1.Correlation Analysis of Huanglian Jiedu Wan on Syndrome Improvement and Clinical Biomarkers of "Excess Heat-Toxicity" Based on Machine Learning Model
Qi LI ; Keke LUO ; Baolin BIAN ; Hongyu YU ; Mengxiao WANG ; Mengyao TIAN ; Wen XIA ; Yuan MA ; Xinfang ZHANG ; Pengyue LI ; Nan SI ; Hongjie WANG ; Yanyan ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):162-173
ObjectiveThis paper aims to find the identified and validated clinical biomarker data building upon a clinical study of early-phase phase Ⅱ and investigate the correlation analysis of Huanglian Jiedu Wan on syndrome improvement and clinical biomarkers in the treatment of "excess heat-toxicity" based on a machine learning model. Additionally, the effective prediction of clinical biomarker values for the main symptoms of the "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome was assessed. MethodsA total of 229 patients meeting the inclusion criteria for "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome were randomly divided into the Huanglian Jiedu Wan group and the placebo group. Syndrome score transition matrices were constructed for the Huanglian Jiedu Wan group and the placebo group based on three main symptoms of "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome, such as oral ulcers, sore throat, and gum swelling and pain. Data from the patients with these three syndromes were also integrated for an overall analysis. The corresponding syndrome score transition matrices were further constructed to visualize symptom change trends of the patients in the two groups via heatmaps. Based on the identified and validated clinical biomarkers related to inflammation, oxidative stress, and energy metabolism in the early phase, Spearman correlation analysis was employed to analyze and evaluate the associations between clinical biomarkers and syndrome improvement. Key clinical biomarkers reflecting the effect of Huanglian Jiedu Wan were screened through the comparison of differences between groups. An extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) algorithm was used to develop a prediction model for main symptom classification, with classification performance evaluated through 10-fold cross-validation. Feature importance analysis was applied to identify variables with the greatest contribution to the prediction result. ResultsThe syndrome transition matrix results indicated that the Huanglian Jiedu Wan group showed a superior effect to the placebo group in improving oral ulcers, sore throat, and overall symptoms, with significant effects observed especially in sore throat and overall symptom analyses (P<0.01). Spearman correlation analysis revealed that several clinical biomarkers positively correlated with "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome and its main symptom improvement, were also called "heat-related biomarkers", including succinic acid, α-ketoglutaric acid, glycine, lactic acid, adenosine monophosphate (AMP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and so on. Conversely, clinical biomarkers negatively correlated with symptom severity, were also called "heat-clearing related biomarkers" after administration of Huanglian Jiedu Wan, including malic acid, fumaric acid, cis-aconitic acid, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), IL-1β, IL-4, IL-8, succinic acid, and citric acid. The XGBoost classification model using all 52 biomarkers as variables achieved an average test accuracy of 0.754 and an average F1 score of 0.777. Feature importance analysis identified the scores of glutamic acid in saliva and IL-6 were the highest in all the variables, with importance scores of 0.081 and 0.080, respectively. After screening out 14 key variables and optimizing the parameters, model performance improved to an average accuracy of 0.758 and an F1 score of 0.798. Feature importance analysis further determined that the glutamic acid in saliva and IL-6 showed obvious changes after screening the variables, confirming the good syndrome prediction ability of the model constructed by these key clinical biomarkers. ConclusionThis study systematically elucidates the correlation between syndrome improvement and clinical biomarkers of Huanglian Jiedu Wan in the treatment of "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome. An XGBoost classification model based on key clinical biomarkers is successfully established, achieving effective prediction of the symptoms related to the "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome such as oral ulcers and sore throat and providing a new insight for objective identification of traditional Chinese medicine syndromes.
