BACKGROUND: PEX gene can interfere with the invasion acts of malignant glioma. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a new type of targeted cell vector on cancer therapy. OBJECTIVE: To construct MSCs stably expressing PEX gene.METHODS: PEX eukaryotic expression vector was constructed by molecular cloning, and identified the recombinant plasmid pcDNA3.1(+)-PEX by restriction endonuclease digestion and sequencing. After transfected with MSCs, the eukaryotic expression vector expression in MSCs was verified by immunocytochemical method. The MSCs stably expressing PEX was established by G418 selection, and then was detected by using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The MSCs stably expressing PEX gene is successfully established, in which PEX gene is highly expressed at both gene level and protein level.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between soluble growth stimulating gene protein 2 (sST2) and the severity of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its value in the diagnosis of traumatic brain injury.Methods:The clinical data of 110 patients with traumatic brain injury who were treated in The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (Anhui Province Hospital) from July 2022 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. These 110 patients were included in the observation group. An additional 62 patients without traumatic brain injury who concurrently received treatment in the same hospital were included in the control group. In the observation group, patients were divided into a severe group [Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score 3-8 points), a moderate group (GCS score 9-12 points), and a mild group (GCS score 13-15 points) according to the GCS score. Serum sST2 levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) within 24 hours after injury in each group. Serum sST2 levels were compared between the observation group and the control group. Serum sST2 levels were compared among patients with severe, moderate, and mild TBI in the observation group to analyze the correlation between serum sST2 levels and the GCS score. The efficacy of serum sST2 levels in the diagnosis of TBI was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve).Results:Serum sST2 levels in the observation group were 96.25 (48.05, 200.00) μg/L, which were significantly higher than 25.45 (19.78, 40.46) μg/L in the control group ( Z = -8.19, P < 0.05). Serum sST2 levels in pastients with severe TBI were slightly, but not significantly, higher than those in patients with moderate TBI ( P > 0.05), and serum sST2 levels in patients with severe and moderate TBI were significantly higher than those in patients with mild TBI ( Z = -5.20, Z = -4.40, both P < 0.05). There was a significant difference in sST2 levels among patients with mild, moderate and severe TBI ( H = 36.88, P < 0.05). In the observation group, serum sST2 levels within 24 hours after surgery were significantly negatively correlated with GCS score within 24 hours after admission ( rs = -0.561, 95% CI: -0.680~-0.413, P < 0.001). As serum sST2 levels increased, GCS scores showed a decreasing trend. Serum sST2 levels can be used as a prognostic indicator for TBI. Serum sST2 levels within 24 hours after injury can serve as a risk factor for TBI ( β = 0.042, OR = 1.043, 95% CI: 1.026-1.061, P < 0.001). The serum sST2 levels within 24 hours after injury have good diagnostic efficacy for TBI (area under the curve = 87.5%, 95% CI: 0.825-0.926, P < 0.001). Conclusion:The measurement of serum sST2 levels has a high value in the evaluation of the severity of TBI and prognosis, which is crucial for developing personalized treatment strategies for TBI.

Objective: To report the effects of operative treatment of Sneppen Ⅴ talus fracture through the approach for malleolus medialis Ⅴ osteotomy plus hollow compression screw fixation. Methods: From January 2015 to January 2019, 16 patients with Sneppen Ⅴ talus fracture were treated at Department Ⅱ of Hand & Foot Microsurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital to Inner Mongolia Medical University. They were 14 men and 2 women with a mean age of 38.4 years (range, from 20 to 55 years). All fractures were fixed with hollow compression screws through the approach for malleolus medialis Ⅴ osteotomy. The ankle and hindfoot functional scoring system developed by American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) was used to evaluate the clinical outcomes. Results: All patients were followed up for a mean time of 12.6 months (range, from 6 to 30 months). The mean operation time was 68.4 minutes (range, from 52 to 96 minutes); the mean amount of hemorrhage during operation was 96.8 mL (range, from 48 to 122 mL); the mean period of bone union was 4.8 months (range, from 3 to 8 months). The postoperative mean AOFAS score was 75.3 points (range, from 43 to 91 points). Complications occurred in 4 cases, including one case of talus ischemic necrosis, one case of partial talus ischemic necrosis accompanied by tibial arthritis, one case of subtalar arthritis, and one case of combined tibial, talar and subtalar arthritis. All incisions obtained primary healing, with no complications like infection, screw breakage, delayed union or nonunion. Conclusion Operative treatment of Sneppen Ⅴ talus fracture through the approach for malleolus medialis Ⅴ osteotomy plus hollow compression screw fixation can provide sufficient operative exposure to facilitate reduction and fixation of the talus fracture so that the ischemic necrosis of the talus and traumatic arthritis can be effectively reduced.

