1.Effect of Processed Polygonatum cyrtonema in Preventing Depression Induced by Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress in Female Rats
Xinyu DENG ; Chunhua MA ; Zimeng WANG ; Man TANG ; Xinran LI ; Lurong YU ; Xianyuan HE
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(7):117-124
ObjectiveTo observe the prevention and control effect of processed Polygonatum cyrtonema on depression induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) in female rats. MethodsForty rats were assigned into control, model, and low-, medium-, and high-dose processed P. cyrtonema groups according to the random number table method, with 8 rats in each group. The rat model of depression was established with the CUMS method. The body mass, open field test, forced swimming test, Morris water maze test, levels of neurotransmitters [dopamine (DA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-TH), and acetylcholine (ACh)], serum levels of sex hormones [gonadotropin-releasing hormone(GnRH), testosterone (T), and estradiol (E2)] and inflammatory factors [tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-10], and mRNA and protein levels of factors in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)/tyrosine kinase receptor B (TRKB)/cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) pathway were employed to evaluate the effect of processed P. cyrtonema on the CUMS-induced depression in female rats. ResultsThe body mass, open field test results, and forced swimming test results showed that the rat model of depression was successfully established. The comparison of behaviors, neurotransmitters, sex hormones, inflammatory factors, and neural pathways among groups showed that processed P. cyrtonema had different effects of preventing the development of depression in female rats. SPSS 25 was used for statistical analysis of error and significance. T test was conducted between groups. Each treatment group showed significant therapeutic effect compared with the model group (P<0.05). Processed P. cyrtonema elevated the level of 5-TH (P<0.01) and lowered the levels of DA and ACh (P<0.01) in the brain tissue of female rats. In addition, it reduced the serum levels of GnRH, T, E2, TNF-α, and IL-6 (P<0.05) and up-regulated the mRNA levels of BDNF and TRKB in the rat brain. ConclusionProcessed P. cyrtonema has a non-hyperactive preventive effect on CUMS-induced depression in rats, which provides a theoretical basis for the development of processed P. cyrtonema as a functional food product.
2.Effect of Processed Polygonatum cyrtonema in Preventing Depression Induced by Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress in Female Rats
Xinyu DENG ; Chunhua MA ; Zimeng WANG ; Man TANG ; Xinran LI ; Lurong YU ; Xianyuan HE
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(7):117-124
ObjectiveTo observe the prevention and control effect of processed Polygonatum cyrtonema on depression induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) in female rats. MethodsForty rats were assigned into control, model, and low-, medium-, and high-dose processed P. cyrtonema groups according to the random number table method, with 8 rats in each group. The rat model of depression was established with the CUMS method. The body mass, open field test, forced swimming test, Morris water maze test, levels of neurotransmitters [dopamine (DA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-TH), and acetylcholine (ACh)], serum levels of sex hormones [gonadotropin-releasing hormone(GnRH), testosterone (T), and estradiol (E2)] and inflammatory factors [tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-10], and mRNA and protein levels of factors in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)/tyrosine kinase receptor B (TRKB)/cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) pathway were employed to evaluate the effect of processed P. cyrtonema on the CUMS-induced depression in female rats. ResultsThe body mass, open field test results, and forced swimming test results showed that the rat model of depression was successfully established. The comparison of behaviors, neurotransmitters, sex hormones, inflammatory factors, and neural pathways among groups showed that processed P. cyrtonema had different effects of preventing the development of depression in female rats. SPSS 25 was used for statistical analysis of error and significance. T test was conducted between groups. Each treatment group showed significant therapeutic effect compared with the model group (P<0.05). Processed P. cyrtonema elevated the level of 5-TH (P<0.01) and lowered the levels of DA and ACh (P<0.01) in the brain tissue of female rats. In addition, it reduced the serum levels of GnRH, T, E2, TNF-α, and IL-6 (P<0.05) and up-regulated the mRNA levels of BDNF and TRKB in the rat brain. ConclusionProcessed P. cyrtonema has a non-hyperactive preventive effect on CUMS-induced depression in rats, which provides a theoretical basis for the development of processed P. cyrtonema as a functional food product.
3.Changes in the body shape and ergonomic compatibility for functional dimensions of desks and chairs for students in Harbin during 2010-2024
Chinese Journal of School Health 2025;46(3):315-320
Objective:
To analyze the change trends in the body shape indicators and proportions of students in Harbin from 2010 to 2024, and to investigate ergonomic compatibility of functional dimensions of school desks and chairs with current student shape indicators, so as to provide a reference for revising furniture standards of desks and chairs.
