OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether auraptene (AUR) exerts a protective effect on acute diquat (DQ)-induced liver injury in mice and explore its underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Forty SPF-grade healthy male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into normal control group (Control group), DQ poisoning model group (DQ group), AUR treatment group (DQ+AUR group), and AUR control group (AUR group), with 10 mice in each group. The DQ poisoning model was established via a single intraperitoneal injection of 40 mg/kg DQ aqueous solution (0.5 mL); Control group and AUR group received an equal volume of pure water intraperitoneally. Four hours post-modeling, DQ+AUR group and AUR group were administered 0.5 mg/kg AUR aqueous solution (0.2 mL) by gavage once daily for 7 consecutive days, while Control group and DQ group received pure water. Blood and liver tissues were collected after anesthesia on day 7. Liver ultrastructure was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were measured via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Hepatic glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were detected using WST-1, thiobarbituric acid (TBA), and enzymatic reaction methods, respectively. Protein expression of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), and activated caspase-9 in liver tissues was analyzed by Western blotting. RESULTS: Transmission electron microscopy revealed that mitochondria in the Control group exhibited mild swelling, uneven distribution of matrix, and a small number of cristae fractures. In the AUR group, mitochondria showed mild swelling, with no obvious disruption of cristae structure. In the DQ group, mitochondria demonstrated marked swelling and increased volume, matrix dissolution, loss and fragmentation of cristae, and extensive vacuolization. In contrast, the DQ+AUR group showed significantly reduced mitochondrial swelling, volume increase, matrix dissolution, cristae loss and fragmentation, and vacuolization compared to the DQ group. Compared with the DQ group, the DQ+AUR group exhibited significantly lower serum AST levels (U/L: 173.45±23.60 vs. 255.33±41.51), ALT levels (U/L: 51.77±21.63 vs. 100.70±32.35), and hepatic MDA levels (μmol/g: 12.40±2.76 vs. 19.74±4.10), along with higher hepatic GSH levels (mmol/g: 37.65±14.95 vs. 20.58±8.52) and SOD levels (kU/g: 124.10±33.77 vs. 82.81±22.00), the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). Western blotting showed upregulated Nrf2 expression (Nrf2/β-actin: 0.87±0.37 vs. 0.53±0.22) and HO-1 expression (HO-1/β-actin: 1.06±0.22 vs. 0.49±0.08), and downregulated Keap1 expression (Keap1/β-actin: 0.82±0.12 vs. 1.52±0.76) and activated caspase-9 expression (activated caspase-9/β-actin: 1.16±0.28 vs. 1.71±0.30) in the DQ+AUR group compared to the DQ group (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION AUR attenuates DQ-induced acute liver injury in mice by activating the Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway.
Animals ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Liver/pathology* ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/drug therapy* ; Diquat/poisoning* ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/metabolism* ; Oxidative Stress ; Apoptosis ; Coumarins

OBJECTIVE: Observational studies have found associations between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and the risk of dementia, including Alzheimer's dementia (AD) and vascular dementia (VD); however, these findings are inconsistent. It remains unclear whether these associations are causal. METHODS: We conducted a meta-analysis by systematically searching for observational studies on the association between IBD and dementia. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis based on summary genome-wide association studies (GWASs) was performed. Genetic correlation and Bayesian co-localization analyses were used to provide robust genetic evidence. RESULTS: Ten observational studies involving 80,565,688 participants were included in this meta-analysis. IBD was significantly associated with dementia (risk ratio [ RR] =1.36, 95% CI = 1.04-1.78; I ² = 84.8%) and VD ( RR = 2.60, 95% CI = 1.18-5.70; only one study), but not with AD ( RR = 2.00, 95% CI = 0.96-4.13; I ² = 99.8%). MR analyses did not supported significant causal associations of IBD with dementia (dementia: odds ratio [ OR] = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.98-1.03; AD: OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.95-1.01; VD: OR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.97-1.07). In addition, genetic correlation and co-localization analyses did not reveal any genetic associations between IBD and dementia. CONCLUSION Our study did not provide genetic evidence for a causal association between IBD and dementia risk. The increased risk of dementia observed in observational studies may be attributed to unobserved confounding factors or detection bias.
Humans ; Mendelian Randomization Analysis ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/complications* ; Dementia/etiology* ; Observational Studies as Topic ; Genome-Wide Association Study

