The Piezo protein is a non-selective mechanosensitive cation channel that exhibits sensitivity to mechanical stimuli such as pressure and shear stress. It converts mechanical signals into bioelectric activity within cells, thus triggering specific biological responses. In the digestive system, Piezo protein plays a crucial role in maintaining normal physiological activities, including digestion, absorption, metabolic regulation, and immune modulation. However, dysregulation in Piezo protein expression may lead to the occurrence of several pathological conditions, including visceral hypersensitivity, impairment of intestinal mucosal barrier function, and immune inflammation.Therefore, conducting a comprehensive review of the physiological functions and pathological roles of Piezo protein in the digestive system is of paramount importance. In this review, we systematically summarize the structural and dynamic characteristics of Piezo protein, its expression patterns, and physiological functions in the digestive system. We particularly focus on elucidating the mechanisms of action of Piezo protein in digestive system tumor diseases, inflammatory diseases, fibrotic diseases, and functional disorders. Through the integration of the latest research findings, we have observed that Piezo protein plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of various digestive system diseases. There exist intricate interactions between Piezo protein and multiple phenotypes of digestive system tumors such as proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis. In inflammatory diseases, Piezo protein promotes intestinal immune responses and pancreatic trypsinogen activation, contributing to the development of ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and pancreatitis. Additionally, Piezo1, through pathways involving co-action with the TRPV4 ion channel, facilitates neutrophil recruitment and suppresses HIF-1α ubiquitination, thereby mediating organ fibrosis in organs like the liver and pancreas. Moreover, Piezo protein regulation by gut microbiota or factors like age and gender can result in increased or decreased visceral sensitivity, and alterations in intestinal mucosal barrier structure and permeability, which are closely associated with functional disorders like irritable bowel sydrome (IBS) and functional consitipaction (FC). A thorough exploration of Piezo protein as a potential therapeutic target in digestive system diseases can provide a scientific basis and theoretical support for future clinical diagnosis and treatment strategies.

Traumatic supraorbital fissure syndrome (TSOFS) is a symptom complex caused by nerve entrapment in the supraorbital fissure after skull base trauma. If the compressed cranial nerve in the supraorbital fissure is not decompressed surgically, ptosis, diplopia and eye movement disorder may exist for a long time and seriously affect the patients′ quality of life. Since its overall incidence is not high, it is not familiarized with the majority of neurosurgeons and some TSOFS may be complicated with skull base vascular injury. If the supraorbital fissure surgery is performed without treatment of vascular injury, it may cause massive hemorrhage, and disability and even life-threatening in severe cases. At present, there is no consensus or guideline on the diagnosis and treatment of TSOFS that can be referred to both domestically and internationally. To improve the understanding of TSOFS among clinical physicians and establish standardized diagnosis and treatment plans, the Skull Base Trauma Group of the Neurorepair Professional Committee of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, Neurotrauma Group of the Neurosurgery Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, Neurotrauma Group of the Traumatology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, and Editorial Committee of Chinese Journal of Trauma organized relevant experts to formulate Chinese expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of traumatic supraorbital fissure syndrome ( version 2024) based on evidence of evidence-based medicine and clinical experience of diagnosis and treatment. This consensus puts forward 12 recommendations on the diagnosis, classification, treatment, efficacy evaluation and follow-up of TSOFS, aiming to provide references for neurosurgeons from hospitals of all levels to standardize the diagnosis and treatment of TSOFS.