Methods:
Between September and November of both 2010 and 2024, a combination of convenience sampling and stratified cluster random sampling was conducted across three districts in Harbin, yielding samples of 6 590 and 6 252 students, respectively. Anthropometric shape indicators cluding height, sitting height, crus length, and thigh length-and their proportional changes were compared over the 15-year period. The 2024 data were compared with current standard functional dimensions of school furniture. The statistical analysis incorporated t-test and Mann-Whitney U- test.
Results:
From 2010 to 2024, average height increased by 1.8 cm for boys and 1.5 cm for girls; sitting height increased by 1.5 cm for both genders; crus length increased by 0.3 cm for boys and 0.4 cm for girls; and thigh length increased by 0.5 cm for both genders. The ratios of sitting height to height, and sitting height to leg length increased by less than 0.1 . The difference between desk chair height and 1/3 sitting height ranged from 0.4-0.8 cm. Among students matched with size 0 desks and chairs, 22.0% had a desk to chair height difference less than 0, indicating that the desk to chair height difference might be insufficient for taller students. The differences between seat height and fibular height ranged from -1.4 to 1.1 cm; and the differences between seat depth and buttock popliteal length ranged from -9.8 to 3.4 cm. Among obese students, the differences between seat width and 1/2 hip circumference ranged from -20.5 to -8.7 cm, while it ranged from -12.2 to -3.8 cm among non obese students.
Conclusion
Current furniture standards basically satisfy hygienic requirements; however, in the case of exceptionally tall and obese students, ergonomic accommodations such as adaptive seating allocation or personalized adjustments are recommended to meet hygienic requirements.
4.Serum immune parameters as predictors for treatment outcomes in cervical cancer treated with concurrent chemo-radiotherapy.
Lihua CHEN ; Weilin CHEN ; Yingying LIN ; Xinran LI ; Yu GU ; Chen LI ; Yuncan ZHOU ; Ke HU ; Fuquan ZHANG ; Yang XIANG
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(23):3131-3138
BACKGROUND:
Concurrent chemo-radiotherapy (CCRT) is the standard treatment for locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC), but there are still many patients who suffer tumor recurrence. However, valuable predictors of treatment outcomes remain limited. This study aimed to assess the value of the serum immune biomarkers to predict the prognosis.
METHODS:
We reviewed cervical cancer patients treated with CCRT between January 2014 and May 2018 at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. The systemic immune inflammation index (SII), systemic inflammation response index (SIRI), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were calculated using blood samples. The relationship between immune markers and the treatment outcome was analyzed. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the predictive efficiency. The Cox proportional hazards model and log-rank were used to predict overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS).
RESULTS:
This study included 667 patients. Among them, 195 (29.2%) patients were defined as treatment failure, including 127 (19.0%) patients with pelvic failure, 94 (14.1%) distant failure, and 25 (3.7%) concurrent pelvic and distant failure. It revealed that the tumor stage, size, metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs), and serum immune biomarkers, such as SII, SIRI, and LDH, were significantly related to treatment outcomes. We demonstrated that the optimal cut-off of the SII, SIRI, and LDH were 970.4 × 10 9 /L, 1.3 × 10 9 /L, and 207.52 U/L, respectively. Importantly, this study presented that LDH level had the highest OR (OR = 4.2; 95% CI [2.3-10.8]). Furthermore, the OS and DFS for patients with pre-SII ≥970.5 × 10 9 /L were significantly worse than those with pre-SII <970.5 × 10 9 /L. Similarly, pre-SIRI ≥1.25 × 10 9 /L and pre-LDH ≥207.5 U/L were related to poor survival outcomes.
CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrated that the baseline SII, SIRI, and LDH levels can be used to accurately and effectively predict the treatment outcomes after CCRT and long-term prognosis. Our results may offer additional prognostic information in clinical, which helps to detect the potential recurrent metastasis in time.
Humans
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Female
;
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/drug therapy*
;
Middle Aged
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Adult
;
Aged
;
Chemoradiotherapy/methods*
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L-Lactate Dehydrogenase/blood*
;
Treatment Outcome
;
Disease-Free Survival
;
Prognosis
;
ROC Curve
;
Biomarkers, Tumor/blood*
;
Proportional Hazards Models
5.USP20 as a super-enhancer-regulated gene drives T-ALL progression via HIF1A deubiquitination.
