Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC), the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, is characterized by high mortality and recurrence rates. Common treatments include hepatectomy, liver transplantation, ablation therapy, interventional therapy, radiotherapy, systemic therapy, and traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). While exhibiting specific advantages, these approaches are associated with varying degrees of adverse effects. To alleviate patients' suffering and burdens, it is crucial to explore additional treatments and elucidate the pathogenesis of HCC, laying a foundation for the development of new TCM-based drugs. With emerging research on gut microbiota, it has been revealed that microbiota plays a vital role in the development of HCC by influencing intestinal barrier function, microbial metabolites, and immune regulation. TCM, with its multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway characteristics, has been increasingly recognized as a vital therapeutic treatment for HCC, particularly in patients at intermediate or advanced stages, by prolonging survival and improving quality of life. Recent global studies demonstrate that TCM exerts anti-HCC effects by modulating gut microbiota, restoring intestinal barrier function, regulating microbial composition and its metabolites, suppressing inflammation, and enhancing immune responses, thereby inhibiting the malignant phenotype of HCC. This review aims to elucidate the mechanisms by which gut microbiota contributes to the development and progression of HCC and highlight the regulatory effects of TCM, addressing the current gap in systematic understanding of the "TCM-gut microbiota-HCC" axis. The findings provide theoretical support for integrating TCM with western medicine in HCC treatment and promote the transition from basic research to precision clinical therapy through microbiota-targeted drug development and TCM-based interventions.
Humans ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/microbiology* ; Liver Neoplasms/microbiology* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Animals ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

OBJECTIVES: To assess the changes in body composition and nutritional risks faced by children with different stages of acute leukemia (AL). METHODS: Bioelectrical impedance analysis combined with anthropometric measurements was used to detect body composition. This prospective study was conducted from August 2023 to July 2024 at Shandong Provincial Hospital, examining the body composition and physical balance of children with various stages of AL and healthy children. RESULTS: The non-fat components of children with AL and healthy children both showed a linear increase with age. In the younger age group, there were no significant differences in body composition between children with AL and healthy children. However, in the older age group, the body composition of children undergoing chemotherapy for AL was significantly lower than that of healthy children (P<0.05), and muscle mass recovered first after the completion of AL chemotherapy. The proportion of children with increased trunk fat in AL children who completed chemotherapy was significantly lower than that in healthy children (P<0.05), while the incidence rate of severe left-right imbalance in body composition was significantly higher (P<0.05). Muscle distribution in children with AL primarily showed insufficient limb and overall muscle mass, whereas healthy children mainly exhibited insufficient upper limb muscle mass. CONCLUSIONS The body composition of children with AL varies at different treatment stages, indicating that nutritional status is affected by both the disease itself and the treatment. Early screening can provide a basis for reasonable nutritional intervention.
Humans ; Child ; Male ; Female ; Child, Preschool ; Body Composition ; Prospective Studies ; Adolescent ; Leukemia/metabolism* ; Infant ; Nutritional Status ; Acute Disease ; Electric Impedance

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical characteristics, treatment and prognosis of adult AML patients with NUP98::HOXA9 fusion gene. METHODS: From May 2017 to October 2023， among 2 113 AML patients who visited the Hematology Department of our hospital, patients with NUP98 rearrangements were screened. The clinical characteristics, chromosome karyotypes, immunophenotypes, gene mutations, treatment efficacy and prognosis of the patients with NUP98::HOXA9 positive were analyzed. RESULTS: Among the 2 113 AML patients, there were 18 cases with NUP98 rearrangement, including 14 NUP98::HOXA9 positive cases, with a detection rate of 0.66% (14/2 113). The median age of the NUP98::HOXA9 positive patients was 42.5 (23-64) years old. The most common chromosome karyotype was t(7; 11)(p15; p15). The immunophenotypes of all patients expressed CD13, CD33, CD117 and CD38, and most patients expressed CD34 and cMPO, while only a few expressed HLA-DR. Second-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed to detect genetic mutations associated with leukemia in all 14 patients, and the genes exhibiting a high frequency of mutation were WT1 (10/14), TET2 (7/14), and FLT3-ITD (6/14). Additionally, mutations were also observed in KRAS/NRAS, IDH1, and KIT. Of the 13 patients who received treatment, 9 achieved complete remission (CR), and all 3 patients who received azacytidine(AZA)+ venetoclax (VEN) regimen achieved CR after the first course of treatment. Within this cohort, 6 patients were classified as relapsed/refractory (6/13). 4 patients underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), of which two achieved long-term survival. The median follow-up time was 12 (2.1-65.0) months, while the median overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) were recorded as 11.4 months and 9.6 months, respectively. CONCLUSION The most common type of NUP98 rearrangement in adults AML patients is NUP98::HOXA9 , which is often accompanied by somatic mutations in WT1, TET2, and FLT3-ITD. These patients are prone to relapse, have short survival time, and generally face poor prognoses. Hopefully, utilization of the AZA+VEN regimen is anticipated to enhance the rate of induced remission in the patients, and some patients may prolong their survival through allo-HSCT. However, more effective treatment methods are still needed to improve the overall prognosis of these patients.
Humans ; Adult ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/genetics* ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins/genetics* ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion/genetics* ; Mutation ; Male ; Female ; Young Adult ; Homeodomain Proteins/genetics*

