Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of intermittent feeding through an oral to esophageal (IOE) tube for persons with a late-onset swallowing disorder after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.Methods:Fifty-six patients with late-onset swallowing difficulties after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma were divided at random into an observation group and a control group, each of 28. In addition to conventional therapy, the controls were fed through an indwelling nasogastric tube (NGT) while an IOE tube was used in the observation group. The nutritional status of the two groups was compared after 20 hours and after 15 days of treatment. Depression, oral feeding ability, leakage and aspiration, and life quality were evaluated using patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), a functional oral feeding scale (FOIS), a leakage-aspiration scale (PAS), and a swallowing-quality of life (SWAL-QOL) evaluation. From the 3rd day after admission the daily amount fed was recorded.Results:At admission there were no significant differences between the two groups. After 15 days, however, there was significantly greater improvement observed in the average serum albumin, hemoglobin, serum total protein, serum prealbumin level, body mass index(BMI) and SWAL-QOL score of the experimental group compared to the control group, with significantly fewer members suffering from depression. From the 4th day after admission the observation group′s members ate a significantly larger proportion of the target feeding amount.Conclusion:IOE feeding can improve the nutritional status, psychological status, and life quality of persons with a late-onset swallowing disorder more effectively than NGT feeding, with a lower incidence of adverse events.

Myopia in China shows a trend of high incidence, younger age of onset and severe degree. Childhood is the golden age of myopia management, and the prevention and control of myopia in children has gradually become the focus of public health issues. Orthokeratology has become the mainstream treatment regimen for controlling the development of myopia. This paper summarized the research progress of orthokeratology lens in the prevention and control of myopia in children from three aspects: the principle, function and safety of orthokeratology lens in the correction of myopia in children, and the influencing factors of application effect so as to provide scientific basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment and myopia prevention and control.

Objective:Clamping bilateral renal arteries with refined surgical methods to establish the rat renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (RIRI) model, and study the protective mechanism of ischemic preconditioning renal (IPC) tubular cell-derived exosomes in RIRI.Methods:25 female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were divided into sham group, model group, inactivated group, normoxic group, IPC group. In the sham operation group, after bilateral renal arteries were dissociated, the back incision was disinfected and closed. The model group established RIRI model; RIRI models were established in inactivated group, normoxia group and IPC group, and then 200 μg of inactivated exosomes, normal exosomes and IPC exosomes were injected into the caudal vein 24 hours after operation. Serum creatinine (Scr) and urea nitrogen (BUN) levels were detected. The pathological changes of renal tissue were observed under light microscope. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to observe the shape and size of renal tubular exosomes. Nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA)was used to detect the concentration and size of renal tubular exosomes.Results:Compared with the sham group, the Scr and BUN levels in the model group were significantly elevated ( P<0.01). Renal pathological changes in the model group showed damaged of the tubular structure, necrosis and shedding of tubular epithelial cells, and a large number of inflammatory cells accumulated in the renal interstitial tissue with varying degrees of edema. Compared with the inactivated group, the Scr and BUN levels significantly decreased in the normoxic group and IPC group ( P<0.01). Renal pathological changes in the normoxic group and IPC group showed that the renal tubular cell necrosis alleviated, inflammatory was reduced, the improved edema. Compared with the normoxic group, the Scr and BUN levels in the IPC group were further reduced ( P<0.01). Renal pathological changes in the IPC group showed that the inflammatory cells were significantly reduced, the cell edema was significantly improved, and the cell apoptosis was significantly reduced. Conclusions:Clamping bilateral renal arteries with refined surgical methods is the main and optimal way to build a rat model of RIRI. IPC tubular cell-derived exosomes have protective and repair effects on RIRI.