2.Correlation Analysis of Huanglian Jiedu Wan on Syndrome Improvement and Clinical Biomarkers of "Excess Heat-Toxicity" Based on Machine Learning Model
Qi LI ; Keke LUO ; Baolin BIAN ; Hongyu YU ; Mengxiao WANG ; Mengyao TIAN ; Wen XIA ; Yuan MA ; Xinfang ZHANG ; Pengyue LI ; Nan SI ; Hongjie WANG ; Yanyan ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):162-173
ObjectiveThis paper aims to find the identified and validated clinical biomarker data building upon a clinical study of early-phase phase Ⅱ and investigate the correlation analysis of Huanglian Jiedu Wan on syndrome improvement and clinical biomarkers in the treatment of "excess heat-toxicity" based on a machine learning model. Additionally, the effective prediction of clinical biomarker values for the main symptoms of the "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome was assessed. MethodsA total of 229 patients meeting the inclusion criteria for "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome were randomly divided into the Huanglian Jiedu Wan group and the placebo group. Syndrome score transition matrices were constructed for the Huanglian Jiedu Wan group and the placebo group based on three main symptoms of "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome, such as oral ulcers, sore throat, and gum swelling and pain. Data from the patients with these three syndromes were also integrated for an overall analysis. The corresponding syndrome score transition matrices were further constructed to visualize symptom change trends of the patients in the two groups via heatmaps. Based on the identified and validated clinical biomarkers related to inflammation, oxidative stress, and energy metabolism in the early phase, Spearman correlation analysis was employed to analyze and evaluate the associations between clinical biomarkers and syndrome improvement. Key clinical biomarkers reflecting the effect of Huanglian Jiedu Wan were screened through the comparison of differences between groups. An extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) algorithm was used to develop a prediction model for main symptom classification, with classification performance evaluated through 10-fold cross-validation. Feature importance analysis was applied to identify variables with the greatest contribution to the prediction result. ResultsThe syndrome transition matrix results indicated that the Huanglian Jiedu Wan group showed a superior effect to the placebo group in improving oral ulcers, sore throat, and overall symptoms, with significant effects observed especially in sore throat and overall symptom analyses (P<0.01). Spearman correlation analysis revealed that several clinical biomarkers positively correlated with "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome and its main symptom improvement, were also called "heat-related biomarkers", including succinic acid, α-ketoglutaric acid, glycine, lactic acid, adenosine monophosphate (AMP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and so on. Conversely, clinical biomarkers negatively correlated with symptom severity, were also called "heat-clearing related biomarkers" after administration of Huanglian Jiedu Wan, including malic acid, fumaric acid, cis-aconitic acid, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), IL-1β, IL-4, IL-8, succinic acid, and citric acid. The XGBoost classification model using all 52 biomarkers as variables achieved an average test accuracy of 0.754 and an average F1 score of 0.777. Feature importance analysis identified the scores of glutamic acid in saliva and IL-6 were the highest in all the variables, with importance scores of 0.081 and 0.080, respectively. After screening out 14 key variables and optimizing the parameters, model performance improved to an average accuracy of 0.758 and an F1 score of 0.798. Feature importance analysis further determined that the glutamic acid in saliva and IL-6 showed obvious changes after screening the variables, confirming the good syndrome prediction ability of the model constructed by these key clinical biomarkers. ConclusionThis study systematically elucidates the correlation between syndrome improvement and clinical biomarkers of Huanglian Jiedu Wan in the treatment of "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome. An XGBoost classification model based on key clinical biomarkers is successfully established, achieving effective prediction of the symptoms related to the "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome such as oral ulcers and sore throat and providing a new insight for objective identification of traditional Chinese medicine syndromes.