Ling XU ; Zimu ZHANG ; Juanjuan YU ; Tongting JI ; Jia CHENG ; Xiaodong FEI ; Xinran CHU ; Yanfang TAO ; Yan XU ; Pengju YANG ; Wenyuan LIU ; Gen LI ; Yongping ZHANG ; Yan LI ; Fenli ZHANG ; Ying YANG ; Bi ZHOU ; Yumeng WU ; Zhongling WEI ; Yanling CHEN ; Jianwei WANG ; Di WU ; Xiaolu LI ; Yang YANG ; Guanghui QIAN ; Hongli YIN ; Shuiyan WU ; Shuqi ZHANG ; Dan LIU ; Jun-Jie FAN ; Lei SHI ; Xiaodong WANG ; Shaoyan HU ; Jun LU ; Jian PAN
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(9):4751-4771
T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a highly aggressive hematologic malignancy with a poor prognosis, despite advancements in treatment. Many patients struggle with relapse or refractory disease. Investigating the role of the super-enhancer (SE) regulated gene ubiquitin-specific protease 20 (USP20) in T-ALL could enhance targeted therapies and improve clinical outcomes. Analysis of histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27ac) chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) data from six T-ALL cell lines and seven pediatric samples identified USP20 as an SE-regulated driver gene. Utilizing the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) and BloodSpot databases, it was found that USP20 is specifically highly expressed in T-ALL. Knocking down USP20 with short hairpin RNA (shRNA) increased apoptosis and inhibited proliferation in T-ALL cells. In vivo studies showed that USP20 knockdown reduced tumor growth and improved survival. The USP20 inhibitor GSK2643943A demonstrated similar anti-tumor effects. Mass spectrometry, RNA-Seq, and immunoprecipitation revealed that USP20 interacted with hypoxia-inducible factor 1 subunit alpha (HIF1A) and stabilized it by deubiquitination. Cleavage under targets and tagmentation (CUT&Tag) results indicated that USP20 co-localized with HIF1A, jointly modulating target genes in T-ALL. This study identifies USP20 as a therapeutic target in T-ALL and suggests GSK2643943A as a potential treatment strategy.
6.Pristimerin induces Noxa-dependent apoptosis by activating the FoxO3a pathway in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
Mengyuan FENG ; Anjie ZHANG ; Jingyi WU ; Xinran CHENG ; Qingyu YANG ; Yunlai GONG ; Xiaohui HU ; Wentao JI ; Xianjun YU ; Qun ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines (English Ed.) 2025;23(5):585-592
Pristimerin, which is one of the compounds present in Celastraceae and Hippocrateaceae, has antitumor effects. However, its mechanism of action in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the efficacy and mechanism of pristimerin on ESCC in vitro and in vivo. The inhibitory effect of pristimerin on cell growth was assessed using trypan blue exclusion and colony formation assays. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry. Gene and protein expressions were analyzed through quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) was employed to identify significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Cell transfection and RNA interference assays were utilized to examine the role of key proteins in pristimerin?s effect. Xenograft models were established to evaluate the antitumor efficiency of pristimerin in vivo. Pristimerin inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis in ESCC cells. Upregulation of Noxa was crucial for pristimerin-induced apoptosis. Pristimerin activated the Forkhead box O3a (FoxO3a) signaling pathway and triggered FoxO3a recruitment to the Noxa promoter, leading to Noxa transcription. Blocking FoxO3a reversed pristimerin-induced Noxa upregulation and cell apoptosis. Pristimerin treatment suppressed xenograft tumors in nude mice, but these effects were largely negated in Noxa-KO tumors. Furthermore, the chemosensitization effects of pristimerin in vitro and in vivo were mediated by Noxa. This study demonstrates that pristimerin exerts an antitumor effect on ESCC by inducing AKT/FoxO3a-mediated Noxa upregulation. These findings suggest that pristimerin may serve as a potent anticancer agent for ESCC treatment.
