OBJECTIVES: Pelvic floor dysfunction is common among pregnant and postpartum women and significantly impacts quality of life. This study aims to translate the German Pelvic Floor Questionnaire for Pregnant and Postpartum Women into Chinese and to evaluate its reliability and validity in the Chinese population. METHODS: The questionnaire was translated using the Brislin model. A cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant and postpartum women to assess the content validity, construct validity, Cronbach's α coefficient, test-retest reliability, and split-half reliability of the Chinese version. RESULTS: A total of 72 women were included, with 6.9% being pregnant and 93.1% postpartum; the age was (32.3±3.6) years. The Chinese version of the questionnaire contains 4 dimensions and 45 items. The content validity index of individual items ranged from 0.833 to 1.000, with a scale-level content validity index of 0.977 and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) exceeding 0.90. The overall Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.891, with subscale coefficients ranging from 0.732 to 0.884 (all ICCs>0.70). The test-retest reliability of the total scale was 0.833, and for the 4 dimensions, bladder, bowel, prolapse, and sexual function, the values were 0.776, 0.579, 0.732, and 0.645, respectively. The split-half reliability was 0.74. CONCLUSIONS The Chinese version of the questionnaire demonstrated good reliability and validity, indicating its applicability in assessing pelvic floor dysfunction and associated risk factors during pregnancy and postpartum.
Humans ; Female ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Pregnancy ; Adult ; Postpartum Period ; Psychometrics ; Pelvic Floor Disorders/diagnosis* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Quality of Life ; Pelvic Floor/physiopathology* ; Reproducibility of Results ; China ; Translations ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVES: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a common condition among women that severely impairs quality of life. Pelvic floor proprioceptive training (PFPT) has attracted increasing attention for its potential to enhance pelvic floor muscle function and alleviate SUI symptoms. This study aims to observe and compare the clinical efficacy of PFPT combined with electroacupuncture, electrical stimulation, and biofeedback therapy versus conventional therapy consisting of electroacupuncture, electrical stimulation, and biofeedback alone in women with SUI, and to explore the role of PFPT in improving symptom and functional outcomes. METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial, 72 women with mild to moderate SUI were recruited from the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, between December 2021 and October 2023. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=36) or a control group (n=36). Both groups received health education. The control group underwent electroacupuncture combined with electrical stimulation and biofeedback therapy, while the experimental group additionally received PFPT 3 times per week for 4 weeks. The primary outcome was assessed using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF). Secondary outcomes included pelvic floor muscle strength, bladder neck mobility, and balance ability. The ICIQ-SF was reassessed at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post-treatment. RESULTS: Both groups showed statistically significant improvements in all parameters after treatment (all P<0.05). However, there were no statistically significant differences between groups in most measures (all P>0.05). The experimental group demonstrated longer single-leg stance duration with eyes closed than the control group (left leg: P=0.026; right leg: P=0.006), with a significant increase from baseline (P<0.001). At 6 months post-treatment, the cure rate in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P=0.037). CONCLUSIONS Conventional therapy effectively improves SUI symptoms, but adding PFPT provides notable additional benefits, including enhanced balance ability and sustained mid-term cure rates. These findings suggest that PFPT is a valuable adjunct to standard SUI management strategies.