OBJECTIVES: Obtaining informed consent from research participants is an ethical and legal obligation for medical researchers in clinical studies. Electronic informed consent (eIC) is increasingly being adopted in clinical research worldwide. However, there is limited data on Chinese medical researchers' knowledge and attitudes toward eIC. This study aims to investigate their knowledge, attitudes, and influencing factors regarding eIC use in clinical research. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted using stratified random sampling. From June to August 2022, medical researchers from 8 tertiary hospitals were surveyed via an online platform (Wenjuanxing). A self-developed eIC knowledge questionnaire and attitude scale were used to assess participants' understanding and perceptions of eIC. Univariate analysis was employed to explore factors influencing attitude scores and the correlation between knowledge and attitudes. A generalized linear model was used to analyze associations between demographic characteristics and attitude scores, including the frequency of difficulties in using smartphones or computers, preferred device for using eIC, and their interaction effects. Stratified analysis was further performed for significant interactions. RESULTS: A total of 399 valid questionnaires were collected. The mean accuracy rate on the eIC knowledge questionnaire was (94.88±15.50)%. Of the respondents, 74.9% had heard of eIC, and 84.5% preferred using mobile devices over computers to access eIC. The median attitude score was 3.41 (3.18, 3.76), indicating generally positive attitudes. Specifically, 81.7% found eIC more convenient than paper-based consent, 79.7% considered it more efficient, and 51.1% believed it could fully replace paper forms. However, 60.7% expressed concerns about data security and privacy, and 89.7% believed that relevant laws and regulations need improvement. Spearman correlation analysis showed a weak positive correlation between knowledge and attitude scores (r=0.171, P=0.001). Univariate analysis indicated that the frequency of difficulty using devices and preferred device for eIC were significantly associated with attitude scores (P<0.05). After adjusting for confounding factors, the generalized linear model demonstrated that participants who occasionally experienced had difficulty using devices had significantly lower attitude scores compared to those who never had difficulty (β=-0.040, 95% CI -0.071 to -0.009, P=0.012). Those who preferred using PCs had significantly lower attitude scores than those who preferred mobile devices (β=-0.066, 95% CI -0.108 to -0.023, P=0.002). Interaction analysis showed a significant interaction analysis showed a significant interaction between age and preferred device (P=0.011), particularly among participants aged ≥45-year (P<0.001). No other interactions were found to be significant (all P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS Medical researchers in China generally have a high level of knowledge and positive attitudes toward eIC, though concerns remain regarding data security and privacy. Future promotion of eIC in Chinese clinical research should be grounded in ethical considerations and address the specific needs of older users and mobile device users, while also enhancing researchers' competencies in using digital tools and eIC systems.
Humans ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Informed Consent ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Female ; Male ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Adult ; Biomedical Research ; Research Personnel/psychology* ; Middle Aged ; China

