ObjectiveMicrotube associated protein-2 （MAP-2）， alpha-tubulin （α-tubulin）， and synaptophysin （SYP） are important proteins in neuronal signal communication. This paper observed the effects of modified Zhigancao Tang on the expression of serum α-Synuclein （α-Syn） and its oligomers， MAP-2， α-tubulin， and SYP of patients with liver and kidney deficiency of Parkinson's disease （PD）， analyzed their correlation， and evaluated the therapeutic effect of modified Zhigancao Tang in patients with liver and kidney deficiency of PD based on α-Syn transmission pathway mediated by neuronal communication in vivo. MethodsA total of 60 patients with PD who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into a treatment group （30 cases） and a control group （30 cases）. Both groups were treated on the basis of PD medicine， and the treatment group was treated with modified Zhigancao Tang. Both groups were treated for 12 weeks. The changes in UPDRS score， TCM syndrome score， and expression of serum α-Syn and its oligomers， MAP-2， α-tubulin， and SYP were observed before and after 12 weeks of treatment in each group. The correlation between the above-mentioned serum biological indexes and the levels of serum α-Syn and its oligomers was analyzed. ResultsAfter treatment， the TCM syndrome score， UPDRS score， UPDRS-Ⅱ score， and UPDRS-Ⅲ score of the treatment group were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The UPDRS score， UPDRS-Ⅱ score， and UPDRS-Ⅲ scores in the treatment group were significantly decreased compared with those in the control group after treatment （P<0.05）. After treatment， the total effective rate of the control group was 63.3% （19/30）， and that of the treatment group was 86.7% （26/30）. The clinical effect of the observation group was better than the control group （Z=-2.03， P<0.05）. The total effective rate of the observation group was better than that of the control group， and the difference was statistically significant （χ²=5.136， P<0.05）. After treatment， the oligomer level of serum α-Syn and MAP-2 level in the treatment group were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The levels of serum α-Syn and its oligomers， as well as α-tubulin in the treatment group， were significantly decreased compared with those in the control group after treatment （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Serum α-Syn was correlated with serum MAP-2 and α-Syn oligomer in patients with PD （P<0.05， P<0.01） but not correlated with serum SYP . Serum α-Syn oligomers of patients with PD were correlated with serum MAP-2 and α-tubulin （P<0.05， P<0.01） but not correlated with serum SYP level. Serum SYP of patients with PD was correlated with serum MAP-2 （P<0.05）. ConclusionModified Zhigancao Tang has a therapeutic effect on patients with liver and kidney deficiency of PD by inhibiting the production of α-Syn oligomers and intervening α-Syn microtubule transport pathway in vivo.

Objective To compare the benefits and drawbacks of primary patch expansion versus pericardial tube right ventricular-pulmonary artery connection in patients diagnosed with pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect (PA/VSD). Methods A retrospective study was conducted on patients diagnosed with PA/VSD who underwent primary right ventricular-pulmonary artery connection surgery at our center between 2010 and 2020. Patients were categorized into two groups based on the type of right ventricular-pulmonary artery connection: a pericardial tube group and a patch expansion group. Clinical data and imaging findings were compared between the two groups. Results A total of 51 patients were included in the study, comprising 31 males and 20 females, with a median age of 12.57 (4.57, 49.67) months. The pericardial tube group included 19 patients with a median age of 17.17 (7.33, 49.67) months, while the patch expansion group consisted of 32 patients with a median age of 8.58 (3.57, 52.72) months. In both groups, the diameter of pulmonary artery, McGoon index, and Nakata index significantly increased after treatment (P<0.001). However, the pericardial tube group exhibited a longer extracorporeal circulation time (P<0.001). The reoperation rate was notably high, with 74.51% of patients requiring further surgical intervention, including 26 (81.25%) patients in the patch expansion group and 12 (63.16%) patients in the pericardial tube group. No statistical differences were observed in long-term cure rates or mortality between the two groups (P＞0.005). Conclusion In patients with PA/VSD, both patch expansion and pericardial tube right ventricular-pulmonary artery connection serve as effective initial palliative treatment strategies that promote pulmonary vessel development and provide a favorable foundation for subsequent radical operations. However, compared to the pericardial tube approach, the patch expansion technique is simpler to perform and preserves some intrinsic potential for pulmonary artery development, making it the preferred procedure.

