This study explores the therapeutic differences and mechanisms of salt-processed Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex in improving insulin resistance(IR) based on network pharmacology, molecular docking, and cellular experiments. The components and intersection targets of Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex in improving IR were collected from databases, and a "drug-component-target-disease" network and protein-protein interaction(PPI) network were constructed to screen core components and targets. A total of 29 active components and 240 intersection targets were identified, of which 13 were core targets. Gene Ontology(GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were used to identify key signaling pathways, and molecular docking was performed to validate the binding activity between core components and targets. An IR model in HepG2 cells was induced using insulin combined with high glucose, and the effects of Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex before and after salt-processing on cell glucose consumption were evaluated. The expression of proteins related to the mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)-protein kinase B(AKT) signaling pathways was detected by Western blot. The cellular experimental results showed that, compared with the model group, glucose consumption in the drug-treated groups was significantly increased(P<0.01), the phosphorylation level of extracellular regulated protein kinase(ERK) was decreased(P<0.05), the phosphorylation levels of PI3K and AKT were increased, and the expression of glucose transporter 4(GLUT4) was also upregulated(P<0.05). Furthermore, the effect of salt-processed Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex was better than that of raw Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex. The study demonstrates that Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex, both before and after salt-processing, improves IR by regulating the expression of related proteins in the MAPK and PI3K-AKT signaling pathways, with enhanced effects after salt-processing.
Humans ; Network Pharmacology ; Phellodendron/chemistry* ; Insulin Resistance ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Hep G2 Cells ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Protein Interaction Maps/drug effects* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/genetics* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/genetics* ; Glucose/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the expression levels and prognostic significance of MYCN in bone marrow of adult patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). METHODS: A total of 62 newly diagnosed patients with non-M3 AML were enrolled as the study group, and 20 healthy donors as the control group. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to detect the expression level of MYCN, and the relationship between MYCN expression and prognosis of AML patients was analyzed. RESULTS: MYCN was up-regulated in newly diagnosed AML patients compared with normal controls (P < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that MYCN could serve as a diagnostic biomarker for AML. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the patients with high MYCN expression had a shorter overall survival (OS) time than the patients with low MYCN expression (P =0.016). The expression level of MYCN was lower during the complete ressimion (CR) phase of AML compared to the initial diagnosis, but it returned to the initial diagnostic level or even higher during relapse phase. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that high expression of MYCN was an independent risk factor for OS of AML patients (P =0.021). CONCLUSION MYCN is highly expressed and associated with poor prognosis in de novo AML, which might be serve as a novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for adult AML.
Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/metabolism* ; Prognosis ; N-Myc Proto-Oncogene Protein ; Adult ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged

Pancreatic cancer has emerged as one of the most challenging malignancies worldwide,with its high resistance to chemotherapy being the primary cause of treatment failure.Therefore,enhancing the chemosensitivity of pancreatic cancer has become a major focus of current research.In this study,we in-vestigated how Bufotaline,a bufadienolide extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine toad venom,exhibits its antitumor activity.Specifically,we explored the potential of Bufotaline to enhance the chemo-sensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells to Adriamycin and elucidated its underlying molecular mechanisms.Using CCK-8 and colony formation assays,we demonstrated that Bufotaline enhances the inhibitory effect of Adriamycin on the survival of pancreatic cancer cell lines Patu-8988T,Aspc-1,and Patu-8988S.No-tably,Bufotaline treatment reduced the IC50 of Adriamycin in drug-resistant pancreatic cancer cells to lev-els comparable to those in non-resistant cells.Results from Western blot,immunofluorescence,comet as-say,and TUNEL assays revealed that Bufotaline promotes Adriamycin-induced DNA damage in pancreatic cancer cells.RNA-seq analysis of Patu-8988T cells treated with Adriamycin alone or in combination with Bufotaline showed significant changes in gene expression,and qRT-PCR analysis further confirmed that Bu-fotaline downregulates the expression of DNA damage repair proteins NBS1 and RAD50.Moreover,Western blot analysis revealed that Bufotaline reduces the levels of DNA damage response repair proteins,and Im-munofluorescence experiments indicated that Bufotaline inhibits the activation of the ATM/CHK2 signaling pathway.Finally,in a subcutaneous xenograft mouse model,the combination of Adriamycin and Bufotaline treatment significantly suppressed pancreatic cancer cell growth.In conclusion,Bufotaline enhances Adria-mycin-induced chemosensitivity in pancreatic cancer cells;the combination of Adriamycin and Bufotaline downregulates the expression of DNA damage response repair proteins NBS1 and RAD50,and inhibits the ATM/CHK2-mediated DDR signaling pathway,thereby delaying DNA damage repair.

