AIM: To explore the effect of adiponectin(ADPN)on angiogenesis of human retinal microvascular endothelial cells(hRMECs)in high glucose(HG)environment and role of NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3)inflammasome.METHODS: The hRMECs were divided into six groups, including control group(without treatment), HG group: incubated with D-glucose, ADPN group: pretreatment with ADPN and then incubated with D-glucose, CY-09 group: pretreatment with CY-09(an NLRP3 inhibitor)and then incubated with D-glucose, Nigericin group: pretreatment with nigericin(an NLRP3 activator)and then incubated with D-glucose, Nigericin+ADPN group: pretreatment with nigericin and ADPN and then incubated with D-glucose. NLRP3 level was detected using Western blot analysis. hRMECs migration was measured using scratch wound healing assay. The tube formation of hRMECs was detected using Matrigel.RESULTS: The NLRP3 expression in hRMECs cultured in an HG environment was significantly increased(P<0.01), while ADPN and CY-09 reduced the elevated NLRP3(both P<0.05 vs HG group). Nigericin significantly increased NLRP3 levels(P<0.01 vs control group)which was reversed by ADPN(P=0.032 vs Nigericin group). hRMECs migration ability(P<0.001), and total master segments length and number of meshes increased in HG group(P<0.001)while decreased in ADPN and CY-09 groups(all P<0.01 vs HG group). The hRMECs migration ability and tube formation(total master segments length and number of meshes)in HG environment were significantly increased by nigericin(P=0.003), while ADPN inversed the change. CONCLUSION: ADPN alleviates the migration and angiogenesis of hRMECs under HG conditions.

Objective:To investigate the effect of uridine diphosphate ceramide galactosyltransferase 8(UGT8)on colorectal cancer(CRC)cell growth and migration,elucidate an underlying mechanism,and assess the potential regulatory role of SRY-box transcription factor 9(SOX9)on UGT8.Methods:UGT8 and SOX9 mRNA expression levels in CRC tissues,and correlation between their expression levels,were analyzed using GEPIA2,UALCAN,and TIMER 2.0 online databases.UGT8 and SOX9 protein expression in CRC and adjacent tissues was detec-ted using immunohistochemistry,and relationships between their expression and clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed.Impact of UGT8 knockdown on CRC cell proliferation was assessed using a CCK-8 assay,and cell migration was evaluated using Transwell and wound healing assays.Western blot was performed to detect expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)markers(E-cadherin and ZEB1).RT-qPCR and Western blot were used to measure UGT8 mRNA and protein expression levels after SOX9 knockdown.The JASPAR online database was used to assess SOX9 potential for binding to the UGT8 promoter.Results:Bioinformatics analyses revealed significantly higher mRNA expression levels of both UGT8 and SOX9 in CRC tissues than in normal tissues.Positive correlation was observed between expres-sion levels.Immunohistochemistry results showed that tumor UGT8 and SOX9 protein levels were significantly higher than those in adjacent tissues.UGT8 protein level was found to correlates with N stage,and SOX9 protein level correlated with T stage.A positive correlation was observed between UGT8 and SOX9 expression levels.Following UGT8 knockdown,cell proliferation capacity was attenuated and cell migra-tion ability was reduced.E-cadherin expression concurrently increased and ZEB1 expression decreased.RT-qPCR and Western blot results showed that SOX9 knockdown significantly reduced UGT8 mRNA and protein levels.The JASPER website predicts that SOX9 will bind to the UGT8 promoter.Conclusions:UGT8 and SOX9 are highly expressed in CRC tissues,and their expression levels correlate with clinicopatholo-gical features.UGT8 and SOX9 expression levels display significant positive correlation.Mechanistically,UGT8 promotes CRC cell prolifera-tion and migration by facilitating epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT).SOX9 enhances UGT8 mRNA and protein expression and may bind to the UGT8 promoter region.