Objective:To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of HEMO-FISS-QoL(HF-QoL) questionnaire (HF-QoL-C) in the Chinese population with hemorrhoids.Methods:From November 2021 to November 2022, a self-constructed general information questionnaire, HF-QoL-C, and the 36-item short form health survey (SF-36), Goligher classification, and Giordano severity of hemorrhoid symptom questionnaire (GSQ) were used to conduct a questionnaire survey on 760 hemorrhoid patients in the anorectal department of six hospitals. The data was analyzed for reliability and validity using SPSS 21.0 and AMOS 26.0 software.Results:The Cronbach's α coefficient of HF-QoL-C and its dimension ranged from 0.831 to 0.960, and the split coefficient was 0.832-0.915. Four common factors were extracted through principal component exploratory factor analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated acceptable structural validity( χ2/ df=8.152, RSMEA=0.097, CFI=0.881, IFI=0.881, NFI=0.867). HF-QoL-C was correlated with SF36 and GSQ( r=-0.694, 0.501, both P<0.01). There were differences in the total score and dimensional scores of HF-QoL-C between surgical and drug treated patients, different grades of Goligher classification for hemorrhoidal disease, and different ranges of hemorrhoid prolapse (all P<0.001). No ceiling effect was found in the total score and the scores of each dimension(0.3%-2.0%). There was a floor effect in both psychological function and sexual activity dimensions (16.7%, 35.1%). Conclusion:HF-QoL-C has good reliability and validity, which can be used to measure the quality of life of Chinese hemorrhoid patients.

BACKGROUND:As the incidence of spinal cord injury increases with the years and axon regeneration after spinal cord injury was very difficult.How to promote the recovery from spinal cord injury and improve the transplantation efficiency of stem cells and other therapeutic cells after spinal cord injury has been the focus of clinical and scientific research. OBJECTIVE:To establish the efficient transplantation and replacement of mouse spinal cord microglia in the spinal cord injury model. METHODS:CX3CR1 creER-/+::LSL-BDNF-/+-tdTomato mice,CX3CR1+/GFP mice,β-actin GFP mice and C57 BL/6J wild-type mice at 8-10 weeks of age were selected.According to the requirements of the experiment,they were randomly divided into six groups.(1)Sham operation group:eight C57 BL/6J wild-type mice were used when only the lamina was removed without injury.(2)Spinal cord contusion injury group:eight C57 BL/6J wild-type mice were used.(3)Spinal cord crush injury group:eight C57 BL/6J wild-type mice were used.(4)Conjoined symbiotic spinal cord strike injury group:β-actin GFP mice with green fluorescent blood were surgically stitched together with C57 BL/6J wild-type mice,using eight β-actin GFP mice and eight C57 BL/6J wild-type mice.(5)Mr BMT-X Ray group(using PLX5622 to eliminate the spinal microglia and bone marrow transplantation with X-ray radiation):Bone marrow cells from four CX3CR1 creER-/+::LSL-BDNF-/+-tdTomato mice were extracted and transplanted into eight C57 BL/6J wild-type mice for spinal cord injury modeling.(6)Mr BMT-Busulfan group(using PLX5622 to eliminate the spinal microglia and bone marrow transplantation with Busulfan):Bone marrow cells from four CX3CR1+/GFP mice were transplanted into eight C57 BL/6J wild-type mice.The percentage of cell transplantation replacement in this group was observed,and the spinal cord injury model was not established in this group.The sham operation group,spinal cord contusion injury group and spinal cord crush injury group were sampled by perfusion on day 14 after spinal cord injury.The conjoined symbiotic spinal cord strike injury group was sampled by perfusion on day 7 after spinal cord injury.Mr BMT-X Ray group was sampled by perfusion on day 28 after spinal cord injury.Mr BMT-Busulfan group was sampled by perfusion on day 28 after transplantation.The sampling site was a 1.2 cm long spinal cord with the T10 segment as the center.In the Mr BMT-X Ray group and Mr BMT-Busulfan group,additional mouse brain tissue was retained to see if it would lead to brain transplantation and replacement.The number and proportion of transplanted and replaced cells in the damaged area were measured using transgenic mice,symbiosis and immunofluorescence. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the traditional peripheral blood transplantation(9.8%)of mice in the conjoined symbiotic spinal cord strike injury group,the new transplantation methods,Mr BMT-X Ray and Mr BMT-Busulfan,could greatly improve the proportion of spinal microglia transplantation and replacement,which could reach 84.8%and 95.6%,respectively.The difference was significant(P<0.05).The results showed that Mr BMT-X Ray and Mr BMT-Busulfan could achieve efficient replacement of spinal microglia cells,and could improve the problems of low cell transplantation efficiency,few survival numbers and unclear differentiation of the traditional cell transplantation methods.In addition,Mr BMT-X Ray can only replace the microglia in the spinal cord,while Mr BMT-Busulfan could avoid brain inflammation and injury caused by X-ray radiation transplantation.

