OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on improving motor function and regulating microglial activation based on Notch receptor 1 (Notch1)/Hes family bHLH transcription factor 1 (Hes1) pathway in mice with Parkinson's disease (PD). METHODS: Thirty-six male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into a control group, a model group and an EA group, 12 mice in each group. PD model was established by intraperitoneal injection of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) for 7 consecutive days in the model group and the EA group. From the 1st day of modeling, EA was applied at "Baihui" (GV20) and bilateral "Shenshu" (BL23) in the EA group, with continuous wave, in frequency of 2 Hz and current of 2 mA, 15 min a time, once a day for 14 days continuously. The behavioral performance was evaluated by gait test, pole climbing test and hanging test, the number of positive cells of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and the co-expression positive cells of Notch1/ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba-1) in the substantia nigra of midbrain was assessed by immunofluorescence, the protein expression of TH, α-synuclein (α-syn), Notch1, Hes1, Iba-1, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), Arginase-1 (ARG1), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and IL-10 was detected by Western blot, the mRNA expression of Notch1 and Hes1 was detected by real-time PCR. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, in the model group, the stride frequency was accelerated (P<0.001) and the stride length was shortened (P<0.001) for the four limbs, the pole climbing test time was prolonged (P<0.01) and the grip level was reduced (P<0.01); in the substantia nigra of midbrain, the number of positive cells of TH was decreased (P<0.001), the number of co-expression positive cells of Notch1/Iba-1 was increased (P<0.001), the protein expression of α-syn, Notch1, Hes1, Iba-1, iNOS, TNF-α, IL-1βand IL-6 was increased (P<0.01, P<0.05, P<0.001), the protein expression of TH, ARG1 and IL-10 was decreased (P<0.01, P<0.001), the mRNA expression of Notch1 and Hes1 was increased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, in the EA group, the stride frequency was decelerated (P<0.001) and the stride length was increased (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.001) for the four limbs, the pole climbing test time was shortened (P<0.05) and the grip level was increased (P<0.05); in the substantia nigra of midbrain, the number of positive cells of TH was increased (P<0.01), the number of co-expression positive cells of Notch1/Iba-1 was decreased (P<0.001), the protein expression of α-syn, Notch1, Hes1, Iba-1, iNOS, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β was decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01), the protein expression of TH, ARG1 and IL-10 was increased (P<0.05, P<0.001, P<0.01), the mRNA expression of Notch1 and Hes1 was decreased (P<0.05). CONCLUSION EA can improve the behavioral performance and protect the dopaminergic neurons in PD mice, its mechanism may relate to the inhibition of Notch1/Hes1-mediated neuroinflammation, thus inhibiting the microglial activation.
Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Microglia/metabolism* ; Male ; Receptor, Notch1/metabolism* ; Parkinson Disease/physiopathology* ; Transcription Factor HES-1/metabolism* ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Humans ; Signal Transduction

Mesangial cell proliferation is an early pathological indicator of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Growing evidence highlights the pivotal role of paired-related homeobox 1 (Prrx1), a key regulator of cellular proliferation and tissue differentiation, in various disease pathogenesis. Notably, Prrx1 is highly expressed in mesangial cells under DN conditions. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that Prrx1 overexpression promotes mesangial cell proliferation and contributes to renal fibrosis in db/m mice. Conversely, Prrx1 knockdown markedly suppresses hyperglycemia-induced mesangial cell proliferation and mitigates renal fibrosis in db/db mice. Mechanistically, Prrx1 directly interacts with the Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP) promoter, leading to the upregulation of YAP expression. This upregulation promotes mesangial cell proliferation and exacerbates renal fibrosis. These findings emphasize the crucial role of Prrx1 upregulation in high glucose-induced mesangial cell proliferation, ultimately leading to renal fibrosis in DN. Therefore, targeting Prrx1 to downregulate its expression presents a promising therapeutic strategy for treating renal fibrosis associated with DN.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of sevoflurane on Ca 2+ transporter expression in cardiomyocytes during right ventricular remodeling in rats with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Methods:Twenty-four clean-grade healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 8-10 weeks, weighing 200-250 g, were divided into 4 groups ( n=6 each) by the random number table method: control group (CM group), sevoflurane group (CS group), monocrotaline group (M group) and sevoflurane + monocrotaline group (S group). Monocrotaline 60 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected in group M and group S, and monocrotaline lysate was intraperitoneally injected in group CM. The rats in S and CS groups inhaled 2.5% sevoflurane for 1 h, twice a week, at an interval of 3 days starting from the first day after injection of monocrotaline. Pulmonary artery acceleration time and pulmonary artery ejection time were measured