Objective To construct intrauterine adhesion (IUA) mouse models induced by two different concentrations of ethanol injury, compare the phenotypes, and optimize a more stable IUA modeling method. Methods Twenty 8-week-old female C57BL/6N mice were randomly divided into two groups: the 95% ethanol injury group and the 50% ethanol injury group. Using a self-control method, the left uterine horn was infused with ethanol to establish the IUA model, while the right uterine horn was infused with saline as the sham operation. Five mice from each group were euthanized on day 7 and 15 after modeling, and uterine tissues were collected. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the endometrial pathology, and Masson staining was used to assess the degree of endometrial fibrosis. Quantitative real-time PCR was employed to detect the expression levels of fibrosis markers and pro-inflammatory factors in the uterine tissues. Results Compared to the sham operation, these two ethanol injury led to a significant reduction in elasticity of the uterus, an increase in inflammatory infiltration, and a marked increase in the degree of fibrosis on day 7 after modeling (P<0.05). The 95% ethanol injury group showed a significant decrease in endometrial thickness (P<0.05), whereas no significant change was observed in the 50% ethanol injury group when compared to the sham operation (P>0.05). The expression levels of fibrotic marker molecules collagen type Ⅳ alpha 1 chain (Col4A1), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), and pro-inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were significantly elevated in the 50% ethanol injury group when compared to the sham operation (P<0.05), although there was an increasing trend of the same markers in the 95% ethanol injury group, the differences were not statistically significant (P>0.05). On day 15 after modeling, the histopathological changes in both ethanol injury groups were not significant when compared to the sham operation, the expression levels of Col4A1, TGF-β, TNF-α and IL-1β remained significantly higher in the 50% ethanol injury group (P<0.05), while only IL-1β was significantly elevated in the 95% ethanol injury group (P<0.05). Conclusion Uterine infusion with 95% ethanol results in more marked histopathological changes in the IUA mouse model compared to the 50% ethanol injury group. The 95% ethanol injury model is suitable for histopathological studies. However, the 50% ethanol injury group shows higher expression levels of fibrosis markers and pro-inflammatory factors compared to the 95% ethanol injury group, suggesting that the 50% ethanol injury model is more suitable for molecular pathological study.

Aim To investigate the effect of long non- coding RNA p21 (LncRNA p21) regulating Hippo- Yes-associated protein (Hippo-YAP) signaling pathway on the formation of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in mice. Methods C57BL/6 ApoE

italic>Platycodon grandiflorum (Jacq.) A. DC is one of the most commonly used bulk medicinal herbs. It has important value in the fields of medicine, food and cosmetics, and its market demand is increasing year by year, and it has a good development prospect. In this study, based on 403 distribution records and 8 environmental variables, we used Maxent model to predict the potential distribution of P. grandiflorum under climate change. The results showed that the model simulation effect was the best when the Maxent parameter was FC (feature combination) = LQPH (L: linear features; Q: quadratic features; P: product features; H: hinge features) and RM (regularization multiplier) = 2.1, AUC (area under curve) = 0.901, and the model prediction showed that P. grandiflorum was widely distributed in 28 provinces of China under the current climate conditions, with a suitable area of 2 337 419.98 km². Under the influence of climate change in the future, the area of suitable habitat of P. grandiflorum showed a decreasing trend, and the distribution center as a whole showed a trend of northward and eastward shift. The distribution area of P. grandiflorum in the three main producing areas is affected by climate change, and the overall trend is that the future suitable distribution area of Chifeng in Inner Mongolia increases, while the future suitable distribution area of Zibo in Shandong and Taihe, Bozhou in Anhui decreases or even disappears under the SSP5-8.5 scenario (shared socioeconomic pathways). It is suggested to maintain and protect the ecological environment and germplasm resources of the reserved area suitable for the growth of P. grandiflorum, and increase the cultivation research in the expansion area of P. grandiflorum, so as to lay a foundation for the subsequent expansion of P. grandiflorum planting and to promote the protection and sustainable development of P. grandiflorum resources.

The multiple systemic symptoms appearing during the convalescence of novel coronavirus infection(COVID-19)are called long-term symptoms after COVID-19,also named as long COVID.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has unique advantages in the treatment of long COVID.In the view of Professor ZHANG Zhong-De,the novel coronavirus infection belongs to the category of damp-toxin pestilence in TCM.During the convalescence of novel coronavirus infection,the damp-toxin pathogen causes the dysfunction of qi,blood,yin and yang of zang-fu organs,and then results in the consumption of yang qi or the depletion of fluid and blood.Damp-turbidity obstructing qi movement and entering collaterals and then developing into blood stasis is the key pathogenesis of long COVID.Therefore,the therapeutic principle of harmonizing yin,yang,qi and blood of the five zang-organs is proposed,and the methods for transporting and transforming damp-toxin and phlegm-turbidity,regulating qi,activating blood and removing stasis should be adopted.According to the exuberance or decline of qi,blood and body fluid,and yin and yang of the five zang-organs,the Fuzheng Series Formulas(series formulas for supporting healthy qi)were recommended for the specific syndrome types:Fuzheng Shengbai Formula can be used for the syndrome of deficiency of original qi;Fuzheng Yifei Formula can be used for lung-spleen-kidney deficiency syndrome;Fuzheng Anshen Formula can be used for the syndrome of liver qi stagnation and heart-spleen deficiency.During the treatment,Professor ZHANG Zhong-De makes the modification of drugs indicated for the retention sites of damp-toxin and turbid qi,and addresses the importance of spleen and stomach in the whole treatment process by protecting spleen and stomach,so as to promote the rehabilitation of patients after novel coronavirus infection and improve their quality of life.