Objective To analyze the clinical application value of modified contrast agent injection protocol in computed tomography pulmonary angiography(CTPA)examinations.Methods A total of 124 patients with high clinical suspicion of pulmonary embolism(PE)who underwent CTPA were selected,and 104 patients were finally included in the study.These patients were randomly divided into traditional group and modified group based on different contrast agent injection protocols,with 52 patients in each group.The CT values,image noise,signal-to-noise ratio(SNR),contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR),visualized segment number,image score,contrast agent dosage,and radiation dose of pulmonary artery and its branches were compared between the two groups.Results There were no significant differences in age,body mass index(BMI),Qanadli embolism index,volume CT dose index(CTDIvol),dose length product(DLP),effective dose(ED),CT values of pulmonary artery and its branches,image noise,SNR and CNR between the two groups(P＞0.05).However,there were statistically significant differences in the subjective image score and contrast agent dosage between the two groups(P＜0.05).The subjective image score in the modified group was significantly higher than that in the traditional group,and the contrast agent dosage in the modified group was approximately half of that in the traditional group.Conclusion The modified contrast agent injection protocol in CTPA examinations can not only ensure the image quality of pulmonary artery and its branches meeting the diagnostic standards,but also significantly reduce the contrast agent dosage,which indicates a high clinical application value.

Body weight abnormalities, including overweight, obesity, and underweight, have become a dual public health challenge in Chinese adults: overweight and obesity lead to a variety of chronic complications, while underweight increases the risks of malnutrition, sarcopenia, and organ dysfunction. To systematically address these issues, multidisciplinary experts in endocrinology, sports science, nutrition, and psychiatry from various regions have held multiple weight management seminars. Based on the latest epidemiological data and clinical evidence, they expanded the guideline to include assessment and intervention strategies for underweight, in addition to the core content of obesity management. This guideline outlines the etiological mechanisms, evaluation methods, and multidimensional management strategies for overweight and obesity, covering key areas such as diagnosis and assessment, medical nutrition therapy, exercise prescription, pharmacological intervention, and psychological support. It is intended to provide a scientific and standardized approach to weight management across the adult population, aiming to curb the rising prevalence of obesity, mitigate complications associated with abnormal body weight, and improve nutritional status and overall quality of life.

To evaluate the effectiveness of the modified post anesthesia care unit (PACU) discharge assessment tool in the field of bone oncology, in order to prevent and reduce postoperative adverse events in patients undergoing bone tumor surgery. This is a prospective controlled study. 81 bone tumor patients who underwent general anesthesia surgery in the PACU from January to December 2023 were prospectively selected as the study subjects. They were randomly divided into a control group and an intervention group using a random number table method, with 43 and 38 cases, respectively. The control group and intervention group respectively used the fast track scoring system and the improved fast track scoring system as exit assessment tools. Independent sample t-test was used to compare the duration of PACU stay, mean arterial pressure (MAP) at PACU exit, heart rate, and blood oxygen saturation (SpO 2) between two groups of patients. Chi square test was used to compare the occurrence of adverse events between the two groups. The results showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the intervention group and the control group in terms of PACU dwell time [(55.58±23.83) min vs. (46.14±21.87) min], MAP at PACU [(88.23±11.52) mmHg vs. (86.25±10.62) mmHg], heart rate [(86.25±10.62) beats/min vs. (72.93±18.86) beats/min], and SpO 2 [(99.84±0.68)% vs. (99.86±0.91)%] ( t=1.859, 0.805, 1.003, 0.101,all P>0.05). The total incidence of adverse events in the intervention group was significantly lower than the control group (68.42% vs. 90.70%, χ2=4.988, P<0.05). In conclusion, the modified fast-tracking criteria can significantly reduce the incidence of adverse events in PACU patients undergoing bone tumor surgery, but does not affect PACU dwell time and patient circulatory status.

