Objective To investigate the value of serum lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2(Lp-PLA2)for predicting high-risk coronary plaques in elderly males.Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 46 elderly males aged ≥60 years undergoing health check-ups and coro-nary computed tomography angiography in our hospital between May and July 2024.Their general clinical data were collected.Artificial intelligence software was used to analyze coronary calcium scores and plaque characteristics.The participants were divided into a high-risk plaque group(n=15)and a non-high-risk plaque group(n=31).The differences were compared between the two groups.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the influencing factors for high-risk coronary plaques.ROC curve was plotted to determine the predictive value of serum Lp-PLA2 for high-risk plaques,and its AUC value was calculated.Results The high-risk plaque group had significantly larger proportions of smoking history and hyperlipidemia,and higher level of homocysteine and Lp-PLA2 than the non-high-risk plaque group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Multiva-riate logistic regression analysis indicated that Lp-PLA2 was an independent risk factor for high-risk coronary plaques(HR=1.030,95％CI:1.008-1.053,P＜0.05).ROC curve analysis revealed that the AUC value of Lp-PLA2 in predicting high-risk coronary plaques was 0.833(95％CI:0.694-0.927,P＜0.01),with a sensitivity of 93.3％,a specificity of 71.0％,a positive predictive value of 62.5％,and a negative predictive value of 100％.Conclusion Serum Lp-PLA2 is of signif-icant value in predicting high-risk coronary plaques in elderly men.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the regulatory effects of salvianolic acid C(SAC)on the level of cuproptosis and inflammatory injury in cardiomyocytes after myocardial infarction(MI).METHODS①C57BL/6 mice were divided into a sham group,an MI model group,and SAC(5,10 and 20 mg·kg-1)groups,with 10 mice in each group.Mice in the SAC groups were pretreated with oral gavage of SAC for 1 week,while those in the sham and model groups received an equal volume of saline.One week later,an MI model was established in the model and SAC groups by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery,while the sham group underwent thoracotomy without ligation.MI size was assessed using triphenyltetrazolium chloride(TTC)staining.Cardiomyocyte apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL staining.The ultrastructure of cardiomyocyte mitochondria was observed under a transmission electron microscope.② Mouse cardiomyocytes HL-1 were divided into a control group,an oxygen-glucose deprivation(OGD)model group,OGD+SAC 1,5 and 10 μmol·L-1 groups,and a OGD+SAC(5 μmol·L-1)+nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)inhibitor ML385(2 μmol·L-1)group.Cells in the OGD+SAC groups were pretreated with SAC for 24 h while those in the OGD+SAC+ML385 group were pretreated with both SAC 5 μmol·L-1 and ML385 2 μmol·L-1 for 24 h.Except for the control group,an OGD model was established in HL-1 cells.ELISA was used to detect the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-6(IL-6)and IL-1β in mouse serum and HL-1 cell culture supernatants.The Cu+detection kit was used to measure Cu+levels in myocardial tissue and HL-1 cells.Cell viability was assessed using the CCK-8 kit.Apoptosis rates of HL-1 cells were detected by flow cytometry.Reactive oxygen species(ROS)levels in HL-1 cells were measured using a ROS detection kit.Western blotting analysis was performed to detect the expression levels of Nrf2,heme oxygenase-1(HO-1),and cupro-ptosis markers,ferredoxin 1(FDX1)and solute carrier family 31 member 1(SLC31A1)in myocardial tissue and HL-1 cells.RESLUTS ① Compared with the sham group,the MI model group exhibited increased myocardial infarction size,elevated cardiomyocyte apoptosis rates,mitochondrial swelling,vacuolation,and cristae rupture in cardiomyocytes,increased serum levels of TNF-α,IL-6,and IL-1β,elevated Cu+levels and expressions of FDX1 and SLC31A1 in myocardial tissue,and decreased expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the SAC 5,10 and 20 mg·kg-1 groups showed reduced MI size,decreased cardiomyocyte apoptosis rates,alleviated mitochondrial swelling,vacuola-tion,and cristae rupture,lower serum levels of TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-1β,decreased Cu+levels and expres-sions of FDX1 and SLC31A1 in myocardial tissue,and increased expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1(P<0.05,P<0.01).② Compared with the cell control group,the OGD model group demonstrated signifi-cantly decreased HL-1 cell viability,increased cell apoptosis rates,Cu+and ROS levels,expressions of FDX1 and SLC31A1,elevated levels of TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-1β in cell culture supernatants,and decreased expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1(P<0.01).Compared with the OGD model group,the SAC 1,5 and 10 μmol·L-1 groups showed increased HL-1 cell viability,decreased cell apoptosis rates,Cu+and ROS levels,expressions of FDX1 and SLC31A1,reduced levels of TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-1β in cell culture supernatants,and increased expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1(P<0.05,P<0.01).Compared with the SAC 5 μmol·L-1 group,the SAC 5 μmol·L-1+ML385 2 μmol·L-1 group exhibited decreased cell viability,increased cell apoptosis rates,Cu+and ROS levels,expressions of FDX1 and SLC31A1,elevated levels of TNF-α,IL-6,and IL-1β in cell culture supernatants,and decreased expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1(P<0.01).CONSLUSION SAC can activate the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway,alleviate cuproptosis in cardiomyocytes after MI,and reduces inflammatory damage.

