ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanisms of mitochondrial dynamics and metabolic reprogramming in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy （DN） by Shenxiao Tongluo prescription via the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α （PGC-1α）/sirtuin-3 （SIRT3）/hypoxia-inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α） signaling pathway. MethodsSixty-five SD rats were randomized into a sham group （10 rats） and a modeling group （55 rats）， and the modeling rats underwent left nephrectomy and intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin （35 mg·kg^-1） to prepare a DN model. After successful modeling， the rats were randomized into model， empagliflozin （10 mg·kg^-1）， and low-， medium-， and high-dose （7.656， 15.312， 30.624 g·kg^-1， respectively） Shenxiao Tongluo prescription groups. The urine microalbumin （UmAlb）， blood urea nitrogen （BUN）， and serum creatinine （SCr） levels of rats in each group were assessed after continuous gavage for 8 weeks. The corresponding kits were used to measure the levels of lactate， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， and malondialdehyde （MDA） in the kidney tissue. Hematoxylin-eosin staining， Masson staining， and periodic acid-Schiff staining were performed to observe the pathological changes in the kidney tissue. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to observe mitochondrial morphology. Immunohistochemistry was employed to determine the expression levels of dynamin-related protein 1 （DRP1） and pyruvate kinase M2 （PKM2） in the kidney tissue. Western blot was adopted to assess the protein levels of PGC-1α， SIRT3， HIF-1α， dynamin-related protein 1 （Drp1）， optic atrophy 1 （OPA1）， hexokinase 2 （HK2）， and pyruvate kinase M2 （PKM2） in the kidney tissue. ResultsCompared with the sham group， the model group showed elevated levels of UmAlb， BUN， SCr， lactate， and MDA， decreased SOD level （P<0.05）， glomerular hypertrophy， thickening of the mesangial basement membrane， vacuolar degeneration of renal tubular epithelial cells， and infiltration of renal interstitial inflammatory cells， oval mitochondria with disordered， blurred or disappearing cristae， down-regulated protein levels of PGC-1α， SIRT3， and OPA1， and up-regulated protein levels of HIF-1α， DRP1， HK2， and PKM2 （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the treatment in all the groups increased the body weight， lowered the levels of GLU， UmAlb， BUN， and MDA， raised the level of SOD， alleviated the pathological damage in the kidney tissue and mitochondrial damage， up-regulated the expression of PGC-1α， SIRT3， and OPA1， and down-regulated the expression of HIF-1α， DRP1， and PKM2 （P<0.05）. Empagliflozin and Shenxiao Tongluo prescription at medium and high doses lowered the levels of SCr and lactate and down-regulated the expression of HK2 （P<0.05）， which had no statistical significance in the low-dose Shenxiao Tongluo prescription group. ConclusionShenxiao Tongluo prescription may regulate mitochondrial dynamics and metabolic reprogramming by activating the PGC-1α/SIRT3/HIF-1α pathway， thereby alleviating oxidative damage in the kidney tissue and delaying the progression of DN.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanisms of mitochondrial dynamics and metabolic reprogramming in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy （DN） by Shenxiao Tongluo prescription via the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α （PGC-1α）/sirtuin-3 （SIRT3）/hypoxia-inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α） signaling pathway. MethodsSixty-five SD rats were randomized into a sham group （10 rats） and a modeling group （55 rats）， and the modeling rats underwent left nephrectomy and intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin （35 mg·kg^-1） to prepare a DN model. After successful modeling， the rats were randomized into model， empagliflozin （10 mg·kg^-1）， and low-， medium-， and high-dose （7.656， 15.312， 30.624 g·kg^-1， respectively） Shenxiao Tongluo prescription groups. The urine microalbumin （UmAlb）， blood urea nitrogen （BUN）， and serum creatinine （SCr） levels of rats in each group were assessed after continuous gavage for 8 weeks. The corresponding kits were used to measure the levels of lactate， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， and malondialdehyde （MDA） in the kidney tissue. Hematoxylin-eosin staining， Masson staining， and periodic acid-Schiff staining were performed to observe the pathological changes in the kidney tissue. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to observe mitochondrial morphology. Immunohistochemistry was employed to determine the expression levels of dynamin-related protein 1 （DRP1） and pyruvate kinase M2 （PKM2） in the kidney tissue. Western blot was adopted to assess the protein levels of PGC-1α， SIRT3， HIF-1α， dynamin-related protein 1 （Drp1）， optic atrophy 1 （OPA1）， hexokinase 2 （HK2）， and pyruvate kinase M2 （PKM2） in the kidney tissue. ResultsCompared with the sham group， the model group showed elevated levels of UmAlb， BUN， SCr， lactate， and MDA， decreased SOD level （P<0.05）， glomerular hypertrophy， thickening of the mesangial basement membrane， vacuolar degeneration of renal tubular epithelial cells， and infiltration of renal interstitial inflammatory cells， oval mitochondria with disordered， blurred or disappearing cristae， down-regulated protein levels of PGC-1α， SIRT3， and OPA1， and up-regulated protein levels of HIF-1α， DRP1， HK2， and PKM2 （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the