A primary hallmark of pathological cardiac hypertrophy is excess protein synthesis due to enhanced translational activity. However, regulatory mechanisms at the translational level under cardiac stress remain poorly understood. Here we examined the translational regulations in a mouse cardiac hypertrophy model induced by transaortic constriction (TAC) and explored the conservative networks versus the translatome pattern in human dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). The results showed that the heart weight to body weight ratio was significantly elevated, and the ejection fraction and fractional shortening significantly decreased 8 weeks after TAC. Puromycin incorporation assay showed that TAC significantly increased protein synthesis rate in the left ventricle. RNA-seq revealed 1,632 differentially expressed genes showing functional enrichment in pathways including extracellular matrix remodeling, metabolic processes, and signaling cascades associated with pathological cardiomyocyte growth. When combined with ribosome profiling analysis, we revealed that translation efficiency (TE) of 1,495 genes was enhanced, while the TE of 933 genes was inhibited following TAC. In DCM patients, 1,354 genes were upregulated versus 1,213 genes were downregulated at the translation level. Although the majority of the genes were not shared between mouse and human, we identified 93 genes, including Nos3, Kcnj8, Adcy4, Itpr1, Fasn, Scd1, etc., with highly conserved translational regulations. These genes were remarkably associated with myocardial function, signal transduction, and energy metabolism, particularly related to cGMP-PKG signaling and fatty acid metabolism. Motif analysis revealed enriched regulatory elements in the 5' untranslated regions (5'UTRs) of transcripts with differential TE, which exhibited strong cross-species sequence conservation. Our study revealed novel regulatory mechanisms at the translational level in cardiac hypertrophy and identified conserved translation-sensitive targets with potential applications to treat cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure in the clinic.
Animals ; Humans ; Cardiomegaly/physiopathology* ; Ribosomes/physiology* ; Protein Biosynthesis/physiology* ; Mice ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated/genetics* ; Ribosome Profiling

Fermented traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has a long history of medicinal use, such as Sojae Semen Praeparatum, Arisaema Cum Bile, Pinelliae Rhizoma Fermentata, red yeast rice, and Jianqu. Fermentation technology was recorded in the earliest TCM work, Shen Nong's Classic of the Materia Medica. Microorganisms are essential components of the fermentation process. However, the contamination of fermented TCM by toxigenic fungi and mycotoxins due to unstandardized fermentation processes seriously affects the quality of TCM and poses a threat to the life and health of consumers. In this paper, the characteristics, microbial composition, and mycotoxin profile of fermented TCM are systematically summarized to provide a theoretical basis for its quality and safety control.
Fermentation ; Mycotoxins/analysis* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/analysis* ; Fungi/classification* ; Bacteria/genetics* ; Drug Contamination ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical effectiveness of veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) in rescuing children with severe pulmonary contusion. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of four children with severe pulmonary contusion who were treated with VV-ECMO in the pediatric intensive care unit of Xi'an Children's Hospital from April 2021 to December 2024. The general data, laboratory indicators within 24 hours after admission, imaging features, bronchoscopic findings, diagnostic and treatment processes, as well as therapeutic outcomes of the children were analyzed. RESULTS: All four pediatric cases were male, aged 4 years and 9 months, 6 years and 5 months, 8 years and 10 months, and 9 years and 7 months, respectively. One case resulted from a high-altitude fall and three from traffic accidents, all presenting with multiple fractures. All four cases progressed to dyspnea within 1-4 hours post-injury and received endotracheal intubation with invasive ventilator support within 2-5 hours. Three cases exhibited tachycardia upon admission and were treated with norepinephrine, all four cases presented with fine moist rales in the lungs. Imaging studies revealed diffuse exudative changes in all four cases. Bronchoscopy identified diffuse pulmonary hemorrhage, with one case additionally showing rupture of the right intermediate bronchus. Conventional mechanical ventilation failed to correct oxygenation in all cases, prompting initiation of VV-ECMO therapy within 8-22 hours post-injury. One case underwent right thoracic exploration under ECMO support. Following treatment, all four cases demonstrated gradual reduction in bloody airway secretions, resolution of pulmonary exudative changes on imaging, and absence of hemorrhage on bronchoscopy. They were successfully weaned off ECMO and ultimately discharged as cured. CONCLUSIONS Severe pulmonary contusion rapidly leads to respiratory distress, requiring ventilator-assisted ventilation within hours of injury. When conventional ventilator support is ineffective, ECMO can be life-saving, with timely intervention yielding favorable prognosis.