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the spatiotemporal patterns and socioeconomic factors influencing the incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in the Guangdong Province between 2010 and 2019. METHOD: Spatial and temporal variations in TB incidence were mapped using heat maps and hierarchical clustering. Socioenvironmental influencing factors were evaluated using a Bayesian spatiotemporal conditional autoregressive (ST-CAR) model. RESULTS: Annual incidence of TB in Guangdong decreased from 91.85/100,000 in 2010 to 53.06/100,000 in 2019. Spatial hotspots were found in northeastern Guangdong, particularly in Heyuan, Shanwei, and Shantou, while Shenzhen, Dongguan, and Foshan had the lowest rates in the Pearl River Delta. The ST-CAR model showed that the TB risk was lower with higher per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) [Relative Risk ( RR), 0.91; 95% Confidence Interval ( CI): 0.86-0.98], more the ratio of licensed physicians and physician ( RR, 0.94; 95% CI: 0.90-0.98), and higher per capita public expenditure ( RR, 0.94; 95% CI: 0.90-0.97), with a marginal effect of population density ( RR, 0.86; 95% CI: 0.86-1.00). CONCLUSION The incidence of TB in Guangdong varies spatially and temporally. Areas with poor economic conditions and insufficient healthcare resources are at an increased risk of TB infection. Strategies focusing on equitable health resource distribution and economic development are the key to TB control.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Incidence ; Bayes Theorem ; Spatio-Temporal Analysis ; Tuberculosis/epidemiology* ; Socioeconomic Factors

BACKGROUND:Pulsed electromagnetic fields,as an important physical therapy,are exactly effective in the treatment of osteoarthritis,but the mechanism has not been fully clarified. OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of pulsed electromagnetic field on the degeneration of knee joint cartilage in aged rats. METHODS:Eight 6-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats were selected as the young group and were subjected to normal diet with no treatment.Sixteen 22-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into old group(n=8)and pulsed electromagnetic field group(n=8).The rats in the pulsed electromagnetic field group were subjected to a pulsed electromagnetic field intervention,once a day,5 days per week for continuous 8 weeks.The rats in the old group were given no treatment.All rats were anesthetized and executed after 8 weeks for the detection of relevant indexes. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the young group,serum type Ⅱ collagen C-terminal peptide level was increased in the old group(P<0.05);compared with the old group,serum type Ⅱ collagen C-terminal peptide level was decreased in the pulsed electromagnetic field group(P<0.05).Micro-CT showed that the bone volume fraction,bone mineral density,and number of bone trabeculae decreased(P<0.05)and the trabecular separation increased(P<0.05)in the tibia of rats in the aged group compared with the young group;and the bone volume fraction,bone density,and number of trabeculae increased(P<0.05)and the trabecular separation decreased(P<0.05)in the tibia of rats in the pulsed electromagnetic field group compared with the aged group.The tibial plateau Safranin O-fast green staining showed that the articular cartilage structure of rats in the aged group was disorganized,and the number of chondrocytes was obviously reduced,and the tidal line could not be distinguished.The above results were improved in the pulsed electromagnetic field group.RT-qPCR and western blot assay showed that the mRNA and protein expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase 1,matrix metalloproteinase 13,P53 and P21 in the articular cartilage and subchondral bone of rats were elevated in the aged group compared with the young group(P<0.05)and decreased in the pulsed electromagnetic field group compared with the old group(P<0.05).To conclude,pulsed electromagnetic fields may improve osteoarthritis in aged rats by inhibiting chondrocyte senescence,alleviating articular cartilage degradation and inhibiting subchondral bone osteoporosis through suppressing the expression of P53/P21.

