BACKGROUND:Chondrocyte apoptosis is an important factor in the development of osteoarthritis,and Complanatoside A has a flavonoid effect,which can inhibit apoptosis of various cells,but its effect on chondrocyte apoptosis and the mechanism of action are not clear. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the intrinsic association and mechanism of Complanatoside A in chondrocyte apoptosis based on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. METHODS:(1)The cartilage tissues of the femur and tibia transected during knee arthroplasty were collected,and chondrocytes were isolated,cultured in vitro,and identified.(2)Cell counting kit-8 was used to detect the optimal intervention concentration of Complanatoside A in the concentration range of 0-160 μmol/L.(3)Chondrocytes were divided into blank group,sodium nitroprusside(1.5 mmol/L)-induced group,and sodium nitroprusside(1.5 mmol/L)+Complanatoside A(5 μmol/L)group.The viability and apoptosis rate of the cells in each group were detected by cell counting kit-8 and flow cytometry.The expression of type Ⅱ collagen and SOX9 was detected by immunofluorescence staining.The expression of apoptosis-related proteins and Wnt/β-catenin pathway proteins was detected by western blot assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The cells extracted in vitro were cultured and stained,and were clearly identified as chondrocytes.Complanatoside A had no obvious cytotoxicity to chondrocytes in the concentration range of 0-80 μmol/L,and significantly improved the chondrocyte viability in the concentration range of 2.5-10 μmol/L,especially when the concentration was 5 μmol/L.The apoptotic rate of chondrocytes was higher in the sodium nitroprusside-induced group than the blank control group,while the apoptotic rate was lower in the sodium nitroprusside+Complanatoside A group than the sodium nitroprusside-induced group.The fluorescence intensity of type Ⅱ collagen and SOX9 in chondrocytes was weaker in the sodium nitroprusside-induced group than the blank control group,while the fluorescence intensity of type Ⅱ collagen and SOX9 in the sodium nitroprusside+Complanatoside A group was higher than that of the sodium nitroprusside-induced group.In the sodium nitroprusside-induced group,the protein expression of Bax,Caspase-3,matrix metalloproteinase 13,Wnt3a,Wnt5a and β-catenin was higher than that of the blank control group,while the protein expression of Bcl-2 was lower than that of the blank control group.In the sodium nitroprusside+Complanatoside A group,except for the protein expression of Bcl-2 which was higher than that of the sodium nitroprusside-induced group,the expression of the other aforementioned proteins was lower than that of the sodium nitroprusside-induced group.To conclude,Complanatoside A has a certain inhibitory effect on chondrocyte apoptosis,which could regulate apoptosis-related proteins and promote the expression of chondrocyte regulatory factors,and presumably might play a role through inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men, accounting for 14.1% of new cancer cases in 2020. The aggressiveness of prostate cancer is highly variable, depending on its grade and stage at the time of diagnosis. Despite recent advances in prostate cancer treatment, some patients still experience recurrence or even progression after undergoing radical treatment. Accurate initial staging and monitoring for recurrence determine patient management, which in turn affect patient prognosis and survival. Classical imaging has limitations in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer, but the use of novel molecular probes has improved the detection rate, specificity, and accuracy of prostate cancer detection. Molecular probe-based imaging modalities allow the visualization and quantitative measurement of biological processes at the molecular and cellular levels in living systems. An increased understanding of tumor biology of prostate cancer and the discovery of new tumor biomarkers have allowed the exploration of additional molecular probe targets. The development of novel ligands and advances in nano-based delivery technologies have accelerated the research and development of molecular probes. Here, we summarize the use of molecular probes in positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), optical imaging, and ultrasound imaging, and provide a brief overview of important target molecules in prostate cancer.
Humans ; Male ; Prostatic Neoplasms/diagnosis* ; Molecular Probes ; Molecular Imaging/methods* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon ; Ultrasonography ; Optical Imaging ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; Precision Medicine/methods*

