Objective:To evaluate the safety and clinical efficacy of enteral nutrition (EN) initiated within 24 h after heart transplantation in pediatric patients.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Clinical data from 16 pediatric heart transplant recipients at the Seventh Medical Center of the Chinese People′s Liberation Army General Hospital between October 2022 and October 2024 were collected, including demographics, anthropometric measurements, biochemical markers, cytokine levels, and clinical outcomes. Based on the timing of EN initiation, the patients were divided into EN-initiated within 24 h and EN-initiated after 24 h 2 groups. Demographic data, preoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support, physical examination indicators, laboratory parameters, and cytokine levels were compared between groups using independent samples t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, Fisher′s exact probability test. Results:The cohort comprised 16 patients (10 males and 6 females) with an age of (12.5±1.9) years. The EN-initiated within 24 h group comprised 6 cases, and the EN-initiated after 24 h group comprised 10 cases. No significant difference was observed between the two groups in age, preoperative body mass index Z-score, preoperative ECMO support, physical examination indicators, laboratory parameters (total protein, albumin, hemoglobin), or cytokine levels (all P>0.05). Compared to the EN-initiated after 24 h group, the EN-initiated within 24 h group exhibited a shorter intensive care unit stay ( t=2.65, P<0.05) and shorter mechanical ventilation duration ( t=2.23, P<0.05) than EN-initiated after 24 h group. Total hospitalization length had no significant difference ( P>0.05). At 72 h post-transplant, the EN-initiated within 24 h group had a lower interleukin-12 P70 ( t=2.46, P<0.05) and interferon-γ levels ( t=2.55, P<0.05) than EN-initiated after 24 h group. Prior to discharge, the EN-initiated within 24 h group has a lower mean skinfold thickness ( t=2.49, P<0.05) and lower mid-upper arm circumference ( t=2.36, P<0.05) compared with the EN-initiated after 24 h group. Conclusions:Initiating EN within 24 h postoperatively is safe and feasible in pediatric heart transplant recipients. Early EN may shorten the length of intensive care unit stay and mechanical ventilation while attenuating postoperative release of inflammatory cytokine.

The xylitol dehydrogenase(XDH)is a crucial enzyme involved in the xylose utilization in pentose-catabolizing yeasts and fungi.In addition to producing xylulose,XDH can also be employed to develop a biosensor for monitoring xylitol concentration.In this study,the gene encoding the thermophilic fungus Talaromyces emersonii XDH(TeXDH)was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)at 16 ℃ in the soluble form.Recombinant TeXDH with high purity was purified by using a Ni-NTA affinity column.Size-exclusion chromatography and SDS-PAGE analysis demonstrated that the puri-fied recombinant TeXDH exists as a native trimer with a molecular mass of approximately 116 kD,and is composed of three identical subunits,each with a molecular weight of around 39 kD.The TeXDH strictly preferred NAD+as a coenzyme to NADP+.The optimal temperature and pH of the TeXDH were 40 ℃and 10.0,respectively.After EDTA treatment,the enzyme activity of TeXDH decreased to 43.26％of the initial enzyme activity,while the divalent metal ions Mg2+or Ca2+could recover the enzyme activity of TeXDH,reaching 103.32％and 110.69％of the initial enzyme activity,respectively,making them the optimal divalent metal ion cofactors for TeXDH enzyme.However,the divalent metal ions of Mn2+,Ni2+,Cu2+,Zn2+,Co2+,and Cd2+significantly inhibited the activity of TeXDH.ICP-MS and molecular doc-king studies revealed that 1 mol/L of TeXDH bound 2 mol/L Zn2+ions and 1 mol/L Mg2+ion.Further-more,TeXDH exhibited a high specificity for xylitol,laying the foundation for the development of future xylitol biosensors.