Uric acid (UA) is the final product of purine metabolism in human body,and its metabolic disorder will induce hyperuricemia (HUA).The occurrence and development of HUA are associated with a variety of pathological mechanisms such as oxidative stress injury,activation of inflammatory cytokines,and activation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.These mechanisms directly or indirectly affect the bioavailability of endogenous nitric oxide (NO).The decrease in NO bioavailability is common in the diseases with high concentration of UA as an independent risk factor.In this review,we summarize the mechanisms by which high concentrations of UA affect the endogenous NO bioavailability,with a focus on the mechanisms of high-concentration UA in decreasing the synthesis and/or increasing the consumption of NO.This review aims to provide references for alleviating the multisystem symptoms and improving the prognosis of HUA,and lay a theoretical foundation for in-depth study of the correlations between HUA and other metabolic diseases.
Humans ; Nitric Oxide ; Uric Acid ; Hyperuricemia ; Biological Availability ; Cytokines

OBJECTIVES: To study the biological processes and functions of serum exosomes in children in the acute stage of Kawasaki disease (KD), so as to provide new biomarkers for the early diagnosis of KD. METHODS: In this prospective study, 13 children with KD who were treated in Children's Hospital of Soochow University from June 2019 to August 2020 were enrolled as the KD group, and 13 children who were hospitalized due to bacterial infection during the same period were enrolled as the control group. Whole blood was collected on the next morning after admission, serum samples were obtained by centrifugation, and exosomes were extracted through ultracentrifugation. Serum exosomes were analyzed by label-free quantitative proteomics, and differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were screened out for functional enrichment analysis. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was plotted, and unique proteins were validated by targeted proteomics. RESULTS: A total of 131 DEPs were screened out for the two groups, among which 27 proteins were detected in both groups. There were 48 unique DEPs in the KD group, among which 23 were upregulated and 25 were downregulated, and these proteins acted on "complement and coagulation cascades" and "the MAPK signaling pathway". Validation by targeted proteomics showed that FGG, SERPING1, C1R, C1QA, IGHG4, and C1QC proteins were quantifiable in the KD group. A total of 29 proteins were only expressed in the control group, among which 12 were upregulated and 17 were downregulated. Four proteins were quantifiable based on targeted proteomics, i.e., VWF, ECM1, F13A1, and TTR. A PPI network was plotted for each group. In the KD group, FGG and C1QC had close interaction with other proteins, while in the control group, VWF had close interaction with other proteins. CONCLUSIONS The serum exosomes FGG and C1QC in children in the acute stage of KD are expected to become the biomarkers for the early diagnosis of KD. For children with unexplained fever, detection of FGG, C1QC1, and VWF may help with etiological screening.
Biomarkers ; Child ; Exosomes ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins ; Humans ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome/diagnosis* ; Prospective Studies ; Proteomics ; von Willebrand Factor

【Objective】 To investigate the main causes of blood donor deferral in domestic blood center. 【Methods】 The causes of donor deferral were classified into 12 categories as previous medical history, drug use, alcohol consumption, menstrual period, underweight, abnormal blood pressure, abnormal body temperature, abnormal hemoglobin (Hb), lipemic blood, positive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and others according to the comparison indicators of Asia-Pacific Blood Network (APBN) and the national standard Blood Donor Health Examination Requirements. The relevant data of the top 3 causes of donor deferral, voluntarily reported by the members of Practice Comparison Working Group of China’s Mainland Blood Collection and Supply Institutions from 2014 to 2019, were collected and a histogram was generated. 【Results】 The median donor deferral rate of 20 domestic blood centers from 2014 to 2019 was 12.14%, with the lowest at 0.18% and highest at 32.32%, respectively. The top three causes for donor deferral were elevated ALT, abnormal Hb and abnormal blood pressure in year 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2019; elevated ALT, lipemic blood and abnormal blood pressure in 2016; elevated ALT, abnormal Hb, and lipemic blood in 2017. 【Conclusion】 The main causes of donor deferral were elevated ALT, abnormal Hb, abnormal blood pressure and lipemic blood.