Background/Aims: Transmembrane 4 L six family member 1 (TM4SF1) is highly expressed and contributes to the progression of various malignancies. However, how it modulates hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression and senescence remains to be elucidated. Methods: TM4SF1 expression in HCC samples was evaluated using immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. Cellular senescence was assessed through SA-β-gal activity assays and Western blot analysis. TM4SF1-related protein interactions were investigated using immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry, co-immunoprecipitation, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, and immunofluorescence. Tumor-infiltrating immune cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. The HCC mouse model was established via hydrodynamic tail vein injection. Results: TM4SF1 was highly expressed in human HCC samples and murine models. Knockdown of TM4SF1 suppressed HCC proliferation both in vitro and in vivo, inducing non-secretory senescence through upregulation of p16 and p21. TM4SF1 enhanced the interaction between AKT1 and PDPK1, thereby promoting AKT phosphorylation, which subsequently downregulated p16 and p21. Meanwhile, TM4SF1-mediated AKT phosphorylation enhanced PD-L1 expression while reducing major histocompatibility complex class I level on tumor cells, leading to impaired cytotoxic function of CD8+ T cells and an increased proportion of exhausted CD8+ T cells. In clinical HCC samples, elevated TM4SF1 expression was associated with resistance to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. Targeting TM4SF1 via adeno-associated virus induced tumor senescence, reduced tumor burden and synergistically enhanced the efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy. Conclusions Our results revealed that TM4SF1 regulated tumor cell senescence and immune evasion through the AKT pathway, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target in HCC, particularly in combination with first-line immunotherapy.

Background/Aims: Transmembrane 4 L six family member 1 (TM4SF1) is highly expressed and contributes to the progression of various malignancies. However, how it modulates hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression and senescence remains to be elucidated. Methods: TM4SF1 expression in HCC samples was evaluated using immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. Cellular senescence was assessed through SA-β-gal activity assays and Western blot analysis. TM4SF1-related protein interactions were investigated using immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry, co-immunoprecipitation, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, and immunofluorescence. Tumor-infiltrating immune cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. The HCC mouse model was established via hydrodynamic tail vein injection. Results: TM4SF1 was highly expressed in human HCC samples and murine models. Knockdown of TM4SF1 suppressed HCC proliferation both in vitro and in vivo, inducing non-secretory senescence through upregulation of p16 and p21. TM4SF1 enhanced the interaction between AKT1 and PDPK1, thereby promoting AKT phosphorylation, which subsequently downregulated p16 and p21. Meanwhile, TM4SF1-mediated AKT phosphorylation enhanced PD-L1 expression while reducing major histocompatibility complex class I level on tumor cells, leading to impaired cytotoxic function of CD8+ T cells and an increased proportion of exhausted CD8+ T cells. In clinical HCC samples, elevated TM4SF1 expression was associated with resistance to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. Targeting TM4SF1 via adeno-associated virus induced tumor senescence, reduced tumor burden and synergistically enhanced the efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy. Conclusions Our results revealed that TM4SF1 regulated tumor cell senescence and immune evasion through the AKT pathway, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target in HCC, particularly in combination with first-line immunotherapy.

Background/Aims: Transmembrane 4 L six family member 1 (TM4SF1) is highly expressed and contributes to the progression of various malignancies. However, how it modulates hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression and senescence remains to be elucidated. Methods: TM4SF1 expression in HCC samples was evaluated using immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. Cellular senescence was assessed through SA-β-gal activity assays and Western blot analysis. TM4SF1-related protein interactions were investigated using immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry, co-immunoprecipitation, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, and immunofluorescence. Tumor-infiltrating immune cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. The HCC mouse model was established via hydrodynamic tail vein injection. Results: TM4SF1 was highly expressed in human HCC samples and murine models. Knockdown of TM4SF1 suppressed HCC proliferation both in vitro and in vivo, inducing non-secretory senescence through upregulation of p16 and p21. TM4SF1 enhanced the interaction between AKT1 and PDPK1, thereby promoting AKT phosphorylation, which subsequently downregulated p16 and p21. Meanwhile, TM4SF1-mediated AKT phosphorylation enhanced PD-L1 expression while reducing major histocompatibility complex class I level on tumor cells, leading to impaired cytotoxic function of CD8+ T cells and an increased proportion of exhausted CD8+ T cells. In clinical HCC