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This study aims to explore the impact of Rehmannioside D (RD) on ovarian functions of rats with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) and its underlying mechanisms of action. A single injection of cyclophosphamide was performed to establish a DOR rat model, and fourteen days after the injection, the rats were intragastrically administrated with RD for two weeks. Rat estrus cycles were tested using vaginal smears. Ovarian tissues were histologically evaluated, the number of primordial, mature, and atretic follicles was calculated, and the apoptotic rate of granulosa cells. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and estradiol (E2 ) levels were determined by ELISA assays. Protein levels of Forkhead Box O1 (FOXO1), KLOTHO, Bcl-2, and Bax were investigated in ovarian tissues of DOR rats. The binding between FOXO1 and KLOTHO was verified by ChIP assay. High-dose administration of RD into DOR rats improved their estrus cycles, increased ovarian index, enhanced the number of primordial and mature follicles, reduced the number of atretic follicle number, and ovarian granulosa cell apoptosis in addition to inhibiting FSH and LH levels and upregulating E2 expression. FOXO1 and KLOTHO were significantly suppressed in DOR rats. FOXO1 knockdown partially suppressed the protective effects of RD on DOR rats, and KLOTHO overexpression could restore RD-induced blockade of DOR development despite knocking down FOXO1. FOXO1 antibody enriched KLOTHO promoter, and the binding between them was reduced in DOR group compared to that in sham group. RD improved ovarian functions in DOR rats and diminished granulosa cell apoptosis via the FOXO1/KLOTHO axis.
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Thirteen isoflavones were separated and purified from an ethanol extract of the rhizome of Dalbergia benthamii Prain by using silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, recrystallization et al. Their structures were identified by physicochemical properties and spectral analysis such as MS, 1D/2D-NMR as dalbergibenthamin (1), butesuperin A (2), xanthocercin A (3), butesuperin B (4), di-O-methylalpinum isoflavone (5), 2′-deoxgisoaunculutin (6), robustone (7), 4′-hydroxy-5,7-dimethoxy-6-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)-isoflavone (8), formononetin (9), 6″-O-rhamnosyldaidzin (10), 3′,4′-di-O-methylene-5-hydroxy-7-methoxy-6-isopentenyl isoflavone (11), derrubone dimethyl enter (12), and derrubone (13). Compound 1 is a pair of new isoflavonoid enantiomers, compound 12 is a new natural product and compounds 1-7 and 10-13 were obtained from D. benthamii Prain for the first time. In vitro cytotoxic activities of the compounds were explored by MTS testing with HL-60, A-549, SMMC-7721, MCF-7 and SW480 cell lines. Results show that compound 8 significantly inhibited cellular proliferation. The IC50 of compound 8 in A-549 and SW480 cells was 16.68 ± 0.19 and 15.21 ± 0.60 μmol·L-1.
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ObjectiveTo compare the outcomes in controlled ovarian stimulation （COH） and fresh embryo transfer between women with and those without a high basal luteinizing hormone （bLH） level in polycystic ovary syndrome （PCOS）. MethodsThe clinical data of PCOS patients at the Reproductive Medicine Center of the Sixth Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from January 2015 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into the high group （LH≥10 U/L） and normal group （LH<10 U/L） according to the bLH levels. The results of COH and pregnancy outcomes after fresh transfer were compared， including gonadotropin （Gn） initiation dose， Gn duration， total Gn dose， number of oocytes obtained， two pronuclei （2PN） rate， available embryos rate， high-quality embryos rate， blastocyst formation rate， human chorionic gonadotrophin （HCG） positive rate， clinical pregnancy rate （CPR）， spontaneous abortion rate （SAR）， ongoing pregnancy rate （OPR） and live birth rate （LBR）. The differences in hormonal trends during COH were also analyzed. ResultsThere were no statistically significant differences in age， body mass index， anti-Mullerian hormone， and type of infertility between the two groups. Compared with the normal group， the Gn initiation dose and Gn duration were not statistically significant （P>0.05）， while the total Gn dose was significantly lower （P<0.001） in the high group. The number of oocytes retrieved， 2PN rate， available embryos rate， high-quality embryos rate， and blastocyst formation rate were comparable between the two groups （all P>0.05）. After fresh embryo transfer， they had similar pregnancy outcomes in the HCG positive rate， CPR， SAR， OPR and LBR （all P > 0.05）. ConclusionsIn patients with PCOS， high bLH levels do not affect COH or pregnancy outcomes in fresh transfer cycles. Further studies are needed to determine whether LH levels need to be lowered prior to COH and whether frozen-all strategy is required in patients with elevated bLH levels.