Humans ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation/methods* ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Child, Preschool ; Child ; Contusions/therapy* ; Lung Injury/therapy* ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: This study reports the first imported case of Lassa fever (LF) in China. Laboratory detection and molecular epidemiological analysis of the Lassa virus (LASV) from this case offer valuable insights for the prevention and control of LF. METHODS: Samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood, urine, saliva, and environmental materials were collected from the patient and their close contacts for LASV nucleotide detection. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on positive samples to analyze the genetic characteristics of the virus. RESULTS: LASV was detected in the patient's CSF, blood, and urine, while all samples from close contacts and the environment tested negative. The virus belongs to the lineage IV strain and shares the highest homology with strains from Sierra Leone. The variability in the glycoprotein complex (GPC) among different strains ranged from 3.9% to 15.1%, higher than previously reported for the seven known lineages. Amino acid mutation analysis revealed multiple mutations within the GPC immunogenic epitopes, increasing strain diversity and potentially impacting immune response. CONCLUSION The case was confirmed through nucleotide detection, with no evidence of secondary transmission or viral spread. The LASV strain identified belongs to lineage IV, with broader GPC variability than previously reported. Mutations in the immune-related sites of GPC may affect immune responses, necessitating heightened vigilance regarding the virus.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Genome, Viral ; Lassa Fever/virology* ; Lassa virus/classification* ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Phylogeny

A novel analytical method was developed in this study by combining online solid phase extraction with ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(Online SPE-UPLC-MS/MS)for simultaneous determination of 50 kinds of steroid hormones in surface water.Specifically,after high-speed centrifugation of 4 mL water samples,the supernatant was directly injected into an Oasis HLB online SPE column for enrichment and purification.Subsequently,the target compounds were transferred to the analytical column via valve switching for separation and analysis.The chromatographic separation was performed on a Thermo Acclaim RSLC C18 column(100 mm×2.1 mm,2.2 μm),using a mobile phase composed of 5 mmol/L ammonium fluoride aqueous solution and acetonitrile.Mass spectrometric detection was conducted in positive ion mode,utilizing multiple reaction monitoring(MRM)with quantification achieved by the internal standard method.The method validation demonstrated that the limits of detection(LOD)for the 50 kinds of steroid hormones ranged from 0.02 to 0.50 ng/L,while the limits of quantification(LOQ)were between 0.08 and 1.67 ng/L.The average recoveries in surface water samples at spiked concentrations of 5,20 and 200 ng/L were between 74.1％and 119％,with relative standard deviations(RSDs)of 0.2％to 9.9％.This method was applied to analyze 11 surface water samples collected from sites surrounding a pharmaceutical and chemical industrial park.A total of 44 kinds of steroid hormones were detected,with concentrations ranging from 0.11 to 88.6 ng/L,revealing the presence of hormone contamination in the environmental waters surrounding industrial areas.Compared with the traditional offline SPE methods,the proposed online SPE technique significantly reduced sample volume requirements and pretreatment time,while minimizing the loss of target compounds during the pretreatment process.Moreover,compared to reported online SPE techniques,this method achieved high-throughput analysis of multiple classes of steroid hormones,with lower detection limits and higher recoveries.Overall,this method provided rapid sample preparation,high sensitivity,and excellent stability,making it suitable for the direct analysis of trace steroid hormones in surface water.

