BACKGROUND:Human periodontal ligament stem cells are potential functional cells for periodontal tissue engineering.However,long-term in vitro culture may lead to reduced stemness and replicative senescence of periodontal ligament stem cells,which may impair the therapeutic effect of human periodontal ligament stem cells. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of oxymatrine on the stemness maintenance and osteogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cells in vitro,and to explore the potential mechanism. METHODS:Periodontal ligament stem cells were isolated from human periodontal ligament tissues by tissue explant enzyme digestion and cultured.The surface markers of mesenchymal cells were identified by flow cytometry.Periodontal ligament stem cells were incubated with 0,2.5,5,and 10 μg/mL oxymatrine.The effect of oxymatrine on the proliferation activity of periodontal ligament stem cells was detected by CCK8 assay.The appropriate drug concentration for subsequent experiments was screened.Western blot assay was used to detect the expression of stem cell non-specific proteins SOX2 and OCT4 in periodontal ligament stem cells.qRT-PCR and western blot assay were used to detect the expression levels of related osteogenic genes and proteins in periodontal ligament stem cells. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The results of CCK8 assay showed that 2.5 μg/mL oxymatrine significantly enhanced the proliferative activity of periodontal stem cells,and the subsequent experiment selected 2.5 μg/mL oxymatrine to intervene.(2)Compared with the blank control group,the protein expression level of SOX2,a stem marker of periodontal ligament stem cells in the oxymatrine group did not change significantly(P>0.05),and the expression of OCT4 was significantly up-regulated(P<0.05).(3)Compared with the osteogenic induction group,the osteogenic genes ALP,RUNX2 mRNA expression and their osteogenic associated protein ALP protein expression of periodontal ligament stem cells were significantly down-regulated in the oxymatrine+osteogenic induction group(P<0.05).(4)The oxymatrine up-regulated the expression of stemness markers of periodontal ligament stem cells and inhibited the bone differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cells,and the results of high-throughput sequencing showed that it may be associated with WNT2,WNT16,COMP,and BMP6.

Neuropathic pain, a debilitating condition caused by dysfunction of the somatosensory nervous system, remains difficult to treat due to limited understanding of its molecular mechanisms. Bioinformatics analysis identified cerebellin 2 (CBLN2) as highly enriched in human and murine proprioceptive and nociceptive neurons. We found that CBLN2 expression is persistently upregulated in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) following spinal nerve ligation (SNL) in mice. In addition, transcription factor SOX11 binds to 12 cis-regulatory elements within the Cbln2 promoter to enhance its transcription. SNL also induced SOX11 upregulation, with SOX11 and CBLN2 co-localized in nociceptive neurons. The siRNA-mediated knockdown of Sox11 or Cbln2 attenuated SNL-induced mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. High-throughput sequencing of DRG following intrathecal injection of CBLN2 revealed widespread gene expression changes, including upregulation of numerous NF-κB downstream targets. Consistently, CBLN2 activated NF-κB signaling, and inhibition with pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate reduced CBLN2-induced pain hypersensitivity, proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines production, and neuronal hyperexcitability. Together, these findings identified the SOX11/CBLN2/NF-κB axis as a critical mediator of neuropathic pain and a promising target for therapeutic intervention.
Animals ; Neuralgia/metabolism* ; Ganglia, Spinal/metabolism* ; Up-Regulation ; Mice ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; SOXC Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Male ; Neuroinflammatory Diseases/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics* ; Hyperalgesia/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction ; Spinal Nerves

