BACKGROUND: Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) shortening, a biomarker of telomere attrition, has been linked to multiple diseases. However, the relationship between LTL and digestive diseases remains uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the association between LTL and the risk of digestive diseases. METHODS: A cohort analysis of over 500,000 participants from the UK Biobank (UKB) between 2006 and 2021 was conducted to estimate the associations of LTL with more than 90 common digestive diseases. LTL was quantified using multiplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and cases of each disease were determined according to inpatient and primary care data. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to evaluate the associations of LTL with the risk of digestive diseases. Furthermore, such associations were also evaluated after stratification by sex and ethnicity. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up time of 11.8 years, over 20 International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision ( ICD-10 ) codes were showed to be associated with telomere attrition. LTL shortening is associated with an increased risk of several digestive diseases, including gastroesophageal reflux disease (K21: hazard ratio [HR] = 1.30, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.19-1.42), esophageal ulcer (K221: HR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.22-2.71), Barrett's esophagus (K227: HR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.14-2.17), gastritis (K29: HR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.26-1.52), duodenal ulcer (K26: HR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.14-2.12), functional dyspepsia (K30X: HR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.06-1.69), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) (K760: HR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.09-1.78), liver cirrhosis (K74: HR = 4.73, 95% CI: 3.27-6.85), cholangitis (K830: HR = 2.55, 95% CI: 1.30-5.00), and hernia (K43: HR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.17-1.94; K44: HR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.17-1.42). The risk of rectal polyps (K621: HR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.63-0.92) decreased per unit shortening of LTL. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that LTL shortening is associated with an increased risk of most digestive diseases except for rectal polyps. These findings may provide some clues for understanding the pathogenesis of digestive diseases.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Cohort Studies ; Leukocytes/metabolism* ; Telomere/genetics* ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Adult ; Digestive System Diseases/genetics* ; Aged ; Risk Factors ; Telomere Shortening

High mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1), a damage-associated molecular pattern, exists ubiquitously in the cells of mammals. It contributes to maintaining the structure of nucleosome and modulating transcription of gene in nuclei. Extracellular HMGB1 plays two-way roles in promoting inflammatory and tissue repair. Released actively as well as passively following cytokine stimulation during cell death, HMGB1 may act as a late inflammatory factor and an endogenous damage-associated molecular pattern recognized by its receptors. And it may mediate the occurrence, development and outcome of the inflammatory injury of digestive system diseases, such as gastric mucosal injury, inflammatory bowel-disease, liver injury, pancreatitis, and so on. This review mainly concerns the research progresses of HMGB1 in the inflammatory injury of digestive system diseases. At the same time, HMGB1 itself, or as a therapeutic target, can promote tissue repair.
Animals ; Digestive System Diseases ; pathology ; HMGB1 Protein ; metabolism ; Humans ; Inflammation ; pathology

Although it is difficult to define the term "aging" consensually, in medical fields, usually it means the progressive accumulation of irreversible degenerative changes leading to loss of homeostasis. It is supposable that there is also modest decline in the structure and function of several digestive organs. However, data about this subject are not enough. Main problem in studying aging digestive organ is that discrimination of primary senile change of the organ with secondary one from other senile diseases is not easy. That is, the prevalence of many non-digestive disorders which can badly affect the digestive functions is increasing by aging; for example, diabetes, malignancy, etc. To prove that some phenomenon is as result of pure senile change, it is necessary to exclude secondary one, but, the process is very complicated and difficult. In spite of this limitation, here, I will discuss the senile change of several digestive organs by aging, especially at the view of the gastrointestinal functions, with review of literatures.
*Aging ; Digestive System Diseases/*physiopathology ; Esophageal Diseases/physiopathology ; Humans ; Intestinal Diseases/metabolism/physiopathology ; Stomach Diseases/metabolism/microbiology/physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo study the impact of Shangjuxu (ST 37) with acupuncture on each zang fu organ in human body so as to provide the objective evidence of the efficacy induced by acupuncture on gastrointestinal system and other organs.

