The chemical constituents were systematically separated from the roots of Berberis polyantha by various chromatographic methods, including silica gel column chromatography, HP20 column chromatography, polyamide column chromatography, reversed-phase C_(18) column chromatography, and preparative high-performance liquid chromatography. The structures of the compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectroscopic techniques(1D NMR, 2D NMR, UV, MS, and CD). Four phenylpropanoids were isolated from the methanol extract of the roots of B. polyantha, and they were identified as(2R)-1-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-propanone-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(1), methyl 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzoate(2),(+)-syringaresinol(3), and syringaresinol-4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(4). Compound 1 was a new compound, and other compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time. The anti-inflammatory activity of these compounds was evaluated based on the release of nitric oxide(NO) in the culture of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. At a concentration of 10 μmol·L~(-1), all the four compounds inhibited the LPS-induced release of NO in RAW264.7 cells, demonstrating potential anti-inflammatory properties.
Plant Roots/chemistry* ; Animals ; Mice ; Berberis/chemistry* ; RAW 264.7 Cells ; Macrophages/immunology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/isolation & purification* ; Nitric Oxide/metabolism* ; Molecular Structure ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/isolation & purification*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Patients with glioma experience a high symptom burden and have diverse palliative care needs. However, the assessment scales used in palliative care remain non-standardized and highly heterogeneous. To evaluate the application patterns of the current scales used in palliative care for glioma, we aim to identify gaps and assess the need for disease-specific scales in glioma palliative care. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search of five databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, EMBASE, and CINAHL for quantitative studies that reported scale-based assessments in glioma palliative care. We extracted data on scale characteristics, domains, frequency, and psychometric properties. Quality assessments were performed using the Cochrane ROB 2.0 and ROBINS-I tools. RESULTS: Of the 3,405 records initially identified, 72 studies were included. These studies contained 75 distinct scales that were used 193 times. Mood (21.7%), quality of life (24.4%), and supportive care needs (5.2%) assessments were the most frequently assessed items, exceeding half of all scale applications. Among the various assessment dimensions, the Distress Thermometer (DT) was the most frequently used tool for assessing mood, while the Short Form-36 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36) was the most frequently used tool for assessing quality of life. The Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) was the most common tool for cognitive assessment. Performance status (5.2%) and social support (6.8%) were underrepresented. Only three brain tumor-specific scales were identified. Caregiver-focused scales were limited and predominantly burden-oriented. CONCLUSIONS: There are significant heterogeneity, domain imbalances, and validation gaps in the current use of assessment scales for patients with glioma receiving palliative care. The scale selected for use should be comprehensive and user-friendly.
Humans ; Glioma/psychology* ; Palliative Care/methods* ; Quality of Life ; Psychometrics ; Brain Neoplasms/psychology*

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is prevalent among men, but its relationship with dietary habits is uncertain. The aim of our study was to assess whether dietary patterns enhance erectile function by reviewing the literature published before August 1, 2022, via PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases. The data compiled included author details; publication dates, countries, treatments, patient numbers, ages, follow-ups, and clinical trial outcomes, such as ED cases, odds ratios (ORs), confidence intervals (CIs), and International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) scores with means and standard deviations. An analysis of 14 studies with 27 389 participants revealed that plant-based diets (OR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.66-0.75; P < 0.00001), low-fat diets (OR = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.13-0.53; P = 0.0002), and alternative diets such as intermittent fasting and organic diets (OR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.36-0.80; P = 0.002) significantly reduced ED risk. High-protein low-fat diets (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.12-1.64; P < 0.00001) and high-carb low-fat diets (HR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.55-1.04; P < 0.00001) improved IIEF-5 scores. Combined diet and exercise interventions decreased the likelihood of ED (OR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.28-0.85; P = 0.01) and increased the IIEF-5 score (OR = 3.40, 95% CI: 1.69-5.11; P < 0.0001). Diets abundant in fruits and vegetables (OR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.96-0.98; P < 0.00001) and nuts (OR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.37-0.80; P = 0.002) were also correlated with lower ED risk. Our meta-analysis underscores a strong dietary-ED association, suggesting that low-fat/Mediterranean diets rich in produce and nuts could benefit ED management.
