Hypoglycemic TCM formulas (Huangqi-Gegen drug pair) have the potential as an Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurological disorder. There is a considerable unmet medical need among those suffering from it. HYPOTHESIS AND PURPOSE: Given the link between type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and AD, hypoglycemic traditional Chinese medicine formulas (TCMFs) may be a treatment for AD. We investigated the possibility of identifying anti-AD medicines in hypoglycemic TCMFs and presented another option for the screening of AD medications. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Paralysis of the transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) strain CL4176 (caused by amyloid beta (Aß)1-42 aggregates) was used to evaluate the anti-AD effect. The toxicity and neurodegeneration induced by neuronal expression of Aß in the transgenic C. elegans strain CL2355 were determined using a 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) assay. The transgenic Aß-expressing strain CL 2006 and transgenic tau-expressing strain BR5270 were used to explore the effect of TCMFs on protein expression in C. elegans using ELISAs. Then, network pharmacology was used to determine the mechanism of action. The Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance Support System platform was used to investigate prescription patterns, core drugs, and optimum combinations of hypoglycemic TCMFs for AD. RESULTS: Sixteen hypoglycemic TCMFs prolonged the PT50 (half paralysis time) of the CL4176 strain of C. elegans, reduced the percentage of worms paralyzed. The results of network pharmacology showed that prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) and acetylcholine esterase (AChE) are main targets of hypoglycemic TCMFs. Enriched pathway analysis showed that the cholinergic receptor-related pathway was the core pathway of hypoglycemic TCMFs. According to the "four qi and five flavors" system of TCM theory, the main pharmacological qualities were "cold" and "sweet." Through the analysis by TCMISS, we found that Huangqi-Gegen drug pair as the significant Chinese herbs of hypoglycemic TCMFs. The Huangqi-Gegen pairing had the most robust therapeutic effect when delivered at a 2:1 (v/v) ratio. It reduced the paralysis caused by 5-HT, decreased protein expression of AChE and PTGS2, and reduced Aß deposition in the brain of the CL2006 strain of C. elegans. CONCLUSIONS: Huangqi-Gegen is a promising treatment of AD, and its mechanism may be induced by suppressing the protein production of AChE and PTGS2, reducing 5-HT intake, and then decreasing Aß deposition.

Effect of shenmai injection on anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Shenmai injection is a classic herbal prescription, and is often recommended for the treatment of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. However, the efficacy and safety of Shenmai injection for the treatment of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity have not been reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive search of eight literature databases and two clinical trial registries, retrieving all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) related to the treatment of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity with Shenmai injection from the establishment of the databases to July 1, 2023. Data analysis was performed using the Meta package in RStudio and RevMan 5.4. The GRADE pro3.6.1 software was utilized for assessing the quality of evidence. RESULTS: A total of 16 RCTs including 2140 patients were included in this study. Meta-analysis showed that Shenmai injection had an advantage in improving ST-T segment changes (RR = 0.28; 95 % CI, 0.20 to 0.39; P < 0.0001) (P < 0.01), creatine kinase isoenzyme (SMD = -3.49; 95 % CI, -5.24 to -1.74; P < 0.0001), Prolonged QT interval (RR = 0.46; 95 % CI, 0.28 to 0.75; P = 0.0018), Low QRS Voltage (RR = 0.44; 95 % CI, 0.27 to 0.71; P = 0.0007), sinus tachycardia (RR = 0.41; 95 % CI, 0.28 to 0.60; P < 0.0001), atrial premature beats (RR = 0.55; 95 % CI, 0.35 to 0.87; P = 0.01), Premature Ventricular Contractions (RR = 0.39; 95 % CI, 0.26 to 0.59; P < 0.0001) and creatine kinase (SMD = -1.43; 95 % CI, -2.57 to -0.29; P < 0.0001) in patients with anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. advantage, which was supported by sensitivity analyses, but not in improving left ventricular ejection fraction (MD = 16.01; 95 % CI, -3.10 to 35.12; P = 0.10) and atrioventricular block (RR = 0.49; 95 % CI, 0.24 to 1.03; P = 0.06). The literature included in the study did not refer to data regarding the safety aspects of Shenmai injection, so we do not yet know the safety of Shenmai injection. The results of subgroup analyses suggested that heterogeneity was not related to the administered dose and chemotherapy regimen. The publication bias test showed no publication bias. The quality of evidence for the results ranged from "very low" to "moderate." CONCLUSION: This study suggests that Shenmai injection is effective in treating anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity and is a potential treatment for anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. However, due to the poor methodological quality of the included RCTs, we recommend rigorous, high-quality, large-sample trials to confirm our findings.

