Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is one of the most common malignancies with high morbidity and mortality rates worldwide.With the advances in molecular biology and tumor immunology,molecular-targeted agents represented by tyrosine kinase inhibitors(such as sorafenib and lenvatinib)and immunotherapy represented by PD-1/PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies have brought hope for patients with advanced HCC.The combination of immunotherapy and anti-angiogenic therapy can further improve the treatment outcome of patients.In addition,the optimization and integration of stereotactic body radiotherapy,local treatment,and systemic treatment may maximize the benefits of patients.In the future,through a deep understanding of the heterogeneity of HCC,the development of precision molecular subtyping and individualized treatment,and the establishment of a multidisciplinary collaborative diagnosis and treatment system,systemic therapy is expected to achieve long-term management of advanced HCC.This article reviews the current status and advances in systemic therapy for advanced HCC.

Objective:To observe the protective effects of Zhiganqing Prescription on the liver of C57BL/6J non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) mice induced by high fat diet and its effects on PI3K/Akt/FoxO1 signaling pathway, insulin resistance (IR) and gluconogenesis.Methods:A total of 48 8-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were divided into control group ( n=8) and modeling group ( n=40) according to random number table method. The control group was fed with ordinary diet, and the model group was fed with high-fat diet. The NAFLD model was established after 8 weeks of feeding. The modeling group was divided into model group, Pioglitazone group, Zhiganqing Prescription low-, medium-, and high-dosage group ( n=8 in each group) according to random number table method, and drug intervention lasted for 8 weeks. The body mass of mice was measured regularly during administration. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels were measured at 0 and 8 weeks of administration, and oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) were conducted. After the experiment, serum levels of GPT, GOT, TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C, FINS and C-P were detected and HOMA-IR was calculated. The pathological morphology of liver was observed by HE and PAS staining. The expression levels of PI3K and p-Akt were detected by IHC staining. The protein expression levels of PI3K, Akt, p-Akt, FoxO1, p-FoxO1, G6PC and PCK1 were detected by Western blot. Results:Compared with model group, the body weight of mice in each administration group decreased at 4, 6 and 8 weeks ( P<0.05 or P<0.01). At the 8th week of administration, the levels of FBG and OGTT AUC in each administration group decreased ( P<0.05 or P<0.01), the levels of GPT, TC, TG and LDL-C decreased ( P<0.01), and the GOT levels in Zhiganqing Prescription medium- and high-dosage groups decreased ( P<0.01). The HDL-C level in Zhiganqing Prescription medium-dosage group decreased ( P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the HOMA-IR level in Zhiganqing Prescription low- and medium-dosage groups decreased ( P<0.05 or P<0.01). The levels of FINS and C-P in each administration group increased ( P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the expressions of PI3K protein and p-Akt/Akt, p-FoxO1 /FoxO1 protein in liver tissues increased ( P<0.05 or P<0.01). The protein expressions of G6PC and PCK1 decreased ( P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusion:Zhiganqing Prescription can effectively control the body mass, blood glucose, liver function and blood lipids of NAFLD mice, improve IR and gluconeogenesis, the mechanism of which may be related to the activation of PI3K/Akt/FoxO1 signaling pathway.

With the continuous development of new ultrasound imaging technology and ultrasound contrast agent preparation technology,contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)has gradually attracted the attention of clinicians due to its advantages such as non-invasive,no kidney damage,low cost,and real-time peripheral perfusion imaging,and it has been gradually employed in the diagnosis,treatment and follow-up of diseases,especially in the coronary artery diseases and tumor lesions.In the field of interventional diagnosis and treatment of vascular diseases,its application is still in the exploratory stage,and patients with vascular diseases are often accompanied by cardiac and renal insufficiency and thus are in a critical condition,in this case the patients could not be able to receive contrast-enhanced CT scan.CEUS can partly replace enhanced CT angiography(CTA),therefore,it has great clinical application prospects in the field of interventional diagnosis and treatment of vascular diseases.With the microbubble technology being rapidly applied in the field of cardiovascular medicine,its application in the field of interventional diagnosis and treatment of vascular diseases is also of great clinical significance.In this regard,this review,through searching the research literature,summarizes the current application status of CEUS technology in the field of interventional diagnosis and treatment of vascular diseases,so as to provide a basis for the further application and expansion of this technology in this field.

