ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of HBsAg on the expression of interferon-α (IFN-α) in peripheral blood plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) induced by the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling pathway activated by cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP). MethodPeripheral venous blood was collected from healthy adults and the patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection who attended the outpatient service or were hospitalized in Department of Infectious Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, from February to December 2016, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated and extracted. After the STING agonist cGAMP was added to PBMCs, ELISA was used to measure the levels of IFN-α, interferon-β, and tumor necrosis factor-α in supernatant. PBMCs from healthy adults were pre-incubated with HBsAg and then stimulated by cGAMP, and supernatant was collected to measure IFN-α. The magnetic-activated cell sorting method was used to remove pDCs from PBMCs, and after culture with cGAMP, ELISA was used to measure the level of IFN-α in supernatant. PBMCs from healthy adults were stimulated by HBsAg and/or cGAMP, and then flow cytometry was used to measure the frequency of pDCs. The independent samples t-test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups. ResultsPBMCs from the patients with chronic HBV infection stimulated by cGAMP in vitro had a significantly lower level of IFN-α than healthy controls (469.72±18.95 vs 599.90±84.06, t=4.868, P=0.001). PBMCs from healthy adults co-cultured with HBsAg and stimulated by cGAMP had a significantly lower level of IFN-α than those in the non-HBsAg group (448.5±52.0 vs 571.0±30.8, t=4.500, P=0.011). Compared with PBMCs containing pDCs, PBMCs without pDCs stimulated by cGAMP had a significant reduction in the level of IFN-α (164.50±40.73 vs 339.50±35.33, t=6.482, P=0.001). Compared with PBMCs from healthy adults stimulated by cGAMP, PBMCs pre-incubated with HBsAg and then stimulated by cGAMP had a significant reduction in the frequency of pDCs (0.12%±0.04% vs 0.24%±0.04%, t=5.176, P=0.014). ConclusionHBsAg can inhibit the expression of IFN-α induced by the STING pathway in pDCs activated by cGAMP.

Objective To explore the effect of quercetin on renal inflammation and cell apoptosis in diabetic rats and its possible mechanisms.Methods Twenty-four adult male SD rats were randomized equally into normal control group,high-glucose and high-fat feeding group,streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic model group,and quercetin treatment(daily dose 100 mg/kg)group.Pathological changes of the renal tissues of the rats were observed with HE staining,serum inflammatory factor levels were determined with ELISA,and renal expression of NF-κB was observed by immunohistochemistry.Fast blood glucose(FBG),serum levels of triglyceride(TG),BUN,and Scr,and 24-h urine protein content of the rats were measured,and renal expressions of HMGB1,RAGE,NF-κB,Bax,Bcl-2,and caspase-3 were detected with Western blotting.Results The diabetic rats showed significantly increased levels of FBG,TG,BUN,and Scr,renal hypertrophy index,24-h urinary protein content,serum IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α levels and renal expressions HMGB1,RAGE,NF-κB,Bax,and caspase-3 with decreased renal expression of Bcl-2.All these changes were significantly alleviated by quercetin treatment of the rats.Conclusion Quercetin can ameliorate kidney injury in diabetic rats possibly by inhibiting the HMGB1/RAGE/NF-κB inflammatory signaling pathway to reduce renal inflammation and renal cell apoptosis.

Objective To explore the effect of quercetin on renal inflammation and cell apoptosis in diabetic rats and its possible mechanisms.Methods Twenty-four adult male SD rats were randomized equally into normal control group,high-glucose and high-fat feeding group,streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic model group,and quercetin treatment(daily dose 100 mg/kg)group.Pathological changes of the renal tissues of the rats were observed with HE staining,serum inflammatory factor levels were determined with ELISA,and renal expression of NF-κB was observed by immunohistochemistry.Fast blood glucose(FBG),serum levels of triglyceride(TG),BUN,and Scr,and 24-h urine protein content of the rats were measured,and renal expressions of HMGB1,RAGE,NF-κB,Bax,Bcl-2,and caspase-3 were detected with Western blotting.Results The diabetic rats showed significantly increased levels of FBG,TG,BUN,and Scr,renal hypertrophy index,24-h urinary protein content,serum IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α levels and renal expressions HMGB1,RAGE,NF-κB,Bax,and caspase-3 with decreased renal expression of Bcl-2.All these changes were significantly alleviated by quercetin treatment of the rats.Conclusion Quercetin can ameliorate kidney injury in diabetic rats possibly by inhibiting the HMGB1/RAGE/NF-κB inflammatory signaling pathway to reduce renal inflammation and renal cell apoptosis.