Interleukin-1 receptor associated kinase 4(IRAK4)plays a crucial role in signal transduction and regulation in the TLRs/IL-1R signaling pathway,coordinating multiple inflammatory pathways involving immune system activation,cytokine production,and cell proliferation and differentiation.IRAK4 is associated with the pathogenesis and progression of hematological malignancies,including myelodysplastic syndrome,acute myeloid leukemia,chronic lymphocytic leukemia,and lymphoma.Therefore,IRAK4 may serve as an effective therapeutic target for hematologic malignancies.This review summarizes the research advances in the structure and function of IRAK4,as well as its mechanism of action and therapeutic implications in hematological malignancies,aiming to provide insights into pathogenesis of related diseases and targeted therapy research.

In infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia(sBPD),severe pulmonary lobar emphysema may occur as a complication,contributing to significant impairment in ventilation.Clinical management of these infants is extremely challenging and some may require lobectomy to improve ventilation.However,prior to the lobectomy,it is very difficult to assess whether the remaining lung parenchyma would be able to sustain adequate ventilation postoperatively.In addition,preoperative planning and perioperative management are also quite challenging in these patients.This paper reports the utility of selective bronchial occlusion in assessing the safety and efficacy of lobectomy in a case of sBPD complicated by severe right upper lobar emphysema.Since infants with sBPD already have poor lung development and significant lung injury,lobectomy should be viewed as a non-traditional therapy and be carried out with extreme caution.Selective bronchial occlusion test can be an effective tool in assessing the risks and benefits of lobectomy in cases with sBPD and lobar emphysema.However,given the technical difficulty,successful application of this technique requires close collaboration of an experienced interdisciplinary team.

Humans ; Stroke, Lacunar ; Mendelian Randomization Analysis ; Leukocytes ; Telomere/genetics* ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with Mucopolysaccharidosis ⅣA (MPS ⅣA). Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 111 patients with MPS ⅣA in Xinhua Hospital of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medcine from December 2008 to August 2020, confirmed by enzyme activity and genetic testing. General situation, clinical manifestations and enzyme activity test results were analyzed. According to the clinical manifestations, it can be divided into severe, intermediate and mild group. The independent sample t test was used to compare the birth body length and weight of children with that of normal boys and girls, and group comparisons of enzyme activities were evaluated by median test. Results: One hundred and eleven unrelated patients, 69 males and 42 females, were classified into 3 subtypes: severe (n=85), intermediate (n=14), and mild (n=12). The age at symptom onset were 1.6 (1.0, 3.0) years, and at diagnosis were 4.3 (2.8, 7.8) years. Skeletal manifestations were observed in all patients and consisted mainly of pectus carinatum (96/111, 86.5%), motor dysfunction (78/111, 70.3%), spinal deformity (71/111, 64.0%), growth retardation (64/111, 57.7%), joint laxity (63/111, 56.8%) and genu valgum (62/111, 55.9%). Eighty-eight patients (88/111, 79.3%) with MPS ⅣA were also along with non-skeletal manifestations, mainly including snoring (38/111, 34.2%), coarse faces (34/111, 30.6%), and visual impairment (26/111, 23.4%). The most common skeletal manifestation was pectus carinatum (79 cases), and non-skeletal manifestation was snoring (30 cases) and coarse faces (30 cases) in severe patients, pectus carinatum (13 cases) and snoring (5 cases) in intermediate type, motor dysfunction (11 cases) and snoring (3 cases) and visual impairment (3 cases) in mild patients. The height and weight of severe patients began to fall below -2 s at 2-<5 years and 5-<7 years, respectively. At the age of 10-<15 years, the standard deviation score of the height of severe patients reached (-6.2±1.6) s in males and (-6.4±1.2) s in females, and the score of weight got (-3.0±1.1) s in males and (-3.5±0.5) s in females. The height of intermediate patients began to fall below -2 s at the age of 7-<10 years, and the standard deviation score of height were -4.6 s and -3.6 s in 2 males, and -4.6 s and -3.8 s in 2 females at the age of 10-<15 years. The weight remained within -2 s in 72.0% (18/25) of intermediate patients compared to age-matched healthy children. In the mild patients with MPS ⅣA, the mean standard deviation score of height and weight was within -2 s. The enzyme activities of mild patients (2.02 (1.05, 8.20) nmol/(17 h·mg)) were both significantly higher than that of intermediate (0.57 (0.47, 0.94) nmol/(17 h·mg)) and severe (0.22 (0, 0.59) nmol/(17 h·mg)) patients (Z=9.91, 13.98, P=0.005, 0.001), and the enzyme activity of intermediate patients was significantly higher than that of severe patients (Z=8.56, P=0.010). Conclusions: The clinical manifestations of MPS ⅣA are charactered by pectus carinatum, motor function impairment, spinal deformity and growth retardation. The clinical characteristics, growth rate and enzyme activity differ among the 3 subtypes of MPS ⅣA.
Male ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Adolescent ; Mucopolysaccharidosis IV ; Pectus Carinatum ; Retrospective Studies ; Snoring ; China ; Mucopolysaccharidoses ; Growth Disorders ; Vision Disorders

