OBJECTIVE To predict and validate the mechanisms of Chaiqi yigan granules （CQYG） improving hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC）. METHODS The signaling pathways of CQYG intervention in HCC were predicted using network pharmacology. A mice model of transplanted hepatocellular carcinoma was established by injecting H22 hepatoma cells into the axilla. Successfully modeled mice were randomly divided into model group （normal saline）， sorafenib group （positive control， 50 mg/kg）， and CQYG low-， medium- and high-dose groups （24.83， 49.66， 99.32 g/kg）， with 10 mice in each group. Mice in each group were administered the corresponding drug solution or normal saline intragastrically， once a day， for 14 consecutive days. After last administration， pathological morphological changes in the tumor tissues of mice were observed in each group. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect the expression of the nuclear proliferation antigen Ki-67 in tumor tissues of mice. Western blot assay was used to measure the expression of proteins related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition （EMT） [N-cadherin， E-cadherin， Vimentin， matrix metalloproteinase 7 （MMP7）] and the mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK） signaling pathway [p38 MAPK， phosphorylated p38 MAPK， c-Jun N-terminal kinase （JNK）， phosphorylated JNK， extracellular regulated protein kinase 1/2 （ERK1/2）， phosphorylated ERK1/2] in tumor tissue of mice. RESULTS Network pharmacology analysis revealed that metabolic pathways， pathways in cancer， and the MAPK signaling pathway were key signaling pathways through which CQYG exert their anti-hepatocellular carcinoma effects. In animal experiments， the tumor tissues of mice in the model group exhibited dense tumor cells and vigorous growth. Compared with model group， CQYG high-dose group showed a decreased density of tumor cells in the tumor tissues of mice. Moreover， the expression levels of Ki-67， N-cadherin， MMP7 and Vimentin proteins， along with the phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2 and JNK proteins， were all significantly reduced （ P ＜0.05）. The expression level of E-cadherin protein was significantly increased （ P ＜0.05）， the phosphorylation level of p38 MAPK protein was increased， the difference was not statistically significant （ P ＞0.05）. CONCLUSIONS CQYG can inhibit EMT by regulating the MAPK signaling pathway， thereby suppressing tumor cell invasion and metastasis and ultimately exerting a therapeutic effect in improving HCC.

Objective To conduct preoperative simulations of three different osteotomy line design schemes under centric occlusion based on two distinct material assignment methods,evaluate biomechanical properties of the models,and explore which osteotomy line design schemes are more suitable for different types of mandibles.Methods Three types of mandibles were selected,and CT images were obtained for three-dimensional(3D)reconstruction.Material assignment was completed using the cortical/cancellous bone assignment method and the gray value assignment method.Osteotomy was simulated according to the three osteotomy line design schemes,followed by finite element analysis.Results In all simulation results of the mandibles,the maximum stress was 81.10 MPa,the maximum strain was 0.035 52,and the maximum displacement was 432.4 μm.The stress distributions obtained by the cortical/cancellous bone assignment method showed a larger stress distribution range than that that by the gray value assignment methods,but the maximum stress,strain,and displacement were generally lower.For the outflare type and common type mandibles,Scheme 1 showed lower maximum stress,strain,and displacement under both material assignment methods,but no clearly suitable scheme was found for the retracted type.Conclusions The outflare type and common type mandibles are more suitable for adopting the osteotomy line design scheme of Scheme 1.For the retracted type,other mandibular angle osteotomy plastic surgery methods may be considered to ensure better biomechanical characteristics.Whether choosing the osteotomy line design scheme or the modeling material assignment method,it is necessary to make the final decision based on the specific analysis objective and resource conditions.