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Objective:To analyze the functional connectivity (FC) characteristics of sensory motor network (SMN) in patients with bipolar disorder type Ⅰ (BD-Ⅰ) by independent component analysis (ICA), and explore the correlation between abnormal SMN and clinical symptoms.Methods:Eighteen patients with BD-Ⅰ (BD-Ⅰ group) and 20 matched normal controls (HC group) were included.Both groups received resting state fMRI (rs-fMRI) scanning.Based on ICA-fMRI data, one-sample t-test and two-sample t-test were used to analyze the components of SMN and to explore abnormal brain regions between the two groups.Functional network analysis (FNC) was also used to explore the functional connectivity between SMN and other brain networks.Pearson correlation analysis were conducted by SPSS 17.0 to measure the potential associations between intra-and inter-network functional connectivity and age, education, score of Bech-Rafaelsen mania rating scale (BRMS), score of positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) and other indicators. Results:In BD-Ⅰ group, the functional connection in the right paracentral lobule (MIN: x=8, y=-32, z=68, t=4.86, P<0.001) and the right postcentral gyrus (MIN: x=41, y=-26, z=53, t=3.33, P<0.001) in SMN were higher than those in HC group.Compared with HC group, the connectivity value in patients with BD-Ⅰ increased between SMN-DAN (0.247±0.073, -0.078±0.080, t=-2.974, P<0.01, FDR adjusted), while the connectivity value decreased between SMN-DMN(-0.037±0.054, 0.272±0.067, t=3.520, P<0.01, FDR adjusted) and between SMN-rFPN(-0.034±0.055, 0.231±0.070, t=2.939, P<0.01, FDR adjusted). Conclusion:The sensorimotor network of patients with BD-Ⅰ has abnormal functional connections within and between networks, and FC values in some networks are positively correlated with manic symptoms, which may be part of the neural mechanisms of patients with BD-Ⅰ.
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Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by the production of large amounts of autoantibodies and the involvement of multiple organs. The polarization imbalance and abnormal activation of macrophages are closely related to the occurrence and development of SLE, and M1 macrophages, specifically, play a pro-inflammatory role in the pathogenesis of SLE. Changes in the immune microenvironment of SLE patients would promote the metabolic reprogramming of macrophages, and induce fluctuations in sugar metabolism, lipid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism, which lead to the accumulation of intermediate metabolites that would act as inflammatory signaling molecules to aggravate the inflammatory response and cause a series of complications. Therefore, a full understanding of the metabolic process of macrophages in SLE will help elucidate the pathogenesis of SLE and lay the foundation for targeted therapy of macrophages.
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The present study explored the underlying mechanism of Astragali Radix-Curcumae Rhizoma-Paridis Rhizoma(AR-CR-PR) in the treatment of colorectal cancer(CRC) by network pharmacology and molecular docking and animal tests and verified the core targets based on the orthotopic transplantation model in nude mice. The active components of AR-CR-PR were retrieved from databases such as TCMSP. The targets of drugs and the disease were obtained from PubChem, SwissTargetPrediction, TTD, and DrugBank, and the intersection targets were imported into STRING for the analysis of the protein-protein interaction(PPI). Gene Ontology(GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) analyses were performed through DAVID. AutoDock Vina was used to perform molecular docking and binding ability prediction between the active components and the core targets. The effects of AR-CR-PR on tumor growth, metastasis, and phosphorylation of core target proteins in tumor tissues based on the orthotopic transplantation model in nude mice. As revealed by network pharmacology, AR-CR-PR contained nine core components, such as quercetin, curcumin, and β-ecdysone, and the key targets included protein kinase B(AKT1), mitogen-activated protein kinase 3(MAPK3), MAPK1, and epithelial growth factor receptor(EGFR), which was indicated that the anti-CRC effect of AR-CR-PR was presumedly achieved by regulating tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and angiogenesis through PI3 K-AKT, MAPK and other signaling pathways. The results of molecular docking showed that the nine core components had strong binding abilities to AKT1 and MAPK3. The results in vivo showed that AR-CR-PR could reduce the volume of the orthotopic tumor, inhibit liver metastasis, and decrease the phosphorylation of AKT1 and MAPK3 in the CRC model. The mechanism of AR-CR-PR in the intervention of CRC may be related to the activation of PI3 K-AKT and MAPK signaling pathway. This study provides a scientific basis for the clinical application of AR-CR-PR in the treatment of CRC and ideas for modern research on AR-CR-PR.
Subject(s)
Animals , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology , Mice , Mice, Nude , Molecular Docking Simulation , Neoplasms , Network Pharmacology , RhizomeABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the value of atrioventricular valve regurgitation in predicting atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) in the first trimester.Methods:Fetuses were examined prospectively by ultrasound at 11-13 + 6 weeks in Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region between February 2016 and February 2021. Congenital heart disease was screened and atrioventricular valve regurgitation was observed in fetuses of gestational age 11 to 13 + 6 weeks using color Doppler in four-chamber view and three vessels and trachea view. Results:Totally 43 549 fetuses of gestational age 11 to 13 + 6 weeks were screened by echocardiography, of whom 37 cases were screened out with AVSD, including complete atrioventricular septal defect (31 cases), partial atrioventricular septal defect(3 cases) and intermediate atrioventricular septal defect(1 cases), 2 cases were misdiagnosed, and ultrasonic scanning in the second trimester found 2 missed cases of intermediate atrioventricular septal defect. Atrioventricular valve regurgitation was observed in 91.89% of atrioventricular septal defects (34/37) in the first trimester, 59.46% (22/37) nuchal translucency greater than 95th percentile, 29.73% (11/37) absence of nasal bone, 32.43% (12/37) ductus venosus A wave inversion, and 40.54% (15/37) had tricuspid regurgitation. The sensitivity of common atrioventricular valve regurgitation in predicting atrioventricular septal defect is better than other ultrasonic indexes. Conclusions:Atrioventricular regurgitation can be used as a clue to predict atrioventricular septal defect in the first trimester, which is beneficial to detect atrioventricular septal defect in the first trimester.
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@#An innovative approach to quantitatively analyze the histamine and its precursor histidine simultaneously in biological matrices was established for the first time based on double adsorption combined with high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS).The internal standard was 2-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB).The plasma and brain tissue homogenate was protein precipitated with 3-fold acetonitrile, and the supernatant was then sampled for injection analysis.The chromatographic separation of the target components was achieved on an amino chromatography column (ODS-SPXBridge? Amide).Gradient elution was carried out with the mobile phase consisting of solvent A (0.1% formic acid and 1mmol/L ammonium formate in water) and solvent B (acetonitrile).Mass spectrometry was employed for quantitative analysis with ESI ion source in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode.In order to improve the specificity and accuracy, activated carbon and calcite were used for the double adsorption of biological matrices for the first time.The adsorbed matrix was then used for methodology validation.The results showed that histamine and histidine were linear in the quantitative range (correlation coefficient r ≥ 0.999).Accuracy, precision, extraction recovery, matrix effect and stability all met the requirements of biological sample analysis.All results suggested that the present method could not only be efficiently and reliably used for simultaneous quantitative analysis of histamine and histidine in biological samples, but also provide reference for the detection of other endogenous substances.
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OBJECTIVE To investigate the situation ，influential factors and their re lationship of hospital pharmacy managers ’ servant leadership behavior and hospital pharmacists ’job satisfaction. METHODS The questionnaire survey method was adopted to stratified cluster sampling from primary ，secondary and tertiary hospitals ，five for each in Henan province. The personal basic data scale of pharmacists ，the hospital pharmaceutical service leadership behavior scale and the job satisfaction scale of pharmacists were used to conduct a questionnaire survey among hospital pharmacists. Excel 2019 and SPSS 23.0 software were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS A total of 956 questionnaires were distributed and 882 questionnaires were recovered ，including 841 valid questionnaires，with an effective recovery rate of 95.35％. The reliability coefficients Cronbach’s α of hospital pharmacy managers ’ servant leadership behavior scale and hospital pharmacists ’job satisfaction scale were 0.986 and 0.978，and the validity coefficients KMO were 0.908 and 0.977（P＜0.01）. The total score of hospital pharmacy managers ’servant leadership behavior was （110.73± 18.63）. The total score of hospital pharmacists ’job satisfaction was （126.33±17.79）. Hospital grade ，gender，age，professional title and highest education level all affected pharmacists ’recognition for managers ’servant leadership behavior （P＜0.05）. Hospital grade，age，professional title ，marital status ，highest education level and position all affected job satisfaction （P＜0.05）. The servant leadership behavior of hospital pharmacy managers was positively correlated with the job satisfaction of hospital pharmacists （correlation coefficient r was 0.521-0.698，all P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS The promotion and optimization the servant leadership behavior of hospital pharmacy managers can improve the job satisfaction of pharmacists ，stabilize the team of pharmacists ，and provide high-quality pharmaceutical care for patients ，so as to improve the core competitiveness of the hospital.