Aim To investigate the effect of p-AMPK activity on autophagy in different subtypes of MDA-MB-231(triple-negative breast cancer cells)and MCF-7(estrogen receptor-positive cells)and its regulatory mechanism.Methods MDA-MB-231 cells were trea-ted with EBSS,Baf-A1,and EBSS+Baf-A1 for four hours,and MCF-7 cells for eight hours.The effects of autophagy on cell proliferation and apoptosis were ob-served,mitochondrial morphology was examined,and the expression of autophagy markers LC3B,P62,LAMP1,TOM20,AMPK,p-AMPK,ULK1,and Bec-lin1/VPS34 proteins was detected.The autophagy pathway was validated by inhibiting AMPK activity.Results Breast cancer cells underwent autophagy af-ter starvation induction(EBSS),with inconsistent au-tophagy processes observed in different subtypes of breast cancer cells.Autophagy inhibited cell prolifera-tion.In MDA-MB-231 cells,autophagy led to an in-crease in p-AMPK levels and a decrease in ULK1 lev-els,initiating autophagy through p-AMPK activation of ULK1.In MCF-7 cells,both p-AMPK and ULK1 levels decreased after autophagy,suggesting that autophagy might not be mediated by p-AMPK activation.Conclu-sions MDA-MB-231 cells primarily initiate autophagy by directly activating ULK1 by p-AMPK,independent of the MTOR pathway.In MCF-7 cells autophagy might be triggered by inhibiting MTOR through AMPK activity or directly activating MTOR through other up-stream factors.Regulating p-AMPK activity based on the autophagy pathways in different cell subtypes could enable more precise targeting and treatment of different types of breast cancer.

Aim To investigate the effect of p-AMPK activity on autophagy in different subtypes of MDA-MB-231(triple-negative breast cancer cells)and MCF-7(estrogen receptor-positive cells)and its regulatory mechanism.Methods MDA-MB-231 cells were trea-ted with EBSS,Baf-A1,and EBSS+Baf-A1 for four hours,and MCF-7 cells for eight hours.The effects of autophagy on cell proliferation and apoptosis were ob-served,mitochondrial morphology was examined,and the expression of autophagy markers LC3B,P62,LAMP1,TOM20,AMPK,p-AMPK,ULK1,and Bec-lin1/VPS34 proteins was detected.The autophagy pathway was validated by inhibiting AMPK activity.Results Breast cancer cells underwent autophagy af-ter starvation induction(EBSS),with inconsistent au-tophagy processes observed in different subtypes of breast cancer cells.Autophagy inhibited cell prolifera-tion.In MDA-MB-231 cells,autophagy led to an in-crease in p-AMPK levels and a decrease in ULK1 lev-els,initiating autophagy through p-AMPK activation of ULK1.In MCF-7 cells,both p-AMPK and ULK1 levels decreased after autophagy,suggesting that autophagy might not be mediated by p-AMPK activation.Conclu-sions MDA-MB-231 cells primarily initiate autophagy by directly activating ULK1 by p-AMPK,independent of the MTOR pathway.In MCF-7 cells autophagy might be triggered by inhibiting MTOR through AMPK activity or directly activating MTOR through other up-stream factors.Regulating p-AMPK activity based on the autophagy pathways in different cell subtypes could enable more precise targeting and treatment of different types of breast cancer.

Objective To analyze the factors influencing hypercoagulable state in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH)after surgery,so as to provide reference for preventing postoperative thrombosis in BPH.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 307 BPH patients who underwent surgery in the Department of Urology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University during Apr.2022 and Sep.2023.Patients were divided into the hypercoagulable state group and non-hypercoagulable state group based on the presence of abnormal postoperative coagulation parameters.Single factor and binary logistic regression analysis were used to screen risk factors affecting postoperative blood hypercoagulability in BPH patients.Results Among the 307 BPH patients,45(14.66％)developed a hypercoagulable state postoperatively.Univariate analysis revealed statistically significant differences between the hypercoagulable and non-hypercoagulable groups regarding patients'age,length of hospital stay,body mass index(BMI),history of hypertension,history of diabetes,and blood type(P＜0.05).Binary logistic regression analysis identified BMI(OR=1.135,95％CI:1.006-1.281,P=0.039),history of hypertension(OR=2.342,95％CI:1.103-4.927,P=0.027),and blood type(OR=2.270,95％CI:1.066-4.836,P=0.034)as independent risk factors for postoperative hypercoagulable state.Conclusion Non-O blood type,high BMI,and history of hypertension are independent risk factors for the occurrence of hypercoagulable state following surgery for BPH.