treatment in all the groups increased the body weight， lowered the levels of GLU， UmAlb， BUN， and MDA， raised the level of SOD， alleviated the pathological damage in the kidney tissue and mitochondrial damage， up-regulated the expression of PGC-1α， SIRT3， and OPA1， and down-regulated the expression of HIF-1α， DRP1， and PKM2 （P<0.05）. Empagliflozin and Shenxiao Tongluo prescription at medium and high doses lowered the levels of SCr and lactate and down-regulated the expression of HK2 （P<0.05）， which had no statistical significance in the low-dose Shenxiao Tongluo prescription group. ConclusionShenxiao Tongluo prescription may regulate mitochondrial dynamics and metabolic reprogramming by activating the PGC-1α/SIRT3/HIF-1α pathway， thereby alleviating oxidative damage in the kidney tissue and delaying the progression of DN.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of resistance combined with aerobic chrono-exercise on the common carotid artery elasticity and hemodynamics. 24 healthy young men (21.96±0.43 years old) underwent a single acute resistance combined with aerobic exercise intervention at eight time periods (6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 o'clock). The axial flow velocity and diameter waveforms of the common carotid artery were measured, and the hemodynamics were calculated using the classical hemodynamic theory before exercise, immediately after exercise, 10 min and 20 min after exercise. The results showed that during exercise recovery, systolic and mean pressures decreased more markedly after exercise at 8 o'clock (P < 0.05); At 20 min post-exercise, arterial stiffness index and pressure-strain elastic modulus after exercise at 6 o'clock were reduced compared with the resting state, but were significantly elevated after exercise at 20 o'clock (P < 0.05). Immediately after exercise, the pressure rise was higher after exercise at 6 o'clock and the mean wall shear stress was higher after exercise at 20 o'clock (P < 0.05). These results suggest that resistance combined with aerobic chrono-exercise produces different effects on common carotid artery hemodynamics in young men. A single acute session of resistance combined with aerobic exercise at 8 o'clock is more effective in lowering blood pressure. Exercise at 6 o'clock is beneficial to improve arterial elasticity but is not recommended for young male individuals with cardiovascular disease risks because of the excessive increase in blood pressure immediately after exercise. Exercise at 20 o'clock is more effective in improving wall shear stress but is accompanied by elevated arterial stiffness indices and pressure-strain elastic modulus. These results provide a scientific basis for healthy young men in choosing the time of exercise by exploring the common carotid artery elasticity and hemodynamic-related indices.
Humans ; Male ; Young Adult ; Exercise/physiology* ; Carotid Artery, Common/physiology* ; Hemodynamics/physiology* ; Vascular Stiffness/physiology* ; Elasticity ; Resistance Training ; Adult

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac arrhythmia in the elderly. This study aimed to evaluate urban-rural disparities in its prevalence and management in elderly Chinese. METHODS: Consecutive participants aged ≥ 65 years attending outpatient clinics were enrolled for AF screening using handheld single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) from April 2017 to December 2022. Each ECG rhythm strip was reviewed from the research team. AF or uninterpretable single-lead ECGs were referred for 12-lead ECG. Primary study outcome comparison was between rural and urban areas for the prevalence of AF. The Student's t-test was used to compare mean values of clinical characteristics between rural and urban participants, while the Pearson's chi-square test was used to compare between-group proportions. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the association between AF and various patient characteristics. RESULTS: The 29,166 study participants included 13,253 men (45.4%) and had a mean age of 72.2 years. The 7073 rural participants differed significantly (P ≤ 0.02) from the 22,093 urban participants in several major characteristics, such as older age, greater body mass index, and so on. The overall prevalence of AF was 4.6% (n = 1347). AF was more prevalent in 7073 rural participants than 22,093 urban participants (5.6% vs. 4.3%, P < 0.01), before and after adjustment for age, body mass index, blood pressure, pulse rate, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and prior medical history. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified overweight/obesity (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.17-1.54) in urban areas and cigarette smoking (OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.20-2.17) and alcohol consumption (OR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.04-1.93) in rural areas as specific risk factors for prevalent AF. In patients with known AF in urban areas (n = 781) and rural areas (n = 338), 60.6% and 45.9%, respectively, received AF treatment (P < 0.01), and only 22.4% and 17.2%, respectively, received anticoagulation therapy (P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS In China, there are urban-rural disparities in AF in the elderly, with a higher prevalence and worse management in rural areas than urban areas. Our study findings provide insight for health policymakers to consider urban-rural disparity in the prevention and treatment of AF.

Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) acts as an oncogene in liver cancer, yet its roles and in-depth molecular mechanisms within the liver cancer immune microenvironment remain mostly undefined. Here, we demonstrated that disruption of tumor-intrinsic PRMT5 enhances CD8⁺ T-cell-mediated antitumor immunity both in vivo and in vitro. Further experiments verified that this effect is achieved through downregulation of the inhibitory immune checkpoint molecule, fibrinogen-like protein 1 (FGL1). Mechanistically, PRMT5 catalyzed symmetric dimethylation of transcription factor 12 (TCF12) at arginine 554 (R554), prompting the binding of TCF12 to FGL1 promoter region, which transcriptionally activated FGL1 in tumor cells. Methylation deficiency at TCF12-R554 residue downregulated FGL1 expression, which promoted CD8⁺ T-cell-mediated antitumor immunity. Notably, combining the PRMT5 methyltransferase inhibitor GSK591 with PD-L1 blockade efficiently inhibited liver cancer growth and improved overall survival in mice. Collectively, our findings reveal the immunosuppressive role and mechanism of PRMT5 in liver cancer and highlight that targeting PRMT5 could boost checkpoint immunotherapy efficacy.

Glioma represents the most prevalent malignant tumor of the central nervous system, with chemotherapy serving as an essential adjunctive treatment. However, most chemotherapeutic agents exhibit limited ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB). This study introduced a novel dual-targeting strategy for glioma therapy by modulating the formation of nanobody-driven protein coronas to enhance the brain and tumor-targeting efficiency of hydrophobic cisplatin prodrug-loaded lipid nanoparticles (C8Pt-Ls). Specifically, nanobodies (Nbs) with fibrinogen-binding capabilities were conjugated to the surface of C8Pt-Ls, resulting in the generation of Nb-C8Pt-Ls. Within the bloodstream, Nb-C8Pt-Ls could bound more fibrinogen, forming the protein corona that specifically interacted with LRP-1, a receptor highly expressed on the BBB. This interaction enabled a "Hitchhiking Effect" mechanism, facilitating efficient trans-BBB transport and promoting effective brain targeting. Additionally, the protein corona interacted with LRP-1, which is also overexpressed in glioma cells, achieving precise tumor targeting. Computational simulations and SPR detection clarified the molecular interaction mechanism of the Nb-fibrinogen-(LRP-1) complex, confirming its binding specificity and stability. Our results demonstrated that this strategy significantly enhanced C8Pt accumulation in brain tissues and tumors, induced apoptosis in glioma cells, and improved therapeutic efficacy. This study provides a novel framework for glioma therapy and underscores the potential of protein corona modulation-based dual-targeting strategies in advancing treatments for brain tumors.

This study aimed to comprehensively examine the association of gallstones, cholecystectomy, and cancer risk. Multivariable logistic regressions were performed to estimate the observational associations of gallstones and cholecystectomy with cancer risk, using data from a nationwide cohort involving 239 799 participants. General and gender-specific two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was further conducted to assess the causalities of the observed associations. Observationally, a history of gallstones without cholecystectomy was associated with a high risk of stomach cancer (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=2.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.50-4.28), liver and bile duct cancer (aOR=2.46, 95% CI 1.17-5.16), kidney cancer (aOR=2.04, 95% CI 1.05-3.94), and bladder cancer (aOR=2.23, 95% CI 1.01-5.13) in the general population, as well as cervical cancer (aOR=1.69, 95% CI 1.12-2.56) in women. Moreover, cholecystectomy was associated with high odds of stomach cancer (aOR=2.41, 95% CI 1.29-4.49), colorectal cancer (aOR=1.83, 95% CI 1.18-2.85), and cancer of liver and bile duct (aOR=2.58, 95% CI 1.11-6.02). MR analysis only supported the causal effect of gallstones on stomach, liver and bile duct, kidney, and bladder cancer. This study added evidence to the causal effect of gallstones on stomach, liver and bile duct, kidney, and bladder cancer, highlighting the importance of cancer screening in individuals with gallstones.
