Objective To compare the effects of three kinds of artificial hydronephrosis in percutaneous nephrolithotomy.Methods A total of 120 patients who underwent single-tract percutaneous nephrolithotomy in the Eighth Hospital of Wuhan from May 2020 to April 2022 were selected and divided equally into three groups according to different methods of artificial hydronephrosis.Patients in group A were received preoperative indwelling ureteral catheter and injection of normal saline through ureteral catheter to dilate renal pelvis and form artificial hydronephrosis.Patients in Group B were placed with double J catheters before surgery,and the bladder was filled with physiological saline through the catheter.The renal pelvis was dilated through the double J catheters,resulting in artificial hydronephrosis.Patients in Group C were received intravenous injection of furosemide and stimulated diuretic method to actively dilate renal pelvis to form hydronephrosis.The one-time puncture success rate,channel establishment time,overall operation time,stone clearance rate and incidence of surgical complications of percutaneous nephrolithotomy after hydronephrosis were compared among the three groups.Results The operation was successfully completed in the three groups.There was no significant difference in the one-time puncture success rate and channel establishment time between group A and group B(P>0.05),which were all higher than group C(P<0.05).The overall operation time of group B was shorter than that of group A and group C(P<0.05).There were no significant differences in stone clearance rate and surgical complications among the three groups(P>0.05).Conclusion Preoperative indwelling of double J tubes to create artificial kidney hydronephrosis has advantages such as high success rate of one-time puncture,short channel establishment time,and surgical time.

Background::Although overnight fasting is recommended prior to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), the benefits and safety of high-carbohydrate fluid diet (CFD) intake 2 h before ERCP remain unclear. This study aimed to analyze whether high-CFD intake 2 h before ERCP can be safe and accelerate patients’ recovery.Methods::This prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial involved 15 tertiary ERCP centers. A total of 1330 patients were randomized into CFD group ( n = 665) and fasting group ( n = 665). The CFD group received 400 mL of maltodextrin orally 2 h before ERCP, while the control group abstained from food/water overnight (>6 h) before ERCP. All ERCP procedures were performed using deep sedation with intravenous propofol. The investigators were blinded but not the patients. The primary outcomes included postoperative fatigue and abdominal pain score, and the secondary outcomes included complications and changes in metabolic indicators. The outcomes were analyzed according to a modified intention-to-treat principle. Results::The post-ERCP fatigue scores were significantly lower at 4 h (4.1 ± 2.6 vs. 4.8 ± 2.8, t = 4.23, P <0.001) and 20 h (2.4 ± 2.1 vs. 3.4 ± 2.4, t= 7.94, P <0.001) in the CFD group, with least-squares mean differences of 0.48 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.26–0.71, P <0.001) and 0.76 (95% CI: 0.57–0.95, P <0.001), respectively. The 4-h pain scores (2.1 ± 1.7 vs. 2.2 ± 1.7, t = 2.60, P = 0.009, with a least-squares mean difference of 0.21 [95% CI: 0.05–0.37]) and positive urine ketone levels (7.7% [39/509] vs. 15.4% [82/533], χ2 = 15.13, P <0.001) were lower in the CFD group. The CFD group had significantly less cholangitis (2.1% [13/634] vs. 4.0% [26/658], χ2 = 3.99, P = 0.046) but not pancreatitis (5.5% [35/634] vs. 6.5% [43/658], χ2 = 0.59, P = 0.444). Subgroup analysis revealed that CFD reduced the incidence of complications in patients with native papilla (odds ratio [OR]: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.39–0.95, P = 0.028) in the multivariable models. Conclusion::Ingesting 400 mL of CFD 2 h before ERCP is safe, with a reduction in post-ERCP fatigue, abdominal pain, and cholangitis during recovery.Trail Registration::ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT03075280.

