Objective To construct a prokaryotic expression vector of of the long QT syndrome(LQTS)associated C-terminal lobe of calmodulin(CaM)mutant E141G(C-lobeE141G)and to identify the expression,purification,and activity of C-lobeE141G.Methods A cDNA fragment was inserted into a PGEX-6p-3 plasmid vector and transferred into Escherichia coli BL21 receptor cells,and glutathione-S-trans-ferase(GST)fusion protein was induced by isopropyl thio-β-D galactoside(IPTG).Glutathione-Sepharose 4B beads were used to separate and purify GST-C-lobeE141G.After removing the GST label with protease,the purity and concentration of purified C-lobeE141G were detected using SDS-PAGE and BCA,respectively.The activity of purified C-lobeE141G was detected using the GST pull-down method and patch clamp technique.Results GST-C-lobeE141G fusion protein was highly expressed,and C-lobeE141G with high purity and concentration was obtained.The purified C-lobeE141G protein not only bound to CaV1.2 calcium channels,but also rescued the channel activity from run-down in the ventricular myocytes of rat hearts.Conclusion This study successfully constructed a prokaryotic expression vector of C-lobeE141G,which provides a material basis for the study of the mechanism of LQTS mediated by C-lobe mutations in CaM.

Objective:To summarize the best evidence for exercise intervention in elderly patients with sarcopenia in intensive care unit (ICU) through literature search, and provide a reference for clinical implementation of early exercise intervention in this population through evidence-based practice.Methods:① Summary of best evidence: relevant literature on exercise intervention for elderly patients with sarcopenia in ICU, including guideline, evidence summary, expert consensus, systematic review, and original study [quasi-experiment and randomized controlled trial (RCT)] from UpToDate Clinical Advisor, Ovid database, National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC), National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), Cochrane Library, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PubMed/Medline, SinoMed, CNKI, Wanfang Database, VIP, and Yimai Tong Guideline Network were systematically searched. The search period covered from the establishment of these databases up to August 24, 2023. The quality of the literature was evaluated by two researchers with methodological expertise in evidence-based medicine, and the evidences were extracted and summarized. ② Evidence-based practice: the elderly patients with high risk of sarcopenia who had been hospitalized in the ICU for more than 7 days from January to April 2024 were enrolled as the research subjects, and they were divided into a control group and an intervention group using convenience sampling method. The control group received routine intensive care nursing. The intervention group implemented exercise intervention based on the actual situation of the patients, the baseline review was conducted before evidence application, and the effectiveness of evidence application at 7 days and 14 days was evaluated.Results:① A total of 19 pieces of literature were included, including 4 guidelines, 1 summary of evidence, 4 expert consensuses, 4 systematic reviews, and 6 original studies (1 quasi-experiment, 5 RCT). After literature quality evaluation, all 19 articles were enrolled. Finally, 31 pieces of best evidence were extracted from eight aspects, including assessment and diagnosis, multidisciplinary cooperation, indication, preparation before intervention, intervention program, safety monitoring, post-intervention evaluation, and special task. ② Finally, a total of 30 patients were enrolled in the intervention group, of which 17 completed 14 days of rehabilitation exercise, and 13 completed 7 days of rehabilitation exercise. Twenty-seven patients were enrolled in the control group, of which 17 completed 14 days of monitoring, and 10 completed 7 days of monitoring. Clinical evidence application results showed that the patients in the intervention group did not experience adverse events such as increased heart rate, extubation, or physical discomfort. The skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) in both groups was gradually decreased with the prolongation of intervention duration, but the 7-day SMI in the intervention group was significantly higher than that in the control group (kg/m 2: 8.61±2.66 vs. 6.65±1.50, P < 0.01). Conclusion:By summarizing the best evidence and evidence-based practice of exercise intervention for elderly patients with sarcopenia in ICU, this study confirmed the feasibility due to safe and effective of implementing early exercise intervention for elderly sarcopenia patients in ICU.

Objective:To investigate and analysis of the occurrence and influencing factors of sarcopenia in elderly critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU).Methods:A prospective cohort study was conducted. Elderly patients (aged ≥ 60 years) admitted to the ICU of Tianjin Medical University General Hospital from November 2023 to June 2024 were enrolled. Clinical records were collected, and conduct muscle mass and strength measurements, as well as upper arm circumference and calf circumference were measured. Appendicular skeletal muscle index (ASMI) of less than 7.0 kg/m 2 for males and less than 5.7 kg/m 2 for females was defined as reduced muscle mass, grip strength of less than 28 kg for males and less than 18 kg for females was defined as decreased muscle strength, patients meeting both low muscle mass and low muscle strength criteria were diagnosed with sarcopenia. According to the diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia, patients were divided into sarcopenia group and non-sarcopenia group. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was applied to identify risk factors for sarcopenia in the elderly and to develop a predictive model for the occurrence of sarcopenia. The predictive value of various risk factors for sarcopenia in elderly critically ill patients were evaluated by receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve). The Kaplan-Meier curve for the length of ICU stay of two groups patients were drawn. Results:Finally, 540 elderly critically ill patients were included, including 43 patients with sarcopenia, and the incidence of sarcopenia was 8.0%. Univariate analysis showed that there were significantly differences in body mass index (BMI), number of hospitalizations in the past year, the length of ICU stay, ventilation mode, duration of mechanical ventilation, pre-admission exercise habits, nutritional support methods, upper arm circumference, calf circumference, and albumin infusion between the sarcopenia group and the non-sarcopenia group. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that BMI [odds ratio ( OR) = 0.79, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was 0.67-0.93, P = 0.004], calf circumference ( OR = 0.64, 95% CI was 0.54-0.76, P < 0.001), and duration of mechanical ventilation ( OR = 1.06, 95% CI was 1.01-1.12, P = 0.034) were associated with an increased risk of sarcopenia in elderly critically ill patients. The ROC curve results showed that the area under the curve (AUC) and 95% CI of BMI, calf circumference, and duration of mechanical ventilation for predicting sarcopenia in elderly critically ill patients were 0.828 (0.767-0.888), 0.889 (0.844-0.933), and 0.397 (0.299-0.496), respectively, with cut-off values of 22.95 kg/m 2, 28.25 cm, and 50.50 days, respectively. The Kaplan-Meier curve showed that the cumulative survival rate of patients with sarcopenia was significantly lower than that of the non-sarcopenia group (Log-Rank test: χ 2 = 5.619, P = 0.018). Conclusion:Lower BMI, smaller calf circumference, and longer duration of mechanical ventilation are associated with an increased risk of sarcopenia in critically ill elderly patients.

Cirrhotic portal hypertension (CPH) is a manifestation of decompensated liver cirrhosis, with ascites, portal collateral circulation formation, hypersplenism and splenomegaly as the typical clinical symptoms. In recent years, the incidence of CPH has been increasing year by year, and the treatment of CPH has gradually become a hot issue in medical research. In order to further explore the diagnosis and treatment scheme of CPH. We briefly describe the pathophysiological mechanism and diagnosis of CPH, and the current situation of CPH treatment and the new progress of internal and external treatment were reviewed.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) on left atrial and ventricular function in patients with ischemia and non-obstructive coronary artery disease (INOCA) under the drug stress of regadenoson by speckle tracking imaging and left ventricular pressure-strain ring ultrasound technology.Methods:A total of 43 patients with INOCA who were admitted to the Department of Cardiology of the First Bethune Hospital of Jilin University from May 2022 to October 2023 were prospectively enrolled, and drug stress tests were performed. The coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) values were obtained by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography, and the INOCA patients with CFVR<2.0 were assigned to the CMD group ( n=24), and those with CFVR≥2.0 were assigned to the contrast group (CON group, n=19), and 20 healthy people without chest pain matched by clinical data were selected as the negative group (NEG group). The differences in general clinical data, routine echocardiography before and after stress, left atrial strain, and myocardial work parameters were compared between the groups. The correlation analysis of intra-group parameters was performed, and then the ROC curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of ultrasound parameters for INOCA. Results:Compared with the CON group and the NEG group, the ratio of early diastoic velocity E peak of mitral value orifice to the late diastoic velocity A peak(E/A) decreased and the ratio of early diastoic velocity E peak of mitral valve orifice to the early diastoic velocity e′ of the mitral valve annulus(E/e′) increased in the CMD group, and the differences were statistically signnificant (all P<0.05).There were statistically significant differences in left atrial strain parameters including left atrial strain reservoir (LASr), left atrial conduit strain (LAScd), left atrial contraction strain (LASct) between CON group and CMD group before and after stress (all P<0.05).However, there were no statistically significant differences between CON group and CMD group in myocardial work parameters including global longitudinal strain (GLS), peak strain dispersion (PSD), global work index (GWI), global constructive work (GCW), global wasted work (GWW), global work efficiency (GWE) at rest (all P>0.05), and there were significant differences only after stress (all P<0.05). E/e′ was negatively correlated with LASr and LAScd in the CMD group and CON group ( rs=-0.36, r=-0.31; all P<0.05), GLS was positively correlated with GWI, GCW, GWE( r=0.81, 0.61, 0.37; all P<0.05). GLS was positively correlated with GWI, GCW and GWE at stress state( r=0.66, 0.51, 0.52; all P<0.05), and negatively correlated with GWW ( rs=-0.39, P<0.05). PSD was positively correlated with GWW ( rs=0.30, P<0.05), and negatively correlated with GWI, GCW and GWE ( r=-0.46, -0.40, -0.38; all P<0.05). Univariate regression analysis showed that left atrial strain and myocardial work had good predictive values for CMD, and the predictive values of rest LASr and stress GLS were higher, with AUC values of 0.927 and 0.882, respectively. Conclusions:In patients with INOCA and CMD, the left atrial strain capacity decreases at both rest and stress state, and the myocardial work capacity decreases only under the stress. The changes in parameters of left atrial strain and myocardial work provide new ultrasound parameters and predictors for clinical evaluation of CMD.

Objective:To explore the effect of NOD-like receptor thermal protein 3 ( NLRP3) knockout in γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic neurons in the hippocampal CA1 area on improving cognitive dysfunction in mice after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods:Forty-eight healthy male NLRP3 flox/flox mice weighing 25-28 g were randomly divided into 4 groups ( n=12): sham-operated+control virus group (SV group), sham-operated+ NLRP3 specific knockout group (SG group), TBI+control virus group (TV group), TBI+ NLRP3 specific knockout group (TG group). TBI in the TV and TG groups was established by free-fall method, while surgical procedures such as scalp incision and cranial window opening without impact were given to the SV and SG groups. Adenovirus was injected into the hippocampal CA1 area of SG and TG groups 21 d before TBI to induce NLRP3 specific knockout in GABA-ergic neurons in the hippocampal CA1 area; empty virus was injected into the CA1 area of SV and TV groups. Cognitive function was evaluated using novel object recognition test 30 and 31 d after TBI, and learning and memory functions were assessed using Morris water maze test 32-36 d after TBI. Field potentials in the hippocampal CA1 area were recorded during novel object recognition 31 d after TBI. After behavioral tests, these mice were sacrificed. Immunofluorescent staining was used to detect the fluorescent intensity of microtubule-associated protein2 (MAP2), glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 (GAD67), and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) in the hippocampal CA1 area, as well as percentage of pyroptosis-associated inflammatory factor interleukin-18 (IL-18)/GAD67 double-positive neurons in total GAD67 positive neurons. Results:Compared with the SV and SG groups, the TV and TG groups had decreased novel object recognition index, decreased number of platform crossings during the experimental period, increased escape latency on day 3 and day 4 of the training period in Morris water maze test, decreased θ and γ oscillation power in the hippocampal CA1 area during novel object recognition, decreased fluorescent intensity of MAP2, GAD67, and PSD95 in the hippocampal CA1 area, increased percentage of IL-18/GAD67 double-positive neurons, with significant differences ( P<0.05). Compared with the TV group, the TG group had increased novel object recognition index, increased number of platform crossings in Morris water maze test, decreased escape latency during the training period, increased θ and γ oscillation power in the hippocampal CA1 area during novel object recognition, increased fluorescence intensity of MAP2, GAD67, and PSD95 in the hippocampal CA1 area, decreased percentage of IL-18/GAD67 double-positive neurons, with significant differences ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Specific inhibition of NLRP3 expression in GABA-ergic neurons in the hippocampal CA1 area can improve cognitive dysfunction in mice after TBI, whose mechanism may be related to inhibited GABA-ergic neuronal pyroptosis in the hippocampal CA1 area.