Pre-admission is a critical initiative to optimize medical service processes and alleviate the challenge of "difficult access to healthcare. "However, there is currently a lack of standardized protocols for pre-admission procedures. This study aims to systematically analyze key nodes and risk factors in pre-admission process design and propose optimization strategies, providing a foundation for policy formulation and hospital practices. By constructing a "forward-reverse" dual-process model of pre-admission and identifying risk points based on stakeholder theory (patients, hospitals, healthcare administration, and insurance), the study reveals that while pre-admission can reduce the average length of stay, improve bed turnover rates, and enhance patient satisfaction, it also presents risks such as cross-period financial settlement, challenges in insurance policy adaptability, demands for information system integration, and the need for defining medical safety boundaries. To optimize the pre-admission process and mitigate these risks, this study explores framework improvements in areas including eligibility criteria, mode selection, cost settlement, transition between pre-admission and inpatient status, and cancellation of pre-admission, offering practical guidance for public hospitals. The authors argue that pre-admission requires tripartite collaboration among hospitals, insurers, and healthcare administrations: hospitals should establish top-level design, continuously refine processes, and implement dynamic risk assessment mechanisms; insurance providers should support cross-period settlement policies; and healthcare administrations should issue guiding policies or standardized protocols. Through multi-department coordination and collaborative efforts, the optimization and innovation of pre-admission processes can be advanced, ultimately delivering more efficient and convenient healthcare experiences for patients.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the regulatory effects of salvianolic acid C(SAC)on the level of cuproptosis and inflammatory injury in cardiomyocytes after myocardial infarction(MI).METHODS①C57BL/6 mice were divided into a sham group,an MI model group,and SAC(5,10 and 20 mg·kg-1)groups,with 10 mice in each group.Mice in the SAC groups were pretreated with oral gavage of SAC for 1 week,while those in the sham and model groups received an equal volume of saline.One week later,an MI model was established in the model and SAC groups by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery,while the sham group underwent thoracotomy without ligation.MI size was assessed using triphenyltetrazolium chloride(TTC)staining.Cardiomyocyte apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL staining.The ultrastructure of cardiomyocyte mitochondria was observed under a transmission electron microscope.② Mouse cardiomyocytes HL-1 were divided into a control group,an oxygen-glucose deprivation(OGD)model group,OGD+SAC 1,5 and 10 μmol·L-1 groups,and a OGD+SAC(5 μmol·L-1)+nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)inhibitor ML385(2 μmol·L-1)group.Cells in the OGD+SAC groups were pretreated with SAC for 24 h while those in the OGD+SAC+ML385 group were pretreated with both SAC 5 μmol·L-1 and ML385 2 μmol·L-1 for 24 h.Except for the control group,an OGD model was established in HL-1 cells.ELISA was used to detect the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-6(IL-6)and IL-1β in mouse serum and HL-1 cell culture supernatants.The Cu+detection kit was used to measure Cu+levels in myocardial tissue and HL-1 cells.Cell viability was assessed using the CCK-8 kit.Apoptosis rates of HL-1 cells were detected by flow cytometry.Reactive oxygen species(ROS)levels in HL-1 cells were measured using a ROS detection kit.Western blotting analysis was performed to detect the expression levels of Nrf2,heme oxygenase-1(HO-1),and cupro-ptosis markers,ferredoxin 1(FDX1)and solute carrier family 31 member 1(SLC31A1)in myocardial tissue and HL-1 cells.RESLUTS ① Compared with the sham group,the MI model group exhibited increased myocardial infarction size,elevated cardiomyocyte apoptosis rates,mitochondrial swelling,vacuolation,and cristae rupture in cardiomyocytes,increased serum levels of TNF-α,IL-6,and IL-1β,elevated Cu+levels and expressions of FDX1 and SLC31A1 in myocardial tissue,and decreased expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the SAC 5,10 and 20 mg·kg-1 groups showed reduced MI size,decreased cardiomyocyte apoptosis rates,alleviated mitochondrial swelling,vacuola-tion,and cristae rupture,lower serum levels of TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-1β,decreased Cu+levels and expres-sions of FDX1 and SLC31A1 in myocardial tissue,and increased expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1(P<0.05,P<0.01).② Compared with the cell control group,the OGD model group demonstrated signifi-cantly decreased HL-1 cell viability,increased cell apoptosis rates,Cu+and ROS levels,expressions of FDX1 and SLC31A1,elevated levels of TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-1β in cell culture supernatants,and decreased expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1(P<0.01).Compared with the OGD model group,the SAC 1,5 and 10 μmol·L-1 groups showed increased HL-1 cell viability,decreased cell apoptosis rates,Cu+and ROS levels,expressions of FDX1 and SLC31A1,reduced levels of TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-1β in cell culture supernatants,and increased expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1(P<0.05,P<0.01).Compared with the SAC 5 μmol·L-1 group,the SAC 5 μmol·L-1+ML385 2 μmol·L-1 group exhibited decreased cell viability,increased cell apoptosis rates,Cu+and ROS levels,expressions of FDX1 and SLC31A1,elevated levels of TNF-α,IL-6,and IL-1β in cell culture supernatants,and decreased expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1(P<0.01).CONSLUSION SAC can activate the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway,alleviate cuproptosis in cardiomyocytes after MI,and reduces inflammatory damage.

