OBJECTIVES: To investigate the expression of apolipoprotein C1 (APOC1) in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and its effects on proliferation and apoptosis of PTC cells. METHODS: The expression level of APOC1 in PTC and its impact on prognosis were analyzed using GEPIA 2 and Kaplan-Meier databases. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of APOC1 in PTC and adjacent tissues and in 3 PTC cell lines and normal thyroid Nthyori 3-1 cells. In TPC-1 and BCPAP cells, the effect of Lipofectamine 2000-mediated transfection with APOC1 siRNA or an APOC1-overexpressing plasmid on cell growth and colony formation ability were examined by observing the growth curves and using colony-forming assay. The changes in cell cycle and apoptosis of the transfected cells were analyzed with flow cytometry. RT-qPCR and Western blotting were used to detect the changes in expressions of P21, P27, CDK4, cyclin D1, Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3 and caspase-9 and the key proteins in the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. RESULTS: APOC1 expression was significantly higher in PTC tissues and the 3 PTC cell lines than in the adjacent tissues and Nthyori 3-1 cells, respectively. In TPC-1 and BCPAP cells, APOC1 knockdown obviously reduced cell proliferative activity, increased the percentage of G0/G1 phase cells, lowered the percentages of S and G2 phase cells, promoted cell apoptosis, and downregulated mRNA and protein expression levels of CDK4, cyclin D1 and Bcl-2 and the protein levels of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3. APOC1 overexpression in the cells produced the opposite effects on cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle and the mRNA and protein expressions. The application of AG490, a JAK2 inhibitor, strongly attenuated APOC1 overexpression-induced activation of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in BCPAP cells. CONCLUSIONS APOC1 overexpression promotes proliferation and inhibits apoptosis of PTC cells possibly by activating the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway and accelerating cell cycle progression.
Humans ; Apoptosis ; Cell Proliferation ; STAT3 Transcription Factor/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction ; Janus Kinase 2/metabolism* ; Thyroid Neoplasms/pathology* ; Thyroid Cancer, Papillary ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Carcinoma, Papillary

Cemental tear is a rare and indetectable condition unless obvious clinical signs present with the involvement of surrounding periodontal and periapical tissues. Due to its clinical manifestations similar to common dental issues, such as vertical root fracture, primary endodontic diseases, and periodontal diseases, as well as the low awareness of cemental tear for clinicians, misdiagnosis often occurs. The critical principle for cemental tear treatment is to remove torn fragments, and overlooking fragments leads to futile therapy, which could deteriorate the conditions of the affected teeth. Therefore, accurate diagnosis and subsequent appropriate interventions are vital for managing cemental tear. Novel diagnostic tools, including cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), microscopes, and enamel matrix derivatives, have improved early detection and management, enhancing tooth retention. The implementation of standardized diagnostic criteria and treatment protocols, combined with improved clinical awareness among dental professionals, serves to mitigate risks of diagnostic errors and suboptimal therapeutic interventions. This expert consensus reviewed the epidemiology, pathogenesis, potential predisposing factors, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of cemental tear, aiming to provide a clinical guideline and facilitate clinicians to have a better understanding of cemental tear.
Humans ; Dental Cementum/injuries* ; Consensus ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Tooth Fractures/therapy*

Monoclonal gammopathy of neural significance (MGNS) belongs to the category of monoclonal gammopathy of clinically significance. It is an early-stage disease that mainly occurs in peripheral nerves and is not sufficient for the diagnosis of multiple myeloma or lymphoma. MGNS needs to be differentiated from neuropathies due to POEMS syndrome and light-chain amyloidosis; if necessary, nerve biopsy can be performed to clarify the relationship between peripheral nerve symptoms and lymphoplasmacytic disease. Treatment of MGNS is recommended to give intravenous gammaglobulin, plasma exchange and targeted anti-lymphoplasmacytic tumour therapy such as CD20 monoclonal antibody. Early recognition and intervention of MGNS, with multidisciplinary cooperation, will help to reduce the risk of malignancy and the incidence of disability.

