In recent years, research on stem cell therapy in the field of lung transplantation has gradually increased, demonstrating its potential in improving the outcomes of lung transplantation. As a treatment option for end-stage lung diseases, lung transplantation faces challenges such as scarcity of donor organs, postoperative complications and rejection. Stem cells, with their self-renewal and multi-directional differentiation capabilities, have emerged as strong candidates for alternative or adjunctive treatments. Current studies show that embryonic stem cells and umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells play significant roles in lung tissue regeneration and immune regulation. However, stem cell therapy still needs to overcome issues such as the selection of cell sources, low survival rates after transplantation and unclear long-term efficacy in clinical applications. Future research should focus on exploring new stem cell sources, improving transplantation techniques and establishing efficacy evaluation systems.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism by which Wendantang regulates the silent information regulator 3 （SIRT3）/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1α （PGC-1α） pathway to influence energy metabolism and thereby prevent and treat myocardial ischemia （MI） in a rat model of hyperlipidemia （HL）. MethodsThirty SD rats were randomly assigned into five groups： control， model， low-dose （3.702 g·kg^-1·d^-1） Wendantang， high-dose （7.404 g·kg^-1·d^-1） Wendantang， and positive control （trimetazidine， 0.006 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， with six rats in each group. The control group was fed normally， while the other groups were fed with a high-fat diet for six weeks for the modeling of HL. Subsequently， the drug intervention groups were administrated with corresponding drugs by gavage， and the control and model groups received an equivalent volume of normal saline for 14 days. One hour after the last gavage， the other groups except the control group were injected intraperitoneally with posterior pituitary hormone （30 U·kg^-1） to induce MI. Electrocardiography （ECG） was employed to detect changes in the electrocardiogram. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was performed to observe cardiac pathological changes. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to measure the serum levels of cardiac troponin I（cTnI）， myoglobin （MYO）， and creatine kinase-MB （CK-MB）. Colorimetry was used to determine the levels of total cholesterol （TC） and triglycerides （TG） in the serum and ATP， malondialdehyde （MDA）， and superoxide dismutase （SOD） in the myocardial tissue. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of SIRT3， PGC-1α， adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase （AMPK）， and phosphorylated AMPK （p-AMPK） in the myocardial tissue. Real-time PCR was employed to measure the mRNA levels of SIRT3， PGC-1α， and AMPKα in the myocardial tissue. ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group showed significant J-point deviation and elevation in the ECG image， increased heart rate， disarrangement of myocardial fibers with unclear boundaries， elevated levels of CK-MB， cTnI， MYO， TC， and TG （P<0.05， P<0.01）， declined levels of SOD and ATP （P<0.01）， down-regulated mRNA levels of SIRT3， PGC-1α， and AMPK （P<0.05）， and down-regulated protein levels of SIRT3， PGC-1α， and p-AMPK （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the low-dose and high-dose Wendantang groups and the trimetazidine group showed inhibited J-point deviation and elevation in the ECG image， slowed heart rate， reduced inflammatory cell infiltration， alleviated disarrangement of myocardial fibers， declined levels of CK-MB， cTnI， MYO， TC， and TG （P<0.05， P<0.01）， elevated level of SOD （P<0.01）， up-regulated mRNA levels of SIRT3， PGC-1α， and AMPK （P<0.05， P<0.01） and up-regulated protein levels of SIRT3， PGC-1α， and p-AMPK （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionWendantang can effectively intervene in HL-associated MI in rats by reducing oxidative stress in myocardial cells， alleviating lipid metabolism disorders， and improving myocardial energy metabolism via the SIRT3/PGC-1α signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Owing to the high prevalence of antibiotic resistance in Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori ) in China, bismuth-containing quadruple therapies have been recommended for H. pylori eradication. This study compared the efficacy and safety of quadruple regimens containing vonoprazan vs . esomeprazole for H. pylori eradication in a patient population in China. METHODS: This was a phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind study. Patients with confirmed H. pylori infection were randomized 1:1 to receive quadruple therapy for 14 days: amoxicillin 1000 mg and clarithromycin 500 mg after meals, bismuth potassium citrate 600 mg before meals, plus either vonoprazan 20 mg or esomeprazole 20 mg before meals, all twice daily. The primary outcome was the eradication rate of H. pylori , evaluated using a 13 C urea breath test at 4 weeks after treatment. The non-inferiority margin was at 10%. RESULTS: The study included 510 patients, 506 of whom completed the follow-up assessment. The primary analysis revealed eradication rates of 86.8% (210/242) and 86.7% (208/240) for vonoprazan and esomeprazole therapy, respectively (treatment difference: 0.1%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -5.95, 6.17; non-inferiority P  = 0.0009). Per-protocol analysis showed eradication rates of 87.4% for vonoprazan and 86.3% for esomeprazole (treatment difference: 1.2%; 95% CI: -5.03, 7.36; non-inferiority P  = 0.0004). Vonoprazan and esomeprazole were well tolerated, with similar safety profiles. CONCLUSION: Vonoprazan was found to be well-tolerated and non-inferior to esomeprazole for eradicating H. pylori in patients from China. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT04198363.
