The accumulation of uremic toxins such as urea nitrogen, blood creatinine, and uric acid of patients with renal failure in vivo would lead to aggravated kidney damage. In this study, coated aldehyde oxy-starch (CAO) was used as an adsorbent to investigate its in vitro adsorption performance on renal failure indexes for urea, indoxyl sulfate (INS), monomethylamine (MMA), dimethylamine (DMA), uric acid (UA), and creatinine (Cr). The effects of variables such as pH, temperature, concentration, dosage, and time on the adsorption capacity of CAO were systematically investigated, employing analytical techniques of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC). The results revealed that CAO exhibited a strong adsorption capacity for urea, INS, and MMA, alongside a moderate adsorption capacity for DMA, UA, and Cr. The adsorption kinetics and thermodynamic studies indicated that the adsorption of urea and UA by CAO were fitted in pseudo-first-order kinetics, and the adsorption isotherm aligned with the Freundlich adsorption model. The enthalpy change ΔH of urea in adsorption was in the range of 40 to 60 kJ·mol^-1, which demonstrated the presence of strong adsorption force due to the interactions of coordinating groups. The ΔH of UA was greater than 80 kJ·mol^-1, indicating the generation of chemical bonds during the adsorption. Both of them, Gibbs free energy ΔG was less than 0, within the range of -20 to 0 kJ·mol^-1, suggested that the adsorption of urea and UA by CAO occurred spontaneously as physical adsorption process. The adsorption entropy ΔS of urea and UA was > 0, which indicated an increase in entropy throughout the adsorption. The infrared spectroscopygram showed the formation of a chemical bond, specifically the imine bond, following the adsorption of urea by CAO, thereby indicating a chemical reaction during the adsorption. This study elucidates the adsorption mechanism of CAO on various indexes of renal failure, providing a scientific basis for its clinical usage.

Objective: To explore methods about how to treat penile foreign body incarceration，so as to provide reference for clinical treatment of such cases. Methods: The diagnosis and treatment of a patient with penile metal foreign body incarceration from the Department of Pediatric Surgery of Tongji Hospital was analyzed，relevant Chinese and English literature were retrieved，and treatment methods and outcomes were summarized. Results: A 11-year-old boy came to our hospital with a screw nut incarcerated around the penis for over 10 days，the distal penis dark red swelling，local epidermis exfoliation oozing.A wire saw was used to cut and remove the incarcerated object.The patient recovered well，with no secondary damage to the penis，and no dysfunctions like dysuria.The search of the Chinese and English databases obtained a total of 79 penile incarceration-related papers involving 184 cases.Treatment methods included direct removal after bloodletting for detumescence，removal after cutting with various instruments，and penis skin degloving. Conclusion: Since penile incarceration is a rare emergency，early treatment can avoid complications with good prognosis.Methods dealing with penile foreign body incarceration have both pros and cons.Therefore，selection of the appropriate methods needs comprehensive evaluation，or follows the order of simple-to-complex operations.

Nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA), one of the most severe types of male infertility, etiology often remains unclear in most cases. Therefore, this study aimed to detect four biallelic detrimental variants (0.5%) in the minichromosome maintenance domain containing 2 ( MCMDC2 ) genes in 768 NOA patients by whole-exome sequencing (WES). Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) demonstrated that MCMDC2 deleterious variants caused meiotic arrest in three patients (c.1360G>T, c.1956G>T, and c.685C>T) and hypospermatogenesis in one patient (c.94G>T), as further confirmed through immunofluorescence (IF) staining. The single-cell RNA sequencing data indicated that MCMDC2 was substantially expressed during spermatogenesis. The variants were confirmed as deleterious and responsible for patient infertility through bioinformatics and in vitro experimental analyses. The results revealed four MCMDC2 variants related to NOA, which contributes to the current perception of the function of MCMDC2 in male fertility and presents new perspectives on the genetic etiology of NOA.
Humans ; Male ; Azoospermia/genetics* ; Meiosis/genetics* ; Spermatogenesis/genetics* ; Adult ; Exome Sequencing ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins/genetics* ; Alleles ; Infertility, Male/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To assess the cardioprotective effect and impact of Qishen Granules (QSG) on different ischemic areas of the myocardium in heart failure (HF) rats by evaluating its metabolic pattern, substrate utilization, and mechanistic modulation. METHODS: In vivo, echocardiography and histology were used to assess rat cardiac function; positron emission tomography was performed to assess the abundance of glucose metabolism in the ischemic border and remote areas of the heart; fatty acid metabolism and ATP production levels were assessed by hematologic and biochemical analyses. The above experiments evaluated the cardioprotective effect of QSG on left anterior descending ligation-induced HF in rats and the mode of energy metabolism modulation. In vitro, a hypoxia-induced H9C2 model was established, mitochondrial damage was evaluated by flow cytometry, and nuclear translocation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 α (HIF-1 α) was observed by immunofluorescence to assess the mechanism of energy metabolism regulation by QSG in hypoxic and normoxia conditions. RESULTS: QSG regulated the pattern of glucose and fatty acid metabolism in the border and remote areas of the heart via the HIF-1 α pathway, and improved cardiac function in HF rats. Specifically, QSG promoted HIF-1 α expression and entry into the nucleus at high levels of hypoxia (P<0.05), thereby promoting increased compensatory glucose metabolism; while reducing nuclear accumulation of HIF-1 α at relatively low levels of hypoxia (P<0.05), promoting the increased lipid metabolism. CONCLUSIONS QSG regulates the protein stability of HIF-1 α, thereby coordinating energy supply balance between the ischemic border and remote areas of the myocardium. This alleviates the energy metabolism disorder caused by ischemic injury.
Animals ; Myocardial Infarction/physiopathology* ; Male ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit/metabolism* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Glucose/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Energy Metabolism/drug effects* ; Rats ; Fatty Acids/metabolism* ; Myocardium/pathology*

