ObjectiveThis study aims to develop a prediction model for the compatibility of Chinese medicinal pairs based on Graph Convolutional Networks （GCN）， named HC-GCN. The model integrates the properties of herbs with modern pharmacological mechanisms to predict pairs with specific therapeutic effects. It serves as a demonstration by applying the model to predict and validate the efficacy of blood-activating herb pairs. MethodsThe training dataset for herb pair prediction was constructed by systematically collecting commonly used herb pairs along with their characteristic data， including Qi， flavor， meridian tropism， and target genes. Integrating traditional characteristics of herb with modern bioinformatics， we developed an efficacy-oriented herb pair compatibility prediction model （HC-GCN） using graph convolutional networks （GCN）. This model leverages machine learning to capture the complex relationships in herb pair compatibility， weighted by efficacy features. The performance of the HC-GCN model was evaluated using accuracy （ACC）， recall， precision， F1 score （F1）， and area under the ROC curve （AUC）. Its predictive effectiveness was then compared to five other machine learning models： eXtreme Gradient Boosting （XGBoost）， logistic regression （LR）， Naive Bayes， K-nearest neighbor （KNN）， and support vector machine （SVM）. ResultsUsing herb pairs with blood-activating effects as a demonstration， a prediction model was constructed based on a foundational dataset of 46 blood-activating herb pairs， incorporating their Qi， flavor， meridian tropism， and target gene characteristics. The HC-GCN model outperforms other commonly used machine learning models in key performance metrics， including ACC， recall， precision， F1 score， and AUC. Through the predictive analysis of the HC-GCN model， 60 herb pairs with blood-activating effects were successfully identified. Among of these potential herb pairs， 44 include at least one herb with blood-activating effects. ConclusionIn this study， we established an efficacy-oriented compatibility prediction model for herb pairs based on GCN by integrating the unique characteristics of traditional herbs with modern pharmacological mechanisms. This model demonstrated high predictive performance， offering a novel approach for the intelligent screening and optimization of traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions， as well as their clinical applications.

ObjectiveTo investigate the efficacy of ovarian tissue cryopreservation and autologous transplantation in preserving fertility and ovarian endocrine function in patients with cervical cancer. MethodsA 26-year-old patient with stage ⅡA1 cervical cancer underwent ovarian tissue harvesting and cryopreservation during cancer surgery. Following complete remission of the cancer， autologous ovarian tissue transplantation was performed. Follow-up monitoring included assessment of menopausal symptoms， hormone levels， and follicular development. ResultsSix months after transplantation， follicle-stimulating hormone levels decreased to 6.60 U/L， and estradiol levels increased from ＜10.00 ng/L to 89.00 ng/L. At 10 months after transplantation， ultrasound monitoring confirmed follicular development and physiological ovulation in the transplanted ovarian tissue. By 15 months after transplantation， follicle-stimulating hormone levels remained stable at 7.24 U/L， and estradiol levels further increased to 368.00 ng/L. Over 2 years after transplantation， the patient successfully gave birth to a healthy baby through assisted reproductive technology. ConclusionThe restoration of endocrine and ovulation functions in the transplanted cryopreserved ovarian tissue， followed by successful pregnancy， demonstrates the clinical success of ovarian tissue transplantation.

AIM: To establish a method for quantitation of cefepime and avibactam in M-H broth, and applicated in the in vitro dynamic PK/PD model. METHODS: The cefepime was also determined using the high-performance liquid chromatography method (HPLC), the avibactam was also determined using the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), an in vitro dynamic PK/PD model was established to study the PK/PD relationship of cefepime/avibactam against carbapenem resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP). RESULTS: The linear ranges of cefepime and avibactam were good at (0.5-20) and (0.1-25) μg/mL (r=0.999), and the lower limit concentrations were 0.5 and 0.1 μg/mL. The extraction recoveries of cefepime and avibactam in M-H broth were 88.0%-101.7% and 90.9%-95.2%, the relative standard deviation of intra-day precision and inter-day precision were less than 5.2%. The concentration-time curves were well simulated by the PK/PD model. All observed concentrations in each experiment were in the range of 20% of the targeted values. For the CRKP of MIC=8 μg/mL and MIC=16 μg/mL, the colony decreased to 2.783Log10 CFU/mL and 1.325Log10 CFU/mL at the cefepime/avibactam 2.5 g q8 h administration after 24 h. CONCLUSION: The determination method of cefepime and avibactam in broth established in this study has high sensitivity and good stability. For the CRKP with MIC≤8 μg/mL,cefepime/avibactam showed that good anti-CRKP activity under routine administration in vitro dynamic PK/PD model.