Humans ; Female ; Urinary Incontinence, Stress/physiopathology* ; Pelvic Floor/physiopathology* ; Middle Aged ; Biofeedback, Psychology ; Adult ; Exercise Therapy/methods* ; Proprioception ; Electroacupuncture/methods* ; Quality of Life ; Electric Stimulation Therapy/methods* ; Treatment Outcome ; Combined Modality Therapy

Oroxylin A (OA) is a natural flavonoid primarily derived from the plants Oroxylum indicum and Scutellaria baicalensis. Currently, OA is obtainable through chemical synthesis and exhibits polypharmacological properties, including anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and multi-organ protective effects. The first-in-class drug OA tablets are presently undergoing phase Ib/IIa clinical trials for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment. Substantial evidence suggests that OA demonstrates therapeutic potential against various hepatic and gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, including HCC, hepatic fibrosis, fatty liver disease, hepatitis, liver injury, colitis, and colorectal cancer (CRC). OA exerts its therapeutic effects primarily by modulating several crucial signaling pathways, including those associated with apoptosis, oxidative stress, inflammation, glucolipid metabolism, and fibrosis activation. The oral pharmacokinetics of OA is characterized by phase II metabolism, hydrolysis, and enterohepatic recycling. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the critical stages involved in the development of OA tablets, presenting a holistic perspective on the progression of this first-in-class drug from preclinical to clinical phases. It encompasses the synthesis of active pharmaceutical ingredients, pharmacokinetics, pharmacological efficacy, toxicology, drug delivery, and recent advancements in clinical trials. Importantly, this review examines the potential mechanisms by which OA may influence the gut-liver axis, hypothesizing that these interactions may confer health benefits associated with OA that transcend the limitations posed by its poor bioavailability.
Humans ; Flavonoids/pharmacokinetics* ; Tablets ; Animals ; Gastrointestinal Diseases/drug therapy* ; Liver Diseases/drug therapy* ; Drug Development ; Clinical Trials as Topic ; Scutellaria baicalensis/chemistry*

As a model organism that bridges the gap between cells and traditional mammals,the zebrafish has broad application prospects in radiation medicine research.Among its unique advantages are its characteristics of a high homology with human genes,high fertility,short embryonic period,and transparent and easy to observe embryos,making it an important tool in radiation medicine research.Recently,remarkable progress has been made in the application of zebrafish to investigate low-dose radiation biological effects,radiation therapy,and radiation damage prevention and treatment,key areas of radiation medicine.In this paper,these applications are reviewed;we explore the value of zebrafish in radiation medicine research and provide a reference for experimental research in related fields.

Objective:To analyze the correlation between serum uric acid (UA), cystatin C (CysC), urinary β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN) and their predictive value in atherosclerosis (AS).Methods:The clinical data of 250 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) diagnosed and treated in the Seventh People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from November 2020 to November 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into T2DM group (125 cases) and DN group (125 cases) according to whether they had concurrent DN. Another 125 healthy subjects in the same period were selected as the healthy control group. The levels of UA, CysC, urinary β2-MG and IMT were compared among the three groups. The levels of UA, CysC and urinary β2-MG in different IMT groups (IMT<1.0 mm group, IMT 1.0 - 1.5 mm group, IMT>1.5 mm group) in DN patients were compared, and the correlation between UA, CysC, urinary β2-MG and IMT was analyzed by Pearson test. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the predictive efficacy of UA, CysC and urinary β2-MG in patients with DN.Results:The levels of UA, CysC, urinary β2-MG and IMT in the DN group were higher than those in the T2DM group and the healthy control group : (516.55 ± 90.62) μmol/L vs.(320.16 ± 98.62), (204.82 ± 48.64) μmol/L; (2.06 ± 0.99) mg/L vs. (0.82 ± 0.24), (0.66 ± 0.10) mg/L; (2.95 ± 1.02) mg/L vs. (1.16 ± 0.33), (0.82 ± 0.16) mg/L; (0.26 ± 0.08) cm vs. (0.16 ± 0.04), (0.07 ± 0.01) cm, and the levels of UA, CysC, urinary β2-MG in the T2DM group were higher than those in the healthy control group, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). The levels of serum UA, CysC and urinary β2-MG in the IMT<1.0 mm group were lower than those in the IMT 1.0 - 1.5 mm group and IMT>1.5 mm group: (468.37 ± 61.85) μmol/L vs. (524.16 ± 82.06), (551.92 ± 94.55) μmol/L; (1.82 ± 0.16) mg/L vs. (2.04 ± 0.33), (2.45 ± 0.62) mg/L; (2.57 ± 0.11) mg/L vs. (2.98 ± 0.18), (3.34 ± 0.26) mg/L, and serum UA, CysC and urinary β2-MG in the IMT 1.0 - 1.5 mm group were lower than those in the IMT>1.5 mm group, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). The results of Pearson test showed that UA, CysC, urinary β2-MG were positively correlated with IMT ( r = 0.369, 0.406, 0.382, P<0.05). ROC curve analysis results showed that the combined detection of serum UA, CysC and urinary β2-MG predicted the area under the curve (AUC) of AS in DN patients was 0.904. Conclusions:The abnormal increase of serum UA, CysC and urine β 2-MG are closely related to the occurrence of AS in DN patients. Combined detection has high predictive power for AS and can serve as a potential indicator for clinical prediction of AS in DN patients.