Objective To investigate the value of serum lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2(Lp-PLA2)for predicting high-risk coronary plaques in elderly males.Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 46 elderly males aged ≥60 years undergoing health check-ups and coro-nary computed tomography angiography in our hospital between May and July 2024.Their general clinical data were collected.Artificial intelligence software was used to analyze coronary calcium scores and plaque characteristics.The participants were divided into a high-risk plaque group(n=15)and a non-high-risk plaque group(n=31).The differences were compared between the two groups.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the influencing factors for high-risk coronary plaques.ROC curve was plotted to determine the predictive value of serum Lp-PLA2 for high-risk plaques,and its AUC value was calculated.Results The high-risk plaque group had significantly larger proportions of smoking history and hyperlipidemia,and higher level of homocysteine and Lp-PLA2 than the non-high-risk plaque group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Multiva-riate logistic regression analysis indicated that Lp-PLA2 was an independent risk factor for high-risk coronary plaques(HR=1.030,95％CI:1.008-1.053,P＜0.05).ROC curve analysis revealed that the AUC value of Lp-PLA2 in predicting high-risk coronary plaques was 0.833(95％CI:0.694-0.927,P＜0.01),with a sensitivity of 93.3％,a specificity of 71.0％,a positive predictive value of 62.5％,and a negative predictive value of 100％.Conclusion Serum Lp-PLA2 is of signif-icant value in predicting high-risk coronary plaques in elderly men.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic basis for 7 patients with Alström syndrome. METHODS: DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples of the patients and their parents. Whole exome sequencing was carried out for the patients. Suspected variant was verified by Sanger sequencing and bioinformatic analysis. RESULTS: Genetic testing revealed 12 variants of the ALMS1 gene among the 7 patients, including 7 nonsense and 5 frameshift variants, which included c.5418delC (p.Tyr1807Thrfs*23), c.10549C>T (p.Gln3517*), c.9145dupC (p.Thr3049Asnfs*12), c.10819C>T (p.Arg3607*), c.5701_5704delGAGA (p.Glu1901Argfs*18), c.9154_9155delCT (p.Cys3053Serfs*9), c.9460delG (p.Val3154*), c.9379C>T (p.Gln3127*), c.12115C>T (p.Gln4039*), c.1468dupA (p.Thr490Asnfs*15), c.10825C>T (p.Arg3609*) and c.3902C>A (p.Ser1301*). Among these, c.9154_ 9155delCT, c.9460delG, c.9379C>T, and c.1468dupA were unreported previously. Based on the standards and guidelines of American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, the c.9379C>T and c.12115C>T variants of the ALMS1 gene were predicted to be likely pathogenic (PVS1+PM2), whilst the other 10 variants were predicted to be pathogenic (PVS1+ PM2+ PP3+PP4). CONCLUSION ALMS1 variants probably underlay the Alström syndrome in the 7 patients, and genetic testing can provide a basis for the clinical diagnosis of this syndrome. The discovery of four novel variants has expanded the mutational spectrum of Alström syndrome.
Alstrom Syndrome/genetics* ; Cell Cycle Proteins/genetics* ; Humans ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Whole Exome Sequencing

Objective To identify the role of RNA-editing enzyme ADAR1 (adenosine deaminase acting on RNA) in EV71 infection and virus mutation.Methods RNAi technology was applied to establish ADAR1 knock-down stable cell lines.Then the cells were served to evaluate the role of ADAR1 in EV71 infection by MTT assay for detecting virus-induced cell viability,virus plaque assay for quantification of the virus titer and the cellular susceptibility to the virus,and Western blot for virus protein expressions.ADAR1-mediated RNA editing can result in the genetic A-G and T-C mutations.To further determine whether the effects of ADAR1 on EV71 infection were correlated with ADAR1-mediated EV71 RNA editing and therefore increased the viral mutations during the infection,the characteristics of EV71 mutation were analyzed based on the different full-length viral genomes from epidemic regions.The viral genome was also sequenced from the infected ADAR1 knock-down cells.Results After ADAR1 knock-down,the cell viability decreased quickly after the virus infection,and formed much more and larger sizes of plaques than the control cells.The virus capsid protein VP1 expressions and virus titer in the cells culture media were both increased in ADAR1 knockdown cells.Statistic analysis showed that A-G and T-C mutations were the major mutations of EV71,which were believed to be the hot sites for RNA-editing.However,the results of viral RNA genomic sequencing data indicated that ADAR1 did not edit EV71 genome directly.Conclusions ADAR1 was a restriction factor for controlling EV71.However,ADAR1 does not directly edit EV71 genome.