BACKGROUND:Hyperhomocysteinemia is closely related to the function of islet β cells,but its specific molecular mechanism is not fully understood. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the role of N6 methyltransferase-like 3(METTL3)in homocysteine(Hcy)-induced autophagy of mouse islet β cells. METHODS:The 3rd and 4th generation mouse islet β cells were taken for the experiment.(1)Cell modeling and grouping:cells in control group were not treated with Hcy,while those in homocysteine group were treated with 100 μmol/L Hcy for 48 hours.(2)The mouse islet β-cells were transfected with the plasmids overexpressing Ad-METTL3 and si-METTL3 according to the instructions of LipofectamineTM 2000.Three different interfering fragments were designed,and the one with the best interfering efficiency was verified and screened by PCR.(3)After transfection,the cells were divided into control group,Hcy group,Ad-NC(negative control)+Hcy group,Ad-METTL3+Hcy group,si-NC(negative control)+Hcy group and si-METTL3+Hcy group.(4)qRT-PCR and western blot were used to detect the expression levels of METTL3 and autophagy-related proteins LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ and p62 in cells.Insulin level was determined by ELISA to evaluate insulin secretion capacity of islet cells.Autophagy-related proteins and insulin level were detected after overexpression and interference with METTL3. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the control group,the expression level of LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ was increased(P＜0.05),the expression of p62 was significantly reduced(P＜0.05),and the insulin secretion capacity was significantly decreased(P＜0.05)in the Hcy group.Compared with the control group,the protein and mRNA levels of METTL3 were reduced in the Hcy group(P＜0.05).After METTL3 silencing in islet β cells,Hcy further upregulated the expression of LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ(P＜0.05),significantly dowregulated the expression of p62(P＜0.05),and increased the insulin level(P＜0.05).After overexpression of METTL3,Hcy significantly decreased the LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ expression and increased the p62 expression in islet β cells(P＜0.05).To conclude,METTL3 is involved in the Hcy-induced autophagy regulation of islet β cells and plays a role in the regulation of insulin secretion.

【Objective】 To explore the factors influencing erectile dysfunction (ED) in male patients after renal transplantation, so as to provide basis for the prevention and treatment of this disease. 【Methods】 Kidney transplant recipients followed up in the Kidney Transplant Clinic of Xijing Hospital during Sep.1, 2022 and May 1, 2023 were selected as the study objects.Questionnaires were distributed, and the erectile function was measured with Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM).Factors associated with ED were analyzed with multivariate logistic regression. 【Results】 A total of 300 questionnaires were distributed, and 276 valid ones were collected, including 182 cases (65.9%) suffering from ED of varying degrees.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age [(<30 years/>50 years, OR: 0.120, 95%CI: 0.033-0.405, P<0.001), (30-40 years/>50 years, OR: 0.223, 95%CI: 0.102-0.463, P<0.001), (>40-50 years/>50 years, OR: 0.320, 95%CI: 0.139-0.719, P<0.01)], level of International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) (OR: 1.95, 95%CI: 1.211-3.248, P<0.01), International Prostate Symptom Score-Quality of Life item (IPSS-QoL) (OR: 1.482, 95%CI: 1.201-1.854, P<0.01), and income [(≥10 000 Yuan/<3 000 Yuan, OR: 0.156, 95%CI: 0.053-0.429, P<0.001), (5 000-<10 000 Yuan/<3 000 Yuan, OR: 0.418, 95%CI: 0.199-0.864, P<0.05), (≥10 000 Yuan/3 000-<5 000 Yuan, OR: 0.205, 95%CI: 0.069-0.573, P<0.01)] were independent and significant factors of ED. 【Conclusion】 The prevalence of ED in renal transplantation recipients is high.Age, income, IPSS and IPSS-QoL are the influencing factors.ED after renal transplantation is not only determined by physical and functional factors, but also closely related to social and psychological factors.

