ObjectiveTo explore the sequential effects of hypoxic exercising on miR-27/PPARγ and lipid metabolism target gene and protein expression levels in the obesity rats’ liver. Methods13-week-old male diet-induced obesity rats were randomly divided into three groups (n＝10): normal oxygen concentration quiet group (N), hypoxia quiet group (H), hypoxic exercise group (HE). Exercise training on the horizontal animal treadmill for 1 h/d, 5 d/week for a total of 4 week, and the intensity of horizontal treadmill training was 20 m/min (hypoxic concentration was 13.6%). Comparison of the weights of perirenal fat and epididymal fat in rats across different groups and calculation of Lee’s index based on body weight and body length of rats in each group were done. And the serum concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were detected. RT-PCR and Western Blot were used to detect the levels of miR-27, PPARγ, CYP7A1 and CD36. ResultsHypoxic exercise decreased the expression levels of miR-27 in the obese rats’ liver, however, the expression level of PPARγ was gradually increased. The expression levels of miR-27 in HE group were significantly lower than N group (P<0.05). The expression levels of PPARγ mRNA in N group were significantly lower than H group (P<0.05), especially lower than HE group (P<0.01). The protein expression of PPARγ protein in N group was significantly lower than that other groups (P<0.01). The expression of lipid metabolism-related genes and proteins increased in the obese rats’ liver. The expression of CYP7A1 mRNA in N group was significantly lower than H group (P<0.05), especially lower than HE group (P<0.01). The expression of CYP7A1 protein in the obese rats’ liver in N group was extremely lower than H group and HE group (P<0.01). The protein expression of CD36 in N group was significantly lower than that in HE group (P<0.05). Hypoxia exercise improved the related physiological and biochemical indexes of lipid metabolism disorder. The perirenal fat weight of obese rats in HE group was extremely lower than N group and H group (P<0.01), and the perirenal fat weight in N group was significantly higher than H group (P<0.05). The epididymal fat weight in N group was significantly higher than H group (P<0.05), and extremely higher than HE group (P<0.01). The Lee’s index in HE group was extremely lower than N group and H group (P<0.01). The serum concentration of TC in obese rats in HE group was extremely lower than N group and H group (P<0.01). The serum concentration of TG in HE group was extremely lower than N group and H group (P<0.01). The serum concentration of LDL-C in N group was extremely higher than HE group (P<0.01). The serum concentration of HDL-C in N group was extremely lower than H group (P<0.01). ConclusionHypoxia and hypoxia exercise may negatively regulate the levels of PPARγ by inhibiting miR-27 in the obese rats’ liver, thereby affecting the expression of downstream target genes CYP7A1 and CD36, and promoting cholesterol, fatty acid oxidation and HDL-C transport in the liver, and ultimately the lipid levels in obese rats were improved. The effect of hypoxia exercise on improving blood lipid is better than simple hypoxia intervention.

Debates persist regarding the efficacy and safety of azvudine, particularly its real-world outcomes. This study involved patients aged ≥60 years who were admitted to 25 hospitals in mainland China with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between December 1, 2022, and February 28, 2023. Efficacy outcomes were all-cause mortality during hospitalization, the proportion of patients discharged with recovery, time to nucleic acid-negative conversion (T _NANC), time to symptom improvement (T _SI), and time of hospital stay (T _HS). Safety was also assessed. Among the 5884 participants identified, 1999 received azvudine, and 1999 matched controls were included after exclusion and propensity score matching. Azvudine recipients exhibited lower all-cause mortality compared with controls in the overall population (13.3% vs. 17.1%, RR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.67-0.90; P = 0.001) and in the severe subgroup (25.7% vs. 33.7%; RR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.66-0.88; P < 0.001). A higher proportion of patients discharged with recovery, and a shorter T _NANC were associated with azvudine recipients, especially in the severe subgroup. The incidence of adverse events in azvudine recipients was comparable to that in the control group (2.3% vs. 1.7%, P = 0.170). In conclusion, azvudine showed efficacy and safety in older patients hospitalized with COVID-19 during the SARS-CoV-2 omicron wave in China.

Senescence is the major risk factor that promotes development of different stages of chronic liver diseases and is closely related to occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma.Significant differences consist in clinicopathological features and tumor microenvironment between elderly and young patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.With rapid development of systemic therapy,immune checkpoint inhibitors combined with targeted therapy have greatly improved the prognosis of patients with advanced hepa-tocellular carcinoma.The selection of treatment decisions for elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma requires to consider u-nique age-related issues.Adequate communication and necessary evaluation should be carried out before making decisions.Elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma are speculated to benefit from combination immunotherapy based on age subgroup analysis of large clinical studies.However,data of effects and security obtained from clinical trials has certain limitations when being ap-plied in elderly populations of real world.The optimal therapeutic strategies for elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma still remain to be further explored in large-scale prospective clinical studies.