METHODSShangjuxu (ST 37) was punctured bilaterally. The biological energy information medical diagnosis apparatus was applied to observe the changes in the energy in every part of human body before acupuncture and 10 min, 1 h and 24 h after acupuncture separately.

RESULTSAcupuncture on this point not only adjusted the digestive functions in esophagus, stomach, rectum and other parts, but also affected the functions of other organs, such as lung, uterus/prostate gland, thymus and spines, resulting in either rising or falling of the energy. The maximal peak value of the change happened 1 h after acupuncture.

CONCLUSION(1) Shangjuxu (ST 37) works mainly on rectum in the adjustment of large intestine functions and induces quite large impacts also on the energy changes of esophagus and stomach. (2) The energy changes in other organs, such as thymus, lung, reproductive organ and spine reveal that the actual indications of ST 37 may exceed to the currently-recognized range. (3) The peak value of the effect produced by acupuncture presents in 1 h after needling.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Digestive System ; metabolism ; Digestive System Diseases ; metabolism ; therapy ; Energy Metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Lung ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

For the regulation of energy balance in various internal organs including gut, pancreas and liver, visceral adipose tissue and brain perform important sensing and signaling roles via neural and endocrine pathway. Among these, adipose tissue has been known as a simple energy-storing organ, which stores excess energy in triglyceride. However, it became apparent that adipocytes have various receptors related to energy homeostasis, and secrete adipocytokines by endocrine, paracrine and autocrine mechanisms. In this review, basic roles of adipocytes in energy homeostasis and the correlation between adipocyte signals and digestive diseases are discussed.
Adipocytes/*metabolism ; Adipokines/*physiology ; Adiponectin/physiology ; Digestive System Diseases/*metabolism ; *Energy Metabolism ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Leptin/physiology ; Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors/physiology ; Resistin/physiology ; Signal Transduction

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) causes an acute enteritis in pigs of all ages, often fatality for neonates. PEDV occupies an intermediate position between two well characterized members of the coronavirus group I, human coronavirus (HCoV-229E)and transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) which uses aminopeptidase N (APN), a 150 kDa protein, as their receptors. However, the receptor of the PEDV has not been identified yet. A virus overlay protein binding assay (VOPBA) was used to identify PEDV binding protein in permissive cells. The binding ability of PEDV to porcine APN (pAPN) and the effects of pAPN on infectivity of PEDV in Vero cells were also investigated. VOPBA identified a 150 kDa protein, as a putative PEDV receptor in enterocytes and swine testicle (ST) cells. Further the PEDV binding to pAPN was blocked by anti-pAPN and pAPN enhanced PEDV infectivity in Vero cells. In conclusion, these results suggested that pAPN may act as a receptor of PEDV.
Animals ; Antigens, CD13/*metabolism ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Coronavirus/*metabolism ; Coronavirus Infections/*veterinary/virology ; Digestive System Diseases/metabolism/*veterinary/virology ; Enterocytes/enzymology/metabolism/virology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/veterinary ; Male ; Protein Binding ; Receptors, Virus/*metabolism ; Swine ; Swine Diseases/metabolism/*virology ; Vero Cells