Objective:To investigate the effect of uridine diphosphate ceramide galactosyltransferase 8(UGT8)on colorectal cancer(CRC)cell growth and migration,elucidate an underlying mechanism,and assess the potential regulatory role of SRY-box transcription factor 9(SOX9)on UGT8.Methods:UGT8 and SOX9 mRNA expression levels in CRC tissues,and correlation between their expression levels,were analyzed using GEPIA2,UALCAN,and TIMER 2.0 online databases.UGT8 and SOX9 protein expression in CRC and adjacent tissues was detec-ted using immunohistochemistry,and relationships between their expression and clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed.Impact of UGT8 knockdown on CRC cell proliferation was assessed using a CCK-8 assay,and cell migration was evaluated using Transwell and wound healing assays.Western blot was performed to detect expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)markers(E-cadherin and ZEB1).RT-qPCR and Western blot were used to measure UGT8 mRNA and protein expression levels after SOX9 knockdown.The JASPAR online database was used to assess SOX9 potential for binding to the UGT8 promoter.Results:Bioinformatics analyses revealed significantly higher mRNA expression levels of both UGT8 and SOX9 in CRC tissues than in normal tissues.Positive correlation was observed between expres-sion levels.Immunohistochemistry results showed that tumor UGT8 and SOX9 protein levels were significantly higher than those in adjacent tissues.UGT8 protein level was found to correlates with N stage,and SOX9 protein level correlated with T stage.A positive correlation was observed between UGT8 and SOX9 expression levels.Following UGT8 knockdown,cell proliferation capacity was attenuated and cell migra-tion ability was reduced.E-cadherin expression concurrently increased and ZEB1 expression decreased.RT-qPCR and Western blot results showed that SOX9 knockdown significantly reduced UGT8 mRNA and protein levels.The JASPER website predicts that SOX9 will bind to the UGT8 promoter.Conclusions:UGT8 and SOX9 are highly expressed in CRC tissues,and their expression levels correlate with clinicopatholo-gical features.UGT8 and SOX9 expression levels display significant positive correlation.Mechanistically,UGT8 promotes CRC cell prolifera-tion and migration by facilitating epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT).SOX9 enhances UGT8 mRNA and protein expression and may bind to the UGT8 promoter region.

Objective To investigate the status of familial aggregation of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection in Jinniu District, Chengdu, and analyze its risk factors so as to provide a basis for developing prevention and control strategies of family aggregation of Hp infection. Methods A total of 172 subjects in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College · 416 Hospital of Nuclear Industry from January 2022 to January 2023 were selected as the research subjects. All subjects underwent 13C-urea breath test (13C-UBT) to diagnose whether there was Hp infection. Analyze the current situation of family aggregation of Hp infection in the region, collect general data of survey subjects, analyze the relevant factors affecting Hp family aggregation infection, and develop prevention and control strategies based on this. Results A total of 242 people from 97 households were surveyed, and the Hp family aggregation rate was 29.33%. Univariate analysis showed that there were statistically significant differences in family aggregation of Hp infection in terms of different age groups (χ²=9.719, P=0.008), marital status (χ²=8.496, P=0.014), occupations (χ²=19.462, P<0.001), frequencies of dining out (χ²=5.457, P=0.019), previous Hp test results (χ² =4.131, P=0.042) and test results after treatment (χ²=12.000, P=0.001), with statistical significance (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the frequency of dining out 2 days or more per week and a positive Hp test results in the past were risk factors for family aggregation of Hp infection, while the occupation of teachers/medical staff/management/technology personnel and a negative Hp results after treatment were protective factors (P<0.05). Conclusion Family aggregation of Hp infection is related to family members' occupation, frequency of dining out, previous Hp test results and Hp test results after eradication, which deserves attention in clinical practice.

Objective:Although Wu Hu Tang has the effect of treating cough variant asthma(CVA),its specific mechanism of action remains unclear.Methods:Predicted targets,autophagy genes,cough variant asthma genes and differentially expressed genes(DEGs)of CVA of Wu Hu Tang were obtained and mined from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systematic Pharmacology Data-base and Analysis Platform(TCMSP),Bioinformatics Analysis Tool for Molecular Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine(BAT-MAN-TCM)and TCM Integrated Pharmacology Research Platform v2.0(TCMIP),PubChem,Chemspider,Swiss Target Prediction,GEO,GeneCards and other databases.The intersection tool of line Venn diagram was used to obtain the key genes.Using Cyto-scape3.8.0 software build active ingredient-key network;Wu Hu Tang intervention CVA autophagy targets with autophagy genes corre-lation analysis;Use the STRING database,Cytohubba plug-in build protein interaction network and core gene screening.GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of key targets were performed using R Biomanager and ClusterProfiler package,and finally molecular dock-ing was performed.Results:A total of 42 active ingredients,536 potential action targets,7 236 autophagy-related genes,1 987 CVA genes and 460 DEGs of Wu Hu Tang Tang were collected and screened.Thirteen key targets were obtained after taking the intersec-tion,and 12 genes were found to be statistically significant by validated used wilcoxon non-parametric test.The results of the enrich-ment analysis showed that these target genes mainly functioned in cellular autophagy through the VEGF signaling pathway,and some amino acid metabolic pathways.Conclusion:Wu Hu Tang is capable of multi-component,multi-level and multi-target involvement in autophagy-related processes to achieve intervention in CVA,which promotes the development of the idea of combining Chinese and Western medicine in the treatment of CVA and provides a new idea for the development of new clinical drugs.