Objective To investigate the role of Glycoprotein non-metastatic melanoma protein B(GPNMB)in hypoxia-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)in human chorionic trophoblast HTR-8/SVneo cells.Methods HTR-8/SVneo cells were cultured in vitro to investigate the effect of hypoxia on GPNMB expression.The cells were transfected with either a GPNMB overexpression plasmid(pcDNA3.1-GPNMB),small interfering RNA targeting GPNMB(si-GPNMB-1/2),or their respective negative controls(pcDNA3.1-NC or si-NC),and were also treated with the autophagy agonist rapamycin(Rap).The experimental groups were categorized as follows:Normoxia,Hypoxia,Normoxia/Hypoxia+si-NC or si-GPNMB,Normoxia/Hypoxia+pcDNA3.1-NC or pcDNA3.1-GPNMB,Normoxia/Hypoxia+Rap,and Hypoxia+Rap+pcDNA3.1-NC or pcDNA3.1-GPNMB.GPNMB expression levels were evaluated using qRT-PCR,Western blotting,and immunofluorescence staining.The expression of autophagy-related proteins(LC3B Ⅱ/Ⅰ,p62)and epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)markers(E-cadherin,N-cadherin)was analyzed by Western blotting.Cell migration and invasion capacities were assessed using wound healing and Transwell assays.Results Compared with the Normoxia group,the mRNA and protein levels of GPNMB were downregulated in the Hypoxia group.Additionally,the protein levels of p62 and N-cadherin were reduced,while LC3B Ⅱ/Ⅰ and E-cadherin expression levels were increased(P<0.05).Compared with the Hypoxia+si-NC group,the Hypoxia+si-GPNMB-2 group showed significantly decreased protein levels of p62 and N-cadherin,along with elevated levels of LC3B Ⅱ/Ⅰ and E-cadherin(P<0.05).Compared with the Hypoxia+pcDNA3.1-NC group,the Hypoxia+pcDNA3.1-GPNMB group exhibited opposite trends.Notably,compared with the Hypoxia group,the Hypoxia+Rap group showed increased LC3B Ⅱ/Ⅰ and E-cadherin levels,accompanied by reduced p62 and N-cadherin levels(P<0.05).However,compared with the Hypoxia+pcDNA3.1-GPNMB group,the Hypoxia+Rap+pcDNA3.1-GPNMB group attenuated the promoting effect of GPNMB overexpression on EMT in HTR-8/SVneo cells,as evidenced by decreased p62 and N-cadherin protein expression levels and increased LC3BⅡ/Ⅰ and E-cadherin protein expression levels(P<0.05).Conclusion In hypoxia-induced HTR-8/SVneo cells,GPNMB inhibits autophagy,promotes the epithelial-mesenchymal transition,and enhances cell migration and invasion.