The xylitol dehydrogenase(XDH)is a crucial enzyme involved in the xylose utilization in pentose-catabolizing yeasts and fungi.In addition to producing xylulose,XDH can also be employed to develop a biosensor for monitoring xylitol concentration.In this study,the gene encoding the thermophilic fungus Talaromyces emersonii XDH(TeXDH)was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)at 16 ℃ in the soluble form.Recombinant TeXDH with high purity was purified by using a Ni-NTA affinity column.Size-exclusion chromatography and SDS-PAGE analysis demonstrated that the puri-fied recombinant TeXDH exists as a native trimer with a molecular mass of approximately 116 kD,and is composed of three identical subunits,each with a molecular weight of around 39 kD.The TeXDH strictly preferred NAD+as a coenzyme to NADP+.The optimal temperature and pH of the TeXDH were 40 ℃and 10.0,respectively.After EDTA treatment,the enzyme activity of TeXDH decreased to 43.26％of the initial enzyme activity,while the divalent metal ions Mg2+or Ca2+could recover the enzyme activity of TeXDH,reaching 103.32％and 110.69％of the initial enzyme activity,respectively,making them the optimal divalent metal ion cofactors for TeXDH enzyme.However,the divalent metal ions of Mn2+,Ni2+,Cu2+,Zn2+,Co2+,and Cd2+significantly inhibited the activity of TeXDH.ICP-MS and molecular doc-king studies revealed that 1 mol/L of TeXDH bound 2 mol/L Zn2+ions and 1 mol/L Mg2+ion.Further-more,TeXDH exhibited a high specificity for xylitol,laying the foundation for the development of future xylitol biosensors.

Objective To explore the effects of vitamin D on anxiety and depression behavior and the mechanism of hippocampal inflammation in obese rats.Methods Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups(n=12):control group(group C),obesity group(group F),low-dose vitamin D group(L-VD group),and high-dose vitamin D group(H-VD group).Group C was fed a standard diet,and the other three groups were fed a high-fat diet.After successful establishment of the rat obesity model,L-VD group and H-VD group were intraperitoneally injected with 10 μg·kg-1·d-1 and 20 μg·kg-1·d-1 vitamin D,respective-ly,and groups C and F were injected with the same volume of normal saline;relevant indexes were detected af-ter continued feeding for 6 weeks.The sucrose preference test and open field test were used to study the be-havior of rats in each group.The histopathological changes of hippocampal tissue were observed by HE stai-ning.The expression levels of TNF-α and NF-κB protein in hippocampal tissue were detected by Western blot.Results After 6 weeks of intervention,compared with group C,the serum 25(OH)D concentration,sugar-wa-ter preference rate,total distance of open field movement,number of entries into the central area,and duration of stay in the central area were significantly decreased in group F rats.The expression levels of TNF-α and NF-κB proteins in hippocampal tissues were significantly increased(P<0.05).Compared with group F,serum 25(OH)D concentration and sugar-water preference rate were significantly increased in L-VD and H-VD groups.Anxiety and depression-like behaviors in the open field were markedly improved.TNF-α and NF-κB protein levels were significantly decreased(P<0.05).Statistically significant differences were observed in all aforementioned indicators between the groups(P<0.05).HE staining revealed looser arrangement of hipp-ocampal neurons,with extensive neuronal degeneration in group F.In contrast,L-VD and H-VD groups exhib-ited tighter and more regular neuronal arrangements,with only mild edema and cytoplasmic vacuolation in some cells.No significant neuronal degeneration was observed in the H-VD group.Conclusion Reduced vita-min D levels in obese rats exacerbate anxiety-depression-like behaviors,potentially through activation of hipp-ocampal inflammatory factors.