Humans ; Mendelian Randomization Analysis ; Gallstones/complications* ; Female ; Male ; Cholecystectomy/statistics & numerical data* ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Aged ; Adult ; Neoplasms/etiology* ; Stomach Neoplasms/epidemiology*

Objective To investigate the genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of AB type GM2 gangliosidosis(GM2-GLS)with onset during childhood.Methods The report analyzed the clinical data and gene detection results of a 4-year-old child with AB type GM2-GLS diagnosed by Trio whole exome detection in March 2022 admitted to the Department of Pediatrics of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region People's Hospital.The clinical data and genetic testing results are analyzed.A literature review was also conducted on relevant studies published between 1991 and 2022 in the PubMed database.Results The results of Trio whole exome sequencing and Sanger verification showed that the GM2A gene carried two compound heterozygous mutations:c.158_159delTG and c.496G>A,which caused p.L53Rfs*3 frameshift mutation and p.G166R missense mutation,respectively.A total of 20 cases were reported in 22 articles.A total of 11 mutation types of GM2A gene were included in the ClinVar Database.Conclusions AB type GM2-GLS is a rare autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disease,and its gene test is helpful for definite diagnosis.

Objective:To explore the clinical correlation and prognostic value of the Albumin-Bilirubin(ALBI)score in children with secondary hemophagocytic syndrome(sHLH).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the data of children's sHLH cases clearly diagnosed in the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University from January 2012 to March 2023.Survival analysis was conducted according to the ALBI classification.Spearman correlation analysis was conducted between the ALBI score and clinical indicators.The Receiver Operating Characteristic(ROC)curve was used to evaluate the ALBI score,select the best cutoff value,and evaluate the accuracy of prognostic prediction value.Kaplan-Meier method was used to draw the survival curve.Log-rank method was used to compare the differences of survival curve between groups.Cox regression was used for prognostic analysis and restricted cubic spline curves used to calculate the relationship between ALBI scores and the risk of death in children with sHLH.Results:A total of 128 children with sHLH were included in this study,with a median age of 38(13.25,84)months.There were 70 males(54.69％)and 58 females(45.31％).The survival analysis results of ALBI grading showed that the survival rate of HLH patients with ALBI grade 3 was significantly lower than those with ALBI grades 1 and 2.Spearman correlation analysis results showed that ALBI score was positively correlated with splenomegaly,respiratory failure,disseminated intravascular coagulation(DIC),pulmonary hemorrhage,gastrointestinal hemorrhage,central nervous system involvement,ALT,AST,TG,LDH,PT,APTT,and SF(the correlation coefficients are:r=0.181,0.362,0.332,0.221,0.351,0.347,0.391,0.563,0.180,0.448,0.483,0.37,0.356),and was negatively correlated with HB,PLT,and FIB(the correlation coefficients are:r=-0.321,-0.316,-0.423),but was not significantly correlated with EBV infection,fungal infection,hepatomegaly,and ANC(P＞0.05).Using the ROC curve,the cutoff value of ALBI was-1.76.Single factor Cox regression analysis results showed that HB＜90 g/L,ALT ≥ 80 U/L,AST≥200 U/L,LDH ≥1 000 U/L,PT ≥20 s,APTT≥40 s,FIB＜1.5 g/L,ALBI ≥-1.76,combined pulmonary hemorrhage,DIC,central nervous system involvement,gastrointestinal bleeding,and not using blood purification may be the prognostic risk factors for children with sHLH(P＜0.05).Multivariate Cox regression results showed that FIB＜1.5 g/L(HR=2.119,95％CI:1.028-4.368),ALBI≥-1.76(HR=2.452,95％CI:1.233-4.875),and central nervous system involvement(HR=4.674,95％CI:2.486-8.789)were independent risk factors affecting prognosis,while blood purification(HR=0.306,95％CI:0.153-0.612)was an independent protective factor for prognosis.The application of restricted cubic splines shows that the risk of death increases with the increase of ALBI score.The area under the ROC curve(AUC)of the ALBI score for predicting the risk of 1-week,2-week,4-week,and overall mortality were 0.825,0.807,0.700,and 0.693,respectively,indicating good predictive performance for early mortality risk.According to subgroup analysis results of clinical manifestations,compared with the ALBI＜-1.76 group,ALBI≥-1.76 was associated with age ≤2 years,EBV infection,HLH-1994/2004 treatment,concomitant respiratory failure,and ANC≤1.0 × 109/L,HB＜90 g/L,PLT＜100 × 109/L,TG≥3.0 mmol/L,LDH ≥ 1 000 U/L,APTT≥40 s,and FIB＜1.5 g/L(P＜0.05).Conclusion:The ALBI score is related to the clinical characteristics and laboratory indicators of sHLH,and can be used as a beneficial indicator for assessing the prognostic risk of sHLH in children.It has good accuracy and clinical application value in predicting the prognosis of sHLH in children.