Objective To investigate the role of Glycoprotein non-metastatic melanoma protein B(GPNMB)in hypoxia-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)in human chorionic trophoblast HTR-8/SVneo cells.Methods HTR-8/SVneo cells were cultured in vitro to investigate the effect of hypoxia on GPNMB expression.The cells were transfected with either a GPNMB overexpression plasmid(pcDNA3.1-GPNMB),small interfering RNA targeting GPNMB(si-GPNMB-1/2),or their respective negative controls(pcDNA3.1-NC or si-NC),and were also treated with the autophagy agonist rapamycin(Rap).The experimental groups were categorized as follows:Normoxia,Hypoxia,Normoxia/Hypoxia+si-NC or si-GPNMB,Normoxia/Hypoxia+pcDNA3.1-NC or pcDNA3.1-GPNMB,Normoxia/Hypoxia+Rap,and Hypoxia+Rap+pcDNA3.1-NC or pcDNA3.1-GPNMB.GPNMB expression levels were evaluated using qRT-PCR,Western blotting,and immunofluorescence staining.The expression of autophagy-related proteins(LC3B Ⅱ/Ⅰ,p62)and epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)markers(E-cadherin,N-cadherin)was analyzed by Western blotting.Cell migration and invasion capacities were assessed using wound healing and Transwell assays.Results Compared with the Normoxia group,the mRNA and protein levels of GPNMB were downregulated in the Hypoxia group.Additionally,the protein levels of p62 and N-cadherin were reduced,while LC3B Ⅱ/Ⅰ and E-cadherin expression levels were increased(P<0.05).Compared with the Hypoxia+si-NC group,the Hypoxia+si-GPNMB-2 group showed significantly decreased protein levels of p62 and N-cadherin,along with elevated levels of LC3B Ⅱ/Ⅰ and E-cadherin(P<0.05).Compared with the Hypoxia+pcDNA3.1-NC group,the Hypoxia+pcDNA3.1-GPNMB group exhibited opposite trends.Notably,compared with the Hypoxia group,the Hypoxia+Rap group showed increased LC3B Ⅱ/Ⅰ and E-cadherin levels,accompanied by reduced p62 and N-cadherin levels(P<0.05).However,compared with the Hypoxia+pcDNA3.1-GPNMB group,the Hypoxia+Rap+pcDNA3.1-GPNMB group attenuated the promoting effect of GPNMB overexpression on EMT in HTR-8/SVneo cells,as evidenced by decreased p62 and N-cadherin protein expression levels and increased LC3BⅡ/Ⅰ and E-cadherin protein expression levels(P<0.05).Conclusion In hypoxia-induced HTR-8/SVneo cells,GPNMB inhibits autophagy,promotes the epithelial-mesenchymal transition,and enhances cell migration and invasion.

As a model organism that bridges the gap between cells and traditional mammals,the zebrafish has broad application prospects in radiation medicine research.Among its unique advantages are its characteristics of a high homology with human genes,high fertility,short embryonic period,and transparent and easy to observe embryos,making it an important tool in radiation medicine research.Recently,remarkable progress has been made in the application of zebrafish to investigate low-dose radiation biological effects,radiation therapy,and radiation damage prevention and treatment,key areas of radiation medicine.In this paper,these applications are reviewed;we explore the value of zebrafish in radiation medicine research and provide a reference for experimental research in related fields.