Objective:To construct four recombinant hemagglutinin (HA) antigens from seasonal influenza viruses and evaluate their immunogenicity in mouse models.Methods:HA coding sequences from four seasonal influenza virus strains Wisconsin (H1N1), Darwin (H3N2), Austria (B/Victoria lineage, BV) and Phuket (B/Yamagata lineage, BY) were optimized and synthesized, and then used to construct four recombinant plasmids. Recombinant baculoviruses were obtained through transformation and transfection. The expression of recombinant HA antigens was identified by SDS-PAGE and Western blot. The recombinant HA antigens were purified by nickel column affinity chromatography and intramuscularly administered to BALB/c mice after formulation with Al(OH) 3 or AddaVax adjuvant. Humoral immune responses were assessed by indirect ELISA and hemagglutination inhibition test, while cellular immune responses were evaluated by ELISPOT. Microneutralization test was used to detect the titers of serum antibodies in mice. Statistical analysis was performed using t test or non-parametric rank sum test. Results:PCR amplification and agarose gel electrophoresis confirmed the correct construction of the recombinant bacmids. Western blot showed verified the successful expression of the four recombinant antigens (H1-HA, H3N2-HA, BV-HA, and BY-HA). SDS-PAGE results showed that the purity of all four recombinant HA antigens exceeded 95%. After three-dose immunization, the total IgG levels in mice immunized with the recombinant H1N1-HA, H3N2-HA, or BV-HA formulated with AddaVax adjuvant were higher than those in the corresponding groups immunized with the same recombinant antigen alone (all P<0.05). The secretion levels of IFN-γ, IL-2, and IL-4 in the group receiving the mixture of all four recombinant HA antigens formulated with AddaVax adjuvant were higher than those in the group immunized with a commercial quadrivalent split influenza vaccine (all P<0.01). Results of the microneutralization test showed that the antibody titer in the quadrivalent split influenza vaccine group was 1∶225, whereas the titer in the group immunized with the mixture of four recombinant HA antigens formulated with AddaVax adjuvant could reach up to 1∶1 200. Conclusions:In this study, four recombinant seasonal influenza virus HA antigens are successfully expressed and demonstrated good immunogenicity in mice when formulated AddaVax adjuvant.

Objective To conduct preoperative simulations of three different osteotomy line design schemes under centric occlusion based on two distinct material assignment methods,evaluate biomechanical properties of the models,and explore which osteotomy line design schemes are more suitable for different types of mandibles.Methods Three types of mandibles were selected,and CT images were obtained for three-dimensional(3D)reconstruction.Material assignment was completed using the cortical/cancellous bone assignment method and the gray value assignment method.Osteotomy was simulated according to the three osteotomy line design schemes,followed by finite element analysis.Results In all simulation results of the mandibles,the maximum stress was 81.10 MPa,the maximum strain was 0.035 52,and the maximum displacement was 432.4 μm.The stress distributions obtained by the cortical/cancellous bone assignment method showed a larger stress distribution range than that that by the gray value assignment methods,but the maximum stress,strain,and displacement were generally lower.For the outflare type and common type mandibles,Scheme 1 showed lower maximum stress,strain,and displacement under both material assignment methods,but no clearly suitable scheme was found for the retracted type.Conclusions The outflare type and common type mandibles are more suitable for adopting the osteotomy line design scheme of Scheme 1.For the retracted type,other mandibular angle osteotomy plastic surgery methods may be considered to ensure better biomechanical characteristics.Whether choosing the osteotomy line design scheme or the modeling material assignment method,it is necessary to make the final decision based on the specific analysis objective and resource conditions.

Objective:To construct four recombinant hemagglutinin (HA) antigens from seasonal influenza viruses and evaluate their immunogenicity in mouse models.Methods:HA coding sequences from four seasonal influenza virus strains Wisconsin (H1N1), Darwin (H3N2), Austria (B/Victoria lineage, BV) and Phuket (B/Yamagata lineage, BY) were optimized and synthesized, and then used to construct four recombinant plasmids. Recombinant baculoviruses were obtained through transformation and transfection. The expression of recombinant HA antigens was identified by SDS-PAGE and Western blot. The recombinant HA antigens were purified by nickel column affinity chromatography and intramuscularly administered to BALB/c mice after formulation with Al(OH) 3 or AddaVax adjuvant. Humoral immune responses were assessed by indirect ELISA and hemagglutination inhibition test, while cellular immune responses were evaluated by ELISPOT. Microneutralization test was used to detect the titers of serum antibodies in mice. Statistical analysis was performed using t test or non-parametric rank sum test. Results:PCR amplification and agarose gel electrophoresis confirmed the correct construction of the recombinant bacmids. Western blot showed verified the successful expression of the four recombinant antigens (H1-HA, H3N2-HA, BV-HA, and BY-HA). SDS-PAGE results showed that the purity of all four recombinant HA antigens exceeded 95%. After three-dose immunization, the total IgG levels in mice immunized with the recombinant H1N1-HA, H3N2-HA, or BV-HA formulated with AddaVax adjuvant were higher than those in the corresponding groups immunized with the same recombinant antigen alone (all P<0.05). The secretion levels of IFN-γ, IL-2, and IL-4 in the group receiving the mixture of all four recombinant HA antigens formulated with AddaVax adjuvant were higher than those in the group immunized with a commercial quadrivalent split influenza vaccine (all P<0.01). Results of the microneutralization test showed that the antibody titer in the quadrivalent split influenza vaccine group was 1∶225, whereas the titer in the group immunized with the mixture of four recombinant HA antigens formulated with AddaVax adjuvant could reach up to 1∶1 200. Conclusions:In this study, four recombinant seasonal influenza virus HA antigens are successfully expressed and demonstrated good immunogenicity in mice when formulated AddaVax adjuvant.