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Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of corneal bandage lens in the treatment of dry eye after cataract surgery in patients with mild meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).Methods:A non-randomized controlled clinical study was conducted.Sixty eyes of 60 patients with mild MGD after cataract surgery were enrolled in Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital from June 2020 to February 2021.The patients were divided into bandage lens group and control group according their willingness, with 30 eyes in each group.All the patients received phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation and were administered with the same postoperative medication.Patients in bandage lens group wore lenses for 14 days continuously after the operation.Patients in control group did not wear the corneal bandage lens after the operation.The structure and inflammation of the anterior segment were observed with a slit-lamp microscope before operation and on days 1, 7, and 14 after the operation.Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was obtained using a standard logarithmic visual acuity chart.Ocular surface symptoms were evaluated via an ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire.The intraoperative changes of meibomian glands were assessed with an ocular surface analyzer and the non-invasive first tear film break-up time (NIFBUT) was recorded.Corneal epithelium defects were observed by corneal fluorescein sodium staining (CFS). This study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by an Ethics Committee of Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital (No.2021-363). Written informed consent was obtained from each patient before any medical examination.Results:On the 1st, 7th, and 14th day after surgery, no inflammatory reaction or complication was observed in both groups.Statistically significant differences in BCVA among different postoperative time points were found ( Ftime=3.610, P=0.016). BCVA on the 7th day after surgery were higher than that on the 1st day after surgery, and the BCVA on the 14th day after surgery were significantly higher than those on the 1st and 7th day after surgery in both groups, with statistically significant differences (all at P<0.05). There were statistically significant differences in OSDI scores between the two groups at different postoperative time points ( Fgroup=31.219, P<0.001; Ftime=15.672, P<0.001). The OSDI scores of bandage lens group were significantly lower than those of control group on the 7th and 14th day after surgery, OSDI scores in both groups on the 14th day after surgery were significantly lower than those on the 1st and 7th day after surgery, with statistical significance (all at P<0.05). The NIFBUT values on the 7th and 14th day after surgery were (6.62±0.93)s and (8.02±1.13)s, in control group, bandage lens group and (9.81±0.91)s and (10.03±0.49)s in bandage lens group, with a statistically significant difference between them ( Fgroup=2.351, P=0.037), and the NIFBUT values of bandage lens group on the 7th and 14th day after surgery were higher than those of control group, with statistically significant differences (both at P<0.05). The number of high CFS score eyes of bandage lens group were lower than those of control group on the 7th and 14th day after surgery, and the differences were statistically significant ( χ 2=7.391, P=0.025; χ 2=9.317, P=0.002). Conclusions:For patients with mild MGD after cataract surgery, wearing bandage contact lens has no obvious ocular adverse reaction and can promote the growth of corneal epithelium, enhance the stability of tear film, improve dry eye symptoms, and relieve dry eye manifestations after surgery.
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The treatment of refractory Glaucoma is a difficult problem in clinical ophthalmology. For refractory glaucoma patients with hyphema, shallow anterior chamber, anterior conglutination of peripheral chamber angle, corneal endothelium dystrophy or decompensated, at present, there is no effective treatment. In order to solve this problem, a new type posterior integral glaucoma valve with IOP control device was designed using medical titanium alloy, and the valve model was established by Abaqus software, and the stiffness and preload of the valve were analyzed by finite element method. The results showed that the opening and closing of the valve were controlled automatically by the pressure difference between the front and back of the valve, and the opening and flow rate of the valve increase dynamically with the increase of intraocular pressure, and finally reached the set ideal IOP value of steady state.