OBJECTIVES: To explore the therapeutic mechanism of compound Centella asiatica formula (CCA) for alleviating Schistosoma japonicum (Sj)-induced liver fibrosis in mice. METHODS: The active components and targets of CCA were identified using the TCMSP database with cross-analysis of Sj-related liver fibrosis targets. A "drug-component-target-pathway-disease" network was constructed using Cytoscape 3.9.1. Functional enrichment analysis (GO/KEGG) was performed using DAVID. Molecular docking study was carried out to validate interactions between the core targets and the key compounds. For experimental validation of the results, 36 mice were divided into control group, Sj-infected model group, and CCA-treated groups. In the latter two groups, liver fibrosis was induced via abdominal infection with Sj cercariae for 8 weeks, followed by 8 weeks of daily treatment with CCA decoction or saline. Hepatic pathology of the mice was assessedwith HE and Masson staining, and hepatic expressions of collagen-I and collagen-III were detected using immunohistochemistry; serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels were determined with ELISA. Hepatic expressions of TLR4 and MyD88 proteins were analyzed with Western blotting. RESULTS: We identified a total of 107 bioactive CCA components and 791 targets, including 37 intersection targets linked to Sj-induced fibrosis. The core targets included TNF, TP53, JUN, MMP9, and CXCL8, involving the IL-17 signaling, lipid metabolism, TLR4/MyD88 axis, and cancer pathways. Molecular docking study confirmed strong binding affinity between quercetin (a primary CCA component) and TNF/TP53/JUN/MMP9. In Sj-infected mouse models, CCA treatment significantly attenuated hepatic inflammatory cell infiltration, reduced collagen-I and collagen-III deposition, improved tissue architecture, reduced serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels, and downregulated TLR4 and MyD88 expressions in the liver. CONCLUSIONS CCA mitigates Sj-induced liver fibrosis by targeting TNF, TP53, JUN, and MMP9 to modulate the TLR4/MyD88 pathway, thereby suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokine release, inhibiting hepatic stellate cell activation, reducing collagen deposition, and preventing granuloma formation in the liver.
Animals ; Toll-Like Receptor 4/metabolism* ; Mice ; Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88/metabolism* ; Schistosoma japonicum ; Liver Cirrhosis/parasitology* ; Schistosomiasis japonica ; Signal Transduction ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Inflammation ; Centella/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism*

Biosensors have become powerful tools for real-time monitoring of specific small molecules and precise control of gene expression in biological systems. High-throughput sensors for 1, 4-butanediamine biosynthesis can greatly improve the screening efficiency of high-yielding 1, 4-butanediamine strains. However, the strategies for adapting the characteristics of biosensors are still rarely studied, which limits the applicability of 1, 4-butanediamine biosensors. In this paper, we propose the development of a 1, 4-butanediamine biosensor based on the transcriptional regulator PuuR, whose homologous operator puuO is installed in the constitutive promoter P_gapA of Escherichia coli to control the expression of the downstream superfolder green fluorescent protein (sfGFP) as the reporter protein. Finally, the biosensor showed a stable linear relationship between the GFP/OD₆₀₀ value and the concentration of 1, 4-butanediamine when the concentration of 1, 4-butanediamine was 0-50 mmol/L. The promoters with different strengths in the E. coli genome were used to modify the 1, 4-butanediamine biosensor, and the functional properties of the PuuR-based 1, 4-butanediamine biosensor were explored and improved, which laid the groundwork for high-throughput screening of engineered strains highly producing 1, 4-butanediamine.
Biosensing Techniques/methods* ; Escherichia coli/metabolism* ; Promoter Regions, Genetic/genetics* ; Green Fluorescent Proteins/metabolism* ; Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Escherichia coli Proteins/genetics* ; Diamines/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value and clinical significance of hypersensitive C-reactive protein(hs-CRP),procalcitonin(PCT)combined with interleukin-6(IL-6)in children with severe hand-foot-mouth disease.Methods A total of 62 children hospitalized in our hospital from January 2022 to December 2022 were collected as research objects.According to the severity of infection,they were divided into observation group(severe infection group)with 29 cases and control group(mild infection group)with 33 cases.The differences of general data,total leukocyte count,neutrophil count,lymphocyte count,platelet count,hs-CRP,PCT,IL-6 and creatine kinase isoenzyme(CK-MB)between the two groups and their clinical applications were analyzed and compared.Results The total white blood cell count,neutrophil count,lymphocyte count,hs-CRP,PCT and IL-6 in the observation group were higher than those in the control group,and the difference has statistically significant.Receiver operator characteristic(ROC)curve analysis of hs-CRP predicted the sensitivity and specificity of severe infection of hand-foot-mouth disease were 79.3%and 93.9%(95%CI:0.852-10.985,P<0.05);The sensitivity and specificity of PCT were 93.1%and 84.8%(95%CI:0.907-1,P<0.05);The sensitivity and specificity of IL-6 were 96.6%and 87.9%(95%CI:0.945-1,P<0.05).Conclusions In hand-foot-mouth classification,PCT and IL-6 are highly sensitive.Although hs-CRP is less sensitive than the former,its specificity is higher than the former.Therefore,the combination of hs-CRP,PCT and IL-6 has higher value for hand-foot-mouth classification.

