Objective To explore the correlation between the characteristics of left atrial(LA)strain and exercise endurance in patients with chronic heart failure(CHF).Methods A total of 212 CHF patients admitted to our hospital from November 2021 to January 2023 were prospec-tively subjected in this study.According to their maximal oxygen uptake(VO2max),they were di-vided into high endurance group[≥16 ml/(kg·min),125 cases]and low endurance group[＜16 ml/(kg·min),125 cases].The general data and results of laboratory test were analyzed and com-pared between the two groups.Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the related factors affecting the exercise endurance.Results Significant differences were observed between the two groups in level of NT-proBNP,ratio of early diastolic peak velocity of mitral valve(E)to early di-astolic peak velocity of mitral annulus(e'),E,LVEDVI,LVESVI,LVSVI,LVEF,LVGLS,LA maximum volume index(LAVImax),LA minimum volume index(LAVImin),LA reservoir strain(LASr),LA conduit strain duct strain(LAScd),and LA contractile strain(LASct)(P＜0.05).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that LASr(OR=0.987,95％CI:1.003-1.029),LAScd(OR=1.177,95％CI:0.688-0.955),LASct(OR=1.341,95％CI:0.507-0.884).NT-proBNP(OR=1.002,95％CI:0.995-1.000),E/e'(OR=1.086,95％CI:1.000-1.183),LVEDVI(OR=1.127,95％CI:0.805-0.936)and LVEF(OR=0.909,95％CI:0.824-1.000)were related factors influencing exercise endurance in CHF patients(P＜0.05).Restricted cube chart revealed that there was a significant nonlinear relationship between LASr,LAScd and LASct and exercise endurance in the patients(x2=9.830,16.820,9.080,P＜0.05).Conclusion The char-acteristic indicators of LA strain are related to exercise endurance of CHF patients.

Objective To investigate the clinical and prognostic significance of ABO promotor methylation level in adult patients with leukemia and myelodydysplastic syndrome(MDS). Methods ABO promoter methylation level of 182 malignant hematological disease patients and 68 normal controls were detected by bisulfite sequencing PCR. Then clinical features and outcome were compared between hypermethylation group and hypomethylation group. Results The median methylation rate of ABO promoter in newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) were 46.98％ and 11.01％ respectively, which were both higher than that in controls (2.30％, P<0.05). The methylation rates in remission AML and ALL were 1.58％and 2.30％respectively, which were comparable with that in normal group (P>0.05). As to relapse AML and ALL, methylation rates were 41.26％ and 17.50％respectively, also significantly higher than that in controls (P<0.05).In patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) chronic phase, the median methylation rate was 1.00％, which was similar to normal group. But a CML patient who transformed to ALL hadextremely high methylation rate 92.56％. The median methylation rate in patients with MDS significantly elevated as 5.81％ compared with that in controls (P<0.05). The median overall survival (OS) of ALL and AML (non-M3) patients with hypermethylation were 12.5 months and 15.3 months, which were significantly shorter than those with hypomethylation (24.0 months and 20.0 months) (P<0.05). The median disease-free survival (DFS) of ALL and AML (non-M3) patients with hypermethylation were 9.9 months and 12.0 months, which were significantly shorter than those with hypomethylation (22.3 months and 18.5 months), (P<0.05). Multivariable analysis suggested that ABO promoter methylation level was an independent predictive factor of OS and DFS in ALL and AML (non-M3) patients. Conclusion ABO promoter hypermethylation is closely related to genesis, development and prognosis of leukemia and MDS. Hypermethylationis related to a clinical poor prognosis compare with hypomethylation.