The patient,a male newborn,was admitted to the hospital 2 hours after birth due to prematurity(gestational age 27+5 weeks)and respiratory distress occurring 2 hours postnatally.After admission,the infant developed fever and elevated C-reactive protein levels.On the fourth day after birth,metagenomic next-generation sequencing of cerebrospinal fluid indicated a positive result for Mycoplasma hominis(9 898 reads).On the eighth day,a retest of cerebrospinal fluid metagenomics confirmed Mycoplasma hominis(56 806 reads).The diagnosis of purulent meningitis caused by Mycoplasma hominis was established,and the antibiotic treatment was switched to moxifloxacin[5 mg/(kg·day)]administered intravenously for a total of 4 weeks.After treatment,the patient's cerebrospinal fluid tests returned to normal,and he was discharged as cured on the 76th day after birth.This article focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of neonatal Mycoplasma hominis purulent meningitis,introducing the multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment of the condition in extremely preterm infants.[Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics,2024,26(4):432-436]

Aesculus chinensis is an important medicinal and horticultural plant. Its dried mature seeds, known as "Suoluozi", are a well-known traditional Chinese medicine. Aescins are its main active components, possessing multiple pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory and anti-exudative effects. They are widely used in the treatment of diseases such as lumbar disc herniation, postoperative edema, and sports injuries, leading to a continuous increase in market demand in recent years. The DNA binding with one finger(Dof) family is a unique transcription factor family found in the plant kingdom. It plays a crucial role in plant growth, development, stress responses, and regulation of secondary metabolism. However, research on the Dof gene family in A. chinensis is relatively scarce. In this study, we identified 36 AcDof genes from the genome of A. chinensis and analyzed their physicochemical properties, chromosomal localization, phylogenetic relationships, gene structures, cis-acting elements, and expression patterns in different tissues. The results showed that AcDof proteins ranged from 81 to 493 amino acids in length, with molecular weights ranging from 9 270.38 to 55 015.68 and isoelectric points ranging from 4.84 to 10.2. The subcellular localization analysis revealed that 34 AcDof proteins were located in the nucleus, while the remaining two AcDof proteins were located in the chloroplasts. Phylogenetic analysis divided AcDofs into nine subgroups, and gene structure analysis indicated that all AcDof genes possessed a C2-C2 type single zinc finger domain. Gene expression analysis using transcriptome data revealed tissue-specific expression patterns among AcDof family members. Specifically, AcDof04, AcDof02, and AcDof03 exhibited specific expression in seeds, suggesting their potential involvement in the regulation of aescin biosynthesis. This study not only enhances our understanding of the Dof gene family in A. chinensis but also provides important genetic resources for further investigation of the functions and regulatory mechanisms of Dof genes in this species.
Plant Proteins/metabolism* ; Phylogeny ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Transcription Factors/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Multigene Family

‍ ObjectiveTo investigate the value of serum complement C3 level in determining the stage of liver fibrosis in primary biliary cholangitis （PBC）. MethodsClinical data were collected from 108 patients with PBC who attended Tianjin Second People’s Hospital and underwent liver biopsy from January 2012 to October 2022. The degree of liver fibrosis （S0-4） was assessed according to the Scheuer scoring system， with ≥S2 defined as significant liver fibrosis， ≥S3 defined as progressive liver fibrosis， and S4 defined as liver cirrhosis. The independent samples t-test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups， and a one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison between multiple groups； the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups， and the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison between multiple groups； the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. The area under the ROC curve （AUC） was used to evaluate the efficacy of complement C3 in the diagnosis of liver fibrosis in patients with PBC. The Spearman correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation between complement C3 and liver fibrosis stage. ResultsAmong the 108 patients with PBC， there were 87 （80.6%） female patients and 102 patients （94.4%） with positive autoantibody. As for the stage of liver fibrosis， there were 5 patients （4.6%） in S0 stage， 41 （38.0%） in S1 stage， 23 （21.3%） in S2 stage， 25 （23.1%） in S3 stage， and 14 （13.0%） in S4 stage. There was a significant difference in the level of complement C3 between the patients with different liver fibrosis stages （H=42.891， P<0.001）. The level of complement C3 gradually decreased with the aggravation of liver fibrosis， with a negative correlation between them （r=-0.565， P<0.001）. Liver stiffness measurement （LSM）， aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase ratio， aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index， and fibrosis-4 were negatively correlated with complement C3， with a correlation coefficient of -0.439 （P<0.001）， -0.323 （P=0.001）， -0.206 （P=0.033）， and -0.291 （P=0.002）， respectively. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that complement C3 level was an independent predictive factor for significant liver fibrosis， progressive liver fibrosis， and liver cirrhosis， while LSM was an independent predictive factor for significant liver fibrosis and progressive liver fibrosis. The ROC curve analysis showed that complement C3 had an AUC of 0.731， 0.832， and 0.968， respectively， in the diagnosis of significant liver fibrosis， progressive liver fibrosis， and liver cirrhosis， with a corresponding cut-off value of 1.445， 1.235， and 1.005， respectively， and complement C3 combined with LSM had an AUC of 0.811， 0.941， and 0.976， respectively， in the diagnosis of significant liver fibrosis， progressive liver fibrosis， and liver cirrhosis. There was a significant difference in AUC between complement C3 combined with LSM and complement C3 alone in the diagnosis of significant liver fibrosis （Z=2.604， P=0.009）， and there was also a significant difference in AUC between complement C3 combined with LSM and complement C3 alone in the diagnosis of progressive liver fibrosis （Z=3.033， P=0.002）； there was no significant difference in AUC between complement C3 combined with LSM and complement C3 alone in the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis （Z=1.050， P=0.294）， while There was a significant difference in AUC between complement C3 combined with LSM and LSM alone in the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis （Z=2.326， P=0.020）. ConclusionSerum complement C3 level has a certain clinical value in assessing the degree of liver fibrosis in patients with PBC， and complement C3 combined with LSM can further improve the efficacy of complement C3 or LSM in the diagnosis of liver fibrosis in PBC.

