Acute-on-chronic liver failure （ACLF） is an acute and critical illness with a high short-term mortality rate， and current therapies mainly focus on elimination of causes， organ support， and prevention of complications. Although liver transplantation is the most effective treatment modality， its clinical application is limited， and traditional Chinese medicine has shown significant advantages and characteristics in the treatment of ACLF. In traditional Chinese medicine， ACLF is classified into the same category as diseases such as “jaundice”， and unlike traditional jaundice which is mostly characterized by excess and heat syndromes， the syndrome of ACLF has gradually transformed from Yang jaundice to Yin jaundice due to the changing disease spectrum of ACLF. With reference to the pathogenesis of ACLF in Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine theories， this article discusses the essential pathogenesis of ACLF in traditional Chinese medicine， explores the evolution of ACLF syndromes， and reviews the research advances in the clinical efficacy and mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine based on the three-factor differentiation-based treatment of damp-heat， blood stasis-heat， and spleen deficiency， as well as the safety of spleen-strengthening and Yang-warming drugs in the clinical treatment of ACLF， in order to provide ideas， methods， and evidence for the application of traditional Chinese medicine in ACLF.

BACKGROUND: Enzalutamide, a second-generation androgen receptor (AR) pathway inhibitor, is widely used in the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer. However, after a period of enzalutamide treatment, patients inevitably develop drug resistance. In this study, we characterized leucine-rich repeated G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (LGR5) and explored its potential therapeutic value in prostate cancer. METHODS: A total of 142 pairs of tumor and adjacent formalin-fixed paraf-fin-embedded tissue samples from patients with prostate cancer were collected from the Pathology Department at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hos-pital. LGR5 was screened by sequencing data of enzalutamide-resistant cell lines combined with sequencing data of lesions with different Gleason scores from the same patients. The biological function of LGR5 and its effect on enzalutamide resistance were investigated in vitro and in vivo . Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) pull-down, coimmunoprecipitation, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence assays were used to explore the specific binding mechanism of LGR5 and related pathway changes. RESULTS: LGR5 was significantly upregulated in prostate cancer and negatively correlated with poor patient prognosis. Overexpression of LGR5 promoted the malignant progression of prostate cancer and reduced sensitivity to enzalutamide in vitro and in vivo . LGR5 promoted the phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) by binding heat shock protein 90,000 alpha B1 (HSP90AB1) and mediated the activation of the Wingless/integrated (WNT)/β-catenin signaling pathway. The increased β-catenin in the cytoplasm entered the nucleus and bound to the nuclear AR, promoting the transcription level of AR, which led to the enhanced tolerance of prostate cancer to enzalutamide. Reducing HSP90AB1 binding to LGR5 significantly enhanced sensitivity to enzalutamide. CONCLUSIONS LGR5 directly binds to HSP90AB1 and mediates GSK-3β phosphorylation, promoting AR expression by regulating the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway, thereby conferring resistance to enzalutamide treatment in prostate cancer.
Male ; Humans ; Phenylthiohydantoin/pharmacology* ; Benzamides ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/genetics* ; Nitriles ; Cell Line, Tumor ; HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins/metabolism* ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/genetics* ; Prostatic Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; beta Catenin/metabolism* ; Receptors, Androgen/genetics* ; Animals ; Mice ; Wnt Signaling Pathway/physiology*

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the differentially expressed exosomal miRNAs in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) complicated by hyperuricemia (HUA) and explore their potential as novel diagnostic molecular markers and their target genes. METHODS: This study was conducted among 30 CHF patients with HUA (observation group) and 30 healthy volunteers (control group) enrolled between September, 2020 and September, 2023. Peripheral blood samples were collected from 6 CHF patients with HUA for analyzing exosomal miRNAs by high-throughput sequencing, and the results were validated in the remaining 24 patients using qRT-PCR. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were performed to predict the the target genes of the identified differential miRNAs. We also validated the differentially expressed miRNAs by animal experiment. RESULTS: A total of 42 differentially expressed exosomal miRNAs were detected in observation group by high-throughput sequencing; among them, miR-27a-5p was significantly upregulated (P=0.000179), and miR-139-3p was significantly downregulated (P=0.000058). In the 24 patients with both CHF and PUA, qRT-PCR validated significant upregulation of miR-27a-5p (P=0.004) and downregulation of miR-139-3p (P=0.005) in serum exosomes. When combined, miR-27a-5p and miR-139-3p had a maximum area under the curve (AUC) of 0.899 (95% CI: 0812-0.987) for predicting CHF complicated by HUA. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses suggested that the differential expressions of miR-27a-5p and miR-139-3p was associated with the activation of the AMPK-mTOR signaling pathway to activate the autophagic response. We obtained the same conclusion from animal experiment. CONCLUSIONS Upregulated exosomal miR-27a-5p combined with downregulated exosomal miR-139-3p expression can serve as a novel molecular marker for diagnosis of CHF complicated by HUA, and their differential expression may promote autophagy in cardiomyocytes by activating the AMPK-mTOR signaling pathway.
Humans ; Hyperuricemia/diagnosis* ; Heart Failure/genetics* ; MicroRNAs/metabolism* ; Exosomes/metabolism* ; Chronic Disease ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Animals