Objective To analyze the factors influencing hypercoagulable state in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH)after surgery,so as to provide reference for preventing postoperative thrombosis in BPH.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 307 BPH patients who underwent surgery in the Department of Urology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University during Apr.2022 and Sep.2023.Patients were divided into the hypercoagulable state group and non-hypercoagulable state group based on the presence of abnormal postoperative coagulation parameters.Single factor and binary logistic regression analysis were used to screen risk factors affecting postoperative blood hypercoagulability in BPH patients.Results Among the 307 BPH patients,45(14.66％)developed a hypercoagulable state postoperatively.Univariate analysis revealed statistically significant differences between the hypercoagulable and non-hypercoagulable groups regarding patients'age,length of hospital stay,body mass index(BMI),history of hypertension,history of diabetes,and blood type(P＜0.05).Binary logistic regression analysis identified BMI(OR=1.135,95％CI:1.006-1.281,P=0.039),history of hypertension(OR=2.342,95％CI:1.103-4.927,P=0.027),and blood type(OR=2.270,95％CI:1.066-4.836,P=0.034)as independent risk factors for postoperative hypercoagulable state.Conclusion Non-O blood type,high BMI,and history of hypertension are independent risk factors for the occurrence of hypercoagulable state following surgery for BPH.

Objective:To evaluate the safety and clinical efficacy of enteral nutrition (EN) initiated within 24 h after heart transplantation in pediatric patients.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Clinical data from 16 pediatric heart transplant recipients at the Seventh Medical Center of the Chinese People′s Liberation Army General Hospital between October 2022 and October 2024 were collected, including demographics, anthropometric measurements, biochemical markers, cytokine levels, and clinical outcomes. Based on the timing of EN initiation, the patients were divided into EN-initiated within 24 h and EN-initiated after 24 h 2 groups. Demographic data, preoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support, physical examination indicators, laboratory parameters, and cytokine levels were compared between groups using independent samples t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, Fisher′s exact probability test. Results:The cohort comprised 16 patients (10 males and 6 females) with an age of (12.5±1.9) years. The EN-initiated within 24 h group comprised 6 cases, and the EN-initiated after 24 h group comprised 10 cases. No significant difference was observed between the two groups in age, preoperative body mass index Z-score, preoperative ECMO support, physical examination indicators, laboratory parameters (total protein, albumin, hemoglobin), or cytokine levels (all P>0.05). Compared to the EN-initiated after 24 h group, the EN-initiated within 24 h group exhibited a shorter intensive care unit stay ( t=2.65, P<0.05) and shorter mechanical ventilation duration ( t=2.23, P<0.05) than EN-initiated after 24 h group. Total hospitalization length had no significant difference ( P>0.05). At 72 h post-transplant, the EN-initiated within 24 h group had a lower interleukin-12 P70 ( t=2.46, P<0.05) and interferon-γ levels ( t=2.55, P<0.05) than EN-initiated after 24 h group. Prior to discharge, the EN-initiated within 24 h group has a lower mean skinfold thickness ( t=2.49, P<0.05) and lower mid-upper arm circumference ( t=2.36, P<0.05) compared with the EN-initiated after 24 h group. Conclusions:Initiating EN within 24 h postoperatively is safe and feasible in pediatric heart transplant recipients. Early EN may shorten the length of intensive care unit stay and mechanical ventilation while attenuating postoperative release of inflammatory cytokine.

Objective To explore the possible causes of CAST/EiJ mouse susceptibility to multiple pathogens,the immune cell phenotypes in the peripheral blood and spleen of CAST/EiJ mice were analyzed to clarify their composition.Methods Classical dendritic cells(cDCs),natural killer(NK)cells,B lymphocytes,T lymphocytes,and their subsets in the peripheral blood and spleen of CAST/EiJ mice and C57BL/6J mice were detected by flow cytometry using the cell surface markers CD3,CD4,CD8,CD11b,CD11c,CD19,CD27,CD49b,and TCRβ.Results There was no significant difference in the proportion of cDCs between CAST/EiJ and C57BL/6J mice,but the cDC1 cell subset population was smaller in CAST/EiJ.The proportions of NK cells(mainly mature NK cell subsets)and T lymphocytes(mainly CD8+T cells)were both lower in CAST/EiJ mice than C57BL/6J mice,while the proportion of B cells was higher in CAST/EiJ mice than C57BL/6J mice.Conclusions The proportions of NK and T lymphocytes in CAST/EiJ mice were lower than those in C57BL/6J mice.