3.The Dual Role of p21 in Hormone-related Cancers and Its Therapeutic Implications
Jia-Wen LI ; Yang CHEN ; Jia-Qi WANG ; Yu-Kai MA ; Zhi-Yi GUO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(3):593-608
p21 (encoded by the CDKN1A gene) is a critical cell cycle regulatory protein endowed with versatile biological functions. In various sex hormone-related cancers, p21 exhibits a paradoxical dual role, capable of both inhibiting tumorigenesis and promoting cancer progression, exerting dual, often opposing, effects on cellular fate that are dictated by the specific context. The clinical targeting of p21 remains elusive, largely due to its functionally pleiotropic and context-dependent nature within intricate regulatory networks. During the initial, hormone-dependent phase of cancers like breast and prostate cancer, p21 expression and activity are largely governed by the transcriptional programs of estrogen or androgen receptor signaling. This hormonal regulation contributes to the control of tumor cell proliferation and underpins the initial efficacy of endocrine therapies. In contrast, as these diseases advance to late stages or evolve into non-hormone-dependent subtypes—exemplified by castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and specific forms of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)—these conventional hormonal control mechanisms often become dysfunctional or are entirely bypassed. This fundamental transition creates a critical therapeutic void, highlighting the urgent need to identify and exploit alternative molecular pathways to effectively target p21’s function. Promising strategies may include the precise modulation of its upstream transcriptional regulators, downstream effector proteins, or the intersecting parallel signaling networks that critically influence its activity. This review provides a systematic synthesis of the intricate and interconnected mechanisms that underpin the dual effects of p21 in sex hormone-related tumors. These mechanisms are categorized into three core, interrelated functional domains. (1) cell cycle regulation: p21 executes its canonical tumor-suppressive role by binding to and inhibiting cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and by directly interacting with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), thereby inducing cell cycle arrest, predominantly at the G1/S checkpoint; (2) apoptosis modulation: p21 exerts a highly context-dependent influence on programmed cell death, functioning either as a pro-apoptotic agent under severe genotoxic stress or as a pro-survival factor by inhibiting apoptosis through interactions with proteins like Bcl-2; (3) hormonal and signaling crosstalk: p21 is an integral node within broader cellular networks, engaging in direct physical interactions with hormone receptors(e.g., AR, ER) and participating in complex feedback loops with key oncogenic pathways, including PI3K/AKT, MAPK/ERK, and p53. Critically, the role of p21 is not static but highly dynamic. It can undergo a functional switch from tumor-suppressive to tumor-promoting in response to therapeutic pressures, metabolic alterations, or evolving tumor microenvironment cues. These adaptive shifts are frequently implicated in the development of therapy resistance and disease recurrence, particularly in advanced, hormone-resistant cancers. By synthesizing these insights, this review aims to establish a coherent theoretical framework to guide the future development of novel therapeutic strategies that target the p21 pathway. It underscores the necessity of moving beyond a simplistic, binary view of p21 and emphasizes the forthcoming challenges, such as the discovery of reliable biomarkers to predict its functional state and the rational design of context-specific pharmacological modulators to selectively harness its therapeutic potential.
4.Research progress on the role of macrophages in atherosclerosis
Wenxiu MA ; Li BAI ; Wen MA ; Tingting QI ; Haonan ZHANG ; Xuan WANG ; Xin ZHANG
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(4):770-775
Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic and inflammatory vascular disease. Macrophages are common immune cells and play an important role in the development of AS. In recent years, research has found that the formation of AS plaques is closely related to pathological and physiological processes such as macrophage polarization, energy metabolism, and lipid phagocytosis. This review aims to summarize the mechanism of macrophages in the development of AS, and to explore potential therapeutic methods for delaying AS by regulating macrophages, providing new ideas for the treatment and research of AS.
