Objective To investigate the effects of icariin on high glucose-induced autophagy and apoptosis of podocytes,and the regulating effects on mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)/serine-threonine kinase(Akt)/cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein(CREB)pathway.Methods The mouse podocytes MPC5 were taken and divided into five groups:normal control group(5.5 mmol·L-1 glucose),high glucose group(30 mmol·L-1 glucose),icariin group(30 mmol·L-1glucose+5 μmol·L-1icariin),GDC-0349 group(30 mmol·L-1glucose+50 μmol·L-1 GDC-0349),icariin+GDC-0349 group(30 mmol·L-1 glucose+5 μmol·L-1 icariin+50 μmol·L-1 GDC-0349).Cultured for 48 hours,the tetramethylazozolium salt method was used to detect the viability of MPC5 cells;acridine orange staining was used to observe the autophagy of MPC5 cells;apoptosis of MPC5 cells was detected by flow cytometry;Western blotting was used to detect the expression of autophagy[microtubule associated protein one light chain 3(LC3)II,LC3Ⅰ,autophagy-related protein(Beclin-1)],apoptosis[Bcl-2 related X protein(Bax),B cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2)]and mTOR/Akt/CREB pathway-related proteins of MPC5 cells.Results Compared with the normal control group,the cell viability,expression levels of Bcl-2,phosphorylated mTOR(p-mTOR)/mTOR,phosphorylated Akt(p-Akt)/Akt,phosphorylated CREB(p-CREB)/CREB protein of MPC5 cells in the high glucose group were significantly decreased(P＜0.05),the autophagy ability was enhanced,the autophagosome showed orange fluorescence,and the apoptosis rate,LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ,Beclin-1,Bax protein expression levels were significantly increased(P＜0.05).Compared with the high glucose group,the cell viability,LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ,Beclin-1,Bcl-2,p-mTOR/mTOR,p-Akt/Akt,p-CREB/CREB protein expression levels of MPC5 cells in icariin group were significantly increased,the autophagy ability was further enhanced,the number of autophagosomes was increased,the autophagosomes showed brick red fluorescence(P＜0.05),the apoptosis rate and Bax protein expression level were significantly decreased(P＜0.05),and the cell viability,LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ,Beclin-1,Bcl-2,p-mTOR/mTOR,p-Akt/Akt and p-CREB/CREB proteins expression levels of MPC5 cells in GDC-0349 group were significantly decreased,the autophagy ability was weakened,the number of autophagosomes was reduced,the autophagosomes showed orange fluorescence(P＜0.05),and the apoptosis rate and Bax protein expression level were significantly increased(P＜0.05);icariin+GDC-0349 could reverse the effect of icariin on high glucose induced MPC5 cells(P＜0.05).Conclusion Icariin promotes elevated glucose-induced podocyte autophagy and inhibits apoptosis by activating the mTOR/Akt/CREB pathway.

Objective:To explore the risk factors for recurrence of intussusception in children after successful ultrasound-guided saline enema reduction.Methods:The clinical and follow up data of 355 hospitalized children with intussusception at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from Feb 2018 to Feb 2023 were reviewed.Patients were divided into two groups by recurrence develped and the differences were compared, Data with significant differences were incorporated into multi-factor logistic analysis.Results:The overall recurrence rate was 15.8% (56/355). By univariate variable analysis model, there were statistically significant differences between the two groups in age, previous intussusception history, vomiting, maximum diameter of concentric circles shown by ultrasound, and concurrent bowel organic diseases (lead points) (all P<0.05). In multivariate Logistic regression model, age, previous intussusception history, maximum diameter of concentric circles, and lead points were independent risk factors for recurrent intussusception after saline enema.The optimal cut-off values for age and maximum diameter of concentric circles were 2 years and 33.5 mm, respectively, according to ROC curve analysis. Conclusion:Age older than 2 years, previous intussusception history, maximum diameter of concentric circles longer than 33.5 mm, and lead points are independent risk factors for recurrence after saline enema.