Subject(s)
Finite Element Analysis , Follow-Up Studies , Glaucoma , Glaucoma Drainage Implants , Humans , Intraocular Pressure , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To explore the effect of carvacrol on the biological behavior of leukemia cells and its regulation to circ-0008717/miR-217 molecular axis.@*METHODS@#Human acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells Molt-4 were cultured in vitro, and different concentrations of carvacrol were added to the cells. si-NC and si-circ-0008717 were transfected into Molt-4 cells (si-NC group, si-circ-0008717 group). pcDNA, pcDNA-circ-0008717, anti-miR-NC, anti-miR-217 were transfected into Molt-4 cells and then added to carvacrol-treated cells (carvacrol+pcDNA group, carvacrol+pcDNA-circ-0008717 group, carvacrol+anti-miR-NC group, carvacrol+anti-miR-217 group). MTT, plate clone formation experiment, and flow cytometry were used to detect the viability of the cell, colony formation number, and apoptosis rate of cells, respectively. The RT-qPCR method was used to detect the expression levels of circ-0008717 and miR-217. The dual luciferase reporter gene experiment was used to detect the targeting relationship between circ-0008717 and miR-217.@*RESULTS@#After carvacrol treatment, the cell viability decreased significantly (r=-0.9405), expression level of circ-0008717 decreased (r=-0.9117), colonies formed number decreased (r=-0.9256), while the cell apoptosis rate increased (r= 0.8464), and the expression level of miR-217 increased (r=0.9468). Compared with the si-NC group, the expression level of miR-217 in si-circ-0008717 group increased (P＜0.001), the cell apoptosis rate increased (P＜0.001), while cell viability decreased (P＜0001), the number of colonies formed decreased (P＜0.001). Compared with the carvacrol+pcDNA group, the cell viability of the carvacrol+pcDNA-circ-0008717 group increased (P＜0.001), the number of colonies formed increased (P＜0.001), while the cell apoptosis rate decreased (P＜0.001). circ-0008717 could target miR-217. The cell viability of the carvacrol+anti-miR-217 group increased (P＜0.001), and the number of colonies formed increased (P＜0.001), while the cell apoptosis rate decreased (P＜0001) as compared with the carvacrol+anti-miR-NC group.@*CONCLUSION@#Carvacrol can promote the expression of miR-217 by down-regulating the expression of circ-0008717, thereby reducing the proliferation and cloning ability of leukemia cells and promoting cell apoptosis.
Subject(s)
Antagomirs , Apoptosis , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Proliferation , Cymenes , Humans , Leukemia , MicroRNAs/geneticsABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and sexual development in Chinese children. Methods: A nationwide multicenter and population-based large cross-sectional study was conducted in 13 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities of China from January 2017 to December 2018. Data on sex, age, height, weight were collected, BMI was calculated and sexual characteristics were analyzed. The subjects were divided into four groups based on age, including ages 3-<6 years, 6-<10 years, 10-<15 years and 15-<18 years. Multiple Logistic regression models were used for evaluating the associations of BMI with sexual development in children. Dichotomous Logistic regression was used to compare the differences in the distribution of early and non-early puberty among normal weight, overweight and obese groups. Curves were drawn to analyze the relationship between the percentage of early puberty and BMI distribution in girls and boys at different Tanner stages. Results: A total of 208 179 healthy children (96 471 girls and 111 708 boys) were enrolled in this study. The OR values of B2, B3 and B4+ in overweight girls were 1.72 (95%CI: 1.56-1.89), 3.19 (95%CI: 2.86-3.57), 7.14 (95%CI: 6.33-8.05) and in obese girls were 2.05 (95%CI: 1.88-2.24), 4.98 (95%CI: 4.49-5.53), 11.21 (95%CI: 9.98-12.59), respectively; while the OR values of G2, G3, G4+ in overweight boys were 1.27 (95%CI: 1.17-1.38), 1.52 (95%CI: 1.36-1.70), 1.88 (95%CI: 1.66-2.14) and in obese boys were 1.27 (95%CI: 1.17-1.37), 1.59 (95%CI: 