Objective: To investigate the lifespan of erythrocytes in megaloblastic anemia (MA) patients. Methods: A prospective cohort study analysis. Clinical data from 42 MA patients who were newly diagnosed at the Department of Hematology, Lanzhou University Second Hospital from January 2021 to August 2021 were analyzed, as were control data from 24 healthy volunteers acquired during the same period. The carbon monoxide breath test was used to measure erythrocyte lifespan, and correlations between erythrocyte lifespan and laboratory test indexes before and after treatment were calculated. Statistical analysis included the t-test and Pearson correlation. Results: The mean erythrocyte lifespan in the 42 newly diagnosed MA patients was (49.05±41.60) d, which was significantly shorter than that in the healthy control group [(104.13±42.62) d; t=5.13,P=0.001]. In a vitamin B₁₂-deficient subset of MA patients the mean erythrocyte lifespan was (30.09±15.14) d, and in a folic acid-deficient subgroup it was (72.00±51.44) d, and the difference between these two MA subsets was significant (t=3.73, P=0.001). The mean erythrocyte lifespan after MA treatment was (101.28±33.02) d, which differed significantly from that before MA treatment (t=4.72, P=0.001). In MA patients erythrocyte lifespan was positively correlated with hemoglobin concentration (r=0.373), and negatively correlated with total bilirubin level (r=-0.425), indirect bilirubin level (r=-0.431), and lactate dehydrogenase level (r=-0.504) (all P<0.05). Conclusions: Erythrocyte lifespan was shortened in MA patients, and there was a significant difference between a vitamin B₁₂-deficient group and a folic acid-deficient group. After treatment the erythrocyte lifespan can return to normal. Erythrocyte lifespan is expected to become an informative index for the diagnosis and treatment of MA.
Humans ; Longevity ; Clinical Relevance ; Prospective Studies ; Erythrocytes ; Anemia, Megaloblastic ; Folic Acid ; Bilirubin ; Vitamins

Objective To investigate the level of serum uric acid in patients with diabetes insipidus (DI),summarize the clinical characteristics of central diabetes insipidus (CDI) patients with hyperuricemia (HUA),and analyze the factors affecting the level of serum uric acid in the patients with CDI. Methods The clinical data of DI patients admitted to Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 2018 to 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were assigned into a child and adolescent group (≤ 18 years old) and an adult group (>18 years old) according to their ages.The demographic and biochemical data between two groups of patients with and without HUA were compared.Spearman correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were performed to analyze the correlations between serum uric acid level and other factors. Results Among the 420 DI patients,411 patients had CDI (97.9%),including 189 patients with HUA (46.0%).Thirteen (6.9%) out of the 189 CDI patients with HUA presented the disappearance of thirst.The prevalence of HUA in children and adolescents was higher than that in adults (χ²=4.193,P=0.041).The level of serum uric acid in the CDI patients with HUA and disappearance of thirst was higher than those without disappearance of thirst (U=2.593,P=0.010).The multiple linear regression predicted serum creatinine (β=0.472,95%CI=2.451-4.381,P<0.001) and body mass index (β=0.387,95%CI=6.18-12.874,P<0.001) as the independent risk factors of serum uric acid level increment in children and adolescents,while serum creatinine (β=0.361,95%CI=1.016-1.785,P<0.001),body mass index (β=0.208,95%CI=2.321-6.702,P<0.001),triglyceride (β=0.268,95%CI=12.936-28.840,P<0.001),and total cholesterol (β=0.129,95%CI=2.708-22.250,P=0.013) were the independent risk factors in adults. Conclusions The patients with CDI were more likely to have HUA,and the prevalence of HUA in children and adolescents was higher than that in adults.Body mass index,serum creatinine,triglyceride,total cholesterol,and disappearance of thirst were the risk factors for the increased level of serum uric acid in CDI patients.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Humans ; Uric Acid ; Creatinine ; Retrospective Studies ; Diabetes Insipidus ; Hyperuricemia ; Triglycerides ; Cholesterol ; Diabetes Mellitus