by transthoracic echocardiography at 6 weeks after monocrotaline injection. The chest was exposed under 3% sevoflurane anesthesia, the heart was perfused, and the pulmonary artery branch and right ventricular myocardial tissues were retained. The wall thickness of pulmonary arterioles and cross-section area of right ventricular cardiomyocytes were observed by HE staining. The expression of Ca 2+ transporter in right ventricular cardiomyocytes was detected by Western blot. Results:Compared with CM group, the ratio of pulmonary artery acceleration time to pulmonary artery ejection time was significantly decreased, the cross-section area of right ventricular cardiomyocytes was increased, the wall thickness of pulmonary arteriole was increased, the expression of type 1 sodium-calcium exchange and inositol triphosphate receptor was up-regulated, and the expression of voltage-dependent L-type calcium channel α1C subunit, type 2 ryanodine receptor, sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium pump 2α and proteinphilin-2 was down-regulated in M group ( P<0.01). Compared with group M, the ratio of pulmonary artery acceleration time to pulmonary artery ejection time was significantly increased, the cross-section area of right ventricular cardiomyocytes was decreased, the wall thickness of pulmonary arteriole was decreased, the expression of type 1 sodium-calcium exchange and inositol triphosphate receptor was down-regulated, and the expression of voltage-dependent L-type calcium channel α1C subunit, type 2 ryanodine receptor, sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium pump 2α and proteinphilin-2 was up-regulated in group S ( P<0.01). Conclusions:The mechanism by which sevoflurane improves right ventricular remodeling is related to regulating the expression of Ca 2+ transporter in cardiomyocytes of rats with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Tuberous sclerosis complex(TSC)is a rare genetic disease that can lead to benign dysplasia in multiple organs such as the skin, brain, eyes, oral cavity, heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, and bones. Its main symptoms include epilepsy, intellectual disabilities, skin depigmentation, and facial angiofibromas, whilst incidence is approximately 1 in 10 000 to 1 in 6000 newborns. This case presents a middle-aged woman who initially manifested with epilepsy and nodular depigmentation. Later, she developed a lower abdominal mass, elevated creatinine, and severe anemia. Based on clinical features and whole exome sequencing, the primary diagnosis was confirmed as TSC. Laboratory and imaging examinations revealed that the lower abdominal mass originated from the uterus. CT-guided biopsy pathology and surgical pathology suggested a combination of leiomyoma and abscess. With the involvement of multiple organs and various complications beyond the main diagnosis, the diagnostic and therapeutic process for this patient highlights the importance of rigorous clinical thinking and multidisciplinary collaboration in the diagnosis and treatment of rare and challenging diseases.

Objective:To utilize routinely available clinical parameters to uncover the clinical features of different clusters in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyp (CRSwNP) through unsupervised clustering analysis.Methods:The clinical data from 155 CRSwNP patients undergoing nasal endoscopic surgery at Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University from 2021 to 2023 were prospectively collected, including 112 males and 43 females, aged from 7 to 87 years. Unsupervised clustering analysis was conducted using various clinical parameters, including age, gender, smoking and drinking history, local eosinophil (EOS) and neutrophil (NEU) counts, comorbid allergic rhinitis (AR), comorbid asthma, recurrence status, serum-specific IgE, total IgE, cytokine levels, peripheral blood EOS count and percentage, Lund-Mackay CT score, the ratio of CT scores for the maxillary sinus and ethmoid sinus (E/M ratio), visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Lund-Kennedy endoscopic score, and other common clinical indicators to elucidate the clinical characteristics of each cluster. Statistical analysis was conducted using GraphPad Prism 9.5 software.Results:Hierarchical clustering analysis identified four main clusters (Cluster A1-A4), showcasing distinct characteristics such as mild nasal polyps with higher peripheral blood cytokines levels, nasal polyps accompanied by allergies and asthma, a subtype of nasal polyps with high recurrence rates dominated by neutrophils, and nasal polyps with high eosinophil levels. Further subset clustering revealed two clusters of mild polyps (Cluster B1-B2) featuring high cytokine expression and comorbid AR; and two clusters of severe polyps (Cluster B3-B4) presented with severe symptoms, high Lund-Mackay CT score, and high Lund-Kennedy endoscopic score. Variations between Cluster B3 and B4 included symptom complexity, the degree of eosinophil infiltration, and the probability of comorbid asthma. Further clustering analysis for eosinophilic nasal polyps revealed a cluster characterized by highly neutrophilic infiltration and recurrent nasal polyps. The comprehensive analysis of multi-index correlations demonstrated valuable insights into the relationships between common clinical parameters of nasal polyps, providing valuable information for a deeper understanding of the pathogenesis of CRSwNP.Conclusion:The clustering analysis in this study categorizes CRSwNP patients into different clusters based on clinical features and disease outcomes, providing a new perspective for more precise clinical treatment strategies.