1.43-1.78), and 1.93 (95%CI: 1.70-2.18) (compared with normal weight Tanner 1 group,all P<0.01). Analysis in different age groups found that OR values of obese girls at B2 stage and boys at G2 stage were 2.02 (95%CI: 1.06-3.86) and 2.32 (95%CI:1.05-5.12) in preschool children aged 3-<6 years, respectively (both P<0.05). And in the age group of 6-10 years, overweight girls had a 5.45-fold risk and obese girls had a 12.54-fold risk of B3 stage compared to girls with normal BMI. Compared with normal weight children, the risk of early puberty was 2.67 times higher in overweight girls, 3.63 times higher in obese girls, and 1.22 times higher in overweight boys, 1.35 times higher in obese boys (all P<0.01). Among the children at each Tanner stages, the percentage of early puberty increased with the increase of BMI, from 5.7% (80/1 397), 16.1% (48/299), 13.8% (27/195) to 25.7% (198/769), 65.1% (209/321), 65.4% (157/240) in girls aged 8-<9, 10-<11 and 11-<12 years, and 6.6% (34/513), 18.7% (51/273), 21.6% (57/264) to 13.3% (96/722), 46.4% (140/302), 47.5% (105/221) in boys aged 9-<10, 12-<13 and 13-<14 years, respectively. Conclusions: BMI is positively correlated with sexual development in both Chinese boys and girls, and the correlation is stronger in girls. Obesity is a risk factor for precocious puberty in preschool children aged 3-<6 years, and 6-<10 years of age is a high risk period for early development in obese girls.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Body Mass Index , Child , Child, Preschool , China/epidemiology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Obesity/epidemiology , Overweight/epidemiology , Puberty , Puberty, Precocious , Sexual DevelopmentABSTRACT
Objective: To examine the outcomes of Slide tracheoplasty for the children with severe congenital tracheal stenosis received previous repeated balloon dilatation or metal stent placement under endoscopy. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in 9 children with congenital tracheal stenosis undergoing previous interventional therapy under tracheoscopy and later received Slide tracheoplasty due to obvious respiratory symptoms at Department of Cardiac Surgery, Qilu Children's Hospital of Shandong University between February 2017 and July 2021. There were 7 males and 2 females with a median age at operation of 72.4 months (range: 13.3 to 98.9 months), and the median weight was 19.0 kg (range: 9.0 to 33.0 kg). Among the 9 patients, 2 patients began to receive repeated balloon dilatation (more than 3 times) 17.8 and 51.8 months ago respectively. One patient received metal stents placement into the trachea for 4 days and the other 6 children for median 56.8 months (range: 21.6 to 74.2 months). Complete tracheal cartilage rings and long segmental stenosis were present. in all 9 children. Operative details and outcome measures, including the need for endoscopic airway intervention and mortality, were collected. Results: Slide tracheoplasty was performed in all cases. Two patients with repeated balloon dilatation had different thickness of tracheal wall, local scar hyperplasia and irregular lumen. Among them, 1 case had obvious local calcification of tracheal wall, which was difficult to suture. The metal stent in one patient with short time of placement was completely removed. However, only part of the metal stents could be removed due to the long placement time in the other 6 cases. There was no operative death in the 9 children. The median postoperative tracheal intubation time was 25.3 hours (range: 17.4 to 74.5 hours). A silicone stent was placed in the trachea of 1 child due to obvious respiratory symptoms. Follow-up of median 11 months (range: 1 to 23 months) showed that no death occurred after discharge and all children had basically normal activity tolerance with no obvious respiratory symptoms. Conclusions: Slide tracheoplasty is feasible for children undergoing prior balloon dilatation or metal stents placement. Previously repeated balloon dilatation or metal stent placement under endoscopy increased the difficulty of slide tracheoplasty, the metal stent could not be completely removed after a long time.