Morphological, molecular, and biological characterization of bulb rot pathogens in stored Lanzhou lily and the in vitro antifungal efficacy of three plant essential oils.

Lanzhou lily (Lilium davidii var. willmottiae) is an exclusive sweet lily variety indigenous to China, which is susceptible to bulbous rot caused by fungal infection during storage. This experiment tests the pathogenicity of the pure culture isolated from the diseased tissue was confirmed in accordance with Koch's postulates, and the pathomycetes were identified based on their morphological and molecular characteristics. Furthermore, the biological characteristics of the pathogens were investigated, followed by an evaluation of the antifungal effects of three plant essential oils against them. The results showed that two strains of fungi were isolated from Lanzhou lily rot, which were identified as Fusarium oxysporum Schl. and Aspergillus sydowii (Bain. Et sart.). In addition, the pathogenicity of these two strains of fungi was demonstrated that only F. oxysporum induced rot with similar symptoms during the post-harvest storage period. The biological characteristics of F. oxysporum indicated the potato maltose agar and lily dextrose agar were identified as the most suitable media. Sucrose was determined to be the optimal carbon source, while ammonium nitrate was found to be the best nitrogen source for the growth of F. oxysporum. Mycelial growth and sporulation of F. oxysporum occurred at an optimum pH value of 6. Total darkness facilitated mycelial growth and conidial germination. The ideal temperature for growth was found to be 28°C, while relative humidity did not significantly impact mycelial growth; however, a relative humidity of 55% was most favorable for spore production. Among the three essential oils tested, cinnamon essential oil displayed superior antifungal efficacy against F. oxysporum, whereas angelica essential oil and tea tree essential oil also exhibited moderate inhibitory effects against this pathogen. This research provides valuable theoretical insights for disease control during the storage and transportation of Lanzhou lily.

A latent class analysis of depressive symptoms among rural Chinese adolescents and their association with psychological resilience.

Numerous studies have demonstrated the heterogeneity of depressive symptoms, but few studies have focused on the heterogeneity of depressive symptoms among rural Chinese adolescents. In November to December 2022, multistage sampling was employed to administer questionnaires to 1,816 rural adolescents aged 11-19 years from six schools in Henan Province, China. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Chinese version of the Children's Depression Inventory Scale. Latent class analysis (LCA) was utilized to identify subgroups of depressive symptoms. The investigation of subgroup characteristics and associated factors was conducted through χ2 tests, ANOVA, and multinomial logistic regression analyses. The findings revealed a 24.24 % detection rate of depressive symptoms among Chinese rural adolescents. LCA analysis of responses to the 27 items in the Depressive Symptoms Scale led to the classification of depressive symptoms into four subgroups based on severity: "no depressive symptoms group" (22.5 %), a "low depressive symptoms group" (35.7 %), a "transition group" (31.6 %), and a "high depressive symptoms group" (10.2 %). Gender, grade level, academic performance, academic stress, family environment, and level of psychological resilience are associated factors for subgroups of depressive symptoms among rural adolescents. There should be increased training of rural educators to enable early recognition of depressive characteristics and risk factors, facilitating targeted prevention and intervention strategies.

HIF-1α serves as a co-linker between AD and T2DM.

Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related brain deterioration is linked to the type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) features hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and insulin resistance. Hypoxia as a common risk factor for both AD and T2DM. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) acts as the main regulator of the hypoxia response and may be a key target in the comorbidity of AD and T2DM. HIF-1α expression is closely related to hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and inflammation. Tissue oxygen consumption disrupts HIF-1α homeostasis, leading to increased reactive oxygen species levels and the inhibition of insulin receptor pathway activity, causing neuroinflammation, insulin resistance, abnormal Aß deposition, and tau hyperphosphorylation. HIF-1α activation also leads to the deposition of Aß by promoting the abnormal shearing of amyloid precursor protein and inhibiting the degradation of Aß, and it promotes tau hyperphosphorylation by activating oxidative stress and the activation of astrocytes, which further exasperates AD. Therefore, we believe that HIF-α has great potential as a target for the treatment of AD. Importantly, the intracellular homeostasis of HIF-1α is a more crucial factor than its expression level.