Objective To construct a risk assessment scale for postoperative delirium(POD)in elderly patients undergoing hip and knee joint replacement and evaluate the effect.Methods A total of 474 elderly patients undergoing hip and knee arthroplasty from March 2021 to May 2022 were collected as the training set,and a total of 153 the homogeneous patients from January 2022 to May 2022 were collected as the validation set.The patients were divided into two groups based on whether or not POD occurred:non-POD group and POD group.Risk factors of POD in the training set were analyzed by univariate analysis and multifactorial logistic regression.The consistency of the model was evaluated by Homser-Lemeshow goodness of fit test.The postoperative delirium risk assessment scale was established after the selected variables as-signed value according to OR value,and the predictive efficacy of the scale was evaluated by receiver oper-ating characteristic(ROC)curve.The patients in the training set and the validation set were divided into two groups according to the cut-off value:high-risk and low-risk.The incidence rate of POD with different risk stratification was calculated and the applicability of the risk assessment scale was evaluated.Results Fifty-eight patients(12.2%)with POD in the training set,and nineteen patients(12.4%)with POD in the validation set.Multifactor logistic regression showed that age≥85 years,ASA physical status Ⅲ or Ⅳ,the mini-mental state examination(MMSE)score≤24 points,preoperative sleep disorder,comorbid neu-rological disorders,use of general anesthesia,and non-use of dexmedetomidine were independent risk factors of POD.The POD risk assessment scale was then published based the seven risk factors.The ROC curve showed that the area under the curve(AUC)for this scale to predict the risk of POD was 0.956(95%CI 0.937-0.975),and the risk stratification was performed with a cut-off value of 44.5 points,which divided the patients into low-risk and high-risk.Compared with low-risk,the incidence rate of POD in high-risk patients group was significantly increased(P＜0.001).Conclusion A risk assessment scale based on the seven risk factors:age≥85 years,ASA physical status Ⅲ or Ⅳ,MMSE score≤24 points,preoperative sleep disorder,combined neurological disease,use of general anesthetic modality,and non-use of dexmedetomidine,can effectively identify elderly patients undergoing hip and knee replacement who are at high risk of developing POD.

Objective To investigate the safety and feasibility of modified gasless trans-subclavian approach endoscopic total thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC).Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of consecutive 82 patients with PTC who underwent the modified gasless trans-subclavian approach endoscopic total thyroidectomy in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery,Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital,Affiliated with the Zhejiang University School of Medicine,from March 2022 to June 2023.Results All operations were successfully completed under endoscopy approach without transfer to open surgery.The maximum diameter of PTC was(6.6±5.4)mm.The operation duration was(156.5±32.7)min,and the number of lymph nodes in the central compartment was(12.3±6.4).The postoperative hospital stay was(3.3±1.2)d.Postoperative complications included two cases of transient hypoparathyroidism and six cases of transient recurrent laryngeal nerve injury.All the patients recovered in one month.One case of postoperative bleeding was observed.No permanent laryngeal nerve injury,permanent hypoparathyroidism or incision infection occurred.Conclusion The gasless trans-subclavian approach endoscopic total thyroidectomy is a feasible and safety approach in selected PTC patients.The lymph nodes in the central compartment are thoroughly dissected.This approach has obvious advantages in functional protection of the anterior cervical region,and has clinical application value.