Objective: To investigate the association between muscle mass and quality of life in adults in Shaanxi adults. Methods: The data in this analysis were part of the baseline survey of the Regional Ethnic Cohort Study in Northwest China from June 2018 to May 2019 in Shaanxi Province. The participants' quality of life, including physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS), was assessed by the 12-Item Short Form Survey, and the Body Fat Determination System measured muscle mass. A logistic regression model with adjustment for confounding factors was established to analyze the association between muscle mass and quality of life in different genders. Further, sensitivity and subgroup analyses were conducted to explore its stability. Finally, a restricted cubic spline was employed to investigate the dose-response relationship between muscle mass and quality of life in different genders. Results: A total of 20 595 participants were included, with an average age of 55.0, and 33.4% were male. After controlling for potential confounders, compared with the Q₁ group, the risk of low PCS was reduced by 20.6% (OR=0.794, 95%CI: 0.681-0.925) and the risk of low MCS was lower reduced by 20.1% (OR=0.799, 95%CI: 0.689-0.926) in female Q₅ groups. Compared with the Q₁ group, the risk of low PCS was reduced by 24.4% (OR=0.756, 95%CI: 0.644-0.888) in the male Q₂ group. However, no significant association between muscle mass and MCS in males has been found. In females, restricted cubic spline analysis showed a significant linear dose-response relationship between muscle mass and PCS and MCS. Conclusions: There is a positive association between muscle mass and quality of life in Shaanxi adults, especially females. With the increase in muscle mass, the physical and mental functions of the population continue to improve.
Humans ; Female ; Adult ; Male ; Quality of Life ; Cohort Studies ; Adipose Tissue ; China ; Muscles

In recent years, the clinical treatment of colorectal cancer(CRC) has made great progress, but chemoresistance is still one of the main reasons for reducing the survival rate of patients with colorectal cancer. Therefore, ameliorating chemotherapy resis-tance is an urgent problem to be solved. The purpose of this study was to investigate the regulatory role and related molecular mechanisms of hydroxysafflor yellow A(HSYA) in colorectal cancer cell proliferation, migration, and 5-fluorouracil(5-FU) chemoresistance. In this study, HCT116 and HT-29 cells were used as research subjects. Firstly, methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium(MTT) assay and colony formation assay were used to detect and analyze the effect of HSYA on the proliferation of CRC cells. Secondly, the effect of HSYA on the cell cycle in CRC cells was analyzed by cell cycle assay. Furthermore, the effect of HSYA on the migration of CRC cells was analyzed by wound-healing assay and Transwell assay. Based on the above, the influences of HSYA on 5-FU chemoresistance of CRC cells and related molecular mechanisms were explored and analyzed. The results showed that HSYA significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of CRC cells, and arrested the cell cycle in G_0/G_1 phase. In addition, HSYA significantly ameliorated the chemoresistance of CRC cells to 5-FU. The results of acridine orange staining and Western blot showed that the autophagy activity of CRC cells in the HSYA and 5-FU combined treatment group was significantly higher than that in the 5-FU single drug treatment group. As compared with the 5-FU single drug treatment group, the phosphorylation levels of protein kinase B(Akt) and mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR) in the HSYA and 5-FU combined treatment group were significantly reduced, indicating that the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway in the combined treatment group was down-regulated in CRC cells. In conclusion, HSYA may upregulate autophagy activity through the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, thereby inhibiting the proliferation and migration of CRC cells and ameliorating the chemoresistance to 5-FU.
Humans ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Cell Line, Tumor ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism* ; Fluorouracil/pharmacology* ; Cell Proliferation ; Autophagy ; Colorectal Neoplasms/drug therapy*