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) expresses abundant glycolytic enzymes and displays comprehensive glucose metabolism reprogramming. Aldolase A (ALDOA) plays a prominent role in glycolysis; however, little is known about its role in HCC development. In the present study, we aim to explore how ALDOA is involved in HCC proliferation. HCC proliferation was markedly suppressed both in vitro and in vivo following ALDOA knockout, which is consistent with ALDOA overexpression encouraging HCC proliferation. Mechanistically, ALDOA knockout partially limits the glycolytic flux in HCC cells. Meanwhile, ALDOA translocated to nuclei and directly interacted with c-Jun to facilitate its Thr93 phosphorylation by P21-activated protein kinase; ALDOA knockout markedly diminished c-Jun Thr93 phosphorylation and then dampened c-Jun transcription function. A crucial site Y364 mutation in ALDOA disrupted its interaction with c-Jun, and Y364S ALDOA expression failed to rescue cell proliferation in ALDOA deletion cells. In HCC patients, the expression level of ALDOA was correlated with the phosphorylation level of c-Jun (Thr93) and poor prognosis. Remarkably, hepatic ALDOA was significantly upregulated in the promotion and progression stages of diethylnitrosamine-induced HCC models, and the knockdown of A ldoa strikingly decreased HCC development in vivo. Our study demonstrated that ALDOA is a vital driver for HCC development by activating c-Jun-mediated oncogene transcription, opening additional avenues for anti-cancer therapies.

OBJECTIVE: Data on homocysteine (Hcy) status and its determinants are limited among women during pregnancy and postpartum. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate Hcy levels during pregnancy and postpartum, and to explore the determinants like geographic factor. METHODS: This study was conducted in women at mid-pregnancy, late-pregnancy and postpartum from southern, central and northern China. Approximately 132 women were included in each stratum by the three phases and regions. Plasma Hcy concentrations were assessed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), with hyperhomocysteinemia defined as > 10.0 µmol/L. Quantile regression was to estimate medians and interquartile ranges ( IQRs), and logistic regression to examine the determinants of hyperhomocysteinemia. RESULTS: For 1,190 women included, the median (IQR) Hcy concentration was 5.66 (4.62, 7.37) μmol/L. The adjusted median in mid-pregnancy, late-pregnancy and postpartum women was 4.75 (4.13, 5.54), 5.72 (4.81, 6.85) and 7.09 (5.65, 8.75) μmol/L, respectively, showing an increasing trend ( P < 0.001). This increasing trend persisted across the three regions. Higher Hcy concentrations were observed in women residing in northern region and those with younger age or lower economic status. A total of 106 (8.9%) women had hyperhomocysteinemia, with a higher prevalence in those residing in northern region (16.0%), or in postpartum women (16.5%). CONCLUSION Hcy levels, varying with geographic region, maternal age and economic status, are increased from mid-pregnancy to late-pregnancy and postpartum, indicating a need to monitor Hcy levels in pregnant and postpartum women to control potential risks related to elevated Hcy levels.
Humans ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Homocysteine/blood* ; China/epidemiology* ; Adult ; Postpartum Period/blood* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Hyperhomocysteinemia/blood* ; Young Adult ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third/blood* ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; East Asian People

Traumatic supraorbital fissure syndrome (TSOFS) is a symptom complex caused by nerve entrapment in the supraorbital fissure after skull base trauma. If the compressed cranial nerve in the supraorbital fissure is not decompressed surgically, ptosis, diplopia and eye movement disorder may exist for a long time and seriously affect the patients′ quality of life. Since its overall incidence is not high, it is not familiarized with the majority of neurosurgeons and some TSOFS may be complicated with skull base vascular injury. If the supraorbital fissure surgery is performed without treatment of vascular injury, it may cause massive hemorrhage, and disability and even life-threatening in severe cases. At present, there is no consensus or guideline on the diagnosis and treatment of TSOFS that can be referred to both domestically and internationally. To improve the understanding of TSOFS among clinical physicians and establish standardized diagnosis and treatment plans, the Skull Base Trauma Group of the Neurorepair Professional Committee of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, Neurotrauma Group of the Neurosurgery Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, Neurotrauma Group of the Traumatology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, and Editorial Committee of Chinese Journal of Trauma organized relevant experts to formulate Chinese expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of traumatic supraorbital fissure syndrome ( version 2024) based on evidence of evidence-based medicine and clinical experience of diagnosis and treatment. This consensus puts forward 12 recommendations on the diagnosis, classification, treatment, efficacy evaluation and follow-up of TSOFS, aiming to provide references for neurosurgeons from hospitals of all levels to standardize the diagnosis and treatment of TSOFS.