BACKGROUND:Obesity has become a global health issue,often accompanied by complications including obesity-related muscle atrophy.While exercise has been reported to improve various obesity-related diseases,there is limited research focusing on exercise modes. OBJECTIVE:To compare the effects of moderate-intensity continuous training(MICT)and high-intensity interval training(HIIT)on obesity-related muscle atrophy in mice under the premise of the same exercise distance,providing a scientific basis for exercise interventions for obesity-related muscle atrophy. METHODS:Seventy-two male C57BL/6 mice were divided into six groups(n=12 per group):standard chow diet,standard chow diet+MICT,standard chow diet+HIIT,high-fat diet,high-fat diet+MICT,and high-fat diet+HIIT.The study evaluated the effects of 8-week treadmill training with different exercise modes on long-term high-fat diet-induced muscle atrophy by detecting muscle mass,muscle index,muscle fiber cross-sectional area,muscle lipid deposition,and the expression of muscle atrophy marker genes Murf-1 and Atrogin-1 in the gastrocnemius muscle of mice exposed to long-term high-fat diet. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared to the high-fat diet group,both MICT and HIIT improved the decrease in gastrocnemius muscle index(MICT+18.8%vs.HIIT+17.6%,not significant between the two modes),muscle fiber atrophy(MICT+15.5%vs.HIIT+13.7%,not significant between the two modes),and muscle lipid deposition(MICT-19.8%vs.HIIT-17.1%,not significant between the two modes).At the gene level,compared with the high-fat diet group,both MICT and HIIT could significantly down-regulate the expression of Murf-1(MICT-62.4%vs.HIIT-52.6%,the down-regulation caused by MICT was significantly greater than that by HIIT;P＜0.01)and Atrogin-1(MICT-43.3%vs.HIIT-29.8%,the down-regulation caused by MICT was significantly greater than that by HIIT;P＜0.01).Based on exercise mode comfort and genetic evidence,MICT mode might be more suitable for exercise interventions in obesity-related muscle atrophy.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect and mechanism of Zhenwutang on renal oxidative damage in the mouse model of diabetic kidney disease with the syndrome of spleen-kidney Yang deficiency via the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2 （Nrf2）/heme oxygenase-1 （HO-1）/glutathione peroxidase 4 （GPX4） signaling pathway. MethodTwenty-five 7-week-old SPF-grade male db/m mice and 95 7-week-old SPF-grade male db/db mice were adaptively fed for a week. A blank group was set with the db/m mice without treatment， and the other mice were administrated with Rhei Radix et Rhizoma decoction and hydrocortisone for the modeling of diabetic kidney disease with the syndrome of spleen-kidney Yang deficiency. The modeled mice were randomized into the model， irbesartan （25 mg·kg^-1）， and high-， medium-， low-dose （33.8， 16.9， 8.45 g·kg^-1） Zhenwutang groups （n=15） and administrated with corresponding drugs for 8 weeks. The survival status of mice was observed， and the traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome score was recorded. The indicators related to spleen-kidney Yang deficiency， fasting blood glucose （FBG）， and renal function indicators were determined. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was employed to observe the histopathological changes of the renal tissue in each group. Biochemical kits were used to determine the oxidative stress-related indicators in the renal tissue. Real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were employed to determine the mRNA and protein levels， respectively， of Nrf2， HO-1， glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit （GCLC）， and GPX4 in the renal tissue of mice in each group. ResultCompared with the blank group， the modeling increased the TCM syndrome score （P<0.05）， elevated the estradiol （E₂） and FBG levels （P<0.05）， lowered the testosterone （T）， triiodothyronine （T3）， and tetraiodothyronine （T4） levels （P<0.05）， and weakened the renal function （P<0.05）. In addition， the modeling led to glomerular hypertrophy and glomerular mesangial and basal thickening， decreased the catalase （CAT） activity， total antioxidant capacity （T-AOC）， and glutathione （GSH） content （P<0.05）， increased the malondialdehyde （MDA） content （P<0.05）， and down-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of Nrf2， HO-1， GCLC， and GPX4 in the renal tissue （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， high and medium doses of Zhenwutang decreased the TCM syndrome score and E₂ content （P<0.05）， increased the T， T3， and T4 content （P<0.05）， improved the renal function （P<0.05）， alleviated the pathological changes in the renal tissue， increased CAT， T-AOC， and GSH （P<0.05）， reduced MDA （P<0.05）， and up-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of Nrf2， HO-1， GCLC， and GPX4 in the renal tissue （P<0.05）. ConclusionZhenwutang can improve the general state and renal function and reduce the oxidative damage and pathological changes in the renal tissue of db/db mice with spleen-kidney Yang deficiency by regulating the Nrf2/HO-1/GPX4 signaling pathway.

