End-stage liver disease (ESLD) covers the end-stage of acute and chronic liver diseases, mainly involving decompensated cirrhosis, various types of liver failure, and advanced liver cancer. Hepatocyte transplantation has shown promise in treating ESLD, but its clinical application is hampered by the shortage of donor hepatocytes. Cell therapy, an emerging effective treatment for ESLD, faces the same limitation due to scarce hepatocyte availability. Hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs), which are terminally differentiated cells, can be induced from both stem cells and somatic cells. As HLCs exhibit the morphology and function of primary hepatocytes, they offer a promising supplementary source of hepatocytes for cell therapy. First, we provide a background for the differentiation and maturation of primary hepatocytes. Subsequently, based on the current insights into the molecular pathways that regulate hepatocyte differentiation in vivo, we describe a strategy for establishing HLC derived from either stem cells or somatic cells. The key characteristics of these HLCs are also detailed. Furthermore, HLC offers therapeutic potential for liver failure, and HLC-based liver organoids and bioartificial liver systems have demonstrated the ability to provide liver functions, offering an innovative approach to treating various types of ESLD. Despite their promise, challenges such as efficiency in differentiation and functional maturation need to be addressed to improve the clinical application of HLCs. This review discusses these advancements and outlines the therapeutic potential and current challenges of HLC therapy for ESLD.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the impact of Netupitant and palonosetron hydrochloride capsules （NEPA） on the pharmacokinetics of Paclitaxel for injection （albumin bound） （i. e. albumin-bound paclitaxel） under different intestinal microenvironment conditions. METHODS Male SD rats were divided into a normal group and a model group （n＝16）. Rats in the model group were intragastrically administered vancomycin solution to establish an intestinal disorder model. The next day after modeling， intestinal microbiota diversity was analyzed， and the mRNA expressions of cytochrome P450 3A1 （CYP3A1） and CYP2C11 in small intestine and liver tissues as well as those protein expressions in liver tissue were measured. Male SD rats were grouped as described above （n＝16）. The normal group was subdivided into the TP chemotherapy group （TP-1 group） and the TP chemotherapy+NEPA group （TP+NEPA-1 group）； the model group was subdivided into the TP chemotherapy group （TP-2 group） and the TP chemotherapy+NEPA group （TP+NEPA-2 group） （n＝8）. Rats in the TP+NEPA-1 and TP+NEPA-2 groups received a single intragastric dose of NEPA suspension （25.8 mg/kg， calculated by netupitant）. One hour later， all four groups received a single tail vein injection of albumin-bound paclitaxel and cisplatin. Blood samples were collected at different time points after the last administration. Using azithromycin as the internal standard， plasma paclitaxel concentrations were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The main pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using DAS 2.0 software and compared between groups. RESULTS Compared with the normal group， the model group showed significantly decreased Chao1 and Shannon indexes （P＜0.05）， significant alterations in microbiota composition and relative abundance， and significantly downregulated expressions of CYP3A1 mRNA in liver tissue and CYP2C11 mRNA in both small intestine and liver tissues （P＜0.05）. Compared with the TP-1 group， the AUC0－t， AUC0－∞， MRT0－t of paclitaxel in the TP-2 group， the cmax， AUC0－t， AUC0－∞ of paclitaxel in the TP+NEPA-1 group and TP+NEPA-2 group were significantly increased or prolonged； CL of paclitaxel in the TP-2 group， Vd and CL of paclitaxel in the TP+NEPA-1 group and the TP+NEPA-2 group were significantly decreased or shortened （P＜0.05）. Compared with the TP-2 group， cmax of paclitaxel in the TP+NEPA-2 group was significantly increased， and Vd and MRT0－t were significantly decreased or shortened （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Intestinal microbiota disorder affects the mRNA expressions of CYP3A1 and CYP2C11， leading to decreased clearance and increased systemic exposure of paclitaxel. Concomitant administration of NEPA under normal intestinal microbiota condition increases paclitaxel exposure. However， under conditions of intestinal microbiota disorder， concomitant administration of NEPA has a limited impact on paclitaxel systemic exposure.