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of combining traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), specifically Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), with Western medicine (WM), compared to WM alone to treat breast cancer endocrine therapy-related osteoporosis (BCET-OP) by meta-analysis. Methods: Thirty-eight randomized controlled trials involving 2170 participants were analyzed. Eight databases were searched for articles published between inception and December 2023. Quality assessment was performed using the Risk of Bias 2 tool. Results: Significant increases were observed in the TCM-WM group in lumbar vertebrae bone mineral density (BMD) (P < .001, mean difference (MD) = 0.07, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.06 to 0.08), lumbar vertebrae T-score (P = .0005, MD = 0.21, 95%CI: 0.09 to 0.33) and collum femoris BMD (P = .01, MD = 0.10, 95%CI: 0.02 to 0.19). No significant difference was observed between the groups in the collum femoris T-score and estradiol levels. Bone gla-protein levels were significantly increased in the TCM-WM group (P = .0002, MD = 0.52, 95%CI: 0.25 to 0.79). Beta-CrossLaps decreased significantly in the TCM-WM group (P = .0008, MD = −0.10, 95%CI: −0.16 to −0.04). No significant difference was observed between the TCM-WM and WM groups in alkaline phosphatase, in procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide, and in the Kupperman index. The visual analog score (VAS) was decreased in the TCM-WM group compared to the WM group (P < .001, MD = −1.40, 95%CI: −1.94 to −0.87). No significant difference in adverse events was observed between the two groups. Conclusion Combining CHM with WM in patients with BCET-OP significantly improved BMD, T-score, and certain bone turnover markers and reduced the VAS score, indicating potential benefits for bone health and related pain. Adverse event analysis revealed no differences between the groups, supporting the feasibility of the combination therapy. However, further research, particularly in diverse populations, is required.

OBJECTIVE: The barks, leaves, and branches of Cinnamomum cassia have been historically used as a traditional Chinese medicine, spice, and food preservative, in which phenylpropanoids are responsible compounds. However phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways are not clear in C. cassia. We elucidated the pathways by descriptive analyses of differentially expressed genes related to phenylpropanoid biosynthesis as well as to identify various phenylpropanoid metabolites. METHODS: Chemical analysis, metabolome sequencing, and transcriptome sequencing were performed to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the difference of active components content in the barks, branches and leaves of C. cassia. RESULTS: Metabolomic analysis revealed that small amounts of flavonoids, coumarine, and cinnamaldehyde accumulated in both leaves and branches. Transcriptome analysis showed that genes associated with phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis were downregulated in the leaves and branches relative to the barks. The observed differences in essential oil content among the three tissues may be attributable to the differential expression of genes involved in the phenylpropanoid and flavonoid metabolic pathways. CONCLUSION This study identified the key genes in the phenylpropanoid pathway controling the flavonoid, coumarine, and cinnamaldehyde contents in the barks, branches and leaves by comparing the transcriptome and metabolome. These findings may be valuable in assessing phenylpropanoid and flavonoid metabolites and identifying specific candidate genes that are related to the synthesis of phenylpropanoids and flavonoids in C. cassia.

Objective To explore the effectiveness of virtual autopsy-based postmortem computed tomography(PMCT)liver three dimensional slicer(3D slicer)artificial intelligence(AI)volume reconstruction to assist forensic practice.Methods Twenty cases of the deceased who underwent both virtual autopsy and traditional autopsy in our center were selected and subjected to liver volume segmentation by 3D slicer method,Tada's formula method and literature method,and the data obtained from the traditional autopsy were compared and analyzed to obtain the accuracy rate.Results The 3D slicer method yielded higher consistency(95%confidence interval),lower volumetric variability(standard deviation),and a smaller region(variance)of uncertainty than the Tada formula method and the methods mentioned in the literature.Conclusion 3D slicer AI reconstruction based on virtual autopsy can visualize virtual anatomy,help increase the diagnostic accuracy of traditional autopsy,assist in pathological diagnosis,and provide new directions and tools for the development of imaging histology of virtual autopsy.