Objective: : Shunt infection is a common complication while treating hydrocephalus. The antibiotic-impregnated shunt catheter (AISC) was designed to reduce shunt infection rate. A meta-analysis was conducted to study the effectiveness of AISCs in reduction of shunt infection in terms of age, follow-up time and high-risk patient population. Methods: : This study reviewed literature from three databases including PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library (from 2000 to March 2019). Clinical studies from controlled trials for shunt operation were included in this analysis. A subgroup analysis was performed based on the patient’s age, follow-up time and high-risk population. The fixed effect in RevMan 5.3 software (Cochrane Collaboration) was used for this meta-analysis. Results: : This study included 19 controlled clinical trials including 10105 operations. The analysis demonstrated that AISC could reduce the infection rate in shunt surgery compared to standard shunt catheter (non-AISC) from 8.13% to 4.09% (odds ratio [OR], 0.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.40–0.58; p=0.01; I2=46%). Subgroup analysis of different age groups showed that AISC had significant antimicrobial effects in all three groups (adult, infant, and adolescent). Follow-up time analysis showed that AISC was effective in preventing early shunt infections (within 6 months after implant). AISC is more effective in high-risk population (OR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.14–0.40; p=0.60; I2=0%) than in general patient population. Conclusion : The results of meta-analysis indicated that AISC is an effective method for reducing shunt infection. We recommend that AISC should be considered for use in infants and high-risk groups. For adult patients, the choice for AISC could be determined based on the treatment cost.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the condition of subclinical cardiac damage in children with primary hypertension and the association between serum uric acid and subclinical cardiac damage. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 55 children who were hospitalized and diagnosed with primary hypertension in the Department of Cardiology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University from January 2015 to June 2020. Forty-five healthy children, matched for age and sex, were enrolled as the control group. The two groups were compared in terms of clinical features, laboratory examination, and parameters for left ventricular structure, systolic function, and diastolic function. The correlation of serum uric acid with the parameters for left ventricular structure, systolic function, and diastolic function in children with primary hypertension was analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the hypertension group had significantly higher left ventricular mass (LVM), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), and relative wall thickness (RWT) ( CONCLUSIONS Children with primary hypertension may have subclinical cardiac damage such as left ventricular hypertrophy, left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, left atrial enlargement, and proximal aortic dilation. Elevated serum uric acid is significantly associated with cardiac damage in children with primary hypertension.
Blood Pressure ; Child ; Humans ; Hypertension/complications* ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular/etiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Uric Acid

Objective To investigate the changes of mitochondrial metabolic functions of macrophages following Echinococcus multilocularis infections, so as to provide insights into the pathogenesis of alveolar echinococcosis. Methods Two groups were assigned according to different treatment methods. In the culture group, mouse leukemic monocyte macrophage RAW264.7 cells were cultured with 2 000 E. multilocularis at a ratio of 500∶1, while RAW264.7 cells in the control group were given no treatment. Then, both the culture and control groups were further divided into the 24 h and 72 h subgroups. Mitochondria were stained with MitoTracker^® Deep Red FM and the mean fluorescence intensity of macrophage mitochondria was measured with the Cytation 5 Cell Imaging Multi-Mode Reader. The mitochondrial DNA copy number was quantified using the quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay, and the mitochondrial energy metabolism was monitored using the Seahorse XF assay. In addition, the mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial membrane potential were detected using flow cytometry. Results The mean fluorescence intensities of macrophage mitochondria were significantly lower in the 24 h (15 341 ± 2 532 vs. 17 823 ± 3 429; t = 6.379, P < 0.01) and 72 h (18 102 ± 3 505 vs. 21 511 ± 5 144; t = 17.680, P < 0.01) culture subgroups than in the corresponding control subgroups, and lower mitochondrial DNA copy numbers were measured in the 72 h culture subgroup than in the 72 h control group [(3.23 × 10⁹ ± 1.78 × 10⁷) vs. (4.39 × 10⁹ ± 3.70 × 10⁷); t = 8.85, P < 0.001]. The oxygen consumption rates were significantly greater in the 24 h [(241.70 ± 73.13) pmol/min vs. (69.05 ± 52.30) pmol/min; t = 7.89, P < 0.01] and 48 h culture groups [(249.50 ± 42.06) pmol/min vs. (60.28 ± 40.66) pmol/min; t = 8.64, P < 0.01] than in the corresponding control groups, and a higher extracellular acidification rate was seen in the 48 h culture group than in the 48 h control group ([ 111.6 ± 17.49) mpH/min vs. (35.05 ± 7.57) mpH/min; t = 16.90, P < 0.01]. In addition, flow cytometry detected higher mean fluorescence intensity of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (58 264 ± 10 087 vs. 4 307 ± 97; t = 12.930, P < 0.01) and lower mitochondrial membrane potential (9.833% ± 2.285% vs. 2.667% ± 0.208%; t = 6.645, P < 0.01) in the 72 h culture group than in the control group. Conclusions E. multilocularis infection may impair mitochondrial functions and inhibit oxidative phosphorylation of macrophages, resulting in increased macrophage glycolysis. It is speculated that the alteration of macrophage metabolic states may contribute to the mechanisms underlying the development and progression of alveolar echinococcosis.

Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),which is caused by SARS-CoV-2,varies with regard to symptoms and mortality rates among populations.Humoral immunity plays critical roles in SARS-CoV-2 infection and recovery from COVID-19.However,differences in immune responses and clinical features among COVID-19 patients remain largely unknown.Here,we report a database for COVID-19-specific IgG/IgM immune responses and clinical parameters(named COVID-ONE-hi).COVID-ONE-hi is based on the data that contain the IgG/IgM responses to 24 full-length/truncated proteins corresponding to 20 of 28 known SARS-CoV-2 proteins and 199 spike protein peptides against 2360 serum samples collected from 783 COVID-19 patients.In addition,96 clinical parameters for the 2360 serum samples and basic information for the 783 patients are integrated into the database.Furthermore,COVID-ONE-hi provides a dashboard for defining samples and a one-click analysis pipeline for a single group or paired groups.A set of samples of interest is easily defined by adjusting the scale bars of a variety of parameters.After the"START"button is clicked,one can readily obtain a comprehensive analysis report for further interpretation.COVID-ONE-hi is freely available at www.COVID-ONE.cn.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility of using computer-aided design(CAD) combined with 3D printing technology to repair and reconstruct the comminuted fracture of the posterior wall of acetabulum with osteochondral defect, to evaluate the biomechanical properties of composite titanium nitride bioceramic coatings with porous titanium alloy scaffolds and steel plate integrated implants. METHODS: Based on CT images of continuous tomography, the computer-aided design software was used to construct a digital model of porous titanium alloy plate implant with a specially open cellular three-dimensional structure, and the three-dimensional implant was prepared with Ti6Vl4V powder by using the 3D printing technology, following by titanium nitride coating on its articular surface. The degree of matching and attachment between the implant and acetabulum were observed; Ansys software was used for finite element modeling to analyze the stress distribution, stress conduction and deformation displacement of the acetabulum of the normal group, the traditional group and the implant group under the same load state, and to verify the biomechanical properties of the implant. RESULTS: The porous titanium alloy implant fit well with the acetabular bone defects, the shape of the plate was well attached to the bone surface, and it was rated as excellent according to the Matta criteria. The Von Mises stress peak of the implant group 13.38 MPa was close to the normal group 13.11 MPa and smaller than that in the traditional group 15.66 MPa. The Von Mises stress distribution and conduction of implant group were basically consistent with the normal group, slightly better than the traditional group; the maximum relative displacement of the implant was 0.166 mm, according to the finite element analysis. CONCLUSIONS The porous titanium alloy stent plate implant with titanium nitride coating prepared by 3D technology has excellent matching degree and biomechanical properties; the anatomical reconstruction makes the stress distribution and conduction recovery well, close to normal hip joints, which provides a new option for the clinical treatment of comminuted posterior acetabular wall fractures with severe bone defects.
Acetabulum ; Bone Plates ; Finite Element Analysis ; Fractures, Comminuted ; Humans ; Printing, Three-Dimensional ; Titanium