BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with common pathophysiological processes, such as inflammation and fibrosis, in both the heart and the kidney. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms that drive these processes are not yet fully understood. Therefore, this study focused on the molecular mechanism of heart and kidney injury in CKD. METHODS: We generated an microRNA (miR)-26a knockout (KO) mouse model to investigate the role of miR-26a in angiotensin (Ang)-II-induced cardiac and renal injury. We performed Ang-II modeling in wild type (WT) mice and miR-26a KO mice, with six mice in each group. In addition, Ang-II-treated AC16 cells and HK2 cells were used as in vitro models of cardiac and renal injury in the context of CKD. Histological staining, immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and Western blotting were applied to study the regulation of miR-26a on Ang-II-induced cardiac and renal injury. Immunofluorescence reporter assays were used to detect downstream genes of miR-26a, and immunoprecipitation was employed to identify the interacting protein of LIM and senescent cell antigen-like domain 1 (LIMS1). We also used an adeno-associated virus (AAV) to supplement LIMS1 and explored the specific regulatory mechanism of miR-26a on Ang-II-induced cardiac and renal injury. Dunnett's multiple comparison and t -test were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Compared with the control mice, miR-26a expression was significantly downregulated in both the kidney and the heart after Ang-II infusion. Our study identified LIMS1 as a novel target gene of miR-26a in both heart and kidney tissues. Downregulation of miR-26a activated the LIMS1/integrin-linked kinase (ILK) signaling pathway in the heart and kidney, which represents a common molecular mechanism underlying inflammation and fibrosis in heart and kidney tissues during CKD. Furthermore, knockout of miR-26a worsened inflammation and fibrosis in the heart and kidney by inhibiting the LIMS1/ILK signaling pathway; on the contrary, supplementation with exogenous miR-26a reversed all these changes. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that miR-26a could be a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of cardiorenal injury in CKD. This is attributed to its ability to regulate the LIMS1/ILK signaling pathway, which represents a common molecular mechanism in both heart and kidney tissues.
Animals ; MicroRNAs/metabolism* ; Angiotensin II/toxicity* ; Mice ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/chemically induced* ; Mice, Knockout ; Disease Models, Animal ; Male ; Signal Transduction/genetics* ; LIM Domain Proteins/genetics* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Cell Line ; Humans

Objective:To investigate the impact of plasmapheresis therapy on the clinical efficacy in predicted severe hypertriglyceridemia-associated acute pancreatitis (HTG-AP) patients.Methods:The clinical data of 500 HTG-AP patients admitted to 36 medical centers across China in the Chinese Acute Pancreatitis Clinical Trials Group-PERFORM database from November 2020 to June 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Besides the inclusion and exclusion criteria from PERFORM study, patients who had acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHEⅡ) score ≥8 or CRP>150 mg/L on admission were included in the final analyses ( n=189). Patients were categorized into the plasmapheresis group ( n=51) and the routine treatment group ( n=138) according to the triglyceride-lowering therapies they received. General data, laboratory findings, AP severity, and clinical outcomes were recorded. Results:Patients undergoing plasmapheresis had higher initial triglyceride levels, APACHEⅡ score, SOFA score, and more organ failure than those receiving routine medical treatment. Results of multivariable logistic regression models showed that the plasmapheresis group, as compared to the routine treatment group, was neither associated with decreased risk of persistent organ failure within 14 days [54.9% (28/51) vs 37.7% (52/138), OR=0.89, 95% CI 0.36-2.21, P=0.810], nor with reduced incidence of organ failure on day 7 [17.7% (9/51) vs 15.9% (22/138), OR=0.60, 95% CI 0.19-1.88, P=0.378]. There was no significant difference on the dynamic changes of serum triglyceride within the first three days of admission ( P=0.108). Conclusions:Early plasmapheresis is not associated with reduced incidence of persistent organ failure in predicted severe HTG-AP patients.