Objective:To investigate the influencing factors of prolonged postoperative ileus (PPOI) in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) during hospitalization.Methods:The data of 339 patients underwent PD admitted to the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2018 to September 2023 were retrospectively analyzed, including 204 males and 135 females, aged (60.6±11.2) years. Among the 339 patients, 112 (33.0%) had pancreatic tumors, 94 (27.7%) had Vater ampullary tumors, 82 (24.2%) had common bile duct tumors, and 51 (15.0%) had duodenal tumors. A total of 339 patients with PPOI were included in the PPOI group ( n=43) and those without PPOI were included in the control group ( n=296). The two groups were compared in terms of age, PD operation (open or laparoscopic), gastrojejunostomy (retrocolic or antecolic gastrojejunostomy), grade B or C pancreatic fistula, hypokalemia, and postoperative use of patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA). The index comparing P<0.05 between the two groups was further included in the multivariate logistic regression analysis to analyze the influencing factors of PPOI in PD patients. Results:There were statistically significant differences in age >70 years, PD operation, gastrojejunostomy, grade B or C pancreatic fistula, hypokalemia, and postoperative use of PCIA between the two groups (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed grade B or C pancreatic fistula ( OR=3.17, 95% CI: 1.48-6.82), open surgery ( OR=2.90, 95% CI: 1.35-6.24), retrocolic gastrojejunostomy ( OR=2.47, 95% CI: 1.23-4.95), postoperative usage of PCIA ( OR=2.61, 95% CI: 1.21-5.62), age >70 years ( OR=2.47, 95% CI: 1.71-5.19) had a high risk of PPOI during postoperative hospitalization (all P<0.05). Conclusion:Postoperative grade B or C pancreatic fistula, open surgery, retrocolic gastrojejunostomy (compares with antecolic gastrojejunostomy), postoperative using PCIA, and age >70 years are independent risk factors for PPOI in patients undergoing PD during postoperative hospitalization.

Mucin-type O-glycosylation is one of the most common post-translational modifications in proteins,capable of altering protein conformation and biological functions.It plays a crucial role in biological processes such as cell signaling,cell adhesion,and immune responses.Polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 3(GALNT3),as the initiating enzyme of mucin-type O-glycosylation,is of paramount importance in maintaining the homeostasis of human cells and tissues.Dysfunction of GALNT3 has been found to play a role in various diseases,such as calcium-phosphorus metabolism disorders and atherosclerosis.Additionally,GALNT3 is abnormally expressed in several types of tumors,including colorectal cancer,lung cancer,and ovarian cancer.Its expression is associated with the clinical pathological features of patients and poor prognosis,making it a potential biomarker for early tumor diagnosis and prognosis evaluation.Further research shows that GALNT3 can both regulate glycosylation levels to reduce adhesion between tumor cells and activate multiple metabolism-related pathways,promoting tumor cell invasion and metastasis.This review summarizes the role of GALNT3 in the development of malignant tumors and discusses the prospects and challenges of developing anti-tumor drugs targeting GALNT3.

