Objective To study the levels of serum Periostin and interleukin(I1-)-18 in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia(BPD),and to analyze their correlation with the severity of the disease and their predictive value for BPD.Methods A total of 62 preterm infants with BPD diagnosed and treated in the hospital from January 2019 to January 2022 were retrospectively selected as the BPD group,and 80 preterm in-fants without BPD during the same period were selected as the non-BPD group.According to the severity of BPD,the infants with BPD were divided into mild subgroup(22 cases),moderate subgroup(24 cases)and se-vere subgroup(16 cases).The serum levels of Periostin and IL-18 were detected by enzyme-linked immu-nosorbent assay.Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between the clinical parameters.Multivariate Logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of BPD,and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to analyze the predictive value of each indicator for BPD.Results Compared with the non-BPD group,the BPD group had a significantly higher proportion of infants with pulmonary surfactant(PS)use,neonatal respiratory distress syndrome,apnea,patent ductus arteriosus,and serum levels of Periostin and IL-18,as well as a significantly longer duration of mechanical ventilation,noninvasive respiratory support,and length of hospital stay.The lung function parameters[tidal volume per kilogram(VT/kg),ratio of time to peak tidal expiratory flow to time(TPTEF/TE),ratio of volume to peak tidal expiratory flow to volume(VPEF/VE),expiratory flow at 50％tidal volume(50％TEF),expiratory flow at 75％tidal volume(75％TEF)]and 1,5 min Apgar score of BPD group were lower than that of non-BPD group,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).The serum levels of Periostin and IL-18 in mild subgroup,moderate subgroup and severe subgroup were increased in turn.The levels of serum Periostin and IL-18 were negatively correlated with pulmonary function indexes(VT/kg,50％TEF,75％TEF,TPTEF/TE,VPEF/VE,P＜0.05).Serum Periostin,IL-18 and neonatal respiratory distress syndrome were independent risk factors for BPD(P＜0.05),and PS was a protective factor(P＜0.05).Serum Periostin,IL-18 and neonatal respiratory distress syndrome were independent risk factors for the severity of BPD(P＜0.05).The area under the curve(95％CI)of serum Periostin and IL-18 alone and in combination for predicting BPD were 0.841(0.814-0.899),0.863(0.820-0.897),0.922(0.878-0.949),respectively.The sensitivity and specificity of combined prediction were 0.902 and 0.825,respectively.The area under the curve of the combination of the two indica-tors for predicting BPD was greater than that of each index alone,and the difference was statistically signifi-cant(Z=5.357,4.894,P＜0.001).Conclusion The levels of serum Periostin and IL-18 are increased in in-fants with BPD,which are related to the severity of BPD and lung function.The combination of serum Perios-tin and IL-18 has a high predictive value for BPD.

Objective:To study the efficiency and difference of the artificial intelligence (AI) system based on fundus-reading in community and hospital scenarios in screening/diagnosing diabetic retinopathy (DR) among aged population, and further evaluate its application value.Methods:A combination of retrospective and prospective study. The clinical data of 1 608 elderly patients with diabetes were continuously treated in Henan Eye Hospital & Henan Eye Institute from July 2018 to March 2021, were collected. Among them, there were 659 males and 949 females; median age was 64 years old. From December 2018 to April 2019, 496 elderly diabetes patients were prospectively recruited in the community. Among them, there were 202 males and 294 female; median age was 62 years old. An ophthalmologist or a trained endocrinologist performed a non-mydriatic fundus color photographic examination in both eyes, and a 45° frontal radiograph was taken with the central fovea as the central posterior pole. The AI system was developed based on the deep learning YOLO source code, AI system based on the deep learning algorithm was applied in final diagnosis reporting by the"AI+manual-check" method. The diagnosis of DR were classified into 0-4 stage. The 2-4 stage patients were classified into referral DR group.Results:A total of 1 989 cases (94.5%, 1 989/2 104) were read by AI, of which 437 (88.1%, 437/496) and 1 552 (96.5%, 1 552/1 608) from the community and hospital, respectively. The reading rate of AI films from community sources was lower than that from hospital sources, and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=51.612, P<0.001). The main reasons for poor image quality in the community were small pupil (47.1%, 24/51), cataract (19.6%, 10/51), and cataract combined with small pupil (21.6%, 11/51). The total negative rate of DR was 62.4% (1 241/1 989); among them, the community and hospital sources were 84.2% and 56.3%, respectively, and the AI diagnosis negative rate of community source was higher than that of hospital, and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=113.108, P<0.001). AI diagnosis required referral to DR 20.2% (401/1 989). Among them, community and hospital sources were 6.4% and 24.0%, respectively. The rate of referral for DR for AI diagnosis from community sources was lower than that of hospitals, and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=65.655, P<0.001). There was a statistically significant difference in the composition ratio of patients with different stages of DR diagnosed by AI from different sources ( χ2=13.435, P=0.001). Among them, community-derived patients were mainly DR without referral (52.2%, 36/69); hospital-derived patients were mainly DR requiring referral (54.9%, 373/679), and the detection rate of treated DR was higher (14.3%). The first rank of the order of the fundus lesions number automatically identified by AI was drusen (68.4%) and intraretinal hemorrhage (48.5%) in the communities and hospitals respectively. Conclusions:It is more suitable for early and negative DR screening for its high non-referral DR detection rate in the community. Whilst referral DR were mainly found in hospital scenario.