Factors Influencing Professional Identity of Psychiatric Nurses as Second Victims: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The current study aimed to explore the status and influencing factors of professional identity among psychiatric nurses as second victims in China by using a cross-sectional design. We investigated 291 psychiatric nurses from two psychiatric hospitals. Participants were asked to complete a demographic questionnaire, Second Victim Experience and Support Scale, Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale, and Professional Identity Scale for Nurses. Scores of professional identity of psychiatric nurses as second victims were moderate. Regression analysis showed that the second victim experience and support and internal control were significant predictors, explaining 34.2% of the variance in professional identity. Identifying risk factors related to the professional identity of psychiatric nurses as second victims will help managers take timely preventive measures to improve the awareness of the self-health responsibility of psychiatric nurses and reduce the adverse effects of patient safety incidents to enhance their professional identity. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 61(12), 47-54.].

Effects of Endocrine-Disrupting Heavy Metals on Human Health.

Heavy metals play an important endocrine-disrupting role in the health consequences. However, the endocrine-disrupting mechanism of heavy metals is unclear. There are long-term and low-level metal/element exposure scenes for the human body in real life. Therefore, animal models exposed to high doses of heavy metals may not provide key information to elucidate the underlying pathogeny of human diseases. This review collects current knowledge regarding the endocrine-disrupting roles of heavy metals such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and manganese (Mn), summarizes the possible molecular mechanisms of these endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), and briefly evaluates their endocrine toxicity on animals and humans.

Heavy metal risk of disposable food containers on human health.

The consumption of disposable materials is booming with the rapid development of urbanization and industrialization, which may inevitably cause the release of toxic and harmful substances during use of them in daily life. This study was to estimate element levels such as Beryllium (Be), Vanadium (V), Zinc (Zn), Manganese (Mn), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Nickel (Ni), Cobalt (Co), Antimony (Sb), Barium (Ba), Lead (Pb), Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), and Selenium (Se) in leachate and subsequently assess the health risk of exposure to those disposable products such as paper and plastic food containers. We found that a large amount of metals was released from disposable food containers in hot water, and the order of metal concentration is Zn > Ba > Fe > Mn > Ni > Cu > Sb > Cr > Se > Be > Pb > Co > V > Cd. Additionally, the hazard quotient (HQ) of metals in young adults were less than 1, and were decreased in the order of Sb > Fe > Cu > Be > Ni > Cr > Pb > Zn > Se > Cd > Ba > Mn > V > Co. Furthermore, the excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) results of Ni and Be indicated that chronic exposure to Ni and Be may have a non-negligible carcinogenic risk. These findings suggest that potential health risk of metals may exist for the individuals to use disposable food containers under high temperature environment.

Preferences and Attitudes Towards Life-Sustaining Treatments of Older Chinese Patients and Their Family Caregivers.

Purpose: The family plays a major role in medical decision-making in China. Little is known about whether family caregivers understand patients' preference for receiving life-sustaining treatments and are able to make decisions consistent with them when patients are incapable of making medical decisions. We aimed to compare preferences and attitudes concerning life-sustaining treatments of community-dwelling patients with chronic conditions and their family caregivers. Patients and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 150 dyads of community-dwelling patients with chronic conditions and their family caregivers from four communities in Zhengzhou. We measured preferences for life-sustaining treatments (cardiopulmonary resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, tube feeding, hemodialysis, chemotherapy), who should decide, the timing of making decisions, and their most important consideration. Results: The consistency of preferences for life-sustaining treatments between patients and family caregivers was poor to fair, with kappa values ranging from 0.071 for mechanical ventilation to 0.241 for chemotherapy. Family caregivers more frequently preferred each life-sustaining treatment for the patients than the patients themselves. More family caregivers than patients preferred the patient to make their own decisions about life-sustaining treatments (29% of patients and 44% of family caregivers). The most important considerations when deciding on life-sustaining treatments are family burden and the patient's comfort and state of consciousness. Conclusion: There is a poor to fair consistency between community-dwelling older patients and their family caregivers in their preferences and attitudes towards life-sustaining treatments. A minority of patients and family caregivers preferred that patients make their own medical decisions. We recommend healthcare professionals to encourage discussions between patients and their families on future care to improve the mutual understanding within the family about medical decision-making.