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the photothermal and antibacterial activities of polydopamine-modified phycocyanin nanoparticles (PDA@PC NPs) and their capacity for promoting wound healing. METHODS: PDA@PC NPs were synthesized from phycocyanin (C-PC) and dopamine hydrochloride using a one-pot method. The photothermal activity of the nanoparticles was assessed in vitro by 808 nm laser irradiation, their biocompatibility was evaluated using CCK-8 assay, and their photothermal antibacterial activity by plate colony counting. In adult male BALB/c mice, two symmetrical full-thickness skin wounds (1.0 cm ×1.0 cm) were created on both sides of the spine, and 200 μL of Staphylococcus aureus suspension was inoculated into the wounds. The mice were divided into control group, PDA@PC NPs group, and PDA@PC NPs with laser irradiation group, and wound healing rates and histomorphological changes in the wound tissues were evaluated on days 0, 7 and 14 after modeling. RESULTS: The synthesized PDA@PC NPs exhibited no obvious cytotoxicity up to a concentration of 500 μg/mL and showed strong photothermal and antibacterial activities in response to 808 nm laser irradiation. In the mouse models, the size of the infected skin wounds showed substantial reduction at 7 and 14 days in PDA@PC NPs group and PDA@PC NPs with laser irradiation group, and the mean wound healing rate was faster in the latter group. HE staining and Masson's trichrome staining revealed extensive granulation tissue formation and collagen deposition on the wound surfaces in both of the treatment groups, and these changes were more obvious in the PDA@PC NPs with laser irradiation group. CONCLUSIONS PDA@PC NPs possess excellent photothermal and antibacterial activities and can effectively promote wound healing in mice.
Animals ; Indoles/chemistry* ; Wound Healing/drug effects* ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Male ; Nanoparticles ; Polymers/chemistry* ; Phycocyanin/chemistry* ; Skin/injuries* ; Staphylococcus aureus/drug effects* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology*

Quantitative CT (QCT) is a method of measuring bone mineral density (BMD) of human based on a CT machine,calibrated by QCT body model and analyzed by professional software.Compared with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry,QCT can not only assess the cortical and cancellous BMD but also exclude the influences of osteophytes and aortic/vascular calcification,thus being capable of accurately reflecting patients' bone mass.In recent years,increasing studies on QCT and osteoporosis (OP) have been carried out,and the application of QCT in the diagnosis of OP,evaluation of vertebral bone conditions,prediction of fracture risks,and assessment of anti-OP treatment is garnering increasing attention from researchers at home and abroad.This article reviews the research progress in this field,aiming to provide a reference for the research on QCT in the diagnosis and treatment of OP.
Humans ; Osteoporosis/diagnosis* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods* ; Bone Density