Objective:To identify whether splenectomy for treatment of hypersplenism has any impact on development of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) among patients with liver cirrhosis and hepatitis.Methods:Patients who underwent splenectomy for hypersplenism secondary to liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension between January 2008 and December 2012 were included from seven hospitals in China, whereas patients receiving medication treatments for liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension (non-splenectomy) at the same time period among the seven hospitals were included as control groups. In the splenectomy group, all the patients received open or laparoscopic splenectomy with or without pericardial devascularization. In contrast, patients in the control group were treated conservatively for liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension with medicines (non-splenectomy) with no invasive treatments, such as transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt, splenectomy or liver transplantation before HCC development. All the patients were routinely screened for HCC development with abdominal ultrasound, liver function and alpha-fetoprotein every 3 to 6 months. To minimize the selection bias, propensity score matching (PSM) was used to match the baseline data of patients among splenectomy versus non-splenectomy groups. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the overall survival and cumulative incidence of HCC development, and the Log-rank test was used to compare the survival or disease rates between the two groups. Univariate and Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to analyze the potential risk factors associated with development of HCC.Results:A total of 871 patients with liver cirrhosis and hypertension were included synchronously from 7 tertiary hospitals. Among them, 407 patients had a history of splenectomy for hypersplenism (splenectomy group), whereas 464 patients who received medical treatment but not splenectomy (non-splenectomy group). After PSM,233 pairs of patients were matched in adjusted cohorts. The cumulative incidence of HCC diagnosis at 1,3,5 and 7 years were 1%,6%,7% and 15% in the splenectomy group, which was significantly lower than 1%,6%,15% and 23% in the non-splenectomy group ( HR=0.53,95% CI:0.31 to 0.91, P=0.028). On multivariable analysis, splenectomy was independently associated with decreased risk of HCC development ( HR=0.55, 95%CI:0.32 to 0.95, P=0.031). The cumulative survival rates of all the patients at 1,3,5,and 7 years were 100%,97%,91%,86% in the splenectomy group,which was similar with that of 100%,97%,92%,84% in the non-splenectomy group ( P=0.899). In total,49 patients (12.0%) among splenectomy group and 75 patients (16.2%) in non-splenectomy group developed HCC during the study period, respectively. Compared to patients in non-splenectomy group, patients who developed HCC after splenectomy were unlikely to receive curative resection for HCC (12.2% vs. 33.3%,χ2=7.029, P=0.008). Conclusion:Splenectomy for treatment of hypersplenism may decrease the risk of HCC development among patients with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension.

