A mounting body of research suggests that circRNAs significantly contribute to the develop-ment of myocardial fibrosis.The microarray results of human circular RNA expression profile indicated that circHERC4_041 expression increased in the myocardium of patients with heart failure,RT-qPCR a-nalysis confirmed that the myocardial expression level of circHERC4_041 in individuals with heart failure were considerably elevated compared to that in healthy organ donors.Fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH)confirmed that circHERC4_041 was abundant in the cytoplasm of human cardiomyocyte AC16.Overexpression of circHERC4_041 in mouse myocardial fibroblasts(mCFs)mediated by adenovirus in-hibited the expression of fibrosis-related proteins in mCFs.Experiments involving cell proliferation,wound healing,and Transwell assays demonstrated that overexpression of circHERC4_041 suppressed the growth and mobility of mCFs(P＜0.001).Sequence analysis results suggested that circHERC4_041 con-tains potential ribosome entry sequence(IRES)and open reading frame(ORF).Western blot confirmed that circHERC4_041 could translate the 516 amino acid HERC4-516aa protein,which was mainly located in the cytoplasm of the cell.Cell functional experiments confirmed that circHERC4_041 inhibited the fi-brotic phenotype of mCFs by specifically translating HERC4-516aa(P＜0.05).The specific interaction between HERC4-516aa and transglutaminase 2(TGM2)was confirmed by IP-MS screening and Co-IP i-dentification.Further results found that the degradation of TGM2 was promoted through proteasome path-way.The overexpression of TGM2 in mCFs facilitated by adenoviral vectors could counteract the suppres-sive effects of HERC4-516aa on the fibrotic phenotype of mCFs.Therefore,this study confirmed that the HERC4-516aa protein translated by circHERC4_041 can specifically bind to TGM2 to inhibit the fibrotic phenotype of myocardial fibroblasts.

A mounting body of research suggests that circRNAs significantly contribute to the develop-ment of myocardial fibrosis.The microarray results of human circular RNA expression profile indicated that circHERC4_041 expression increased in the myocardium of patients with heart failure,RT-qPCR a-nalysis confirmed that the myocardial expression level of circHERC4_041 in individuals with heart failure were considerably elevated compared to that in healthy organ donors.Fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH)confirmed that circHERC4_041 was abundant in the cytoplasm of human cardiomyocyte AC16.Overexpression of circHERC4_041 in mouse myocardial fibroblasts(mCFs)mediated by adenovirus in-hibited the expression of fibrosis-related proteins in mCFs.Experiments involving cell proliferation,wound healing,and Transwell assays demonstrated that overexpression of circHERC4_041 suppressed the growth and mobility of mCFs(P＜0.001).Sequence analysis results suggested that circHERC4_041 con-tains potential ribosome entry sequence(IRES)and open reading frame(ORF).Western blot confirmed that circHERC4_041 could translate the 516 amino acid HERC4-516aa protein,which was mainly located in the cytoplasm of the cell.Cell functional experiments confirmed that circHERC4_041 inhibited the fi-brotic phenotype of mCFs by specifically translating HERC4-516aa(P＜0.05).The specific interaction between HERC4-516aa and transglutaminase 2(TGM2)was confirmed by IP-MS screening and Co-IP i-dentification.Further results found that the degradation of TGM2 was promoted through proteasome path-way.The overexpression of TGM2 in mCFs facilitated by adenoviral vectors could counteract the suppres-sive effects of HERC4-516aa on the fibrotic phenotype of mCFs.Therefore,this study confirmed that the HERC4-516aa protein translated by circHERC4_041 can specifically bind to TGM2 to inhibit the fibrotic phenotype of myocardial fibroblasts.

