Regulation of PGC1α on SiO2-induced lipid accumulation in macrophages and fibrosis in pulmonary fibroblasts / 环境与职业医学

Background The pathogenesis of silicosis is complex and treatment methods are limited. SiO2-induced increase of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) can activate fibroblasts to promote collagen deposition, ultimately leading to fibrosis. Previous studies have confirmed that lipid metabolism plays an important role in the progression of silicosis. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC1α) mediates mitochondrial dysfunction and lipid metabolism pathways in diabetic models, but its role in silicosis has not been elucidated. Objective To investigate the effect of PGC1α on lipid metabolism disorder of macrophages induced by SiO2 and its effect on the progression of silicosis fibrosis. Methods (1) Macrophages were divided into four groups by transfecting and silencing PGC1α and its control sequence in macrophages and followed by SiO2 stimulation: negative control group (transfected with si-NC for 48 h), si-PGC1α group (transfected with si-PGC1α for 48 h), SiO2 stimulation group (stimulated with 50 μg·mL−1 SiO2 for 36 h after transfection with si-NC for 48 h), and si-PGC1α+SiO2 group (stimulated with 50 μg·mL−1 SiO2 for 36 h after transfection with si-PGC1α for 48 h). Western blot and cell immunofluorescence were used to test PGC1α expression, 4,4-difluoro-1,3,5,7,8-pentamethyl-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene (BODIPY 493/503) and total cholesterol (TC) and free cholesterol (FC) kits were used to test lipid accumulation, and the Oroboros2k-Oxygraph respiratory test system (O2K) was used to assess the effects of PGC1α on mitochondrial respiratory chain. ELISA kits were used to test TGF-β1 expressed in the macrophage supernatant. (2) Lung fibroblasts were divided into the same four groups as above, and stimulated with the supernatant of macrophages in the above groups. The expression of collagen Ι (COL Ι), E-cadherin (Eca), and fibronectin (FN) were detected by cell immunofluorescence and Western blot to further evaluate the effect of silencing PGC1α on fibrosis. Results The protein expression level of PGC1α stimulated by SiO2 was decreased, and the relative expression level of PGC1α was 0.78 times that of the control group (P<0.05). After transfection with si-PGC1α, the expression of PGC1α was decreased, and the relative protein expression level of the si-PGC1α group was 0.86 times that of the control group (P<0.05). Compared with the SiO2 stimulation group, the staining area of BODIPY 493/503 in the si-PGC1α+SiO2 group was enhanced, and the cholesterol-related indexes [TC, FC and cholesterol ester (CE)] were increased to 1.38, 1.10, and 2.26 times those in the SiO2 stimulation group (P<0.05). The activity of mitochondrial complex Ι was decreased, and the level of complex Ι in the si-PGC1α+SiO2 group was 0.63 times that in the SiO2 stimulation group (P<0.05). The secretion of TGF-β1 by macrophages increased, and the level of TGF-β1 in the si-PGC1α+SiO2 group was 1.15 times that of the SiO2 stimulation group (P<0.05). In addition, after stimulation of primary lung fibroblasts with macrophage supernatant, silencing PGC1α increased the expression levels of COL Ι and FN, while decreased the expression of Eca. The protein levels of COL Ι, FN, and Eca in the si-PGC1α+SiO2 group were 1.39, 1.18, and 0.82 times those in the SiO2 stimulation group, respectively (P<0.05). Conclusion Silencing PGC1α exacerbates SiO2-induced lipid metabolism disorder, inhibits mitochondrial respiratory chain, and aggravates the fibrosis induced by SiO2, suggesting that PGC1α may participate silicosis fibrosis by regulating mitochondrial respiratory chain and lipid metabolic disorder induced by SiO2.