Forkhead Box Protein O3/genetics*
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Humans
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Apoptosis/drug effects*
;
Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma/physiopathology*
;
Esophageal Neoplasms/physiopathology*
;
Pentacyclic Triterpenes
;
Animals
;
Cell Line, Tumor
;
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/genetics*
;
Mice
;
Signal Transduction/drug effects*
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Mice, Nude
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Cell Proliferation/drug effects*
;
Triterpenes/pharmacology*
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Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
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Mice, Inbred BALB C
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Male
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Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects*
7.Intelligentization of Syndrome Differentiation and Diagnosis in Traditional Chinese Medicine from the Perspective of "Ambiguity and Accuracy"
Xinlong LI ; ShiHua WANG ; Xinran ZHAO ; Yu ZHANG ; Yan LIU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;65(15):1555-1558
This paper analyzed the "non-standardization" phenomenon of syndrome differentiation in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) from the diagnosis process. It is proposed that the symptoms and signs collected by the four examinations of inspection, listening/smelling, inquiry, and palpation naturally have a certain "ambiguity", which can be reduced by the comparison and comprehensive condensation (comprehensive analysis of the four examinations) of a large amount of multi-dimensional clinical data, thereby realizing the sublimation of TCM diagnosis from "ambiguity" of four examinations to "accuracy" of diagnostic conclusion. Based on the above assumptions, this paper further proposed that a research idea of intelligent syndrome differentiation in TCM, that is, by taking the clinical thinking ability of TCM physicians as the core, adopting artificial intelligence technology based on knowledge graph visualization, integrating the complex network association and reasoning method of "symptom-pathogenesis-syndrome" linked by pathogenesis, and through the automatic analysis and reasoning process of a large amount of multi-dimensional and ambiguous clinical data, the intelligent TCM diagnosis based on syndrome differentiation can be realized.
8.Preoperative therapeutic plasma exchange to prevent acute rejection after ABO incompatible renal transplantation:a retrospective analysis
Xinran LIU ; Dan WANG ; Ruirui SU ; Yiming MA ; Xiaofei LI ; Yang YU
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2024;37(7):734-741
Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of preoperative therapeutic plasma exchange(TPE)in pre-venting acute rejection after ABO incompatible kidney transplantation(ABOi-KT).Methods Nine patients with ABOi-KT who were admitted to the renal transplant department of our hospital from April 2022 to April 2024 were retrospectively ana-lyzed.They received a total of 28 TPEs before kidney transplantation,and the treatment plan was summarized as follows:The proportion of the substitute fluid,as well as the frequency and volume of TPE were determined based on the patient′s ABO blood group system antibody titer,gender,height,weight,hematocrit and other indicators upon admission.The pa-tient′s relevant laboratory indicators,including hemoglobin,platelets,leukocytes,coagulation function,total protein,albu-min,globulin,A/G,creatinine and urea nitrogen upon admission and after TPE were monitored and statistically analyzed.After transplantation,changes in renal function indicators such as ABO blood group system antibody titers,creatinine and u-rinary excretion were observed,and clinical symptoms of acute rejection,such as swelling,pain and edema in the transplan-ted kidney area were observed.Results Nine ABOi-KT patients had an average of about 3 TPEs before transplantation sur-gery,with an average total volume of approximately 2 500 mL to 3 500 mL per TPE,or approximately about 1.01 to 1.16 plasma volume(PV).After multiple TPEs,pre-transplantation antibody titers decreased by an average of 3 times compared to before TPE.There were no statistically significant differences in Hb,PLT,PT,PTA,INR,TBil,ALB,Cr and BUN(P>0.05),while statistically significant differences were found in WBC,APTT,Fbg,TP,GLB and A/G(P<0.05).After surgery,the creatinine level of 9 patients dropped to approximately 100 to 140 μmol/L,the urine output was normal,and the urine protein dropped to weakly positive or negative values.None of the nine patients experienced acute rejection.Con-clusion TPE can effectively reduce the level of ABO blood group antibody and prevent the occurrence of acute rejection in ABOi-KT patients.
