Objective To investigate the relationship between tooth loss and the occurrence of esophageal cancer in a natural village in Wenfeng District, Anyang City, Henan Province. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted to observe the occurrence of tooth loss and esophageal cancer among the asymptomatic residents of the natural village for 16 years from January 2008 to July 2024. Data were analyzed by chi-square test, binary logistic regression, and restricted cubic spline. Results Among the total population of 711 cases, 136 cases were lost to follow-up and 575 cases were included in the final statistics, including 45 cases with esophageal cancer. Significant statistical difference was found between esophageal cancer patients with and without tooth loss (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that tooth loss was associated with the occurrence of esophageal cancer (OR=3.977, 95%CI: 1.543-10.255). After the adjustment for confounders, tooth loss remained significantly associated with the occurrence of esophageal cancer (OR=3.038, 95%CI: 1.035-8.914). A nonlinear dose-response relationship was observed between the number of teeth lost and the incidence of esophageal cancer. When the number of teeth lost was less than 12, the risk of esophageal cancer increased with the number of teeth lost. When more than 12 teeth were lost, the risk of esophageal cancer decreased as the number of teeth lost increased. Conclusion Tooth loss is a risk factor for the occurrence of esophageal cancer in this natural village. When the number of teeth lost is less than 12, the risk of esophageal cancer increases with the number of teeth lost.

Protein liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), a pivotal phenomenon intricately linked to cellular processes, is regulated by various other proteins. However, there is still a lack of high-throughput methods for screening protein regulators of LLPS in target proteins. Here, we developed a CRISPR/Cas9-based screening method to identify protein phase separation regulators by integrating bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Using this newly developed method, we screened the RNA-binding proteins that regulate PABPN1 phase separation and identified the tumor suppressor QKI as a promoter of PABPN1 phase separation. Furthermore, QKI exhibits decreased expression levels and diminished nuclear localization in colorectal cancer cells, resulting in reduced PABPN1 phase separation, which, in turn, promotes alternative polyadenylation (APA), cell proliferation, and migration in colorectal cancer.
Humans ; Colorectal Neoplasms/genetics* ; RNA-Binding Proteins/genetics* ; Poly(A)-Binding Protein I/genetics* ; CRISPR-Cas Systems ; Flow Cytometry ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement

Objective:To investigate the value of net water uptake (NWU) for predicting early neurological improvement (ENI) after endovascular treatment in patients with acute anterior circulation large vessel occlusion stroke.Methods:A case-control study. A total of 132 patients (80 men, 52 women, median age 68 years) with acute anterior circulation large vessel occlusive stroke receiving endovascular treatment were retrospectively analyzed at Jinling Hospital from October 2014 to September 2019. Patients were divided into two groups based on the occurrence of ENI, which was defined as either an improvement of NIHSS score of ≥4 points, or an NIHSS score of 0 or 1 at 24 hours after endovascular treatment. The rank sum test, Chi square test, and other methods were used to compare differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate independent predictors of postoperative ENI. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis used to assess the capacity of NWU to predict ENI.Results:Of the 132 patients in the study, ENI occurred in 47 and did not occur in 85. In multivariate logistic regression analysis age [odds ratio ( OR)=0.940, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 0.903-0.979, P=0.003], time from stroke onset to puncture ( OR=0.995, 95% CI 0.991-0.999, P=0.025), time from puncture to recanalization/end of operation ( OR=0.985, 95% CI 0.974-0.996, P=0.007), NWU ( OR=0.762, 95% CI 0.620-0.937, P=0.010), and mTICI ( OR=1.644, 95% CI 1.043-2.590, P=0.032) were predictive factors for ENI. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that NWU could effectively predict ENI (area under the curve=0.642, 95% CI 0.543-0.741, P=0.007), and prediction accuracy was improved when it was combined with other clinical parameters. Conclusion:NWU is an independent predictor of ENI in patients with acute anterior circulation large vessel occlusive stroke undergoing endovascular treatment.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of baicalein （BAI） on SH-SY5Y cell injury in lipopolysaccharide （LPS）-activated BV-2 cells conditioned medium and its mechanism. MethodThe BV-2 cells were activated with 1 mg∙L^-1 of LPS to establish the conditioned medium of the LPS group， and a blank group and groups of BAI with low， medium， and high concentrations （4， 8， 16 μmol∙L^-1） were established. SH-SY5Y cells were cultured with the conditioned medium of each group. The cell viability of BV-2 cells in each group after the intervention was determined by cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8）. The content of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， and interleukin-1β （IL-1β） in the supernatant of BV-2 cells in each group was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The protein expression of α-synuclein （α-syn） and tyrosine hydroxylase （TH） in SH-SY5Y cells was observed by immunohistochemical （IHC） staining， and the nuclear transfer of nuclear factor kappa-B p65 protein （NF-κB p65， p65） in SH-SY5Y cells was observed by immunofluorescence （IF）. The protein expression of Toll-like receptor 4（TLR4）， p65， phosphorylated p65 （p-p65）， and Myeloid differentiation factor 88 （MyD88） in SH-SY5Y cells was observed by Western blot. ResultAs compared with the blank group， the viability of BV-2 cells in the LPS group was significantly decreased （P<0.01）， and the content of TNF-α， IL-6， and IL-1β in the cell supernatant was significantly increased （P<0.01）. As compared with the LPS group， the cell viability was significantly increased in groups of BAI with low， medium， and high concentrations （P<0.01）， and TNF-α in the cell supernatant was significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The content of IL-6 in the cell supernatant was decreased in the BAI group with high concentration （P<0.05）， and the content of IL-1β in the cell supernatant was significantly decreased in the BAI groups with medium and high concentrations （P<0.01）. The results of conditioned medium cultured SH-SY5Y cells showed that as compared with the blank group， the protein expression of p65 in the LPS group entered into the nucleus and accumulated， and the protein expression of TH was significantly decreased （P<0.01）， while that of α-syn， TLR4， MyD88， and p-p65 was increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the LPS group， the protein expression of p65 in SH-SY5Y cells in BAI groups with low， medium， and high concentrations gradually dispersed into the cytoplasm and had the enhanced protein expression of TH （P<0.01） but the lowered protein expression of α-syn （P<0.01）. The protein expression of TLR4， MyD88， and p-p65 was decreased in the BAI group with high concentration （P<0.05， P<0.01）， the protein expression of p-p65 and MyD88 was decreased in the BAI group with medium concentration， and the protein expression of MyD88 was decreased in the BAI group with low concentration （P<0.05）. There was no significant difference in the protein expression of p65 among groups. ConclusionBAI can inhibit the activation of BV-2 cells， thereby inhibiting the inflammatory response caused by LPS and further inhibiting the damage of inflammation to SH-SY5Y cells. The mechanism may be related to the regulation of the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway and reduction of the inflammatory response， thus playing a neuroprotective role.

The unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (hereafter Chlamydomonas) possesses both plant and animal attributes, and it is an ideal model organism for studying fundamental processes such as photosynthesis, sexual reproduction, and life cycle. N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A) is the most prevalent mRNA modification, and it plays important roles during sexual reproduction in animals and plants. However, the pattern and function of m⁶A modification during the sexual reproduction of Chlamydomonas remain unknown. Here, we performed transcriptome and methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq) analyses on six samples from different stages during sexual reproduction of the Chlamydomonas life cycle. The results show that m⁶A modification frequently occurs at the main motif of DRAC (D = G/A/U, R = A/G) in Chlamydomonas mRNAs. Moreover, m⁶A peaks in Chlamydomonas mRNAs are mainly enriched in the 3' untranslated regions (3'UTRs) and negatively correlated with the abundance of transcripts at each stage. In particular, there is a significant negative correlation between the expression levels and the m⁶A levels of genes involved in the microtubule-associated pathway, indicating that m⁶A modification influences the sexual reproduction and the life cycle of Chlamydomonas by regulating microtubule-based movement. In summary, our findings are the first to demonstrate the distribution and the functions of m⁶A modification in Chlamydomonas mRNAs and provide new evolutionary insights into m⁶A modification in the process of sexual reproduction in other plant organisms.
Animals ; Chlamydomonas reinhardtii/metabolism* ; Reproduction/genetics* ; Life Cycle Stages/genetics* ; Transcriptome ; Plants/genetics*