5.Analysis of the hotspots and advantages of adverse drug reaction automatic monitoring system based on CiteSpace and systematic review
Yan WANG ; Le KANG ; Wen CHEN ; Qi FANG ; Zhongwang YU ; Li CAO
Journal of Pharmaceutical Practice and Service 2026;44(7):362-369
Objective To provide a reference for the establishment, development and application of the adverse drug reaction (ADR) automated monitoring system, through verifying and quantifying the research hotspots and advantages of the system by CiteSpace software and systematic review. Methods Literature on ADR automated monitoring up to December 2023 were retrieved and screened from CNKI and web of science databases. CiteSpace 6.4.R1 software was used to conduct co-occurrence, clustering and emergence analysis, and to visualize and comparatively analyze the research hotspots, rules and distribution in the field of automated monitoring of ADR at home and abroad. In compliance with the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA), literature covering publications in English and Chinese including detection rates of ADR collected using Incident Reporting Systems (IRSs) and/or automated monitoring systems were retrieved and screened. The advantages and disadvantages of automated monitoring systems were analyzed by comparing the differences between these two systems in terms of the number of ADR reports and the types of positive signals. Results A total of 56 articles in English and 80 articles in Chinese were indexed by CiteSpace. The research hotspots in recent years included data mining, deep learning, text classification techniques, machine learning and so on. A total of seven studies compiled with the inclusion criteria for the systematic evaluation, all of which were completed between 1991 and 2021 in hospitals in four countries. 150 526 medical records were reviewed from 15 institutions. A total of 194 ADR reports were collected by IRSs. A total of 2 090 ADR reports were collected by the automated monitoring system over the same period, indicating a 977% increase in the number of ADR reports (P=0.0156) compared with the IRSs. Conclusion The ADR automatic monitoring system had significantly improved the level of drug risk identification and reduced costs, but it was necessary to optimize the algorithm, expand the data source and carry out standardization construction to overcome the current limitations.
6.Research on the effectiveness of health information dissemination via the “Shanghai CDC” WeChat public account
Ying GUO ; Xiaoxuan WANG ; Wen XIA ; Xiaoyan HUANG ; Xuanmeng HU ; Qi SHEN ; Chen DONG
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;37(2):179-183
ObjectiveTo explore the effectiveness of health information dissemination and its influencing factors using the "Shanghai CDC" WeChat public account as a case study, providing references for public health institutions to optimize the use of official new media platforms for effective publicity. MethodsA total of 1 030 headline articles published on the "Shanghai CDC" WeChat public account between 2016 and 2019 were analyzed using content analysis and non-parametric tests to examine the impact of factors such as titles and content categories. ResultsFrom 2016 to 2019, the number of WeChat public account followers increased by 280 000, with the articles accumulating over 8.8 million views. The median (P25, P75) open rate of articles was 5.90% (3.69%, 10.31%), and the median (P25, P75) sharing and forwarding rate was 6.60% (4.25%, 9.17%). Factors such as the use of first- and second-person pronouns, degree adverbs, negative adverbs, explicit viewpoints, and title length all significantly affected the open rate of articles, with OR (95%CI) values of 0.175 (0.041‒0.756), 32.606 (2.350‒452.432), 4.079 (1.093‒15.230), 0.106 (0.028‒0.409), and 1.184 (1.063‒1.319),respectively (all P<0.05). In terms of content, statistical significant differences in dissemination effectiveness were observed across article categories and themes (P<0.05). In terms of article categories, articles related to news hotspots and service information had higher open rates of 9.58% and 14.00%, respectively. These two types of articles also obtained higher sharing and forwarding rates of 7.65% and 9.16%, respectively. In terms of article topics, compared with healthy life and health products, among the top four topics in terms of publication volume, the open rates of articles about infectious diseases and disease-causing biology and immunization programs were higher, accounting for 7.88% and 6.88%, respectively, with no significant difference in sharing and forwarding rates. ConclusionThe "Shanghai CDC" WeChat public account demonstrated good dissemination effectiveness. Enhancing article titles by increasing informational content and degree adverbs (e.g., "highly," "most," and "extremely") and negative adverbs (e.g., "no") can improve dissemination reach. Public health WeChat accounts should incorporate news hotspots or service information in their articles. While maintaining their strengths in disseminating knowledge on infectious diseases and immunization programs, they should also enhance public education in other professional fields within their scope of responsibility to improve the overall dissemination impact of health information.