The mediating role of specific coping styles in the relationship between perceived social support and depressive symptoms in adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Depressive symptoms are one of the most common mental health problems in adolescence, and the relationship between perceived social support and depressive symptoms has been well-studied. However, little research has been conducted on the mediating role of specific coping styles in the relationship. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to examine the mediating role of specific coping styles in perceived social support and depressive symptoms in adolescents. METHODS: A questionnaire was administered to 3887 Chinese junior and senior high school adolescents (mean age = 15.72 years, SD = 1.43) using a multistage stratified and cluster sampling method. The PROCESS model 4 was used to conduct a multiple mediation analysis. RESULTS: Problem solving, seeking help, venting, fantasy and endurance mediated the relationship between internal family support or external family support and depressive symptoms. The problem solving coping style mediated the largest amount of effect, accounting for 22.32 % and 19.05 %, respectively. LIMITATIONS: This study used a cross-sectional survey and self-reported information, which may be the main research limitation. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that higher social support not only directly reduces the likelihood of adolescent depression, but also influences depressive symptoms through specific coping styles. This may help further develop targeted prevention and interventions for at-risk adolescents for specific coping styles.

Air pollution associated acute respiratory inflammation and modification by GSTM1 and GSTT1 gene polymorphisms: a panel study of healthy undergraduates.

Epidemiological evidence has linked air pollution with adverse respiratory outcomes, but the mechanisms underlying susceptibility to air pollution remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the role of glutathione S-transferase (GST) polymorphism in the association between air pollution and lung function levels. A total of 75 healthy young volunteers aged 18-20 years old were recruited for six follow-up visits and examinations. Spirometry was conducted to obtain lung function parameters such as forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1). Nasal fluid concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and 8-epi-prostaglandin F2α (8-epi-PGF2a) were measured using ELISA kits. Linear mixed-effect models were used to evaluate the association of air pollutants with respiratory outcomes. Additionally, polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferase mu 1 (GSTM1) and glutathione S-transferase theta 1 (GSTT1) were estimated to explore its role in the association between air pollutants and lung function. We found that short-term exposure to atmospheric particulates such as PM2.5 and PM10 can cause an increase in nasal biomarkers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and lung function, while air gaseous pollutant exposure is linked with decreased lung function, except for CO. Stratification analyses showed that an increase in nasal inflammatory cytokines caused by exposure to atmospheric particulates is more obvious in subjects with GSTM1-sufficient (GSTM1+) than GSTM1-null (GSTM1-), while elevated lung function levels due to air particles are more significant in subjects with the genotype of GSTM1- when compared to GSTM1+. As for air gaseous pollutants, decreased lung function levels caused by O3, SO2, and NO2 exposure is more manifest in subjects with the genotype of GSTM1- compared to GSTM1+. Taken together, short-term exposure to air pollutants is associated with alterations in nasal biomarkers and lung function levels in young healthy adults, and susceptible genotypes play an important mediation role in the association between exposure to air pollutants and inflammation, oxidative stress, and lung function levels.

The lived experiences of parents providing care to young people who self-harm: A meta-aggregative synthesis of qualitative studies.

Self-harm, which affects the whole family system, is an international public health concern. Empirical evidence supports the efficacy of interventions incorporating a family/parent training component for self-injurious thoughts and behaviours, and a quantitative synthesis of these empirical studies has been undertaken and updated. A qualitative synthesis of the experiences of parents whose child self-harms remains limited. This report aimed to systematically review qualitative research about the experiences, preferences, and expectations of parents whose children self-harmed. A comprehensive search was conducted across ten databases and four grey literature sources, along with the manual search of reference lists and relevant websites. Study screening, data extraction, and quality appraisal were all performed by two independent researchers. Twenty-four articles, two of which were mixed-methods studies, were included and analysed using a meta-aggregation approach. Five synthesized findings were identified: initial negative reactions to the discovery of their child's self-harm, the ongoing impact of self-harm on parents and the wider family, parents' various coping strategies, parents' negative experiences with mental health professionals expectations, and the lack of and need for psychoeducational resources. Our review finds that parents express keen interest in engaging with the treatment process, and our results support family-based therapy. However, with the overwhelming emotions most parents experience, clinicians should approach them with sensitivity, empathy and finesse. Psychoeducational self-help resources should also be made readily available to parents who are reluctant to seek help.