Humans ; Male ; Erectile Dysfunction/epidemiology* ; Diet ; Diet, Fat-Restricted ; Feeding Behavior ; Penile Erection/physiology* ; Diet, Vegetarian

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the predictive value of the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI) for short-term efficacy and prognosis in newly treated patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). METHODS: The general data, laboratory indicators, disease stage and other clinical data of 91 newly treated PTCL patients admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from January 2015 to December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The optimal cutoff values for PNI and SIRI were determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and the patients were stratified into groups based on these cutoffs to compare clinical features and short-term efficacy between the different groups. Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot survival curves, and univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the factors affecting overall survival (OS). RESULTS: The optimal cutoff values for PNI and SIRI were 45.30 and 1.74×10⁹/L, respectively. Patients in different PNI groups showed statistically significant differences in age, Ann Arbor stage, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level, international prognostic index (IPI), prognostic index for PTCL-not otherwise specified (PIT), pathological subtypes, and complete response (CR) rate (P < 0.05). PTCL patients in different SIRI groups exhibited significant differences in Ann Arbor stage, LDH level, IPI score, PIT score, and CR rate (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that age ≥60 years old (OR =2.750), Ann Arbor stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ (OR =5.200), IPI score ≥2 (OR =7.650), low PNI (OR =3.296), and high SIRI (OR =3.130) were independent risk factors affecting treatment efficacy in PTCL patients (P < 0.05). Cox proportional hazards regression model analysis showed that low PNI and elevated β₂-microglobulin (β₂-MG) levels were independent risk factors affecting OS (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION PNI and SIRI have certain application value in evaluating short-term efficacy and prognosis in patients with PTCL. Compared with SIRI, PNI demonstrates greater predictive value for patient prognosis.
Humans ; Prognosis ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral/therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Nutrition Assessment ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; ROC Curve ; Inflammation

OBJECTIVE: To explore the safety and efficacy of high-dose etoposide (VP-16) combined with recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) as salvage mobilization for peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) patients. METHODS: From April 2021 to May 2023, eight NDMM patients who had failed to yield sufficient PBSC during initial mobilization with high-dose cyclophosphamide (CTX) combined with rhG-CSF underwent salvage mobilization with 1.2 g/m2 etoposide combined with rhG-CSF 10 μg/(kg·d). The effects and adverse reactions of initial mobilization and salvage mobilization were analyzed. RESULTS: For salvage mobilization and initial mobilization, the numbers of PBSC collections were 16 and 18, respectively. The mean value of total collected CD34⁺ cells were (11.90±5.75)×10⁶/kg and (1.67±0.75)×10⁶/kg (P =0.0010) in salvage mobilization group and initial mobilization group, respectively. The proportion of patients with a total collection of CD34⁺ cell count≥2×10⁶/kg were 100% and 37.5% (P =0.0625), and the proportion of patients with a total collection of CD34⁺ cell count≥5×10⁶/kg were 87.5% and 0% (P =0.0156) in salvage mobilization group and initial mobilization group, respectively. For five patients who underwent high-dose CTX initial mobilization but had a total CD34⁺ cell count < 2×10⁶/kg, successful collection was achieved through salvage mobilization with high-dose VP-16. Salvage mobilization with high-dose VP-16 was scheduled 2-3 weeks after failure of CTX mobilization. Adverse reactions of high-dose VP-16 mobilization did not increase compared to the initial mobilization with high-dose CTX. CONCLUSION As a salvage mobilization regimen, VP-16 1.2 g/m² combined with rhG-CSF is safe and highly effective in NDMM patients who failed to initial mobilization with high-dose CTX combined with rhG-CSF.