Objective:To establish a mouse model of intra-jugular arteriovenous fistula (AVF) to screen differentially expressed genes in the process of intimal stenosis of AVF for investigating the abnormal expression signaling pathways and the mechanisms.Methods:Forty-six male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into AVF group ( n=23) and sham-operated group ( n=23). The AVF group underwent internal jugular arteriovenous fistuloplasty, and the sham-operated group separated the right external jugular vein and common carotid artery and then sutured the incision. The whole-genome sequences of mice with AVF stenosis were determined by transcriptomic reversible chain terminator and synthetic sequencing. The microarray data set was established, and the Benjamini & Hochberg method of gene microarray data analysis was applied to screen the differentially expressed genes. The differentially expressed genes were screened by R-language enrichment analysis. Then, gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) were performed. The subcellular localization of the differentially expressed genes was performed by BUSCA software. The protein network interaction of differentially expressed genes was analyzed by using STRING database and Cytoscape software. Results:In the AVF group, 21 mice were successfully modeled and 2 mice failed. Therefore, there were 21 mice in the AVF group and only 21 mice in the sham-operated group. This mouse internal jugular AVF model was innovated using the continuous-interrupted suture method, which improved the success rate of modeling this model. The differential gene sequencing analysis showed that there were 2 514 differentially expressed genes in the AVF process, including 1 323 up-regulated genes and 1 191 down-regulated genes. GO functional enrichment analysis showed that the differential genes were mainly enriched in metabolic process, activation, redox, mitochondria and so on. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that the differential genes were enriched in metabolism, energy substance synthesis, diabetes, oxidative stress and so on. Statistical analysis of subcellular localization showed that the differences were mainly in mitochondrial proteins (24.24%), cytoplasmic proteins (17.51%), nuclear proteins (13.13%), cell membrane proteins (11.45%), and extracellular proteins (10.77%).Conclusions:Mitochondrial oxidative stress injury may be involved in the pathological damage process of endothelial proliferation stenosis in the AVF.

Metabolism reprogramming plays an important role in the process of tumor occurrence and development, and provides the necessary material basis for tumor cells. It can change the metabolic patterns of amino acids, glucose and fatty acids in tumor cells, which is one of the hallmark features of tumors. At present, it is shown that most tumors tend to take advantage of glycolysis for energy resource. In contrast, studies have shown that prostate cancer cells dependent more on the fatty acid oxidation pathway for metabolic reprogramming to obtain energy substances. Therefore, it is of great significance to understand the relation between key enzymes of lipid metabolism and regulatory genes for early diagnosis, targeted treatment and better prognosis of prostate cancer.

Objective To investigate the influence of renal failure on the area under curve (AUC) and adverse reactions of docetaxel in breast cancer patients, and provide evidence for the dosage of docetaxel in renal failure patients. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 24 patients with breast cancer who had undergone radical mastectomy and received AC-T adjuvant chemotherapy in our hospital from January 2019 to November 2021. According to renal function cases, the patients were divided into two groups: renal failure group (n=5) and normal renal function group (n=19). The clinical characteristics such as gender, age, body weight and body surface area of patients in two groups, docetaxel dose, blood concentration, area under the curve, liver and kidney function, white blood cell count and absolute value of neutrophil before chemotherapy were collected. Single factor linear regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of the AUC of docetaxel. Adverse reactions after chemotherapy with docetaxel including nausea and vomiting, bone marrow suppression, constipation and liver function injury were collected. CTCAE 4.0 evaluation standard was used to evaluate adverse reactions. Results The clinical characteristics of creatinine [908.0 (819.0, 1018.0) μmol/L vs 54.8 (52.0, 65.0) μmol/L] and creatinine clearance rate [4.9 (4.3, 5.4) ml /min vs 86.3 (59.3, 92.5) ml/min] of the renal failure group and the normal renal function group have significant difference (P<0.001), while no significant difference (P>0.05) were found in the body surface area [1.4 (1.4, 1.5) m² vs 1. 6 (1.5, 1.6) m²], docetaxel dose [70.4 (69.4, 73.0) mg/m² vs 74.4 (72.3, 91.2) mg/m²], body weight [(51.4±3.8) kg vs (51.5±5.5) kg]. Liver function, white blood cells and neutrophils were within the normal range before chemotherapy with docetaxel. There was no significant difference in AUC value [(1.6±0.6) mg·h/L vs (1.8±0.8) mg·h/L] between the two groups after chemotherapy with docetaxel (P>0.05). Linear univariate regression analysis indicated that the blood concentration at the end of docetaxel infusion was significantly associated with AUC of docetaxel (P<0.001), while the body surface area, dose of docetaxel, body weight, liver and kidney function were not correlated with AUC of docetaxel (P>0.05). After chemotherapy with docetaxel, adverse reactions of patients in the two groups: nausea and vomiting (grade I incidence: 40% vs. 57.9%, grade II incidence: 60% vs. 42.1%), myelosuppression (grade I incidence: 60% vs. 84.2%, grade II incidence: 20% vs 15.8%) and constipation (all mild constipation) had no significant difference (P>0.05). Conclusion Renal failure did not affect the exposure of docetaxel and the adverse reactions after chemotherapy with docetaxel in breast cancer patients.