Humans ; Esomeprazole/therapeutic use* ; Double-Blind Method ; Helicobacter Infections/drug therapy* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Helicobacter pylori/pathogenicity* ; Pyrroles/therapeutic use* ; Sulfonamides/therapeutic use* ; Adult ; Clarithromycin/therapeutic use* ; Amoxicillin/therapeutic use* ; Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use* ; Pyrrolidines/therapeutic use* ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Proton Pump Inhibitors/therapeutic use*

Chronic limb-threatening ischemia(CLTI)is a serious peripheral arterial disease(PAD)characterized by reduced blood flow in the limbs,resulting in tissue damage and dysfunction.Mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)have become a research hotspot in the field of CLTI treatment in recent years due to their unique regenerative ability and immunomodulatory properties.In the environment of hypoxia and tissue injury,MSCs can promote angiogenesis,reduce inflammation and promote tissue repair by secreting cytokines,cell differentiation and inter-cellular signal transduction,so as to improve the symptoms and prognosis of patients with CLTI,showing a broad clinical application prospect.

Objective To explore the neuroprotective effects and mechanisms of asiaticoside(AS)in rats with transient cerebral ischemia.Methods One hundred male Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats were randomly divided into five groups:sham-operated(Sham)group,transient middle cerebral artery occlusion(tMCAO)group,and low-,medium-,and high-dose AS(AS-L,AS-M,AS-H)groups,with 20 rats in each group.Except for the Sham group,rats in the other four groups under-went tMCAO surgery.Rats in the AS-L,AS-M,and AS-H groups received intragastric administration of 20,40 and 80 mg/kg AS respectively,once daily for 7 days starting 1 hour post-surgery.Rats in the Sham and tMCAO groups received equivalent volumes of saline.Neurological deficit score,brain water content,and TTC staining were used to evaluate neurological impairment,cerebral edema,and infarct volume.HE staining and Nissl staining wereused to assess histopathological changes and neu-ronal damage.Autophagy was detected via transmission electron microscopy.Immunofluorescence staining was usedto analyze the expression and localization of microtubule-associated protein light chain 3B(LC3B).TUNEL staining was used to evaluate apoptosis,and Western blot was used to measure protein expression.Results Compared with the Sham group,rats in the tMCAO group ex-hibited significantly increased neurological deficit score,brain water content,infarct volume,and histopathological damage,as well as significantly decreased Nissl body counts(P＜0.05).AS dose-dependently reduced neurological deficits,brain water content,infarct volume,and histopatho-logical damage while increased Nissl body numbers.The tMCAO group showed significantly higher numbers of autophagosomes,lysosomes,and LC3B-positive cells,along with significantly elevated LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ,Beclin-1,Bax,cleaved caspase-3 compared to the Sham group;in contrast,p-PI3K,p-Akt,and p-mTOR protein levels,intact mitochondria count and p62 and Bcl-2 protein levels were significantly lower inthe tMCAO group(P＜0.05).Compared with the tMCAO group,AS treatment dose-dependently significantly decreased autophagosomes,lysosomes,LC3B-positive cells,and the expression of LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ,Beclin-1,Bax,cleaved caspase-3 while significantly increased p-PI3K,p-Akt,and p-mTOR protein,intact mitochondria and p62 and Bcl-2 levels(P＜0.05).Conclusion AS exerts neuroprotective effects by inhibiting excessive autophagy and apopto-sis in rats with transient cerebral ischemia via activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical value of digital PCR (dPCR) for the prenatal diagnosis of common fetal aneuploidies. METHODS: A dPCR-based assay was developed for detecting trisomies 21, 18, and 13. A retrospective analysis was carried out on 173 amniotic fluid samples collected by the Prenatal Diagnosis Center of Taizhou Hospital between January 2017 and December 2023. By using chromosomal karyotyping as the gold standard, the diagnostic performance of the multiplex dPCR system was evaluated in a double-blind manner. This study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Taizhou Hospital (Ethics No. K20250339). RESULTS: Chromosomal karyotyping has identified 59 cases of trisomy 21, 5 cases of trisomy 18, 2 cases of trisomy 13, 6 cases with chromosomal structural abnormalities or mosaicisms, and 101 cases with a normal karyotype. The dPCR results (Z-score cutoff = 4.0, CI = 99.997%) showed full concordance with karyotyping (sensitivity = 100%, specificity = 100%, Kappa = 1). Among the 6 structurally abnormal or mosaicism samples, dPCR has accurately detected 4 cases, but mis-classified 2 cases of trisomy 21 with very low-level mosaicisms (3.3%, 6.9%, respectively) as normal. CONCLUSION The established multiplex dPCR system demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy for common chromosomal aneuploidies, with results available within 24 hours. It can serve as an efficient supplementary tool to conventional chromosomal karyotyping, providing reliable support for time-sensitive clinical decision-making in prenatal diagnosis.