Objective To investigate the impact and mechanism of efaproxiral (RSR13),a hemoglobin allosteric agent,on lung injury in rats caused by explosion-induced shock waves in plateau areas. Methods Eighty-two healthy male SD rats (8-week-old,transferred from an altitude of 2 880 m to 4700 m within 6 h)were randomly divided into blast injury group and RSR13+blast injury group (intraperitoneal injection of 150 mg/kg RSR132 h before explosion).Sixty rats were positioned at 5 m from the explosion source and divided into 5-m blast injury group (n=30)and 5-m RSR13+blast injury group (n=30). Additionally,16 rats were positioned at 6 m from the explosion source and then assigned into 6-m blast injury group (n=8)and 6-m RSR13+blast injury group (n=8).The left 6 rats served as control (n=6).Survival outcomes of each rat group positioned 5 m from the explosion source were observed over a 24-hour period.HE staining was used to evaluate the pathological score of the surviving rats positioned at 6 m from the explosion source in 24 h after explosion,along with arterial blood gas analysis.The contents of glutathione (GSH),malondialdehyde (MDA ) and superoxide dismutase (SOD ) in the lung tissues were determined by colorimetry.Western blotting was conducted to measure the expression levels of cleaved caspase-3 and occludin in the lung tissue.Results RSR13 pretreatment increased the survival rate immediately after explosion (93.3％ vs 46.7％,P<0.01 )and at 1 h after explosion (86.7％ vs 46.7％,P<0.01 )in plateau areas of 5 m from the explosion source.At high altitude,RSR13 pretreatment reduced the pathological score of lung injury in rats 6 m away from the explosion source (8.27±0.93 vs 13.70±0.78,P<0.01 ),but had no significant effect on the results of arterial blood gas analysis in rats with lung blast injury (P>0.05 ).In addition,RSR13 pretreatment also increased GSH content (40.27±12.47 vs 22.62±10.88 μg/g,P<0.05),but showed no obvious effect on MDA content and SOD activity (P>0.05 ),decreased the protein level of cleaved caspase-3 (P<0.01 )and increased that of occludin (P<0.05 )in the lung tissues.Conclusion RSR13 exerts significant protective effect on lung injury in rats caused by explosion-induced shock waves in high-altitude environment,which may be related to its increasing antioxidant capacity,reducing cell apoptosis and decreasing barrier permeability of lung ventilation.

It has become an industry consensus that self-assembled nanoparticles (SAN) are formed by molecular recognition of chemical components in traditional Chinese medicine during the decoction process. The insoluble components in the decoction are mostly in the form of nanoparticles, which can improve the problem of poor water solubility. However, the transfer rate of these insoluble components in the decoction is still very low, which limits the efficacy of the drug. This study aimed to refine the traditional decoction self-assembly phenomenon. The self-assembled nanoparticles were constructed by micro-precipitation method (MP-SAN), and characterized by particle size, zeta potential, stability index and morphology. The formation of MP-SAN and alterations in related physicochemical properties were evaluated using modern spectroscopic and thermal analysis techniques. The quality value transmitting pattern of lignan components within the MP-SAN was assessed via high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The MP-SAN showed sphere-like structure with uniform morphology, particle size of (245.3 ± 3.2) nm, polydispersity index (PDI) of (0.13 ± 0.03), zeta potential of (-48.9 ± 5.9) mV and stability index (SI) of (86.05% ± 2.27%). Comprehensive analyses using ultraviolet visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and other techniques confirmed molecular recognition between the decoction and ethanol extraction, leading to electron rearrangement under the influence of non-covalent bonding. This resulted in the formation of nanoparticles possessing superior thermal stability. As determined by HPLC, the encapsulation rates of the index components in the MP-SAN were all greater than 75% (dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol: 77.00%; herpetolide A: 78.57%; herpetrione: 94.53%), and the transfer rates were all higher than 65% (dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol: 96.01%; herpetolide A: 67.86%; herpetrione: 65.55%), which were 1.34, 1.38 and 4.81 times compared with those of the traditional decoction. In summary, this study successfully constructed the MP-SAN based on micro-precipitation method to achieve high transfer rate and high encapsulation rate of insoluble components in docoction, which provides a pharmaceutics idea for the efficient utilization of pharmacodynamic substance basis of traditional Chinese medicine.

Human physiological indicators have become an important standard for assessing health in modern society.Traditional detection methods often require a separate laboratory,complex operation process and long detection time,so it is urgent to develop portable,fast and accurate on-site detection technologies for bioanalysis.Point-of-care testing(POCT),which differs from traditional laboratory testing,can realize the rapid in situ detection of biomarkers without the complicated analytical process of the laboratory.Smartphones,which are an essential tool in our daily life,not only have independent operating systems and built-in storage functions,but also have high-definition cameras,which have great application potential in POCT visualization.The combination of various biosensing technologies and smartphones has developed into a new direction in the field of POCT.This review mainly introduced the research progress of smartphone-based visual biosensors in POCT in recent years,including colorimetric sensors,fluorescence sensors,chemiluminescence sensors and electrochemiluminescence sensors.Finally,the problems faced by smart-phone-based visual biosensors in the application of POCT were summarized,and their future development was prospected.