ObjectiveTo explore the molecular mechanism of Sanhuang Xiexintang （SHXXT） in protecting stress gastric ulcer （SGU） in rats through network pharmacology， molecular docking， and animal experiments. MethodThe active ingredients and corresponding targets in SHXXT were collected and screened from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCMSP）， Traditional Chinese Medicine Information Database （TCMID）， Bioinformation Analysis Tool for Molecular Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine （BATMAN-TCM）， and Swiss Target Prediction database. SGU-related targets were screened from the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man （OMIM）， Therapeutic Target Database （TTD）， GeneCards database， and PharmGKB database. Herbal-ingredient-target （H-C-T） network was constructed by using Cytoscape 3.9.1 software. Protein-protein interaction （PPI） of drug and disease intersection targets was analyzed by using the Protein Interaction Platform （STRING） database. Gene ontology （GO） enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathway analysis were conducted through the Database for Annotation Visualization and Integrated Discovery （DAVID）. The active ingredients and key targets were validated using AutodockVina 1.2.2 molecular docking software， and the experimental results were further validated through animal experiments. ResultThe 55 active ingredients were screened， and 255 potential target genes for SHXXT treatment of SGU were predicted. The PPI analysis showed that protein kinase B （Akt）， phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten （PTEN）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and cyclooxygenase-2 （COX-2） are the core targets of SHXXT for protecting SGU. GO and KEGG analyses showed that SHXXT may affect the development of SGU by regulating various biological processes such as the phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K）/Akt signaling pathway and inflammatory processes. The molecular docking results showed that both the active ingredients and key targets had good binding ability. Animal experiments showed that compared with the blank group， the ulcer index （UI） of the model group was significantly increased （P<0.01）， and the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1β significantly increased （P<0.01）. The phosphorylation level of PTEN in gastric mucosal tissue was significantly down-regulated （P<0.05）. The phosphorylation levels of PI3K， Akt， and nuclear factor kappa-B （NF-κB） were significantly up-regulated （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the UI of the treatment group was significantly reduced （P<0.01）， and the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1β were significantly reduced （P<0.01）. The phosphorylation level of PTEN in gastric mucosal tissue was significantly up-regulated （P<0.01）， and the phosphorylation levels of PI3K， Akt， and NF-κB were significantly downregulated （P<0.01）. ConclusionThe application of network pharmacology prediction， molecular docking simulation， and animal experimental validation confirms that SHXXT regulates the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway to regulate the inflammatory response of rats and thus protects the gastric mucosa of SGU rats.

Objective To observe the clinical and symptomatic improvement three months after uterine artery embolization(UAE),and to analyze the value of apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)in MR diffusion weighted imaging(DWI)in assessing the response of fibroids volume after UAE.Methods A total of 40 patients with uterine fibroids were included.The volume changes of fibroids,clinical and symptomatic improvement before and after treatment were recorded,and the efficacy of UAE was comprehensively analyzed.All patients underwent MR DWI before UAE and were evaluated at three months postoperatively by outpatient MR follow-up,with fibroids vol-ume and ADC quantitative measurements were performed to compare the changes in ADC values of fibroids preoperatively and post-operatively at each b value.Pearson correlation analysis was performed to analyze the correlation between baseline ADC values and postoperative fibroids volume reduction.Regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between ADC and fibroids volume reduction after UAE.And the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve were plotted to analyze the predictive value of ADC values for evaluating fibroids volume reduction of more than 30％after UAE.Results The patients'clinical symptoms was improved in the three months after surgery,the volume of fibroids was significantly reduced,and the life quality was improved,the difference was sta-tistically significant(P＜0.05).There was no significant effect on ovarian function,hormone levels did not change significantly com-pared to before surgery,with no statistical significance(P＞0.05).When b=50,1 000 s/mm2,the changes in ADC values before and after uterine fibroids treatment were not significant,with no statistical significance(P＞0.05).However,the changes in ADC values before and after uterine fibroids treatment were significant when b=800 s/mm2 and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).Under the condition of b=800 s/mm2,Pearson correlation analysis showed ADC value had a positive correlation with postoperative uterine fibroids volume reduction rate(r=0.45,P＜0.05),and the area under the curve(AUC)for ADC value to predict the reduction rate of uterine fibroids volume by more than 30％after UAE was 0.787.The cut-off value was 1.143 × 10-3 mm2/s,with sensitivity and specificity of 0.793 and 0.818,respectively.Conclusion UAE is more effective in treating uterine fibroids.The baseline ADC value of uterine fibroids correlated significantly with the volume reduction after UAE.The ADC value can be used to assess the volume response after UAE.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering(SERS)can detect molecules adsorbed on the surface of noble metals in monolayers and sub-monolayers,and provide structural information of molecules with high sensitivity,high accuracy,and fingerprint recognition and non-destructive detection.The SERS technology has been widely used in single-molecule detection,chemical reaction and engineering,biomedicine,nanomaterials and environmental detection,and so on.The spectral sensitivity and signal reproducibility of SERS are closely related to the type of noble metal substrate.In this paper,based on the mechanism of electromagnetic field enhancement(EM)and chemical enhancement(CM)of SERS,the affecting factors of SERS enhancement were analyzed,including the micro-nanostructure of SERS substrate,particle size,particle spacing,etc,the research and application of SERS substrate in recent years were summarized and reviewed,and the development direction of metal substrate,data analysis and application direction of SERS technology in the future were prospected.