Objective:To analyze the correlation between serum uric acid (UA), cystatin C (CysC), urinary β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN) and their predictive value in atherosclerosis (AS).Methods:The clinical data of 250 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) diagnosed and treated in the Seventh People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from November 2020 to November 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into T2DM group (125 cases) and DN group (125 cases) according to whether they had concurrent DN. Another 125 healthy subjects in the same period were selected as the healthy control group. The levels of UA, CysC, urinary β2-MG and IMT were compared among the three groups. The levels of UA, CysC and urinary β2-MG in different IMT groups (IMT<1.0 mm group, IMT 1.0 - 1.5 mm group, IMT>1.5 mm group) in DN patients were compared, and the correlation between UA, CysC, urinary β2-MG and IMT was analyzed by Pearson test. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the predictive efficacy of UA, CysC and urinary β2-MG in patients with DN.Results:The levels of UA, CysC, urinary β2-MG and IMT in the DN group were higher than those in the T2DM group and the healthy control group : (516.55 ± 90.62) μmol/L vs.(320.16 ± 98.62), (204.82 ± 48.64) μmol/L; (2.06 ± 0.99) mg/L vs. (0.82 ± 0.24), (0.66 ± 0.10) mg/L; (2.95 ± 1.02) mg/L vs. (1.16 ± 0.33), (0.82 ± 0.16) mg/L; (0.26 ± 0.08) cm vs. (0.16 ± 0.04), (0.07 ± 0.01) cm, and the levels of UA, CysC, urinary β2-MG in the T2DM group were higher than those in the healthy control group, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). The levels of serum UA, CysC and urinary β2-MG in the IMT<1.0 mm group were lower than those in the IMT 1.0 - 1.5 mm group and IMT>1.5 mm group: (468.37 ± 61.85) μmol/L vs. (524.16 ± 82.06), (551.92 ± 94.55) μmol/L; (1.82 ± 0.16) mg/L vs. (2.04 ± 0.33), (2.45 ± 0.62) mg/L; (2.57 ± 0.11) mg/L vs. (2.98 ± 0.18), (3.34 ± 0.26) mg/L, and serum UA, CysC and urinary β2-MG in the IMT 1.0 - 1.5 mm group were lower than those in the IMT>1.5 mm group, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). The results of Pearson test showed that UA, CysC, urinary β2-MG were positively correlated with IMT ( r = 0.369, 0.406, 0.382, P<0.05). ROC curve analysis results showed that the combined detection of serum UA, CysC and urinary β2-MG predicted the area under the curve (AUC) of AS in DN patients was 0.904. Conclusions:The abnormal increase of serum UA, CysC and urine β 2-MG are closely related to the occurrence of AS in DN patients. Combined detection has high predictive power for AS and can serve as a potential indicator for clinical prediction of AS in DN patients.

BACKGROUND:Increased homocysteine level induces apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells,but the mechanism remains unclear. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the role of hsa-circ-0001360 in human umbilical vein endothelial cell apoptosis induced by homocysteine. METHODS:In vitro cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells were divided into control group,homocysteine group,interference control group,interference control + homocysteine group,hsa-circ-0001360 interference group,hsa-circ-0001360 + homocysteine interference group,overexpression control group,overexpression control + homocysteine group,hsa-circ-0001360 overexpression group and hsa-circ-0001360 + homocysteine overexpression group.All groups were treated with 100 μmol/L homocysteine.After 72 hours of intervention,the expressions of apoptosis-related proteins Bax,Bcl-2,and Caspase-3 were detected by western blot assay.The apoptotic rate was detected by flow cytometry.Quantitative real-time PCR was used to detect the expression of hsa-circ-0001360. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Compared with the control group,the expression of Caspase-3 and Bax was significantly increased(P<0.01),and the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly decreased(P<0.01),and the apoptotic rate was significantly increased(P<0.01)in the homocysteine group.(2)Compared with control group,the expression of hsa-circ-0001360 was significantly increased in the homocysteine group(P<0.01).(3)The expression of hsa-circ-0001360 was significantly higher in the cytoplasm than that in the nucleus(P<0.01).(4)Compared with the interference control C group and interference control + homocysteine group,the expressions of Caspase-3 and Bax were significantly decreased(P<0.01),while the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly increased(P<0.01);the apoptotic rate was significantly decreased(P<0.01)in sh-hsa-circ-0001360 interference group and sh-hsa-circ-0001360 + homocysteine interference group.(5)Compared with overexpression control group and overexpression control + homocysteine group,the expressions of Caspase-3 and Bax were significantly increased(P<0.01),while the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly decreased(P<0.01);the apoptotic rate was significantly increased(P<0.01)in the hsa-circ-0001360 overexpression group and the hsa-circ-0001360 + homocysteine overexpression group.(6)In conclusion,hsa-circ-0001360 can promote the apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells induced by homocysteine.