Objective:To explore the establishment and assessment of the depression model of adult SD rats induced by early maternal infant separation stress combined with adult chronic unpredictable mild stress(CUMS), and to observe the behavior and synaptic protein expression of SD rats.Methods:Twenty-four male rats were randomly divided into three groups: control group (CON group), chronic unpredictable stress group (CUMS group), maternal infant separation combined with chronic unpredictable stress group (MS + CUMS group). The depression model of rats in cums group was established by CUMS, and the depression model of rats in MS + CUMS group was established by maternal infant separation + CUMS. The depression model was evaluated by body mass and appearance observation, sugar water preference experiment, open field test and forced swimming test.Synapse-associated proteins (PSD-95 and synaptophysin (Syn)) of the hippocampus were assayed using Western blot. Syn protein expression was measured by immunohistochemistry.Results:After modeling, compared with CON group, the rats in CUMS group and MS + CUMS group had significantly lower body mass((126.43±3.88) g, (91.04±3.85) g, (69.89±6.67) g; t=5.03, 8.03, both P<0.01), significantly lower sugar water preference((94.21±0.56)%, (79.30±1.13)%, (72.73±1.82)%; t=8.24, 11.87, both P<0.01) and significantly increased immobility time((3.50±0.84)s, (13.59±2.40)s, (15.70±2.97)s; t=3.16, 3.82, both P<0.01). Among them, the body mass and sugar water preference of MS + CUMS group were lower than those of CUMS group ( t=3.00, 3.63; both P<0.01). (2)The center time of the rats in MS+ CUMS group markedly reduced compared with that of CON group((21.41±4.65) s, (8.96±2.37) s; t=2.66, P<0.05). (3)In the immunohistochemistry experiment, compared with the CON group, the percentage of Syn positive area in hippocampus of rats in CUMS group and MS+ CUMS group decreased significantly ((24.42±0.76)%, (14.00±0.95)%, (10.38±1.38)%; t=6.93, 9.33, P<0.01). (4)The results of Western blot showed that compared with CON group, both the expression of PSD-95 ((1.18±0.02), (0.74±0.06), (0.52±0.05), t=6.29, 9.31; both P<0.05) and Syn ((1.12±0.08), (0.95±0.06), (0.90±0.07); t=3.10, 4.04; both P<0.05) in hippocampus of rats in CUMS group and MS+ CUMS group were significantly decreased.And compared with the CUMS group, the expression of PSD-95 in MS+ CUMS group was lower( t=0.93, P<0.05). Conclusion:The method of MS combined with CUMS can effectively induce depression like behavior and decrease the expression of synaptic plasticity related protein of hippocampus in rats.

Cancer cachexia is a multi-organ syndrome and closely related to changes in signal communication between organs, which is mediated by cancer cachexia factors. Cancer cachexia factors, being the general name of inflammatory factors, circulating proteins, metabolites, and microRNA secreted by tumor or host cells, play a role in secretory or other organs and mediate complex signal communication between organs during cancer cachexia. Cancer cachexia factors are also a potential target for the diagnosis and treatment. The pathogenesis of cachexia is unclear and no clear effective treatment is available. Thus, the treatment of cancer cachexia from the perspective of the tumor ecosystem rather than from the perspective of a single molecule and a single organ is urgently needed. From the point of signal communication between organs mediated by cancer cachexia factors, finding a deeper understanding of the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer cachexia is of great significance to improve the level of diagnosis and treatment. This review begins with cancer cachexia factors released during the interaction between tumor and host cells, and provides a comprehensive summary of the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment for cancer cachexia, along with a particular sight on multi-organ signal communication mediated by cancer cachexia factors. This summary aims to deepen medical community's understanding of cancer cachexia and may conduce to the discovery of new diagnostic and therapeutic targets for cancer cachexia.