Frailty evaluation and risk factors for older patients with comorbidities: a cross-sectional study / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective:To investigate frailty in older patients with comorbidities and explore related risk factors.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted with an enrollment of 746 patients aged 65 years or older with comorbidities in the Wanshoulu Road area of Beijing from April 2019 to December 2020.A total of 617 patients with comorbidities were finally included, aged(85.6±4.8)years, including 358 women(58.0%); According to the FRAIL scale, 617 patients with comorbidities were divided into a frail group(156 cases, 25.3%)and a non-frail group(461 cases, 74.7%). Demographic data and information on comorbidities were collected.Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses of risk factors were conducted.Results:Among 617 patients with comorbidities, the common chronic diseases in descending order were hypertension(497 cases, 80.6%), coronary heart disease(375 cases, 60.8%), osteoporosis(357 cases, 57.9%), osteoarthritis(281 cases, 45.5%), type 2 diabetes(211 cases, 34.2%), stroke and/or transient ischemic attack(193 cases, 31.3%), chronic lung disease(144 cases, 23.3%), tumor(133 cases, 21.6%), chronic kidney disease(92 cases, 14.9%), and heart failure(58 cases, 9.4%). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, heart failure, chronic lung disease, stroke/transient ischemic attack, cancer and osteoarthritis were influencing factors for frailty( P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, type 2 diabetes, heart failure, chronic lung disease, cancer and osteoarthritis were risk factors for frailty( OR=1.076, 1.806, 3.275, 3.371, 1.640, 2.227, all P<0.05). Conclusions:Old age, type 2 diabetes, heart failure, chronic lung disease, tumor and osteoarthritis are closely related to frailty in elderly patients with comorbidities.Proactive and effective prevention and intervention should be instituted to target risk factors for frailty to reduce the occurrence of adverse outcomes.

Quantitative assessment of left ventricular longitudinal and circumferential strain in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction using speckle-tracking imaging on echocardiography / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective:To quantitatively evaluate the left ventricular circumferential and longitudinal strain after percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction(AMI)using speckle-tracking imaging(STI)on echocardiography.Methods:A prospective case-control study was conducted on 47 elderly patients diagnosed with ST-elevation AMI and undergoing percutaneous coronary interference(PCI)in our hospital from August 2017 to June 2020 as PCI-study group.The 35 normal subjects matched for age and sex were as a normal-control group.The longitudinal peak systolic strain(LPSS)and circumferential peak systolic strain(CPSS)were measured using STI at one week and three months after PCI in the two groups.Results:The values of LPSS and CPSS were apical segment > middle segment > basal segment, which was the similar between LPSS and CPSS.Compared with normal-control group, AMI-PCI group showed that CPSS and LPSS in each segment were significantly reduced at 1 week and 3 months after operation.Compared with the control group, all the CPSS and LPSS values were significantly decreased in AMI group at one week after PCI(-12.3±2.7)% vs.(-22.5±1.7)%( t=19.62, P<0.01); (-12.9±3.2)% vs.(-23.1±2.6)%( t=15.43, P<0.01). Both LPSS and CPSS values were improved at a certain extent at three months after PCI compared with AMI group at one week after PCI.The complete CPSS and LPSS values were significantly increased in AMI group at three months after PCI compared with one week after PCI(-16.8±2.6)% vs.(-12.3±2.7)%, ( t=8.23, P<0.01); (-17.0±3.3)% vs.(-12.9±3.2)%( t=6.11, P<0.01). But, there were still significant differences compared with the NC group(-16.8±2.6)% vs.(-22.5±1.7)%( t=11.29, P<0.01); (-17.0±3.3)% vs.(-23.1±2.6)%( t=9.04, P<0.01). Conclusions:The longitudinal and circumferential strain of left ventricle were severely damaged in elderly patients with AMI.The speckle-tracking imaging technique can be used to quantitatively evaluate the left ventricular strain and its improved situation after PCI in elderly AMI patients.

Expression and biological function of human-derived RUNX1 gene in renal cancer / 医学研究生学报

