Aim To reveal the mechanism of CIP4 homologs protein 1(RICH1)are involved in the regu-lation of myocardial fibrosis.Methods Mouse cardiac fibroblasts(MCFs)cells were treated with transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β1)to induce the formation of a myocardial fibrosis cell model;the level of the target protein was detected by Western blotting;and the RICH1 gene was detected by transfection of the cells with plasmid.The RICH1 gene was overexpressed(RICH 1 OE)using plasmid transfection;the RICH1 gene was silenced using siRNA fragment(siRICH1);and the expression levels of myocardial fibrosis marker genes,such as Col1 a1,Col3 a1,and Acta2,were de-tected using RT-qPCR.Results RICH1 was signifi-cantly down-regulated in TGF-β1-treated MCFs;the expression levels of myocardial fibrosis marker genes,such as Col1 a1,Col3a1,and Acta2,were down-regu-lated in the RICH1 OE+TGF-β1 group;and in the siRICH1+TGF-β1 group,myocardial fibrosis marker genes,such as Col1 a1,Col3a1 and Acta2 were up-regulated at the expression level;phosphorylated SMAD2(p-SMAD2)and phosphorylated SMAD3(p-SMAD3)levels were down-regulated in the siRICH1 OE+TGF-β1 group.p-SMAD2 and P-SMAD3 levels were upregulated in the siRICH1+TGF-β1 group.Conclusion RICH1 inhibits TGF-β1-induced myo-cardial fibrosis;RICH1 inhibits TGF-β1-induced myo-cardial fibrosis by negatively regulating the SMAD2/3 signaling pathway.

Objective:To investigate the association of right atrial volume index(RAVI),T-wave peak to end interval(Tp-Te)with prognosis of patients with chronic systolic heart failure(CSHF),and the predictive value of RAVI combined with Tp-Te for prognosis in these patients.Methods:The clinical data of 172 CSHF patients admitted in Department of Cardiovascular Medicine,Weihai Municipal Hospital,Cheeloo College of Medicine,Shandong University between January 2020 and July 2021 were retrospectively enrolled.RAVI and Tp-Te was measured by echocardiography and ECG respec-tively.According to prognosis within 1-year follow-up,they were divided into unfavorable outcome group(n=84)and favorable outcome group(n=88).Multivariate Logistic regression was employed to analyze influencing factors for unfa-vorable outcome within 1-year in CSHF patients,and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was applied to ana-lyze predictive value of RAVI combined Tp-Te for unfavorable outcome in CSHF patients.Results:During the follow-up,84 cases suffered from unfavorable outcomes,including 23 cases of death,61 cases of rchospitalization due to acute heart failure.RAVI[(42.65±3.81)ml/m2 vs.(26.42±2.32)ml/m2]andTp-Te[(112.84±10.13)ms vs.(95.12±4.52)ms]in unfavorable outcome group were significantly higher than those of favorable outcome group(P＜0.001 all).Pearson correlation analysis indicated that RAVI,Tp-Te were inversely correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)(r=-0.619,-0.537,P＜0.001 all),and positively correlated with left ventricular end-systolic vol-ume(LVESV),left ventricular end-diastolic volume(LVEDV)and N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP)(r=0.512～0.564,P＜0.001 all).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis indicated that NT-proBNP(OR=1.865,95％CI 1.127～3.086,P=0.002),RAVI(OR=1.697,95％CI 1.204～2.392,P＜0.001)andTp-Te(OR=1.640,95％CI 1.208～2.227,P＜0.001)were independent risk factors for unfavorable outcome within 1-year in CSHF patients.ROC analysis found that RAVI combined Tp-Te predicting unfavorable outcome within 1-year in CSHF pa-tients had significant better diagnostic performance(AUC=0.949,95％CI 0.905～0.977)comparing to RAVI(0.788,95％CI 0.719～0.846)and Tp-Te(0.840,95％CI 0.777～0.892)alone(Z=4.435,3.856,P＜0.001 all).Conclu-sion:Increased RAVI and Tp-Te were risk factors for unfavorable outcome in CSHF patients,and the combination of RAVI and Tp-Te had good predictive value for prognosis in CSHF patients.

