BACKGROUND: Ureaplasma urealyticum may cause female genital tracts infection and lead sterility, infertility and spontaneous abortion. But it still is not clear whether Ureaplasma urealyticum is one of the factors responsible for fetal malformation.OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether Ureaplasma urealyticum is one of the key factor responsible for fetal malformation.DESIGN: Non-randomized observation of compromised children and their parents with concurrent control.SETTING: The department of immunology and microbiology of a medical college.PARTICIPANTS: Totally 16 malformed fetuses(3 female and 13 male cases) and their parents were chosen from the family seeking pregnancy care in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics of the First Affiliated Hospital of Luzhou Medical College and Luzhou First People's Hospital from 1995 to 1997.METHODS: Ureaplasma urealyticum detection was performed in 16 samples of the umbilic blood of the malformed fetuses, sperms of the father, and cervical mucus of the mother who conceived the malformed fetus. The 11 couples positive for Ureaplasma urealyticum were treated with macrolides and aminoglycoside antibiotics and followed up for the outcome of the following pregnancy.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The relation between Ureaplasma urealyticum infection and fetal malformation was examined.RESULTS: Totally 11 of the 16 umbilical blood samples(69% ) were positive for Ureaplasma urealyticum, and serological tests of parents in the 11 positive cases detected rubella virus, cytomegalovirus or Toxoplasma gondii antibodies, nor was abnormality found in chromosomal examination. The following pregnancies and delivery were followed up in 4 women, and the babies showed no functional or organic abnormities with good development till the age of 2 years.CONCLUSION: Female genital tract Ureaplasma urealyticum infection is related to fetal malformation, which provides evidence to support interventions of the occurrence of fetal malformation.

Objective To discuss the changes of correlative ultrasonic parameter index of normal hips and abnormal hips with developmental dislocation of the hip (DDH) in infants of different months in order to provide objective information for the diagnosis. Methods Three-hundred and seventy-eight normal hips and 244 hips with DDH among 622 hips of 311 infants were detected by ultrasonography(US). The morphology and structure information of hips were observed, and the values of ultrasonic parameter index,including angle α,angle 3, acetabular index( AI), femoral head percentage of cover(FHC) of normal hips and abnormal hips were measured. The values of each parameter index were collected by being divided into different groups (3 months a group) ,then the correlation was analyzed. Results Morphology and structure,position relation between femoral head and acetabulum of the hips were demonstrated by US. Normal or abnormal hips,the degrees of abnormal hips and the types of hips could be judged according to the findingsof US. Analysis of values of parameter index of normal hips:①There was significantly statistical significance in the values of ultrasonic parameter index, such as angle α, angle β, AI, FHC of normal hip between the groups of different age (P＜0.01). ②There was correlation between the age and the values of each parameter index, among which angle α, FHC had positive correlations with age ( r = 0. 537, 0. 554,respectively ) while angle β and Al negative correlations ( r = -0. 465, -0.424, respectively ). ③There was correlation between the values of different parameter index. Both angle β and AI had negative correlation with angle α,among which the latter correlation was closely ( r = - 0. 794). No statistical significance was found between the ultrasonic values of each group under different ages of different type abnormal hips( P ＞0.05) ,but closely negative correlations still existed between angle α and AI. ConclusionsUS can be viewed as an early definite and a screening method of diagnosing DDH.For older infants (above 6 months) it will be more accurate to analyze the ultrasonic parameter index together with the age of infants.