Objective:To investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/NF-κB signaling pathway in human kidney-2(HK-2) cells of hyperuricemic nephropathy.Methods:HK-2 cells were cultured in vitro and randomly divided into control group and experimental group. The experimental group was induced by high uric acid (720 μmol/L) immersion for 48 h to establish a cell model of hyperuricemic nephropathy in vitro and subsequently divided into hyperuricemic group, overexpressed protease activated receptor 2 (PAR2) and knockdown PAR2 group. The expressions of PAR2, PI3K, AKT, NF-κB mRNA were measured by real-time PCR. The expressions of PAR2, PI3K, AKT and NF-κB protein were measured by Western blotting. The expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), pro-interleukin-1β (pro-IL-1β), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results:(1) Compared with the control group, the expressions of PAR2, PI3K, AKT and NF-κB mRNA and protein in hyperuricemic group were significantly increased (all P<0.05), the expressions of TNF-α, MCP-1, IL-6, pro-IL-1β, IL-1β and TGF-β1 in the supernatant in hyperuricemic group were significantly increased (all P<0.01). (2) Compared with the hyperuricemic group, the expressions of PAR2, PI3K, AKT and NF-κB mRNA and protein in overexpressed PAR2 group were significantly increased (all P<0.05), the expressions of TNF-α, MCP-1, IL-6, IL-1β and TGF-β1 in the supernatant were significantly increased (all P<0.05). (3) Compared with the hyperuricemic group, the expression of PAR2, PI3K, AKT and NF-κB mRNA and protein in knockdown PAR2 group were significantly decreased (all P<0.05), the expressions of IL-6, pro-IL-1β, IL-1β and TGF-β1 in the supernatant were significantly decreased (all P<0.05). Conclusions:In the process of uric acid-induced HK-2 cell damage, uric acid significantly up-regulates the expression of PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway by activating PAR2, leading to a marked increase in inflammatory damage. Knocking down PAR2 inhibits the expression of PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway, which can effectively reduce the inflammatory damage of HK-2 cells.

Objective:To assess the correlation between frailty and cardiac autonomic nervous system function in elderly patients.Methods:Elderly hospitalized patients aged 65 years and over were enrolled and assessed for frailty by using the clinical frailty scale.Cardiac autonomic modulation was evaluated by heart rate variability analysis through 24 h electrocardiogram recording.Results:A total of 180 elderly patients were enrolled in this study, including 66 patients with frailty and 114 patients without frailty.The mean age of the frailty group was higher than that of the non-frailty group(79.8±6.0 vs.75.0±6.3, t=5.030, P<0.001). The proportions of patients with hypertension, stroke/transient cerebral ischemia attack(TIA), heart failure and osteoarthritis were higher in the frailty group than in the non-frailty group(all P<0.05). Compared with the non-frailty group, the standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals(SDNN)[103.0(76.0, 121.2) vs.107.5(92.0, 136.0), Z=-2.108, P=0.035], the standard deviation of the averages of NN intervals in all 5-min segments(SDANN)[86.0(67.7, 106.5) vs.97.5(78.0, 126.0), Z=-2.694, P=0.007], normalized low frequency(LFnorm)(53.1±13.0 vs.59.3±13.9, t=-3.024, P=0.003)and low frequency/high frequency(LF/HF)ratio[1.2(1.0, 1.4) vs.1.4(1.1, 1.7), Z=-3.041, P=0.002]were decreased and normalized high frequency(HFnorm)(36.8±9.2 vs.32.2±10.7, t=3.033, P=0.003)was increased in the frailty group.HFnorm in the frailty group was significantly higher than that in the non-frailty group.The incidents of SDANN<92 ms, LFnorm<50 nU, HFnorm>32 nU and LF/HF ratio<1.5 were higher in the frailty group than in the non-frailty group(59.1% or 39/66 vs.41.2% or 47/114, 42.4% or 28/66 vs.22.8% or 26/114, 72.7% or 48/66 vs.49.1% or 56/114, 84.8% or 56/66 vs.65.8% or 75/114, χ2=5.346, 7.660, 9.547, 7.664, P=0.021, 0.006, 0.002, 0.006). Logistic multivariate regression analysis showed that LFnorm, HFnorm and LF/HF ratio were correlated with frailty( OR=0.971, 1.039 and 0.333, all P<0.05), and HFnorm>32 nU and LF/HF ratio<1.5 were risk factors for frailty( OR=2.401 and 2.773, both P<0.05). Conclusions:Cardiac autonomic nerve system function is impaired in elderly frail patients, with the imbalance between the sympathetic and vagus nerves.Therefore particular attention should be paid to heart rate variability in elderly patients with frailty.