An assay was established for detection of toxigenic Clostridioides difficile by combining microfluidic chip analysis with immunochromatography,and its performance was evaluated and compared with those of the Xpert C.difficile/Epi and VIDAS CD AB tests.Primer pairs were designed according to the tcdB and tpi genes in C.difficile.The specificity,limit of detection,reproducibility,and stability were evaluated.A total of 215 stool samples from patients with diarrhea were collected and tested in parallel with the Xpert C.difficile/Epi,VIDAS CDAB,and our assay.C.difficile was isolated from samples,and the tcdB gene was identified when discrepant results were obtained from the three above assays.Our assay showed no cross-reaction with other diarrhea-associated pathogens.Its reproducibility was 100％in testing of two standard plasmids containing tcdB and tpi genes at two concentrations(105 and 102 copies/μL).Two standard plasmids were detected after the PCR and immunochromatography reagents had been stored for 3,6,9,and 12 months,and all the results were posi-tive.The limit of detection was 10 copies/μL for toxigenic C.difficile.Testing of 33 samples positive for C.difficile with our assay(33/215,15.3％)yielded findings statistically coherent with those of the Xpert C.difficile/Epi test(kappa value=0.965).The sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,and negative predictive value of our assay,with respect to Xpert C.difficile/Epi as the standard,were 94.3％,100.0％,100.0％,and 98.9％;these values were significantly higher than those of VIDAS CDAB(60.0％,98.9％,91.3％,and 92.7％)(Kappa=0.714,OR=157.50,95％CI:62.03-847.28,P=0.013).In conclusion,our newly developed assay is specific,stable,and reproducible,and may be used for rapid and accu-rate detection of toxigenic C.difficile.The assay could be used for C.difficile infection screening in outpatient and emergen-cy,community medical service center,and epidemiological settings.

An analysis of 24 144 norovirus sequences from Asia and Russia deposited in GenBank between 1995 and 2023 was conducted,to understand the temporal and spatial variations in norovirus genotypes in these regions.Norovirus sequences from Asia and Russia were downloaded in FASTA format from GenBank for the years 1995-2023,and analyzed in Excel,R language,and GraphPad Prism for data visualization.The number of norovirus sequences submitted to GenBank increased annually from 2004 and peaked in 2015.Notably,China and Japan contributed 62.3％of all submitted norovirus sequences.These sequences encompassed 31 capsid genotypes(C-type),with GⅠ accounting for 9％and GⅡ accounting for 90％.Additionally,49 polymerase types(P-type)were identified,along with 68 combinations of CP types;among the analyzed recombinant sequences(4 460 entries in total),approxi-mately 41％belonged to three predominant recombinant strains:GⅡ.2[P16],GⅡ.4[P31],and GⅡ.4[P16].This analysis provides valuable insights into the distribution characteristics of norovirus genotypes across Asia and Russia over time,thereby supporting vac-cine design and evaluation efforts.

Objective:To investigate the clinical management,complications,and prognostic prediction model of bronchopulmonary dysplasia(BPD)in preterm infants.Methods:A total of 854 very preterm infants(gestational age ≤ 32 weeks)admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit(NICU)of Shanghai Children's Hospital from January 2018 to December 2022 were retrospectively enrolled.After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria,713 infants were included.Based on the 2018 National Institute of Child Health and Human Development(NICHD)diagnostic criteria for BPD,the cohort was divided into a BPD group(n=164)and a non-BPD group(n=549).Clinical data of infants and maternal characteristics were compared between groups.Univariate and stepwise multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent risk factors for BPD and evaluate clinical management.A nomogram model was subsequently developed to predict BPD prognosis.Results:Gestational age,duration of non-invasive ventilation,total oxygen therapy time,total hospital stay,hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus(hsPDA),maximum diameter of patent ductus arteriosus(PDA),fetal growth restriction(FGR),use of vasoactive agents,and proportion of pulmonary surfactant administration were identified as independent risk factors for BPD(all P＜0.05,OR＞0).The nomogram model demonstrated excellent predictive performance,with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC)of 0.93 and a calibration curve slope approaching 1.The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test indicated satisfactory model calibration(x2=8.2865,P=0.406).Conclusion:Gestational age,non-invasive ventilation duration,total oxygen therapy time,total hospital stay,hsPDA,PDA maximum diameter,FGR,vasoactive agents,and pulmonary surfactant use are critical predictors of BPD in preterm infants.The prognostic models for BPD incidence and severity,constructed based on these factors,exhibit strong predictive accuracy and may serve as a valuable clinical tool for risk stratification and early intervention.