Objective:To investigate the prognostic value of serum suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) and thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) levels in transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) .Methods:A total of 107 HCC patients who underwent TACE treatment in Wuhan Hanyang Hospital from December 2019 to July 2021 were selected as the observation objects. According to the situation after TACE treatment, the patients were divided into poor prognosis group ( n=47) and good prognosis group ( n=60). Serum SOCS3 and TXNIP levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the prognostic factors were analyzed by logistic regression. The predictive value of serum SOCS3 and TXNIP levels before treatment for TACE treatment prognosis in patients with HCC was analyzed by receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve. Results:There were no statistically significant differences between good prognosis group and poor prognosis group in age ( χ2=0.56, P=0.453), gender ( χ2=0.06, P=0.800), tumor size ( χ2=1.46, P=0.227), Child-Pugh grade ( χ2=0.26, P=0.608), tumor number ( χ2=0.77, P=0.382), cirrhosis ( χ2=0.03, P=0.860), TACE times ( χ2=0.16, P=0.691), alpha-fetoprotein level before treatment ( χ2=0.79, P=0.374), and hepatitis B surface antigen ( χ2=0.58, P=0.446). The proportion of TNM stage Ⅲ patients in the poor prognosis group (57.45%, 27/47) was higher than that in the good prognosis group (25.00%, 15/60), with a statistically significant difference ( χ2=11.64, P=0.001). The serum levels of SOCS3 and TXNIP in the good prognosis group before treatment were (114.34±20.39) and (45.64±6.41) pg/ml, respectively, while those in the poor prognosis group were (82.83±15.97) and (34.82±6.36) pg/ml, respectively, serum SOCS3 and TXNIP levels in the poor prognosis group were lower than those in the good prognosis group, with statistically significant differences ( t=8.71, P<0.001; t=8.70, P<0.001). After treatment, the serum SOCS3 and TXNIP levels in the good prognosis group were (139.65±24.32) and (64.75±7.58) pg/ml, respectively, while those in the poor prognosis group were (92.41±16.15) and (41.74±7.23) pg/ml, serum SOCS3 and TXNIP levels in the poor prognosis group were lower than those in the good prognosis group, with statistically significant differences ( t=11.48, P<0.001; t=15.90, P<0.001). Serum SOCS3 and TXNIP levels in both groups were significantly higher after treatment than before (all P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that TNM stage ( OR=2.53, 95% CI: 1.27-5.02, P=0.008) was an independent risk factor for prognosis in HCC patients after TACE treatment, SOCS3 ( OR=0.65, 95% CI: 0.44-0.96, P=0.031) and TXNIP ( OR=0.57, 95% CI: 0.36-0.89, P=0.014) were independent protective factors for prognosis in HCC patients after TACE treatment. ROC curve analysis showed that the sensitivity and specificity of the combined detection of serum SOCS3 and TXNIP before treatment in predicting prognosis of TACE treatment in HCC patients were 81% and 92%, respectively, the area under the curve was 0.92 (95% CI: 0.85-0.96) . Conclusion:The low levels of serum SOCS3 and TXNIP before TACE treatment in HCC patients may indicate poor prognosis after TACE treatment. The combined detection of the two has certain predictive value for judging the prognosis of HCC patients after TACE treatment.