Background::Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is commonly diagnosed in women of child-bearing age, but whether pregnancy influences the prognosis of DTC remains controversial. This study aimed to summarize existing evidence regarding the association of pregnancy with recurrence risk in patients previously treated for DTC.Methods::We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Scopus based on the prespecified protocol registered at PROSPERO (CRD42022367896). After study selection, two researchers independently extracted data from the included studies. For quantitative data synthesis, we used random-effects meta-analysis models to pool the proportion of recurrence (for pregnant women only) and odds ratio (OR; comparing the risk of recurrence between the pregnancy group and the nonpregnancy group), respectively. Then we conducted subgroup analyses to explore whether risk of recurrence differed by response to therapy status or duration of follow-up time. We also assessed quality of the included studies.Results::A total of ten studies were included. The sample size ranged from 8 to 235, with participants’ age at pregnancy or delivery ranging from 28 to 35 years. The follow-up time varied from 0.1 to 36.0 years. The pooled proportion of recurrence in all pregnant patients was 0.13 (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.06-0.25; I2: 0.58). Among six included studies reporting response to therapy status before pregnancy, we observed a trend for increasingly higher risk of recurrence from excellent, indeterminate, and biochemically incomplete to structurally incomplete response to therapy ( Ptrend <0.05). The pooled risk of recurrence in the pregnancy group showed no evidence of a significant difference from that in the nonpregnancy group (OR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.45-1.23; I2: 0). The difference in follow-up time (below/above five years) was not associated with either the proportion of recurrence in all pregnant patients ( P >0.05) or the OR of recurrence in studies with a comparison group ( P >0.05). Two included studies that focused on patients with distant metastasis also did not show a significant difference in disease recurrence between pregnancy and nonpregnancy groups (OR: 0.51 [95% CI: 0.14-1.87; I2: 59%]). Conclusion::In general, pregnancy appears to have a minimal association with the disease recurrence of DTC with initial treatment. Clinicians should pay more attention to progression of DTC among pregnant women with biochemical and/or structural persistence.Registration::PROSPERO, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/; No. CRD42022367896.

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics of high energy metabolism in lung cancer patients and its correlation with body composition,nutritional status,and quality of life,and to develop a corresponding risk prediction model.Methods Retrospectively analyzed 132 primary lung cancer patients admitted to the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from January 2022 to May 2023,and categorized into high(n=94)and low energy metabolism group(n=38)based on their metabolic status.Differences in clinical data,body composition,Patient Generated Subjective Global Assessment(PG-SGA)scores,and European Organization for Research and treatment of Cancer(EORTC)Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30(QLQ-C30)scores were compared between the two groups.Logistic regression was used to identify the risk factors for high energy metabolism in lung cancer patients,and a risk prediction model was established accordingly;the Hosmer-Lemeshow test was used to assess the model fit,and the ROC curve was used to test the predictive efficacy of the model.Results Of the 132 patients with primary lung cancer,94(71.2%)exhibited high energy metabolism.Compared with low energy metabolism group,patients in high-energy metabolism group had a smoking index of 400 or higher,advanced disease staging of stage Ⅲ or Ⅳ,and higher levels of IL-6 level,low adiposity index,low skeletal muscle index,and malnutrition(P<0.05),and lower levels of total protein,albumin,hemoglobin level,and prognostic nutritional index(PNI)(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in age,gender,height,weight,BMI and disease type between the two groups(P>0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that smoking index≥400,advanced disease stage,IL-6≥3.775 ng/L,and PNI<46.43 were independent risk factors for high energy metabolism in lung cancer patients.The AUC of the ROC curve for the established prediction model of high energy metabolism in lung cancer patients was 0.834(95%CI 0.763-0.904).Conclusion The high energy metabolic risk prediction model of lung cancer patients established in this study has good fit and prediction efficiency.