Objective To investigate the protective effect and mechanism of apigenin on the liver of hyperlipidemic mice based on metabolomics methods.Methods C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups including blank,model,fenofibrate(26.0 mg·kg-1),and apigenin(12.5 mg·kg-1)groups,with six mice in each group.Each group was treated with corresponding drug by gavage once a day for five days.On the third day of administration,the mouse model of acute hyperlipidemia was induced by a single intramuscular injection of Triton WR-1339(5 mL·kg-1)at a concentration of 0.12 g·mL-1.Biochemical indexes such as TC and TG in mice serum were measured by using a fully automatic microplate reader.HE staining was used to observe pathological changes in liver tissue.UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS technology was applied to analyze liver tissue samples.Differential metabolites were screened by using multivariate statistical analysis methods such as PCA,PLS-DA,and OPLS-DA.Then we ran the mass spectrometry information of these metabolites through online databases including HMDB,METLIN and KEGG,as well as combined with relevant literature to obtain the potential differential metabolites.The identified potential differential compounds were imported into the MetaboAnalyst platform for metabolic pathway analysis.Results Compared with the blank group,TC and TG levels in mice serum of model group increased obviously(P＜0.01).Irregular arrangement of liver cells,fat vacuoles and infiltration of inflammatory cells were found.Compared with the model group,TC and TG levels in mice serum of apigenin group decreased(P＞0.05).Fatty lesions in liver tissue were significantly improved,and fat vacuoles and inflammatory cell infiltration were significantly reduced.A total of 35 differential metabolites were screened.Twenty-six differential metabolites showed callback trend after apigenin treatment.Eight metabolic pathways were obviously affected,among which pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis,as well as arachidonic acid metabolism are two main metabolic pathways(P＜0.05).Conclusion Apigenin exhibits a certain protective effect on liver of hyperlipidemic mice,and its mechanism may be related to regulating liver inflammatory response and lipid metabolism-related pathways.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical effect of modified Jichuanjian on senile patients with slow transit constipation of spleen-kidney yang deficiency syndrome and the influence on brain-gut peptide. MethodA total of 150 senile patients with slow transit constipation were randomized into control group （75 cases） and observation group （75 cases） with the random number table method. The observation group was given modified Jichuanjian （oral， 1 dose/day， 4 weeks）， and the control group was treated with Biantong Capsules （oral， 3 capsules/time， twice/day， 4 weeks）. Data before and after treatment were recorded， including the score of major constipation symptoms， score of Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life （PAC-QOL）， TCM syndrome score， spontaneous complete bowel movements （SCBM）， colonic transit test， serum 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT）， 5-HT 4 receptor （5-HT₄R）， somatostatin （SS）， and vasoactive intestinal peptide （VIP）， and recurrence. ResultThe total effective rate of the observation group was 93.06% （67/72）， as compared with the 74.65% （53/71） in the control group （χ²=8.974 6， P<0.01）. After treatment， the scores of major constipation symptoms， scores of four dimensions of PAC-QOL， total score of PAC-QOL， and TCM syndrome score were lower than those before treatment in the two groups （P<0.01）， and lower in the observation group than in the control group （P<0.01）. The SCBM in the observation group were more than those in the control group at the 2^nd， 3^rd， 4^th weeks after treatment （P<0.01）. The proportions of residual markers at 24， 48， 72 h after treatment were smaller than those before treatment in the two groups （P<0.01）， and smaller in the observation group than in the control group （P<0.01）. After treatment， the levels of serum 5-HT and 5-HT₄R were higher （P<0.01） and the levels of serum SS and VIP were lower （P<0.01） than those before treatment in the two groups. In addition， the levels of serum 5-HT and 5-HT₄R in the observation group were higher （P<0.01） and the levels of serum SS and VIP were lower （P<0.01） in the observation group than in the control group. The recurrence in the observation group was 29.85% （20/67） in comparison with the 58.49% （31/53） in the control group （χ²=9.932 4， P<0.01）. ConclusionModified Jichuanjian is effective for senile patients with slow transit constipation of spleen-kidney yang deficiency syndrome， which can alleviate clinical symptoms， improve quality of life， regulate the level of serum brain-gut peptide， improve the colonic transit function， increase SCBM， and reduce the recurrence.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are polymers obtained by esterification of hydroxy fatty acid monomers. Due to similar mechanical characteristics of traditional petroleum-based plastics, 100% biodegradability and biocompatibility, PHAs are considered to be one of the most potential green materials. However, the application and promotion of PHAs as a green and environmentally friendly material are difficult because of the high production costs. This article focuses on the current methods to reduce production cost of PHAs effectively, such as cell morphology regulation, metabolic pathway construction, economic carbon source utilization and open fermentation technology development. Despite most research results are still limited in laboratory, the research methods and directions provide theoretical guidance for the industrial production of economic PHAs.
Fermentation ; Industry ; Petroleum ; Plastics ; Polyhydroxyalkanoates

Giant thoracic tumor is currently one of the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of thoracic surgery, with no established guideline or standard for diagnosis and treatment. The quality control of individualized surgical strategy and perioperative management with multi-disciplinary participation is the key to ensure the safety and improve the prognosis of patients. Based on the clinical experience of our institution and others, we hereby discussed and summarized the basic principles, surgical strategies and perioperative management of giant thoracic tumor, aiming to provide a reference of quality control.

Objective    To evaluate the safety and efficacy of microwave ablation (MWA) in the treatment of lung tumors. Methods    The clinical data of 31 patients with lung neoplasms treated with MWA from January 2019 to August 2020 in a single center were retrospectively analyzed. There were 17 males and 14 females at an age of 63.4±10.4 years. The characteristics of the lesions, technical success rate, technical efficiency, local progression rate, adverse reactions and complications were recorded in detail. Results    There were 39 target lesions with an average diameter of 20.2±10.6 mm. A total of 36 MWA procedures were completed. The initial technical success rate was 84.6% (33/39), and the technical efficiency was 92.3% (36/39). The median postprocedure hospital stay was 2.0 (2.0, 3.0) d. A total of 12.9% (4/31) of the patients had local progression, and the local control rate was 87.1%. The main adverse reactions were pain (12/36, 33.3%), cough (6/36, 16.7%), post-ablation syndrome (6/36, 16.7%) and pleural effusion (3/36, 8.3%). The main complications were pneumothorax (11/36, 30.6%), hemorrhage (8/36, 22.2%), cavitation (2/36, 5.6%) and pulmonary infection (1/36, 2.8%). The median follow-up time was 13.0 (8.0, 18.0) months. No patient died during the follow-up. Conclusion    MWA is safe and effective in the treatment of lung tumors with controllable complications. Successive researches with large sample, and medium and long-term follow-ups are needed to explore the significance of combined therapies.