Objective To investigate the role and mechanism of ABI family member 3-binding pro-tein(ABI3BP)in dysfunction of endothelial progenitor cells(EPC)induced by angiotensin Ⅱ(Ang Ⅱ).Methods EPC were divided into sh-RNA negative control(sh-NC)group(transfected with LV-scramble-shRNA+PBS),sh-ABI3BP group(transfected with LV-ABI3BP-shRNA+PBS),sh-NC+Ang Ⅱ group(transfected with LV-scramble-shRNA+Ang Ⅱ)and sh-ABI3BP+Ang Ⅱ group(transfected with LV-ABI3BP-shRNA+Ang Ⅱ)to investigate the effect of silencing ABI3BP on the dysfunction of EPC induced by Ang Ⅱ.Transwell assay,adhesion assay,Matrigel tube formation assay,and TUNEL staining were performed respectively to detect the migration,adhesion and tube formation abilities and cell apoptosis in above cell groups.The expression chan-ges in integrin-β1/FAK/P53 signaling pathway were detected by Western blotting.Results Com-pared to the sh-NC group,the sh-NC+AngⅡ group showed significant decreases in the numbers of migratory cells,adhesion cells,and tubule formation,along with increases in the apoptotic rate and the expression levels of Integrin β1,p-FAK,and P53(P＜0.05).While,the sh-ABI3BP+AngⅡ group had obviously more migratory cells(88.67±8.33 vs 62.33±7.37 units,P＜0.05),adhe-sion cells(104.33±6.03 vs 68.33±10.05 units,P＜0.05),and tubule formation(36.33±3.21 vs 19.33±3.06 units,P＜0.05),while decreased apoptotic rate and expression levels of integrin-β1,p-FAK and P53 protein when compared with the sh-NC+AngⅡ group(P＜0.05).Conclusion Ang Ⅱ can up-regulate the expression of ABI3BP,and knockdown of ABI3BP can improve Ang Ⅱ-induced EPC dysfunction,which may be related to its inhibition on integrin-β1/FAK/P53 signa-ling pathway.

Objective:To explore the association between postoperative radiotherapy for bladder cancer and the risk of second primary rectal cancer.Methods:Eligible 75 120 patients with bladder cancer from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Result database (SEER) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) (1975-2017) were enrolled in this study. The second primary cancers referred to rectal cancers patients suffered after more than five years post-treatment for bladder cancer, and the cumulative incidence was estimated using Fine-Gray competing risk regression. The relative risk (RR) of rectal cancer in patients treated with or without radiotherapy (the RT group or the NRT group) was evaluated using Poisson regression.Results:Among the 75 120 patients, 70 045 (92.4%) were Caucasian, with a median age of 65.8 years (54-74 years). A total of 2 236 (3%) received postoperative radiotherapy, while 72 884 (97%) received surgery alone. The 30-year follow-up revealed a cumulative incidence of rectal cancer of 0.93% in the RT group and 0.43% in the NRT group ( P = 0.004). The competing risk regression analysis identified a significant association between radiotherapy and rectal cancer ( HR: 1.86; 95% CI 1.26-2.74, P < 0.009). Furthermore, the RR of radiotherapy-associated rectal cancer significantly increased as the diagnosis occurred earlier (1975-1985 vs. 1985-1994: RR 2.59; 95% CI 1.20-4.86, P < 0.001), and a lower age at the time of radiotherapy was associated with a higher probability of second primary tumors (≤50-year old vs. > 50 year old : RR 7.89, 95% CI 2.97-21.30, P < 0.001). As calculated using the Poisson distribution, the RR of second rectal tumors was higher in the RT group ( RR: 2.20, 95% CI 1.45-3.18, P < 0.001), even after adjusting the date of diagnosis ( RR: 1.77, 95% CI 1.17-2.57, P = 0.009). Conclusions:An increased risk of rectal cancer following bladder cancer radiotherapy necessitates aggressive follow-ups for the purpose of early detecting second primary rectal cancer associated with bladder cancer radiotherapy.

Objective:To explore the effectiveness of limb motor rehabilitation program based on patient health engagement (PHE) model in patients with hemorrhagic stroke, and to provide reference for the limb motor rehabilitation management of hemorrhagic stroke patients.Methods:Through literature review and Delphi expert correspondence, a limb motor rehabilitation program for hemorrhagic stroke patients based on the PHE model was constructed. A non-contemporaneous controlled study was conducted, 45 hemorrhagic stroke patients hospitalized in the Department of Neurosurgery of Shanxi Bethune Hospital from March to August 2022 were selected by convenience sampling method as the control group, and routine exercise rehabilitation measure was given, 45 hemorrhagic stroke patients from September 2022 to February 2023 were selected as the intervention group, a limb motor rehabilitation program based on PHE model was implemented on the basis of control group. The functional exercise compliance, limb motor function, daily activity ability, emotional and social dysfunction of patients in the two groups were observed before intervention, 1 and 3 months after intervention respectively.Results:A total of 85 patients with hemorrhagic stroke were included. There were 42 patients in the intervention group, 25 males and 17 females, aged (52.07 ± 9.91) years old, and 43 patients in the control group, 21 males and 22 females, aged (53.93 ± 10.52) years old. There were no significant differences in the functional exercise compliance, limb motor function, daily activity ability, emotional and social dysfunction of patients before intervention between the two groups. At 3 months after intervention, the functional exercise compliance score in the intervention group was (40.83 ± 7.92) points, higher than that in the control group (37.14 ± 6.44) points, and the difference was statistically significant ( t = 2.36, P<0.05). At 1 and 3 months after intervention, the scores of limb motor function and daily activity ability in the intervention group were (27.12 ± 6.74), (33.67 ± 6.54) points and (61.31 ± 6.72), (74.40 ± 8.71) points, which were higher than (24.91 ± 6.03), (27.02 ± 6.59) points and (52.33 ± 9.78), (60.12 ± 10.03) points of the control group, the differences were statistically significant ( t values were 2.06-7.01, all P<0.05), the scores of emotional and social dysfunction were (75.52 ± 22.09) and (58.33 ± 18.88) points, which were lower than (86.02 ± 23.04), (78.51 ± 21.67) points of the control group, and the differences were statistically significant ( t = - 2.14, - 4.57, both P<0.05). Conclusions:The limb motor rehabilitation program based on the PHE model could improve the exercise compliance of patients with hemorrhagic stroke, improve the limb motor function and daily activity ability of patients, alleviate negative emotions, and reduce the level of social dysfunction.