samples, elevated TM4SF1 expression was associated with resistance to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. Targeting TM4SF1 via adeno-associated virus induced tumor senescence, reduced tumor burden and synergistically enhanced the efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy. Conclusions Our results revealed that TM4SF1 regulated tumor cell senescence and immune evasion through the AKT pathway, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target in HCC, particularly in combination with first-line immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Without timely and effective rehabilitation, hearing loss may profoundly affect human life quality. China has a large population of hearing-impaired individuals, which imposes a heavy health burden on society. Moreover, this population is projected to increase rapidly owing to China's aging society. METHODS: We used data from a population-representative epidemiological investigation of hearing loss and ear diseases in four Chinese provinces. We estimated the national prevalence using multiple linear regression of the age-group proportions and prevalence in 31 provinces with clustering analysis. We used years lived with disability (YLDs) to analyze the disease burden and forecasted the prevalence of hearing loss by 2060 in China. RESULTS: An estimated 115 million people had moderate-to-complete hearing loss in 2015 across the 31 provinces of China (8.4% of 1.37 billion people). Of these, 85.7% were older than age 50 years (99 million people) and 2.4% were younger than 20 years old (2.8 million people). Of all YLDs attributable to hearing loss, 68.9% were attributable to moderate-to-complete cases. By 2060, a projected 242 million people in China will have moderate-to-complete hearing loss, a 110.0% increase from 2015. CONCLUSIONS The hearing loss prevalence in China is high. Population aging and socioeconomic factors substantially affect the prevalence and severity of hearing loss and the disease burden. The prevalence and severity of hearing loss are unevenly distributed across different provinces. Future public health policies should take these trends and regional variations into account.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Hearing Loss/epidemiology* ; Prevalence ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Aged ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Infant ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cost of Illness

Objective To study the requirement of exogenous phosphorus for 2-year-old and 3-year-old ginseng seedings.Methods Two-and three-year-old ginsengs were used as experimental materials.Calcium superphosphate and phosphorus-free Hoagland solution were used as fertilizer,and the concentrations of P2O5 were set to be 0 mmol·L-1,0.5 mmol·L-1,1.5 mmol·L-1,3 mmol·L-1,6 mmol·L-1,8 mmol·L-1,respectively.The effects of different concentrations of phosphorus fertilizer on agronomic indexes,photosynthetic characteristics and accumulation of ginsenosides Rg1,Rb1 and Re were studied.Results The plant height,stem diameter,root weight,leaf area,relative content of chlorophyll,net photosynthetic rate and total saponins content of different year-old panax ginseng were significantly increased by applying phosphorus at 1.5-3.0 mmol·L-1.Among them,compared with the phosphorus-free group,the root weight of second-year ginseng was increased by 16％and the saponin content was increased by 24％;the root weight of third-year ginseng was increased by 89％and the saponin content was increased by 132％.The appropriate application rate of phosphorus fertilizer(phosphorus pentoxide)during the growth of second and third year ginseng was 26.6 mg and 53.3 mg of plant,respectively.Conclusion External application of suitable concentration of phosphorus fertilizer can enhance the external morphological characteristics of ginseng,improve photosynthetic physiological properties and increase the content of active ingredients.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the mechanism of catalpol affecting the differentiation of helper T cell 17 （Th17） by interfering the expressions of pyruvate kinase M2 （PKM2） and lactate dehydrogenase A （LDHA）. METHODS The naive CD4+ T cells were selected from the spleen of C57BL/6 mice， and were differentiated into Th17 cells by adding directional differentiation stimulants for 72 hours. At the same time， the cells were treated with 0 （directed control）， 20， 40 and 80 μg/mL catalpol. The flow cytometry was used to detect the proportion of Th17 cell differentiation in cells； the colorimetric method was adopted to detect the levels of pyruvate and lactate in cell culture supernatant； mRNA expressions of retinoid-related orphan nuclear receptor gamma t （RORγt）， PKM2 and LDHA were detected by qRT-PCR method； Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of PKM2， LDHA， signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3）， and phosphorylated STAT3 （p-STAT3） proteins in cells. RESULTS Compared with the directed control group， after 72 hours of treatment with 20， 40， 80 μg/mL catalpol， the differentiation ratio of Th17 cells were decreased by 6.74%， 8.41%， 9.24%， and the levels of pyruvate and lactate in the cell culture supernatant， the mRNA expressions of PKM2， LDHA and RORγt as well as the protein expressions of PKM2 and LDHA and the phosphorylation of STAT3 were significantly reduced （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Catalpol can reduce the glycolysis level by down-regulating the expressions of PKM2 and LDHA， thereby inhibiting the differentiation of Th17 cells.