Objective:To investigate the risk factors for postoperative stiffness following rotator cuff repair and to develop a predictive risk assessment model.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 251 patients (111 males and 140 females) who underwent rotator cuff repair at the Department of Orthopedics, Civil Aviation General Hospital, from June 2016 to December 2022. Patients were divided into two groups based on the time of admission: the modeling group, comprising patients treated from June 2016 to June 2021, was used to construct the risk assessment model, while the validation group, including those treated from July 2021 to December 2022, was used to evaluate the model's effectiveness. In the modeling group, the incidence of postoperative stiffness one year after surgery was assessed. The study collected data on age, sex, body mass index, disease duration, smoking history, diabetes history, preoperative fat infiltration of the rotator cuff muscles, tear size, suturing technique, preoperative stiffness, re-tear rate, visual analogue scale (VAS) scores at two and six weeks postoperatively, Constant-Murley scores at six weeks postoperatively, and both preoperative and postoperative critical shoulder angle (CSA), acromial index (AI), and lateral acromion angle (LAA). Univariate analysis was used to identify potential risk factors for postoperative stiffness, followed by multivariate logistic regression to construct the risk assessment model. The validation group was used to reassess the identified risk factors.Results:Postoperative stiffness occurred in 21 out of 176 patients in the modeling group. Logistic regression analysis revealed that diabetes history, higher fat infiltration of the rotator cuff muscles, larger tear size, preoperative stiffness, higher VAS score at six weeks postoperatively, and lower Constant-Murley score at six weeks postoperatively were significant risk factors for postoperative stiffness. Based on the logistic regression model, a nomogram was created using R software. In the validation group, postoperative stiffness was observed in 11 out of 75 patients. The area under the ROC curve (AUC=0.926) indicated good discriminative ability in predicting postoperative stiffness. The goodness-of-fit test (H-L test: χ 2=2.215, P=0.947) demonstrated moderate calibration of the model. Conclusion:A history of diabetes, high fat infiltration of the rotator cuff muscles, large or massive rotator cuff tears, preoperative stiffness, higher VAS scores at six weeks postoperatively, and lower Constant-Murley scores at six weeks postoperatively are significant risk factors for postoperative stiffness after rotator cuff repair. The risk assessment model shows good discriminative power and calibration, making it a useful tool for predicting the risk of postoperative stiffness following rotator cuff repair.

Objective:To study the current status of longitudinal extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR) in extremely preterm infants (EPIs) and to develop a prediction model based on clinical data from multiple NICUs.Methods:From January 2017 to December 2018, EPIs admitted to 32 NICUs in North China were retrospectively studied. Their general conditions, nutritional support, complications during hospitalization and weight changes were reviewed. Weight loss between birth and discharge > 1SD was defined as longitudinal EUGR. The EPIs were assigned into longitudinal EUGR group and non-EUGR group and their nutritional support and weight changes were compared. The EPIs were randomly assigned into the training dataset and the validation dataset with a ratio of 7∶3. Univariate Cox regression analysis and multiple regression analysis were used in the training dataset to select the independent predictive factors. The best-fitting Nomogram model predicting longitudinal EUGR was established based on Akaike Information Criterion. The model was evaluated for discrimination efficacy, calibration and clinical decision curve analysis.Results:A total of 436 EPIs were included in this study, with a mean gestational age of (26.9±0.9) weeks and a birth weight of (989±171) g. The incidence of longitudinal EUGR was 82.3%(359/436). Seven variables (birth weight Z-score, weight loss, weight growth velocity, the proportion of breast milk ≥75% within 3 d before discharge, invasive mechanical ventilation ≥7 d, maternal antenatal corticosteroids use and bronchopulmonary dysplasia) were selected to establish the prediction model. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the training dataset and the validation dataset were 0.870 (95% CI 0.820-0.920) and 0.879 (95% CI 0.815-0.942), suggesting good discrimination efficacy. The calibration curve indicated a good fit of the model ( P>0.05). The decision curve analysis showed positive net benefits at all thresholds. Conclusions:Currently, EPIs have a high incidence of longitudinal EUGR. The prediction model is helpful for early identification and intervention for EPIs with higher risks of longitudinal EUGR. It is necessary to expand the sample size and conduct prospective studies to optimize and validate the prediction model in the future.