Gastric cancer remains one of the most prevalent and lethal malignancies of the digestive tract worldwide,underscoring the urgent need for more effective targeted therapeutic strategies.Poly(ADP-ri-bose)polymerase(PARP)inhibitors have demonstrated remarkable efficacy in tumors with homologous recombination repair(HRR)deficiency;however,their clinical application in gastric cancer remains limited.Clinical evidence suggests that patients harboring Helicobacter pylori infection in combination with HRR gene mutations exhibit a significantly elevated risk of developing gastric cancer,thereby supporting the potential benefit of PARP inhibition in this setting.In this study,a kinase inhibitor library was screened in combination with the PARP inhibitor olaparib in gastric cancer cells.And we identify the cy-clin-dependent kinase 8/19(CDK8/19)inhibitor Senexin A as a compound that synergistically enhances the cytotoxic effect of PARP inhibition(P<0.05).Phenotypic validation using CCK-8 and colony for-mation assays demonstrated that the combination treatment significantly suppressed cellular proliferation and clonogenic potential compared to either monotherapy(P<0.0001).Mechanistically,alkaline comet assays revealed a significant increase in DNA damage in the combination treatment group relative to either single-agent group(P<0.0001),suggesting that the synergistic effect results from the exacerbation of DNA damage via impaired DNA repair mechanisms.In addition,treatment with CDK8/19 inhibitors a-lone markedly increased the formation of γH2AX and 53BP1 foci in irradiated gastric cancer cells(P<0.0001),indicating inhibition of DNA damage repair pathways.Transcriptome sequencing further re-vealed that CDK8/19 inhibition impacts critical cellular pathways,including DNA repair,cell cycle reg-ulation,and RNA splicing.Co-immunoprecipitation assays confirmed that inhibition of CDK8/19 kinase activity significantly reduces the phosphorylation level of PARP1,suggesting a potential regulatory inter-action.Immunohistochemical analysis of tumor and adjacent non-tumor tissues from gastric cancer pa-tients demonstrated that CDK8 is significantly overexpressed in tumor tissues,supporting its potential as both a prognostic biomarker and a therapeutic target.Collectively,this study elucidates a mechanistic ba-sis by which CDK8/19 inhibition enhances the sensitivity of gastric cancer cells to PARP inhibitors.These findings provide a strong rationale for the combined use of CDK8/19 and PARP inhibitors as a tar-geted therapeutic strategy and offer promising translational implications for advancing personalized medi-cine in gastric cancer treatment.

Background As one of the key populations in the prevention and treatment of iodine deficiency disorders, it is important to continuously monitor the iodine nutritional level of school-age children. The current reference interval for thyroid volume in China is based on age only, without taking into account differences in individual developmental levels, and the distribution of thyroid volume may vary regionally due to economic, demographic, and environmental factors. The current reference cut-off points for thyroid volume proposed by the World Health Organization are not based on the Chinese population. Objective To understand the iodine nutritional status and distribution of thyroid volume (Tvol) among children aged 8-10 years in Huangpu District, Shanghai, China, to identify impact factors of Tvol, and to propose a reference range upper limit for local thyroid health surveillance, so as to provide a basis for goiter control and prevention. Methods Six hundred children aged 8-10 years in Huangpu District were recruited in 2017, 2020, and 2023, and body height, weight, thyroid volume, urinary iodine, and iodine content of household edible salt were determined. A multilevel model was constructed using population density and area as regional variables, and age, body surface area (BSA), and body mass index (BMI) as potential impact factors for at the individual level, to assess their effects on thyroid volume. Quantile regression of thyroid volume was performed, and the 98th percentile (P₉₈) of thyroid volume was predicted based on age and BSA. Results The iodized salt coverage in the households of surveyed children in 2017, 2020, and 2023 was 72.0%, 57.0%, and 48.0%, respectively, and the iodized salt coverage decreased by year (χ²=24.31, P<0.001). The urinary iodine level of children in 2017 was higher than that in 2020 and 2023 (χ²=18.77, P<0.001). The Tvol medians of children in 2017, 2020, and 2023 were 2.29, 2.49, and 2.97 mL, respectively, and the Tvol increased by year (χ²=60.04, P<0.001). The proportion of goiter was higher in children in 2023 than in 2017 and 2020 (χ²=6.57, P<0.05). Sex differences were not statistically significant for urinary iodine levels, thyroid volume, and goiter. The median Tvol was 2.26, 2.58, and 2.76 mL in children of 8, 9, and 10 years old respectively, and the Tvol increased with age (χ²=49.02, P <0.001). Tvol was positively correlated with age, BSA, and BMI with correlation coefficients of 0.2846, 0.3723, and 0.2950, respectively. The final quantile regression model showed that the strongest effect of BSA was associated with the 98th percentile of Tvol. Multilevel models considering population density or area as regional variables failed to achieve convergence. Conclusion To establish the upper limit of the reference interval for thyroid volume of healthy children in Huangpu District, the effects of age and BSA should be considered at the individual level, and the upper limit of the normal interval for goiter screening is suggested to be the 98th percentile value of BSA at the same age. In addition, the adaptability of population density and regional area as indicators of regional aggregation of thyroid volume distribution still needs to be further explored.