Objective:To compare the efficacy and safety of standard treatment with or without adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with highly malignant non-metastatic prostate cancer.Methods:In this prospective non-randomized controlled study, consecutive non-metastatic prostate cancer patients with pathologically proven Gleason score of 9-10 or Gleason score of 5 admitted to Peking University First Hospital were enrolled. Four to six cycles of chemotherapy using docetaxel ± carboplatin regimen were added or not after standard radical therapy. The primary end point was 5-year event-free survival (EFS), and the secondary end points were distant metastasis-free survival (MFS), overall survival (OS), and treatment-related adverse events. The survival curve was drawn by Kaplan-Meier method. The differences between two groups were analyzed by log-rank test.Results:A total of 176 patients were consecutively enrolled from November 2019 to January 2022 of which 138 patients received only standard radical therapy (control group), and 38 patients received adjuvant chemotherapy after standard radical therapy (chemotherapy group). The median follow-up time was 13.4 (2.0-34.0) months. All patients survived. The 30-month EFS rates in the chemotherapy and control groups were 100% and 85.6%, respectively ( P=0.064). There were no events in the chemotherapy group, while there were 12 cases of events in the control group, including 6 cases of biochemical recurrence and 6 cases of imaging progression. The 30-month MFS rates in two groups were 100% and 91.9%, respectively ( P=0.205). After the 1 vs. 2 propensity score matching, the EFS and MFS rates in two groups were 100% vs. 85.7% ( P=0.056), and 100% vs. 92.2% ( P=0.209), respectively. The incidence rates of grade 2 and above urinary toxicity in the chemotherapy and control groups were 2.6% and 7.2% ( P=0.354), respectively. The incidence rates of grade 2 and above rectal toxicity were 5.3% and 5.1% ( P=0.711), respectively. Grade 3 and above chemotherapy-related toxicity in the chemotherapy group were leukopenia (31.6%), thrombocytopenia (2.6%) and alopecia (13.2%). Conclusion:The addition of adjuvant chemotherapy after standard radical therapy tends to improve the overall EFS of patients with highly malignant prostate cancer, and the adverse effects are tolerable, which should be confirmed by long-term follow-up results.

Objective To investigate any protective effect of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) and pioglitazone on chondrocytes in osteoarthritic patients using the pathway from peroxisome proliferator-activated γreceptor (PPARγ) to nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) to inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS).Methods Normal chondrocytes of 24 healthy adult New Zealand white rabbits were extracted and divided into a normal group,a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group,a LIPUS group (LPS+LIPUS) and a pioglitazone group (LPS+pioglitazone),each of 6 using a random number table.Each group was given the intervention their names implies.The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α),leptin (LEP) and nitric oxide (NO) in the chondrocytes were detected using enzyme-linked immune sorbent assays.The expression of type Ⅱ collagen (COL2) in the chondrocytes of each groups was detected using immunocytochemistry and fluorescent staining.The mRNA and protein expressions of PPARγ,NF-κB and iNOS were detected using reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions and western blotting respectively.Results Compared with the LPS group,the average level of TNF-α,LEP and NO in the LIPUS and pioglitazone groups was significantly lower,with the levels in the pioglitazone group significantly lower than in the LIPUS group.Compared with the LPS group,COL2 expression in the LIPUS group was significantly greater.The mRNA and protein expressions of PPARγ in the chondrocytes in the LIPUS and pioglitazone groups were significantly higher than those in the LPS group.Compared with the LPS group,the mRNA and protein expressions of NF-κB and iNOS in the pioglitazone and LIPUS groups were significantly lower,with the pioglitazone group's levels significantly below those of the LIPUS group.Conclusion LIPUS and pioglitazone may promote anti-inflammatory action and COL2 synthesis in chondrocytes through the PPARγ/ NF-κB/iNOS pathway and play a protective role,at least in rabbits.