Objective:To investigate the effect of visceral obesity on the short-term curative effect of Da Vinci robotic-assisted radical resec-tion for rectal cancers.Methods:Clinical and pathological data of patients with rectal cancer undergoing Da Vinci robotic-assisted surgery,admitted to People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University from November 2019 to June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.Visceral fat area(VFA)≥100 cm2 was used as the standard to define visceral obesity.Patients were categorized in-to visceral and non-visceral obesity groups.The short-term efficacy of the two groups was evaluated,and the influencing factors of post-operative complications were analyzed using univariate and multivariate Logistic regression.Results:Among a total of 169 patients,93 were included in the visceral obesity group and 76 in the non-visceral obesity group.There was no significant difference in the baseline data between the two groups(P>0.05).There was no conversion to laparotomy in the non-visceral obesity group,and the conversion rate was 1.1%(1/93)in the visceral obesity group.The second operation rate was 2.2%(2/93)in the visceral obesity group and 1.3%(1/76)in the non-visceral obesity group with no statistical difference between the two groups.There were no significant differences in the operation dur-ation,intraoperative blood loss,number of lymph node dissections,and total postoperative complication rate between the two groups(P>0.05).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis revealed that an NRS≥3 independently contributed as a risk factor for postoperative com-plications(OR=3.190,95%CI:1.240-8.210,P=0.016).Conclusions:An NRS≥3 is an independent risk factor for complications post-robotic rad-ical rectal cancer surgery.The robotic surgical platform can overcome obesity-related limitations and is equally safe and effective for pa-tients with visceral obesity presenting with rectal cancer.

Excessive N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine(NAPQI)formation is a starting event that triggers oxidative stress and subsequent hepatocyte necrosis in acetaminophen(APAP)overdose caused acute liver failure(ALF).S-glutathionylation is a reversible redox post-translational modification and a prospective mechanism of APAP hepatotoxicity.Glutaredoxin-1(Glrx1),a glutathione-specific thioltransferase,is a primary enzyme to catalyze deglutathionylation.The objective of this study was to explored whether and how Glrx1 is associated with the development of ALF induced by APAP.The Glrx1 knockout mice(Glrx1-/-)and liver-specific overexpression of Glrx1(AAV8-Glrx1)mice were produced and underwent APAP-induced ALF.Pirfenidone(PFD),a potential inducer of Glrx1,was administrated preceding APAP to assess its protective effects.Our results revealed that the hepatic total protein S-glutathionylation(PSSG)increased and the Glrx1 level reduced in mice after APAP toxicity.Glrx1-/- mice were more sensitive to APAP overdose,with higher oxidative stress and more toxic metabolites of APAP.This was attributed to Glrx1 deficiency increasing the total hepatic PSSG and the S-glutathionylation of cytochrome p450 3a 11(Cyp3a11),which likely increased the activity of Cyp3a11.Conversely,AAV8-Glrx1 mice were defended against liver damage caused by APAP overdose by inhibiting the S-glutathionylation and activity of Cyp3a11,which reduced the toxic metabolites of APAP and oxidative stress.PFD precede administration upregulated Glrx1 expression and alleviated APAP-induced ALF by decreasing oxidative stress.We have identified the function of Glrx1 mediated PSSG in liver injury caused by APAP overdose.Increasing Glrx1 expression may be investigated for the medical treatment of APAP-caused hepatic injury.