Objective:To formulate refined management strategies to improve the operation quality and protective effect of medical X-ray diagnosis equipment based on the risk analysis of the correlation of medical X-ray diagnostic equipment.Methods:The used 41 medical X-ray diagnosis equipment in Fuwai Hospital,Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from January 2022 to December 2023 were selected.According to different management modes for equipment,they were managed respectively by the conventional management mode(20 units)and the management mode with risk analysis of the correlation(21 units).The risk grades of correlation of management mode with risk analysis of the correlation were classified on the basis of the probability of risk and the degree of harm in medical X-ray diagnosis equipment.The protection management of equipment was conducted from three aspects included the location of equipment,the staffs and subjects.A self-made questionnaire was used to investigate the satisfactions of engineers of using management for equipment,operators,and staffs of operating and maintaining equipment for the two kinds of management modes.The protection quality,failure rate of equipment,and qualification rate of protection of medical X-ray diagnosis equipment under different management modes were compared.Results:The quality scores of operation safety,regular inspection,maintenance and repair,and shielding protection for radiation of medical X-ray diagnosis equipment that adopted the management mode with risk analysis of the correlation were respectively(92.14±3.36),(91.47±2.41),(92.54±3.32)and(91.69±3.57)points,all of which were higher than those of the conventional management mode,and the differences of them were statistically significant(t=16.396,17.368,19.688,14.401,P<0.05).The failure rate of the 21 medical X-ray diagnosis equipment that adopted the management mode with risk analysis of correlation was 0,which was lower than 20.00%of the conventional management mode.The qualified rate of protection was 95.23%,which was higher than 70.00%of the conventional management mode,and the differences of them were statistically significant(x2=4.654,4.608,P<0.05).The satisfaction scores of engineers of using equipment,operators and staffs of operating and maintaining equipment for the protective effect of adopting the management mode with risk analysis of correlation were respectively(94.69±4.02),(93.21±4.36)and(92.54±3.47)points,all of which were higher than those of the conventional management mode,and the differences were statistically significant(t=16.902,11.291,12.020,P<0.05).Conclusion:The process-based protection management strategy on the basis of risk analysis of correlation for medical X-ray diagnosis equipment can prevent risks of medical X-ray diagnostic equipment,and improve the operation quality of the equipment,and reduce the operation risks of the equipment,and maximize the enhancement for management quality of medical X-ray diagnosis equipment.

Objective:To formulate refined management strategies to improve the operation quality and protective effect of medical X-ray diagnosis equipment based on the risk analysis of the correlation of medical X-ray diagnostic equipment.Methods:The used 41 medical X-ray diagnosis equipment in Fuwai Hospital,Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from January 2022 to December 2023 were selected.According to different management modes for equipment,they were managed respectively by the conventional management mode(20 units)and the management mode with risk analysis of the correlation(21 units).The risk grades of correlation of management mode with risk analysis of the correlation were classified on the basis of the probability of risk and the degree of harm in medical X-ray diagnosis equipment.The protection management of equipment was conducted from three aspects included the location of equipment,the staffs and subjects.A self-made questionnaire was used to investigate the satisfactions of engineers of using management for equipment,operators,and staffs of operating and maintaining equipment for the two kinds of management modes.The protection quality,failure rate of equipment,and qualification rate of protection of medical X-ray diagnosis equipment under different management modes were compared.Results:The quality scores of operation safety,regular inspection,maintenance and repair,and shielding protection for radiation of medical X-ray diagnosis equipment that adopted the management mode with risk analysis of the correlation were respectively(92.14±3.36),(91.47±2.41),(92.54±3.32)and(91.69±3.57)points,all of which were higher than those of the conventional management mode,and the differences of them were statistically significant(t=16.396,17.368,19.688,14.401,P<0.05).The failure rate of the 21 medical X-ray diagnosis equipment that adopted the management mode with risk analysis of correlation was 0,which was lower than 20.00%of the conventional management mode.The qualified rate of protection was 95.23%,which was higher than 70.00%of the conventional management mode,and the differences of them were statistically significant(x2=4.654,4.608,P<0.05).The satisfaction scores of engineers of using equipment,operators and staffs of operating and maintaining equipment for the protective effect of adopting the management mode with risk analysis of correlation were respectively(94.69±4.02),(93.21±4.36)and(92.54±3.47)points,all of which were higher than those of the conventional management mode,and the differences were statistically significant(t=16.902,11.291,12.020,P<0.05).Conclusion:The process-based protection management strategy on the basis of risk analysis of correlation for medical X-ray diagnosis equipment can prevent risks of medical X-ray diagnostic equipment,and improve the operation quality of the equipment,and reduce the operation risks of the equipment,and maximize the enhancement for management quality of medical X-ray diagnosis equipment.

Objective:To investigate the impact of plasmapheresis therapy on the clinical efficacy in predicted severe hypertriglyceridemia-associated acute pancreatitis (HTG-AP) patients.Methods:The clinical data of 500 HTG-AP patients admitted to 36 medical centers across China in the Chinese Acute Pancreatitis Clinical Trials Group-PERFORM database from November 2020 to June 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Besides the inclusion and exclusion criteria from PERFORM study, patients who had acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHEⅡ) score ≥8 or CRP>150 mg/L on admission were included in the final analyses ( n=189). Patients were categorized into the plasmapheresis group ( n=51) and the routine treatment group ( n=138) according to the triglyceride-lowering therapies they received. General data, laboratory findings, AP severity, and clinical outcomes were recorded. Results:Patients undergoing plasmapheresis had higher initial triglyceride levels, APACHEⅡ score, SOFA score, and more organ failure than those receiving routine medical treatment. Results of multivariable logistic regression models showed that the plasmapheresis group, as compared to the routine treatment group, was neither associated with decreased risk of persistent organ failure within 14 days [54.9% (28/51) vs 37.7% (52/138), OR=0.89, 95% CI 0.36-2.21, P=0.810], nor with reduced incidence of organ failure on day 7 [17.7% (9/51) vs 15.9% (22/138), OR=0.60, 95% CI 0.19-1.88, P=0.378]. There was no significant difference on the dynamic changes of serum triglyceride within the first three days of admission ( P=0.108). Conclusions:Early plasmapheresis is not associated with reduced incidence of persistent organ failure in predicted severe HTG-AP patients.