The occurrence of benign prostate hyperplasia(BPH)was related to disrupted sex steroid hormones,and metformin(Met)had a clinical response to sex steroid hormone-related gynaecological disease.How-ever,whether Met exerts an antiproliferative effect on BPH via sex steroid hormones remains unclear.Here,our clinical study showed that along with prostatic epithelial cell(PEC)proliferation,sex steroid hormones were dysregulated in the serum and prostate of BPH patients.As the major contributor to dysregulated sex steroid hormones,elevated dihydrotestosterone(DHT)had a significant positive rela-tionship with the clinical characteristics of BPH patients.Activation of adenosine 5'-monophosphate(AMP)-activated protein kinase(AMPK)by Met restored dysregulated sex steroid hormone homeostasis and exerted antiproliferative effects against DHT-induced proliferation by inhibiting the formation of androgen receptor(AR)-mediated Yes-associated protein(YAP1)-TEA domain transcription factor(TEAD4)heterodimers.Met's anti-proliferative effects were blocked by AMPK inhibitor or YAP1 over-expression in DHT-cultured BPH-1 cells.Our findings indicated that Met would be a promising clinical therapeutic approach for BPH by inhibiting dysregulated steroid hormone-induced PEC proliferation.

Objective To explore the feasibility and accuracy of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR)in the prediction of testicular torsion(TT)in children with acute scrotal pain.Methods A retrospective case-control study was performed on 158 pediatric patients with ultrasound suspicion of TT who underwent surgical testicular examination during Jan.2017 and Jan.2024.The patients were divided into TT group and non-TT group.Clinical data and laboratory data at admission were analyzed.Sensitivity and specificity of NLR to TT were determined with the area under the curve(AUC)represented on the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves.Results There were with no statistically significant differences in clinical data between the two groups(P＞0.05).The NLR was significantly higher in the TT group than in the non-TT group[(4.82±2.37)vs.(2.85±0.75),P＜0.05].The optimal cut-off value of TT predicted by NLR was 2.07,the AUC was 0.809(95％CI:0.709-0.909),and the sensitivity and specificity were 97.9％and 93.3％,respectively,which were significantly higher than other factors.Conclusion For suspicious ultrasound diagnosis of pediatric acute scrotal pain cases,NLR can be used to predict the possibility of TT and may help to evaluate the urgent surgical treatment in these patients.

Objective To determine the reference red blood cells with weak agglutination intensity of low positive quali-ty control products by comparing RhD antigen expression intensity difference according to the serological results.Methods The RhD(+)red blood cells were detected by microcolumn gel method with 1 500 times diluted anti-D typing reagent.The samples with weak and strong RhD antigen expression intensity were selected as the reference red blood cells for weak agglu-tination intensity of low positive quality control products,and verification was performed.Results Ten RhD(+)red blood cells were detected with diluted anti-D typing reagent,of which 8 were 1+and 2 were±.Red blood cells with agglutination intensity of 1+were used as the benchmark to determine the maximum dilution ratio of anti-D typing reagent when their ag-glutination intensity was 1+.As the preparation standard of low positive quality control products,the agglutination intensity of red blood cells with low RhD antigen expression intensity was extremely weak±,which was difficult to ensure the stability of its control limit properties.Based on red blood cells with agglutination intensity of±,the maximum dilution ratio of anti-D typing reagent with agglutination intensity of 1+was re-determined as the preparation standard of low positive quality con-trol products,and the results met the requirements of quality control product setting.Conclusion Using red blood cells with low RhD antigen expression intensity as the benchmark to set the weak agglutination intensity of the low positive quality control products can avoid the loss of control due to the low target value.