Healthy lifestyles and good living habits are effective strategies and important approaches to prevent chronic non-communicable diseases. With the development of evidence-based medicine, the evidence translation system has made some achievements in clinical practice. There is, however, no comprehensive, professional and efficient system for translating lifestyle evidence globally. Therefore, the Health Lifestyle Evidence (HLSE) Group of Lanzhou University constructed the HLSE Evidence Translation System (https://hlse.cn/), with the aim of synthesizing, evaluating, translating, and applying lifestyle-related evidence resources. This paper aims to introduce the functional module design of the evidence translation system, the system development process and testing, introduce the interface design and function demonstration, and explain the significance of constructing the HLSE.

Healthy lifestyles and good living habits are effective strategies and important approaches to prevent chronic non-communicable diseases. With the development of evidence-based medicine, the evidence translation system has made some achievements in clinical practice. There is, however, no comprehensive, professional and efficient system for translating lifestyle evidence globally. Therefore, the Health Lifestyle Evidence (HLSE) Group of Lanzhou University constructed the HLSE Evidence Translation System (https://hlse.cn/), with the aim of synthesizing, evaluating, translating, and applying lifestyle-related evidence resources. This paper aims to introduce the functional module design of the evidence translation system, the system development process and testing, introduce the interface design and function demonstration, and explain the significance of constructing the HLSE.

Objective To construct a regulatory network of competing endogenous RNA(ceRNA)with prognostic value for bladder urothelial carcinoma(BLCA),and analyze the relationship between key messenger RNA(mRNA)and immune function.Methods The UCSC Xena database was used to download mRNA expression data from 404 BLCA patients and 28 normal individuals and key mRNAs were screened by differential analysis.ENCORI database was utilized to search microRNAs(miRNAs)that bind to key mRNAs and all long non-coding RNAs(LncRNAs)that bind to miRNAs.The expression data of miRNA and LncRNA were downloaded from TCGA database,co-expression analysis was performed to identify key mRNA with all miRNAs and miRNA with all LncRNAs,and thus key miRNAs and LncRNAs were screened out.Survival analysis was conducted based on the differences in expression levels of these key mRNAs,miRNAs,and LncRNAs between tumor patients and normal individuals,and finally a ceRNA regulatory network was constructed.The correlation between key mRNAs and immune cells,immune checkpoints(CD274,PDCD1 and CTLA4),and immune cell marker genes(IG)was analyzed using the TIMER 2.0 database.Results A total of 22 key mRNAs were screened,with the most significant difference being proline 3-hydroxylase 4(P3H4).The expression of P3H4 in patients with BLCA was high,and survival time was shorter in patients with high expression.A sum of 33 miRNAs and 14 LncRNAs were screened using the key mRNAs as the central link.Through co-expression analysis and survival analysis,hsa-miR-151a-3p and MIR100 HG were identified as the key miRNA and key LncRNA with prognostic value.The differences in the above analysis results were statistically significant(all P＜0.05).Based on these findings,a ceRNA regulatory network consisting of 1 mRNA,1 miRNA,and 1 LncRNA was constructed.Immunoassay firstly revealed a significant positive correlation between double positive T cells and P3H4 expression in the tumor microenvironment of BLCA.Moreover,there were 3 types of immune cells(tumor-associated neutrophils,and tumor-associated macrophages,dendritic cells),3 immune checkpoints(CD274,PDCD1,CTLA4),and 15 IGs with significant correlation with P3H4.These differences were statistically significant(all P＜0.01).Conclusion This study could help to reveal the progression mechanism of BLCA.The constructed ceRNA network and immune analysis can offer new insights into potential biological targets and immunotherapy directions for the diagnosis,treatment,and prediction of BLCA patients.