Objective To explore and analyze the prescription patterns of Professor Zhou Min in treating primary liver cancer at different stages according to the China Liver Cancer Staging (CNLC) system. Methods The clinical records of outpatients with primary liver cancer treated by Professor Zhou Min were collected and entered into the Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance Support System (Version 2.50) to establish a database. Data mining methods such as frequency analysis, drug association analysis, and cluster analysis were employed, the pathogenesis of primary liver cancer the prescription patterns at different stages was explored and medication rules were analyzed according to Professor Zhou Min's experience in treating liver cancer at various CNLC stages. Results A total of 202 prescriptions from 113 patients with primary liver cancer were collected, involving 230 traditional Chinese medicines. The high-frequency drugs and drug combinations at each stage were identified. The drugs with higher frequencies at each stage included Fuling, Chenpi, Yiyiren, fried Baishu, and Fabanxia. For stage Ⅰ, high-frequency drugs also included Zhongjiefeng, Xiangfu, Jiangcan, and Jianghuang. For stages Ⅱ and Ⅲ, high-frequency drugs further encompassed Zhongjiefeng, Xianhecao, Banzhilian, Baihua Sheshecao, Jiangcan, Zeqi, Xiangfu, and Maidong. For stage Ⅳ, high-frequency drugs also include Maydis stigma, Huoxiang, fried Maiya, Jineijin, and fried Guya. The majority of the drugs were cold in nature, with sweet and bitter tastes being the most common, and their meridian tropism were mostly distributed in the spleen and stomach meridians. The drug combinations with higher frequencies at each stage were mostly derived from Sijunzi Decoction and Erchen Decoction. The drug efficacies were mainly heat-clearing and dampness-resolving. Cluster analysis screened out new prescriptions with unique characteristics at each stage. Conclusion By performing data mining on the prescriptions used by Professor Zhou Min in treating primary liver cancer at various CNLC stages through the Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance Platform, combined with his understanding of the pathogenesis and clinical experience of the disease, the pathogenesis characteristics of primary liver cancer are summarized as dampness-heat, phlegm, and toxin accumulation, as well as qi and yin deficiency. The basic treatment methods established are heat-clearing and dampness-resolving, spleen-invigorating and yin-nourishing, with an emphasis on strengthening the body resistance to eliminate pathogenic factors and stage-based treatment. Flexible prescriptions and medications are used for different complications.

Objective: To identify the risk factors in mortality of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (PARDS) in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Methods: Second analysis of the data collected in the "efficacy of pulmonary surfactant (PS) in the treatment of children with moderate to severe PARDS" program. Retrospective case summary of the risk factors of mortality of children with moderate to severe PARDS who admitted in 14 participating tertiary PICU between December 2016 to December 2021. Differences in general condition, underlying diseases, oxygenation index, and mechanical ventilation were compared after the group was divided by survival at PICU discharge. When comparing between groups, the Mann-Whitney U test was used for measurement data, and the chi-square test was used for counting data. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the accuracy of oxygen index (OI) in predicting mortality. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors for mortality. Results: Among 101 children with moderate to severe PARDS, 63 (62.4%) were males, 38 (37.6%) were females, aged (12±8) months. There were 23 cases in the non-survival group and 78 cases in the survival group. The combined rates of underlying diseases (52.2% (12/23) vs. 29.5% (23/78), χ²=4.04, P=0.045) and immune deficiency (30.4% (7/23) vs. 11.5% (9/78), χ²=4.76, P=0.029) in non-survival patients were significantly higher than those in survival patients, while the use of pulmonary surfactant (PS) was significantly lower (8.7% (2/23) vs. 41.0% (32/78), χ²=8.31, P=0.004). No significant differences existed in age, sex, pediatric critical illness score, etiology of PARDS, mechanical ventilation mode and fluid balance within 72 h (all P>0.05). OI on the first day (11.9(8.3, 17.1) vs.15.5(11.7, 23.0)), the second day (10.1(7.6, 16.6) vs.14.8(9.3, 26.2)) and the third day (9.2(6.6, 16.6) vs. 16.7(11.2, 31.4)) after PARDS identified were all higher in non-survival group compared to survival group (Z=-2.70, -2.52, -3.79 respectively, all P<0.05), and the improvement of OI in non-survival group was worse (0.03(-0.32, 0.31) vs. 0.32(-0.02, 0.56), Z=-2.49, P=0.013). ROC curve analysis showed that the OI on the thind day was more appropriate in predicting in-hospital mortality (area under the curve= 0.76, standard error 0.05,95%CI 0.65-0.87,P<0.001). When OI was set at 11.1, the sensitivity was 78.3% (95%CI 58.1%-90.3%), and the specificity was 60.3% (95%CI 49.2%-70.4%). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for age, sex, pediatric critical illness score and fluid load within 72 h, no use of PS (OR=11.26, 95%CI 2.19-57.95, P=0.004), OI value on the third day (OR=7.93, 95%CI 1.51-41.69, P=0.014), and companied with immunodeficiency (OR=4.72, 95%CI 1.17-19.02, P=0.029) were independent risk factors for mortality in children with PARDS. Conclusions: The mortality of patients with moderate to severe PARDS is high, and immunodeficiency, no use of PS and OI on the third day after PARDS identified are the independent risk factors related to mortality. The OI on the third day after PARDS identified could be used to predict mortality.
Female ; Male ; Humans ; Child, Preschool ; Infant ; Child ; Critical Illness ; Pulmonary Surfactants/therapeutic use* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome/therapy*

Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that continuously divide and fuse. In recent years, in addition to the studies related to mitochondrial metabolism, the unique dynamics of mitochondria have gradually attracted researchers' attention. A growing body of research has revealed that mitochondrial dynamics are related to the biological behavior of tumor cells. Mitochondrial fission proteins (mitochondrial fission protein 1, FIS1) mediate the assembly of mitochondrial fission complexes and participate in the execution of mitochondrial fission. They are important proteins in the process of mitochondrial fusion and fission. However, few studies have revealed the expression and role of FIS1 in human cervical cancer. In this study, the expression level of FIS1 in human cervical cancer tissues and paracancer tissues were compared. The results showed that the level of FIS1 mRNA in human cervical cancer tissues was significantly lower than that in paracancer tissues (P<0. 01). Further KEGG pathway and GO Term-BP pathway analysis showed that the differential genes are mainly related to mitochondrial biological functions. Subsequently, HeLa cells with overexpressed FIS1 were investigated for their proliferation, migration, mitochondrial fission and ROS levels. The experimental results showed that FIS1 overexpression decreased HeLa cell proliferation and migration ability, enhanced mitochondrial fission and higher ROS levels. In conclusion, the expression of FIS1 in human cervical cancer cells was attenuated, while overexpression of FIS1 resulted in a series of abnormal biological functions in human cervical cancer cells. Further studies can be carried out to investigate the role of FIS1 in the treatment of human cervical cancer.

Objective: The relationship between serum uric acid (SUA) levels and glycemic indices, including plasma glucose (FPG), 2-hour postload glucose (2h-PG), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), remains inconclusive. We aimed to explore the associations between glycemic indices and SUA levels in the general Chinese population. Methods: The current study was a cross-sectional analysis using the first follow-up survey data from The China Cardiometabolic Disease and Cancer Cohort Study. A total of 105,922 community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 40 years underwent the oral glucose tolerance test and uric acid assessment. The nonlinear relationships between glycemic indices and SUA levels were explored using generalized additive models. Results: A total of 30,941 men and 62,361 women were eligible for the current analysis. Generalized additive models verified the inverted U-shaped association between glycemic indices and SUA levels, but with different inflection points in men and women. The thresholds for FPG, 2h-PG, and HbA1c for men and women were 6.5/8.0 mmol/L, 11.0/14.0 mmol/L, and 6.1/6.5, respectively (SUA levels increased with increasing glycemic indices before the inflection points and then eventually decreased with further increases in the glycemic indices). Conclusion An inverted U-shaped association was observed between major glycemic indices and uric acid levels in both sexes, while the inflection points were reached earlier in men than in women.
Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Blood Glucose/analysis* ; China/epidemiology* ; Cohort Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus/blood* ; Female ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Glycated Hemoglobin A/analysis* ; Glycemic Index ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Uric Acid/blood*