Objective:To identify whether splenectomy for treatment of hypersplenism has any impact on development of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) among patients with liver cirrhosis and hepatitis.Methods:Patients who underwent splenectomy for hypersplenism secondary to liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension between January 2008 and December 2012 were included from seven hospitals in China, whereas patients receiving medication treatments for liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension (non-splenectomy) at the same time period among the seven hospitals were included as control groups. In the splenectomy group, all the patients received open or laparoscopic splenectomy with or without pericardial devascularization. In contrast, patients in the control group were treated conservatively for liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension with medicines (non-splenectomy) with no invasive treatments, such as transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt, splenectomy or liver transplantation before HCC development. All the patients were routinely screened for HCC development with abdominal ultrasound, liver function and alpha-fetoprotein every 3 to 6 months. To minimize the selection bias, propensity score matching (PSM) was used to match the baseline data of patients among splenectomy versus non-splenectomy groups. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the overall survival and cumulative incidence of HCC development, and the Log-rank test was used to compare the survival or disease rates between the two groups. Univariate and Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to analyze the potential risk factors associated with development of HCC.Results:A total of 871 patients with liver cirrhosis and hypertension were included synchronously from 7 tertiary hospitals. Among them, 407 patients had a history of splenectomy for hypersplenism (splenectomy group), whereas 464 patients who received medical treatment but not splenectomy (non-splenectomy group). After PSM,233 pairs of patients were matched in adjusted cohorts. The cumulative incidence of HCC diagnosis at 1,3,5 and 7 years were 1%,6%,7% and 15% in the splenectomy group, which was significantly lower than 1%,6%,15% and 23% in the non-splenectomy group ( HR=0.53,95% CI:0.31 to 0.91, P=0.028). On multivariable analysis, splenectomy was independently associated with decreased risk of HCC development ( HR=0.55, 95%CI:0.32 to 0.95, P=0.031). The cumulative survival rates of all the patients at 1,3,5,and 7 years were 100%,97%,91%,86% in the splenectomy group,which was similar with that of 100%,97%,92%,84% in the non-splenectomy group ( P=0.899). In total,49 patients (12.0%) among splenectomy group and 75 patients (16.2%) in non-splenectomy group developed HCC during the study period, respectively. Compared to patients in non-splenectomy group, patients who developed HCC after splenectomy were unlikely to receive curative resection for HCC (12.2% vs. 33.3%,χ2=7.029, P=0.008). Conclusion:Splenectomy for treatment of hypersplenism may decrease the risk of HCC development among patients with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension.

Objective: To study the feasibility of using the PTW729 2D array ion-chamber to verify the relative dose distribution calculated with the Acuros BV algorithm. Both advantages and disadvantages of the method were analyzed to provide reference for practical clinical practices. Methods: Based on self-built measurement phantoms, the dose distribution on the same slice of the phantom was measured with PTW729 and film, respectively, under the same measurement condition and plan. The dose distributions obtained by the two method were compared with the result calculated with Acuros BV, separately, by using γ analytical tool. And the stability of the PTW729 was tested. Results: The γ comparison value was 95.9% between the film and Acuros BV, 98.9% between the PTW729 and Acuros BV and 88.0% between the film and PTW729, with 95.0%, 100.0%, and 100.0%, in their stability test respectively. Conclusions PTW729 2D array ion-chamber can be applied to the rapid verification of Acuros BV algorithm-calculated relative dose distribution.

Increasing the production and secretion of endogenous opioid peptide by immune cell can significantly induce myocardial protective effects against ischemia-reperfusion injury. Gene therapy is promising to increase endogenous enkephalin (ENK). However, classical viral and plasmid vectors for gene delivery are hampered by immunogenicity, gene recombination, oncogene activation, the production of antibacterial antibody and changes in physiological gene expression. Minimalistic immunologically defined gene expression (MIDGE) can overcome all the deficients of viral and plasmid vectors. The exon of rat's preproenkephalin (PPENK) gene was amplified by PCR and the fragments were cloned into pEGFP-N1 plasmids. The recombined plasmids were digested with enzymes to obtain a linear vector contained promoter, preproenkephalin gene, RNA stable sequences and oligodesoxy nucleotides (ODNs) added to both ends of the gene vector to protect gene vector from exonuclease degradation. A nuclear localization sequence (NLS) was attached to an ODN to ensure the effective transport to the nucleus and transgene expression. Flow cytometry, laser confocal microscopy and Western blotting demonstrated that PPENK-MIDGE-NLS can transfect leukocyte of rat in vivo, increase the expression of proenkephalin (PENK) in tissue, and the transfection efficiency depends on gene vector's dosage. These results indicate that PPENK-MIDGE-NLS could be an innovative method to protect and treatment of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.
Animals ; Cloning, Molecular ; Enkephalins ; genetics ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Therapy ; Genetic Vectors ; Leukocytes ; Plasmids ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Protein Precursors ; genetics ; Rats ; Transfection ; Transgenes