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of shading intensity on the growth, yield, and quality of Artemisia stolonifera so as to provide references for the artificial cultivation of A. stolonifera. The seedlings of A. stolonifera with consistent growth underwent shading treatment at four shading intensity levels(0, 55%, 85%, and 95%) with different layers of black shading nets. The agronomic indexes, yield, moxa yield, total ash, quality characteristics of moxa during combustion and pyrolysis, main volatile components, flavonoids, and phenolic acids were measured. The results showed that under shading conditions, the stem diameter, leaf width, 5-leaf spacing, branch number, and yield of A. stolonifera decreased significantly, while the plant height, leaf length, leaf number, chlorophyll content, and moxa yield increased first and then decreased with the increase in shading intensity. The burning performance of moxa under natural light was better than that under moderate and severe shading conditions. The content of eucalyptol first increased and then decreased with the increase in shading intensity. The humulene content was negatively correlated with shading intensity. Other major volatile components showed no significant difference under various shading conditions. The content of neochlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, isoschaftoside, and isochlorogenic acid B was positively correlated with shading intensity, while the content of chlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid A, and isochlorogenic acid C decreased first and then increased with the increase in shading intensity. To sum up, A. stolonifera is a light-loving plant, and shading can greatly reduce the yield, the content of internal components, and the burning performance of moxa. It is the main reason why A. stolonifera is mainly distributed in the forest edge, open forest, roadside, and wasteland grass in the middle and high mountains in the wild. For artificial domestication and cultivation of A. stolonifera, it is better to select plots with sufficient light.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the characteristics and prognosis of acute leukemia(AL) with SET-NUP214 fusion gene. METHODS: The clinical data of 17 patients over 14 years old newly diagnosed with SET-NUP214 positive AL admitted in Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital from August 2017 to May 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Among the 17 SET-NUP214 positive patients, 13 cases were diagnosed as T-ALL (ETP 3 cases, Pro-T-ALL 6 cases, Pre-T-ALL 3 cases, Medullary-T-ALL 1 case), AML 3 cases (2 cases M5, 1 case M0) and ALAL 1 case. Thirteen patients presented extramedullary infiltration at initial diagnosis. All 17 patients received treatment, and a total of 16 cases achieved complete remission (CR), including 12 cases in patients with T-ALL. The total median OS and RFS time were 23 (3-50) months and 21 (0-48) months, respectively. Eleven patients received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(allo-HSCT), with median OS time of 37.5 (5-50) months and median RFS time of 29.5 (5-48) months. The median OS time of 6 patients in chemotherapy-only group was 10.5 (3-41) months, and median RFS time of 6.5 (3-39) months. The OS and RFS of patients with transplantation group were better than those of chemotherapy-only group (P=0.038). Among the 4 patients who relapsed or refractory after allo-HSCT, the SET-NUP214 fusion gene did not turn negative before transplantation. While, in the group of 7 patients who have not relapsed after allo-HSCT till now, the SET-NUP214 fusion gene expression of 5 patients turned negative before transplantation and other 2 of them were still positive. CONCLUSION The fusion site of SET-NUP214 fusion gene is relatively fixed in AL patients, often accompanied by extramedullary infiltration. The chemotherapy effect of this disease is poor, and allo-HSCT may improve its prognosis.
Humans ; Adolescent ; Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; Retrospective Studies ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/therapy* ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Acute Disease ; Prognosis ; Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell/therapy* ; Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins