OBJECTIVE To investigate the mechanism of pachymic acid on renal injury in pregnancy induced hypertension （PIH） rats by regulating the silent information regulator transcript 1/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α （Sirt1/PGC-1α） pathway. METHODS Pregnant SD rats were prepared by co-caging and PIH model was induced using N-nitro-L- arginine methyl ester （L-NAME） method. PIH rats were randomly divided into model group， L-pachymic acid （low-dose pachymic acid， 10 mg/kg） group， H-pachymic acid （high-dose pachymic acid， 20 mg/kg） group， and H-pachymic acid+EX527 （20 mg/kg pachymic acid+10 mg/kg EX527） group， with 6 rats in each group. Another 6 normal pregnant rats were selected as blank group. Each group was given relevant medicine or solvent intragastrically or intraperitoneally daily， once a day， for 28 consecutive days. After the last administration， 24 h urinary protein and tail artery systolic blood pressure （SBP） were measured in pregnant rats from each group， along with the levels of serum creatinine （Scr）， blood urea nitrogen （BUN），uric acid （UA）， and cystatin C （Cys-C）. The contents of superoxide dismutase （SOD）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px）， and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine （8-OHdG） in renal tissue， as well as the mRNA and protein expression levels of Sirt1 and PGC-1α， were also determined. Meanwhile， renal histopathological changes in rats from each group were evaluated using hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and periodic acid-Schiff （PAS） staining. RESULTS Compared with model group， L-pachymic acid group and H-pachymic acid group exhibited significant decreases in 24 h urine protein quantification， tail artery SBP， Scr， BUN， UA， Cys-C levels， glomerulosclerosis index score of renal tissue， renal tubular injury score， the percentage of PAS positive area， MDA and 8-OHdG （P＜0.05）. Conversely， the contents of SOD and GSH-Px， along with the mRNA and protein expression levels of Sirt1 and PGC-1α， were significantly increased （P＜0.05）. Moreover， these improvements were more pronounced in H-pachymic acid group （P＜0.05）. Compared with H-pachymic acid group， the aforementioned indicators in pregnant rats from the H-pachymic acid+EX527 group showed significant reversal （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Pachymic acid significantly ameliorates renal injury induced by PIH in rats， potentially through activation of the Sirt1/PGC-1α pathway.

Objective To explore the valve regurgitation status of left heart after the implantation of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) and its effect on prognosis of patients with LVAD implantation. Methods A total of 35 patients with cardiomyopathy who underwent magnetic levitation LVAD implantation at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from February 2021 to July 2024 were retrospectively selected. Clinical data during hospitalization were collected, including preoperative basic data and postoperative valve regurgitation status. Telephone follow-ups were conducted to monitor patients’ survival status and transthoracic echocardiography was used to assess left valve function. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and log-rank test were employed to compare the survival rate of patients with different levels of valve regurgitation. Results The 35 patients had a mean age of (53.9±11.1) years, with 85.7% male, and 3 patients (8.6%) died during hospitalization. Preoperatively, 17 patients (48.6%) had moderate or greater mitral regurgitation, while all 35 patients had less than moderate aortic regurgitation. One month postoperatively, thirty patients were followed up, among which 24 patients (80%) had less than moderate mitral regurgitation, including 11 cases with alleviated regurgitation compared to pre-surgery; 6 patients (20%) had moderate or greater mitral regurgitation, including 4 cases with stable regurgitation and 2 cases with progression of regurgitation compared to pre-surgery; 2 patients (6.7%) had progression of aortic regurgitation to moderate or greater. The follow-up time was 1.2 (1.0, 2.1) years, with 1-year survival rate of 91.4% and 3-year survival rate of 71.1%. Survival analysis showed that the 3-year survival rate of patients with moderate or greater mitral regurgitation one month postoperatively was significantly lower than that of patients with less than moderate regurgitation (66.7% vs 83.3%, P＝0.046). Conclusions After the implantation of magnetic levitation LVAD, most patients showed improvement in mitral regurgitation, while aortic regurgitation remained unchanged. The degree of mitral regurgitation one month postoperatively is associated with prognosis.

