Objective To investigate the association of urinary phthalate metabolites with 4 high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol(HDL-C)-related inflammatory indicators[lymphocyte/HDL-C ratio(LHR),monocyte/HDL-C ratio(MHR),neutrophil/HDL-C ratio(NHR),and platelet/HDL-C ratio(PHR)],and to explain their possible biological mechanisms.Methods The 4 573 adult participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(NHANES)were subjected,and then generalized linear regression(GLM),restricted cubic spline(RCS),and weighted quantile sum(WQS)regressions were performed to explore the potential associations of phthalates mono-exposures and mixed exposures,respectively,with the HDL-C-related inflammation metrics.Results Nine urinary phthalate metabolites were significantly positively associated with at least 1 inflammatory marker,while 1 metabolite(MEP)showed a negative association with an inflammatory indicator(LHR).Some exposure metabolites showed a nonlinear association with outcome inflammatory indicators.WQS regression revealed varying weight contributions of individual metabolite to each inflammatory outcome.Subgroup analyses indicated differential association effects of phthalates with HDL-C-related inflammatory metrics across gender,age,and BMI populations.Conclusion There are associations between phthalate exposure and HDL-C-related inflammation indicators,but further studies are needed to reveal the underlying mechanisms.

In recent years，the incidence and prevalence of non-tuberculous mycobacterial（NTM）infections have been on the rise，posing a serious threat to public health and presenting significant challenges for disease management. Currently，the treatment outcomes for NTM disease are poor，one of the main reasons being the high resistance of NTM pathogens to various anti-mycobacterial drugs. Novel therapeutic strategies targeting the host rather than the NTM pathogens themselves may help improve cure rates and reduce mortality. This article summarizes the latest research findings on host factors related to the incidence of NTM disease，including age，pulmonary diseases，immune function，genetic factors and lifestyle，which aids in the early identification of high-risk populations and provides a theoretical basis for developing targeted prevention and treatment strategies and optimizing treatment plans.

In recent years，the incidence and prevalence of non-tuberculous mycobacterial（NTM）infections have been on the rise，posing a serious threat to public health and presenting significant challenges for disease management. Currently，the treatment outcomes for NTM disease are poor，one of the main reasons being the high resistance of NTM pathogens to various anti-mycobacterial drugs. Novel therapeutic strategies targeting the host rather than the NTM pathogens themselves may help improve cure rates and reduce mortality. This article summarizes the latest research findings on host factors related to the incidence of NTM disease，including age，pulmonary diseases，immune function，genetic factors and lifestyle，which aids in the early identification of high-risk populations and provides a theoretical basis for developing targeted prevention and treatment strategies and optimizing treatment plans.

Objective To summarize the experience of integrative palliative care at Peking Union Medi-cal College Hospital and provide a reference for promoting the integrative palliative care model.Methods Twenty cases receiving integrative palliative care at Peking Union Medical College Hospital were collected.The clinical characteristics,reasons for initiating integrative palliative care,the process of integrative palliative care,and feedback from these cases were summarized.Results Insomnia(11 cases,55％)and pain(9 cases,45％)were the most common symptoms requiring control in the 20 cases.The integrative palliative care team assisted in medical decision-making for 17 cases(85％),prepared end-of-life for 9 cases(45％),assisted in the transfer for 3 cases(15％),and provided comfort care for all the 20 cases(100％).Conclusions The integrative palliative care model can help alleviate suffering in end-of-life patients and provide support to patients'families and the original medical teams.This model is worth further promotion within class A tertiary hospitals.

Objective:To investigate the prognosis and outcome of patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) related cirrhosis after achieved sustained virologic response (SVR) treated with direct-acting antiviral agent (DAA).Methods:Ninety-five patients diagnosed with CHC related cirrhosis who had complete data in Tianjin Second People′s Hospital from January 2014 to June 2017 were retrospectively followed up. Among them, 72 patients were treated with DAA and all of them achieved SVR, and the other 23 patients did not receive any antiviral therapy. The differences of mortality and incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) between DAA treatment group and non-antiviral treatment group were compared. Statistical analysis was performed by independent sample t test, Mann-Whitney U test and chi-square test. Results:At the end of follow-up for three to 71 months, patients in DAA treatment group had a significant improvements in alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, albumin and liver stiffness measurement compared with those before treatment (42(23, 61) U/L vs 18(13, 28) U/L, 54(37, 75) U/L vs 23(18, 28) U/L, 39(33, 42) g/L vs 45(41, 48) g/L, 26(18, 37) kPa vs 15(11, 26) kPa, respectively, Z=-6.005, -7.008, -6.057 and -3.162, respectively, all P<0.01). However, there were no significant differences in incidence of HCC (12%(9/72) vs 17%(4/23)) and mortality (3%(2/72) vs 13%(3/23)) between the DAA treatment group and non-antiviral treatment group (both P>0.05). There was no significant difference of cumulative incidence of HCC in DAA treatment group compared with non-antiviral treatment group ( P=0.609). The age of patients progressed to HCC was older than those without HCC ((60.3±3.6) years vs (54.4±9.9) years, t=-3.948, P<0.01). In subgroup analysis, among the six patients with HCC, four had diabetes, the prevalence of diabetes in the patients without HCC was 17%(7/42); the level of fasting blood glucose (FBG) ((7.3±1.9) mmol/L vs (5.9±1.1) mmol/L) were higher in patients progressed to HCC than those without HCC in DAA treatment group with compensated cirrhosis ( χ2=7.430 and t=-2.442, respectively, both P=0.019). Conclusions:DAA treatment could notably improve liver function and alleviate liver fibrosis, but could not reduce the mortality and incidence of HCC in patients with CHC related cirrhosis significantly. Diabetes and high level FBG may be the risk factors for occurrence of HCC in patients with CHC related compensated cirrhosis.