Objective:To identify the risk factors for massive blood transfusion in pediatric living donor liver transplantation.Methods:The medical data of children underwent living donor liver transplantation in our hospital from April 2006 to April 2019 were retrospectively collected.Massive transfusion was defined as the administration of red blood cells > 1 fold of the total blood volume (70 ml/kg) during operation.Patients were assigned to massive transfusion group and non-massive transfusion group according to the volume of blood transfused during operation.Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors for massive blood transfusion during living liver transplantation.Results:A total of 95 pediatric patients were enrolled in this study, with 18 cases in massive transfusion group and 77 cases in non-massive transfusion group.The incidence of massive blood transfusion was 19% during operation.The results of logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative survival status of " hospitalization" ( OR=49.816, 95% CI 2.945-842.59, P=0.007), increased serum Cr concentrations ( OR=1.046, 95% CI 1.007-1.086, P=0.021), increased Pediatric End-Stage Liver Disease (PELD) or Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score ( OR=1.215, 95% CI 1.046-1.411, P=0.011) and prolonged operation time( OR=1.623, 95% CI 1.133-2.327, P=0.008) were the independent risk factors for intraoperative massive blood transfusion in living donor liver transplantation, while increased recipient weight ( OR=0.856, 95% CI 0.761-0.962, P=0.009) was a protective factor for intraoperative massive blood transfusion. Conclusions:Preoperative survival status of " hospitalization", increased PELD or MELD score and prolonged operation time are independent risk factors, while increased pediatric weight is a protective factor for massive blood transfusion in pediatric living donor liver transplantation.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM)-induced cognitive dysfunction is common, but its underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood. In this study, we found that knockout of conventional protein kinase C (cPKC)γ significantly increased the phosphorylation of Tau at Ser214 and neurofibrillary tangles, but did not affect the activities of GSK-3β and PP2A in the hippocampal neurons of T1DM mice. cPKCγ deficiency significantly decreased the level of autophagy in the hippocampal neurons of T1DM mice. Activation of autophagy greatly alleviated the cognitive impairment induced by cPKCγ deficiency in T1DM mice. Moreover, cPKCγ deficiency reduced the AMPK phosphorylation levels and increased the phosphorylation levels of mTOR in vivo and in vitro. The high glucose-induced Tau phosphorylation at Ser214 was further increased by the autophagy inhibitor and was significantly decreased by an mTOR inhibitor. In conclusion, these results indicated that cPKCγ promotes autophagy through the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway, thus reducing the level of phosphorylated Tau at Ser214 and neurofibrillary tangles.
AMP-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism* ; Animals ; Autophagy ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; Glucose ; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta/metabolism* ; Mice ; Phosphorylation ; Protein Kinase C/metabolism* ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism* ; tau Proteins/metabolism*

Since the end of 2019, the COVID-19 caused by 2019-nCoV has emerged and the pandemic ravaged the world, which seriously threatens global public health security and economic development. 2019-nCoV vaccine is an effective weapon to combat the viral infection, however, studies have shown that vaccine-induced immune protection decreases over time, coupled with some novel and immune escape variants continual emerging. Therefore, it is urgent to complete booster immunization to improve protection. At present, 2019-nCoV vaccines based on a variety of technical platforms have been approved and available in China. Therefore, we developed this sequential vaccination strategy guide to provide documentation guidance for the prevention and control of the epidemic caused by 2019-nCoV and its variant strains.