Objective:To explore the value of ultrasound imaging characteristics combined with clinical indicators in assessing the prognosis of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted for patients who underwent pancreatic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) from September 2017 to October 2023 at Peking Union Medical College Hospital and were diagnosed with PDAC based on pathological findings. Various parameters were recorded, including CA19-9 levels, tumor size, location, morphologic features, echogenicity, presence of internal cystic components, dilatation of the main pancreatic duct, peripheral vascular invasion, CEUS characteristics, presence or absence of liver metastasis, and treatment methods. In April 2024, patient survival information was obtained through telephone follow-up or review of medical records. Based on the results of the cox regression model analysis, a nomogram model of the risk of death was developed. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were applied to evaluate the predictive efficacy of the model. The calibration curves were plotted to evaluate the accuracy of the model, and clinical decision curves were used to evaluate the clinical benefit of the model.Results:This study included a total of 207 patients with PDAC. As of April 2024, 71 patients were alive and 136 died, with a median survival time of 14 months (95% CI: 12 -17). Multivariate analysis confirmed that the elevated CA19-9 ( HR=1.689, 95% CI: 1.102-2.588), tumor size >4 cm ( HR=1.641, 95% CI: 1.159-2.322), taller-than-wide shapes ( HR=1.450, 95% CI: 1.019-2.065), incomplete hypo-enhancement ( HR=1.618, 95% CI: 1.100-2.380), and liver metastasis ( HR=1.687, 95% CI: 1.175-2.423) were independent risk factors for survival in patients with PDAC. A nomogram model was further constructed for 6-month, 12-month and 3-year survival of patients with PDAC. The areas under the ROC curve were 0.679, 0.705 and 0.815, respectively. The calibration curves suggested that the model was more accurate, and the clinical decision curves showed that the model had a better clinical benefit. Conclusion:The combined use of ultrasound imaging characteristics and clinical indicators could effectively predict the prognosis of PDAC patients. Specifically, tumor size >4 cm, taller-than-wide shapes, incomplete hypo-enhancement, elevated CA19-9, and the presence of liver metastasis are correlated with poorer survival outcomes. The nomogram model constructed on the basis of these factors can be used to assess the survival of patients with PDAC.

Sacroiliac complex injuries are commonly seen in high-energy pelvic fractures. The injuries make a big difference in treatment patterns due to the diverse injury types, posing considerable challenges in formulating optimal treatment strategies, and hence are persistent clinical difficulties in orthopedic trauma. The clinical management of sacroiliac complex injuries presents several key challenges such as a non-negligible rate of missed diagnoses in associated vascular and visceral injuries, absence of standardized protocols for surgical approaches and reduction-fixation strategies across different injury patterns, and ongoing controversies regarding surgical indications and optimal timing for patients combined with concomitant lumbosacral plexus injuries. Currently, no systematic clinical guidelines are available for the diagnosis and treatment of sacroiliac complex injuries both domestically and internationally. To this end, the Pelvic and Acetabular Surgery Group, Orthopedic Branch, China International Exchange and Promotive Association for Medical and Health Care and Orthopedic Physician Branch, Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized a panel of domestic experts in the field to develop the Clinical guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of sacroiliac complex injuries ( version 2025), based on evidence-based medicine and adhering to the principles of scientific rigor, clinical applicability, and innovation. These guidelines provided 11 recommendations covering diagnosis, therapeutic principles and techniques, management protocols for lumbosacral plexus injuries, outcome evaluation, and postoperative rehabilitation pathways, etc., aiming to standardize the clinical management of sacroiliac complex injuries.