Humans ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Aneuploidy ; Prenatal Diagnosis/methods* ; Karyotyping ; Retrospective Studies ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods* ; Chromosome Disorders/genetics* ; Adult ; Trisomy 13 Syndrome/diagnosis* ; Trisomy 18 Syndrome/genetics* ; Down Syndrome/genetics*

Objective:To analyze the change characteristics of creatinine level in the early stage of patients with diquat (DQ) poisoning, and to explore the early risk factors and the value of prognosis.Methods:A retrospective analysis was carried out on patients with DQ admitted to the the first affiliated hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2020 to June 2022. The DQ patients were divided into death group and the survival group according to the 28 days survival status after posioning. The basic data and serum indexes and blood gas analysis of the patients on day 1 (D1), day 3 (D3) and day 5 (D5) were collected. The difference of clinical features between the two groups was analyzed, the variables were screened by multiple logistic regression analysis, and the predictive value of the variables was evaluated by drawing receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve).Results:A total of 88 patients were included, including 40 patients in the survival group and 48 patients in the death group. The toxic dose in death group was significantly higher than that in survival group [100(40.00, 120.00) mL vs. 50.00(20.00, 90.00) mL, P=0.003]. The higher the toxic dose, the higher the fatality rate. All 4 patients with oral doses greater than 200 mL died. Compared with the survival group, the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (D3, D5), creatinine (CR) (D3, D5), blood amylase (AMY) (D5) and oxygen partial pressure (PaO 2) (D5) in the death group were significantly higher than those in the survival group (all P<0.05). Multiple Logistic regression analysis showed that CR (D3) and AMY(D5) were independent risk factors for death after poisoning, and PaO 2(D5) was independent protective factor. ROC curve showed that the areas under ROC curve of CR (D3), AMY (D5) and PaO 2 (D5) were 0.814, 0.741 and 0.702, respectively. Conclusion:The higher the oral dose, the higher the death rate. After admission, CR(D3), AMY (D5) and PaO 2 (D5) were independent factors influencing the prognosis of DQ poisoning. In particular, CR (D3) is more effective in predicting death after poisoning.

Objective:To investigate the effect and mechanism of isorhynchophylline (IRN) on angiotensin Ⅱ(Ang Ⅱ)-induced cardiac hypertrophy.Methods:H9c2 cells were co-cultured with Ang Ⅱ and different concentrations of IRN (0, 5, 10, 25, 50 μmol/L). The cell surface area and mRNA levels of cardiac hypertrophy markers atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and β-myosin heavy chain (β-MHC) were detected to elucidate the effect of IRN on myocardial hypertrophy and the most effective concentration. H9c2 cells were co-cultured with Ang Ⅱ and IRN (25 μmol/L) at different times (0, 6, 12, 24 h) to elucidate the most effective time of inhibition. The phosphorylation levels of the signaling pathway were detected, and the effects of IRN and Akt inhibitor MK2206 on the phosphorylation levels of the signaling pathway were further explored to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.Results:Compared with the control group, the surface area of H9c2 cells, and the mRNA expression of myocardial hypertrophy markers ANP, BNP and β-MHC were significantly increased (all P<0.05). Pretreated with different concentrations of IRN (5, 10, 25, 50 μmol/L) could inhibit the increase in cell surface area induced by AngⅡ (all P<0.05), especially at the concentration of 25 μmol/ L ( P<0.01). IRN could time-dependently inhibit AngⅡ-induced activation of ANP, BNP, β-MHC mRNA (all P<0.05). AngⅡ caused increased phosphorylation levels of Akt, GSK3β, mTOR and FOXO3a. IRN could block AngⅡ-induced phosphorylation of the Akt signaling pathway. Conclusion:IRN attenuates AngⅡ-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy by inhibiting the Akt signaling pathway.