Schizophrenia is a serious mental disease. The diagnosis of schizophrenia so far relies heavily on subjective evidence, including self-reported experiences by patients, manifestations described by relatives, and abnormal behaviors assessed by psychiatrists. The diagnosis, monitoring of the disease progression and therapy efficacy assessment are challenging due to the lack of established laboratory biomarkers. Based on the current literature, clinical consensus, guidelines, and expert recommendations, this review highlighted evidence-based potential laboratory biomarkers for the diagnosis of schizophrenia, including genetic biomarkers, neurotransmitters, neurodevelopmental-related proteins, and intestinal flora, and discussed the potential future directions for the application of these biomarkers in this field, aiming to provide an objective basis for the use of these biomarkers in the early and accurate diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis and rehabilitation assessment of schizophrenia.

Objective:To assess the clinical result of repeated combined detrusor-trigone botulinum toxin A(BTX-A)injection and intermittent catheterization(IC) for male adults with neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO) and urinary incontinence(UI) secondary to spinal cord injury(SCI).Methods:From January to August 2021, the data of 43 adult male patients with NDO and UI secondary to SCI who received repeated trigone-including intradetrusor BTX-A injection in Guangdong Provincial Work Injury Rehabilitation Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. The mean age of the patients was (29.1±10.7) years. The mean incontinence specific quality of life (I-QOL) was (39±4.8). The UI episodes was (11.9±2.6), mean voiding volume was (170.7±20.1)ml, mean maximum detrusor pressure at first NDO was (81.4±19.6) cmH 2O and mean volume at first NDO was (169.1±40.0)ml.All patients received trigone-including intradetrusor BTX-A (300 U, 30 sites) injection for four times and IC. Clinical data including I-QOL, bladder diary, video-urodynamic test and adverse events were recorded at baseline and 12 weeks after each injection. Results:Mean interval between four injections were (220.6±27.4), (222.8±24.1) and (224.4±39.0) d ( P=0.13). Compared with baseline data before first injection, mean I-QOL after the first, second, third and fourth injection increased to (54.9±9.1), (56.1±7.9), (61.7±9.1) and (68.8±8.9) (all P<0.001). The number of urinary incontinence cases decreased to 36, 35, 35 and 33 (all P<0.05). The mean urinary incontinence episodes per day decreased to (4.4±0.6), (3.8±0.4), (2.2±0.5) and (2.1±0.3)(all P<0.001). Mean voiding volume increased to (288.3±40.2), (300.0±38.6), (316.9±46.8) and (319.5±36.7) ml (all P<0.001). Mean maximum detrusor pressure at first NDO decreased to (29.4± 11.0), (26.1±8.7), (20.3±5.9) and (18.5±6.0) cmH 2O (all P<0.001) and mean volume at first NDO increased to (270.0±48.7), (284.9±51.3), (287.7±47.9) and (303.0±46.2) ml (all P<0.001), respectively. Compared with four injections, no difference in response was found in the mean I-QOL, the number of urinary incontinence cases, mean urinary incontinence episodes mean voiding volume, mean maximum detrusor pressure at first NDO and mean volume at first NDO (all P>0.05). No de novo VUR occurred and 2 cases of grade Ⅱ VUR at baseline had resolved after the first injection. 9 patients experienced serious gross hematuria within first week after injection, but the urine returned to clear by prolonging the catheter indwelling time or bladder irrigation. 12 patients with active urinary tract infection were treated with indwelling catheter and sensitive antibiotics. Patients continued IC when the symptoms, signs and laboratory examination were normal. Conclusions:Combined detrusor-trigone BTX-A injection and IC could help decrease detrusor pressure, restore some of the lower urinary tract function and improve the quality of life for male patients with NDO and UI secondary to SCI. Repeated injection is as effective and safe as the first injection.