Objective:To establish tumor specific protein (SP70) targeted tumor cell enrichment technology and to assess applicational value of next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis for enriched circulating tumor cell (CTC) in precision medicines of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods:The monoclonal antibody NJ001 was covalently coupled to the surface of magnetic beads to build targeted magnetic bead enrichment technology based on SP70. The limit of detection, coincidence rate, interference experiment, recovery test and clinical performance were evaluated. From March 2016 to August 2017, NGS analysis with or without pre-treatment of targeted enrichment for serous fluids of 43 NSCLC in the First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University were compared (Kappa or Fisher exact test).Results:The CTC enrichment technology based on SP70 targeted immunomagnetic beads can specifically enrich tumor cells. The limit of detection was 10 4 SPC-A1 cells/L, and the coincidence rate, sensitivity and specificity were 100% (3/3). The endogenous interfering substances such as red blood cells, hemoglobin, white blood cells, epithelial cells and triglycerides had no interfering effects, as well as the exogenous interfering substances such as EDTA-K2, cefoxitin, carboplatin and paclitaxel. The recovery rate was 56.0% (56 000/100 000). A total of 30 gene mutations including 65 loci were found in 43 NSCLC under SP70 targeted enrichment, with a higher detection rate compared with unenrichment method [95.0% (19/20) vs 65.0% (13/20), χ 2=5.625, P=0.044]. Conclusion:In this study, SP70-targeted enriched CTC liquid biopsy method was established, with higher sensitivity and specificity of NGS detection than unenrichment method.

Objective:To investigate the impact of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) subfraction cholesterol, measured by the vertical auto profile (VAP) technique based on vertical density gradient ultracentrifugation, on the occurrence and progression of coronary heart disease.Methods:This retrospective case-control study consecutively enrolled 94 inpatients diagnosed with coronary artery disease (CAD) by percutaneous coronary angiography at Ningbo University Affiliated First Hospital between June 2023 and June 2024 (CAD group), and 48 outpatients from the cardiology department without carotid or coronary atherosclerosis(non-CAD group). The VAP technique was employed to measure HDL subfraction cholesterol levels (HDL 3-C and HDL 2-C) and their subtypes (HDL 2a-C, HDL 2b-C, HDL 2c-C; HDL 3a-C, HDL 3b-C, HDL 3c-C, HDL 3d-C). Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between HDL subfraction composition and CAD. CAD patients were further stratified by the number of affected coronary vessels (left anterior descending artery, left circumflex artery, and right coronary artery): 44 with single-vessel disease, 22 with double-vessel disease, and 28 with triple-vessel disease for correlation analysis. All CAD patients underwent 6-month clinical and telephone follow-up to record major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including acute myocardial infarction, stroke, and repeat revascularization. Using the median HDL 3d-C level (0.064 mmol/L) as cutoff, CAD patients were divided into high-level ( n=48) and low-level ( n=46) subgroups for Kaplan-Meier survival analysis with log-rank testing. Results:Compared with non-CAD controls, CAD patients showed significantly higher HDL 3d-C [0.064 (0.041, 0.095) mmol/L vs 0.055 (0.038, 0.067) mmol/L] and HDL 3b-C [0.031 (0.001, 0.054) mmol/L vs 0.007 (0.004, 0.029) mmol/L], lower HDL 3c-C (0.220±0.080 mmol/L vs 0.254±0.062 mmol/L) and HDL 3a-C [0.282 (0.224, 0.351) mmol/L vs 0.334 (0.269, 0.433) mmol/L] (all P<0.05). Logistic regression revealed that HDL2b-C was a protective factor against atherosclerosis severity ( OR=0.914, 95% CI 0.896-0.987, P<0.001); HDL 3d-C served as both a CAD risk factor ( OR=2.303,95% CI 1.740-3.047, P<0.001) and disease progression indicator ( OR=1.224, 95% CI 1.123-1.335, P=0.025). MACE patients ( n=6) had elevated HDL3d-C versus non-MACE cases ( n=88) [0.120 (0.083, 0.173) mmol/L vs 0.061 (0.037, 0.092) mmol/L, P<0.05]. The high HDL 3d-C subgroup demonstrated significantly lower 6-month survival (χ2=4.777, P=0.029). Conclusion:Contrary to conventional understanding, our study reveals that HDL2b serves as a protective factor against coronary artery disease progression, whereas HDL 3d-C acts not only as a pathogenic factor for CAD but also as a critical determinant of CAD-related adverse events.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of moxibustion at "Shenque" (CV8) on urodynamics and the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and immediate early gene (c-fos) in pontine micturition center (PMC), periaqueductal gray (PAG), medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of neurogenic bladder (NB) rats after spinal cord injury. METHODS: Twenty-four SPF female SD rats were randomly divided into a sham-operation group (6 rats) and a modeling group (18 rats). In the modeling group, T₉ complete spinal cord transection method was used to establish a neurogenic detrusor overactivity model, and the 12 rats with successful modeling were randomized into a model group and a moxibustion group, with 6 rats in each group. The rats in the moxibustion group were treated with ginger/salt-insulated moxibustion at "Shenque" (CV8), and 4 consecutive moxa cones were delivered in one intervention. Moxibustion was operated once daily and for 14 days. After intervention completion, the urodynamic indexes of rats in each group were detected. Fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of BDNF and c-fos in PMC, PAG and mPFC in rats. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of BDNF and c-fos in PMC, PAG and mPFC. RESULTS: The rats in the sham-operation group did not show phasic detrusor contraction during bladder filling. Compared with the model group, the frequency and amplitude of the phasic detrusor contraction were reduced 5 min before urine leakage in the rats of the moxibustion group (P<0.05), and the duration of the first phasic detrusor contraction during bladder filling was prolonged (P<0.05). Compared with the sham-operation group, the mRNA and protein expression of BDNF and c-fos in PMC, PAG and mPFC increased in the model group (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the mRNA and protein expression of BDNF and c-fos in PMC, PAG and mPFC decreased in the moxibustion group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Moxibustion at "Shenque" (CV8) can improve the phasic contraction during bladder filling in NB rats after spinal cord injury, possibly by down-regulating the mRNA and protein expression of BDNF and c-fos in PMC, PAG, and mPFC.
Animals ; Moxibustion ; Female ; Rats ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/metabolism* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Acupuncture Points ; Spinal Cord Injuries/metabolism* ; Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic/etiology* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos/metabolism* ; Humans ; Urinary Bladder/physiopathology* ; Brain/metabolism* ; Urination