Objective To analyze the medication law and compatibility characteristics of TCM compounds for the treatment of myocardial infarction in the national patent database.Methods TCM compounds for treating myocardial infarction were retrieved from CNIPA patent publication website.A prescription database was built using Excel 2019 software to statistically analyze the frequency of medicinal use and their properties,taste and meridian tropism;SPSS Modeler 18.0 software was used to analyze the association rules of drugs;a network of Chinese materia medica co-occurrence was constructed using Cytoscape 3.10.0,and systematic clustering analysis was performed on the Chinese materia medica in the core network.Results A total of 146 patents of TCM compounds were included,involved 440 kinds of Chinese materia medica.High frequency drugs included Salviea Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,Chuanxiong Rhizoma,Angelicae Sinensis Radix,Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,etc.The main property was warm,the main tastes were bitter,sweet and pungent,and the medicines mostly belongs to the liver meridian,heart meridian and spleen meridians.Commonly used medicinal pairs included Angelicae Sinensis Radix-Chuanxiong Rhizoma,Astragali Radix-Salviea Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,Paeoniae Radix Rubra-Angelicae Sinensis Radix,etc.Commonly used tripartite combinations included Paeoniae Radix Rubra-Chuanxiong Rhizoma-Angelicae Sinensis Radix,Carthami Flos-Angelicae Sinensis Radix-Chuanxiong Rhizoma,Carthami Flos-Chuanxiong Rhizoma-Angelicae Sinensis Radix,etc.Clustering analysis showed four types of combinations.Conclusion TCM compound patents for the treatment of myocardial infarction is based on promoting blood circulation,removing blood stasis,and relieving pain,while also using methods such as eliminating phlegm,tonifying qi,warming yang,and nourishing yin.It can provide references for clinical medication.

Objective To analyze the medication law and compatibility characteristics of TCM compounds for the treatment of myocardial infarction in the national patent database.Methods TCM compounds for treating myocardial infarction were retrieved from CNIPA patent publication website.A prescription database was built using Excel 2019 software to statistically analyze the frequency of medicinal use and their properties,taste and meridian tropism;SPSS Modeler 18.0 software was used to analyze the association rules of drugs;a network of Chinese materia medica co-occurrence was constructed using Cytoscape 3.10.0,and systematic clustering analysis was performed on the Chinese materia medica in the core network.Results A total of 146 patents of TCM compounds were included,involved 440 kinds of Chinese materia medica.High frequency drugs included Salviea Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,Chuanxiong Rhizoma,Angelicae Sinensis Radix,Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,etc.The main property was warm,the main tastes were bitter,sweet and pungent,and the medicines mostly belongs to the liver meridian,heart meridian and spleen meridians.Commonly used medicinal pairs included Angelicae Sinensis Radix-Chuanxiong Rhizoma,Astragali Radix-Salviea Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,Paeoniae Radix Rubra-Angelicae Sinensis Radix,etc.Commonly used tripartite combinations included Paeoniae Radix Rubra-Chuanxiong Rhizoma-Angelicae Sinensis Radix,Carthami Flos-Angelicae Sinensis Radix-Chuanxiong Rhizoma,Carthami Flos-Chuanxiong Rhizoma-Angelicae Sinensis Radix,etc.Clustering analysis showed four types of combinations.Conclusion TCM compound patents for the treatment of myocardial infarction is based on promoting blood circulation,removing blood stasis,and relieving pain,while also using methods such as eliminating phlegm,tonifying qi,warming yang,and nourishing yin.It can provide references for clinical medication.

Objective:To analyze the etiology of chronic pancreatitis(CP) and evaluate the impact of different intervention methods on the prognosis.Methods:This is a retrospective analysis conducted on clinical data of pediatric patients with CP admitted to Beijing Children's Hospital between January 2010 and December 2023,including etiology,clinical manifestations,imaging data and treatments.Follow-up assessments included height,weight,complications occurrence,and long-term nutritional status evaluated by using Z scores.Results:A total of 98 patients with CP were included in the study,containing 51 males and 47 females,with an age range of 1.95 to 15.96 years (median 8.49 years).The etiological contained the gene mutation (39.8%,39/98) (involving PRSS1, SPINK1, CFTR),the anatomical abnormality (26/98,26.5%),idiopathic pancreatitis (33.7%,33/98).Predominant clinical manifestations included abdominal pain (79/98,79.6%),nausea/vomit(48/98,49.0%),chest tightness/chest pain (10/98,10.2%),with malnutrition (44/98,44.9%) and the serum amylase increased in some patients.Imaging findings revealed heterogeneous pancreatic echoes,dilated pancreatic ducts and pancreatic stones via abdominal ultrasound,and a full or atrophic pancreas with irregular margins,tortuous or dilated pancreatic ducts through abdominal magnetic resonance imaging.Compared with CP caused by other reasons,hereditdry CP had a higher rate of pancreatic morphological changes(100.0% vs.88.1%, P<0.05).By March 2024,follow-up showed all 98 patients underwent initial medical treatment,followed by surgical intervention in 13 cases,endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography intervention in 51 cases,and no surgical or endoscopic intervention in 34 cases.Six children developed diabetes,six had reduced fecal pancreatic elastase-1 but without fat diarrhea.Long-term follow-up indicated improved nutritional status among children who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography intervention(Z score,-1.22 vs.0.74, P<0.001). Conclusion:Gene mutations and anatomical abnormalities is the main etiological factors in pediatric patients with CP.Early endoscopic intervention can significantly improve the long-term prognosis of the children.

