Objective:To explore the correlation between blood homocysteine(Hcy) level and cognitive function in elderly patients with frailty syndrome.Methods:Sixty elderly patients with frail syndrome who were hospitalized in Ningbo Mental Hospital from September 2022 to June 2023 were selected retrospectively, they were divided into the cognitive normal group (24 cases) and the cognitive impairment group (36 cases) based on the presence of cognitive impairment. The Matrics Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) score and serum Hcy levels of the two groups were compared, and the correlation between Hcy level and cognitive function were analyzed by Pearson test.Results:The MCCB scores in the cognitive impairment group were lower than those in the cognitive normal group, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). The levels of serum Hcy, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL)-6 in the cognitive impairment group were higher than those in the cognitive normal group: (17.89 ± 0.90) μmol/L vs. (16.99 ± 0.75) μmol/L, (33.39 ± 4.01) ng/L vs. (27.19 ± 4.81) ng/L, (23.67 ± 4.36) ng/L vs. (20.27 ± 4.23) ng/L, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). Pearson test results showed that serum Hcy level were negatively correlated with alignment, symbol coding, word memory and learning, working memory/spatial span, reasoning and problem solving, visual memory and learning, social cognition and attention/alertness scores of MCCB ( r = - 0.292, - 0.443, - 0.475, - 0.418, - 0.370, - 0.391, - 0.324, - 0.367, P<0.05). Serum Hcy level was positively correlated with TNF-α and IL-6 levels ( r = 0.336, 0.326, P<0.05). Conclusions:There is a certain correlation between serum Hcy level and cognitive impairment in elderly patients with frail syndrome. When blood Hcy level increase, the symptoms of cognitive impairment in patients become more severe.

BACKGROUND:Intervertebral disc degeneration is a condition caused by the combined effects of various factors,such as cellular apoptosis,oxidative stress,and inflammatory responses.Currently,it is believed that the core of this condition lies in the degeneration and apoptosis of nucleus pulposus cells(NPCs).However,the specific pathological mechanisms remain unclear. OBJECTIVE:By investigating the expression of the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(Akt)/hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha(HIF-1α)signaling pathway and the apoptosis of NPCs under different oxygen concentrations,to clarify the biological characteristics of NPCs under varying oxygen levels,and to explore the mechanisms of intervertebral disc degeneration. METHODS:Normal and degenerated NPCs were collected.The second-generation cells were used for imaging identification.The third-generation cells were cultured in the following conditions:37℃,air,100%humidity.Leibovitz's medium containing 100 μmol/L CoCl2 and 10%fetal bovine serum medium containing 100 μmol/L H2O2 were used to create distinct oxygen concentration environments for the third-generation cells,allowing for the investigation of cellular responses and behaviors under normal,low oxygen,and oxidative stress conditions.The third-generation cells were divided into six groups:normal NPCs+hypoxia,normal NPCs+normoxia,normal NPCs+oxidative stress,degenerated NPCs+hypoxia,degenerated NPCs+normoxia,and degenerated NPCs+oxidative stress groups.Cell viability and proliferation were assessed using the cell counting kit-8 method.Cell apoptosis was detected using flow cytometry.RT-PCR and western blot assay were utilized to examine the protein and mRNA expression levels of PI3K,AKT,and HIF-1α. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:At different oxygen concentrations,the cell proliferation rate of both normal and degenerated NPCs decreased as the oxygen concentration increased.Conversely,the apoptosis rate increased as the oxygen concentration rose(P<0.05).With the normal NPCs+hypoxia group as the control group,the effect of degenerated NPCs on the apoptosis rate was highly significant(P<0.001).Oxygen concentration had a highly significant impact on both NPC proliferation rate and apoptosis rate(P<0.001).The interaction between cell degeneration and oxygen concentration significantly affected both NPC proliferation and apoptosis rates(P<0.05).At different oxygen concentrations,the protein and mRNA expression levels of PI3K,AKT,and HIF-1α in normal NPCs were highest under low oxygen concentration,followed by oxidative stress environment,and lowest under normoxia.In degenerated NPCs,the protein and mRNA expression levels of PI3K,AKT,and HIF-1α decreasd as the oxygen concentration increased.The protein and mRNA expression levels of PI3K and Akt in normal NPCs were significantly higher than those in degenerated NPCs(P<0.05).With the normal NPCs+hypoxia group as the control group,the effects of normal or degenerated NPCs,as well as oxygen concentration,on the protein and mRNA expression of PI3K,AKT,and HIF-1α were highly significant.The interaction between cell degeneration and oxygen concentration also had an extremely significant effect on the protein and mRNA expression of PI3K,AKT,and HIF-1α(P<0.001).To conclude,there is a close correlation between the proliferation and apoptosis of NPCs and both oxygen concentration and the cellular functional state.The PI3K/Akt/HIF-1α signaling pathway exhibits antagonistic regulatory effects under various cellular functional states and different oxygen concentration environments.The mechanism may be associated with the activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway,which consequently transcribes HIF-1α,thus maintaining the balance of reactive oxygen species metabolism.This pathway plays a significant role in inhibiting oxidative stress,antagonizing NPCs apoptosis,and consequently delaying intervertebral disc degeneration.