After being treated with acupuncture, some patients with idiopathic tinnitus may experience a short-term aggravation of tinnitus symptoms on the original basis. These symptoms can be gradually relieved and the overall condition fluctuates towards recovery. This phenomenon has brought some difficulties to patients and clinicians. Based on the academic view of TCM, "destroying pathogens and re-building balance", and in association with the existing understanding of acupuncture in modern medicine for tinnitus, this paper briefly discusses the mechanism and influencing factors of symptom fluctuation in patients with idiopathic tinnitus after acupuncture treatment in terms of both TCM and modern medicine, and proposes the future direction in the research of symptom fluctuation, so as to promote the recognition of clinicians and patients on symptom fluctuation and make rational use of its positive effects. Besides, it is hoped that more researchers will pay attention to symptom fluctuation and advance the exploration of it in academic field.
Humans ; Tinnitus/physiopathology* ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Male ; Female

ObjectiveTo develop a scientifically rigorous and contextually appropriate instrument for evaluating the health service experience of pulmonary tuberculosis patients in China, to enable systematic assessment of core medical care dimensions, and to provide quantitative evidence for service improvement. MethodsGrounded in the theoretical framework of healthcare accessibility and the clinical care pathway for tuberculosis patients, the tool was developed through a systematic literature review and the Delphi expert consultation method. A multi-stage cluster sampling strategy was employed to survey pulmonary tuberculosis patients who had been receiving treatment for more than two months, aimed to explore the scale’s applicability in real-world settings. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s α and split-half reliability coefficients. Validity was evaluated through content validity, structural validity, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. ResultsThe tool was composed of 21 items across four dimensions: awareness, accessibility, affordability, and acceptability of tuberculosis medical care. It demonstrated a Cronbach’s α coefficient of 0.838 and a split-half reliability coefficient of 0.859. Exploratory factor analyses extracted six factors: satisfaction with healthcare services, supportive role of nurses, affordability of treatment costs, doctor-patient communication, waiting time for medical appointments, and transportation cost. The goodness-of-fit index (GFI) and other indices met the recommended standards, with the loading matrix indicating robust structural validity of the tool. The constructed factor model exhibited satisfactory content validity and discriminant validity. ConclusionThe scale for assessing patients’ experiences with tuberculosis-related medical care developed in this study demonstrates good reliability and validity and serves as a practical tool for evaluating patient experiences of tuberculosis medical care in China.