Background Studies on the relationships of environmental noise exposure with negative emotions and sleep quality have long been reported. Self-perceived noise intensity is not only related to environmental noise exposure, but also reflects an individual's susceptibility to noise; however, few studies on self-perceived noise intensity, negative emotions, and sleep quality have been reported, and it is not clear whether negative emotions play a mediating role in the relationship between self-perceived noise intensity and sleep quality. Objective To analyze the mediating role of negative emotions (anxiety, depression, and stress) in the relationship between self-perceived noise intensity and sleep quality in noise-exposed workers, and to provide a scientific basis for addressing psychological problems and sleep quality induced by noise exposure. Methods Stratified cluster sampling was used to select noise-exposed workers from a large equipment manufacturing plant in Chengdu from May to June 2023, and demographic characteristics were investigated using a self-designed general information questionnaire; self-perceived noise intensity was reported by the study subjects as the noise intensity of their workplaces; sleep quality was synthesized from three indicators: night sleep duration, self-perceived sleep quality, and sleep-related symptoms; the Anxiety-Depression-Stress Scale (DASS-21 scale) was used to evaluate anxiety, depression, and stress of a worker. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the pathways of negative emotions (anxiety, depression, and stress) between self-perceived noise intensity and sleep quality. Results The positive rates of negative emotions were 33.1% (anxiety symptoms, 215/649), 26.0% (depression symptoms, 169/649), and 14.0% (stress symptoms, 91/649), respectively in a total of 649 noise-exposed workers. Self-perceived noise intensity was positively correlated with sleep quality score (r=0.218, P<0.001) and negative emotions (anxiety, depression, and stress) (r=0.167, 0.145, 0.167, P<0.001); sleep quality score was positively correlated with negative emotions (anxiety, depression, and stress) (r=0.512, 0.447, 0.513, P<0.001). The results of path analysis showed that the negative emotions (anxiety, depression, and stress) partially mediated between self-perceived noise intensity and sleep quality (β=0.123，P<0.001). Self-perceived noise intensity was positively correlated with negative emotions and sleep quality, and there was a path of self-perceived noise intensity → negative emotion → sleep quality (P<0.001), and the mediating effect accounted for 42.71%. Conclusion The positive rates of anxiety, depression, and stress are high among the noise-receiving workers in this manufacturing industry, and negative emotions characterized by anxiety, depression, and stress partially mediate the relationship between self-perceived noise intensity and sleep quality.

Anoctamin 1 (ANO1) is a kind of calcium-activated chloride channel involved in nerve depolarization. ANO1 inhibitors display significant analgesic activity by the local peripheral and intrathecal administration. In this study, several thiophenecarboxylic acid and benzoic acid derivatives were identified as novel ANO1 inhibitors through the shape-based virtual screening, among which the 4-arylthiophene-3-carboxylic acid analogues with the best ANO1 inhibitory activity were designed, synthesized and compound