OBJECTIVE: Clinical characteristics and outcome in COVID-19 with brucellosis patients has not been well demonstrated, we tried to analyze clinical outcome in local and literature COVID-19 cases with brucellosis before and after recovery. METHODS: We retrospectively collected hospitalization data of comorbid patients and prospectively followed up after discharge in Heilongjiang Infectious Disease Hospital from January 15, 2020 to April 29, 2022. Demographics, epidemiological, clinical symptoms, radiological and laboratory data, treatment medicines and outcomes, and follow up were analyzed, and findings of a systematic review were demonstrated. RESULTS: A total of four COVID-19 with brucellosis patients were included. One patient had active brucellosis before covid and 3 patients had nonactive brucellosis before brucellosis. The median age was 54.5 years, and all were males (100.0%). Two cases (50.0%) were moderate, and one was mild and asymptomatic, respectively. Three cases (75.0%) had at least one comorbidity (brucellosis excluded). All 4 patients were found in COVID-19 nucleic acid screening. Case C and D had only headache and fever on admission, respectively. Four cases were treated with Traditional Chinese medicine, western medicines for three cases, no adverse reaction occurred during hospitalization. All patients were cured and discharged. Moreover, one case (25.0%) had still active brucellosis without re-positive COVID-19, and other three cases (75.0%) have no symptoms of discomfort except one case fell fatigue and anxious during the follow-up period after recovery. Conducting the literature review, two similar cases have been reported in two case reports, and were both recovered, whereas, no data of follow up after recovery. CONCLUSION These cases indicate that COVID-19 patients with brucellosis had favorable outcome before and after recovery. More clinical studies should be conducted to confirm our findings.
Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Brucellosis ; COVID-19 ; Retrospective Studies ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Treatment Outcome ; Case Reports as Topic

Granuloma, Plasma Cell/surgery* ; Humans ; Neoplasms

Objective Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and tuberculosis (TB) are major public health and social issues worldwide. The long-term follow-up of COVID-19 with pulmonary TB (PTB) survivors after discharge is unclear. This study aimed to comprehensively describe clinical outcomes, including sequela and recurrence at 3, 12, and 24 months after discharge, among COVID-19 with PTB survivors. Methods From January 22, 2020 to May 6, 2022, with a follow-up by August 26, 2022, a prospective, multicenter follow-up study was conducted on COVID-19 with PTB survivors after discharge in 13hospitals from four provinces in China. Clinical outcomes, including sequela, recurrence of COVID-19, and PTB survivors, were collected via telephone and face-to-face interviews at 3, 12, and 24 months after discharge. Results Thirty-two COVID-19 with PTB survivors were included. The median age was 52 (45, 59) years, and 23 (71.9％) were men. Among them, nearly two-thirds (62.5％) of the survivors were moderate, three (9.4％) were severe, and more than half (59.4％) had at least one comorbidity (PTB excluded). The proportion of COVID-19 survivors with at least one sequela symptom decreased from 40.6％ at 3 months to 15.8％ at 24 months, with anxiety having a higher proportion over a follow-up. Cough and amnesia recovered at the 12-month follow-up, while anxiety, fatigue, and trouble sleeping remained after 24 months. Additionally, one (3.1％) case presented two recurrences of PTB and no re-positive COVID-19 during the follow-up period. Conclusion The proportion of long symptoms in COVID-19 with PTB survivors decreased over time, while nearly one in six still experience persistent symptoms with a higher proportion of anxiety. The recurrence of PTB and the psychological support of COVID-19 with PTB after discharge require more attention.