Alanine Transaminase ; Amikacin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Aztreonam ; Bilirubin ; Carbapenems ; Ceftazidime ; China ; Creatinine ; Cross Infection ; Escherichia coli ; Fibrosis ; Fungi ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; Gram-Positive Bacteria ; Hemorrhage ; Hospitals, Teaching ; Humans ; International Normalized Ratio ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Length of Stay ; Leukocyte Count ; Linezolid ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prevalence ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Vancomycin

The kidney is the body's most important organ and the protein components in urine could be detected for diagnosing certain diseases. The amount of IgG protein in urine could be used to determine the degree of kidney function damage. IgG protein in human urine was detected by vertical flow paper-based microfluidic chip, double-antibody sandwich immunoreaction, and cell phone image processing. The results showed that using an IgG antibody concentration of 500 μg/mL and a gold standard antibody concentration of 100 μg/mL, the image signal showed a good linear relationship in the range of IgG concentration of 0.2-3.2 μg/mL, with R²=0.973 3 achieved. A complete set of detection devices were designed and the detection method showed good non-specificity.
Humans ; Microfluidics ; Immunoglobulin G ; Kidney ; Microfluidic Analytical Techniques

Objective: To analyze the prognostic value of CD7 expression in newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients, and to further explore the correlation between CD7 expression and CEBPA mutation, and to clarify the prognostic value of CD7⁺ in AML patients with wild-type (WT) or mutant-type (MT) CEBPA. Methods: The clinical data of 298 newly diagnosed non-M₃ AML patients between January 2010 and December 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. The clinical characteristics and prognosis of CD7⁺ and CD7^- patients were respectively compared in all patients, and in patients with WT and MT CEBPA. The relationship between CD7 expression and CEBPA mutation was determined by chi-square, and the effects of CEBPA mutation on survival and prognosis in CD7⁺ group by Kaplan-Meier method. Results: In CD7⁺ group, the frequencies of CEBPA mutation were 10.1% (single site) and 33.9% (double site) , significantly higher than those of the CD7^- group (5.3% and 4.2%) (P=0.000) . Subgroup prognostic analysis showed a lower CR rate (P=0.001) and a higher RR (P=0.023) in CD7⁺ group comparing to those of CD7^- group in AML patients with wild type CEBPA. There were no statistical difference between CD7⁺ group and CD7^- group in overall survival (OS) and disease free survival (P>0.05) , while in the CEBPA mutant group the CD7⁺ group has higher OS (P=0.019) and DFS (P=0.010) . Based on the CD7 expression and CEBPA mutation, 298 cases were divided into 3 subgroups, named as CD7⁺-CEBPA MT group, CD7^- and CD7⁺-CEBPA WT group. The 3-year OS of the 3 groups were 80.2%, 48.0% and 30.6%, respectively (P<0.001) , and the 3-year DFS were 74.1%, 37.4% and 22.2%, respectively (P<0.001) . Conclusion The CEBPA mutation rate was higher in CD7⁺ AML patients then that of CD7^- patients. CD7 expression has opposite prognostic significance in AML patients carrying the wild-type or mutant-type CEBPA. Based on CD7 expression and CEBPA mutation, a new risk stratification model can be established, which is helpful to guide the clinical individualized treatment for AML patients.