In the ever-evolving landscape of cancer therapy, while cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted therapy aim to eradicate malignant cells, they also inadvertently trigger cellular senescence in both cancerous and microenvironmental tissues. Therapy-induced senescence (TIS) can act as a barrier against tumor growth by halting cell proliferation in the short term, but the long-term persistence of therapy-induced senescent (TISnt) cells may pose a significant challenge in cancer management. Their distinct characteristics, like senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), metabolic dysregulation, and immune evasion, make them exhibit remarkable heterogeneity to orchestrate the tumor microenvironment (TME), resulting in therapy resistance. However, how these TISnt cells functioning differently in cancer progression, and the intricate mechanisms by which they remodel the senescence-associated immunosuppressive microenvironment present challenges for improving anticancer therapy. Therefore, this review summarizes the heterogeneous TISnt cell phenotypes contributing to an accumulated senescent state, outlines their multidimensional interactions in the senescent microenvironment, and discusses current senescence-targeting strategies. Building on the current understanding of TIS, we propose potential avenues for improving TIS-targeting methodologies in the context of head and neck cancer, a representative heterogeneous malignancy, which can substantially enhance the efficacy of the "one-two punch" sequential treatment approach for head and neck cancer.
Humans ; Cellular Senescence/drug effects* ; Tumor Microenvironment ; Neoplasms/pathology* ; Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype

Objective To investigate the health education needs and available resources in schistosomiasis-endemic areas based on integration of community resources, and to explore the operation pathways for health education and promotion during the stage of schistosomiasis elimination. Methods A community was selected from Nanji Township, Xinjian District, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province around the Poyang Lake areas as the study site, and a questionnaire survey on health education needs for schistosomiasis control was conducted among permanent residents at ages of 20 years in the community during the period between June and July, 2022 using face-to-face interviews. In addition, the resources available for the community-based schistosomiasis control health education were investigated among workers in township-level specialized institutions, members of civil society organizations, villagers, teachers and high and primary school students through field observations, field surveys and thematic interviews. Results A total of 304 individuals participated in the questionnaire survey on community-based health education needs for schistosomiasis control, and 94.41% (287/304) and 93.42% (284/304) of the respondents were most interested in knowing/understanding knowledge of the morphology of schistosomes and knowledge associated with the transmission route of schistosomiasis. The four most popular patterns for disseminating schistosomiasis control knowledge included live broadcasting of schistosomiasis control videos (94.41%, 287/304), printed brochures (89.80%, 273/304), special lectures by doctors (62.50%, 190/304) and physical health education materials for schistosomiasis control (61.51%, 187/304). There were 96.71% (294/304) and 77.63% (236/304) of respondents that accepted the participation of township healthcare center and township government/village committees in dissemination of schistosomiasis control knowledge, and there were 95.72% (291/304) and 80.59% (245/304) of respondents that mainly acquired schistosomiasis control knowledge through village allocation of leaflets and volunteer schistosomiasis control activities, respectively. There was 96.71% (294/304) of respondents participating in the dissemination activities of schistosomiasis control knowledge held by village committees, township healthcare centers, and high and primary schools/kinder-gartens, and 61.25% (177/289) of respondents were willing to participate in volunteer schistosomiasis control activities. A total of 115 individuals participated in the survey of available resources for community-based schistosomiasis control health education, and there were a large number of organizational, human and cultural resources in the community that were useful for health communication services. Conclusions The abundant human and material resources from rural communities in schistosomiasis-endemic areas may be integrated into schistosomiasis control health education to generate a rural health education pathway with the joint participation of schistosomiasis control institutions, township governments, community departments and community residents, which may provide insights into the future development of schistosomiasis control health education.

Objective    To review and analyze the clinical manifestations of common aortitis in cardiac surgery. Methods    We screened 41 552 patients who were hospitalized in the Department of Cardiac Surgery of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from 2010 to 2020, analyzed the patients' clinical data, and classified according to the type of diseases. Then we summarized all their clinical manifestations. Results    In our center 145 patients were operated for aortitis diseases, including 75 males and 70 females, with the age of 24-76 (45.6±11.3) years. There were 61 patients of Takayasu's arteritis, 51 patients of Behcet's disease, 8 patients of syphilitic aortitis, 8 patients of systemic lupus erythematosus, 2 patients of Kawasaki disease, 4 patients of ankylosing spondylitis, 10 patients of dry syndrome, and 1 patient of scleroderma. Conclusion    Aortitis is not uncommon in cardiac surgery, and awareness of the disease should be enhanced. So that we can distinguish various types of aortitis and to make proper management to improve patients' prognosis.

Humans ; SARS-CoV-2 ; COVID-19

A female patient who was admitted to the hospital on March 4, 2020 due to the right kidney mass for 4 days by physical examination. Ultrasound examination revealed a single space-occupying lesion in the right kidney, and further examination of the abdominal enhanced CT and three-dimensional reconstruction showed two lesions in the right kidney. The retroperitoneal laparoscopic partial nephrectomy was carried out. The pathological diagnosis were renal leiomyoma and renal eosinophiloma, respectively. After 1 year follow-up, no recurrence or metastasis was found.

