapy,and radiotherapy.The com-bined use of PD-1 antibodies at the time of initial diagnosis could offer potential benefits and warrants further exploration.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the regulatory effect of LINC00837/miR-671-5p/SERPINE2 functional axis on pathological processes of fibroblast-like synovial cells (FLS) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: RA-FLS were transfected with a LINC00837 overexpression plasmid (pcDNA3.1-LINC00837), a LINC00837 interference plasmid (siRNA-LINC00837), or their respective negative control plasmids (pcDNA3.1-NC and siRNA-NC). Dual luciferase was used to verify the targeting relationship between LINC00837 and miR-671-5p and between miR-671-5p and SERPINE2. RT-qPCR was used to detect the expression levels of LINC00837, miR-671-5p and SERPINE2 in normal FLS or the transfected cells, whose proliferation and migration abilities were assessed using Edu assay and scratch healing assay and by detecting the expression levels of Ki-67, PCNA, E-cadherin and N-cadherin with Western blotting. The changes in cellular secretion of the inflammatory cytokines (TNF‑α, IL-17, IL-4 and IL-10) were examined using ELISA. RESULTS: Dual luciferase reporter gene assay showed that LINC00837 was capable of binding to the 3'-UTR of miR-671-5p, and the latter bound to the 3-UTR of SERPINE2 at specific binding sites between them. Compared with normal FLS, RA-FLS showed significantly increased expressions of LINC00837 and SERPINE2, lowered miR-671-5p expression and enhanced proliferation and migration abilities with increased expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines and reduced expressions of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Transfection of RA-FLS with pcDNA-LINC00837 further enhanced cell proliferation and migration and the changes in the inflammatory cytokines, while transfection with si-LINC00837 produced the opposite changes. CONCLUSIONS RA-FLS have a LINC00837/miR-671-5p/SERPINE2 functional axis, which regulates cell proliferation, migration and secretion of inflammatory factors, and interventions targeting LINC00837 may provide a potential strategy to regulate the pathological processes in RA-FLS.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid/metabolism* ; MicroRNAs/metabolism* ; Humans ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Movement ; Synovial Membrane/pathology* ; RNA, Long Noncoding/genetics* ; Fibroblasts/metabolism* ; Synoviocytes/metabolism* ; Cells, Cultured ; Transfection

Objective To investigate the relationship between platelet distribution width(PDW)and coronary artery calcification(CAC)in overweight and obese populations.Methods Clinical and chest CT data of 10 838 subjects with overweight or obesity(body mass index[BMI]≥24 kg/m2)were retrospectively analyzed.The subjects were divided into CAC group(n=4 237)and non-CAC group(n=6 601)based on CAC scores obtained from chest CT.The relationship between PDW and CAC in overweight and obese populations was analyzed after controlling confounding variables.A threshold effect analysis was conducted using a two-stage logistic model to find the non-linear inflection point.Subgroup analyses and interaction tests were conducted to validate the stability of the relationship between PDW and CAC.Results Non-linear relationship was observed between PDW and CAC risk in overweight and obese populations.The risk of CAC decreased with the increase of PDW which ≤17.80％(OR=0.82),but increased with the increase of PDW(OR=1.04)which＞17.80％.Subgroup analysis showed that the relationship between PDW and CAC remained stable in subgroups of different genders,BMI(＜28 kg/m2,≥28 kg/m2)and hypertension(all P＞0.05).Compared with aged＜40 years or ≥60 years subgroups,under the same PDW,aged≥40 and＜60 years subgroups had higher risk of CAC(interaction P=0.015).Conclusion Nonlinear relationship existed between PDW and CAC in overweight and obese populations.Both excessively high and low PDW were risk factors of CAC.