ObjectiveBased on fluorescence lifetime imaging technology, a novel method for viscosity detection is proposed and the capability of different weighting of fluorescence lifetimes in distinguishing the viscosity of glycerol-water mixtures is evaluated, aiming to enhance the accuracy and reliability of viscosity differentiation. MethodsThis approach incorporates the principles of electronic weighting, introducing both amplitude-weighted average fluorescence lifetime (τ_m) and intensity-weighted average fluorescence lifetime (τ_i). Viscosity changes in glycerol-water mixtures are detected through τ_m and τ_i. τ_m Reflects the relationship between fluorescence signal amplitude and time, while τ_i focuses on the time-varying characteristics of fluorescence signal intensity. ResultsThe results of both τ_m and τ_i mutually corroborate each other, not only enhancing the reliability in detecting viscosity changes in glycerol-water mixtures but also revealing their unique roles in the detection process. Although τ_m plays a crucial role in capturing changes in fluorescence signal amplitude, τ_i exhibits higher accuracy in viscosity detection when considering the time-varying characteristics of fluorescence signal intensity. It is particularly noteworthy that, due to τ_i’s greater sensitivity, microenvironment viscosity detection can be directly analyzed using τ_i. This provides a more convenient approach for real-time, highly sensitive microfluidic viscosity monitoring. Therefore, through the comprehensive utilization of τ_m and τ_i, a more thorough and accurate understanding of the viscosity information in glycerol-water mixtures can be obtained, and specific parameters can be selected for in-depth analysis based on specific needs. ConclusionThe combination of amplitude weighting and intensity weighting allows for a more sensitive identification of subtle changes in viscosity under different conditions. The innovation of this method lies in its simultaneous consideration of multiple parameters, enhancing sensitivity and distinguishability to variations in viscosity. Therefore, this weighted-dependent fluorescence lifetime imaging technique not only introduces a novel approach for viscosity detection in glycerol-water mixtures but also provides a powerful analytical tool for various fields, including microfluidics, rheology, and research on novel functional materials.

Arsenic (As) is a common toxic pollution element. The microorganism-mediated transformation of arsenic forms is an important part in the biogeochemical cycle of As. In the various microbial metabolic processes involving As, the coupling reduction of As has a great impact on the environment and is a process that is easily overlooked. From the biogeochemical cycle of As, this review introduces the microorganism-mediated methane oxidation, anaerobic ammonium oxidation, and iron (Fe)-sulfur (S) oxidation coupled with As reduction. Organic matter, pH, and redox potential are the main factors affecting the coupling reduction. After the coupling reduction, the toxicity and migration of As are greatly enhanced, which may increase the risk of As pollution. Therefore, it is of great significance to clarify the influences of carbon, nitrogen, Fe, S and other elements on the coupling process and explore more microbial processes coupled with As reduction for the prevention and control of As pollution.
Arsenic/metabolism* ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Bacteria/metabolism* ; Environmental Pollutants/metabolism* ; Biodegradation, Environmental ; Methane/metabolism* ; Iron/metabolism* ; Ammonium Compounds/metabolism*

Objective: To investigate the surgical indications and perioperative clinical outcomes of pelvic exenteration (PE) for locally advanced, recurrent pelvic malignancies and complex pelvic fistulas. Methods: This was a descriptive study.The indications for performing PE were: (1) locally advanced, recurrent pelvic malignancy or complex pelvic fistula diagnosed preoperatively by imaging and pathological examination of a biopsy; (2)preoperative agreement by a multi-disciplinary team that non-surgical and conventional surgical treatment had failed and PE was required; and (3) findings on intraoperative exploration confirming this conclusion.Contraindications to this surgical procedure comprised cardiac and respiratory dysfunction, poor nutritional status,and mental state too poor to tolerate the procedure.Clinical data of 141 patients who met the above criteria, had undergone PE in the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from January 2018 to September 2022, had complete perioperative clinical data, and had given written informed consent to the procedure were collected,and the operation,relevant perioperative variables, postoperative pathological findings (curative resection), and early postoperative complications were analyzed. Results: Of the 141 included patients, 43 (30.5%) had primary malignancies, 61 (43.3%) recurrent malignancies, 28 (19.9%) complex fistulas after radical resection of malignancies,and nine (6.4%)complex fistulas caused by benign disease. There were 79 cases (56.0%) of gastrointestinal tumors, 30 cases (21.3%) of reproductive tumors, 16 cases (11.3%) of urinary tumors, and 7 cases (5.0%) of other tumors such mesenchymal tissue tumors. Among the 104 patients with primary and recurrent malignancies, 15 patients with severe complications of pelvic perineum of advanced tumors were planned to undergo palliative PE surgery for symptom relief after preoperative assessment of multidisciplinary team; the other 89 patients were evaluated for radical PE surgery. All surgeries were successfully completed. Total PE was performed on 73 patients (51.8%),anterior PE on 22 (15.6%),and posterior PE in 46 (32.6%). The median operative time was 576 (453,679) minutes, median intraoperative blood loss 500 (200, 1 200) ml, and median hospital stay 17 (13.0,30.5)days.There were no intraoperative deaths. Of the 89 patients evaluated for radical PE surgery, the radical R0 resection was achieved in 64 (71.9%) of them, R1 resection in 23 (25.8%), and R2 resection in two (2.2%). One or more postoperative complications occurred in 85 cases (60.3%), 32 (22.7%)of which were Clavien-Dindo grade III and above.One patient (0.7%)died during the perioperative period. Conclusion: PE is a valid option for treating locally advanced or recurrent pelvic malignancies and complex pelvic fistulas.
Humans ; Pelvic Exenteration/methods* ; Pelvic Neoplasms/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/surgery* ; Postoperative Complications