9.Clinical characteristics and management status of Turner syndrome in 1 089 children
Yan LIANG ; Haiyan WEI ; Ruimin CHEN ; Zhixin ZHANG ; Xinran CHENG ; Na TAO ; Chunlin WANG ; Yu YANG ; Ying XIN ; Xin FAN ; Xingxing ZHANG ; Geli LIU ; Shengquan CHENG ; Min ZHU ; Hongwei DU ; Yan SUN ; Linqi CHEN ; Lanwei CUI ; Xiaoping LUO
Chinese Journal of Pediatrics 2024;62(10):962-968
Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics and management status of children with Turner syndrome (TS) in China.Methods:As a cross-sectional study, 1 089 TS patients were included in the database of the National Collaborative Alliance for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Turner Syndrome from August 2019 to November 2023. Clinical characteristics (growth development, sexual development, organ anomalies, etc.), karyotypes, auxiliary examinations, and treatments were collected and analyzed.Results:Among the 1 089 TS cases, 809 were recorded karyotypes. The karyotype distribution was as follows: 45, X in 317 cases (39.2%), X chromosome structural variants (including partial deletions of p or q arm, ring chromosome, and marker chromosome) in 89 cases (11.0%), 45, X/46, XX mosaicism in 158 cases (19.5%), mosaicism with X chromosome structural variants in 209 cases (25.8%), and presence of Y chromosome material in 36 cases (4.4%). Among the 824 TS cases, the age of diagnosis was 9.7(6.4, 12.2) years, with a height standard deviation score (HtSDS) of -3.1±1.2. Five hundred and fifty three cases underwent growth hormone (GH) stimulation test, and 352 cases (63.7%) had GH peak values <10 μg/L and 75.9% (577/760) had low IGF1 levels, with IGF1 SDS ≤-2 accounting for 38.2% (290 cases). Among 471 cases aged ≥8 years, 132 cases (28.0%) showed spontaneous sexual development (mean bone age (11.0±1.7) years), 10 cases had spontaneous menarche (mean bone age (12.0±2.2) years), and 2 cases had regular menstrual cycles. Common physical features included cubitus valgus (311 cases (28.5%)), neck webbing (188 cases (17.2%)), low posterior hairline (185 cases (17.0%)), shield chest (153 cases (14.0%)), high arched palate (127 cases (11.6%)), short fourth metacarpal (43 cases (3.9%)), and spinal abnormalities (38 cases (3.5%)). Congenital cardiovascular and urogenital anomalies occurred in 91 cases (19.4%) and 66 cases (12.0%)respectively. Abdominal ultrasound in 33 cases (7.2%) indicated fatty liver, hepatomegaly, intrahepatic bile duct stones, and splenomegaly. Among 23 cases undergoing oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) test, 2 were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and 4 with impaired glucose tolerance. Following diagnosis, 669 cases (80.7%) received rhGH treatment at a chronological age of (9±4) years and bone age of (8.3±3.2) years. Additionally, 112 cases (19.4%) received sex hormone replacement therapy starting at the age of (14±4) years and bone age of (12.6±1.2) years.Conclusions:The karyotypes of 45, X and mosaicism were most common in Chinese children with TS. The clinical manifestations were mainly short stature and gonadal dysplasia. However, a few TS children could be in the normal range of height, and some cases among those aged of ≥8 years old had spontaneous sexual development. Some exhibited physical features, congenital cardiovascular and urogenital anomalies, and dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-IGF1 axis. Moreover, a few of them developed impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus. Following diagnosis, most of the patients received rhGH treatment, and a few of them received sex hormone replacement therapy.
10.Treatment strategy refinement and long-term outcome assessment based on the magnetic resonance imaging features of gynecomastia
Zenan XIA ; Xinran ZHANG ; Yuanbo KANG ; Wenchao ZHANG ; Nanze YU ; Zhifei LIU ; Lin ZHU
Chinese Journal of Medical Aesthetics and Cosmetology 2024;30(3):202-207
Objective:To improve and optimize the modified surgical strategies for patents with Simon Ⅰ and Simon Ⅱ type of gynecomastia, based on their magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features.Methods:Clinical data of 190 patients aged 12 to 56 years (mean age 26.7±8.6) with gynecomastia who underwent modified surgeries in the Department of Plastic Surgery of Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2017 to January 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The study measured breast MRI images of 44 male patients to calculate the area ratio of the glands on the transverse plane via nipple. This provided insight into the physiological structure and the tissue distribution of gynecomastia for improving the modified surgical strategies. All 190 patients were treated with enhanced liposuction and " Pull-Through and Bottom-Up" techniques. The duration of operation, amount of liposuction and amount of glandular resection, postoperative complications were recorded, and postoperative satisfaction was investigated by questionnaire surveys.Results:MRI images of the 87-side male breast showed that the average area ratio of the glands on the transverse plane via nipple was (10.9±12.5) %. The most prevalent subtype of gynecomastia was branch pattern, accounting for 46.0%. The median surgical duration of 190 patients was 95 (65-210) minutes, the median liposuction volume was 300 (50-1 400) ml, and the median glandular removal was 19.9 (1.5-157.0) g. Eighty-eight patients (46.3%) went through followed up for more than 6 months post-posterative with an overall satisfaction score of 4.68±0.53. Postoperative complications occurred in 19 sides (5.1%), and the reoperation rate was 1.3%.Conclusions:The MRI imaging of gynecomastia shows that the component of patients′ breasts are mainly fat, with a small amount of glandular tissue and the dominant subtype is branch pattern. Enhanced liposuction combined with " Pull-Through and Bottom-Up" stab incision technique can be an effective treatment for Simon grades Ⅰ and Ⅱ gynecomastia. The method results in high patient satisfaction with fewer postoperative complications.


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