Dysfunction of the Hippo pathway enables cells to evade contact inhibition and provides advantages for cancerous overgrowth. However, for a significant portion of human cancer, how Hippo signaling is perturbed remains unknown. To answer this question, we performed a genome-wide screening for genes that affect the Hippo pathway in Drosophila and cross-referenced the hit genes with human cancer genome. In our screen, Prosap was identified as a novel regulator of the Hippo pathway that potently affects tissue growth. Interestingly, a mammalian homolog of Prosap, SHANK2, is the most frequently amplified gene on 11q13, a major tumor amplicon in human cancer. Gene amplification profile in this 11q13 amplicon clearly indicates selective pressure for SHANK2 amplification. More importantly, across the human cancer genome, SHANK2 is the most frequently amplified gene that is not located within the Myc amplicon. Further studies in multiple human cell lines confirmed that SHANK2 overexpression causes deregulation of Hippo signaling through competitive binding for a LATS1 activator, and as a potential oncogene, SHANK2 promotes cellular transformation and tumor formation in vivo. In cancer cell lines with deregulated Hippo pathway, depletion of SHANK2 restores Hippo signaling and ceases cellular proliferation. Taken together, these results suggest that SHANK2 is an evolutionarily conserved Hippo pathway regulator, commonly amplified in human cancer and potently promotes cancer. Our study for the first time illustrated oncogenic function of SHANK2, one of the most frequently amplified gene in human cancer. Furthermore, given that in normal adult tissues, SHANK2's expression is largely restricted to the nervous system, SHANK2 may represent an interesting target for anticancer therapy.

Objective To evaluate the role of the angiotensin Ⅱ type 2 receptor (AT2R) in repeated propofol anesthesia-induced neuroapoptosis in the basal ganglia of newborn rats.Methods Fiftyfour pathogen-free Sprague-Dawley rats,aged 7 days,weighing 10-15 g,were divided into 3 groups (n=18 each) using a random number table:control group (group C),repeated propofol anesthesia group (group P) and AT2R agonist CGP42112A group (group G).In group C,0.9％ sodium chloride injection 3 ml/kg was intraperitoneally injected,and half of the initial dose 1.5 ml/kg was given every 20 min for 5 times in total,lasting for 3 consecutive days.In group P,propofol 30 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected,and half of the initial dose 15 mg/kg was given every 20 min for 5 times in total,lasting for 3 consecutive days.In group G,CGP42112A 1 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected,propofol 30 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected 5 min later,and half of the initial dose of propofol 15 mg/kg was given every 20 min for 5 times in total,lasting for 3 consecutive days.Six rats were sacrificed at 2 h after emergence from anesthesia,and brains were removed for detection of neuroapoptosis in the basal ganglia by TUNEL assay.The apoptosis index was calculated.Another 6 rats were sacrificed,and the basal ganglia were isolated from brains to detect the expression of activated caspase-3,AT2R and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) (by Western blot) and the expression of AT2R and PPARγ mRNA (by real-time polymerase chain reaction).The other 6 rats were fed until 28 days old,and the cognitive function was then assessed using Morris water maze test.Results Compared with group C,the escape latency was significantly prolonged,the time of staying at the target quadrant was shortened,the frequency of crossing the platform was decreased,the apoptosis index of the basal ganglia was increased,the expression of activated caspase-3 was up-regulated,and the expression of AT2R and PPARγprotein and mRNA was down-regulated in group P (P＜0.05),and no significant change was found in the parameters mentioned above in group G (P＞0.05).Compared with group P,the escape latency was significantly shortened,the time of staying at the target quadrant was prolonged,the frequency of crossing the platform was increased,the apoptosis index of the basal ganglia was decreased,the expression of activated caspase-3 was down-regulated,and the expression of AT2R and PPARγ protein and mRNA was up-regulated in group G (P＜0.05).Conclusion Inhibited activation of AT2R is involved in repeated propofol anesthesia-induced neuroapoptosis in the basal ganglia of newborn rats.