Objective To explore the predictive value of glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism indexes for in-stent restenosis(ISR)in patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans(ASO)of lower limbs after surgery.Methods A total of 160 patients with ASO of lower limbs admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from January 2018 to October 2021 were selected as the research subjects.All patients were treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty combined with stent implantation and were followed up for 1 year.Patients were divided into the ISR group(n=59)and the non-ISR group(n=101),according to the incidence of ISR during the follow-up period.General clinical data of patients in the two groups were collected.Univariate analysis was performed to preliminarily screen out the influencing factors for ISR,and the selected indexes were further analyzed by multivariate logistic regression to analyze the influencing factors for the occurrence of ISR in patients with ASO of lower limbs after surgery.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to analyze the value of the glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism indexes one day before discharge alone and their combination in predicting the occurrence of ISR in patients with ASO of lower limbs after surgery.The net benefit rate of predicting the occurrence of ISR in patients with ASO of lower limbs by the levels of glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism indexes one day before discharge alone and their combination was analyzed through the decision curve.Results Among the 160 patients,59 developed ISR,with an incidence rate of 36.88％.There was no significant difference in age,gender,alcohol consumption,complications,affected side,Fontaine stage,fasting plasma glucose,and serum triglycerides of patients between the ISR group and the non-ISR group(P＞0.05);the proportion of smokers and the levels of glycosylated hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c)in peripheral blood and low-density lipoprotein(LDL)in serum of patients in the ISR group were significantly higher than those in the non-ISR group,while the level of high-density lipoprotein(HDL)in serum was significantly lower than that in the non-ISR group(P＜0.05).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the elevated levels of HbA1 c in peripheral blood and LDL in serum were risk factors for ISR in patients with ASO of lower limbs after surgery(odds ratio＞1.00,P＜0.05),and the increased level of HDL in serum was the protective factor for ISR in patients with ASO of limbs after surgery(odds ratio＜1.00,P＜0.05).The ROC curve showed that the area under the curve of peripheral blood HbA1c,serum LDL and HDL levels alone and their combination in predicting the occurrence of ISR in patients with ASO of lower limbs after surgery was 0.717,0.761,0.654,and 0.824,respectively;the specificity was 0.861,0.792,0.851,and 0.663,respectively;and the sensitivity was 0.525,0.678,0.424,and 0.864,respectively.The decision curve showed that the net benefit rate for the combination of peripheral blood HbA1c,serum LDL and HDL levels one day before discharge in predicting the occurrence of ISR in patients with ASO of lower limbs after surgery was higher than that of prediction by the said indexes alone.Conclusion Glucose metabolism index peripheral blood HbA1c and lipid metabolism indexes serum LDL and HDL have certain predictive values for the occurrence of ISR in patients with ASO of lower limbs after surgery,and the net benefit rate of the joint prediction of the three indexes is higher.

Objective:To investigate the effect of ligand of numb-protein X1(LNX1)on the proliferation,invasion and migration of renal clear cell carcinoma cells and its underlying molecular mechanism. Methods:Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis(GEPIA)database was used to analyze the mRNA expression level of LNX1 in renal clear cell carcinoma tissues and its relationship with the prognosis of patients with renal clear cell carcinoma.LNX1 gene specific shRNA(shLNX1)was delivered into renal clear cell carcinoma cell lines 786-O and ACHN by lentiviral infection,and flag-LNX1 plasmid was delivered into 786-O and ACHN cells by transient transfection.CCK-8 assay and colony formation assay were used to assess the effects of LNX1 silencing or overexpression on the proliferation of 786-O and ACHN cells.Transwell assay was used to evaluate the effects of LNX1 silencing or overexpression on the invasion and migration of 786-O and ACHN cells.Bioinformatics analysis was used to screen the downstream target genes of LNX1.Western blotting was used to examine the effects of LNX1 silencing or overexpression on the expression level of T-lymphoma invasion and metastasis-inducing protein 1(TIAM1)as well as the expression levels of total and phosphorylated ERK(phospho-ERK,p-ERK)in the ERK signaling pathway downstream of TIAM1 in 786-O and ACHN cells.786-O and ACHN cells overexpressing LNX1 were treated with proteasome inhibitor MG132,and the protein expression level of TIAM1 was analyzed by Western blotting.Finally,myc-TIAM1 recombinant plasmid was transfected into LNX1-overexpressing cells.Then,the expression levels of proteins in the ERK signaling pathway and the abilities of proliferation,invasion and migration of 786-O and ACHN cells were examined by Western blotting,colony formation assay and Transwell assay,respectively. Results:The mRNA expression level of LNX1 in renal clear cell carcinoma tissue was decreased(P＜0.05)and was positively correlated with the survival time of patients with renal clear cell carcinoma(P＜0.001).LNX1-silencing 786-O and ACHN cells and LNX1-overexpressing 786-O and ACHN cells were constructed successfully.After LNX1 silencing,the proliferation,invasion and migration of 786-O and ACHN cells were significantly enhanced(all P＜0.05).After LNX1 overexpression,the abilities of proliferation,invasion and migration of 786-O and ACHN cells were significantly decreased(all P＜0.05).Bioinformatics analysis identified TIAM1 as a potential target of LNX1.After silencing LNX1,the protein expression levels of TIAM1 and p-ERK were significantly increased(all P＜0.05),while the expression level of ERK remained unchanged.After LNX1 overexpression,the protein expression levels of TIAM1 and p-ERKwere significantly decreased(all P＜0.01),while the expression level of ERK was unchanged.Treatment with proteasome inhibitor MG132 increased the protein expression level of TIAM1 in LNX1-overexpressing 786-O and ACHN cells(P＜0.01 and P＜0.001).After LNX1-overexpressing cells were transfected with myc-TIAM1 plasmid,the protein expression level of p-ERK was increased,the abilities of cell proliferation,invasion and migration were enhanced(all P＜0.05),and the expression level of ERK protein remained unchanged. Conclusion:LNX1 inhibits the proliferation,invasion and migration of renal clear cell carcinoma cells by degrading TIAM1 which further regulates the phosphorylation of ERK.