Objective:To predict the mechanism of Panacis Quinquefolii Radix- Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma (PQ-AT) in the treatment of diabetes encephalopathy (DE) using network pharmacology combined with molecular docking; To conduct experimental verification.Methods:The active components and targets of PQ and AT were screened by TCMSP database. The GeneCards and Disgenet were used to collect DE related target genes. String database and Cytoscape software were used to structure PPI network and perform visualization analysis. The common targets were imported into Metascape platform for GO annotation and KEGG enrichment analysis. Molecular docking was used to verify the binding ability of active components to core targets. Rats were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group, and a low-dose group of PQ-AT (1.08 g/kg), a high-dose group of PQ-AT (2.16 g/kg), and a metformin group (0.18 g/kg) using a random number table. To establish the rat model of diabetes encephalopathy, intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin was used in addition to the blank group. After a 12-week drug intervention, TNF-α and Cyclooxygenase-2 (PTGS2) protein expression in the cerebral cortex of rats was detected using Western blot.Results:A total of 26 active components in PQ-AT and 107 related targets of DE were obtained, mainly including TNF, JUN, and PTSG2, which were mainly concentrated in TNF signaling pathway, cancer and other signal pathways. Molecular docking showed that the main active components of PQ-AT had relatively stable binding activity with TNF-α and PTGS2. Western blot results shows that compared with the model group, the expressions of PTGS2 and TNF-α significantly decreased in each administration group ( P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusion:PQ-AT can act on TNF, CASP3, JUN, STAT3, PTGS2 and other core targets to regulate signal pathways such as TNF, and inhibit inflammatory reaction to achieve the effect of treating DE.

Objective·To analyze the expression changes of adhesion G protein-coupled receptor F1(ADGRF1)in the occurrence and development of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC),and explore the impact of ADGRF1 on the proliferation of PDAC cells and the potential molecular mechanisms that promote PDAC progression.Methods·The expression of ADGRF1 at mRNA level was analyzed based on the Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)database and The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)database,respectively.The expression of ADGRF1 in normal pancreatic ductal epithelial cells(hTERT-HPNE)and various PDAC tumor cells was detected by using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(qPCR)and Western blotting.Immunohistochemical staining(IHC)was used to detect the differential expression of ADGRF1 in cancer tissues and adjacent tissues of PDAC patients.After knocking down ADGRF1 with small interfering RNA(siRNA)transfection,the changes in the proliferation ability of PDAC AsPC-1 and SW1990 cells were detected through CCK8 assay and plate cloning experiment.Stable overexpression of ADGRF1 was constructed in PDAC Patu8988 cell line,and the proliferation changes induced by overexpression of ADGRF1 were evaluated through CCK8 assay.RNA sequencing(RNA-seq),gene set enrichment analysis(GSEA),and immune infiltration analysis were utilized to predict signaling pathways associated with ADGRF1-mediated promotion of PDAC cancer progression.Results·Analysis of the TCGA database and GEO database revealed higher expression of ADGRF1 mRNA in PDAC tissues compared to normal pancreatic tissues(all P=0.000).qPCR and Western blotting results demonstrated up-regulation of ADGRF1 mRNA and protein levels in various PDAC cells compared to hTERT-HPNE cells(all P<0.05).IHC results confirmed higher ADGRF1 expression in PDAC cancer tissues compared to adjacent tissues.Furthermore,downregulation of ADGRF1 inhibited the proliferation of PDAC AsPC-1 and SW1990 cell lines,while overexpression of ADGRF1 promoted the proliferation of Patu8988 cells(all P<0.05).RNA-seq,GSEA enrichment analysis,and immune infiltration analysis revealed that ADGRF1 expression was related to signaling pathways such as interferon-α(IFN-α),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),and nuclear factor κB(NF-κB).Conclusion·ADGRF1 is highly expressed in PDAC cells and tissues,and promotes the proliferation of PDAC cells via immune-related signaling pathways.