Objective:To investigate the experience and results of the modified lateral prostate capsule sparing robot-assisted radical cystectomy-orthotopic ileal neobladder (LPCS-RARC-OIN).Methods:From December 2018 to November 2020, 19 patients received LPCS-RARC-OIN by a single surgeon in Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University. LPCS-RARC-OIN was performed on male patients with high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer or muscle-invasive bladder cancer cT 2N 0M 0 without tumour in the bladder neck or urethra, and prostate cancer was ruled out by MRI and serum PSA<2.5ng/ml. The average age was 57.6 years, the average IIEF-5 score was 20.4. Separating the prostatic adenoma and the lateral prostate capsule from the base to the apex of the prostate, and retaining the lateral prostate surgical capsule or lateral prostate capsule about 1-2mm thickness. Patients were followed up and urinary function, sexual function and oncological outcomes were recorded. Results:All 19 operations were finished successfully. The average operation time was 279.9 (225-345) min and average estimated blood loss was 88.9 (30-200) ml. The average postoperative hospital stays was 15.8 (9 -23) days. The average lymph node yields was 23.3 (11-42). All surgical margins were negative and no incidental prostate cancer was found. 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after catheter removal, the daytime and nighttime continence were 42.1% (8/19)and 36.8% (7/19), 63.2% (12/19)and 63.2% (12/19), 78.9% (15/19) and 73.7% (14/19), 94.7% (18/19) and 89.5% (17/19), respectively. 3 months and 6 months after operation, the average IIEF-5 score was 7.2 and 10.1 points respectively. The average follow-up was 10.6 months (5.4-26.1 months)and no recurrence or distant metastasis was found in this study.Conclusions:LPCS-RARC-OIN could improve the urinary and sexual function in selected patients. However, the long-term follow up is needed for functional and oncological outcomes.

Objective:To investigate the safety and efficacy of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) bridging program in the perioperative period of mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (mPCNL) for long-term antithrombotic patients.Methods:The clinical data of 50 patients who received long-term antithrombotic therapy with mPCNL in Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital from January 2013 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Perioperative anticoagulation plans were drawn up after discussion with an internist. Patients with high thrombosis risk were bridged with LMWH during the perioperative period. Resumed LMWH anticoagulation within 48 hours after surgery. Patients with low or medium thrombosis risk directly discontinued anticoagulation one week before surgery. Preoperative anticoagulation was resumed within 48 hours after removing the nephrostomy tube in all patients. We analyzed the general information before surgery, data during surgery, postoperative hemoglobin changes and stone-free rate (SRF) of all cases. 21 patients were treated with LMWH bridging (bridging group), and 29 patients were directly discontinued with anticoagulant drugs (non-bridging group). There was no statistical difference between the two groups in age [(59.7±7.1) vs. (52.4±10.4)years] , gender [(male/female), 14/7 vs. 19/10], BMI [ (24.3±3.9) kg/m 2 vs. (24.7±5.1) kg/m 2], S. T.O.N.E. score (7.4±1.1 vs. 6.9±1.0), stone surface area [ 314.0(31.4-1 130.4) mm 2 vs. 282.5(64.7-866.0) mm 2], the number of calculi involved in calyces (6/15 vs. 13/16) and stone-related surgical history [ 34% (7/21) vs. 24% (7/29) ]. Results:In the bridging group, 18 patients (86%) performed single-channel mPCNL, 3 patients (14%) underwent dual-channel mPCNL, and the operation time was 80 (35-180) min. In the non-bridging group, 27 patients (93%) underwent single-channel mPCNL, 2 patients (7%) performed dual-channel mPCNL, and the operation time was 80 (30-60) min. The mean changes in hemoglobin in the bridging group and the non-bridging group was 18 (-2 -66) g/L and 14 (-25-64) g/L, respectively ( P = 0.073). The average postoperative hospital stay in the bridging group was (8.6 ± 3.5) days, and the non-bridging group was (7.1 ± 2.3) days ( P= 0.057). Two patients in each group received blood transfusion, and no patients received interventional embolization. The SRF of bridging group and non-bridging group was 81.0% (17/21) vs. 75.9% (22/29) ( P = 0.67) 1 month after the operation. During the perioperative period, no patients had thrombotic complications. Conclusions:When mPCNL was required for long-term antithrombotic treatment patients, the use of LWMH alternatives during the perioperative period did not increase bleeding related complications.