The purpose of this study was to investigate the objectives and contents of basic medical sciences at department of nursing in college of nursing, and junior college of nursing, thus ultimately providing the basic data to standardize the curriculum of the basic medical sciences in nursing education. Seventy eight professors who were in charge of teaching basic medical sciences to at 22 colleges of nursing/department of nursing, and 20 junior colleges of nursing responded to the questionnaires that consisted of the questions regarding objectives and contents, of basic medical sciences. Based on the description of objectives, the description related to nursing, nurse, nursing science was cathegorized as on objective applicable to nursing science, the description related to medicine or clinical medicine as medical model, the description without description related to medicine was cathegorized as knowledge acquisition. The number of schools corresponding to each category were summerized in descending order. The objectives of basic medical sciences were categorized by concepts and number of schools corresponding to the categorized concept. The findings of the study are as follows: 1. The subjects of basic medical science identified were physiology, anatomy, biochemistry, pathology, microbiology, and pharmacology in most colleges of nursing and junior colleges. Two colleges of nursing/department of nursing (9.1%) and 19 junior colleges of nursing(95%) did not offer biochemistry, 1 college of nursing /department of nursing(5%) did not offer pathology & pharmacology. 2 junior colleges of nursing (10%) did not offer pharmacology, 1 junior college of nursing(5%) did not offer pathology. The other 1 junior college of nursing did not offer microbiology. 2. Objectives of physiology were to acquire knowledge and understanding on human function in both 6 (50%) colleges and 5 junior colleges. Objectives of anatomy were to acquire knowledge on human structure in both 4 (57%) colleges and 2 (50%) junior colleges; knowledge applicable to nursing sciences in both 3 (42.8%) colleges and 2 (50%) junior colleges. Objectives of biochemistry was to obtain knowledge and understanding on biochemistry, and understanding of basic concepts about biochemistry. Objectives of pathology were to obtain knowledge and understanding on pathology in both 4 (57.1%) colleges and 5(62.5%) junior colleges. Objectives of microbiology were to acquire knowledge and understanding on microbiology in both 5(83.8%) colleges and 6(85.7%) junior colleges. Objectives of pharmacology were to acquire knowledge on pharmacology in both 7(100%) colleges and 8(100%) junior colleges. 3. Contents of physiology in 19 (100%) schools were membrane transport, digestion, circulation, nervous system and respiration. In 16(84.2%) were kidney and muscle, that in 13(68.4%) were endocrine physiology. In 11(57.9%) were introduction and that in 9(47.4%) were structure and function of cells. Contents of anatomy in 11(100%) schools were skeletal system, muscle system, digestive system, circulatory system, concepts regarding human structure. In 10(90.9%) schools were endocrine system and nervous system, and in 5(45.5%) schools were blood, urinary system and cell. Contents of biochemistry in 6(100%) schools were history of biochemistry, body regulating factor, bioenergy, health and nutrition, nutrition of cell, energy production system. In 5(83.3%) schools were metabolism of protein and carbohydrate and enzyme, and in 3(50%) schools were metabolism of energy and fat. Contents of microbiology in 13(100%) schools were environment and influenc of bacteria, virus, G(-) rods, purulent cocci, G(+) rods. In 10 (76.9%) were immunity, diphtheria, enterobacteria, and in 9(69.2%) were spirochete, rickettsia and clamydia, and that in 6(46.2%) were sterilization and disinfection. Contents of pathology in 14(100%) schools were cell injury and adaptation, inflammation, respiratory diseases, circulatory diseases. In 10(71.4%) were neurological disorders, in 8(57.1%) were immunity and disease, and in 7 (50%) were tumor and progressive changes. Contents of pharmacology in 15(100%) were cardivascular drugs, introduction to pharmacology, hypnotics, analgesics, local anesthetics, an ticonvulsants. In 12(80%) were drugs activity on sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, and in 11(73%) were sulfa drugs, antibiotics, drug abuse and addiction.
Analgesics ; Anesthetics, Local ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacteria ; Biochemistry ; Clinical Medicine ; Curriculum ; Digestion ; Digestive System ; Diphtheria ; Disinfection ; Education, Nursing* ; Endocrine System ; Enterobacteriaceae ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives ; Inflammation ; Kidney ; Membranes ; Metabolism ; Nervous System ; Nervous System Diseases ; Nursing* ; Parasympathetic Nervous System ; Pathology ; Pharmacology ; Physiology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Respiration ; Rickettsia ; Spirochaetales ; Sterilization ; Substance-Related Disorders