Objective:To investigate the influencing factors for early tumor recurrence and the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy in gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) patients after curative-intent resection.Methods:The retrospective case-control study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 506 patients with GBC in 11 medical centers, including The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University et al, from January 2016 to December 2020 were collected. There were 168 males and 338 females, aged (62±11)years. All patients underwent curative-intent resection of GBC, and they were divided into patients with and without early recurrence based on time to postoperative recurrence. Observation indicators: (1) treatment; (2) follow-up and survival of patients; (3) analysis of influencing factors for early tumor recurrence after curative-intent resection of GBC; (4) efficacy of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M(range). Count data were described as absolute numbers, and comparison between groups was conducted using the chi-square test. Comparison of ordinal data was conducted using the Mann-Whitney U test. Univariate analysis was conducted using the corresponding statistical methods based on data type. Multivariate analysis was conducted using the Logistic regression model with forward method. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to draw survival curve and calculate survival rate, and Log-Rank test was used for survival analysis. Results:(1) Treatment. Of 506 patients, there were 112 cases with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, and 394 cases without postopera-tive adjuvant chemotherapy. They underwent 5(range, 3-9)cycles of postoperative adjuvant chemo-therapy. (2) Follow-up and survival of patients. All 506 patients underwent postoperative follow-up, with the follow-up time of 55(range, 34-93)months. During the follow-up, there were 248 patients with tumor recurrence, including 158 cases of early recurrence and 90 cases of late recurrence, and there were 258 patients without tumor recurrence. Of 506 patients, 275 cases survived, and 231 cases died of multiple organ failure caused by tumor recurrence and metastasis. The postoperative recurr-ence-free survival time, overall survival time were 52(range,1-93)months, 62(range, 2-93)months. The 1-, 3-, 5-year disease-free survival rates and 1-, 3-, 5-year overall survival rates of the 506 pati-ents were 68.8%, 53.8%, 47.9% and 78.3%, 58.7%, 51.6%, respectively. Results of survival analysis showed that the median overall survival time of 158 patients with postoperative early recurrence and 348 patients without postoperative early recurrence (including 90 cases of late recurrence and 258 cases of no tumor recurrence) were 9(range, 2-73)months and unreached, showing a significant difference between them ( χ2=456.15, P<0.05). (3) Analysis of influencing factors for early tumor recurrence after curative-intent resection of GBC. Results of multivariate analysis showed that carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) >5.0 μg/L, poorly differentiated tumor, liver invasion, and tumor N staging as stage N1-N2 were independent risk factors influencing early tumor recurrence after cura-tive-intent resection of GBC ( odds ratio=2.74, 6.20, 1.81, 2.93, 4.82, 95% confidence interval as 1.62-4.64, 1.82-21.12, 1.15-3.08, 1.68-5.09, 1.91-12.18, P<0.05), while postoperative adjuvant chemo-therapy was an independent protect factor ( odds ratio=0.39, 95% confidence interval as 0.21-0.71, P<0.05). (4) Efficacy of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. The median overall survival time of 394 patients without postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and 112 patients with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy were 57(range, 2-93)months and unreached, showing a significant differ-ence between them ( χ2=9.38, P<0.05). Of the 158 patients with postoperative early recurrence after curative-intent resection of GBC, 135 cases didn't receive adjuvant chemotherapy and 23 cases received adjuvant chemotherapy, with the overall survival time of 8(range, 2-73)months and 17(range, 8-61)months, respectively, showing a significant difference between them ( χ2=7.68, P<0.05). Conclusions:CEA >5.0 μg/L, poorly differentiated tumor, liver invasion, and tumor N staging as stage N1-N2 are independent risk factors influencing early tumor recurrence after curative-intent resection of GBC, while postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy is an independent protect factor. Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy can prolong the overall survival time of patients with post-operative tumor early recurrence.