Objective:To evaluate the mechanical performance of customized metal prosthesis with tibia stems of varying lengths for tibial bone defects reconstruction.Methods:Morphologically matched postoperative finite element models of bone defect revision were developed, with three gradients (15 mm, 30 mm, and 45 mm) according to the degree of bone defect and were reconstructed with 3D printed tantalum metal prosthesis using three tibial stem lengths (80 mm, 120 mm, and 150 mm), respectively. Conventional static and dynamic (walking gait) loading was performed to analyze the peak tibial stress distribution and accumulated sliding distance at the prosthetic interface, and to assess the effects of the three tibial stems of different lengths on the stability of the customized tibial defect restorations and the internal tibial stress state.Results:The peak accumulated sliding distance of the dynamically loaded morphologically matched restorations ranged from 17.94 to 21.31 mm with static loading, which were 68% to 84.3% higher than those of 10.26 to 11.69 mm with static loading. The peak tibial stresses in the dynamically loaded model were greater than those in the statically loaded model, with an increase of 28%-49.2%, including 132.94-143.88 MPa in the statically loaded model and 170.41-200.14 MPa in the dynamically loaded model. The overall accumulated sliding distance of the tibia prosthetic model gradually decreased from the tibial osteotomy surface, and the accumulated peak sliding distances ranged from 10.26 to 11.69 mm for static loading, and from 17.94 to 21.31 mm for dynamic loading. The bone tissue stresses in the anterolateral and medial-posterior tibia increased gradually from top to bottom, and the maximum stress value in each section was in the posterior medial tibia (the maximum value was 200.14 MPa). The highest bone tissue stress in the lateral tibia was affected by the tibial stem length, which resulted in a different location, and it was the area most affected by stress shielding (maximum value of 170.65 MPa).Conclusion:For stability assessment of morphologically matched tantalum customized prosthesis, physiological gait dynamic loading studies are more reliable than static loading; the choice of tibial stem length depends on a combination of accumulated peak sliding distances and tibial bone stress distribution factors.

The use of nitrification inhibitors has been suggested as a strategy to decrease cadmium(Cd)accumulation in crops.However,the most efficient nitrification inhibitor for mitigating crop Cd accumulation remains to be elucidated,and whether and how changes in soil microbial structure are involved in this process also remains unclear.To address these questions,this study applied three commercial nitrification inhibitors,namely,dicyandiamide(DCD),3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate(DMPP),and nitrapyrin(NP),to pakchoi.The results showed that both DCD and DMPP(but not NP)could efficiently decrease Cd concentrations in pakchoi in urea-and ammonium-fertilized soils.In addition,among the three tested nitrification inhibitors,DMPP was the most efficient in decreasing the Cd concentration in pakchoi.The nitrification inhibitors decreased pakchoi Cd concentrations by suppressing acidification-induced Cd availability and reshaping the soil microbial structure;the most effective nitrification inhibitor was DMPP.Ammonia oxidation generates the most protons during nitrification and is inhibited by nitrification inhibitors.Changes in environmental factors and predatory bacterial abundance caused by the nitrification inhibitors changed the soil microbial structure and increased the potential participants in plant Cd accumulation.In summary,our study identified DMPP as the most efficient nitrification inhibitor for mitigating crop Cd contamination and observed that the soil microbial structural changes caused by the nitrification inhibitors contributed to decreasing Cd concentration in pakchoi.

Abstract: The differential expression and subcellular localization of single-cell proteins are closely related to the physiological state and pathological mechanisms of the body. The development of single-cell protein in situ imaging methods provides powerful tools for spatial single-cell proteomics research and single-cell protein profiling. This article summarizes the single-cell protein imaging methods developed in recent years, including the circulating immunofluorescence imaging methods based on ordered multi-round antibody incubation, mass spectrometry imaging based on metal element labeled antibodies, fluorescence imaging based on DNA-barcoded antibody, gene encoded fluorescence protein imaging and spectral imaging based on Raman spectroscopy or X-ray spectroscopy, with brief explanation of the imaging principles of these methods. It focuses on the multiple performance, imaging resolution and signal amplification performance of these methods, and analyzes their application characteristics in practical scientific research and clinical work, in the hope of providing some reference for the development of more revolutionary single-cell imaging methods, and promoting the development of biomedical and precision medicine.