Subject(s)
Child , Constriction, Pathologic , Dilatation , Endoscopy , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Plastic Surgery Procedures , Retrospective Studies , Stents , Trachea/surgery , Tracheal Stenosis/surgery , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Astragali Radix-Curcumae Rhizoma(AR-CR) is a combination commonly used in the clinical treatment of tumors. Based on the T helper 17(Th17)/regulatory T cell(Treg) balance, the present study explored the possible mechanism of AR-CR combined with 5-fluorouracil(5-FU) on the tumor growth of orthotopic xenograft model mice of colorectal carcinoma. Ninety male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into nine groups, i.e., a blank group, a model group, a 5-FU group, high-, medium-, and low-dose AR-CR(2∶1) groups, and high-, medium-, and low-dose AR-CR+5-FU groups, with 10 mice in each group. The orthotopic xenograft model of CT26.WT colorectal carcinoma was induced in mice except those in the blank group. Twenty-four hours after the ope-ration, mice in the blank group and the model group received normal saline by gavage(10 mL·kg~(-1), once per day), and those in the 5-FU group received 5-FU by intraperitoneal injection(25 mg·kg~(-1), once every other day). Mice in the AR-CR groups received AR and CR decoctions by gavage(12, 6, and 3 g·kg~(-1), once a day) and those in the combination groups received AR and CR decoctions and 5-FU(doses and administration methods were the same as above). After intervention for three weeks, all mice were sacrificed and tumor tissues were collected. The tumor mass was weighed and the average tumor weight was calculated. The changing trend of Th17/Treg(%) in the CD4~+T lymphocytes of the spleen tissues of the mice in each group was detected. The mRNA expression in the blood and protein expression in the tumor tissues of transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interferon-γ(IFN-γ), Smad4, N-cadherin, matrix metalloproteinase-7(MMP-7) were detected. The experimental results revealed that compared with the model group, the groups with drug intervention showed reduced tumor mass(P<0.01), decreased CD4~+IL-17~+ in the spleen tissues to varying degrees(P<0.001), and increased proportion of CD4~+Foxp3~+(P<0.001 or P<0.05), indicating that Th17/Treg maintained dynamic balance, and the effect of the combination groups was predominant. Additionally, the mRNA expression in the blood and protein expression in the tumor tissues of TGF-β, TNF-α, IFN-γ, Smad4, N-cadherin, and MMP-7 declined to varying degrees in a dose-dependent manner(P<0.01 or P<0.001). The AR-CR combined with 5-FU can inhibit the tumor growth of orthotopic xenograft model mice of CT26.WT colorectal carcinoma. The mechanism may be related to maintenance of Th17/Treg dynamic balance in the body and down-regulation of TGF-β, TNF-α, IFN-γ, Smad4, N-cadherin, and MMP-7 expression.
Subject(s)
Animals , Colorectal Neoplasms/genetics , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology , Fluorouracil/pharmacology , Heterografts , Humans , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory , Th17 CellsABSTRACT
For the detection of steatosis, quantitative ultrasound imaging techniques have achieved great progress in past years. Magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction is currently the most accurate test to detect hepatic steatosis. Some blood biomarkers correlate with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, but the accuracy is modest. Regarding liver fibrosis, liver stiffness measurement by transient elastography (TE) has high accuracy and is widely used across the world. Magnetic resonance elastography is marginally better than TE but is limited by its cost and availability. Several blood biomarkers of fibrosis have been used in clinical trials and hold promise for selecting patients for treatment and monitoring treatment response. This article reviews new developments in the non-invasive assessment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Accumulating evidence suggests that various non-invasive tests can be used to diagnose NAFLD, assess its severity, and predict the prognosis. Further studies are needed to determine the role of the tests as monitoring tools. We cannot overemphasize the importance of context in selecting appropriate tests.
Subject(s)
Elasticity Imaging Techniques/methods , Humans , Liver/pathology , Liver Cirrhosis/pathology , Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver DiseaseABSTRACT
Objective:To explore the possible mechanism of Astragali Radix-Curcumae Rhizoma （AC） in inhibiting tumor growth in the orthotopic transplantation model of colon cancer in mice. Method:The molecular docking technology was used to predict the intermolecular interaction between the main active components of AC and the pathway target proteins， such as stromal cell-derived factor-1 （SDF-1）， C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 （CXCR4）， and nuclear factor kappa-B p65 （NF-<italic>κ</italic>B p65）. The orthotopic transplantation model of CT26.WT colon cancer was established in mice for <italic>in vivo</italic> experimental verification. Sixty BALB/c male mice were randomly divided into a sham operation group， a model group， a 5-fluorouracil （5-Fu， 30 mg·kg<sup>-1</sup>） group，and low- （0.32 g·kg<sup>-1</sup>）， medium- （0.64 g·kg<sup>-1</sup>）， and high-dose （1.28 g·kg<sup>-1</sup>） AC groups， with 10 mice in each group. The sham operation group and the model group received normal saline by gavage. The corresponding drugs were administered by gavage in the 5-Fu group and by intraperitoneal injection in the AC groups. After intervention for 15 days， the tumor <italic>in situ</italic> was completely stripped， and the colon tissues 5-6 cm in length adjacent to the tumor were taken. The tumor volume was measured and calculated. The pathological changes of tumor tissues and colon tissues were observed by Hematoxylin-Eosin （HE） staining. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of SDF-1， CXCR4， p-NF-<italic>κ</italic>B p65 in colon tissues. Western blot and Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） were used to detect SDF-1， CXCR4， NF-<italic>κ</italic>B p65， Cyclin D<sub>1</sub>， oncogene c-Myc protein and mRNA expression in tumor tissues. Result:Compared with the model group， 5-Fu and AC groups showed reduced tumor volumes <italic>in situ</italic> （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）， with the tumor inhibition rate in the 5-Fu group as high as （61.38±2.34）%. The tumor-inhibiting effect was optimal in the medium-dose AC group， with the tumor inhibition rate of （43.43±3.71）%. Compared with the model group， 5-Fu and AC groups showed relieved pathological changes of tumor and colon tissues. Specifically， AC down-regulated the protein expression levels of SDF-1， CXCR4， and p-NF-<italic>κ</italic>B p65 in colon tissues （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， and down-regulated the protein and mRNA expression levels of SDF-1， CXCR4， NF-<italic>κ</italic>B p65， Cyclin D<sub>1</sub>， and c-Myc in tumor tissues （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）. Conclusion:AC can inhibit the growth of orthotopic transplantation tumor of colon cancer， and its intervention mechanism may be related to the regulation of related protein and mRNA expression in the SDF-1/CXCR4/NF-<italic>κ</italic>B signaling pathway.