Ten phenylpropanoid amides were isolated from the whole plants of Corydalis edulis Maxim. by various of column chromatographies including silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and ODS. Their structures were identified on the basis of physicochemical properties, MS, NMR, and IR spectroscopic data. These compounds were identified as N-trans-sinapoyl-3-methoxytyramine-4'-O-β-glucoside(1), N-trans-sinapoyl-3-methoxytyramine(2), N-trans-sinapoyltyramine(3), N-trans-p-coumaroyltyramine(4), N-trans-sinapoyl-7-hydroxytyramine(5), N-cis-feruloyltyramine(6), N-cis-p-coumaroyltyramine(7), N-trans-feruloyltyramine(8), N-trans-feruloyl-3-methoxytyramine(9), and N-trans-feruloyl-7-hydroxytyramine(10). Compound 1 is a new compound. Compounds 2-7 are obtained from the plants of Papaveraceae for the first time, while compounds 8-10 are firstly isolated from C. edulis.
Amides ; analysis ; Corydalis ; chemistry ; Glucosides ; analysis ; Phytochemicals ; analysis ; Tyramine ; analysis

Objective    To explore the efficacy of a novel detection technique of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) to identify benign and malignant lung nodules. Methods     Nanomagnetic CTC detection based on polypeptide with epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM)-specific recognition was performed on enrolled patients with pulmonary nodules. There were 73 patients including 48 patients with malignant lesions as a malignant group and 25 patients with benign lesion as a benign group. There were 13 males and 35 females at age of 57.0±11.9 years in the malignant group and 11 males and 14 females at age of 53.1±13.2 years in the benign group. e calculated the differential diagnostic efficacy of CTC count, and conducted subgroup analysis according to the consolidation-tumor ratio, while compared with PET/CT on the efficacy. Results     CTC count of the malignant group was significantly higher than that of the benign group  (0.50/ml vs. 0.00/ml, P<0.05). Subgroup analysis according to consolidation tumor ratio (CTR) revealed that the difference was statistically significant in pure ground glass (pGGO) nodules 1.00/ml vs. 0.00/ml, P<0.05), but not in part-solid or pure solid nodules. For pGGO nodules, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of CTC count was 0.833, which was significantly higher than that of maximum of standardized uptake value (SUVmax) (P<0.001). Its sensitivity and specificity was 80.0% and 83.3%, respectively. Conclusion     The peptide-based nanomagnetic CTC detection system can differentiate malignant tumor and benign lesions in pulmonary nodules presented as pGGO. It is of great clinical potential as a noninvasive, nonradiating method to identify malignancies in pulmonary nodules.

Objective: To investigate the expressions of solute carrier family 22 member 14 (SLC22A14) and sperm-associated antigen 6 (SPAG6) in the sperm of idiopathic asthenospermia men. METHODS: We collected semen samples from 50 idiopathic asthenozoospermia patients and another 50 normal sperm donors, purified the sperm by discontinuous density centrifugation on Percoll gradients, and then determined the mRNA and protein expressions of SLC22A14 and SPAG6 by RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. RESULTS: Compared with the normal controls, the idiopathic asthenozoospermia patients showed significantly decreased mRNA expressions of SLC22A14 (0.77 ± 0.08 vs 0.53 ± 0.10, P<0.01) and SPAG6 (0.78 ± 0.09 vs0.52 ± 0.10 , P<0.01) and protein expressions of SLC22A14 (0.80 ± 0.09 vs 0.55 ± 0.10 , P<0.01) and SPAG6 (0.78 ± 0.09 vs 0.56 ± 0.09, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS T The expressions of SLC22A14 and SPAG6 are reduced in the sperm of the patients with idiopathic asthenospermia, which may be one of the important causes of asthenospermia.
Asthenozoospermia ; metabolism ; Blotting, Western ; Ejaculation ; Humans ; Male ; Microtubule Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Organic Cation Transport Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Proteomics ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDIn prokaryotic organisms, the mechanism responsible for the accurate partition of newly replicated chromosomes into daughter cells is incompletely understood. Segregation of the replication terminus of the circular prokaryotic chromosome poses special problems that have not previously been addressed. The aim of this study was to investigate the roles of several protein components (MreB, MreC, and MreD) of the prokaryotic cytoskeleton for the faithful transmission of the chromosomal terminus into daughter cells.