Background Tributyl phosphate (TBP) is widely used as an organophosphate flame retardant. However, there are limited studies on the toxicity of TBP to aquatic organisms at low levels of exposure. Objective To investigate the effects of TBP on early development of zebrafish (Danio rerio). Methods Zebrafish embryos were randomly divided into four groups at 2 h post-fertilisation (2 hpf), namely, the 0.01% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) control group and TBP exposure groups (0.02, 0.2 and 2 μg·L⁻¹). The exposure time was from 2 hpf to 120 hpf and the hatching rate, malformation rate, heart rate and body length of zebrafish embryos at 72 hpf, the frequency of tail curling at 24-29 hpf, the locomotor ability at 96 hpf and the survival rate at 120 hpf were evaluated, respectively. The whole-body triiodothyronine (T₃) and tetraiodothyronine (T₄) levels of juvenile fish were measured by enzyme immunoassay at the end of the infection, and the expression levels of hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis (HPT) and neurodevelopmental-related genes were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (q-PCR). Results The heart rates of zebrafish embryos were significantly decreased in all TBP-treated groups (P<0.001), the survival rates of the 0.02 and 2 μg·L⁻¹ TBP groups were significantly decreased (P<0.05), and the malformation rate of the 2 μg·L⁻¹ treated group was significantly increased (P<0.05), which was mainly manifested by pericardial oedema. The frequency of tail curling of zebrafish embryos in all groups reached the highest at 25 hpf, which was significantly lower (P<0.001) in all exposure groups than in the control group (P<0.001). In the locomotor behaviour experiments, the swimming speed of zebrafish larvae in the dark cycle was significantly decreased in the 0.02 and 0.2 μg·L⁻¹ TBP groups (P<0.05), and similar results were found for the light cycle in the 0.2 and 2 μg·L⁻¹ TBP groups (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the T₃ level of zebrafish juveniles in the 0.2 μg·L⁻¹ TBP group increased significantly (P<0.05). The q-PCR results showed that the expression levels of HTP axis-related genes [thyroid hormone receptors (trα, \begin{document}$tr\beta $\end{document}), thyroglobulin (tg), and sodium/iodide co-transporter (nis)] were significantly down-regulated in the exposure groups, the expression level of transthyretin (ttr) was significantly up-regulated in the 0.02 μg·L⁻¹ TBP group, and the iodothyronine deiodinase 2 (dio2) expression level was significantly down-regulated in the 0.02 μg·L⁻¹ TBP group (P<0.05); the neurodevelopment-related gene acetylcholinesterase (ache) was significantly down-regulated in the exposure groups, and the expression levels of myelin basic protein (mbp) and Elav like neuron-specific RNA binding protein 3 (elavl3) were significantly down-regulated in the 0.02 μg·L⁻¹ TBP group (P<0.05). Conclusion TBP exposure can lead to early developmental abnormalities in zebrafish, manifested as developmental toxicity, thyroid endocrine disruption and neurotoxicity during hatching and early juvenile stages.

Objective:To systematically analyze the short-term and long-term efficacy of pancreatic stent placement in the treatment of hyperlipidemic pancreatitis (HTGP).Methods:This retrospective case-control study included 66 HTGP patients who received treatment at the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University from January 1, 2017 to June 1, 2020. Among them, 53 were male and 13 were female, with an age of (39.67±9.99) years. Patients were divided into stent group (20 cases) and conservative group (46 cases) based on whether they received pancreatic stent placement treatment. The main observation indicators included symptom relief, biochemical index recovery, recurrence rate, and incidence of complications.Results:In terms of short-term efficacy, compared with the conservative group, the stent group showed significantly better acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II scores [(2.85±1.66) vs. (4.59±2.60), P=0.008], lower incidence of organ failure [15.0% (3/20) vs. 41.3% (19/46), P=0.037], and lower incidence of short-term complications [10.0% (2/20) vs. 60.9% (28/46), P=0.012], all of which were statistically significant. In terms of long-term efficacy, the median time to first recurrence was significantly longer in the stent group (15 months) compared to the conservative group (12 months) ( Z=2.04, P=0.042). However, there was no statistically significant difference in recurrence rates between the two groups [50.0% (9/18) vs. 57.9% (22/38), P=0.579]. The incidence of late complications was also significantly lower in the stent group [5.6% (1/18) vs. 31.6% (12/38), P=0.042]. Conclusions:Pancreatic stent placement therapy has significant advantages in improving short-term symptoms and reducing the incidence of complications in HTGP patients, but the overall recurrence rate do not significantly decrease.