Objective To investigate the value of breast MRI-abbreviated protocol(BMRI-AP)compared with full field digital mammography(FFDM)and breast MRI-full diagnostic protocol(BMRI-FDP)in the diagnosis of early breast cancer with non-calcified.Methods A total of 95 cases patients with early breast cancer with non-calcified(the longest diameter of the lesion≤2 cm,regardless of the size of the carcinoma in situ)were retrospectively included.Clinical,pathological and imaging data of all patients were collected.All patients underwent FFDM and MRI scanning,and three examination regimens,including FFDM,BMRI-AP,BMRI-FDP,were further obtained.Classification was performed according to the breast imaging reporting and data system(BI-RADS)classification standard(fifth edition)developed by American College of Radiology(ACR),and pathological results were taken as the standard.The diagnostic efficacy for early breast cancer with non-calcified were compared among the different three imaging methods.Results The diagnostic accuracy of FFDM,BMRI-AP and BMRI-FDP for early breast cancer with non-calcified was 76.84%,93.68%and 95.79%,respectively,with statistically significant difference among three groups(χ2=20.558,P<0.001).The median(quartile distance)of BMRI-AP and BMRI-FDP scanning time were 478(5)s and 926(13)s,respectively,with statistically significant difference between the two groups(Z=-11.912,P<0.001).Conclusion The diagnostic accuracy of BMRI-AP is significantly better than that of FFDM and similar to that of BMRI-FDP for early breast cancer with non-calcified.In addition,BMRI-AP can significantly shorten the scanning time without reducing the diagnostic accuracy,which is expected to become a new breast cancer screening method.

Objective·To establish a mouse model with dormant cancer and no obvious metastasis by combining the preimmune strategy with the mVenus-p27K-cell G0 phase indicator system,the DTR-HSV/TK suicide gene system,and the Luc2-tdTomato tracer system.Methods·The KPC1199 mouse pancreatic cancer cell line was transfected with the mVenus-p27K-cell G0 phase indicator system,the DTR-HSV/TK suicide gene system,and the Luc2-tdTomato tracer system to construct a stable expression cell line,KPC1199-PDL.After being cultured in the serum-free condition,KPC1199-PDL cells were sorted into mVenus(+)cells and mVenus(-)cells by flow cytometry,and the expression of G0 phase-related genes was verified by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(qPCR).Sensitivity of KPC1199-PDL cells to diphtheria toxin(DTX)and ganciclovir(GCV)was evaluated by CCK-8 assay.A transsplenic portal vein-hepatic metastasis model was constructed in wild-type C57BL/6 mice to validate the function of KPC1199-PDL cells in vivo by immunofluorescence technology.The KPC1199-PDL cells were injected subcutaneously into C57BL/6 mice,followed by in situ injection of DTX and GCV to ablate subcutaneous tumors 5 d later,to obtain preimmunized mice.The transsplenic portal vein-hepatic metastasis models were constructed in these mice.Bioluminescence imaging was used to evaluate subcutaneous tumor ablation and hepatic metastasis in the mice,and immunofluorescence assay was used to detect the distribution and dormant state of tumor cells in the livers of preimmunize mice.Results·The three tool systems were stably expressed in KPC1199-PDL cells,and their proliferative ability was not affected.In the serum starving condition,some KPC1199-PDL cells expressed the mVenus protein,indicating entry into the G0 phase;the mVenus(+)cells sorted out by flow cytometry exhibited significantly higher expression of G0 phase-related genes(all P<0.05)and significantly lower expression of the proliferation-related gene compared with mVenus(-)cells(P<0.05).The CCK-8 assay demonstrated high sensitivity of KPC1199-PDL cells to DTX and GCV.In vivo experiments confirmed that KPC1199-PDL cells could be effectively traced through tdTomato protein expression,and could indicate entry into the G0 phase through mVenus protein expression.Following subcutaneous tumor implantation and drug ablation,preimmunized mice were successfully obtained.In the subsequent transsplenic portal vein-hepatic metastasis model,no metastatic signals were observed in the liver by bioluminescence imaging,but single or small clusters of G0 phase tumor cells expressing both mVenus and tdTomato,not expressing the proliferation marker Ki67,were detected in liver tissue sections by immunofluorescence analysis.Conclusions·A recognizable and traceable dormant cancer model is constructed with the combination of the preimmune mouse model of pancreatic cancer,the mVeneus-p27K-indicator system,the DTR-HSV/TK suicide gene system,and the Luc2-tdTomato tracer system.