Objective To investigate the effect of microplastic(MPs)exposure on learning and memory in mice,and its mechanism by observing the protein expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF)/tyrosine receptor kinase B(TrkB)/N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subtype 2B(NR2B)signaling pathway and neurogenesis.Methods Forty male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control group(Ctrl)and microplastics exposure group(MPs).Mice in MPs group were treated with 0.3 mg/(kg·d)microplastics,administered by gavage at a volume of 200 μl for 30 consecutive days.Morris water maze test was used to evaluate the spatial learning and memory ability of mice.Western blotting was used to detect the protein levels of BDNF,TrkB and NR2B in hippocampus of mice.Immunofluorescent staining was used to observe the number of doublecortin(DCX)and neuronal nuclei antigen(NeuN)positive cells in the hippocampus of mice to evaluate hippocampal neurogenesis.Results Compared with the control group,the ability of learning and memory decreased significantly in MPs group mice(P＜0.01).The expression levels of BDNF,TrkB and NR2B in the hippocampus of MPs group mice were significantly lower than those of control group(P＜0.05).The number of DCX and NeuN positive cells in the hippocampus of MPs group was significantly lower than that of control group(P＜0.01).Conclusion MPs exposure induces learning and memory impairment which may be related to inhibiting BDNF/TrkB/NR2B signaling pathway and reducing hippocampal neurogenesis.

Objective:To explore the role of NK cells in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell micro-transplantation(MST)in the treatment of patients with acute myeloid leukemia(AML).Methods:Data from 93 AML patients treated with MST at our center from 2013-2018 were retrospectively analyzed.The induction regimen was anthracycline and cytarabine combined with peripheral blood stem cells transplantation mobilization by granulocyte colony stimulating factor(GPBSC),followed by 2-4 courses of intensive treatment with medium to high doses of cytarabine combined with GPBSC after achieving complete remission(CR).The therapeutic effects of one and two courses of MST induction therapy on 42 patients who did not reach CR before transplantation were evaluated.Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to analyze the impact of donor NK cell dose and KIR genotype,including KIR ligand mismatch,2DS1,haplotype,and HLA-Cw ligands on survival prognosis of patients.Results:Forty-two patients received MST induction therapy,and the CR rate was 57.1％after 1 course and 73.7％after 2 courses.Multivariate analysis showed that,medium and high doses of NK cells was significantly associated with improved disease-free survival(DFS)of patients(HR=0.27,P=0.005;HR=0.21,P=0.001),and high doses of NK cells was significantly associated with improved overall survival(OS)of patients(HR=0.15,P=0.000).Donor 2DS1 positive significantly increases OS of patients(HR=0.25,P=0.011).For high-risk patients under 60 years old,patients of the donor-recipient KIR ligand mismatch group had longer DFS compared to the nonmismatch group(P=0.036);donor 2DS1 positive significantly prolonged OS of patients(P=0.009).Conclusion:NK cell dose,KIR ligand mismatch and 2DS1 influence the therapeutic effect of MST,improve the survival of AML patients.

Objective To investigate the incidence rate,clinical characteristics,and prognosis of neonatal stroke in Shenzhen,China.Methods Led by Shenzhen Children's Hospital,the Shenzhen Neonatal Data Collaboration Network organized 21 institutions to collect 36 cases of neonatal stroke from January 2020 to December 2022.The incidence,clinical characteristics,treatment,and prognosis of neonatal stroke in Shenzhen were analyzed.Results The incidence rate of neonatal stroke in 21 hospitals from 2020 to 2022 was 1/15 137,1/6 060,and 1/7 704,respectively.Ischemic stroke accounted for 75％(27/36);boys accounted for 64％(23/36).Among the 36 neonates,31(86％)had disease onset within 3 days after birth,and 19(53％)had convulsion as the initial presentation.Cerebral MRI showed that 22 neonates(61％)had left cerebral infarction and 13(36％)had basal ganglia infarction.Magnetic resonance angiography was performed for 12 neonates,among whom 9(75％)had involvement of the middle cerebral artery.Electroencephalography was performed for 29 neonates,with sharp waves in 21 neonates(72％)and seizures in 10 neonates(34％).Symptomatic/supportive treatment varied across different hospitals.Neonatal Behavioral Neurological Assessment was performed for 12 neonates(33％,12/36),with a mean score of(32±4)points.The prognosis of 27 neonates was followed up to around 12 months of age,with 44％(12/27)of the neonates having a good prognosis.Conclusions Ischemic stroke is the main type of neonatal stroke,often with convulsions as the initial presentation,involvement of the middle cerebral artery,sharp waves on electroencephalography,and a relatively low neurodevelopment score.Symptomatic/supportive treatment is the main treatment method,and some neonates tend to have a poor prognosis.