Pancreatic cancer has emerged as one of the most challenging malignancies worldwide,with its high resistance to chemotherapy being the primary cause of treatment failure.Therefore,enhancing the chemosensitivity of pancreatic cancer has become a major focus of current research.In this study,we in-vestigated how Bufotaline,a bufadienolide extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine toad venom,exhibits its antitumor activity.Specifically,we explored the potential of Bufotaline to enhance the chemo-sensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells to Adriamycin and elucidated its underlying molecular mechanisms.Using CCK-8 and colony formation assays,we demonstrated that Bufotaline enhances the inhibitory effect of Adriamycin on the survival of pancreatic cancer cell lines Patu-8988T,Aspc-1,and Patu-8988S.No-tably,Bufotaline treatment reduced the IC50 of Adriamycin in drug-resistant pancreatic cancer cells to lev-els comparable to those in non-resistant cells.Results from Western blot,immunofluorescence,comet as-say,and TUNEL assays revealed that Bufotaline promotes Adriamycin-induced DNA damage in pancreatic cancer cells.RNA-seq analysis of Patu-8988T cells treated with Adriamycin alone or in combination with Bufotaline showed significant changes in gene expression,and qRT-PCR analysis further confirmed that Bu-fotaline downregulates the expression of DNA damage repair proteins NBS1 and RAD50.Moreover,Western blot analysis revealed that Bufotaline reduces the levels of DNA damage response repair proteins,and Im-munofluorescence experiments indicated that Bufotaline inhibits the activation of the ATM/CHK2 signaling pathway.Finally,in a subcutaneous xenograft mouse model,the combination of Adriamycin and Bufotaline treatment significantly suppressed pancreatic cancer cell growth.In conclusion,Bufotaline enhances Adria-mycin-induced chemosensitivity in pancreatic cancer cells;the combination of Adriamycin and Bufotaline downregulates the expression of DNA damage response repair proteins NBS1 and RAD50,and inhibits the ATM/CHK2-mediated DDR signaling pathway,thereby delaying DNA damage repair.

To evaluate the effectiveness of the modified post anesthesia care unit (PACU) discharge assessment tool in the field of bone oncology, in order to prevent and reduce postoperative adverse events in patients undergoing bone tumor surgery. This is a prospective controlled study. 81 bone tumor patients who underwent general anesthesia surgery in the PACU from January to December 2023 were prospectively selected as the study subjects. They were randomly divided into a control group and an intervention group using a random number table method, with 43 and 38 cases, respectively. The control group and intervention group respectively used the fast track scoring system and the improved fast track scoring system as exit assessment tools. Independent sample t-test was used to compare the duration of PACU stay, mean arterial pressure (MAP) at PACU exit, heart rate, and blood oxygen saturation (SpO 2) between two groups of patients. Chi square test was used to compare the occurrence of adverse events between the two groups. The results showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the intervention group and the control group in terms of PACU dwell time [(55.58±23.83) min vs. (46.14±21.87) min], MAP at PACU [(88.23±11.52) mmHg vs. (86.25±10.62) mmHg], heart rate [(86.25±10.62) beats/min vs. (72.93±18.86) beats/min], and SpO 2 [(99.84±0.68)% vs. (99.86±0.91)%] ( t=1.859, 0.805, 1.003, 0.101,all P>0.05). The total incidence of adverse events in the intervention group was significantly lower than the control group (68.42% vs. 90.70%, χ2=4.988, P<0.05). In conclusion, the modified fast-tracking criteria can significantly reduce the incidence of adverse events in PACU patients undergoing bone tumor surgery, but does not affect PACU dwell time and patient circulatory status.