For patients with chronic hepatitis C who undergo liver transplantation, recurrence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection after liver transplantation has always been a great challenge in the medical field. With our increased understanding of HCV replication cycle, the appearance of direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) has brought new hope to patients who have failed interferon therapy. Based on the latest research advances at home and abroad, this article retrospectively introduces the mechanism of action and the development of DAAs, focuses on the clinical application, therapeutic effects, and potential risks of various regimens with DAAs before and after liver transplantation, and systematically reviews the application of DAAs in the perioperative period of liver transplantation for patients with hepatitis C. The results show that DAAs are safe and effective as perioperative antiviral therapies, and a combination of drugs with different targets is recommended as the antiviral therapy in the perioperative period of liver transplantation for patients with chronic hepatitis C.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of iASPP as the target gene of miR-124a in neural development.

METHODSUsing the online bioinformatical tool (TargetScan) and by reviewing the relevant studies, we selected iASPP as the candidate target gene of miR-124a involved in early-stage neuronal differentiation. Luciferase reporter assay was used to verify the candidate gene. We transfected M17 cells with a miR-124a overexpression plasmid and detected the changes in the protein expression of iASPP using Western blotting. With retinoic acid-induced M17 cells as the neuronal differentiation model, the role of iASPP in early-stage neuronal differentiation was investigated by gene overexpression and gene interference techniques.

RESULTSmiR-124a inhibited the expression of iASPP in M17 cells by interacting with the 3'UTR of iASPP gene. miR-124a promoted neurite outgrowth of the cells, which was blocked by iASPP overexpression.

CONCLUSIONmiR-124a promotes neurite outgrowth of M17 cells by inhibiting iASPP expression.

3' Untranslated Regions ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; Neurites ; metabolism ; Repressor Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection

Objective To investigate the role of iASPP as the target gene of miR-124a in neural development. Methods Using the online bioinformatical tool (TargetScan) and by reviewing the relevant studies, we selected iASPP as the candidate target gene of miR-124a involved in early-stage neuronal differentiation. Luciferase reporter assay was used to verify the candidate gene. We transfected M17 cells with a miR-124a overexpression plasmid and detected the changes in the protein expression of iASPP using Western blotting. With retinoic acid-induced M17 cells as the neuronal differentiation model, the role of iASPP in early-stage neuronal differentiation was investigated by gene overexpression and gene interference techniques. Results miR-124a inhibited the expression of iASPP in M17 cells by interacting with the 3'UTR of iASPP gene. miR-124a promoted neurite outgrowth of the cells, which was blocked by iASPP overexpression. Conclusion miR-124a promotes neurite outgrowth of M17 cells by inhibiting iASPP expression.

Objective To investigate the role of iASPP as the target gene of miR-124a in neural development. Methods Using the online bioinformatical tool (TargetScan) and by reviewing the relevant studies, we selected iASPP as the candidate target gene of miR-124a involved in early-stage neuronal differentiation. Luciferase reporter assay was used to verify the candidate gene. We transfected M17 cells with a miR-124a overexpression plasmid and detected the changes in the protein expression of iASPP using Western blotting. With retinoic acid-induced M17 cells as the neuronal differentiation model, the role of iASPP in early-stage neuronal differentiation was investigated by gene overexpression and gene interference techniques. Results miR-124a inhibited the expression of iASPP in M17 cells by interacting with the 3'UTR of iASPP gene. miR-124a promoted neurite outgrowth of the cells, which was blocked by iASPP overexpression. Conclusion miR-124a promotes neurite outgrowth of M17 cells by inhibiting iASPP expression.