A patient with intermittent right lumbar pain for more than one month and aggravating for one week was reported. The right laparoscopic radical nephrectomy was performed, and fibrosarcoma of the right kidney was diagnosed. The patient refused further radiotherapy or chemotherapy and was discharged on the 11th after surgery. One year after operation, the patient underwent chest CT, and subdural tumor of right lobe of liver was detected. A surgery was performed in another hospital, and liver metastasis from right renal fibrosarcoma was diagnosed. He was alive four months after operation.

Objective:To evaluate the safety and efficacy of LVIS stent-assisted coil embolization in the acute phase of ruptured intracranial aneurysms.Methods:The clinical data of 55 patients with ruptured intracranial aneurysm treated with LVIS stent-assisted coil embolization admitted to Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University from January 2016 to December 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. The general data, the characteristics of aneurysms and the occurrence of perioperative complications of the patients were collected. The clinical prognosis of the patients at discharge and 6 months of follow-up was recorded. The Glasgow prognosis score (GOS) was graded as good (5), average (3-4), and poor (1-2), and the cerebral angiography results were recorded immediately after embolization and 6-month follow-up. The aneurysm occlusion was assessed by Raymond grade, Raymond Ⅰ was complete obliteration, Ⅱ was residual neck and Ⅲ was residual aneurysm.Results:All 55 patients received LVIS stent-assisted coil embolization within 72 hours of ruptured intracranial aneurysms, and all stents were released successfully, including 16 males (29.1%) and 39 females (70.9%). The median age was 53 (24-80) years old. Anterior circulation aneurysms were found in 49 patients (89.1%) and posterior circulation aneurysms in 6 patients (10.9%). According to Hunt-Hess classification, there were 43 patients with grade Ⅰ-Ⅱ (78.2%), 7 patients with grade Ⅲ (12.7%) and 5 patients with grade Ⅳ-Ⅴ (9.1%). The first digital subtraction angiography (DSA) examination of 55 patients after embolization showed that 41 patients had complete obliteration of aneurysms and 14 had residual neck; and the smaller the aneurysm was, the higher the rate of complete obliteration after embolization was. The proportion of small aneurysms (maximum diameter ≤ 7 mm) in the complete obliteration group was significantly higher than that in the neck residual group (100.0% vs. 64.3%, P < 0.01). Among the 55 patients, there was 1 patient suffered from in-stent thrombosis during embolization, 1 patient suffered from distal vascular thrombosis induced by plaque shedding during embolization, 1 patient suffered from vasospasm during embolization, and 1 patient suffered from postoperative distal cerebral hemorrhage after embolization. In 2 dead patients, 1 died of cardiogenic disease and 1 died of respiratory failure caused by severe pneumonia. At discharge, the prognosis was good in 40 patients, average in 10 patients, and poor in 5 patients; and the higher the Hunt-Hess grade at admission, the worse the prognosis. The proportion of patients with Hunt-Hess grade Ⅰ-Ⅱ at admission in the good prognosis group was significantly higher than that in the general prognosis group and the poor prognosis group (90.0% vs. 50.0%, 40.0%, P < 0.01). Of the 55 patients, 39 completed clinical prognosis and cerebral angiography 6 months after embolization for follow-up. All patients had GOS no less than 3, including 32 patients with complete obliteration of aneurysm, 4 with residual neck and 3 with residual aneurysm. The smaller the aneurysm, the higher the rate of complete obliteration at 6-month follow-up was. The proportion of small aneurysm in the complete obliteration group was significantly higher than that in the residual neck group and the residual aneurysm group (100.0% vs. 75.0%, 33.3%, P < 0.01). There was no rebleeding or ischemic complication at 6-month follow-up. Conclusions:LVIS stent assisted coil embolization is safe, effective and feasible in the acute stage of ruptured intracranial aneurysms. Standardizing antiplatelet therapy and dense packing of aneurysms during embolization are the key to reduce bleeding and ischemic complications.

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a rodent-borne disease of natural infectious focus caused by Hantavirus (HV) with clinical characteristics as fever, hemorrhage, hyperemia, hypotensive shock and renal damage. Through contacting the excreta or secretion of infected rats, human may get infected. The epidemiological characteristics of HFRS are significantly different in terms of population differences, geographical heterogeneity and seasonal variation, which are all closely related to the habitat of host animals and human productive activities. The reported number of HFRS is about 150 000 to 200 000 each year worldwide, and China accounted for 70 %-90 % of the total reported cases standing the most seriously infected country. In this study, we reviewed the epidemiological characteristics and the influencing factors of HFRS as well as the models and methods used in relevant ecological studies, in order to understand the distribution of time, regional and population and potential influencing factors on the transmission of HFRS better, so as to improve the strategies on investigation, monitoring, prevention and control of the diseases.