With the increasing proportion of human papilloma virus(HPV)infection in the pathogenic factors of oro-pharyngeal cancer,a series of changes have occurred in the surgical treatment.While the treatment mode has been im-proved,there are still many problems,including the inconsistency between diagnosis and treatment modes,the lack of popularization of reconstruction technology,the imperfect post-treatment rehabilitation system,and the lack of effective preventive measures.Especially in terms of treatment mode for early oropharyngeal cancer,there is no unified conclu-sion whether it is surgery alone or radiotherapy alone,and whether robotic minimally invasive surgery has better func-tional protection than radiotherapy.For advanced oropharyngeal cancer,there is greater controversy over the treatment mode.It is still unclear whether to adopt a non-surgical treatment mode of synchronous chemoradiotherapy or induction chemotherapy combined with synchronous chemoradiotherapy,or a treatment mode of surgery combined with postopera-tive chemoradiotherapy.In order to standardize the surgical treatment of oropharyngeal cancer in China and clarify the indications for surgical treatment of oropharyngeal cancer,this expert consensus,based on the characteristics and treat-ment status of oropharyngeal cancer in China and combined with the international latest theories and practices,forms consensus opinions in multiple aspects of preoperative evaluation,surgical indication determination,primary tumor re-section,neck lymph node dissection,postoperative defect repair,postoperative complication management prognosis and follow-up of oropharyngeal cancer patients.The key points include:① Before the treatment of oropharyngeal cancer,the expression of P16 protein should be detected to clarify HPV status;② Perform enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the maxillofacial region before surgery to evaluate the invasion of oropharyngeal cancer and guide precise surgical resec-tion of oropharyngeal cancer.Evaluating mouth opening and airway status is crucial for surgical approach decisions and postoperative risk prediction;③ For oropharyngeal cancer patients who have to undergo major surgery and cannot eat for one to two months,it is recommended to undergo percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy before surgery to effectively improve their nutritional intake during treatment;④ Early-stage oropharyngeal cancer patients may opt for either sur-gery alone or radiation therapy alone.For intermediate and advanced stages,HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer general-ly prioritizes radiation therapy,with concurrent chemotherapy considered based on tumor staging.Surgical treatment is recommended as the first choice for HPV unrelated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma(including primary and re-current)and recurrent HPV related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma after radiotherapy and chemotherapy;⑤ For primary exogenous T1-2 oropharyngeal cancer,direct surgery through the oral approach or da Vinci robotic sur-gery is preferred.For T3-4 patients with advanced oropharyngeal cancer,it is recommended to use temporary mandibu-lectomy approach and lateral pharyngotomy approach for surgery as appropriate;⑥ For cT1-2N0 oropharyngeal cancer patients with tumor invasion depth＞3 mm and cT3-4N0 HPV unrelated oropharyngeal cancer patients,selective neck dissection of levels ⅠB to Ⅳ is recommended.For cN+HPV unrelated oropharyngeal cancer patients,therapeutic neck dissection in regions Ⅰ-Ⅴ is advised;⑦ If PET-CT scan at 12 or more weeks after completion of radiation shows intense FDG uptake in any node,or imaging suggests continuous enlargement of lymph nodes,the patient should undergo neck dissection;⑧ For patients with suspected extracapsular invasion preoperatively,lymph node dissection should include removal of surrounding muscle and adipose connective tissue;⑨ The reconstruction of oropharyngeal cancer defects should follow the principle of reconstruction steps,with priority given to adjacent flaps,followed by distal pedicled flaps,and finally free flaps.The anterolateral thigh flap with abundant tissue can be used as the preferred flap for large-scale postoperative defects.