Aim To study the effects of whole herb of Prunella and its active components on the malignant progression of breast cancer and its mechanism.Meth-ods Breast cancer transplantation tumor model was constructed and randomly divided into the model group,low,medium and high dose group of whole herb of Prunella(0.1,0.2,0.4 g·mL-1 by gavage)and paclitaxel(10 mg·kg-1 by intraperitoneal injection),which was administered by gavage every day,and the tumor tissues were collected after 28 days of interven-tion.The weight,tumor volume and mass of nude mice in each group were detected,HE staining was used to observe the morphology of breast cancer tumor tissues,and immunohistochemical staining was used to observe the proliferation of cell-cycle regulatory protein-67(Ki-67)and cytokeratin 17(CK17)in breast cancer tumor tissues.The cellular experiments were performed by u-sing different concentrations of the ethyl acetate extract of the whole herb of Prunella in breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells for 24 h.The proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells and the effects on the cell cycle and apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 cells were detected by using the CCK-8 assay,the cell cycle flow and the apoptotic cell flow.Western blot was used to detect the effect of ethyl ace-tate extract of whole herb of Prunella on the expression of apoptosis-related proteins in breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells.UPLCQ-TOF MS/MS was used to detect the chemical compositions of the ethyl acetate extract of Prunella whole herb.Results The whole herb of Pru-nella had no significant effect on the growth of nude mice(P＞0.05);it could significantly inhibit the growth of transplanted tumors in nude mice with human breast cancer(P＜0.05);the results of HE staining showed that the cells in the tissues appeared to be rela-tively sparse with the increase of the dose of Prunella and had different degrees of nuclear consolidation and deep staining of nuclei and the apoptosis of the tumor cells increased;the metastasis of tumor cells to the liv-er and lungs was inhibited,when compared with that in the model group.Compared with the model group,the low,medium and high groups of Prunella had no signif-icant effect on the liver index,while the spleen index was significantly reduced(P＜0.05);the expression of Ki-67 and CK17 was reduced.The ethyl acetate ex-tract of the whole herb of Prunella could inhibit the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells in breast cancer(P＜0.01);the results of flow cytometry showed that,with the increase of the concentration of the ethyl ace-tate extract of the whole herb of Prunella,the proportion of S-phase cells in the MDA-MB-231 cells significantly increased,and the proportion of G0/G1-phase cells sig-nificantly decreased,while the proportion of G2-phase cells did not change significantly(P＜0.01);Western blotting was not affected in the low,medium and high groups,and the spleen index significantly decreased(P＜0.05);the expression of Ki-67 and CK17 was re-duced;the results of Western blot showed that the eth-yl acetate extract of the whole herb of Prunella promo-ted the expression of Bax,cleaved caspase-3,cleaved caspase-9 proteins,and inhibited the expression of Bcl-2,caspase-3,caspase-9,cyclinA2,and CDK2 proteins(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The acetic acid of the whole herb of Prunella ethyl ester extract identified a total of 51 compounds.Conclusions The whole herb of Pru-nella can inhibit the growth of breast cancer in nude mice transplanted with tumors,promote the apoptosis of tumor cells,inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells,inhibit the metastasis of tumor cells to the liver and lungs,protect the liver and spleen,and reduce the expression of the value-added markers Ki-67 and CK17 in tumor tissues,and the ef-fective ingredient of the whole herb,the ethyl acetate extract,can induce apoptosis.The mechanism may be related to the down-regulation of cyclinsA2,CDK2,Bcl-2,caspase-3,caspase-9 and up-regulation of Bax,cleaved caspase-3,cleaved caspase-9 protein expres-sion.

Objective:To compare surgical-related indicators between non-inflated subclavian endoscopic surgery and axillary and traditional open surgery for the treatment of right lobe thyroid cancer,as well as their effects on postoperative anterior cervical function and cosmetic outcomes.Methods:This retrospective cohort study analyzed 151 cases of thyroid cancer patients who underwent surgical treatment at the Department of Thyroid Surgery,Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University from June 2024 to October 2024. Based on the surgical approach,patients were divided into three groups:56 cases of traditional open surgery group, 44 cases of non-inflated axillary approach group,and 51 cases of non-inflated subclavian approach group. Comparative indicators included surgical time, parathyroid autotransplantation rate,complete exposure rate of central area, number of lymph node dissections, number of positive lymph nodes, anterior cervical function, and satisfaction with incision beauty. One-way analysis of variance,non-parametric test,Kruskal-Wallis test,Pearson χ2 test and Fisher′s exact probability method were used to compare the results of the three groups and subsequent pairwise comparisons,respectively. Results:All laparoscopic surgeries were successfully completed without conversion to open surgery. (1) Surgical