Objective:To investigate the clinical application value of left ventricular myocardial strain obtained by cardiac MR (CMR) in recent major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Methods:From January 2020 to December 2020, a total of 163 patients successfully underwent primary PCI and underwent CMR examination within one week after surgery at Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University. The scan sequences included rapid balance-fast field echo and late-gadolinium enhancement. CVI42 post-processing software was used to analyze and measure the left ventricular myocardial strain indices, including left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS), left ventricular global circumferential strain (GCS), and left ventricular global radial strain (GRS). According to the results of the 1-year follow-up after surgery, the patients were divided into the MACE group ( n=28) and the non-MACE group ( n=135). For continuous variables with a normal distribution, the t test of two independent samples was used for comparisons between groups. For continuous variables with an abnormal distribution, the variables were compared and analyzed by the rank sum test. For categorical variables, the χ 2 tests were used for between-group comparisons. Cox regression was used to analyze the prognostic value of myocardial strain on the development of MACE in patients with STEMI. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the diagnostic efficacy of myocardial strain parameters, and the optimal cut-off value was evaluated by calculating the Youden index. Results:The GLS, GCS, and GRS of the MACE group were (-10.4±3.3)%, [-11.9 (-14.5, -9.3)]%, and (18.3±6.3)%, respectively, and those of the non-MACE group were (-13.7±3.4)%, [-14.6 (-16.4, -11.7)]%, and (22.3±6.1)%, respectively. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant ( t/ Z=-4.71, -3.04, 3.21, P<0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that GLS was an independent predictor of MACE (HR=1.546, 95%CI 1.180-2.027, P=0.002). The ROC curve analysis showed that GLS had the largest area under the curve (AUC) (AUC=0.754, 95%CI 0.658-0.851, P<0.001), with a cut-off value of -12.45%. Its diagnostic sensitivity was 71.4%, and the specificity was 67.4%. The value was better than that of the traditional predictor of STEMI prognosis, namely, left ventricular ejection fraction (AUC=0.680, 95%CI 0.567-0.793, P=0.003). Conclusion:GLS of CMR is an independent predictor of MACE in STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI.

Objective To investigate whether activation of mitochondrial acetal dehydrogenase 2(ALDH2)alleviates hypoxic pulmonary hypertension by regulating the SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling pathway.Methods Thirty 8-week-old C57 BL/6 mice were randomized into control,hypoxia,and hypoxia+Alda-1(an ALDH2 activator)group(n=10),and the mice in the latter two groups,along with 10 ALDH2 knockout(ALDH2-/-)mice,were exposed to hypoxia(10%O2,90%N2)with or without daily intraperitoneal injection of Alda-1 for 4 weeks.The changes in right ventricular function and pressure(RVSP)of the mice were evaluated by echocardiography and right ventricular catheter test,and pulmonary artery pressure was estimated based on RVSP.Pulmonary vascular remodeling,right ventricular injury,myocardial α-SMA expression,distal pulmonary arteriole muscle normalization,right ventricular cross-sectional area,myocardial cell hypertrophy,and right cardiac hypertrophy index were assessed with HE staining,immunofluorescence staining and WGA staining,and the expressions of ALDH2,SIRT1,PGC-1α,P16INK4A and P21CIP1 were detected.In pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells with hypoxic exposure,the effect of Alda-1 and EX527 on cell senescence and protein expressions was evaluated using β-galactose staining and Western blotting.Results The wild-type mice with hypoxic exposure showed significantly increased RVSP,right ventricular free wall thickness and myocardial expressions of P16INK4A and P21CIP1,which were effectively lowered by treatment with Alda-1 but further increased in ALDH2-/-mice.In cultured pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells,hypoxic exposure significantly increased senescent cell percentage and cellular expressions of P16INK4A and P21CIP1,which were all lowered by treatment with Alda-1,but its effect was obviously attenuated by EX527 treatment.Conclusion ALDH2 alleviates hypoxia-induced senescence of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells by upregulating the SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling pathway to alleviate pulmonary hypertension in mice.