Objective To explore the feasibility of quantitative EEG parameters for prognostic prediction of patients with severe aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage(SaSAH)90 d after the onset of the disease.Methods Patients with SaSAH admitted to the Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit(NSICU)of Henan Provincial People's Hospital from September 2022 to September 2023 were prospectively consecutively enrolled,and baseline data were collected,including age,gender,medical history(hypertension,diabetes mellitus,coronary artery disease,and stroke),history of smoking,history of drinking,location of aneurysm(anterior circulation,posterior circulation),surgical modality(craniotomy,interventional surgery,hybrid surgery),Hunt-Hess classification,Glasgow coma scale(GCS)score,acute physiology and chronic health status scoring system Ⅱ(APACHE Ⅱ)score,subarachnoid hemorrhage early brain edema score(SEBES),first randomized blood glucose level after admission to NSICU,lactate level,and duration of NSICU stay.Quantitative EEG monitoring was performed in all patients within 48 h after admission to the NSICU,and amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram(aEEG)upper and lower boundaries,95％spectral edge frequency(SEF95),α change,(δ+θ)to(α+β)power ratio(DTABR),brain symmetry index(BSI),and spectral entropy were collected.Based on modified Rankin scale(mRS)scores 90 d after onset,patients were categorized into good prognosis(mRS score 2 points)and poor prognosis(mRS score 3-6 points)groups.Spearman rank correlation was used to analyze the correlation between quantitative EEG parameters and mRS scores in SaSAH patients.Multifactorial Logistic regression analysis was used to screen for correlates of poor prognosis,and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were plotted to evaluate the efficacy of each index in predicting patients'poor prognosis.Results(1)A total of 72 patients with SaSAH were included,with 47 in the poor prognosis group and 25 in the good prognosis group,and the poor prognosis rate at 90 d after the onset was 65.3％.There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of gender,age,hypertension,diabetes mellitus,coronary artery disease,history of stroke,history of smoking,history of drinking,location of aneurysm,surgical modality,lactate level,and length of hospitalization in the NSICU(all P＞0.05);the differences between the Hunt-Hess grading,SEBES,and random blood glucose were statistically significant upon comparison(all P＜0.05).Compared with the good prognosis group,the changes of aEEG upper and lower boundary,SEF95,α change and spectral entropy were lower in the poor prognosis group,but DTABR and BSI were higher(all P＜0.05).(2)Spearman rank correlation analysis showed that the upper border of aEEG(r=-0.41,P＜0.01),lower border of aEEG(r=-0.54,P＜0.01),SEF95(r=-0.46,P＜0.01),α change(r=-0.53,P＜0.01)and spectral entropy(r=-0.39,P＜0.01)were negatively correlated with the mRS scores of SaSAH patients,and DTABR(r=0.52,P＜0.01)and BSI(r=0.33,P＜0.01)were positively correlated with poor prognosis of SaSAH patients.(3)The results of multifactorial Logistic regression analysis showed that Hunt-Hess grading(level Ⅳ vs.Ⅲ:OR,1.203,95％CI 1.005-1.441,P=0.044;level V vs.Ⅲ:OR,1.661,95％CI 1.109-2.487,P=0.014),SEBES(OR,1.647,95％CI 1.050-2.586;P=0.030),aEEG lower border(OR,0.687,95％CI 0.496-0.953l;P=0.024),SEF95(OR,0.436,95％CI0.202-0.937;P=0.034),α change(OR,0.368,95％CI0.189-0.717;P=0.003),DTABR(OR,1.324,95％CI 1.064-1.649;P=0.012),and BSI(OR,1.513,95％CI 1.026-2.231;P=0.036)were influencing factors of poor prognosis in SaSAH patients.ROC curve analysis showed that all of the above seven indicators had a certain predictive value for poor prognosis in SaSAH patients,among which the area under the curve of DTABR was the highest as 0.862(95％CI 0.761-0.932),with sensitivity 85.11％and specificity 80.00％.Conclusion Quantitative EEG parameters aEEG lower border,SEF95,α change,DTABR,and BSI may have certain predictive value for the short-term prognosis of SaSAH patients,which needs to be further confirmed in future multi-center large-sample studies.