Objective:To assess the cardiac autonomic nervous function in elderly patients with frailty.Methods:Patients aged ≥ 65 years old admitted in Beijing Hospital from September 2018 to August 2019 were enrolled in this study. Clinical frailty score was used to assess the frailty. The cardiac autonomic modulation was evaluated by sinus heart rate turbulence analysis through 24 h electrocardiogram recording.Results:A total of 129 elderly patients were finally enrolled in this study with a mean age of (77.5±6.4) years, 58.1% of them were male. There were 53 patients in frail group and 76 patients in non-frail group. The age of the frailty group was significantly higher than that of the non-frailty group [(80.5±5.5) vs.(75.3±6.2)]; the prevalence of hypertension [84.9%(45/53)], heart failure [32.1%(17/53)] and peripheral vascular diseases [32.1%(17/53)] in the frailty group was significantly higher than that in the non-frailty group [65.8%(50/76), 1.3%(1/76), 17.1%(13/76); t=5.001, χ 2=5.879, 24.606, 3.921; all P<0.05]. Compared with non-frailty group, turbulence onset (TO) [-0.05(-0.92, 0.82)% vs. -0.74(-1.58, 0)%; Z=2.616, P=0.009] was significantly higher in frailty group, while turbulence slope (TS) [2.34(1.30, 5.00)ms/RR vs. 4.34(2.66, 6.39)ms/RR; Z=-3.048, P=0.002] was significantly lower. The rate of TO abnormality [49.1% (26/53) vs. 26.3%(20/76), χ 2=7.038, P=0.008] and TS abnormality [34.7%(29/53) vs. 21.0%(16/76); χ 2=15.579, P<0.001] in the frailty group was significantly higher than that in the non-frailty group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that TO abnormality( OR=2.970, P=0.010, 95 %CI:1.300-6.785) and TS abnormality( OR=3.618, P=0.003, 95 %CI:1.565-8.364) were correlated with frailty. Conclusion:Cardiac autonomic nerve function may be impaired in elderly frail patients, and decreased vagal nerve tension may be presented.

Significantly increasing crop yield is a major and worldwide challenge for food supply and security. It is well-known that rice cultivated at Taoyuan in Yunnan of China can produce the highest yield worldwide. Yet, the gene regulatory mechanism underpinning this ultrahigh yield has been a mystery. Here, we systematically collected the transcriptome data for seven key tissues at different developmental stages using rice cultivated both at Taoyuan as the case group and at another regular rice planting place Jinghong as the control group. We identified the top 24 candi-date high-yield genes with their network modules from these well-designed datasets by developing a novel computational systems biology method, i.e., dynamic cross-tissue (DCT) network analysis. We used one of the candidate genes, OsSPL4, whose function was previously unknown, for gene editing experimental validation of the high yield, and confirmed that OsSPL4 significantly affects panicle branching and increases the rice yield. This study, which included extensive field phenotyping, cross-tissue systems biology analyses, and functional validation, uncovered the key genes and gene regulatory networks underpinning the ultrahigh yield of rice. The DCT method could be applied to other plant or animal systems if different phenotypes under various environments with the common genome sequences of the examined sample. DCT can be downloaded from https://github.com/zt-pub/DCT.