Photo-activated microtubule targeting drugs: Advancing therapies for colorectal cancer

Over the years immunotherapy has demonstrably improved the field of cancer treatment.However,achieving long-term survival for colorectal cancer(CRC)patients remains a significant unmet need.Combination immunotherapies incor-porating targeted drugs like MEK or multi-kinase inhibitors have offered some palliative benefit.Nevertheless,substantial gaps remain in the current therapeutic armamentarium for CRC.In recent years,there has been a surge of interest in exploring novel treatment strategies,including the application of light-activated drugs in conjunction with optical devices.This approach holds promise for achie-ving localized and targeted delivery of cytotoxic agents,such as microtubule-targeting drugs,directly to cancerous cells within the colon.

Induced Electromagnetic Fields Estimation in Spine Examinations of MRI Patients: A Re-Evaluation of Existing Clinical Protocols at a Hospital in Accra, Ghana

Patients undergoing Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are exposed to strong, non-uniform static magnetic fields outside of the central imaging region, in which the movement of the body may induce electric currents in tissues which could possibly be harmful. The purpose of this study was to re-evaluate existing clinical protocols by determining the induced electromagnetic (EM) fields in MRI spine examinations. The study covered 120 MRI spine examinations at the MRI Unit of a hospital in Accra, Ghana. A numerical model based on Faraday’s equation was developed using the finite difference method (FDM) and MATLAB software to compute, first, a test simulation of induced EM field intensities and then actual measurements of induced fields on the spine. The simulation results were peak induced electric field, 0.39 V/m and current density, 0.039 A/m2. Patient results were;calculated maximum velocity, 0.29 m/s;peak induced electric field strength, 0.44 V/m, and current density, 0.043 A/m2. The levels of induced EM-fields were such that they would not pose any potential health hazards to the patients as these values were well below the recommended guidance levels set by the Directive IEC 60601-2-33 of the European Parliament.

Comprehensive effects of traditional Chinese medicine treatment on heart failure and changes in B-type natriuretic peptide levels: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Heart failure(HF),a common cardiovascular condition,is characterized by significant morbidity and mortality.While traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)is often used as a complementary approach in HF management,systematic evalua-tions of its impact on clinical outcomes,TCM syndrome scores,and B-type natriuretic peptide(BNP)levels are lacking.This study fills this gap through a comprehensive analysis of randomized controlled trials(RCTs)focusing on TCM for HF treatment.It encompasses an assessment of methodological quality,a meta-analysis,and an evaluation of evidence quality based on established standards.The results offer crucial insights into the potential advantages and constraints of TCM in HF management.RCTs on TCM for HF treatment published since the establishment of the database were searched in four Chinese and English databases,including China National Knowledge Infrastructure,Wanfang,VIP Information Chinese Science and Technology Journal,and PubMed.Methodological quality was assessed for the included studies with the Cochrane risk-of-bias assessment tool,and the meta-analysis and publication bias assessment was performed with the RevMan5.3 software.Finally,the quality of evidence was rated according to the GRADE criteria.RESULTS A total of 1098 RCTs were initially retrieved.After screening,16 RCTs were finally included in our study,which were published between 2020 and 2023.These RCTs involved 1660 HF patients,including 832 in the TCM group[TCM combined with conventional Western medicine(CMW)treatment]and 828 in the CWM group(CWM treatment).The course of treatments varied from 1 wk to 3 months.TCM syndrome differentiation was analyzed in 11 of the included RCTs.In all included RCTs,outcome indicators included comprehensive clinical outcomes,TCM syndrome scores,and BNP levels.The meta-analysis results showed significant differences between the TCM and CWM groups in terms of comprehensive clinical outcomes[risk ratio=-0.54;95%confidence interval(CI)=-0.61,-0.47;P<0.00001],TCM syndrome scores[weighted mean difference(WMD)=-142.07;95%CI=-147.56,-136.57;P<0.00001],and BNP levels(WMD=-142.07;95%CI=-147.56,-136.57;P<0.00001).According to the GRADE criteria,RCTs where"TCM improves clinical comprehensive outcomes"were rated as low-quality evidence,and RCTs where"TCM reduces TCM syndrome scores"or"TCM decreases BNP levels"were rated as medium-quality evidence.CONCLUSION TCM combined with CWM treatment effectively improves comprehensive clinical outcomes and diminishes TCM syndrome scores and BNP levels in HF patients.Given the low and medium quality of the included RCTs,the application of these results should be cautious.