Objective To investigate whether activation of mitochondrial acetal dehydrogenase 2(ALDH2)alleviates hypoxic pulmonary hypertension by regulating the SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling pathway.Methods Thirty 8-week-old C57 BL/6 mice were randomized into control,hypoxia,and hypoxia+Alda-1(an ALDH2 activator)group(n=10),and the mice in the latter two groups,along with 10 ALDH2 knockout(ALDH2-/-)mice,were exposed to hypoxia(10%O2,90%N2)with or without daily intraperitoneal injection of Alda-1 for 4 weeks.The changes in right ventricular function and pressure(RVSP)of the mice were evaluated by echocardiography and right ventricular catheter test,and pulmonary artery pressure was estimated based on RVSP.Pulmonary vascular remodeling,right ventricular injury,myocardial α-SMA expression,distal pulmonary arteriole muscle normalization,right ventricular cross-sectional area,myocardial cell hypertrophy,and right cardiac hypertrophy index were assessed with HE staining,immunofluorescence staining and WGA staining,and the expressions of ALDH2,SIRT1,PGC-1α,P16INK4A and P21CIP1 were detected.In pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells with hypoxic exposure,the effect of Alda-1 and EX527 on cell senescence and protein expressions was evaluated using β-galactose staining and Western blotting.Results The wild-type mice with hypoxic exposure showed significantly increased RVSP,right ventricular free wall thickness and myocardial expressions of P16INK4A and P21CIP1,which were effectively lowered by treatment with Alda-1 but further increased in ALDH2-/-mice.In cultured pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells,hypoxic exposure significantly increased senescent cell percentage and cellular expressions of P16INK4A and P21CIP1,which were all lowered by treatment with Alda-1,but its effect was obviously attenuated by EX527 treatment.Conclusion ALDH2 alleviates hypoxia-induced senescence of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells by upregulating the SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling pathway to alleviate pulmonary hypertension in mice.

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with a bone marrow nucleated erythroid cell proportion of greater than or equal to 50% (MDS-E) .Methods:The clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of patients with MDS-E were retrospectively analyzed by collecting the case data of 1 436 newly treated patients with MDS diagnosed in the Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from May 2014 to June 2023.Results:A total of 1 436 newly diagnosed patients with complete data were included in the study, of which 337 (23.5%) patients with MDS-E had a younger age of onset and lower neutrophil and platelet counts compared with those in patients with an erythroid cell proportion of less than 50% (MDS-NE) (all P<0.05). The proportion of MDS cases with ring sideroblasts (MDS-RS) was higher in the MDS-E group than in the MDS-NE group, and multi-hit TP53 mutations were more enriched in the MDS-E group than in the MDS-NE group (all P<0.05). Among patients with MDS-RS, the frequency of complex karyotypes and the TP53 mutation rate were significantly lower in the MDS-E group than in the MDS-NE group (0 vs 11.9%, P=0.048 and 2.4% vs 15.1%, P=0.053, respectively). Among patients with TP53 mutations, the frequencies of complex karyotypes and multi-hit TP53 mutations were significantly higher in the MDS-E group than in the MDS-NE group (87.5% vs 64.6%, P=0.003 and 84.0% vs 54.2%, P<0.001, respectively). Survival analysis of patients with MDS-RS found that the overall survival (OS) in the MDS-E group was better than that in the MDS-NE group [not reached vs 63 (95% CI 53.3-72.7) months, P=0.029]. Among patients with TP53 mutations and excess blasts, the OS in the MDS-E group was worse than that in the MDS-NE group [6 (95% CI 2.2-9.8) months vs 12 (95% CI 8.9-15.1) months, P=0.022]. Multivariate analysis showed that age of ≥65 years ( HR=2.47, 95% CI 1.43-4.26, P=0.001), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of ≤100 fl ( HR=2.62, 95% CI 1.54-4.47, P<0.001), and TP53 mutation ( HR=2.31, 95% CI 1.29-4.12, P=0.005) were poor prognostic factors independent of the Revised International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-R) prognosis stratification in patients with MDS-E. Conclusion:Among patients with MDS-RS, MDS-E was strongly associated with a lower proportion of complex karyotypes and TP53 mutations, and the OS in the MDS-E group was longer than that in the MDS-NE group. Among patients with TP53 mutations, MDS-E was strongly associated with complex karyotypes and multi-hit TP53 mutations, and among TP53-mutated patients with excess blasts, the OS in the MDS-E group was shorter than that in the MDS-NE group. Age of ≥65 years, MCV of ≤100 fl, and TP53 mutation were independent adverse prognostic factors affecting OS in patients with MDS-E.