Objective:To analyze the genetic counseling characteristics and interpretation of pathogenic variants for mitochondrial hearing loss.Methods:We analyzed a total of 513 unrelated families from Chinese Deafness Genome Project (CDGP), in which previous gene testing had found no pathogenic mutations with hearing loss (HL) related to the nuclear genes. We used targeted testing and complete mtDNA sequencing for the families′ available members.Results:Among the first individuals of the families to be tested, 20 cases (16 probands and 4 normal hearing consultants) were discovered with variants in mtDNA, including m.1095T>C, m.1310C>T, m.1494C>T and m.1555A>G in MT-RNR1, m.7445A>G, m.7505T>C, m.7510T>C and m.7511T>C in MT-TS1, and m.3243A>G in MT-TL1. We identified MT-RNR1 and MT-TS1 variants occurred as homoplasmic changes, while MT-TL1 variants occurred as heteroplasmic changes. Most mitochondrial hearing loss were characterized by slope or flat moderate to profound sensorineural HL. HL associated with the mtDNA pathogenic variant was variable onset age, severity and audiometric configuration. The penetrance for HL in individuals with the m.1095T>C variant might be low. Progression in the severity of HL was caused by the m.7445A>G pathogenic variant and the patients with m.7505T>C had cookie bite HL. MT-TL1 m.3243A>G was a common spot for pathogenic variants associated with nonsyndromic HL as well as syndromic HL with diabetes mellitus. Conclusions:Individuals with the mtDNA variants and their maternal relatives have a higher risk of HL and phenotypic heterogeneity in the age of onset, progression, and level of HL. The medical history should include review of any audiological testing of the probands and their family members on a maternal mtDNA background. The process of genetic evaluation needs rule out nuclear gene mutations and analyzes the genetic load of mitochondrial pathogenic variants in the probands or consultants. In these cases, we rely on clinical and genetic evaluation molecular analysis to appropriately counsel families for whom an exact cause of HL and to help them make informed medical decisions.

Objective:To investigate the main postoperative complications, causes of death and the risk factors for survival in patient with benign end-stage lung diseases within 1 year after lung transplantation.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted to collect the clinical data of 200 patients with benign end-stage lung disease who underwent lung transplantation admitted to Wuxi People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University from May 2017 to October 2018. The main postoperative complications, survival and causes of death within 1 year after operation were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot survival curves, and the Log-Rank test was used to compare the influence of factors, including recipient's gender, use of marginal donor lung, primary disease, preoperative combination of moderate to severe pulmonary hypertension (PAH), intraoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support, surgical methods, intraoperative massive blood loss, postoperative complications [infection, primary graft dysfunction (PGD), acute rejection], on 1-year survival in patients who underwent lung transplantation. The multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to evaluate the risk factors of death within 1 year after lung transplantation.Results:Two hundred patients underwent successful lung transplantation. The major postoperative complications within 1 year after transplantation included infection in 131 patients, PGD in 20 patients, acute rejection in 57 patients, anastomotic complication in 26 patients and others (new onset diabetes, osteoporosis, etc.) in 53 patients. The 3-month, 6-month, and 1-year postoperative cumulative survival rates were 81.5%, 80.0% and 77.5%, respectively. Forty-five patients died during 1 year after operation, among whom 14 died of infection, 7 died of PGD, 8 died of acute rejection, 4 died of anastomotic complication, 3 died of cardio-cerebrovascular accident, 3 died of multiple organ failure, 2 died of respiratory failure and 4 died of other causes (traffic accident, etc.). The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that recipient's gender, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) as the primary disease, preoperative combination of moderate and severe PAH, intraoperative ECMO support, intraoperative massive blood loss, postoperative complications (infection, PGD, acute rejection) were influencing factors for postoperative 1-year survival rate. The multivariate Cox regression model showed that male was the protective factor [hazard ratio ( HR) = 0.481, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was 0.244-0.947, P = 0.034], IPF as the primary disease ( HR = 2.667, 95% CI was 1.222-5.848, P = 0.014), intraoperative use of ECMO support ( HR = 1.538, 95% CI was 0.787-3.012, P = 0.028), massive blood loss during surgery ( HR = 2.026, 95% CI was 0.976-4.205, P = 0.045) and postoperative infection ( HR = 3.138, 95% CI was 1.294-7.608, P = 0.011), PGD ( HR = 1.604, 95% CI was 0.464-5.539, P = 0.004), and acute rejection ( HR = 1.897, 95% CI was 0.791-4.552, P = 0.015) were the independent risk factors for death within 1 year after transplantation. Conclusions:One-year survival rates after lung transplantation are affected by recipient's gender, primary disease, preoperative combination of moderate and severe PAH, intraoperative ECMO support, intraoperative massive blood loss, and postoperative complications (infection, PGD, acute rejection). The male is the protective factor, while IPF as the primary disease, intraoperative ECMO support, massive blood loss during surgery and postoperative complications (infection, PGD, acute rejection) are independent risk factors for death within 1 year after lung transplantation.