Osteoarthritis is a prevalent global joint disease, which is characterized by inflammatory reaction and cartilage degradation. Cyasterone, a sterone derived from the roots of Cyathula officinalis Kuan, exerts protective effect against several inflammation-related diseases. However, its effect on osteoarthritis remains unclear. The current study was designed to investigate the potential anti-osteoarthritis activity of cyasterone. Primary chondrocytes isolated from rats induced by interleukin (IL)-1β and a rat model stimulated by monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) were used for in vitro and in vivo experiments, respectively. The results of in vitro experiments showed that cyasterone apparently counteracted chondrocyte apoptosis, increased the expression of collagen II and aggrecan, and restrained the production of the inflammatory factors inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs-5 (ADAMTS-5), metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3), and metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) induced by IL-1β in chondrocytes. Furthermore, cyasterone ameliorated the inflammation and degenerative progression of osteoarthritis potentially by regulating the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. For in vivo experiments, cyasterone significantly alleviated the inflammatory response and cartilage destruction of rats induced by monosodium iodoacetate, where dexamethasone was used as the positive control. Overall, this study laid a theoretical foundation for developing cyasterone as an effective agent for the alleviation of osteoarthritis.
Animals ; Rats ; Chondrocytes ; NF-kappa B ; Iodoacetic Acid ; Inflammation ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Apoptosis

Background: The impact of para-aortic lymphadenectomy (PALD) on prognosis and quality of life (QoL) for IB2-IIA2 cervical cancer patients remain controversial. And whether intraoperative frozen pathology exam on common iliac lymph nodes could help predict para-aortic lymph node (PALN) metastasis was unanswered with high-level evidence. Methods A multi-center, randomized controlled study is intended to investigate the effect of PALD on the prognosis and QoL in cervical cancer patients and to assess the value of intraoperative frozen pathological evaluation of common iliac nodes metastasis for the prediction of PALN metastasis. After choosing whether to receive intraoperative frozen pathological examination of bilateral common iliac lymph nodes, eligible patients will be randomly assigned (1:1) to receive PALD or not. The primary end point is 2-year progression-free survival (PFS). The secondary end points include 5-year PFS, 2-year overall survival (OS), 5-year OS, adverse events (AEs) caused by PALD, AEs caused by radiotherapy and QoL. A total of 728 patients will be enrolled from 8 hospitals in China within 3-year period and followed up for 5 years.

Excessive levels of cadmium (Cd) in soil exert serious negative impacts on soil ecosystems. Microorganisms are a common component of soil and show great potential for mitigating soil Cd. This review summarizes the application and remediation mechanisms of microorganisms, microbial-plants, and microbial-biochar in Cd-contaminated soil. Microorganisms such as Bacillus, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can change the biological validity of Cd through adsorption, mineralization, precipitation and dissolution. Different factors such as pH, temperature, biomass, concentration, and duration have significant effects on Cd bioavailability by microorganisms. Pseudomonas, Burkholderia, and Flavobacterium can promote the uptake of Cd²⁺ by hyperaccumulator through promotion and activation. Biochar, a soil amendment, possesses unique physicochemical properties and could act as a shelter for microorganisms in agriculture. The use of combined microbial-biochar can further stabilize Cd compared to using biochar alone.
Cadmium ; Ecosystem ; Soil Pollutants ; Charcoal/chemistry* ; Soil/chemistry*

Objective:To compare the diagnostic efficiency of colloidal gold dipstick method (PTH dipstick method) with that of doctors’ experience method based on nano-carbon method for rapid identification of parathyroid gland in thyroidectomy of thyroid cancer.Methods:From March to July 2020, 90 patients underwent thyroid surgery in the Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University participated in the experimental study, and 155 samples underwent empirical judgment, parathyroid dipstick and pathological examination. All operations were performed by senior specialists. SPSS statistics 17.0 software was used for statistical analysis.Results:Seventy-four cases of parathyroid gland confirmed by both pathology and empirical judgment, and 81 cases of non-parathyroid gland confirmed by pathology; 130 cases of parathyroid glands confirmed by both PTH dipstick method and pathology, and 22 cases of non-parathyroid glands confirmed by pathology. The accuracy rate of PTH dipstick method was 85.53% which was much higher than that of empirical judgment method (47.74%). The data were statistically significant ( χ2=49.14, P<0.05). The sensitivity of PTH method was 95.89%, the specificity of PTH method was 75.94%, and the Youden index was 0.7183. The sensitivity of empirical judgment method was 81.3%, the specificity of empirical judgment method was 47.74%, and the Youden index was 0.2904. Conclusions:The diagnostic efficiency of the PTH method is higher than that of empirical judgment method to identify parathyroid gland in thyroid surgery. The two methods can be used together to increase the protection of parathyroid gland during operation.