Humans ; Multiple Myeloma/therapy* ; Etoposide/therapeutic use* ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization/methods* ; Cyclophosphamide/therapeutic use* ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Salvage Therapy ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cells ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Female ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation

Ovarian tumor (OT) is the most lethal form of gynecologic malignancy, with minimal improvements in patient outcomes over the past several decades. Metastasis is the leading cause of ovarian cancer-related deaths, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Psychological stress is known to activate the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1), a factor associated with poor prognosis in OT patients. However, the precise mechanisms linking NR3C1 signaling and metastasis have yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we demonstrate that chronic restraint stress accelerates epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis in OT through an NR3C1-dependent mechanism involving nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1). Mechanistically, NR3C1 directly regulates the transcription of NUPR1, which in turn increases the expression of snail family transcriptional repressor 2 (SNAI2), a key driver of EMT. Clinically, elevated NR3C1 positively correlates with NUPR1 expression in OT patients, and both are positively associated with poorer prognosis. Overall, our study identified the NR3C1/NUPR1 axis as a critical regulatory pathway in psychological stress-induced OT metastasis, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for intervention in OT metastasis.

Neuropathic pain, a debilitating condition caused by dysfunction of the somatosensory nervous system, remains difficult to treat due to limited understanding of its molecular mechanisms. Bioinformatics analysis identified cerebellin 2 (CBLN2) as highly enriched in human and murine proprioceptive and nociceptive neurons. We found that CBLN2 expression is persistently upregulated in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) following spinal nerve ligation (SNL) in mice. In addition, transcription factor SOX11 binds to 12 cis-regulatory elements within the Cbln2 promoter to enhance its transcription. SNL also induced SOX11 upregulation, with SOX11 and CBLN2 co-localized in nociceptive neurons. The siRNA-mediated knockdown of Sox11 or Cbln2 attenuated SNL-induced mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. High-throughput sequencing of DRG following intrathecal injection of CBLN2 revealed widespread gene expression changes, including upregulation of numerous NF-κB downstream targets. Consistently, CBLN2 activated NF-κB signaling, and inhibition with pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate reduced CBLN2-induced pain hypersensitivity, proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines production, and neuronal hyperexcitability. Together, these findings identified the SOX11/CBLN2/NF-κB axis as a critical mediator of neuropathic pain and a promising target for therapeutic intervention.
Animals ; Neuralgia/metabolism* ; Ganglia, Spinal/metabolism* ; Up-Regulation ; Mice ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; SOXC Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Male ; Neuroinflammatory Diseases/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics* ; Hyperalgesia/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction ; Spinal Nerves

OBJECTIVE: Pneumoconiosis, a lung disease caused by irreversible fibrosis, represents a significant public health burden. This study investigates the causal relationships between gut microbiota, gene methylation, gene expression, protein levels, and pneumoconiosis using a multi-omics approach and Mendelian randomization (MR). METHODS: We analyzed gut microbiota data from MiBioGen and Esteban et al. to assess their potential causal effects on pneumoconiosis subtypes (asbestosis, silicosis, and inorganic pneumoconiosis) using conventional and summary-data-based MR (SMR). Gene methylation and expression data from Genotype-Tissue Expression and eQTLGen, along with protein level data from deCODE and UK Biobank Pharma Proteomics Project, were examined in relation to pneumoconiosis data from FinnGen. To validate our findings, we assessed self-measured gut flora from a pneumoconiosis cohort and performed fine mapping, drug prediction, molecular docking, and Phenome-Wide Association Studies to explore relevant phenotypes of key genes. RESULTS: Three core gut microorganisms were identified: Romboutsia ( OR = 0.249) as a protective factor against silicosis, Pasteurellaceae ( OR = 3.207) and Haemophilus parainfluenzae ( OR = 2.343) as risk factors for inorganic pneumoconiosis. Additionally, mapping and quantitative trait loci analyses revealed that the genes VIM, STX8, and MIF were significantly associated with pneumoconiosis risk. CONCLUSIONS This multi-omics study highlights the associations between gut microbiota and key genes ( VIM, STX8, MIF) with pneumoconiosis, offering insights into potential therapeutic targets and personalized treatment strategies.