ObjectiveIt remains an open question of whether the human-derived RUNX-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1) influences the development of renal cell carcinoma. This study aims to investigate the expression and biological function of the RUNX1 gene in renal cell carcinoma.MethodsBioinformatics technique of gene chip was used to identify the expression of RUNX1 in renal cancer. The expression level of RUNX1 in renal cancer tissue was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Twenty samples of cancer tissue were collected from the Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University between January 2015 and June 2019. Accordingly, the adjacent normal tissue of the tumor was as well collected. The 786-O cell line was transfected using small interfering RNA, and was subsequently divided into three groups by knocking down the RUNX1 gene: siRNA1 group (siRNA1 sequence transfected with si-RUNX1), siRNA2 group (siRNA2 sequence transfected with si-RUNX1), siRNA3 Group (siRNA3 sequence transfected with si-RUNX1), control group (control sequence empty vector siRNA transfection). Cell clone formation experiment was used to count the number of cell clone formation; MTT assay was used to detect 786-O cell proliferation activity; the Transwell tumor cell invasion experiment was used to analyze the amount of cell migration; Western blot was used to detect changes in protein levels.Results The expression of RUNX1 in renal tumor tissue was significantly higher than that in adjacent normal tissue. The expression of RUNX1 in renal tumor tissues was increased with the escalation of the malignant degree of the pathological stage. The prognosis of patients with high expression of RUNX1 was significantly poor than that of the patients with low expression of RUNX1. The results of cell colony formation assay and MTT assay showed that the cell viability and proliferation of si-RUNX1 groups were significantly inhibited compared to the control group (P<0.01 for both). Transwell assay showed that the number of 786-O cells passing through the membrane in the si-RUNX1 group (98.67±3.53/field) was significantly lower than that of the control group (143.3±8.74/field) (P<0.01).ConclusionThe expression of RUNX1 is correlated with the proliferation and migration ability of renal cancer cells. Knockdown of RUNX1 expression can significantly inhibit the proliferation and migration of renal cancer cells, suggesting that RUNX1 plays an important role in the proliferation and metastasis of melanoma. Hence, the RUNX1 gene can be used as a potential clinical diagnosis and treatment target and prognostic marker for renal cancer.

Study of No Observed Adverse Effect Level of Nickel and Its Preliminary Evaluation Biocompatibility / 中国医疗器械杂志

The purpose of this study was to investigate the NOAEL of the nickel ion and provide with basic data for the biological evaluation of those medical devices containing nickel. Five groups SD rats were repeatedly exposed during 14 d respectively to nickel at first stage doses of 4.9, 3.7, 2.5 mg/(kg.d), and the second stage doses of 1.2, 0.25 mg/(kg.d) by the intravenous route. The results showed that the NOAEL of nickel ion is 0.25 mg/(kg.d) for SD rats, and the result was verified by subchronic systemic toxicity test of nickel alloy. The threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) of nickel is 150 μg/d (based on application of 100-fold uncertainty factor and a body weight of 60 kg)deduced by these data.

Comprehensive treatment with Chinese medicine in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer: A multicenter, prospective, cohort study / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine whether additional Chinese medicine (CM) could prolong survival and improve the quality of life (QOL) in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) compared with Western medicine (WM) alone.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This was a multicenter, prospective cohort study. A total of 474 hospitalized patients with stage III-IV NSCLC were recruited and divided into 2 groups. Patients in the WM group received radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and optimal supportive therapy according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines. In the integrative medicine (IM) group, individualized CM (Chinese patent medicines and injections) and WM were administered. The primary end point was overall survival, and the secondary end points were time to disease progression, adverse events, and QOL. Follow-up clinical examinations and chest radiography were performed every 2 months.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The median survival was 16.60 months in the IM group and 13.13 months in the WM group (P<0.01). The incidences of loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting in the IM group were significantly lower than those in the WM group (P<0.05). The QOL based on Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung in the IM group was markedly higher than that in the WM group at the fourth course (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Additional CM may prolong survival and improve the QOL patients with NSCLC. The adverse effects of radio- and chemotherapy may be attenuated as CM is used in combination with conventional treatments.</p>

Efficacy and safety of chitosan wound dressing for deep second-degree burn:a prospective, single-blind, randomized controlled trial / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND: Chitosan wound dressing has been extensively used in the treatment of wounds and burns, not only because of its bacteriastasis, hemostasis and promoting the wound healing, but also its good biocompatibility,biodegradability and biological functions.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of chitosan wound dressing for deep second-degree burn, thereby providing clinical basis for its registration.METHODS: Sixty patients with deep second-degree burn were randomly allotted to two groups, and then subjected to the external application of chitosan wound dressing (experimental group) or chitosan biomedical dressing (control group),respectively. Then, the therapeutic efficacy was evaluated through healing time, recovering rate and pain scores, and the safety was evaluated through the incidence of adverse reactions and laboratory indexes before and after treatment.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There were no significant differences in the wound healing time [(21.23±6.84) days vs.(23.77±4.26) days], recovery rate and pain scores between the experimental and control groups at 14, 21 and 28 days after treatment (P > 0.05). The blood routine, liver function and kidney function indexes before and after treatment did not differ significantly between groups. Additionally, neither adverse nor severe adverse events occurred in the two groups.These results indicate that the therapeutic efficacy and safety of the chitosan wound dressing are equivalent to the control product in the treatment of deep second-degree burn.