Humans ; Cachexia/pathology* ; Ecosystem ; Neoplasms/metabolism* ; Syndrome ; Muscle, Skeletal/pathology*

Objective:To study the patterns of tocilizumab (TCZ) use, its efficacy and safety in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in routine clinical practice.Methods:A total of 407 patients with RA were enrolled from 23 centers and treated with TCZ within 8 weeks prior to the enrollment visit, and were followed for 6-month. The patterns of TCZ treatment at 6 months, the effectiveness and safety outcomes were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed using SAS version 9.4.Results:A total of 396 patients were included for analysis, in which 330 (83.3%) patients received TCZ combined with conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs), and 16.7%(66/396) received TCZ monotherapy. At baseline, TCZ was initiated in 56.6%(224/396) and 9.6%(38/396) of patients after failure of DMARDs and other biological agents (bDMARDs) respectively. During the 6-month follow-up period, the mean frequency of TCZ administration was (3.7±1.6), the mean TCZ dosage was (7.4±1.2) mg/kg, and the mean interval between doses was (40±13) days. 120(25.8%) patients were on TCZ treatment at the end of the study. Improvements in disease activity, systemic symptoms and patient report outcomes were observed at the end of the study. 22.7%(90/396) patients experienced at least one treatment related adverse event, and 8 patients experienced at least one serious adverse event.Conclusion:This study demonstrates that TCZ treatment is effective in patients with RA when being treated for 6 months with an acceptable safety profile. The duration of TCZ treatment needs to be extended.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with rheumatic diseases and abnormal liver function, as well as determine the proportion and severity of liver function abnormalities.Methods:Cross-sectional study. Data were collected from patients registered in the Chinese Rheumatism Date Center from 2011 to 2021. The rheumatic diseases analyzed in this study were rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Sjogren syndrome (SS), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and gout. Patient data, including demographic characteristics [ such as age, sex, body mass index,(BMI), and smoking history], liver function test results [including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase(ALP), and total bilirubin], and use of anti-rheumatic immune drugs and liver-protective drugs, were collected and compared between groups with normal and abnormal liver functions. In addition, the proportions of abnormal liver function were compared between sex and age groups.Results:A total of 116 308 patients were included in this study, including 49 659 with RA, 17 597 with SLE, 9 039 with SS, 11 321 with AS, and 28 692 with gout. The lowest proportion of liver function abnormalities was observed in patients with RA[11.02% (5 470/49 659)], followed by those with SS[17.97% (1 624/9 039)] and AS [18.22% (2 063/11 321) ], whereas patients with SLE [21.14% (3 720/17 597) ] and gout [28.73% (8 242/28 692)] exhibited the highest proportion of these abnormalities. Elevated ALT, mostly classified as grade 1, was the most commonly noted liver function abnormality, whereas elevated ALP was the least common. Some patients who took liver-protective drugs had normal liver function, with the lowest percentage observed in patients with gout [7.45% (36/483) ] and ranging from 21.7% to 30.34% in patients with RA, SLE, SS, and AS. The proportion of liver function abnormalities was higher in males than in females for all disease types [RA: 13.8%(1 368/9 906) vs. 10.3%(4 102/39 753); SLE: 33.6% (479/1 424) vs. 20.0% (3 241/16 173); SS: 25.4%(111/437) vs. 17.6%(1 513/8 602); AS: 20.1%(1 629/8 119) vs. 13.6% (434/3 202); and gout: 29.3% (8 033/27 394) vs. 16.1% (209/1 298)]. In RA, SLE, and AS, the proportions of liver function abnormalities were similar across all age groups. In SS, the proportion of liver function abnormalities increased with age [<40 years: 14.9%(294/1 979); 40-59 years: 18.1%(858/4 741); ≥60 years: 20.4%(472/2 319)], whereas a reversal of this trend was observed in gout [<40 years: 34.9%(4 294/12 320); 40-59 years: 25.5%(2 905/11 398);≥60 years: 21.0%(1 042/4 971)].Conclusions:The proportions of combined liver function abnormalities in patients with rheumatologic diseases were high, and the utilization rates of liver-protective drugs were low. It is necessary to pay more attention to monitoring patients′ liver function, timely administer liver-protective drugs, and optimize liver-protective regimens during the treatment of rheumatic diseases.