Verification of the Mandarin Chinese version of Advance Care Planning Engagement Survey Scale in community-dwelling older people.

BACKGROUND: Advance care planning (ACP) has become increasingly critical for older people. The Advance Care Planning Engagement Survey (ACPES) develops targeted interventions for older people by measuring ACP-related behaviours, while previous studies focus only on advance directives. Moreover, while ACPES has English and Dutch versions, it does not yet have a Mandarin Chinese version (ACPES-MC) that can be used for Chinese populations. OBJECTIVES: To translate the ACPES into Mandarin Chinese and test its reliability and validity in community-dwelling older people with chronic diseases. METHODS: The English version of the ACPES was translated into Mandarin Chinese using Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy. Four communities were recruited in central China (N = 450) by convenience sampling. Internal consistency and construct validity were used to evaluate the reliability and validity of the ACPES-MC. RESULTS: The ACPES-MC consists of 34 items across five domains, with good internal consistency (0.817), with each dimension ranging from 0.606 to 0.881; exploratory factor analysis was distributed to four different factors and the total variance explained was 63.537%; and confirmatory factor analysis results showed that χ2  = 3791.131 (p < .001), χ2 /df = 1.106, CFI = 0.980, IFI = 0.980, NFI = 0.827 and RMR = 0.027, indicating a good model fit to previous factor structures. CONCLUSIONS: The ACPES-MC is an effective and reliable tool that can measure the ACP-related behaviour stage of community-dwelling older people and evaluate the effect of ACP intervention. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The ACPES-MC can be used in healthcare to identify potential ACP-related behaviours in community-dwelling older people with chronic diseases, including native and ethnic Chinese, evaluate their behaviour change stages and promote the application of ACP.

Realgar­induced KRAS mutation lung cancer cell death via KRAS/Raf/MAPK mediates ferroptosis.

KRAS is a biomarker for non­small cell lung cancer­targeted therapy, but there is currently no effective KRAS­targeting medication. Realgar is an impelling anticancer drug, however its significance in KRAS mutant lung cancer is uncertain. According to our findings, the IC50 of H23 (KRAS mutant) cells is 2.99 times lower than that of H1650 (non­KRAS mutant) cells. Flow cytometry and the Hoechst 33258 staining assay revealed that H1650 cells treated with 4 µg/ml realgar had an apoptotic rate of 8.2%, while H23 cells had a rate of 21.46%. Accordingly, realgar was more sensitive to KRAS mutant cells. Transcriptome sequencing test indicated that there were 481 different expression genes in H23 cells treated with realgar. In H23 cells treated with realgar, mitochondria shrank, inner membrane folding was disturbed, and mitochondrial membrane potential crushed. Realgar boosted intracellular Fe2+, reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde and glutathione levels, which were all reversed by ferroptosis inhibitor Fer­1. Realgar decreased phosphorylated p­Raf, p­ERK1/2 and increased p­p38 and p­JNK, whereas only p­Raf was abolished by Fer­1. Raf inhibitor Sorafenib accelerated the realgar­induced ferroptosis. On H23 cells treated with realgar, the expression of GPX4, SCL7A11 decreased while ACSL4 expression increased; this effect could also be amplified by Sorafenib. In conclusion, the present study indicated that realgar may induce ferroptosis by regulating the Raf, and hence plays a role in anti­KRAS mutant lung cancer.

Pyroptosis in NLRP3 inflammasome-related atherosclerosis.

Pyroptosis is a proinflammatory form of programmed cell death in response to inflammation. It involves in the pathogenesis and outcomes of atherosclerosis characterized by NLRP3 inflammasome assembly, membrane pore formation, cell swelling, pro-inflammatory mediator and cytokine release. There are known pyroptosis molecular pathways including the caspase-1 depended canonical signaling pathway and the caspase-4/5/11 determined non-canonical signaling pathway. It is essential to explore the connection among NLRP3 inflammasome, pyroptosis and atherosclerosis, which may shed light on the potential therapeutic strategies that target pyroptosis in atherosclerotic treatment.

Analysis of Research Status and Development Trend of Nanotoxicology of Liliaceae Medicinal Plants.