7.Fecal microbiota transplantation regulates the composition of intestinal-derived estrogens and their metabolites : a study on the correlation with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Wanli Li ; Xueping Qi ; Shuqi Cong ; Wanting Zhang ; Tingting Zhang ; Sheng Wang ; Haiming Fang ; Jiyue Wen ; Jiajia Wang
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2025;60(8):1423-1431
Objective :
To investigate the impact of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on the composition of 15 intestinal-derived estrogens and their metabolites (EMs) and its correlation with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) .
Methods:
Thirty male C57BL/6J mice were divided into a normal control group (Control) , a high- sugar high-fat diet combined with low-dose CCl4 -induced NAFLD model group ( Model) , and a group of model mice treated with fecal microbiota from normal female mice (FMT) . After 17 weeks of modeling , liver pathology in each group was observed using HE staining , biochemical methods were used to measure serum alanine aminotrans- ferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels , as well as hepatic triglyceride (TG) and total choles- terol (TC) levels. and the content of 15 EMs in portal vein serum was detected using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) . The correlation between disease phenotype and intesti- nal EMs was analyzed using Pearson ′s method.
Results:
The NAFLD model was successfully established , and the FMT group showed improved liver structure and morphology , with significant decreases in liver function and hepatic lipids compared to the Model group. In NAFLD mice , the contents of E1 , E2 , and their 2- and 4-position metabo- lites in portal vein blood serum was reduced compared to normal mice , while the content of most 16- and 17-posi- tion metabolites ( except 16α-OHE1) increased compared to normal mice. Correlation analysis showed that ALT was strongly positively correlated with E3 and 17-epiE3 , and strongly negatively correlated with E1 , E2 , 4- MeOE1 , and 16α-OHE1 . The TC was strongly positively correlated with 17-epiE3 and strongly negatively correla- ted with E1 , 4-MeOE1 , and 16α-OHE1 .
Conclusion
FMT restores the disrupted composition of intestinal EMs and improves NAFLD.
8.A novel homozygous mutation of CFAP300 identified in a Chinese patient with primary ciliary dyskinesia and infertility.
Zheng ZHOU ; Qi QI ; Wen-Hua WANG ; Jie DONG ; Juan-Juan XU ; Yu-Ming FENG ; Zhi-Chuan ZOU ; Li CHEN ; Jin-Zhao MA ; Bing YAO
Asian Journal of Andrology 2025;27(1):113-119
Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a clinically rare, genetically and phenotypically heterogeneous condition characterized by chronic respiratory tract infections, male infertility, tympanitis, and laterality abnormalities. PCD is typically resulted from variants in genes encoding assembly or structural proteins that are indispensable for the movement of motile cilia. Here, we identified a novel nonsense mutation, c.466G>T, in cilia- and flagella-associated protein 300 ( CFAP300 ) resulting in a stop codon (p.Glu156*) through whole-exome sequencing (WES). The proband had a PCD phenotype with laterality defects and immotile sperm flagella displaying a combined loss of the inner dynein arm (IDA) and outer dynein arm (ODA). Bioinformatic programs predicted that the mutation is deleterious. Successful pregnancy was achieved through intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Our results expand the spectrum of CFAP300 variants in PCD and provide reproductive guidance for infertile couples suffering from PCD caused by them.
Adult
;
Female
;
Humans
;
Male
;
Pregnancy
;
China
;
Ciliary Motility Disorders/genetics*
;
Codon, Nonsense
;
East Asian People/genetics*
;
Exome Sequencing
;
Homozygote
;
Infertility, Male/genetics*
;
Kartagener Syndrome/genetics*
;
Pedigree
;
Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic
;
Cytoskeletal Proteins/genetics*
9.Micronucleus counts correlating with male infertility: a clinical analysis of chromosomal abnormalities and reproductive parameters.