Objective:To investigate the current status of endoscopic treatment for gastroesophageal varices in portal hypertension in China, and to provide supporting data and reference for the development of endoscopic treatment.Methods:In this study, initiated by the Liver Health Consortium in China (CHESS), a questionnaire was designed and distributed online to investigate the basic condition of endoscopic treatment for gastroesophageal varices in portal hypertension in 2022 in China. Questions included annual number and indication of endoscopic procedures, adherence to guideline for preventing esophagogastric variceal bleeding (EGVB), management and timing of emergent EGVB, management of gastric and isolated varices, and improvement of endoscopic treatment. Proportions of hospitals concerning therapeutic choices to all participant hospitals were calculated. Guideline adherence between secondary and tertiary hospitals were compared by using Chi-square test.Results:A total of 836 hospitals from 31 provinces (anotomous regions and municipalities) participated in the survey. According to the survey, the control of acute EGVB (49.3%, 412/836) and the prevention of recurrent bleeding (38.3%, 320/836) were major indications of endoscopic treatment. For primary [non-selective β-blocker (NSBB) or endoscopic therapies] and secondary prophylaxis (NSBB and endoscopic therapies) of EGVB, adherence to domestic guideline was 72.5% (606/836) and 39.2% (328/836), respectively. There were significant differences in the adherence between secondary and tertiary hospitals in primary prophylaxis of EGVB [71.0% (495/697) VS 79.9% (111/139), χ2=4.11, P=0.033] and secondary prophylaxis of EGVB [41.6% (290/697) VS 27.3% (38/139), χ2=9.31, P=0.002]. A total of 78.2% (654/836) hospitals preferred endoscopic therapies treating acute EGVB, and endoscopic therapy was more likely to be the first choice for treating acute EGVB in tertiary hospitals (82.6%, 576/697) than secondary hospitals [56.1% (78/139), χ2=46.33, P<0.001]. The optimal timing was usually within 12 hours (48.5%, 317/654) and 12-24 hours (36.9%, 241/654) after the bleeding. Regarding the management of gastroesophageal varices type 2 and isolated gastric varices type 1, most hospitals used cyanoacrylate injection in combination with sclerotherapy [48.2% (403/836) and 29.9% (250/836), respectively], but substantial proportions of hospitals preferred clip-assisted therapies [12.4% (104/836) and 26.4% (221/836), respectively]. Improving the skills of endoscopic doctors (84.2%, 704/836), and enhancing the precision of pre-procedure evaluation and quality of multidisciplinary team (78.9%, 660/836) were considered urgent needs in the development of endoscopic treatment. Conclusion:A variety of endoscopic treatments for gastroesophageal varices in portal hypertension are implemented nationwide. Participant hospitals are active to perform emergent endoscopy for acute EGVB, but are inadequate in following recommendations regarding primary and secondary prophylaxis of EGVB. Moreover, the selection of endoscopic procedures for gastric varices differs greatly among hospitals.

ObjectiveTo investigate the efficacy and safety of N-acetylcysteine （NAC） in the treatment of severe alcoholic hepatitis （SAH）， and to provide a basis for clinical medication for SAH. MethodsA prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted among 172 SAH patients with a Maddrey discriminant function score of >32 points who were recruited by The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from June 2015 to June 2018， and these patients were divided into NAC group with 84 patients and control group with 86 patients. NAC （8 g/day， 28 days） was assessed in terms of its safety in SAH patients， its impact on 28-day biochemical parameters， and its role in improving 28- and 180-day survival rates. A further analysis was performed to investigate the effect of NAC on the 28- and 180-day survival rates of SAH patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure （ACLF-SAH patients） and those without acute-on-chronic liver failure （non-ACLF-SAH patients）. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups， and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot survival curves， and the Log-rank test was used for comparison of survival curves. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression model analyses were used to investigate independent influencing factors. ResultsNo serious adverse events were observed during NAC treatment， suggesting that NAC had a good safety profile. Compared with the control group， NAC did not significantly improve the 28-day biochemical parameters （all P>0.05） and survival rate of SAH patients （P=0.081）， but it could improve the 180-day survival rate of SAH patients （67.4% vs 81.0%， χ²=4.280， P=0.039）. NAC did not improve the 28- and 180-day survival rates of ACLF-SAH patients （both P>0.05）； NAC did not improve the 28-day survival rate of non-ACLF-SAH patients （P>0.05）， but it could improve the 180-day survival rate of these patients （68.4% vs 88.9%， χ²=4.883， P=0.027）. The multivariate Cox regression survival analysis showed that NAC treatment （hazard ratio ［HR］=2.530， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 1.334‍ ‍— 4.796， P=0.004，）， Maddrey discriminant function score （HR=3.852， 95%CI： 2.032 — 7.304， P<0.001）， and serum sodium level （HR=1.948， 95%CI： 1.079‍ ‍—‍ ‍3.517， P=0.027） were independent influencing factors for 180-day survival rate in SAH patients. ConclusionNAC has a good safety profile in the treatment of SAH and can improve the 180-day survival rate of SAH patients， and in particular， non-ACLF-SAH patients can benefit from NAC treatment in terms of middle- and long-term survival rates.