Objective:To investigate the application value of dual-graft living donor liver transplantation of right segment from an adult living donor combined with a left lateral segment from donation after brain death for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods:The retrospective and descriptive study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of a male 46-year-old patient with HCC who underwent dual-graft living donor liver transplantation of right segment from an adult living donor combined with a left lateral segment from donation after brain death at the West China Hospital of Sichuan University in October 2019 were collected. He weighed 66 kg and was 171 cm in height. His blood type was A Rh-positive. Graft one was from a female 23-year-old living donor who had a bodyweight of 50 kg, a height of 150 cm, and blood type of A Rh-positive; graft two was from a male 44-year-old brain death donor with the blood type of A Rh-positive. The surgery was performed in three operating rooms, graft one and graft two were obtained simultaneously in two operating rooms, and the recipient′s liver was dissected in the third operating room. When the in vitro splicing of the liver was almost completed, surgeons entirely removed the recipient′s liver and started to transplant the new one. Observation indicators: (1) surgical situations and postoperative recovery of the living donor and the recipient; (2) postoperative pathological examination of the recipient′s liver; (3) follow-up. Follow-up was conducted by outpatient examinations, including monitoring of HCC recurrence, monitoring of new liver function, monitoring and adjustment of immunosuppressive agents, detection of biliary vascular complications, rejection and adverse drug reactions. Regular lifelong follow-up was required for recipients, with the latest follow-up on December 4, 2019. Count data were expressed as absolute numbers or percentages.Results:(1) Surgical situations and postoperative recovery of the living donor and the recipient: operation time, volume of intraoperative blood loss, volume of intraoperative infusion of autologous blood of the living donor were 315 minutes, 200 mL, 200 mL, respectively. The living donor was discharged from hospital on the sixth day after surgery without any complications. The recipient underwent modified piggyback liver transplantation successfully. Graft one was from the right segment free of the middle hepatic vein in the living donor, with a weight of 410 g. Graft two was from the left lateral segment in the donor after brain death, with a weight of 400 g. The graft from donors to recipient weight ratio was 1.2% after splicing. The operation time, duration of anhepatic phase, volume of intraoperative blood loss, volume of intraoperative blood transfusion were 815 minutes, 60 minutes, 1 500 mL, 1 800 mL, respectively. The recipient′s temperature was normal during hospitalization. On the first postoperative day, the level of white blood cell and neutrophilic granulocyte percentage of the recipient reached a peak (17.15×10 9/L and 91.7%, respectively) and then gradually decreased. After anti-infective treatment with piperacillin sodium and sulbactam sodium, both of the two indicators returned to normal on the seventh day after surgery (7.90×10 9/L and 70.9%, respectively), and the antibiotic was discontinued. During the hospitalization, the level of albumin of the recipient fluctuated in 31.0-41.4 g/L, the liver function parameters including total bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, prothrombin time and international normalized ratio gradually returned to normal levels, and the renal function parameters including creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate remained within the normal range. On the tenth day after surgery, the recipient was in good condition and discharged from the hospital. (2) Postoperative pathological examination of the recipient′s liver: ① results of the pathological examination showed moderately differentiated HCC with incomplete tumour capsule and no invasion of the liver capsule. The surrounding liver tissues showed hepatitis B-related nodular cirrhosis, and no tumor involvement was detected at the broken end of the hilum. ② The gallbladder presented chronic cholecystitis accompanied by cholesterol deposition, and one abdominal lymph node showed reactive hyperplasia. The immunohistochemical staining showed 10% positive HBsAg and negative HBcAg. (3) Follow-up: the tumor markers of the recipient were tested on November 19, 2019, including α-fetoprotein (2.92 μg/L) and abnormal prothrombin (16 AU/L). Together with the negative result of abdominal colour doppler ultrasound, they collectively indicated no HCC recurrence in the recipient. The liver function parameters including total bilirubin (8.6 μmol/L), alanine aminotransferase (23 IU/L), aspartate aminotransferase (28 IU/L) and albumin (44.0 g/L) of the recipient tested on December 3, 2019, were all in normal levels. Blood concentration of tacrolimus was 4.2 μg/L . The drug dose of mycophenolate mofetil dispersible tablets was adjusted to 250 mg given twice daily, and the drug dose of others was unchanged (tacrolimus 2 mg, once daily; sirolimus 1mg, once daily). No symptoms, signs or examination results indicated biliary vascular complications, rejection or adverse drug reactions. Conclusion:Dual-graft living donor liver transplantation of right segment from an adult living donor combined with a left lateral segment from donation after brain death is safe and effective, which can be used as a suboptimal treatment for patients with HCC beyond Milan criteria.