time:the traditional open surgery group had the shortest operative time ( M(IQR))(71.5(16.0)minutes), significantly shorter than both endoscopic groups (both P<0.01); among the endoscopic approaches, the non-inflated subclavian approach group (97.0(10.0)minutes) had a significantly shorter operative time than the non-inflated axillary approach group (115.0(11.0)minutes)( P<0.01). (2) Parathyroid autotransplantation rate:the rates were 53.6%(30/56) in the traditional group, 70.5%(31/44) in the non-inflated axillary approach group, and 66.7%(34/51) in the non-inflated subclavian approach group, with no statistically significant differences ( P>0.05). (3) Complete exposure rate of the central area:the exposure rate was 100%(56/56) in the traditional open surgery group, 86.4%(38/44) in the non-inflated axillary approach group, and 96.1%(49/51) in the non-inflated subclavian approach group. A significant difference was observed between the traditional open surgery group and the non-inflated axillary approach group ( χ2=8.124, P<0.01), but not observed between other groups. (4) Number of lymph node dissection:no significant difference was found among the three groups (8(6)(range:2 to 17) in the traditional open surgery group,7(3)(range:2 to 16) in the non-inflated axillary approach group,7(4)(range:2 to 16) in the non-inflated subclavian approach group)( P=0.078).(5) Number of positive lymph nodes:no significant differences were observed among the three groups( P=0.923). (6) Postoperative anterior cervical function:① Visual analogue scale: there was no significant difference between the non-insufflation transaxillary approach group and the non-insufflation subclavian approach group at 3 days and 1 month postoperatively ( P>0.017). However, the two groups had significantly lower scores than the traditional open group (both P<0.01). ② Neck disability index:at 3 days post-surgery, there were significantly lower in the axillary and subclavian groups compared to the traditional open group ( P<0.01), with no significant difference between the two endoscopic groups( P>0.017); at 1 month postoperatively, the traditional open surgery group, gasless axillary approach group, and gasless subclavian approach group, with statistically significant differences between each group (both P<0.01). ③ Swallowing disorder index: no significant differences were observed at 3 days post-surgery( P>0.05); however, at 1 month post-surgery, the endoscopic groups showed significantly lower scores compared to the traditional open group(both P<0.01).(7) Satisfaction with incision beauty:significant differences were found among the three groups in terms of vancouver scar scores, patient scar assessment scores, and observer scar assessment scores(all P<0.01). Conclusions:Compared to the non-inflated axillary endoscopic thyroidectomy, the non-inflated subclavian approach offers a technically simpler procedure, better exposure of the central lymph node dissection area, and superior protection of anterior cervical function, although it results in less favorable cosmetic outcomes. Under strict preoperative evaluation and appropriate indications,both non-inflated subclavian and axillary approaches can achieve outcomes comparable to traditional open surgery for cN0 thyroid cancer,demonstrating good clinical application value.

Objective To comparatively analyze the clinical characteristics of primary bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia(PBMAH)and adrenal cortisol-producing Adenoma(CPA),and enhance the understanding of two diseases.Methods The clinical data of 85 PBMAH patients(PBMAH group)and 195 CPA patients(CPA group)diagnosed at Department of Endocrinology,the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital,from September 2014 to August 2024 were retrospectively analyzed.The demographic characteristics,comorbidities,biochemical indicators,adrenocorticotropic hormone-cortisol(ACTH-F)levels,and adrenal imaging features and treatment conditions were compared between the two groups.Results(1)General characteristics:Compared with CPA group,PBMAH group had older age at diagnosis and a higher proportion of male patients.(2)Clinical characteristics:Compared with CPA group,PBMAH group had a longer disease duration,a higher proportion of subclinical Cushing's syndrome(CS),and a higher proportion of hypertension,impaired glucose tolerance/diabetes,bone mass reduction or osteoporosis,with higher serum potassium levels,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.01).(3)Hormone levels:Both PBMAH and CPA groups showed ACTH-F rhythm disorder,significantly increased cortisol levels and suppressed ACTH.Compared with PBMAH group,CPA group had stronger autonomous cortisol secretion ability,manifested by increased midnight serum cortisol(F0:00),16:00 serum cortisol(F16:00),24-hour urinary free cortisol(24 h UFC)levels and lower 8:00 serum ACTH(ACTH8:00)and 16:00 serum ACTH(ACTH16:00)(P<0.01).After low-dose dexamethasone suppression test(LDDST),CPA group showed lower suppression rates of ACTH and cortisol,and higher proportions of paradoxical elevation in serum cortisol and 24 h UFC compared with PBMAH(P<0.01).Conclusions PBMAH has a longer disease course and higher proportions of comorbid metabolic disorders than CPA,mostly manifested as subclinical Cushing's syndrome.CPA has stronger autonomous cortisol secretion ability,with cortisol less likely to be suppressed after LDDST and more obvious paradoxical elevation of cortisol and 24 h UFC.