ABSTRACT
Background/Aims@#Serum fibrosis scores comprised of common laboratory tests have high utility to assess severity of liver fibrosis. We aimed to derive and validate a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk score based on serum fibrosis scores to predict HCC in treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. @*Methods@#Fifteen thousand one hundred eighty-seven treatment-naïve adult CHB patients were identified to form the training cohort in this retrospective study. Individual fibrosis score was included to construct a new HCC prediction score. The score was externally validated in an independent treatment-naïve Korean CHB cohort. @*Results@#180/15,187 patients (1.2%) in training cohort and 47/4,286 patients (1.1%) in validation cohort developed HCC during a mean follow-up of 52 and 50 months, respectively. The newly developed HCC risk score, Liang score, is composed of gender, age, hepatitis B virus DNA, fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index, and ranges from 0 to 22. Area under the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve of Liang score was 0.79 (95% confidence interval, 0.70–0.89). A cutoff value of nine provided an extremely high negative predictive value of 99.9% and high sensitivity of 90.0% at 5 years in the validation cohort. Patients with Liang score ≤9 had HCC incidence <0.2% per year in both training and validation cohorts, in whom HCC surveillance might be exempted. @*Conclusion@#A novel HCC risk score, Liang score, based on FIB-4 index, is applicable and accurate to identify treatment-naïve CHB patients with very low risk of HCC to be exempted from HCC surveillance.
ABSTRACT
Based on the fact that autoantibody plays important roles in the regulation of autoimmune disease, it is valuable to improve the accuracy of autoantibody in laboratory to achieve the better diagnosis, classification, disease assessment, effect observation and prognosis analyses of autoimmune diseases. Although the technology of antoantibody measurement is continuously developing and moving towards quantitation, automation and intelligentization in the past years, the standardization of autoimmune testing has still remained challenged. In this paper, the status and trend for autoimmune testing standardization were systematically summarized, and the approaches or strategies to realize standardization were also discussed.
ABSTRACT
Background/Aims@#Serum fibrosis scores comprised of common laboratory tests have high utility to assess severity of liver fibrosis. We aimed to derive and validate a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk score based on serum fibrosis scores to predict HCC in treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. @*Methods@#Fifteen thousand one hundred eighty-seven treatment-naïve adult CHB patients were identified to form the training cohort in this retrospective study. Individual fibrosis score was included to construct a new HCC prediction score. The score was externally validated in an independent treatment-naïve Korean CHB cohort. @*Results@#180/15,187 patients (1.2%) in training cohort and 47/4,286 patients (1.1%) in validation cohort developed HCC during a mean follow-up of 52 and 50 months, respectively. The newly developed HCC risk score, Liang score, is composed of gender, age, hepatitis B virus DNA, fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index, and ranges from 0 to 22. Area under the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve of Liang score was 0.79 (95% confidence interval, 0.70–0.89). A cutoff value of nine provided an extremely high negative predictive value of 99.9% and high sensitivity of 90.0% at 5 years in the validation cohort. Patients with Liang score ≤9 had HCC incidence <0.2% per year in both training and validation cohorts, in whom HCC surveillance might be exempted. @*Conclusion@#A novel HCC risk score, Liang score, based on FIB-4 index, is applicable and accurate to identify treatment-naïve CHB patients with very low risk of HCC to be exempted from HCC surveillance.