Objective:To investigate the clinical value of abdominal adipose volume in predicting early tumor recurrence after resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods:The retrospective case-control study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 132 HCC patients with tumor diameter ≤5 cm who were admitted to The First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University from December 2017 to October 2019 were collected. There were 110 males and 22 females, aged (51±4)years. All patients underwent resection of HCC. Preoperative computer tomography scanning was performed and the visceral and subcutaneous fats of patients were quantified using the Mimics Research 21.0 software. Based on time to postoperative tumor recurrence patients were divided to two categories: early recurrence and non-early recurrence. Observation indicators: (1) consistency analy-sis; (2) analysis of factors influencing early tumor recurrence after resection of HCC and construction of prediction model. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and comparison between groups was conducted using the t test. Measurement data with skewed distribu-tion were represented as M( Q1,Q3) or M(range), and comparison between groups was conducted using the Mann-Whitney U test. Count data were expressed as absolute numbers, and comparison between groups was conducted using the chi-square test or Fisher exact probability. Consistency analysis was conducted using the intragroup correlation coefficient (ICC) test. Multivariate analysis was performed using the binary Logistic regression model forward method. Independent risk factors influencing early tumor recurrence after resection of HCC were screened. The area under curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was applied to select the optimal cut-off value to classify high and low risks of recurrence. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to draw survival curve and calculate survival time. The Log-Rank test was used for survival analysis. Results:(1) Consistency analysis. The consistency ICC of abdominal fat parameters of visceral fat volume (VFV), subcutaneous fat volume, visceral fat area, and subcutaneous fat area measured by 2 radiologists were 0.84, 1.00, 0.86, and 0.94, respectively. (2) Analysis of factors influencing early tumor recurr-ence after resection of HCC and construction of prediction model. All 132 patients were followed up after surgery for 662(range, 292-1 111)days. During the follow-up, there were 52 patients with non-early recurrence and 80 patients with early recurrence. Results of multivariate analysis showed that VFV was an independent factor influencing early tumor recurrence after resection of HCC ( odds ratio=4.07, 95% confidence interval as 2.27-7.27, P<0.05). The AUC of ROC curve based on VFV was 0.78 (95% confidence interval as 0.70-0.85), and the sensitivity and specificity were 72.2 % and 77.4 %, respectively. The optimal cut-off value of VFV was 1.255 dm 3, and all 132 patients were divided into the high-risk early postoperative recurrence group of 69 cases with VFV >1.255 dm 3, and the low-risk early postoperative recurrence group of 63 cases with VFV ≤1.255 dm 3. The disease-free survival time of the high-risk early postoperative recurrence group and the low-risk early post-operative recurrence group were 414(193,702)days and 1 047(620,1 219)days, showing a significant difference between them ( χ2=31.17, P<0.05). Conclusions:VFV is an independent factor influen-cing early tumor recurrence of HCC after resection. As a quantitative indicator of abdominal fat, it can predict the prognosis of HCC patients.

A high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method utilizing correction factors was established for the quantitative detection of related substances in flumazenil. Separation was achieved using an Agilent Pursuit XRs C18 column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) with an isocratic elution of dilute phosphoric acid, methanol, and tetrahydrofuran as the mobile phases. Correction factors calculated from a standard curve method were applied to determine the impurity content. The quantification of impurities in flumazenil was conducted using both external standard and correction factor methods, followed by validation and comparison of the two. For the identification of degradation products, a forced degradation approach was employed to prepare a flumazenil degradation solution, and the resulting impurities were confirmed by LC-MS analysis. The separation of flumazenil and its impurities was found to be efficient. The limits of quantification for impurities A, B, D, and E were established at 0.169 9, 0.314 7, 0.143 9, and 0.270 8 ng, respectively, with the limits of detection at 0.055 8, 0.096 9, 0.048 8, and 0.089 0 ng. These impurities demonstrated a strong linear relationship across the concentration ranges of 0.034 9-7.847 0, 0.038 7-8.710 7, 0.034 6-7.794 1, and 0.032 4-7.292 8 µg·mL^-1, respectively (n = 7). The method achieved average recoveries between 98.25% and 99.42%, with an RSD of less than 2.0% (n = 9), indicating high accuracy. The external standard and correction factor methods were used to determine the related substances in flumazenil, and the results of the two methods were consistent. The established HPLC method is characterized by its high accuracy, sensitivity, and repeatability, and is suitable for determining related substances in flumazenil.

Celastrol and wilforlide A are the main active triterpenoids of the traditional Chinese medicine Lei Gong Teng, which have anti-tumour, anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive activities, and are the material basis for the clinical efficacy of Lei Gong Teng-related Chinese medicinal preparations. By analysing the biosynthetic pathway of active ingredients, optimizing genetic elements and utilizing "cell factory" to produce triterpenoids heterologously will be an effective way to obtain from Tripterygium wilfordii in the future in a "low-cost and high-efficient" manner. CYP712Ks are the first cytochrome P450s involved in the skeleton modification of friedelane-type and oleanane-type triterpenoids in T. wilfordii, and they can catalyse the generation of polpunonic acid from friedelin and 3-epi-katonic acid from β-amyrin by carboxylation at C-29 position. In this study, four multifunctional TwCYP712K1/2/3/5 were used to clarify the catalytic function and substrate selection preference using in vivo functional characterization in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The spatial structure of the protein-substrate binding was clarified through homology modeling and molecular docking, and then the differential amino acids in the active pocket of the protein were mutated to clarify the crucial amino acids determining the catalytic function and the selection of substrate structure. A total of 63 mutant elements were constructed, and the amino acid sites affecting the carboxylation function of TwCYP712Ks were analyzed. In particular, the key amino acids affecting the substrate selectivity of TwCYP712K2 towards oleanane-type and friedelane-type triterpenoids were revealed and the TwCYP712K2^F127I and TwCYP712K2^A227T mutants would result in a reversal of the product ratio. In conclusion, four proteins of TwCYP712Ks were semi-rationally designed by homologous protein alignment and mutual mutation to elucidate multiple amino acid sites determining the catalytic function of the proteins, and a series of activity-enhancing or altering mutants were obtained, which provide abundant catalytic elements for the biosynthesis of active triterpenoids from T. wilfordii, and the mechanism of carboxylation in the C-29 position was initially elucidated.