Objective:To investigate the plasma differential protein expressions between patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and normal controls, and to search plasma protein markers or protein combinations with screening or diagnostic significance.Methods:Plasma samples from 98 patients with dementia of Alzheimer type (DAT), 102 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 101 normal controls (NC) were collected from Wuxi Mental Health Center and Shanghai Mental Health Center from 2016 to 2018.The expression levels of 50 kinds of plasma proteins in all plasma samples were detected by Milliplex MAP assays(xMAP).Analysis of variance, regression analysis, discriminant analysis, and ROC analysis on the data were performed using SPSS 20.0 software.Results:(1)Compared with the NC group, 26 plasma proteins were up-regulated and 4 proteins were down-regulated in DAT group, while 6 proteins were up-regulated and 4 proteins were down-regulated in MCI group(all P<0.05).Compared with the NC group, 6 proteins were upregulated in both MIC group and DAT group, which were clusterin(Clust) (613.41(278.89), 761.76(358.60), 473.01(321.73)), cystatin C(Cys C) (691.88(441.34), 852.28(551.75), 548.64(545.28)), transthyretin(TTR) (207.10(168.60), 220.95(151.20), 152.89(162.70)), complement factor H(Com FH) (331.67(218.37), 361.69(124.64), 225.79(236.82)), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1(sICAM1) (109.30(49.47), 137.21(50.36), 87.06(57.59), and apolipoprotein E(APOE) (79.33(78.13), 79.31(68.85), 54.88(67.34)).The serum amyloid P component(SAP) was downregulated in both DAT and MCI groups(121.23(311.31), 92.39(156.62), 125.00(242.82)) compared with NC group.(2)Three sets of protein combination were screened by differential analysis, regression analysis, and discriminant analysis, including 8 proteins, 9 proteins and 7 proteins, respectively.And SAP, angiotensin (AGT), osteopontin (OPN), and complement C4 (Com C4) were the compared with NC group most frequently selected protein.The screening correct rate of three protein combinations were respectively 67.4%-71.4% for AD, 82.4%-88.4% for DAT, and 60.6%-63.5% for MCI. Conclusions:A variety of plasma proteins such as Clust, Cys C, TTR, Com FH, sICAM1, APOE are upregulated, while SAP is downregulated in AD patients.These differential protein combinations can help with early diagnosis of dementia with Alzheimer type.SAP, AGT, OPN and Com C4 may be potential markers for early screening or diagnosis of AD.

Objective To investigate the short-term efficacy of ultrasound-guided argon-helium knife cryoablation for the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer with supraclavicular lymph node metastases.Methods A total of 14 patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer complicated by supraclavicular lymph node metastases were treated with ultrasound-guided argon-helium knife cryoablation on the basis of intravenous chemotherapy or targeted therapy.The short-term therapeutic effect and adverse reactions were analyzed.Results All the 14 patients were successfully treated with argon-helium knife cryoablation under ultrasound guidance.The overall effective rate was 78.6％,and the local compression symptoms of the patients were improved.The scores evaluated by the QLQ-C30 scale were improved when compared with preoperative values.The postoperative fever and local pain of puncture site,which were the common accompanying symptoms of argon-helium knife cryoablation,were relieved or disappeared within a few days after symptomatic treatment.Conclusion Ultrasound-guided argon-helium knife cryoablation is an effective method for local palliative treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer with supraclavicular lymph node metastases,which can monitor the real-time changes of lesion and evaluate the therapeutic effect in the treatment course.The clinical symptoms can be relieved within a short time after treatment,and the quality of life of patients will also be improved.