Targeted metabolomics study of fatty-acid metabolism in lean metabolic-associated fatty liver disease patients

BACKGROUND The annual incidence of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD)in China has been increasing and is often overlooked owing to its insidious charac-teristics.Approximately 50%of the patients have a normal weight or are not obese.They are said to have lean-type MAFLD,and few studies of such patients are available.Because MAFLD is associated with abnormal lipid metabolism,lipid-targeted metabolomics was used in this study to provide experimental evidence for early diagnosis and pathogenesis.MAFLD and analyze metabolic pathways.UPLC-Q-Orbitrap/MS content determination was used to determine serum palmitic acid(PA),oleic acid(OA),linoleic acid(LA),and arachidonic acid(AA)levels in lean-type MAFLD patients.RESULTS Urea nitrogen and uric acid levels were higher in lean-type MAFLD patients than in healthy individuals(P<0.05).Alanine transaminase and cholinesterase levels were higher in lean-type MAFLD patients than in healthy indi-viduals(P<0.01).The expression of high-density lipoprotein and apolipoprotein A-1 were lower in lean-type MAFLD patients than in healthy individuals(P<0.05)and the expression of triglycerides and fasting blood glucose were increased(P<0.01).A total of 65 biomarkers that affected the synthesis and metabolism of fatty acids were found with P<0.05 and variable importance in projection>1.The levels of PA,OA,LA,and AA were significantly increased compared with healthy individuals.CONCLUSION The metabolic profiles of lean-type MAFLD patients and healthy participants differed significantly,yielding 65 identified biomarkers.PA,OA,LA,and AA exhibited the most significant changes,offering valuable clinical guidance for prevention and treatment of lean-type MAFLD.

Author’s Correction

We have made a clerical error in Table 1 on the page of 239, Volume 23, No.4 of Journal of Medical Colleges of PLA (the article is entitled as Expression and role of AQP1 in cervical squamous carcinoma

Author's Letter

To editorial board of Acta Mathematica Scientia(Acta MS) I was shocked when I was informed that the paper entitled"Eigenvalue Problem for the Laplacian Equations"by Shao Zhiqiang and Hong Jiaxing appeared in Acta MS(2007)Series B,no 2.For the past 15 years,I have not had any contact with Mr.Shao Zhiqiang and I have

Medical Journal of Chinese People′s Liberation Army INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS

Aims andscope of the Journal.Medical Journal of Chinese People's Liberation Army(Med J Chin PLA)is a multiple-subjects medical periodical published by the People's Military Medical Press,under the auspice of Department of Health,General Logistics Department of PLA,and it

Medical Journal of Chinese People′s Liberation Army INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS

Aims and scope of the Journal. Medical Journal of Chinese People’s Liberation Army (Med J Chin PLA) is a multiple-subjects medical periodical published by the People’s Military Medical Press, under the auspice of Department of Health, General Logistics Department of PLA, and it is issued domestically and abroad. Med J Chin PLA has become one of the source journals of statistics in Chinese Scientific Thesis and Chinese Scientific Quotation Database, the key periodical of multiple-subject medical journals, and is a prize journal of National Periodical Award and one of the Top Hundred Periodicals in China. Med J Chin PLA is issued monthly. Its permanent sections include Expert Forum, Research on Special Topics, Medical Treatises, Experimental Research, Clinical Research, Technology and Methodology, Discussion of Knotty Cases (Pathology), Reviews, Military Medical Sciences, News in Medicine etc. Manuscripts sent by both domestic and overseas writers are welcome. Contribution of reviews is usually invited by the Editors, but recommendations for topics and authors are welcomed.

Medical Journal of Chinese People′s Liberation Army INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS

Aims andscope of the Journal .Medical Journal of Chinese People’s Liberation Army (Med J Chin PLA) is a multiple-subjects medical periodical published by the People’s Military Medical Press,under the auspice of Department ofHealth, General Logistics Department of PLA,andit is issued

Medical Journal of Chinese People's Liberation Army INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS

Aims andscope of the Journal .Medical Journal of Chinese People’s Liberation Army ( Med J Chin PLA) is a multiple-subjects medical periodical publishedby the People’s Military Medical Press,under the auspice of Department of Health, General Logistics Department of PLA,andit

Negative Evaluation and Author’s Identity Construction in Chinese and English Academic Book Reviews

Evaluation,especially negative evaluation,is an important element in academic book reviews.Unfortunately,previous studies on evaluation strategies in Chinese and English book reviews are still limited in number.Recently,identity construction has been a hot research issue in various fields of social science.However,few studies have ever been conducted on how book reviewers construct various identities with the use of evaluation strategies.As such,this thesis tries to investigate how the negative evaluation,the most direct face-threatening evaluation,are linked closely to author’ s identity construction in Chinese and English book reviews,how the Chinese and English book reviewers make salient their appropriate identities with the skillful use of discourse strategies so as to avoid possible face-threatening.The present study collects fifteen Chinese and fifteen English academic book reviews as research data.An analysis of the data indicates that while there are similarities,there are also distinctive differences in the use of negative evaluation strategies and author’ s identity construction in Chinese and English book reviews.Specifically,with the use of negative evaluation,four important identities are constructed,namely,the author’ s identities as an authoritative writer,a polite and friendly evaluator,a responsible opinion holder and a kind academic ally.

Civil Affairs Authorities Bent on Protecting People's Basic Rights

In response to the global financial crisis,China’s civil affairs au-thorities redoubled their effort in 2009 to improve the livelihood of the Chinese people and protect their basic rights and interests under the constitutional principle of respectingand protecting human rights.