Persistent Müllerian duct syndrome(PMDS) is a rare disorder that arises from a lack of active anti-Müllerian hormone(AMH) or type Ⅱ AMH receptor(AMHR2) deficiency in males with a normal 46, XY chromosome karyotype.It presents that the external genitalia appears normally while the Müllerian duct structure(uterus, fallopian tubes, upper vagina) persists in the body.Common pathogenic factors are mutations in the AMH and AMHR2 genes, inherited in an autosomal recessive manner.This study reported two families with PMDS.The first patient was diagnosed with PMDS due to cryptorchidism in May 2019.Gene sequencing analysis revealed a new missense mutation(c.579G>T; p.W193C) and a splicing mutation(c.622-3C>A; splicing) in the AMHR2 gene.His father had the missense mutation(c.579G>T; p.W193C), and his mother had the splicing mutation(c.622-3C>A; splicing).The second patient was diagnosed with PMDS due to bilateral cryptorchidism, transverse testis ectopia in the right testicle in March 2023.Undegraded Müllerian tube derivatives were found between the two testicles, and serum AMH levels were very high(565.00 μg/L).Gene sequencing analysis reported that the AMHR2 gene had a new deletion mutation(c.835_837del; p.Leu279del).Both his father and mother had a deletion mutation(c.835_837del; p.Leu279del).This study reports two new AMHR2 gene mutations that expand the mutation sites of this rare disease.It is recommended to consider PMDS in the differential diagnosis of cryptorchidism, undergo surgery as early as possible, and treat Müllerian duct derivatives based on individual anatomical characteristics.

Objective:To evaluate the relationship between physical activity (PA) and postoperative delirium (POD) in elderly patients undergoing knee or hip arthroplasty.Methods:The study was conducted as part of the Perioperative Neurocognitive Impairment and Biomarkers Lifestyle Cohort, which was a nested case-control study. Medical records from elderly patients undergoing elective knee or hip arthroplasty under spinal-epidural anesthesia at Qingdao Municipal Hospital from August 2022 to August 2023 were collected. The patients were divided into a POD group ( n=89) and a non-POD group ( n=221) based on the occurrence of POD. Peripheral blood samples were collected before surgery, and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) 2 ml was extracted after successful puncture under spinal-epidural anesthesia for determination of the concentrations of amyloid-β 42 (Aβ 42), total tau protein (t-tau), and phosphorylated tau protein (p-tau) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of POD, and the mediation analysis was conducted to examine the mediating role of CSF biomarker in the relationship between PA and POD. Results:Logistic regression analysis showed that the increased concentration of CSF biomarkers Aβ 42 ( OR=0.997, P=0.006), elevated ratio of Aβ 42/t-tau ( OR=0.642, P=0.003), elevated ratio of Aβ 42/p-tau ratio ( OR=0.872, P=0.001) and PA ( OR=0.374, P=0.001) were protective factors for POD, while the elevated concentrations of t-tau ( OR=1.006, P=0.001) and p-tau ( OR=1.030, P=0.011) were risk factors for POD after adjusting for multi-confounders such as hypertension, diabetes, history of drinking, years of education and Mini-Mental State Examination score. The results of the mediation analysis showed that Aβ 42 (20%), t-tau (16%), Aβ 42/t-tau (23%) and Aβ 42/p-tau (28%) played mediating roles in the relationship between PA and POD. Conclusions:PA is a protective factor for POD in elderly patients undergoing knee or hip arthroplasty and CSF biomarkers may play a mediating role in the relationship between PA and POD.

