Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a medical condition characterized by cardiac remodeling and dysfunction in individuals with diabetes mellitus. Sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and mitochondrial Ca²⁺ overload in cardiomyocytes have been recognized as biological hallmarks in DCM; however, the specific factors underlying these abnormalities remain largely unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of a cardiac-specific long noncoding RNA, D830005E20Rik (Trdn-as), in DCM. Our results revealed the remarkably upregulation of Trdn-as in the hearts of the DCM mice and cardiomyocytes treated with high glucose (HG). Knocking down Trdn-as in cardiac tissues significantly improved cardiac dysfunction and remodeling in the DCM mice. Conversely, Trdn-as overexpression resulted in cardiac damage resembling that observed in the DCM mice. At the cellular level, Trdn-as induced Ca²⁺ overload in the SR and mitochondria, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction. RNA-seq and bioinformatics analyses identified calsequestrin 2 (Casq2), a primary calcium-binding protein in the junctional SR, as a potential target of Trdn-as. Further investigations revealed that Trdn-as facilitated the recruitment of METTL14 to the Casq2 mRNA, thereby enhancing the m⁶A modification of Casq2. This modification increased the stability of Casq2 mRNA and subsequently led to increased protein expression. When Casq2 was knocked down, the promoting effects of Trdn-as on Ca²⁺ overload and mitochondrial damage were mitigated. These findings provide valuable insights into the pathogenesis of DCM and suggest Trdn-as as a potential therapeutic target for this condition.
Animals ; Diabetic Cardiomyopathies/pathology* ; RNA, Long Noncoding/genetics* ; Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism* ; Mice ; Calsequestrin/genetics* ; Calcium/metabolism* ; Male ; Sarcoplasmic Reticulum/metabolism* ; Methyltransferases/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mitochondria, Heart/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mitochondria/metabolism*

In recent years， the incidence of pulmonary nodules has kept rising. To give full play to the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） in the treatment of pulmonary nodules and identify the breakthrough points of integrating TCM with Western medicine， the China Association of Chinese Medicine organized medical experts in TCM and western medicine to carry out in-depth discussion regarding this disease. The discussion encompassed the modern medical advances， TCM theories of etiology and pathogenesis， the role and advantages of TCM in the whole course management of pulmonary nodules， contents and methods of research on pulmonary nodules， and science popularization work， aiming to provide a reference for clinical practice and scientific research. After discussion， the experts concluded that the occurrence of pulmonary nodules was rooted in the deficiency of the lung and spleen and triggered by phlegm dampness， blood stasis， and Qi stagnation. TCM can treat pulmonary nodules by controlling and reducing nodules， improving physical constitution， ameliorating multi-system nodular diseases， reducing anxiety and avoiding excessive diagnosis and treatment， and serving as an alternative for patients who are unwilling or unfit for surgical treatment. At present， the optimal diagnosis and treatment strategy for pulmonary nodules has not been formed， which needs to be further studied from multiple perspectives such as clinical epidemiology， biology， and evidence-based medicine. The primary task of current research is to find out the advantages， effective prescriptions， and target populations and determine the effective outcomes of TCM in the treatment of pulmonary nodules. At the same time， basic research should be carried out to explore the etiology and biological behaviors of pulmonary nodules. The expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary nodules with integrated TCM and Western medicine needs to be continuously revised to guide clinicians to conduct standardized， scientific， and accurate effective diagnosis and treatment.

In this study, deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were used as excipients to prepare solid dispersion (SD) of scutellarin. The SD of scutellarin were prepared by melting method with cumulative dissolution rate as the index of investigation. The preparation conditions of SD of scutellarin were optimized by single factor experiment, which investigated the type of the carrier material, the type of DESs, and the ratio of the drug to the carrier. The optimum preparation conditions of DESs-SD were as follows: using Poloxamer 407 as the carrier material, PEG 200/urea (2∶1) as the DESs system, and the ratio of carrier, DESs, and drug was 6∶1∶1. The drug loading capacity of scutellarin in SD was 12.53% under the optimum preparation conditions. Differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscope exhibited that scutellarin was amorphous form in the SD system. Furthermore, the stability of the DESs-based SD of scutellarin was evaluated by high temperature, high humidity, and strong light tests, which showed that the cumulative dissolution rate and scutellarin content of SD decreased with time under these conditions. Finally, the result of pharmacokinetic studies indicated that the oral absorption of the scutellarin could be increased using DESs as an excipient in the preparation of SD. The animal experiment was approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (approval number: FJTCMIACUC 2023048). Consequently, this research offers a novel and effective approach for using DESs to enhance the oral bioavailability of active substances with low water solubility.