Effect of Tangshenkang Granule containing serum on renal mesangial cells' proliferation and TGF-β1/Smad2/3 pathway in the high glucose condition / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of Tangshenkang Granule (TG) containing serum on renal mesangial cells' (RMCs) proliferation and TGF-β1/Smad2/3 pathway in the high glucose condition.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twelve SD rats were randomly divided into four groups, i.e., the low dose TG group, the middle dose TG group, the high dose TG group, and the blank control group, 3 in each group. After 7-day gastrogavage via portal vein blood, rats were sacrificed and their serum samples were collected. RMCs were cultured in common rat serum and TG containing serum respectively. The proliferation of mesangial cells was determined by methly thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay to determine the optimal TG containing serum concentration. Expression levels of TGF-β1 mRNA and protein were determined by real time quantitative PCR and ELISA. Smad2/3 protein expression and phosphorylation were determined by Western blot and immunofluorescence.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>TG containing serum at different doses could inhibit high glucose induced RMC cells' proliferation, TGF-β1 over-expression and Smad2/3 phosphorylation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>TG containing serum could inhibit high glucose induced RMC cells' proliferation, and its mechanism might be possibly associated with inhibiting TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling pathway.</p>

Relationship between perceptions of safety climate at workplace and depressive disorders in manufacturing workers / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the risk factors for depressive disorders in manufacturing workers and to provide a basis for developing health promotion measures at workplace.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A questionnaire survey was performed in 8085 front-line production workers from 33 manufacturing enterprises in Nanhai District of Foshan, Guangdong Province, China. The questionnaire contained a survey of demographic characteristics, the Safety Climate Scale, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, etc. The multilevel logistic regression analysis was applied to investigate the risk factors for depressive disorders in workers.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 6260 workers completed the survey; their mean age was 31.1 ± 8.6 years, and 53.2% of them were males. The multilevel logistic regression analysis showed that after adjustment for sociodemographic factors such as age, sex, and martial status, more depressive disorders were reported in the enterprises with higher score of "production safety training" than in those with lower score (OR = 1.46, 95%CI = 1.07 ∼ 1.97); fewer depressive disorders were reported in the enterprises with higher score of "colleagues concerned about production safety" than in those with lower score (OR = 0.08, 95%CI = 0.03 ∼ 0.26); the relationships of "safety warnings and precautions" and "managers concerned about production safety" with workers' depressive disorders were not statistically significant (OR = 0.78, 95%CI = 0.48 ∼ 1.28; OR = 1.08, 95%CI = 0.68 ∼ 1.72).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Depressive disorders in manufacturing workers are related to the safety climate at workplace, which indicates that a good safety climate at workplace should be created to prevent and control depressive disorders in workers.</p>

Influence of polluted SY River on child growth and sex hormones / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the influence of the polluted SY River on children's growth and sex hormones, and provide scientific data for assessment of the polluted status of the SY River.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The study areas were selected randomly from the SY River Basin. Lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), phthalates (DEP, DBP, DMP, DEHP), and bisphenol A (BPA) were measured both in the river water and in the drinking water. School children were selected by cluster sampling (n=154). Physical development indexes (height, weight, bust-circumference, and skinfold thickness) and sex hormones [testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2)] were measured for all the children.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The contents of Pb and Hg exceeded Class V standards of surface water quality in each section of the river and other indicators exceeded Class III. Compared to the control area, the concentrations of Pb, Hg, As, BPA, DEP, and DBP in the drinking water were significantly higher than in the polluted area (P<0.05). Children from the control area had significantly lower E2 and T than children from the polluted area (P<0.05). Among anthropometric results, only skinfold thickness had statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05), while the other indexes showed no significant differences between the two groups (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The drinking water has been polluted by the SY River and affected serum sex hormone levels of children living in the polluted area.</p>