Objective:To evaluate the mood and psychological state of pregnant women with different working states and analyze the influence of working on depression state during the entire pregnancy.Methods:A total of 396 women aged 20-45 years were prospectively enrolled in Capital Medical University Affiliated Beijing Tian Tan Hospital in early pregnancy from December 2020 to April 2020. The ones who had a history of depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and other mental disorders were excluded. Their psychological states were assessed by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) at baseline, the second and third trimester of pregnancy accordingly. Based on employment status during pregnancy, they were analyzed into Full-time (252 cases), Part-time (97 cases), and Unemployed (47 cases) groups. A 3 (Group) ×3 (Pregnancy trimester) repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the differences in EPDS scores among the three groups. Multivariate Linear Regression was used to analyze the effects of employment status and other factors on EPDS scores during pregnancy.Results:Compared to the Full-time and Part-time employment groups, the Unemployed group had lower education levels and higher FSS scores [ones who own a bachelor′s degree or below: 85.2% (40/47) vs 64.3% (162/252); FSS score: (37.5±9.3) vs (33.1±11.2)] (all P<0.05). Repeated measures ANOVA showed the main effect of group and time on EPDS depression scores was statistically significant ( F=3.19, P=0.043; F=6.20, P=0.002). EPDS scores in early pregnancy were significantly higher than those in late pregnancy [(0.6±0.01) vs (0.5±0.01), P=0.003]. There was no significant difference in EPDS scores among different groups ( PBonferroni correction >0.017). There were no statistically significant interaction effects between the three groups and three trimesters of pregnancy ( F=1.34, P=0.253). Regression analysis results showed that Full-time or Part-time employment, higher marital satisfaction, better psychological resilience contributed fewer depression scores in the second trimester of pregnancy ( R 2adjusted=0.34, F=22.37, P<0.001). Conclusion:Both Full-time and Part-time employment during pregnancy have a positive impact on depressive mood in the second trimester of pregnancy but probably no impact in the early and late pregnancy.

Objective:To evaluate the mood and psychological state of pregnant women with different working states and analyze the influence of working on depression state during the entire pregnancy.Methods:A total of 396 women aged 20-45 years were prospectively enrolled in Capital Medical University Affiliated Beijing Tian Tan Hospital in early pregnancy from December 2020 to April 2020. The ones who had a history of depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and other mental disorders were excluded. Their psychological states were assessed by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) at baseline, the second and third trimester of pregnancy accordingly. Based on employment status during pregnancy, they were analyzed into Full-time (252 cases), Part-time (97 cases), and Unemployed (47 cases) groups. A 3 (Group) ×3 (Pregnancy trimester) repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the differences in EPDS scores among the three groups. Multivariate Linear Regression was used to analyze the effects of employment status and other factors on EPDS scores during pregnancy.Results:Compared to the Full-time and Part-time employment groups, the Unemployed group had lower education levels and higher FSS scores [ones who own a bachelor′s degree or below: 85.2% (40/47) vs 64.3% (162/252); FSS score: (37.5±9.3) vs (33.1±11.2)] (all P<0.05). Repeated measures ANOVA showed the main effect of group and time on EPDS depression scores was statistically significant ( F=3.19, P=0.043; F=6.20, P=0.002). EPDS scores in early pregnancy were significantly higher than those in late pregnancy [(0.6±0.01) vs (0.5±0.01), P=0.003]. There was no significant difference in EPDS scores among different groups ( PBonferroni correction >0.017). There were no statistically significant interaction effects between the three groups and three trimesters of pregnancy ( F=1.34, P=0.253). Regression analysis results showed that Full-time or Part-time employment, higher marital satisfaction, better psychological resilience contributed fewer depression scores in the second trimester of pregnancy ( R 2adjusted=0.34, F=22.37, P<0.001). Conclusion:Both Full-time and Part-time employment during pregnancy have a positive impact on depressive mood in the second trimester of pregnancy but probably no impact in the early and late pregnancy.

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a growing global health concern, and its early pathogenesis includes steatosis and steatohepatitis. Inhibiting lipid accumulation and inflammation is a crucial step in relieving ALD. Evidence shows that puerarin (Pue), an isoflavone isolated from Pueraria lobata, exerts cardio-protective, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant activities. However, the therapeutic potential of Pue on ALD remains unknown. In the study, both the NIAAA model and ethanol (EtOH)-induced AML-12 cell were used to explore the protective effect of Pue on alcoholic liver injury in vivo and in vitro and related mechanism. The results showed that Pue (100 mg·kg^-1) attenuated EtOH-induced liver injury and inhibited the levels of SREBP-1c, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β, compared with silymarin (Sil, 100 mg·kg^-1). In vitro results were consistent within vivo results. Mechanistically, Pue might suppress liver lipid accumulation and inflammation by regulating MMP8. In conclusion, Pue might be a promising clinical candidate for ALD treatment.

Animals ; Antibodies, Neutralizing/biosynthesis* ; Antibodies, Viral/biosynthesis* ; Body Weight/immunology* ; COVID-19/virology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Disease Progression ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung/virology* ; Male ; Mesocricetus ; Nasal Cavity/virology* ; RNA, Viral/immunology* ; SARS-CoV-2/pathogenicity* ; Severity of Illness Index ; Viral Load