Objective:To investigate the effects of ginkgolide B on neurological function recovery and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway after ischemic stroke in mice.Methods:Fifty-five C57/BL6 mice were selected, of which 10 mice were kept as the sham group and the remaining 45 mice were constructed as the ischemic stroke model. There were 40 mice who finally completed the modeling, and then they were randomly divided into the blank control group (GB0w), short-course administration group (GB1w), long-term administration group (GB2w), and long-term administration+antagonist group (GB2w+PRI-724), with 10 mice in each group. There was no drug intervention after MCAO in GB0w. The mice in GB1w were given ginkgolide B (10 mg/kg) 0.1 ml within 1 week after MCAO; in GB2w were given ginkgolide B (10 mg/kg) 0.1 ml within 2 weeks after MCAO; and in GB2w+PRI-724 were nasally fed ginkgolide B (10 mg/kg) 0.1 ml within 2 weeks after MCAO; and selective antagonist PRI-724 was given 3 h before administration of ginkgolide B on days 8 to 14. Neurological function scores, walking on rotor bar test scores, expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), fibroblast growth factor 4 (FGF4), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), Wnt, β-catenin, and glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) were compared among the groups.Results:Compared with the sham group, the expressions of MDA, TNF-α, IL-6, FGF4, and GSK-3β in GB0w, GB1w, GB2w, and GB2w+ PRI-724 were increased, and the expressions of GSH-Px, SOD, TGF-β1, β-catenin, and Wnt were decreased (all P < 0.001). Compared with GB0w, the expressions of SOD, GSH-Px, TGF-β1, Wnt, and β-catenin were increased in GB1w, GB2w, and GB2w+PRI-724, and the expressions of MDA, TNF-α, IL-6, FGF4, and GSK-3β were decreased (all P < 0.001). Compared with GB1w, the expressions of GSH-Px, SOD, TGF-β 1, Wnt, and β-catenin were increased in GB2w and GB2w+PRI-724, and the expressions of IL-6, TNF-α, MDA, FGF4, and GSK-3β were decreased (all P < 0.001). Compared with GB2w, the neural function score, walking on the stick test score, and expressions of IL-6, TNF-α, FGF4, MDA, and GSK-3β were increased in GB2w+PRI-724, while the expressions of GSH-Px, TGF-β1, SOD, Wnt, and β-catenin were decreased (all P < 0.001). Conclusions:Ginkgolide B can effectively improve the neurological function of ischemic stroke mice and may be related to the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Background Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) is one of the main air pollutants, and though China's NO₂ pollution has been improving year by year, it maintains at a high level, threatening the health of the population. Objective To investigate the effect of short-term exposure to atmospheric NO₂ on the coagulation indexes in obese and normal-weight young individuals and potential modification effect of temperature. Methods Based on a parallel control panel study design, this study recruited 53 normal-weight and 44 obese young individuals. Three prospective follow-ups were conducted. Air pollution data were obtained from the fixed monitoring station closest to the participant's residences, and personal air pollution exposure was simulated based on time-activity log and infiltration factor for the week before every follow-up. Temperature was collected from China Meteorological Data Service Center. Venous blood samples were taken to measure platelet (PLT) count, mean platelet volume (MPV), soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L), soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin), platelet aggregation rate (PAgT), and plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) during every follow-up. A linear mixed-effect model was used to assess the association between short-term atmospheric NO₂ exposure and the coagulation indexes of weight grouped young individuals, and a stratified analysis was used to explore potential modification effect of temperature. Results The median [interquartile range (IQR)] of personal atmospheric NO₂ exposure concentrations was 21.47 (8.01) µg·m⁻³. Short-term exposure to atmospheric NO₂ was significantly associated the increase of sCD40L and PAgT in the obese individuals, while the most significant association appeared at 5 d lag, and for each IQR increase in the average sliding exposure concentration of atmospheric NO₂ with a 5 d lag, sCD40L increased by 27.4% (95%CI: 4.2%, 56.6%) and PAgT increased by 37.5% (95%CI: 12.2%, 68.6%); short-term exposure to atmospheric NO₂ was significantly associated with the decrease of PLT and PAgT in the normal-weight individuals, while the most significant association appeared at 5 d lag or 7 d lag, and for each IQR increase in the average sliding exposure concentration of atmospheric NO₂ with a 5 d lag, PLT decreased by 11.8% (95%CI: −17.8%, −5.3%), and for each IQR increase in the average sliding exposure concentration of atmospheric NO₂ with a 7 d lag, PAgT decreased by 16.8% (95%CI: −30.6%, −0.4%). We didn't find statistically significant association of short-term exposure to atmospheric NO₂ with PLT in the obese individuals or sCD40L in the normal-weight individuals, nor statistically significant association between short-term exposure to atmospheric NO₂ and PAI-1, MPV, and sP-selectin in different weight grouped individuals. The stratified analysis found that short-term exposure to atmospheric NO₂ was significantly associated with PAgT in the normal-weight individuals, or with PLT, sCD40L, and sP-selectin in the obese individuals only at high temperature. Conclusions Short-term exposure to atmospheric NO₂ has adverse effects on the coagulation indexes of different weight grouped young individuals, and the obese individuals are more sensitive to it than the normal-weight individuals. High temperature can enhance the adverse health effect of short-term exposure to atmospheric NO₂.