Objective:To investigate the effect of microgravity-mediated Notch1 signaling on macrophage polarization on bone homeostasis.Methods:The animal model was constructed by tail-limb suspension(HLS)to simulate the microgravity environment.The animals were grouped into Control group,HLS group,HLS+NC group,HLS+si group,HLS+rhNF-κB group.ELISA was used to detect the content of TNF-α and IL-1β in serum of rats.TUNEL staining was used to detect the apoptosis of bone tissue.Immunofluo-rescence was used to detect the polarization of macrophages in bone tissue.The rat osteoblast CP-R091 microgravity model was con-structed by simulating the microgravity environment with a rotating wall bioreactor.The cell experiments were divided into Control group,HLS group,HLS+NC group,HLS+si group,HLS+rhNF-κB group.CCK-8 test was used to detect the proliferation activity of cells in each group,and AO test was used to test the apoptosis rate of cells in each group.PCR was used to detect the expression of os-teogenesis-related genes in bone tissues and cells.Western blot was used to detect the expression of Notch1,hair division-related en-hancer-1(HES-1),and Notch pathway ligand 1(Jagged1)in bone tissues and cells of each group.Results:Compared with control group,the contents of TNF-α and IL-1β in the serum of the rats in the HLS group,the apoptosis rate,and the proportion of M1 macro-phages were significantly increased.Compared with HLS group,the HLS+si group could obviously partially reverse the change trend of the above parameters,while HLS+rhNF-κB group significantly changed the above parameter values.Compared with control group,the proliferation activity of the cells in the HLS group was significantly reduced,and the apoptosis rate was significantly increased.Com-pared with HLS group,the HLS+si group could obviously partially reverse the change trend of the above parameters,while the HLS+rhNF-κB group made the above parameter values worse.The expressions of the osteogenesis-related genes collagen type Ⅰ(COL1),osteocalcin(OCN)and Runt-related transcription factor 2(RUNX2)in bone tissues and cells in the microgravity environment were significantly decreased,while the expressions of Notch-1,Hes-1 and Jagged1 were significantly increased,and the differences were statistically significant(all P<0.05).Conclusion:Microgravity-mediated Notch1 signaling regulates M1/M2 polarization of macro-phages,participates in cell proliferation and apoptosis in bone tissue,and affects the progress of bone homeostasis.

Aim To investigate the regulatory mecha-nism of butin on the proliferation,migration,cycle blockage and pyroptosis related inflammatory factors in human fibroblast-like synoviocytes of rheumatoid arthri-tis(HFLS-RA).Methods Cell proliferation,migra-tion and invasion were studied using cell migration and invasion assays.Cell cycle was detected by flow cytom-etry,and the expression of the pyroptosis-associated in-flammatory factors IL-1β,IL-18,caspase-1 and caspase-3 was detected by ELISA,RT-qPCR and West-ern blot.Results Migration and invasion experiments showed that the cell proliferation rate of the butin group was lower than that of the blank control group(P＜0.05).Cell cycle analysis demonstrated that in the G0/G1 phase,the DNA expression was elevated in the medium and high-dose groups of butin(P＜0.05),while in the G2 and S phases,the DNA expression was reduced in the medium and high-dose groups of butin(P＜0.05).The results of ELISA,RT-qPCR and Western blot assay revealed that the expression of IL-1β,IL-1 8,caspase-1,and caspase-3 decreased in the butin group compared with the IL-1β+caspase-3 in-hibitor group(P＜0.05).Conclusions Butin inhib-its HFLS-RA proliferation by inhibiting the synthesis of inflammatory vesicles by caspase-1 in the pyroptosis pathway,thereby reducing the production and release of inflammatory factors such as IL-1β and IL-18 down-stream of the pathway,and also inhibits HFLS-RA pro-liferation by exerting a significant blocking effect in the G1 phase,which may be one of the potential mecha-nisms of butin in the treatment of RA.

AIM To study the chemical constituents from the branches and leaves of Toona ciliata Roem.var.pubescens(Franch.)Hand-Mazz.and their antitumor activities.METHODS The compounds were isolated and purified by silica gel,RP-18 reverse phase silica gel and semi-preparative HPLC,the structures of compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectral data.The antitumor activities were determined by MTT method.RESULTS Fifteen compounds were isolated and identified as toonaolide D(1),toonaciliatin E(2),bourjotinolone A(3),(21R,23R)-epoxy-21α-ethoxy-24S,25-dihydroxyapotirucalla-7-en-3-one(4),(Z)-toonasterone C(5),(E)-toonasterone(6),3-epi-dyscusin C(7),(Z)-aglawone(8),(E)-volkendousin(9),8(14),15-isopimaradiene-2α,3α,19-triol(10),(-)-loliolide(11),cyclohexenone(12),pubinernoid A(13),quercetin-3-O-(4″-methoxy)-α-L-rahmnopyranosyl(14),5-hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxaldehyde(15).The IC50 values of compounds 3 and 4 on K562 cells were 54.2 and 47.3 μmol/L,respectively,and the IC50 values on HEL cells were 47.3 and 61.1 μmol/L,respectively.CONCLUTION Compounds 4,7,10 and 11 are isolated from Toona genus for the first time,and compounds 2,15 are first isolated from this plant.Compounds 3 and 4 show weak antitumor activities.