Prognostic value of Her-2/neu and clinicopathologic factors for evaluating progression and disease-specific death in Chinese men with prostate cancer / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Her-2/neu gene overexpression has been found in several malignancies, and is associated with poor prognosis; while its role in the tumorigenesis and progression of prostate cancer (PCa) is still controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of Her-2/neu protein expression and clinicopathologic factors in antiandrogen-treated Chinese men with PCa for disease progression and PCa-specific death.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Her-2/neu protein expression was determined using immunohistochemistry (IHC) in specimens collected from 124 prostate biopsies and transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) from seven prostate cancer patients.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Her-2/neu protein expression was 0, 1+, 2+, and 3+ in 40 (30.5%), 8 (6.1%), 67 (51.1%), and 16 (12.2%) cases, respectively. Her-2/neu protein expression showed significant correlation as judged by Gleason score (P = 0.049), clinical tumor-node-metastases (cTNM) stage (P = 0.018) and disease progression (P = 0.001), but did not correlate with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) (P = 0.126) or PCa-specific death (P = 0.585). PSA (P = 0.001), Gleason score (P = 0.017), cTNM (P = 0.000) and Her-2/neu protein expression (P = 0.001) had prognostic value for evaluating the progression of PCa in univariate analysis. In Kaplan-Meier plots, both Gleason score (P = 0.035) and cTNM (P = 0.013) correlated with PCa-specific death. In multivariate analysis, only cTNM was significant for both disease progression (P = 0.001) and PCa-specific death (P = 0.031).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Her-2/neu protein expression is significantly correlated with Gleason score, cTNM and disease progression, although it is not an independent predictor of disease progression and PCa-specific death. cTNM staging serves as an independent prognostic factor for disease progression and PCa-specific death.</p>

Factors influencing the progression-free survival time of prostate cancer patients after endocrine therapy / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The progression of prostate cancer (PCa) after endocrine therapy varies widely in different PCa patients. This study aims to analyze the factors that influence the progression-free survival time of PCa patients after endocrine therapy in an attempt to improve the prognosis of the disease.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We reviewed the clinicopathological data of 116 cases of prostate cancer treated by endocrine therapy, analyzed the clinicopathological factors that influence the progression-free survival time of PCa patients using univariate (log-rank test) and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models, and investigated the correlation among these factors by Spearman rank correlation analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the stepwise Cox proportional hazard model, the independent prognostic factors for PCa progression after endocrine therapy were found to be Gleason score (P < 0.01) and clinical stages (P < 0.01). The hazard of PCa progression after endocrine therapy increased 2.126 times that of the baseline for each unit of increase in Gleason score, and 6.625 times for each unit of increase in the clinical stage. The pretreatment PSA level was correlated with both clinical stages (P < 0.01) and Gleason score (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Clinical stages and Gleason score were important factors that influenced the progression-free survival time after endocrine therapy in this cohort of PCa patients.</p>

Isolation and preliminary characterization of a o-nitrobenzaldehyde-degrading Alcaligenes sp. ND1 / Isolamento e caracterização preliminar de lcaligenes SP ND1 degradador de o-nitrobenzaldeido

This paper reports the isolation and characterization of a new o-nitrobenzaldehyde (ONBA)-degrading bacterium, Alcaligenes sp. ND1. ND1 degraded almost all ONBA (100 mg L-1) in M9 medium within 36 hours. The key enzyme(s) involved in the initial biodegradation was a constitutively intracellular enzyme(s). This bacterium has great potential utility for bioremediation.

Esse trabalho relata o isolamento e a caracterização de uma nova bactéria degradadora de o-nitrobenzaldeido (ONBA), Alcaligenes sp ND1. A bactéria ND1 decompôs todo o ONBA (100 mg.L-1) do meio M9 em 36 horas. A enzima-chave envolvida na biodegradação inicial foi uma enzima constitutiva intracelular. Esta bactéria apresenta um potencial de aplicação para bioremediação.

Clinic Treatment of Infective Diabetic Foot / 中华医院感染学杂志

OBJECTIVE To investigate the clinical characteristics and the present condition of infective diabetic foot. METHODS A total of 100 cases with infective diabetic foot were classified into the wet gangrene and composite gangrene, and treated by the systemic and local modality in combination. RESULTS The cure rate of the wet gangrene and composite gangrene was 29.5% and 18.2%, respectively and the effective rate was 83.3% and 68.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The combined therapy is effective for the treatment of diabetic foot.