Objective     To identify the potential factors for psychological burdens and to better understand how the patients’ psychological status affect their treatment preferences. Methods     A questionnaire survey was conducted among 996 patients with pulmonary nodules who visited the Thoracic Surgery Clinic of Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital from January to November 2021, including 381 males and 615 females, aged 47.26±11.53 years. A self-administrated questionnaire was used to investigate the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the patients, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to evaluate the psychological status of the patients, with a score>7 points of each subscale indicating potential anxiety or depression. Results     Among the 996 patients with pulmonary nodules, the incidence of anxiety was 42.4% and the incidence of depression was 26.4%, while the incidence of both anxiety and depression was 24.7%. There was a significant correlation between anxiety and depression (ρ=0.834, P<0.05). Age, purpose of CT examination, number of pulmonary nodules and symptoms were independent factors for anxiety, while symptoms and number of pulmonary nodules were independent factors for depression (P<0.05). For treatment preferences, there was a statistical difference in educational level, symptoms, nodule size and anxiety level (P<0.05). Conclusion     Anxiety and depression are common in patients with pulmonary nodules. Symptoms are associated with anxiety and depression, which also make an impact on treatment preferences.

Androgen receptor (AR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that plays a pivotal role in the development and progression of many severe diseases such as prostate cancer, muscle atrophy, and osteoporosis. Binding of ligands to AR triggers the conformational changes in AR that may affect the recruitment of coactivators and downstream response of AR signaling pathway. Therefore, AR ligands have great potential to treat these diseases. In this study, we searched for novel AR ligands by performing a docking-based virtual screening (VS) on the basis of the crystal structure of the AR ligand binding domain (LBD) in complex with its agonist. A total of 58 structurally diverse compounds were selected and subjected to LBD affinity assay, with five of them (HBP1-3, HBP1-17, HBP1-38, HBP1-51, and HBP1-58) exhibiting strong binding to AR-LBD. The IC values of HBP1-51 and HBP1-58 are 3.96 µM and 4.92 µM, respectively, which are even lower than that of enzalutamide (Enz, IC = 13.87 µM), a marketed second-generation AR antagonist. Further bioactivity assays suggest that HBP1-51 is an AR agonist, whereas HBP1-58 is an AR antagonist. In addition, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and principal components analysis (PCA) were carried out to reveal the binding principle of the newly-identified AR ligands toward AR. Our modeling results indicate that the conformational changes of helix 12 induced by the bindings of antagonist and agonist are visibly different. In summary, the current study provides a highly efficient way to discover novel AR ligands, which could serve as the starting point for development of new therapeutics for AR-related diseases.
Androgen Receptor Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Androgens ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Biological Assay ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Drug Discovery ; methods ; Humans ; Ligands ; Male ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Molecular Dynamics Simulation ; Phenylthiohydantoin ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Principal Component Analysis ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Protein Binding ; physiology ; Protein Conformation ; drug effects ; Receptors, Androgen ; metabolism

Objective    To explore the distribution pattern of respiratory symptoms and relevant factors in patients with pulmonary nodules. Methods    Demographic and clinical information were collected from patients who visited the Thoracic Surgery Outpatient Clinic of Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital from January 2021 to January 2022. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to assess their anxiety and depression level. Results    A total of 1 173 patients were enrolled, including 449 males and 724 females, with an average age of 46.94±11.43 years. Among the patients with pulmonary nodules, 37.7% of them had at least one respiratory symptom; 24.4% had cough, 14.0% had expectoration, 1.3% had hemoptysis and 14.9% had chest pain. Old age, male, exposure to second-hand smoking or environmental smoke, hair coloring and history of tuberculosis were major risk factors for respiratory symptoms (P<0.05). Middle age, old age, male, exposure to environmental smoke were major risk factors for cough (P<0.05); old age, smoking, larger maximum nodules diameters, exposure to environmental smoke and history of pneumonia were major risk factors for expectoration (P<0.05); male, multiple nodules, hair coloring, exposure to second-hand smoking and history of tuberculosis were major risk factors for chest pain (P<0.05). Symptomatic patients showed generally higher HADS scores than asymptomatic patients (P<0.001). Conclusion    Cough, expectoration and chest pain are the predominant respiratory symptoms for patients with pulmonary nodules. The presentation of respiratory symptoms increases patients' anxiety and depression.