Shun-Han ZHANG ; Ying-Jun XIE ; Wen-Jun QIU ; Qian-Ying PAN ; Li-Hao CHEN ; Jian-Feng WU ; Si-Qi HUANG ; Ding WANG ; Xiao-Fang SUN
Asian Journal of Andrology 2025;27(4):537-542
Investigating the correlation between micronucleus formation and male infertility has the potential to improve clinical diagnosis and deepen our understanding of pathological progression. Our study enrolled 2252 male patients whose semen was analyzed from March 2023 to July 2023. Their clinical data, including semen parameters and age, were also collected. Genetic analysis was used to determine whether the sex chromosome involved in male infertility was abnormal (including the increase, deletion, and translocation of the X and Y chromosomes), and subsequent semen analysis was conducted for clinical grouping purposes. The participants were categorized into five groups: normozoospermia, asthenozoospermia, oligozoospermia, oligoasthenozoospermia, and azoospermia. Patients were randomly selected for further study; 41 patients with normozoospermia were included in the control group and 117 patients with non-normozoospermia were included in the study group according to the proportions of all enrolled patients. Cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) screening was conducted through peripheral blood. Statistical analysis was used to determine the differences in micronuclei (MNi) among the groups and the relationships between MNi and clinical data. There was a significant increase in MNi in infertile men, including those with azoospermia, compared with normozoospermic patients, but there was no significant difference between the genetic and nongenetic groups in azoospermic men. The presence of MNi was associated with sperm concentration, progressive sperm motility, immotile spermatozoa, malformed spermatozoa, total sperm count, and total sperm motility. This study underscores the potential utility of MNi as a diagnostic tool and highlights the need for further research to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of male infertility.
Humans
;
Male
;
Infertility, Male/genetics*
;
Adult
;
Micronucleus Tests
;
Semen Analysis
;
Oligospermia/genetics*
;
Azoospermia/genetics*
;
Chromosome Aberrations
;
Sperm Count
;
Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective
;
Middle Aged
10.Clinical characteristics and prognosis of acute erythroleukemia in children.
Ping ZHU ; Wen-Jing QI ; Ye-Qing TAO ; Ding-Ding CUI ; Guang-Yao SHENG ; Chun-Mei WANG
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(1):88-93
OBJECTIVES:
To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of acute erythroleukemia (AEL) in children.
METHODS:
A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data, treatment, and prognosis of 8 children with AEL treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2013 to December 2023.
RESULTS:
Among the 7 patients with complete bone marrow morphological analysis, 4 exhibited trilineage dysplasia, with a 100% incidence of erythroid dysplasia (7/7), a 71% incidence of myeloid dysplasia (5/7), and a 57% incidence of megakaryocytic dysplasia (4/7). Immunophenotyping revealed that myeloid antigens were primarily expressed as CD13, CD33, CD117, CD38, and CD123, with 4 cases expressing erythroid antigens CD71 and 2 cases expressing CD235a. Chromosomal analysis indicated that 2 cases presented with abnormal karyotypes, including +8 in one case and +4 accompanied by +6 in another; no complex karyotypes were observed. Genetic abnormalities were detected in 4 cases, with fusion genes including one case each of dup MLL positive and EVI1 positive, as well as mutations involving KRAS, NRAS, WT1, and UBTF. Seven patients received chemotherapy, with 6 achieving remission after one course of treatment; 2 underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and all had disease-free survival. Follow-up (median follow-up time of 6 months) showed that only 3 patients survived (2 cases after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and 1 case during treatment).
CONCLUSIONS
Children with AEL have unique clinical and biological characteristics, exhibit poor treatment response, and have a poor prognosis; however, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation may improve overall survival rates.
Humans
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Male
;
Female
;
Prognosis
;
Child, Preschool
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Child
;
Leukemia, Erythroblastic, Acute/diagnosis*
;
Infant
;
Adolescent


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