The research status and development trend of nanotoxicology of Liliaceae medicinal plants were analyzed. In the research, the toxicology of Liliaceae medicinal plants was investigated by the preparation method of silver nanoparticles. By means of spectral curve experiment, the present situation of nanotoxicology of Liliaceae medicinal plants was analyzed, and then its subsequent development trend was analyzed. In this process, Liliaceae medicinal plants could be used effectively, which could create great economic benefits. In the application of the above scheme, the toxicological degradation of Liliaceae medicinal plants could be controlled at about 96%. The high-dose silver nanoparticles could reach 100 µM, and the silver nitrate could reach 10 or 30 µM.

The Mechanism of Lung and Intestinal Injury in Acute Pancreatitis: A Review.

Acute pancreatitis (AP), as a common cause of clinical acute abdomen, often leads to multi-organ damage. In the process of severe AP, the lungs and intestines are the most easily affected organs aside the pancreas. These organ damages occur in succession. Notably, lung and intestinal injuries are closely linked. Damage to ML, which transports immune cells, intestinal fluid, chyle, and toxic components (including toxins, trypsin, and activated cytokines to the systemic circulation in AP) may be connected to AP. This process can lead to the pathological changes of hyperosmotic edema of the lung, an increase in alveolar fluid level, destruction of the intestinal mucosal structure, and impairment of intestinal mucosal permeability. The underlying mechanisms of the correlation between lung and intestinal injuries are inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and endocrine hormone secretion disorders. The main signaling pathways of lung and intestinal injuries are TNF-α, HMGB1-mediated inflammation amplification effect of NF-κB signal pathway, Nrf2/ARE oxidative stress response signaling pathway, and IL-6-mediated JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. These pathways exert anti-inflammatory response and anti-oxidative stress, inhibit cell proliferation, and promote apoptosis. The interaction is consistent with the traditional Chinese medicine theory of the lung being connected with the large intestine (fei yu da chang xiang biao li in Chinese). This review sought to explore intersecting mechanisms of lung and intestinal injuries in AP to develop new treatment strategies.

An Immunity-Associated lncRNA Signature for Predicting Prognosis in Gastric Adenocarcinoma.

Background: Gastric adenocarcinoma (GAD) is one of the most common tumors in the world and the prognosis is still very poor. Objective: We sought to identify reliable prognostic biomarkers for the progression of GAD and the sensitivity to drug therapy. Method: The RNA sequencing data of GAD was downloaded from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and used for analysis. Differentially expressed, immune-related lncRNA (DEIRlncRNA) was characterized by differential analysis and correlation analysis. Univariate Cox regression analysis was used to identify DEIRlncRNA associated with prognosis. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis allowed us to determine a signature composed of eight IRlncRNAs. Based on this signature, we further performed gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and somatic mutation analysis to evaluate the ability of this signature to predict prognosis. Results: In total, 72 immune-related lncRNAs (DEIRlncRNAs) with prognostic value were identified. These lncRNAs were used to construct a model containing eight immune-related lncRNAs (8-IRlncRNAs). Based on this risk model, we divided GAD patients into high-risk and low-risk groups. The analysis showed that the prognosis of the two groups was different and that the high-risk group had worse overall survival (OS). Immune cell infiltration analysis showed that the proportion of memory B cells increased in the high-risk group while the proportion of macrophages M1, T cells, CD4 memory-activated cells, and T cell follicular helpers decreased. GSEA results showed that 8-IRlncRNA was significantly enriched in tumorigenesis pathways such as myc. The results of somatic mutation analysis showed that the CDH1 gene was significantly mutated in the high-risk group. Conclusion: A prognostic signature of 8-IRlncRNAs in GAD was established and this signature was able to predict the prognosis of GAD patients.

NLRP3-Mediated Inflammation in Atherosclerosis and Associated Therapeutics.

The NLRP3 inflammasome is a crucial constituent of the body's innate immune system, and a multiprotein platform which is initiated by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). Its activation leads to caspase-1 maturation and release of inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and IL-18, and subsequently causes pyroptosis. Recently, the excess activation of NLRP3 inflammasome has been confirmed to mediate inflammatory responses and to participate in genesis and development of atherosclerosis. Therefore, the progress on the discovery of specific inhibitors against the NLRP3 inflammasome and the upstream and downstream inflammatory factors has become potential targets for clinical treatment. Here we review the recently described mechanisms about the NLRP3 inflammasome activation, and discuss emphatically the pharmacological interventions using statins and natural medication for atherosclerosis associated with NLRP3 inflammasome.