Humans ; Male ; East Asian People/genetics* ; Europe ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Lung ; Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors/metabolism* ; Mendelian Randomization Analysis ; Multiomics ; Pneumoconiosis/microbiology* ; Intramolecular Oxidoreductases

Objective:To analyze the differences in clinicopathological features of colon cancers and survival between patients with right- versus left-sided colon cancers.Methods:This was a retrospective cohort study. Information on patients with colon cancer from January 2016 to August 2020 was collected from the prospective registry database at Peking Union Medical College Hospital . Primary tumors located in the cecum, ascending colon, and proximal two‐thirds of the transverse colon were defined as right-sided colon cancers (RCCs), whereas primary tumors located in the distal third of the transverse colon, descending colon, or sigmoid colon were defined as left‐sided colon cancers (LCCs). Clinicopathological features were compared using the χ 2 test or Mann‐Whitney U test. Survival was estimated by Kaplan‐Meier curves and the log‐rank test. Factors that differed significantly between the two groups were identified by multivariate survival analyses performed with the Cox proportional hazards function. One propensity score matching was performed to eliminate the effects of confounding factors. Results:The study cohort comprised 856 patients, with TNM Stage I disease, 391 (45.7%) with Stage II, and 336 (39.3%) with Stage III, including 442 (51.6%) with LCC and 414 (48.4%) with RCC and 129 (15.1%). Defective mismatch repair (dMMR) was identified in 139 patients (16.2%). Compared with RCC, the proportion of men (274/442 [62.0%] vs. 224/414 [54.1%], χ 2=5.462, P=0.019), body mass index (24.2 [21.9, 26.6] kg/m 2 vs. 23.2 [21.3, 25.5] kg/m 2, U=78,789.0, P<0.001), and well/moderately differentiated cancer (412/442 [93.2%] vs. 344/414 [83.1%], χ 2=22.266, P<0.001) were higher in the LCC than the RCC group. In contrast, the proportion of dMMR (40/442 [9.0%] vs. 99/414 [23.9%], χ 2=34.721, P<0.001) and combined vascular invasion (106/442[24.0%] vs. 125/414[30.2%], χ 2=4.186, P=0.041) were lower in the LCC than RCC group. The median follow‐up time for all patients was 48 (range 33, 59) months. The log‐rank test revealed no significant differences in disease-free survival (DFS) ( P=0.668) or overall survival (OS) ( P=0.828) between patients with LCC versus RCC. Cox proportional hazards model showed that dMMR was significantly associated with a longer DFS (HR=0.419, 95%CI: 0.204?0.862, P=0.018), whereas a higher proportion of T3‐4 (HR=2.178, 95%CI: 1.089?4.359, P=0.028), N+ (HR=2.126, 95%CI: 1.443?3.133, P<0.001), and perineural invasion (HR=1.835, 95%CI: 1.115?3.020, P=0.017) were associated with poor DFS. Tumor location was not associated with DFS or OS (all P>0.05). Subsequent analysis showed that RCC patients with dMMR had longer DFS than did RCC patients with pMMR (HR=0.338, 95%CI: 0.146?0.786, P=0.012). However, the difference in OS between the two groups was not statistically significant (HR=0.340, 95%CI:0.103?1.119, P=0.076). After propensity score matching for independent risk factors for DFS, the log‐rank test revealed no significant differences in DFS ( P=0.343) or OS ( P=0.658) between patients with LCC versus RCC, whereas patient with dMMR had better DFS ( P=0.047) and OS ( P=0.040) than did patients with pMMR. Conclusions:Tumor location is associated with differences in clinicopathological features; however, this has no impact on survival. dMMR status is significantly associated with longer survival: this association may be stronger in RCC patients.