DNA origami is a powerful technique for generating nanostructures with dynamic properties and intelligent controllability. The precise geometric shapes, high programmability, and excellent biocompatibility make DNA origami nanostructures an emerging drug delivery vehicle. The shape, size of the carrier material, as well as the loading and release of drugs are important factors affecting the bioavailability of drugs. This paper focuses on the controllable design of DNA origami nanostructures, efficient drug loading, and intelligent drug release. It summarizes the cutting-edge applications of DNA origami technology in biomedicine, and discusses areas where researchers can contribute to further advancing the clinical application of DNA origami carriers.

Objective To investigate changes in the urinary metabolite profiles of children exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs)during critical brain development and explore their potential link with the intestinal microbiota. Methods Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to determine ten hydroxyl metabolites of PAHs(OH-PAHs)in 36-month-old children.Subsequently,37 children were categorized into low-and high-exposure groups based on the sum of the ten OH-PAHs.Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry was used to identify non-targeted metabolites in the urine samples.Furthermore,fecal flora abundance was assessed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing using Illumina MiSeq. Results The concentrations of 21 metabolites were significantly higher in the high exposure group than in the low exposure group(variable importance for projection>1,P<0.05).Most of these metabolites were positively correlated with the hydroxyl metabolites of naphthalene,fluorine,and phenanthrene(r=0.336-0.531).The identified differential metabolites primarily belonged to pathways associated with inflammation or proinflammatory states,including amino acid,lipid,and nucleotide metabolism.Additionally,these distinct metabolites were significantly associated with specific intestinal flora abundances(r=0.34-0.55),which were mainly involved in neurodevelopment. Conclusion Higher PAH exposure in young children affected metabolic homeostasis,particularly that of certain gut microbiota-derived metabolites.Further investigation is needed to explore the potential influence of PAHs on the gut microbiota and their possible association with neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Purpose::In patients with heatstroke, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is associated with greater risk of in-hospital mortality. However, time-consuming assays or a complex diagnostic system may delay immediate treatment. Therefore, the present study proposes a new heatstroke-induced coagulopathy (HIC) score in patients with heat illness as an early warning indicator for DIC.Methods::This retrospective study enrolled patients with heat illness in 24 Chinese hospitals from March 2021 to May 2022. Patients under 18 years old, with a congenital clotting disorder or liver disease, or using anticoagulants were excluded. Data were collected on demographic characteristics, routine blood tests, conventional coagulation assays and biochemical indexes. The risk factors related to coagulation function in heatstroke were identified by regression analysis, and used to construct a scoring system for HIC. The data of patients who met the diagnostic criteria for HIC and International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis defined-DIC were analyzed. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 26.0.Results::The final analysis included 302 patients with heat illness, of whom 131 (43.4%) suffered from heatstroke, including 7 death (5.3%). Core temperature ( OR = 1.681, 95% CI 1.291 - 2.189, p < 0.001), prothrombin time ( OR = 1.427, 95% CI 1.175 - 1.733, p < 0.001) and D-dimer ( OR = 1.242, 95% CI 1.049 - 1.471, p = 0.012) were independent risk factors for heatstroke, and therefore used to construct an HIC scoring system because of their close relation with abnormal coagulation. A total score ≥ 3 indicated HIC, and HIC scores correlated with the score for International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis-DIC ( r = 0.8848, p < 0.001). The incidence of HIC (27.5%) was higher than that of DIC (11.2%) in all of 131 heatstroke patients. Meanwhile, the mortality rate of HIC (19.4%) was lower than that of DIC (46.7%). When HIC developed into DIC, parameters of coagulation dysfunction changed significantly: platelet count decreased, D-dimer level rose, and prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time prolonged ( p < 0.05). Conclusions::The newly proposed HIC score may provide a valuable tool for early detection of HIC and prompt initiation of treatment.