Objective:To assess the prevalence and type of tissue prolapse (TP) occurring after endovascular treatment (ET), investigate the association between TP types and plaque morphological characteristics before ET, and observe in-stent neointimal hyperplasia (NIH) using optical coherence tomography (OCT).Methods:Patients who underwent carotid artery stenting and received pre- and post-ET OCT assessment at Jinling Hospital between July 2018 and December 2019 were collected. Baseline plaque characteristics and TP features were evaluated using OCT. The TPs were classified into two categories: smooth TP (STP) and irregular and/or high attenuated TP (I/HTP). The association between I/HTP and plaque characteristics was analyzed, while NIH feature was also summarized.Results:A total of 29 patients were included in the study, of whom 23 patients (79.3%) presented with TP. Among these 23 patients, 9 were classified as I/HTP and 14 were classified as STP. Compared with STP, I/HTP was more commonly observed in lipid-rich plaques (7/9 vs 2/14, P=0.007), and lesions with cap rupture (7/9 vs 4/14, P=0.036). Additionally, the longitudinal length of TP appeared to be longer in cases with I/HTP compared to those with STP [3.0 (1.5, 4.6) mm vs 1.1 (0.7, 3.2) mm, Z=1.294, P=0.201]. Six patients underwent OCT follow-up for a mean duration of 6.7 months, of whom 3 patients with I/HTP showed severe heterogeneous NIH (50.1%-61.8%), while 1 patient with STP and 2 patients without TP only demonstrated mild NIH. Conclusions:The study observed that I/HTP was commonly found in plaques with larger lipid core and/or cap rupture, and suggested a potential relationship between I/HTP and NIH. These preliminary findings obtained from a limited sample should be verified by prospective large-scale studies.

【Objective】 To investigate the feasibility of laparoscopic simple prostatectomy (LSP) in the treatment of large volume benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). 【Methods】 Clinical and follow-up data of 30 patients with large volume BPH treated with LSP in our hospital during Feb.2019 and Dec.2021 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent extraperitoneal LSP operation. The perioperative and 1-12 month postoperative follow-up data were analyzed. 【Results】 The average prostate volume was (92.4±38.9) mL, operation time (125±45) min, and weight of resected prostate (60.25±16.90) g. The hemoglobin decreased by (12.21±7.25) g/d after operation. No blood transfusion was needed. There was no need for bladder irrigation after operation in 21 cases (70%), and 9 cases (30%) had bladder irrigation time of (0.95±0.49) d. The postoperative catheter indwelling time was (6.92±2.51) d, and hospital stay (5.36±1.63) d. During the follow-up of (9.25±5.4) months, there was 1 case of postoperative intestinal obstruction (Clavien-Dindo grade II), 1 case of transient urinary incontinence (Clavien-Dindo grade I), and 1 case of delayed hematuria (Clavien-Dindo grade I). No urethral stricture occurred. The maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), post-void residual urine volume (PVR), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and quality of life (QoL) 3 months after operation were significantly improved compared with those before operation (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in sexual function before and after operation (P>0.05). 【Conclusion】 LSP is safe and effective in the treatment of large volume BPH. It has advantages of complete resection of glands, minor bleeding and short postoperative bladder irrigation time. However, it still needs to be confirmed by a prospective control study of large samples.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the surgical efficacy and prognostic factors of patients with advanced nasal and sinuses malignancies,in order to provide more reference for surgical plan selection and prognosis evaluation.METHODS A total of 117 patients with advanced nasal and sinuses malignancies were retrospectively chosen in the period from January 2010 to January 2019 in our hospital.The clinical characteristics and follow-up survival data were analyzed,and the independent prognostic factors of advanced nasal and paranasal malignant tumors were evaluated by univariate and multivariate methods.RESULTS The progression free survival rate and overall survival rate were 48.71％and 62.39％,respectively.The median progression free survival time and overall survival time were 32.48 months and 39.80 months,respectively.Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that age,histopathological type,marginal status and whether adjuvant therapy was accepted were independent factors influencing progression free survival time and overall survival time after surgery for advanced nasal and sinus malignancies(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION The surgical efficacy of advanced nasal and sinusoidal malignancies is satisfactory and the clinical prognosis is related to age,marginal status and adjuvant therapy.