Objective:To summarize the clinical characteristics of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infected with Delta variant, so as to provide further references for clinical diagnosis and treatment.Methods:A real-world study was conducted to analyze the characteristics of 166 COVID-19 patients infected with Delta variant at Guangzhou Eighth People’s Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University.Results:The study enrolled 5 asymptomatic cases, 123 non-severe cases (mild and moderate type), and 38 severe cases (severe and critical type). Among these patients, 69 (41.6%) were male and 97 (58.4%) were female, with a mean age of 47.0±23.5 years. Thirty-nine cases (23.5%) had received 1 or 2 doses of inactivated vaccine. The incidence of severe COVID-19 cases was 7.7% in 2-doses vaccinated patients, which was lower than that of 11.5% in 1-dose and 26.8% in unvaccinated patients. The proportion of severe cases in 2 dose-vaccinated patients was 7.7%, which was lower than that of 11.5% in 1-dose vaccinated patients and 26.8% in unvaccinated patients, but the difference was not significant ( P>0.05). The most common clinical symptom was fever (134 cases, 83.2%), and 39.1% of cases presented with high-grade fever (≥39 °C); other symptoms were cough, sputum, fatigue, and xerostomia. The proportion of fever in severe cases was significantly higher than that of non-severe cases (97.4% vs. 76.4%, P<0.01). Similarly, the proportion of severe cases with high peak temperature (≥39 ℃) () was also higher than that of non-severe cases (65.8% vs. 30.9%, P<0.01). The median minimal Cycle threshold (Ct) values of viral nucleic acid N gene and ORFlab gene were 20.3 and 21.5, respectively, and the minimum Ct values were 11.9 and 13.5, respectively. Within 48 h of admission, 9.0% of cases presented with decreased white blood cell counts, and 52.4% with decreased lymphocyte counts. The proportions of increased C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A, interleukin 6, and interleukin 10 were 32.5%, 57.4%, 65.3%, and 35.7%, respectively. The proportions of elevated C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A and interleukin-6 in severe cases were significantly higher than those in non-severe cases ( P<0.01). Logistic regression analysis showed that older age and higher peak temperature were associated with a higher likelihood of severe cases ( OR>3, 95% CI: 2-7, P<0.01). In terms of treatment, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) was used in 97.6% of non-severe cases and 100% in severe cases. Other treatments included respiratory and nutritional support, immunotherapy (such as neutralizing antibodies and plasma of recovered patients). The median times from admission to progression to severe cases, of fever clearance, and of nucleic acid conversion were 5 days, 6 days and 19 days, respectively. No deaths were reported within 28 days. Conclusions:The symptoms of Delta variant infection in Guangzhou are characterized by a high proportion of fever, high peak temperature, long duration of fever, high viral load, a long time to nucleic acid conversion, and a high incidence of severe cases. The severe cases exhibit a higher percentage of elderly patients, a longer duration of fever and have a higher fever rate and a higher hyperthermia rate than non-severe cases. Age and hyperthermia are independent risk factors for progression to severe disease. The combination of TCM and Western medicine can control the progression of the disease effectively.

Aim To investigate the protective effect of 1, 8-Cineole on the injury of human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) induced by high glucose (HG) via regulating autophagy. Methods Cells were incubated with different doses of 1, 8-Cineole followed by exposing to HG for 60 h, and MTT assay was used to analyse cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was used to detect cytotoxicity, and Western blot was used to detect Beclin1, LC3-II/I, p62, caspase-3 and caspase-9 expressions. Autophagy inhibitor (chloroquine, CQ) was treated on HAECs, and the expressions of Beclinl, LC3-II/I, p62, caspase-3 and caspase-9 were measured by Western blot. Results 1, 8-Cineole increased cell viability, reduced the content of LDH, activated autophagy and inhibited apoptosis. Compared with control group, the expression of Beclinl, LC3-II/I, p62, caspase-3 and caspase-9 in CQ group increased. Simultaneously, the expression of above-mentioned between CQ + HG group and CQ + HG + CH group. Conclusions 1, 8-Cineole has protective effect on the injury of HAECs induced by high glucose, and its effect is related to improving autophagy flux.