ObjectiveTo test the inter-tester reliability and test-retest reliability of MyotonPRO for evaluating neck and shoulder muscle performance parameters in patients with unilateral chronic neck pain, observe the difference of muscle performance between the healthy and affected sides of patients with chronic neck pain, and analyze the factors that cause the imbalance of muscle performance in patients with chronic neck pain. MethodsFrom January to June, 2023, 32 patients with unilateral chronic neck pain in Guangdong Second Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital were selected. Two testers used the same MyotonPRO equipment to measure the muscle tone, muscle hardness and muscle elasticity on both sides of the sternocleidomastoid muscle and the upper trapezius muscle in the relaxed position. Tester 1 repeated the measurement after an interval of 30 minutes, and Tester 2 was measured within the time interval between the two measurements of Tester 1. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of mean (SEM) and minimum detectable change (MDC) were calculated simultaneously. The measurement results were plotted into Bland-Altman diagram and systematic bias analysis was performed. The difference in muscle characteristics between the affected side and the healthy side was compared. At the same time, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score and body mass index (BMI) of the subjects were collected for correlation analysis. ResultsExcept the sternocleidomastoid muscle elasticity of the affected side (ICC = 0.697), the inter-tester reliability of all other parameters was high to very high (ICC = 0.719 to 0.952, SEM = 0.04 to 6.53, MDC = 0.12 to 18.11). The test-retest reliability of all parameters was high (ICC = 0.883 to 0.981, SEM = 0.03 to 5.72, MDC = 0.09 to 15.84). Bland-Altman plot analysis showed that the scatter distribution was consistent. The muscle tone, muscle hardness and muscle elasticity of sternocleidomastoid muscle and upper trapezius muscle were higher on the affected side than on the healthy side (t > 2.846, P < 0.05). The asymmetry index of tension, hardness and elasticity of upper trapezius muscle and sternocleidomastoid muscle was significantly positively correlated with VAS score and BMI (r > 0.385, P < 0.05). ConclusionMyotonPRO has good inter-tester reliability and retest reliability in evaluating the muscle performance of both sides of patients with chronic neck pain. The muscle tone, muscle hardness and muscle elasticity of sternocleidomastoid muscle and upper trapezius muscle on the affected side were higher than on the healthy side, and the difference of muscle performance was positively correlated with pain and BMI.

The NLRP3 inflammasome's core and most specific protein, NLRP3, has a variety of functions in inflammation-driven diseases. Costunolide (COS) is the major active ingredient of the traditional Chinese medicinal herb Saussurea lappa and has anti-inflammatory activity, but the principal mechanism and molecular target of COS remain unclear. Here, we show that COS covalently binds to cysteine 598 in NACHT domain of NLRP3, altering the ATPase activity and assembly of NLRP3 inflammasome. We declare COS's great anti-inflammasome efficacy in macrophages and disease models of gouty arthritis and ulcerative colitis via inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation. We also reveal that the α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone motif in sesquiterpene lactone is the certain active group in inhibiting NLRP3 activation. Taken together, NLRP3 is identified as a direct target of COS for its anti-inflammasome activity. COS, especially the α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone motif in COS structure, might be used to design and produce novel NLRP3 inhibitors as a lead compound.

As the most important active component of ginseng, a large number of studies have proved that ginsenosides can inhibit tumor cell proliferation, promote tumor cell apoptosis, inhibit tumor cell invasion and migration and so on. By consulting relevant literature in recent years, this paper reviews the anti-tumor mechanism of ginsenosides, so as to provide some guidance for the clinical application of ginsenosides in tumor.

Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; China

Objective:To explore the relationship between drug evidence and core prescription for depression.Methods:We retrieved literature of TCM for depression from CNKI, VIP and Wangfang databases to November 2019, 30th as well as there cords from Ancient and Modern Medical Records Cloud Platform (V 1.5). The Excel 2010 was used to establish the standardized database of medical records. After the standardization of medicines, Ancient and Modern Medical Records Cloud Platform (V1.5) statistics methodswere used for association rules analysis, complex networks, and analysis of drugs’ frequency, medical characteristics, core prescription drugs.Results:A total of 632 effective prescriptions were included, involving a total of 527 drugs. The results of frequency of herbs showed that 23 kinds of high-frequency herbs were obtained. Bupleuri Radix was the most frequently used medicine. Most herbs are warm or flat, with pungent, sweet and bitter in taste, belonging to the lung, liver, heart and spleen meridians. A total of 25 drug-pair association and 13 TCM association were obtained by association rule analysis. Conclusions:TCM treatment for depression is mainly based on soothing the liver and regulating qi, clearing the heart and calming the nerves. Bupleuri Radix, Curcumae Radix, Paeoniae Radix Alba, Chuanxiong Rhizoma, Ziziphi Spinosae Semen are the basic prescriptions. Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Ophiopogonis Radix, Albiziae Cortex, Polygalae Radix, Poria are used as reference.