Objective:To investigate the association between age and cardiac tamponade after radiofrequency ablation of atrial fibrillation(RAAF).Methods:Clinical data of patients undergone de novo AF ablation procedures at Beijing Anzhen Hospital from January 2013 to December 2016 were retrospectively collected.Patients were divided into an elderly group(age ≥60 years)and a non-elderly group(age <60 years). Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between old age and the risk of cardiac tamponade complicating RAAF.Results:A total of 5 313 patients were involved in this study, including 41 patients(0.77%)with cardiac tamponade.The proportion of cardiac tamponade was higher in the elderly group than in the non-elderly group(1.1% or 32/2 950 vs.0.4% or 9/2 363, χ2=8.489, P=0.004). One patient with cardiac tamponade in the elderly group required immediate surgical repair whereas none in the non-elderly group did.No patient died in hospital.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of cardiac tamponade increased in the elderly group, compared with the non-elderly group( OR=2.570, 95% CI: 1.190-5.570, P=0.017). Stratified analysis revealed that among females and patients with oral anticoagulants, left atrium dimension < 40 mm or procedure duration≥ 120 min in the elderly group carried a higher risk of cardiac tamponade than those in the non-elderly group( OR=1.011, 2.914, 3.922 and 3.244, P<0.05). Conclusions:Old age(age ≥60 years)is an independent risk factor for cardiac tamponade complicating RAAF.

Objective:To explore the teaching effect of 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation based on self-drawing method.Methods:This study recruited 489 students from 10 classes of clinical medicine major of Shandong Medical College as research objects. They were divided into control group and experimental group. Theoretical teaching and traditional practical training were adopted to the control group while theoretical teaching and self-drawing method were adopted to the experimental group. The ECG test scores, the number of students with excellent performance and the ECG scores of the final exam were compared between the two groups. Questionnaires were issued to assess the effect of different teaching methods on students. SPSS 25.0 was used for t test and chi-square test. Results:Compared with the experimental group, the results of the ECG special test, the number of excellent students and the ECG scores of the final exam in the control group all decreased, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.01). The results of the questionnaire showed that the experimental group had higher mastery of ECG abnormal patterns, learning initiative, self-confidence and better satisfaction with the overall teaching of ECG ( P<0.01). Conclusion:The practical training based on self-drawing method can improve ECG interpretation skills, learning initiative and self-confidence of students, which has achieved good teaching effect.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of intestinal carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) active screening combined with enhanced intervention in the prevention and control of nosocomial infection in patients admitted to the hematological ward.Methods:Patients who were admitted to the Department of Hematology in a tertiary-care general hospital from March 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019 and underwent chemotherapy or immunosuppressive therapy comprised the intervention group. They were screened for intestinal CRE at least thrice. From December 1, 2016 to February 28, 2017, patients who underwent chemotherapy or immunosuppressive therapy without active intestinal CRE screening in the Department of Hematology formed the control group. Both the patient groups were monitored for CRE infection in real time. The χ2 test was used to compare the changes in the CRE infection rate and mortality in high-risk patients before and after the active screening. Results:During the intervention period, the CRE colonization rate of patients was 16.46% (66/401) ; in terms of disease distribution, the colonization rate of acute leukemia was the highest 23.03% (26/113) . Of the 66 colonized patients, 27 (40.9%) patients were identified as positive for CRE at the first screening, 15 (22.7%) were identified at the time of the second screening, and the remaining 24 (36.4%) were identified at the third or subsequent screening; Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRPK) strains were dominant among the pathogens, accounting for 54.55% (36/66) . During the active screening period, the CRE infection rate (2.49%) and mortality rate (50.00%) of high-risk patients were significantly lower than those of the controls (11.30% and 69.23%, respectively) . The pathogens of 10 CRE infection patients during the intervention period were exactly the same as the previous active screening pathogens, and the coincidence rate was 100%.Conclusion:The CRE colonization rate was the highest in patients with acute leukemia who were admitted in the hematology wards. CRPK is the main pathogen of CRE colonization, infection, and death. Increasing the frequency of screening can significantly raise the positive rate of screening, Active screening can effectively reduce the incidence and subsequent mortality of CRE in high-risk patients admitted in the hematological wards. High coincidence rate between CRE screening positive pathogens and subsequent CRE infection pathogens. Intestinal CRE screening can serve as an indicator of CRE bloodstream infection in patients with hematological diseases as well as provide information for antibiotics therapy.