Liver transplantation (LT) has become a standard treatment for end-stage liver diseases, and graft injury is intricately associated with poor prognosis. Granzyme B (GZMB) plays a vital role in natural killer (NK) cell biology, but whether NK-derived GZMB affects graft injury remains elusive. Through the analysis of single-cell RNA-sequencing data obtained from human LT grafts and the isolation of lymphocytes from mouse livers following ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), we demonstrated that 2NK cells with high expression of GZMB are enriched in patients and mice. Both systemically and liver-targeted depletion of NK cells led to a notable reduction in GZMB⁺ cell infiltration, subsequently resulting in diminished graft injury. Notably, the reconstitution of Il2rg ^-/- Rag2 ^-/- mice with purified Gzmb-KO NK cells demonstrated superior outcomes compared to those with wild-type NK cells. Crucially, global knockout of GZMB and pharmacological inhibition exhibited remarkable improvements in liver function in both mouse IRI and rat LT models. Moreover, a phosphorylated derivative of FDA-approved vidarabine was identified as an effective inhibitor of mouse GZMB activity by molecular dynamics, which could provide a potential avenue for therapeutic intervention. Therefore, targeting NK cell-derived GZMB during the LT process suggests potential therapeutic strategies to improve post-transplant outcomes.

Hypoxemia is a common pathological state characterized by low oxygen saturation in the blood. This condition compromises mucosal barrier integrity particularly in the gut and oral cavity. However, the mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. This study used periodontitis as a model to investigate the role of platelet activation in oral mucosal immunopathology under hypoxic conditions. Hypoxia upregulated methyltransferase-like protein 4 (METTL4) expression in platelets, resulting in N⁶-methyladenine modification of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). This modification impaired mitochondrial transcriptional factor A-dependent cytosolic mtDNA degradation, leading to cytosolic mtDNA accumulation. Excess cytosolic mt-DNA aberrantly activated the cGAS-STING pathway in platelets. This resulted in excessive platelet activation and neutrophil extracellular trap formation that ultimately exacerbated periodontitis. Targeting platelet METTL4 and its downstream pathways offers a potential strategy for managing oral mucosa immunopathology. Further research is needed to examine its broader implications for mucosal inflammation under hypoxic conditions.
DNA, Mitochondrial/metabolism* ; Mouth Mucosa/pathology* ; Hypoxia/immunology* ; Methyltransferases/metabolism* ; Blood Platelets/metabolism* ; Animals ; Periodontitis/immunology* ; Humans ; Platelet Activation ; Mice

Cancer incidence in China has been rising steadily,with a particularly heavy burden from several high-prevalence malignancies.Medical examination for cancer plays a critical role in the early detection of cancer,precancerous lesions,and precursor conditions,thereby facilitating timely diagnosis and intervention.Such examination also addresses the growing demand for person-alized cancer screening services among diverse population groups.The development of evidence-based,context-specific cancer screening guidelines is essential to enhance the standardization,quality,and equity of preventive screening practices across the country,ultimately improving out-comes in early cancer detection and treatment.Guided by the Department of Medical Emergency Response of the National Health Commission,the Guidelines for Medical Examination for Cancer in Health Examination Agency(2025 Edition)were developed under the leadership of the National Cancer Center.A multidisciplinary panel of experts formulated the guidelines in accordance with the principles and methodology of the World Health Organization Handbook for Guideline Deve-lopment.The guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations on key clinical domains:target cancers and populations,overall screening workflow,screening protocols,diagnostic technolo-gies,result interpretation,follow-up procedures,and quality control.The primary objective is to standardize cancer screening practices in health examination agency and strengthen China's ca-pacity for prevention and control of high-burden cancers.