Objective:To explore the impact on safety and prognosis in patients with right-sided colon cancer participating in surgical clinical research.Methods:This retrospective cohort study utilized data from a randomized controlled trial (RELARC study) conducted by the colorectal surgery group at Peking Union Medical College Hospital in which laparoscopic complete mesocolic excision (CME) was compared with D2 radical resection for the management of right-sided colon cancer. The eligibility criteria were age 18–75 years, biopsy-proven colon adenocarcinoma, tumor located between the cecum and right 1/3 of the transverse colon, enhanced chest, abdomen, and pelvic CT scans suggesting tumor stage T2–T4N0M0 or TanyN+ M0, and having undergone radical surgical treatment from January 2016 to December 2019. Exclusion factors included multiple primary colorectal cancers, preoperative stage T1N0 or enlarged central lymph nodes, tumor involving surrounding organs requiring their resection, definite distant metastasis or otherwise unable to undergo R0 resection, history of any other malignant tumors within previous 5 years, intestinal obstruction, perforation, or gastrointestinal bleeding requiring emergency surgery, and assessed as unsuitable for laparoscopic surgery. Patients who had participated in the RELARC study were included in the RELARC group, whereas those who met the inclusion criteria but refused to participate in the RELAEC study were included in the control group. The main indicators studied were the patient's baseline data, surgery and perioperative conditions, pathological characteristics, adjuvant treatment, and postoperative follow-up (including average frequency of follow-up within the first 3 years) and survival (including 3-year disease-free survival rate (DFS) and 3-year overall survival rate (OS). Differences in these indicators between the RELARC and control groups were compared.Results:The study cohort comprised 290 patients, 173 in the RELARC group (RELARC-CME group, 82; RELARC-D2 group, 91) and 117 in the control group (CME control group, 72; D2 control group, 45). There was a significantly higher proportion of overweight patients (BMI ≥24 kg/m 2) in the RELARC-CME than in the CME control group (67.1% [55/82] vs. 33.3% [24/72], χ 2=17.469, P<0.001). There were no other statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics (all P>0.05). No significant disparities were found between the CME and D2 groups in terms of operation duration, intraoperative blood loss, rate of conversion to open surgery, combined organ resection, intraoperative blood transfusion, or intraoperative complications (all P>0.05). There was a trend toward Clavien–Dindo grade II or higher postoperative complications in the RELARC-CME group (24.4% [20/82]) than in the CME control group (18.1% [13/72]); however, this difference was not statistically significant (χ 2=0.914, P=0.339). Similarly, the difference in this rate did not differ significantly between the RELARC-D2 group (25.3% [23/91]) and D2 control group (24.4% [11/45], χ 2=0.011, P=0.916). The median duration of postoperative follow-up was significantly shorter in the RELARC groups than in the corresponding control groups. Specifically, the median duration of follow-up was 4.5 (4.5, 4.5) months in the RELARC-CME and 7.2 (6.0, 9.0) months in the CME control group ( Z=-10.608, P<0.001). Similarly, the median duration of follow-up was 4.5 (4.5, 4.5) months in the RELARC-D2 group as opposed to 8.3 (6.6, 9.0) months in the D2 control group ( Z=-10.595, P<0.001). The 3-year DFS rate (91.5%) and OS rate (96.3%) tended to be higher in the RELARC-CME group than in the CME control group (84.7% and 90.3%, respectively). The 3-year DFS rate (87.9%) and OS rate (96.7%) tended to be higher in the RELARC-D2 group than in the D2 control group (81.8% and 88.6%, respectively); however, these differences were not statistically significant (all P>0.05). Subgroup analysis according to pathological stage revealed that patients in the RELARC-D2 group with pN0 stage achieved a significantly superior 3-year OS rate than did those in the D2 control group (100% vs. 88.9%, P=0.008). We identified no statistically significant differences in survival rates between the remaining subgroups (all P>0.05). Conclusions:A high-quality surgical clinical trial with close follow-up can achieve perioperative safety and a trend toward improved survival outcomes.