Objective To observe the effect of low intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) on chondrocytes co-cultured with infrapatellar fat pads.Methods Twenty-four infrapatellar fat pads and cartilages from female knee trauma patients aged between 25 and 35 were cut and stained using hematoxylin-eosin staining.Chondrocytes were isolated from part of the integrated surface of the cartilages to be cultured in vitro.They were then randomly divided into a normal chondrocyte group (the control group),a normal chondrocyte+FCM (fat conditioned medium) group (the model group),a normal chondrocyte+ FCM + LIP US group (the treatment group),and a normal chondrocyte+ FCM + LIPUS + GRGDSP (an integrin inhibitor) group (the inhibited group).The treatment group and inhibited group received LIPUS at 40 mW/cm2 for 20 min once a day,while the other groups received sham LIPUS treatment.Five days later,the cells were collected and western blotting was used to examine the expression of type Ⅱ collagen (COL2),aggrecan (Acan),matrixmetalloproteinase (MMP)-13,integrin β1,phosphorylation-focal adhesion kinase (p-FAK) and phosphorylation p38 (p-p38).Results Western blotting showed that compared with the control group,the expression of COL2 and Acan was significantly lower in the model group,but that of MMP-13,integrin β1,p-FAK and p-p38 was significantly higher.As compared with the model group,the expression of COL2,Acan,integrin β1 and p-FAK was significantly higher,and that of MMP-13 and p-p38 was significantly lower in the treatment group.The expression of COL2,Acan,MMP-13,integrin β1,p-FAK and p-p38 showed no significant difference between the inhibited and model groups,but that of COL2,Acan,MMP-13,integrin β1,p-FAK and p-p38 was significantly different between the control and treatment groups.Conclusions LIPUS provides a protective effect on chondrocytes through inhibiting the expression of MMP-13 induced by adipokines and the degradation of COL2 and Acan through activating the integrin-FAK-p38 MAPK pathway.

OBJECTIVETo assess the association of cytochrome P450 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with susceptibility to gout in ethnic Han males from coastal regions of Shandong province.

METHODSFour hundred and eighty male patients with gout and 480 healthy male controls were included. Genotyping was carried out with a custom Illumina GoldenGate Genotyping assay to detect SNP rs2275620 of CYP2C8 gene, SNP rs2070676 of CYP2E1 gene, SNP rs837395 of CYP4B1 gene, and SNP rs194150 of TBXAS1 gene. The association was assessed with chi-square test.

RESULTSNo significant difference has been found between the two groups in regard to the genotypic and allelic frequencies of the TT, AT, AA genotypes and A, T alleles of the SNP rs2275620 of the CYP2C8 gene (P=0.88; P=0.97), the CC, CG, GG genotypes and C,G alleles of SNP rs2070676 of the CYP2E1 gene (P=0.24; P=0.09), the TT, AT, AA genotypes and A, T alleles of SNP rs837395 of the CYP4B1 (P=0.88; P=0.97), and TT, AT, AA genotypes and the A,T alleles of SNP rs194150 of TBXAS1 gene (P=0.15; P=0.06).

CONCLUSIONThis study has identified no association of SNP loci rs2275620(A/T) of CYP2C8, rs2070676(C/G) of CYP2E1, rs837395(A/T) of CYP4B1 and rs194150(A/T) of TBXAS1 with gout in ethnic Han males from coastal regions in Shandong province. However, our result needs to be replicated in larger sets of patients collected from other regions and populations.

Adult ; Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases ; genetics ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; ethnology ; genetics ; China ; ethnology ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2C8 ; genetics ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 ; genetics ; Disease Susceptibility ; Female ; Gout ; enzymology ; ethnology ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Thromboxane-A Synthase ; genetics

Liver transplantation is a standard life-saving procedure for end-stage liver diseases.The therapeutic potential of this procedure may be limited by post-operative infectious complications.A better understanding on the common important infectious complications may improve the life quality and survival rate after liver transplantation.In this article,we review the progress on infectious complications after liver transplantation,with particular emphasis on risk factors,clinical manifestations,diagnostic methods,prevention measures and specific treatments for bacterial,fungal,cytomegalovirus infections.