Body weight abnormalities, including overweight, obesity, and underweight, have become a dual public health challenge in Chinese adults: overweight and obesity lead to a variety of chronic complications, while underweight increases the risks of malnutrition, sarcopenia, and organ dysfunction. To systematically address these issues, multidisciplinary experts in endocrinology, sports science, nutrition, and psychiatry from various regions have held multiple weight management seminars. Based on the latest epidemiological data and clinical evidence, they expanded the guideline to include assessment and intervention strategies for underweight, in addition to the core content of obesity management. This guideline outlines the etiological mechanisms, evaluation methods, and multidimensional management strategies for overweight and obesity, covering key areas such as diagnosis and assessment, medical nutrition therapy, exercise prescription, pharmacological intervention, and psychological support. It is intended to provide a scientific and standardized approach to weight management across the adult population, aiming to curb the rising prevalence of obesity, mitigate complications associated with abnormal body weight, and improve nutritional status and overall quality of life.

Objective:To investigate the clinical management,complications,and prognostic prediction model of bronchopulmonary dysplasia(BPD)in preterm infants.Methods:A total of 854 very preterm infants(gestational age ≤ 32 weeks)admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit(NICU)of Shanghai Children's Hospital from January 2018 to December 2022 were retrospectively enrolled.After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria,713 infants were included.Based on the 2018 National Institute of Child Health and Human Development(NICHD)diagnostic criteria for BPD,the cohort was divided into a BPD group(n=164)and a non-BPD group(n=549).Clinical data of infants and maternal characteristics were compared between groups.Univariate and stepwise multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent risk factors for BPD and evaluate clinical management.A nomogram model was subsequently developed to predict BPD prognosis.Results:Gestational age,duration of non-invasive ventilation,total oxygen therapy time,total hospital stay,hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus(hsPDA),maximum diameter of patent ductus arteriosus(PDA),fetal growth restriction(FGR),use of vasoactive agents,and proportion of pulmonary surfactant administration were identified as independent risk factors for BPD(all P＜0.05,OR＞0).The nomogram model demonstrated excellent predictive performance,with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC)of 0.93 and a calibration curve slope approaching 1.The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test indicated satisfactory model calibration(x2=8.2865,P=0.406).Conclusion:Gestational age,non-invasive ventilation duration,total oxygen therapy time,total hospital stay,hsPDA,PDA maximum diameter,FGR,vasoactive agents,and pulmonary surfactant use are critical predictors of BPD in preterm infants.The prognostic models for BPD incidence and severity,constructed based on these factors,exhibit strong predictive accuracy and may serve as a valuable clinical tool for risk stratification and early intervention.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of mortality, posing a significant threat to human health due to the high incidence rate. Atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease, serves as the primary pathological basis for most such conditions. The incidence of atherosclerosis continues to rise, but its pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated. As an important member of the small GTPase superfamily, Ras-association proximate 1 (Rap1) is an important molecular switch involved in the regulation of multiple physiological functions including cell differentiation, proliferation, and adhesion. Rap1 achieves the utility of the molecular switch by cycling between Rap1-GTP and Rap1-GDP. Rap1 may influence the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis in a cell-specific manner. This article summarizes the potential role and mechanism of Rap1 in the progression of atherosclerosis in different cells, aiming to provide new therapeutic targets and strategies for clinical intervention.
Humans ; Atherosclerosis/metabolism* ; rap1 GTP-Binding Proteins/physiology* ; Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Proliferation