Objective:The purpose of this study was to explore new method for evaluating the severity of extravascular lung water in patients after bilateral lung transplantation.Methods:The study was performed in 50 patients after bilateral lung transplantation in our hospital from 2017 to 2018. Picco were implanted during the operation .Two hours after the operation, a doctor monitored the index of EVLWI and PVPI.At the same time, another doctor carried out examination of lung ultrasonography and Calculated the numbers of B line. After ultrasonography, the doctor used ELISA to determine the level of SDC-1.Results:EVLWI were significantly correlated with the number of B-line and the level of SDC-1 ( RS=0.833, RS=0.747, P<0.05), PVPI were significantly correlated with the number of B-line and the level of SDC-1 ( RS=0.738, RS=0.626, P<0.05). Conclusion:The number of B-line and the level of SDC-1 have a good correlation with extravascular lung water. The combination of the two indicators might be used as a reliable index for evaluating the degree of extravascular lung water after bilateral lung transplantation.

Objective:To describe the COVID-19 epidemic and its characteristics in Heilongjiang province, and provide evidence for the further prevention and control of COVID-19 in the province.Methods:The information of COVID-19 cases and clusters were collected from national notifiable disease report system and management information system for reporting public health emergencies of China CDC. The Software’s of Excel 2010 and SPSS 23.0 were applied for data cleaning and statistical analysis on the population, time and area distributions of COVID-19 cases.Results:On January 22, 2020, the first confirmed case of COVID-19 was reported in Heilongjiang. By March 11, 2020, a total of 482 cases domestic case of COVID-19, The incidence rate was 1.28/100 000, the mortality rate was 2.70% (13/482) in 13 municipalities in Heilongjiang. There were 81 clusters of COVID-19, The number of confirmed cases accounted for 79.25% (382/482) of the total confirmed cases and 12 cases of deaths. The family clusters accounted for 86.42% (70/81). Compared with the sporadic cases, the mortality rate, proportion of elderly cases aged 60 or above and severe or critical cases of clinical classification were all higher in the clusters especially the family clusters, but the differences were not significant ( P>0.05). There were 34 clusters involving more than 5 confirmed cases accounted for 41.98% (34/81) of the total clusters, the involved cases accounted for 68.31% (261/382) of the total cases of clusters. There were significant differences in age distribution of the cases among the case clusters with different case numbers. In the clusters involving 6-9 cases, the proportion of cases aged 65 years or above was more (26.53%, 39/147). Conclusions:The incidence rate of COVID-19 was relatively high and the early epidemic was serious in Heilongjiang, The number of cases was large in clusters especially family clusters.

Objective: To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Short Form of Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q-SF) for elderly patients. Methods: The quality of life of 400 elderly outpatients from Kongjiang community health service center were evaluated by using the Chinese version of Q-LES-Q-SF. The reliability of the Chinese version of Q-LES-Q-SF was tested by the internal consistency reliability (Cronbach′s α coefficient) and the half confidence; the validity was tested by structural validity, convergence validity and distinguish validity and calibration validity. Results: The Cronbach′s α coefficient of the internal consistency was 0.956; the Spearman-Brown coefficient of the half confidence was 0.894; the Guttman Split-half coefficient of odd even fold half confidence was 0.894. The exploratory factor analysis showed that there were 2 dimensions: the psychological dimension (Q2-8 items) and the physiological dimension (Q1, Q10-14). The confirmatory factor analysis showed that each psychological dimension factor load of Q2-8 was >0.50; each physiological dimension factor load of Q1, Q10-14 was >0.50. In distinguish validity, there was item with Z> 1.96 (P<0.05), showing that each item had a good distinction between different dimensions. In convergence validity, physiological and psychological dimensions of GFI were all >9.5, RMSEA were all <0.05. In calibration validity, the physiological and psychological dimensions of Q-LES-Q-SF had a good correlation with the corresponding dimensions of the SF-12 (P<0.05), and Pearson correlation value was 0.317 and 0.237, respectively. Conclusion The Chinese version of Q-LES-Q-SF has a good reliability and validity for elderly patients.