Objective To evaluate the in vitro antifungal activity of 4 antifungal agents alone or in combination against Exophiala dermatitidis (E.dermatitidis) biofilms.Methods E.dermatitidis biofilms were prepared by using a modified 96-well plate-based method.The in vitro antifungal activity of amphotericin B,voriconazole,itraconazole and caspofungin alone or in combination against E.dermatitidis biofilms were investigated via the broth microdilution checkerboard technique.Results The sessile minimum inhibitory concentration ranges resulting in 50％ (SMICS0) and 80％ inhibition (SMIC80) of E.dermatitidis biofilms were all ＞ 32 mg/L for itraconazole,voriconazole and caspofungin,and the SMIC50 and SMIC80 ranges of amphotericin B were 1-2 mg/L and 4-8 mg/L respectively.The combination of amphotericin B with voriconazole showed synergistic inhibitory effects against E.dermatitidis biofilms,while the combination of amphotericin B with itraconazole or caspofungin,as well as the combination of voriconazole with caspofungin,revealed no synergistic effects.No antagonistic effect was observed in any of the combinations.Conclusion Amphotericin B appears more active against E.dermatitidis biofilms,and the combination with voriconazole can enhance the anti-biofilm effects against E.dermatitidis biofilms.

Objective To evaluate the in vitro effects of photodynamic therapy alone or in combination with antifungal agents on the apoptosis of planktonic and biofilm cells of Exophiala dermatitidis (E.dermatitidis).Methods The planktonic suspensions of E.dermatitidis were prepared,and the biofilms of E.dermatitidis were prepared via a modified 96-well plate-based methods.Planktonic and biofilm cells of E.dermatitidis were separately divided into several groups:antifungal agent groups treated with antifungal agents alone,photodynamic therapy group receiving photodynamic therapy alone,combination groups receiving photodynamic therapy followed by the treatment with antifungal agents,and blank control group receiving no treatment.These antifungal agents included amphotericin B,posaconazole,voriconazole and itraconazole.The concentrations of these antifungal agents were all 1 mg/L,and the treatment with antifungal agents lasted 2 hours.Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay was performed to detect the apoptosis of planktonic and biofilm cells of E.dermatitidis in all the groups.Results The antifungal agents and photodynamic therapy both affected the apoptosis of planktonic (both P ＜ 0.001) and biofilm cells (beth P ＜ 0.05) of E.dermatitidis.The apoptosis rates of E.dermatitidis planktonic cells in the control group,amphotericin B group,posaconazole group,voriconazole group and itraconazole group were 11.67％ ± 0.21％,13.30％ ± 1.78％,14.30％ ± 3.61％,14.51％ ± 1.91％and 36.17％ ± 4.00％ respectively.The apoptosis rate of E.dermatitidis planktonic cells was significantly higher in the itraconazole group than in the control group (P ＜ 0.05),but no significant differences were observed between the other 3 antifungal agent groups and control group (all P ＞ 0.05).The photodynamic therapy group also showed a significantly higher apoptosis rate of E.dermatitidis planktonic cells (41.37％ ±7.80％) compared with the control group (P ＜ 0.05).After the treatment with photodynamic therapy combined with amphotericin B,posaconazole,voriconazole or itraconazole,the apoptosis rates of E.dermatitidis planktonic cells were 29.23％ ± 6.71％,37.23％ ± 10.86％,43.57％ ± 6.42％ and 69.87％ ± 3.53％ respectively.Moreover,the photodynamic therapy + voriconazole group and photodynamic therapy + itraconazole group both showed significantly higher apoptosis rates compared with the voriconazole group and itraconazole group respectively (both P ＜ 0.05).The apoptosis rate of E.dermatitidis biofilm cells was significantly higher in the photodynamic therapy group than in the control group (32.00％ ± 0.43％ vs.25.30％ ± 1.31％,P ＜ 0.05),as well as in the photodynamic therapy + amphotericin B than in the amphotericin B group (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Photodynamic therapy combined with antifungal agents can markedly promote the apoptosis of planktonic and biofilm cells of E.dermatitidis.

Objective:To investigate the effect of sufentanil in preventing the adverse effects of hamabate in the patients undergoing cesarean section.Methods:Forty patients who would have been injected with hamabate were selected,they were undergoing elective cesarean section with continuous epidural anesthesia and randomly divided into sufentanil group and 0.9％ sodium chloride injection group.When the fetus was removed and hamabate was injected,simultaneously patients in sufentanil group were injected sufentanil 0.1 μg/ kg,and patients in 0.9％ sodium chloride group were injected equal dose of normal saline.MAP,HR,SpO2 and RR were monitored in the two groups.Adverse reactions after hamabate injecting into the body of the uteru,such as nausea,vomiting,chest pain,dizziness and facial flushing were recorded,and Ramsay sedation score was recorded before anesthesia,at 30 min after hamabate was injected and at the ending of the operation.Results:After 30 min using hamabate,MAP,H R and RR of sufentanil group were more stable than 0.9％ sodium chloride group(P ＜ 0.05),Ramsay sedation score of sufentanil group was higher than 0.9％ sodium chloride group(P＜0.05).Adverse reactions such as nausea,chest pain,dizziness and facial flushing were lower in sufentanil group than those in 0.9％ sodium chloride group(P ＜0.05).Conclusions.Small doses of sufentanil can reduce the adverse effects of hamabate in cesarean section,and hemodynamic can be more stable,also it is a certain better sedation,and can be usesd safely.