Objective:To explore the effects of microRNA-126 (miR-126) on the proliferation of human myeloid leukemia mononuclear cells (THP-1)-derived macrophages in high glucose environment and the regulatory role of miR-126 in periodontitis with diabetes.Methods:THP-1 cells were cultured in vitro and 5 μg/L phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate was applied to induce THP-1 cells differentiating into macrophages for 48 h in low glucose culture medium (5.5 mmol/L). THP-1-derived macrophages were then cultured with low glucose, medium glucose (15 mmol/L) or high glucose (25 mmol/L) media respectively. The proliferation of THP-1-derived macrophages was detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) method and the expressions of miR-126 and proliferation-associated factors were detected by quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR). The miR-126 mimic or inhibitor was transfected into THP-1-derived macrophages for 72 h. The proliferation of cells was detected by CCK-8 method and the expressions of miR-126 or proliferation-associated factors were detected by qRT-PCR. Results:Increasing glucose concentration decreased the proliferation of THP-1-derived macrophages (day 7, A values in low, medium and high glucose groups were 0.369±0.014, 0.214±0.009 and 0.200±0.010, respectively, P<0.01) as well as the survival rate ( P<0.05), promoted the expression of miR-126, B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)-associated X protein (BAX) and caspase-3 ( P<0.05), and suppressed Bcl-2, phosphoinositol-3 kinase regulatory subunit 2 (PIK3R2) expression ( P<0.05). After the miR-126 mimic was transfected in cells in low glucose medium for 72 h, compared with negative control (1.005±0.118), the expression of miR-126 significantly increased (2 980.227±170.431, P<0.05), and the proliferation of THP-1 derived macrophages decreased (negative control: 1.816±0.013, mimic group: 1.310±0.048, P<0.01), the level of BAX and caspase-3 significantly increased ( P<0.01, P<0.05), PIK3R2 and Bcl-2 significantly decreased ( P<0.05, P<0.01). After the miR-126 inhibitor was transfected in cells cultured in high glucose medium for 72 h, compared with negative control (0.723±0.133), the proliferation of inhibitor group increased (0.984±0.049, P<0.05), the level of BAX and caspase-3 significantly decreased ( P<0.01, P<0.05), PIK3R2 and Bcl-2 significantly increased ( P<0.01, P<0.05). Conclusions:High glucose condition can inhibit the proliferation of THP-1-derived macrophages and increase the expression of miR-126. MiR-126 can inhibit the proliferation of THP-1-derived macrophages in high glucose environment through up-regulating the expression of BAX and caspase-3 and down-regulating the expression of PIK3R2 and Bcl-2.

Objective:To investigate the perception status of inpatients to nurses' caring behavior, and analyze the correlation between them and nurse-patient relationship trust degree. Methods:Adopting general information questionnaire, Caring Behaviors Inventory ( CBI) , nurse-patient relationship trust scale, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 226 inpatients in a third class A tertiary hospital in Tianjin. Results:The total score of ca-ring behavior perception was (96. 92 ± 15. 68), and among the four dimensions, the perception of patients to nur-ses' knowledge and skills was deepest, the perception to nurse' s contact with patients was worst; total score of nurse-patient trust scale was (124. 75 ± 19. 13). There was a positive correlation between the total score of pa-tients' caring perception and nurse-patient relationship trust degree (r=0. 554);multiple linear stepwise regres-sion analysis showed respect for patients, support and assurance were the main factors influencing the nurse-pa-tient relationship trust degree. Conclusion:The patients' perception on nurses' caring behavior and nurse-pa-tient relationship trust degree is closely related. Nurses should carry out targeted care to patients with different char-acteristics to improve patients' trust to nurses and construct a harmonious nurse-patient relationship.