METHODSStrain LQ1 (mreB::cat), LQ2 (mreC::cat), and LQ3 (mreD::cat) were constructed using the Red recombination system. LQ11/pLAU53, LQ12/pLAU53, LQ13/pLAU53, LQ14/pLAU53, and LQ15/pLAU53 strains were generated by P1transduction of (tetO) 240 -Gm and (lacO) 240 -Km cassettes from strains IL2 and IL29. Fluorescence microscopy was performed to observe localization pattern of fluorescently-labeled origin and terminus foci in wild-type and mutant cells. SOS induction was monitored as gfp fluorescence from PsulA-gfp in log phase cells grown in Luria-Bertani medium at 37°C by measurement of emission at 525 nm with excitation at 470 nm in a microplate fluorescence reader.

RESULTSMutational deletion of the mreB, mreC, or mreD genes was associated with selective loss of the terminus region in approximately 40% of the cells within growing cultures. This was accompanied by significant induction of the SOS DNA damage response, suggesting that deletion of terminus sequences may have occurred by chromosomal cleavage, presumably caused by ingrowth of the division septum prior to segregation of the replicated terminal.

CONCLUSIONSThese results imply a role for the MreBCD cytoskeleton in the resolution of the final products of terminus replication and/or in the specific movement of newly replicated termini away from midcell prior to completion of septal ingrowth. This would identify a previously unrecognized stage in the overall process of chromosome segregation.

Chromosome Segregation ; genetics ; physiology ; Cytoskeleton ; metabolism ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To determine whether the combination of traditional risk factors and quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) assessment could provide accurate prognostic information on a population-based study including 1137 adults with subclinical artherosclerosis and with coronary risk factors. Methods Participants underwent coronary angiography examination before the minimal stenotic diameters, segment diameters, percent stenosis, plaque areas. Other parameters were analyzed by the computer-assisted Coronary Angiography Analysis System. The Framingham Risk Score for each participant was assessed. During the 1 year follow-up period, all kinds of endpoint cardiovascular events were screened. Endpoint events were defined as death from coronary heart disease, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) or unstable angina pectoris. Results During the 1 year of follow-up period, a total of 124 participants developed an endpoint event, which was significantly associated with the Framingham Risk Score, calcium of plaques and the plaque areas (all Ps＜0.05).The QCA score incorporated with the QCA parameters was related to the endpoint events. The Framingham Risk Score was combined with QCA score through logistic regression for prediction of end-point events. Data from the ROC analysis showed the accuracy of this prediction algorithm was superior to the accuracy when variables themselves were used. The event-free survival rate was inferior to the control group in participates under high risk, when being screened with this prediction algorithm (P＜0.05). Conclusion The risk of cardiovascular attack in subclinical artherosclerosis individual seemed to be associated with the Framingham Risk Score, calcium of plaques and the plaque areas. When the traditional risk factors (the Framingham Risk Score) were combined with QCA, the new method could provide more prognostic information on those adults with subclinical artherosclerosis.

BACKGROUNDSeveral isoforms of p53 have been reported, which may have varying functions and expressions. This study aimed to analyze the expression patterns of p53 isoforms in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) at the mRNA and protein levels and their associations with clinical and pathologic factors to explore the mechanism of p53 isoforms' activity in RCC.

METHODSThe specimens of tumours (T) and clinically normal tissues (N) adjacent to them were collected from 41 patients with RCC. mRNA expression levels of p53 isoforms were detected using RT-PCR followed by nested PCR. Protein expression levels were detected using immunohistochemisty and Western blotting with the anti-p53 antibodies DO-1 and DO-12. The data were analyzed with clinicopathological features by chi(2) test or Fisher's exact test.

RESULTSp53 mRNA was expressed in all tumours and matched clinically normal tissue adjacent to the tumour. All six isoforms could be detected in tumour and normal tissues, with the exception of the Delta133p53beta isoform, which was not detected in the normal tissue. Of the six isoforms, p53beta mRNA was significantly overexpressed in tumour samples (P < 0.001), and correlated with tumour stage. Nested PCR results consistently indicated the presence of p53gamma (19T/22N), Delta133p53 (33T/26N), Delta133p53beta (2T/0N), and Delta133p53gamma (13T/9N). Immunohistochemical analysis showed that p53 was expressed only in tumour tissues and correlated with tumour stage and grade. The results of Western blotting analysis were consistent with these findings.

CONCLUSIONSAlthough all six isoforms are present in RCC, their function in tumour development or progression might be different. Our findings suggest that p53beta might play an important role in the formation of RCC and it might be used as a new predictor and therapeutic target for RCC.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Blotting, Western ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; genetics ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Protein Isoforms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Young Adult