Objective:To report our experience in successful limb salvage in 2 cases of femoral fracture of Gustilo type ⅢC after warm ischemia beyond 10 hours.Methods:From February 2016 to April 2017, 2 patients with femoral fracture of Gustilo type ⅢC were treated at The Great Wall Orthopaedic and Hand Surgery Hospital after warm ischemia beyond 10 hours.Both of them were male, 42 and 27 years of age.After debridement, bone shortening for 8.0 cm and 10.0 cm respectively was followed by replantation. The fractures were fixated end to end with a compression plate, the femoral artery was anastomosed directly and the muscles were sutured end to end.Secondary osteotomy was conducted 4 months after successful replanta-tion, followed by unilateral external fixation for reconstruction.Limb lengthening began one week after sec-ondary osteotomy.The efficacy was assessed by the Paley criteria.Results:Scattered irregular necrosis occurred in the leg muscles but was cured by dermatoplasty through a decompressive incision 40 days after debridement for 4 times.The affected limbs in the 2 cases were successfully saved and lengthened to the same length as the opposite one.The limbs were lengthened for 8.0 and 10.0 cm and for 3.0 and 3.5 months, respectively.The unilateral external fixator was worn for 29 and 24 months, respectively.The plantar sensation recovered to S4 one year after operation.Follow-up at 6 months after removal of external fixation showed excellent bony outcomes and good functional outcomes in both cases According to the Paley criteria.Conclusion:For femoral fracture of Gustilo type ⅢC after warm ischemia beyond 10 hours, thorough debridement, plate fixation, bone shortening and replantation at one stage, followed by secondary limb lengthening using unilateral external fixation, may be practical and effective procedures, as long as in-dications for limb salvage should be comprehensively followed.

Objective To explore the effectiveness and compliance of ketogenic-diet(KD) treatment for infantile spasm(IS).Methods Ninety-eight IS patients who were treated with KD in Wuhan Children's Hospital from March 2009 to June 2015 were analyzed by using retrospective case-control study,the patients were divided into 4 groups:newly diagnosed IS patients group (group A,including 24 patients),one antiepileptic drug (AEDs) failure IS patients (group B,including 28 patients),two and more AEDs failure IS patients (group C,including 29 patients),and two or more AEDs combined with ACTH failure IS patients(group D,including 17 patients).The spasm-free andretention rates after 3,6 and 12 months KD treatment were compared among these groups.Results Overall retention rate was 80.6％ (79/98 cases),69.4％ (68/98 cases),and 42.9％ (42/98 cases)at 3,6,12 months,respectively.The 3-month retention rate in group A,B,C and D was 83.3 ％ (20/24 cases),78.6％ (22/28 cases),82.7％ (24/29 cases) and 76.4％ (13/17 cases) respectively,and there was no significant difference among these groups (P ＞ 0.05).The 6-month retention rates in each group was 75.0％ (18/24 cases),67.9％ (19/28 cases),68.8％ (20/29 cases) and 65.0％ (11/17 cases) in sequence,and there was also no significant difference among these groups(P ＞0.05).The 12-month retention rate was 54.2％ (13/24 cases),21.4％ (6/28 cases),48.3％ (14/29 cases) and 52.9％ (9/17 cases) in group A,B,C and D in sequence,the 12-month retention rate of group B was significantly lower than that of other 3 groups,and the differences were statistically significant(x2 =5.973,4.508,4.727,all P ＜ 0.05),and there was no significant difference among the A,C,D groups (all P ＞ 0.05).The spasm-free rate at 3,6,12 months of KD treatment was 19.4％ (19/98 cases),20.4％ (20/98 cases),30.6％ (30/98 cases).The 3-month spasm-free rate in A,B,C,D groups were as follow:41.7％ (10/24 cases),14.3％ (4/28 cases),10.3％ (3/29 cases),11.8％ (2/17 cases),respectively.The 3-month spasm-free rate in group A was significantly higher than that of other 3 groups,and the differences were statistically significant (x2 =10.238,9.219,6.697,all P ＜ 0.05),but there was no significant difference among the B,C,D groups (all P ＞ 0.05).The 6-month spasm-free rates were 41.7％ (10/24 cases),14.3％ (4/28 cases),13.8％ (4/29 cases),and 11.8％ (2/17 cases) in group A,B,C and D in order,and the spasm-free rate in group A was significantly higher than that of other 3 groups,and the differences were statistically significant(x2 =4.924,5.249,4.298,all P ＜ 0.05),but there was no significant difference among the A,C,D groups (all P ＞ 0.05).The 12-month spasm-free rates were 54.2％ (13/24 cases),21.4％ (6/28 cases),24.1％ (7/29 cases),and 23.5 ％ (4/17 cases) in group A,B,C and D,and the spasm-free rate in group A was significantly higher than that in other 3 groups,and the differences were statistically significant(x2 =8.354,7.923,4.364,all P ＜ 0.05),but there was no significant difference among the A,C,D groups (all P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions The spasm-free rate of KD therapy for newly-diagnosed IS is higher than that of IS patients whose drug-therapy failed.KD therapy may be the top priority for IS patients and part of those patients whose drug-therapy failed can still get seizure-free with KD diet.