Objective:To evaluate the hemostatic effects of our self-designed pelvic band with inflatable balloon in a swine model of hemodynamically unstable pelvic fracture.Methods:"Open-book like" fractures were created with the external iliac blood vessels exposed in 24 12-month-old female Bama miniature pigs which were randomly divided into 4 groups ( n=6). Group C (the control group) was subjected to no treatment other than exposure of the external iliac blood vessels, group D to no treatment following destruction of the external iliac blood vessels, group T1 to fixation with simple pelvic band after destruction of the external iliac blood vessels, and group T2 to fixation with our self-designed pelvic band with inflatable balloon after destruction of the external iliac blood vessels. The 4 groups were compared in terms of 40-min survival rate, bladder pressure, peak lactate value, total blood loss, bleeding rate, infusion rate, and angiographic images. Results:There was no significant difference in the baseline indexes among the 4 groups before experiment, showing comparability ( P>0.05). The 40-min survival rate in group T2 was 83.3% (5/6), significantly higher than that in groups D and T1 [0% (0/6) and 0% (0/6)] ( P<0.05). There were no significant differences among groups C, D, T1 and T2 in bladder pressure [(6.67±1.03) mmHg, (5.83±1.94) mmHg, (6.00±1.55) mmHg, and (6.00±1.10) mmHg] or in total blood loss among groups D, T1 and T2[(1,198.0±182.9) mL, (1,252.0±148.4) mL, and (1,150.0±125.7) mL] (all P>0.05). The peak lactate value in group T2 [(2.26±0.24) mmol/L] was significantly lower than that in group D [(5.00±0.60) mmol/L] and group T1 [(3.86±0.57) mmol/L], and the bleeding rate and infusion rate in group T2 [(25.83±5.49) mL/min and (26.00±4.69) mL/min] were also significantly lower than those in group D [(83.50±19.85) mL/min and (71.50±29.11) mL/min] and group T1 [(54.17±15.59) mL/min and (54.17±8.98) mL/min] (all P<0.05). Angiography showed contrast agent extravasation in group T2, especially from the artery, but the extravasation speed in group T2 was significantly slower than that in group D. Conclusion:In a swine model of hemodynamically unstable pelvic fracture, our self-designed pelvic band with inflatable balloon has a definite hemostatic effect on vascular injury which is better than that of a simple pelvic band.

Objective:To investigate the epidemiology of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in patients with maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) in Jiangsu province during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in China from December 7, 2022 to January 27, 2023, and to analyze the influencing factors of all-cause death.Methods:It was a multi-center cross-sectional investigation. Structured questionnaire was used to collect patient information by medical staff of each hemodialysis center (room) as investigators. Part of the demography data and laboratory examination data came from the Jiangsu Province Hemodialysis Data Information System. MHD patients from hemodialysis centers (rooms) at all levels of medical institutions and independent hemodialysis institutions in Jiangsu province during the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 infection were included, and the clinical characteristics and all-cause mortality of confirmed and suspected cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were analyzed.Results:Questionnaire surveys and data analysis on 57 278 patients in 407 hemodialysis centers (rooms) were completed, accounting for 90.41% of the total number of MHD patients (63 357 cases) in Jiangsu province during the same period. There were 24 038 cases (41.97%) of SARS-CoV-2 infection and 14 805 cases (25.85%) of suspected infection, which were widely distributed in all dialysis centers in Jiangsu province. After clinical classification of 38 843 confirmed and suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection cases, 3 662 cases were severe and critical cases, accounting for 9.43% of the infected and suspected cases. Among the patients who had completed the questionnaires, there were 1 812 all-cause deaths, with an all-cause mortality rate of 3.16%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that elderly (taking ≤50 years as a reference, 51-59 years: OR=1.583, 95% CI 1.279-1.933, P=0.001; 60-69 years: OR=3.972, 95% CI 3.271-4.858, P<0.001; 70-79 years: OR=7.236, 95% CI 5.917-8.698, P<0.001; ≥80 years: OR=11.738, 95% CI 9.459-14.663, P<0.001), male ( OR=1.371, 95% CI 1.229-1.529, P<0.001), and co-infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) (positive serum HBV surface antigen, OR=0.629, 95% CI 0.484-0.817, P<0.001) were independent influencing factors for all cause mortality. Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the area under the curve for male, age and current HBV infection prediction of all-cause death was 0.529 ( P<0.001), 0.724 ( P<0.001) and 0.514 ( P=0.042), respectively, and the cut-off value for age prediction of all-cause death was 65.5 years old. Compared with patients without HBV infection, MHD patients with HBV infection significantly reduced the proportion of severe and critically ill patients, all-cause hospitalizations and all cause deaths when infected with SARS-CoV-2 (4.99% vs. 6.41%, χ2=6.136, P=0.013; 8.90% vs. 11.44%, χ2=11.662, P<0.001; 2.01% vs. 3.37%, χ2=10.713, P=0.001, respectively). Conclusion:The MHD patients in Jiangsu province are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2. Elderly age and male gender are independent risk factors for death in MHD patients during the epidemic, while the HBV infection may be a protective factor for death of MHD patients infected with SARS-CoV-2.

OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively study medium term follow up outcomes effects of effect of bio-lengthend stem hemiarthroplasty in the treatment of unstable osteoporotic intertrochanteric fractures in elderly patients. METHODS: Total of 32 elderly patients with the osteoporotic intertrochanteric fractures were treated with bio-lengthend stem hemiarthroplasty from Jan. 2016 to Jan. 2019 including 14 males and 22 females, aged from 85 to 95 years old with an average of (89.5±4.5) years old. According to classification of Evans, there were 12 cases with type Ⅲ, 11 with type Ⅳ and 9 with type Ⅳ. The time from injury to operation ranged from 0.5 to 9 days with an average of (4.5±3.9) days. The operation time, blood loss and postoperative complications were analyzed. Functional outcome was assessed by Parker Palmer mobility score(PPMS) and Harris hip score. RESULTS: Four patients died within one year after operation, and the mortality was 12.5%. The follow up time for the rest 28 patients ranged from 24 to 60 months with an average of (28.5±4.5) months. The mean operative time was (54.2±22.5) min;the mean blood loss (hidden blood loss+obvious blood loss) was (450±140) ml;the first weight bearing was (3.35±1.35) days. No perioperative death occurred. PPMS were(6.63±1.25), (6.94±1.18), (7.11±0.83), (7.32±1.11) and Harris scores were(67.85±6.19), (71.42±5.57), (73.41±5.62), (77.32±5.24) respectively at 1, 3, 6 months and the final follow-up after operation. There were no significant difference in PPMS and Harris score at 1, 3, 6 months after operation and the final follow-up(P>0.05). There were no complications such as joint dislocation and prosthesis loosening occure at the final follow-up. CONCLUSION On the premise of strictly mastering the case selection criteria, the bio-lengthend stem hemiarthroplasty in the treatment of unstable osteoporotic intertrochanteric fractures in elderly patients has a satisfied medium term follow-up outcomes. It can restore hip function in the early stage and improve the quality of life of patients.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; Hemiarthroplasty ; Quality of Life ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Hip Fractures/surgery* ; Osteoporotic Fractures/surgery*

OBJECTIVES: To study the genetic characteristics, clinical characteristics, and prognosis of children with primary dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 44 children who were diagnosed with DCM in Hebei Children's Hospital from July 2018 to February 2023. According to the genetic testing results, they were divided into two groups: gene mutation-positive group (n=17) and gene mutation-negative group (n=27). The two groups were compared in terms of clinical data at initial diagnosis and follow-up data. RESULTS: Among the 44 children with DCM, there were 21 boys (48%) and 23 girls (52%). Respiratory symptoms including cough and shortness of breath were the most common symptom at initial diagnosis (34%, 15/44). The detection rate of gene mutations was 39% (17/44). There were no significant differences between the two groups in clinical characteristics, proportion of children with cardiac function grade Ⅲ or Ⅳ, brain natriuretic peptide levels, left ventricular ejection fraction, and left ventricular fractional shortening at initial diagnosis (P>0.05). The median follow-up time was 23 months, and 9 children (20%) died, including 8 children from the gene mutation-positive group, among whom 3 had TTN gene mutation, 2 had LMNA gene mutation, 2 had TAZ gene mutation, and 1 had ATAD3A gene mutation. The gene mutation-positive group had a significantly higher mortality rate than the gene mutation-negative group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS There is no correlation between the severity of DCM at initial diagnosis and gene mutations in children. However, children with gene mutations may have a poorer prognosis.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Child ; Stroke Volume ; Retrospective Studies ; Ventricular Function, Left ; Phenotype ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated/diagnosis* ; Mutation ; ATPases Associated with Diverse Cellular Activities/genetics* ; Membrane Proteins/genetics* ; Mitochondrial Proteins/genetics*