Objective:To explore the long-term efficacy of a modified unilateral cutaneous ureterostomy in bladder cancer patients receiving radical cystectomy.Methods:The medical data of 104 bladder cancer patients who underwent ureterostomy in our hospital from Janurary 2013 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into unilateral and bilateral group. The unilateral group contained 66 cases, with 53 males and 13 females, average age (71.8±9.8) years, body mass index (BMI)(23.3±3.2)kg/m 2. The bilateral group contained 38 cases, with 33 males and 5 females, average age (75.1±10.8) years; BMI (22.7±3.0)kg/m 2. There was no significant difference in the above characteristics between the two groups ( P>0.05). The pathology, survival status, long-term complications between the two groups were compared. Quality of life was assessed during follow-up using the European Core Questionnaire for Quality of Life in Cancer Patients (EORTC QLQ-C30). Results:The unilateral group contained 46(69.7%) muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) cases, 15 (22.7%) cases with lymph node metastasis, 7 (10.6%) cases with distant metastasis. The bilateral group contained 24(63.2%) muscle invasive bladder cancer(MIBC) cases, 6 (15.8%) cases with lymph node metastasis, 2 (5.3%) cases with distant metastasis. There was no significant difference in disease specific survival between the two groups ( P>0.05). During the follow-up, the incidence of overall complication rate in the unilateral group was significantly lower than that in the bilateral group [43.9% (29/66) vs. 63.2% (24/38), P<0.001]. The incidence of pyelonephritis in unilateral group was significantly lower than that in the bilateral group [16.6%(11/66) vs. 42.1%(16/38), P=0.006]. There was no statistical significance in terms of quality of life before operation in the two groups. After operation, both physical function score[(54.9±7.1) vs.(49.2±6.7)] and emotional function score [(63.1±6.4) vs.(59.9±6.7)] in unilateral group were higher than that in bilateral group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The modified unilateral cutaneous ureterostomy could achieve relatively low complication rate, and improve the quality of life to some extent compared with bilateral ureterostomy.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between metabolic syndrome and 1-year poor outcome in elderly patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI).Methods:The clinical data of elderly patients with ACI admitted to Renqiu Kangjixintu Hospital from January 2014 to November 2018 were selected and divided into metabolic syndrome group (931 cases) and non-metabolic syndrome group (1 851 cases). The clinical data of the two groups of elderly patients with ACI were compared, and the effect of metabolic syndrome on poor outcome (modified Rankin scale>2 scores) of elderly patients with ACI in 1 year was analyzed by multivariate Logistic regression.Results:The proportion of female, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, coronary heart disease, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and antiplatelet drug use in the metabolic syndrome group were higher than those in the non-metabolic syndrome group: 52.74%(491/931) vs. 32.58%(603/1 851), 79.16%(737/931) vs. 64.29% (1 190/1 851), 42.32% (394/931) vs. 6.43% (119/1 851), 17.19% (160/931) vs. 11.62% (215/1 851), 18.90% (176/931) vs. 14.10% (261/1 851), 62.73% (584/931) vs. 50.89% (942/1 851), 3.73% (69/931) vs. 1.61% (15/1 851), 19.23% (179/931) vs. 15.51% (287/1 851), the levels of body mass index, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting plasma glucose (TG), total cholesterol (TC), platelet (PLT), fibrinogen (FIB), fall score were higher than those in non-metabolic syndrome group: 26.67 (25.31, 28.60) kg/m 2 vs. 23.30 (21.48, 24.91) kg/m 2, (167.17 ± 22.96) mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa) vs. (164.21 ± 24.90) mmHg, (87.06 ± 13.10) mmHg vs. (85.76 ± 12.99) mmHg, (7.33 ± 2.64) mmol/L vs. (5.35 ± 1.38) mmol/L, (2.12 ± 1.51) mmol/L vs. (1.13 ± 0.78) mmol/L, (4.97 ± 1.31) mmol/L vs. (4.65 ± 0.99) mmol/L, 213.00 (179.00, 256.00) × 10 9/L vs. 203.00 (172.00, 241.00) × 10 9/L, 3.07 (2.63, 3.52) g/L vs. 2.94 (2.55, 3.37) g/L, (6.12 ± 1.70) scores vs. (5.93±1.74) scores, the levels of age, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), homocysteine (Hcy) and pressure ulcer score were lower than those of non-metabolic syndrome group: (69.29 ± 6.96) years vs. (71.28 ± 7.66) years, (0.98 ± 0.34) mmol/L vs. (1.31 ± 0.88) mmol/L, (18.93 ± 13.07) mmol/L vs. (21.66 ± 16.39) mmol/L, (18.55 ± 2.42) vs. (19.02 ± 2.43), with statistical significance ( P<0.05). After 1-year follow-up, the proportion of poor outcomes in the metabolic syndrome group was higher than that in the non-metabolic syndrome group: 21.70%(202/931) vs. 18.69% (346/1 851), with statistical significance ( P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that age, stroke, national institutes of health stroke scale (NIHSS) score at admission, systolic blood pressure, Hcy, pressure ulcer score, fall score, metabolic syndrome were independent risk factors for poor outcome of ACI in 1 year ( OR = 1.056, 1.309, 1.138, 1.005, 1.006, 0.882, 1.076 and 1.285; 95% CI 1.040 to 1.072, 1.037 to 1.652, 1.097 to 1.180, 1.000 to 1.010, 1.000 to 1.013, 0.834 to 0.933, 1.004 to 1.152 and 1.001 to 1.657; P<0.05). Conclusions:Multiple risk factors for stroke are closely related to poor outcome of ACI in the elderly. And metabolic syndrome is an independent risk factor for poor outcome of ACI in the elderly in 1 year.