Objective To observe the effect of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) in regulating endothelial cell phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) expression on lower ex-tremity vascular lesion and its possible mechanism.Methods Twenty-four 2-month-old healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into the three groups:control group (group A),diabetes angiopathy group (group B),diabetes angiopathy+ESWT group (group C).The group B and C were fed with high fat and high sugar and intraperitoneally injected with streptozotocin 60 mg/kg to establish the rat model of diabetes vascular lesion. The group C received ESWT at 1 week (T1),2 weeks (T2),3 weeks (T3) and 4 weeks (T4) after modeling,and the blood stream velocity of rat femoral artery vascular lesion area and vascular internal diameter were measured at T4 by ultrasound.At the end of ESWT,the rats were immediately killed for taking their femoral arteries and gastrocnemius.The structures of the femoral arteries in each group were observed under electron microscopy.Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of PTEN,PI3K and Akt proteins,while qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression levels of PTEN mRNA.Immunofluorescence was used to detect the expression level of CD31 in gastrocnemius muscle .Results The peak systolic flow velocity and end-dias-tolic flow velocity of femoral artery at T4 in group B and C were significantly lower than those in group A (P<0.05),but group C was higher than group B (P<0.05).The internal diameter of femoral artery had no statistical difference among 3 groups (P>0.05).The PTEN expression level in group B and group C was sig-nificantly lower than that in group A (P<0.05),while group C was higher than group B (P<0.05).The ex-pression levels of PI3K and Akt in group B were higher than those in group A (P<0.05),and group C was lower than group B (P<0.05).The PTEN mRNA expression level in group B and group C was significantly lower than that in group A (P<0.05),but group C was higher than group B (P<0.05).Under electron mi-croscopy,it was observed that after ESWT,the endothelial cell damage in group C was obvious when com-pared with group B.The CD31 expression level in group B and group C was significantly lower than that in group A (P<0.05),but group C was higher than group B (P<0.05).Conclusion ESWT could improve the vascular function,increase the peak velocity during systolic period of femoral artery in diabetes rats and im-prove the microvessel density of gastrocnemius muscle by up-regulating PTEN in lower extremity artery and down-regulating PI3K and Akt in diabetes rats.

Microglia, originating from primitive macrophages in the yolk sac, serves as both immune system defenders and regulators of homeostasis. These cells exhibit two primary polarization states: conventionally activated(M1)and alternatively activated(M2). The polarization of microglia plays a crucial role in influencing inflammatory disorders, metabolic imbalances, and neural degeneration. This process is implicated in various aspects of ocular diseases, especially age-related macular degeneration(AMD), including inflammation, oxidative stress and pathological angiogenesis. The distinct functional phenotypes of microglia impact disease progression and prognosis. Thus, regulating the polarization or functional phenotype of microglia at different stages of AMD holds promise for personalized therapeutic approaches. This comprehensive review outlines the involvement of microglia polarization in both physiological and pathological conditions, emphasizing its relevance in AMD. The discussion underscores the potential of polarization as a foundation for personalized treatment strategies for AMD.

Objective To optimize the culture process of insect cell-baculovirus expression vector system(BEVS) in order to further improve the protein expression of recombinant hepatitis E virus-like particles(HEV-LPs), and to scale up and verify the process.Methods Serum-free suspension culture of Sf9 insect cells was carried out and a 7 L bioreactor was established through shaking flask cascade amplification. The parameters such as viable cell density, culture temperature and recombinant virus inoculation ratio were optimized when the cells were inoculated with recombinant baculovirus. The cell growth status was observed and the expression level of the target protein was analyzed. The target protein was detected by SDSPAGE, Western blot, high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) and transmission electron microscope(TEM). The morphology of HEV-LPs and protein yield were integrated, and the suitable expression parameters of recombinant HEV-LPs were determined to prepare three batches of 7 L recombinant hepatitis E vaccine.Results The optimal parameters for the cultivation of insect cells in a 7 L bioreactor were as follows: stirring 90 r/min, pH(6. 2 ± 0. 1), optimal incubation temperature 27 ℃, cell density of recombinant baculovirus inoculation 6. 0 × 10~6 cells/mL, and dissolved oxygen 90%. Under this condition, the relative molecular mass of the expressed HEV-LPs target protein was about 58 000, which had a specific binding with HEV mouse monoclonal antibody. The final yield was 60-70 mg/L, with the purity of more than 95%. Spherical particles with a diameter of about 20 nm were observed under TEM. The HEV-LPs recombinant protein prepared by the optimized parameters had stable yield and uniform particle morphology.Conclusion The culture and expression process of recombinant hepatitis E vaccine was successfully optimized, and the stability of the amplification process was verified, which lays a foundation for the development of recombinant hepatitis E vaccine production process.