Objective:To analyze the differentially expressed genes in PBMCs of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) by bioinformatics methods screening and analyzing the key genes related to ferroptosis, and explore the possible mechanism of ferroptosis involved in the pathogenesis of SLE at the transcription level.Methods:The data sets and samples of healthy people (HC) and SLE patients who met the screening criteria were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), a sub-database of the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). The differentially expressed genes, GO enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were analyzed by GEO2R, R language and related software packages. The protein interaction network (PPI) of differential genes was analyzed by STRING, Cytoscape and other tools to explore the key genes and pathways. In addition, real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to verify the expression of key genes. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the expression of key genes in PBMCs between the two groups. Spearman rank correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship between SLE disease activity and the level of key genes. Results:Six data sets were included in this study. A total of 166 genes related to ferroptosis were differentially expressed between SLE and HC groups. The differential genes were specifically expressed in alveolar macrophages, neutrophils, CD49 + cells and CD31 + cells. GO enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes were mainly involved in multiple signaling pathways closely related to SLE, such as oxidative stress response, infection and TNF signaling pathway. Hub genes screened by different algorithms all suggested RELA as a key gene, and RT-qPCR confirmed that compared with the RELA gene expression level in the HC group [0.75(0.37,1.13)], the expression level in SLE group [2.02 (1.19,4.06)] was increased, the difference was statistically significant ( Z=-3.08, P=0.002), and was positively correlated with the corresponding SLEDAI score of SLE samples ( r=0.52, P=0.019). Conclusion:The ferroptosis of many immune cells, including alveolar macrophages and CD49 + NK cells, is involved in the pathogenesis of SLE. RELA may be involved in the ferroptosis of PBMCs in SLE through the NF-κB pathway.

Objective:To investigate the correlations of urinary adverse reactions with dose to the bladder and urethra during external pelvic irradiation for locally advanced cervical cancer.Methods:This study retrospectively collected relevant dosimetric parameters and urinary symptoms, such as frequent, urgent, and painful urination, from locally advanced cervical cancer patients treated with external pelvic irradiation in the Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University. The dosimetric parameters examined in this study included the maximum, minimum, and mean doses to bladder and urethra (i.e., Dmax, Dmin and Dmean), mean doses received in an area of 0.1, 1, and 2 cm 3 around the planning target volume, D0.1 cm 3, D1 cm 3, D2 cm 3, and percentages of irradiated volumes in the whole organ volume under doses of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 Gy, V5 Gy, V10 Gy, V15 Gy, V20 Gy, V25 Gy, V30 Gy, V35 Gy, V40 Gy, V45 Gy, V50 Gy. Then the correlations between urinary symptoms and these dosimetric parameters were analyzed using the independent-sample t-test and the Logistic regression model. Results:The median volumes of bladder and urethra were 294.8 and 4.71 cm 3, respectively. Patients were divided into two groups based on the median division. The univariate analysis showed that urethral Dmax, Dmin, Dmean, V5 Gy, V10 Gy, V15Gy, V20 Gy, V25 Gy, V30 Gy, V35 Gy, V40 Gy, V45 Gy and V50 Gy correlated with urinary complications ( t = 14.30, 21.65, 32.19, 33.36, 16.62, 17.91, 21.52, 20.11, 12.27, 37.25, 30.18, 36.24 and 21.98, P<0.05). The multivariate analysis further indicates that urethral D2 cm 3, V20 Gy, V40 Gy and Bladder V40 Gy, D1 cm 3, D2 cm 3 were independent predictors of grade 2 urinary adverse reactions ( P<0.05). Conclusions:This study reported the correlations of relevant dosimetric parameters of urethra with urinary toxicity during external pelvic irradiation. It holds that urethral D2 cm 3, V20 Gy and V40 Gy should be restricted to minimize the risks of grade 2 urinary complications.