Azo dyes are widely used in textile, paper and packing industries, and have become one of the research hot spots in dye wastewater treatment because of their carcinogenicity, teratogenic mutagenicity, stable structure and degradation difficulty. In this study, the biodecolorization of acid orange 7 (AO7), an azo dye, by different white rot fungi was investigated, and the effect of different conditions on the decolorization rate of the dye was analyzed. At the same time, the degradation liquor was analyzed and the phytotoxicity experiment was performed to deduce the possible degradation pathway of AO7 and assess the toxicity of its degradation products. The results showed that the decolorization rate reached 93.46% in 24 h at pH 4.5, 28 ℃ by Pleurotus eryngii and Trametes versicolor when AO7 concentration was 100 mg/L. The biodegradation pathway of AO7 was initiated by the cleavage of the azo bond of AO7, generating p-aminobenzenesulfonic acid and 1-amino-2-naphthol. Subsequently, the sulfonic acid group of p-aminobenzene sulfonic acid was removed to generate hydroquinone. Moreover, the 1-amino-2-naphthol was de-ringed to generate phthalic acid and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, and then further degraded into benzoic acid. Finally, hydroquinone and benzoic acid may be further oxidized into other small molecules, carbon dioxide and water. Phytotoxicity experiment showed that the toxicity of AO7 could be reduced by P. eryngii and T. versicolor.
Hydroquinones ; Trametes ; Azo Compounds ; Benzoic Acid

Objective     To investigate the clinical characteristics and risk factors for perioperative lung surgery patients with SARS‐CoV‐2 Omicron variant infection. Methods     The clinical data of patients who underwent lung surgery at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University from December 1, 2022 to January 9, 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into an infection group and a non-infection group according to whether they were infected with SARS-CoV-2. And the clinical data of two groups were collected and compared. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to explore the risk factors affecting the time of hospitalization. Results     A total of 70 patients were enrolled in this study, including 36 (51.4%) males and 34 (48.6%) females at a median age of 61.0 (49.0, 66.8) years. There were 28 patients in the infection group and 42 patients in the non-infection group. The proportion of preoperative abnormal coagulation function and the risk of postoperative pulmonary infection in perioperative patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 were higher than those in the non-infection group (P<0.05). Subgroup analysis found that patients with preoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection were more likely to have pulmonary infection after surgery, but did not prolong the time of hospitalization or increase the risk of severe disease rate. The patients with postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection had worse clinical prognosis, including longer time of hospitalization (P=0.004), higher ICU admission rate (P=0.000), higher lung infection rate (P=0.003) and respiratory failure rate (P=0.000). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that gender and extent of surgery were independent risk factors for prolonged hospitalization time. Conclusion     Preoperative infection with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant will increase the risk of pulmonary infection, but it will not affect the clinical prognosis. However, postoperative infection with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant will still prolong the time of hospitalization, increase the ICU rate, and the risk of pulmonary complications.