Background and purpose:Thyroid cancer is the most common malignant endocrine tumor,particularly prevalent among the Asian population.The overall survival for thyroid cancer patients is relatively high,but there are significant survival differences among patients.Based on long-term hospital-based cancer registry database,this study analyzed the 10-year observed overall survival(OS)rate of thyroid cancer cases and the distribution of causes of death,providing real-world evidences to further survival management of thyroid cancer in China.Methods:A total of 55343 thyroid cancer patients who underwent treatment at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer center from 2005 to 2021 were included in this study.Clinical information and the follow-up endpoint data were collected through medical records review,telephone visits and death registry data linkage.The last follow-up date was October 31,2024.Kaplan-Meier method was applied in evaluating the OS rate,and survival data were described by different subgroups as age group,gender,treatment period,tumor staging and pathological characteristics.The standardized mortality ratio(SMR)and absolute excess risk(AER)were calculated using general Shanghai population as the reference,and the mortality risk was described by gender,age at diagnosis and histological subtype.Results:With a median follow-up time of 63.01 months,the overall 1-,3-,5-and 10-year OS rates of thyroid cancer patients were 99.67%(95%CI:99.62%-99.72%),99.11%(95%CI:99.03%-99.19%),98.48%(95%CI:98.36%-98.60%)and 95.81%(95%CI:95.50%-96.11%),respectively.The 10-year OS rates of stage Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ and Ⅳ were 97.99%(95%CI:97.70%-98.28%),89.80%(95%CI:87.24%-92.37%),77.84%(95%CI:70.76%-84.92%)and 62.95%(95%CI:55.37%-70.54%),respectively.The differences in OS among patients with different age,gender and histological classification were significant.1256(2.27%)deaths occurred,of which 18.63%,50.88%and 7.32%were attributable to thyroid cancer,other cancers and cardiovascular disease(CVD),respectively.Compared with the general population,patients with different subtypes of thyroid cancer had higher all-cause mortality rates,progressively increasing with papillary,follicular,medullary and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma/poorly differentiated carcinoma.Compared with general population,the death risk was 2.24 times higher in papillary thyroid cancer patients(95%CI:2.06-2.44),9.94 times higher in follicular thyroid cancer patients(95%CI:6.79-14.09),12.16 times higher in medullary thyroid cancer patients(95%CI:8.05-17.69),and the highest risk was observed in patients with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma/poorly differentiated carcinoma[SMR=79.67(95%CI:58.38-106.31),AER=766.01/1 000 person-years].Conclusion:The 10-year long survival data and cause of death for thyroid cancer patients with different histological types were reported in China based on a large single institution hospital-based cancer registry database.Staging and histological characteristics were the most important factors directly affected the survival.Early diagnosis and individualized treatment are crucial for improving prognosis.

Objective To analyze the clinical application value of modified contrast agent injection protocol in computed tomography pulmonary angiography(CTPA)examinations.Methods A total of 124 patients with high clinical suspicion of pulmonary embolism(PE)who underwent CTPA were selected,and 104 patients were finally included in the study.These patients were randomly divided into traditional group and modified group based on different contrast agent injection protocols,with 52 patients in each group.The CT values,image noise,signal-to-noise ratio(SNR),contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR),visualized segment number,image score,contrast agent dosage,and radiation dose of pulmonary artery and its branches were compared between the two groups.Results There were no significant differences in age,body mass index(BMI),Qanadli embolism index,volume CT dose index(CTDIvol),dose length product(DLP),effective dose(ED),CT values of pulmonary artery and its branches,image noise,SNR and CNR between the two groups(P＞0.05).However,there were statistically significant differences in the subjective image score and contrast agent dosage between the two groups(P＜0.05).The subjective image score in the modified group was significantly higher than that in the traditional group,and the contrast agent dosage in the modified group was approximately half of that in the traditional group.Conclusion The modified contrast agent injection protocol in CTPA examinations can not only ensure the image quality of pulmonary artery and its branches meeting the diagnostic standards,but also significantly reduce the contrast agent dosage,which indicates a high clinical application value.