Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a common kidney disease in diabetic patients. Long non-coding RNA maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) and microRNA (miR)-23c are reported to be implicated in DN development. Nevertheless, it is unclear that the molecular mechanism between MEG3 and miR-23c in DN remains unclear. Methods: Human mesangial cells (HMCs) were treated with high glucose (HG) to simulate the DN status in vitro. Expression of MEG3 and miR-23c was measured. Effects of MEG3 silencing on HG-stimulated HMC injury were determined. The relationship between MEG3 and miR-23c was verified by the dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. Results: MEG3 was overexpressed in serums from DN patients and HG-stimulated HMCs. MEG3 knockdown weakened HG-stimulated HMC proliferation, extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation, and inflammation. MEG3 regulated lin-28 homolog B (LIN28B) expression through adsorbing miR-23c. MiR-23c inhibitor reversed MEG3 knockdown-mediated effects on HG-stimulated HMC proliferation, ECM accumulation, and inflammation. LIN28B overexpression overturned miR-23c mimic-mediated effects on HG-stimulated HMC proliferation, ECM accumulation, and inflammation. Conclusion: MEG3 regulated HMC injury via regulation of the miR-23c/LIN28B axis in DN, which can help us better understand the mechanism of DN mediated by MEG3.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a common kidney disease in diabetic patients. Long non-coding RNA maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) and microRNA (miR)-23c are reported to be implicated in DN development. Nevertheless, it is unclear that the molecular mechanism between MEG3 and miR-23c in DN remains unclear. Methods: Human mesangial cells (HMCs) were treated with high glucose (HG) to simulate the DN status in vitro. Expression of MEG3 and miR-23c was measured. Effects of MEG3 silencing on HG-stimulated HMC injury were determined. The relationship between MEG3 and miR-23c was verified by the dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. Results: MEG3 was overexpressed in serums from DN patients and HG-stimulated HMCs. MEG3 knockdown weakened HG-stimulated HMC proliferation, extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation, and inflammation. MEG3 regulated lin-28 homolog B (LIN28B) expression through adsorbing miR-23c. MiR-23c inhibitor reversed MEG3 knockdown-mediated effects on HG-stimulated HMC proliferation, ECM accumulation, and inflammation. LIN28B overexpression overturned miR-23c mimic-mediated effects on HG-stimulated HMC proliferation, ECM accumulation, and inflammation. Conclusion: MEG3 regulated HMC injury via regulation of the miR-23c/LIN28B axis in DN, which can help us better understand the mechanism of DN mediated by MEG3.

Objective:To explore the correlation between the levels of serum lipoxin A4 (LXA4), cysteine-rich protein 61 (Cyr61) and disease severity in patients with knee osteoarthritis.Methods:A total of 106 patients with knee osteoarthritis treated in the Xianning Central Hospital (the First Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Science and Technology) from October 2017 to October 2019 were selected as the study subjects, and the patients were divided into mild to moderate group (63 cases) and severe group (43 cases) according to the Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) grading criteria. Meanwhile 80 healthy subjects who underwent physical examination during the same period were selected as the control group. The levels of serum LXA4 and Cyr61 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Spearman correlation was used to analyze the correlation between serum LXA4 and Cyr61 levels and the severity of knee osteoarthritis. Logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of the severity of knee osteoarthritis. Receiver operative characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the predictive efficacy of serum LXA4 and Cyr61 in patients with severe knee osteoarthritis.Results:The serum LXA4 level in the control group was (56.47 ± 9.62) μg/L , which was significantly higher than that in the mild to moderate group (46.16 ± 7.77) μg/L and the severe group (39.57 ± 6.20) μg/L, and the serum LXA4 level in the mild to moderate group was higher than that in the severe group, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). The serum Cyr61 level in the control group was (25.07 ± 2.77) ng/L, which was significantly lower than that in the mild to moderate group (89.76 ± 10.47) ng/L and the severe group (96.88 ± 8.47) ng/L, and the serum LXA4 level in the mild to moderate group was lower than that in the severe group, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that the severity of disease in patients with knee osteoarthritis was negatively correlated with serum LXA4 level ( r = - 0.451, P<0.05) and positively correlated with serum Cyr61 level ( r = 0.358, P<0.05). The results of Logistic regression analysis showed that serum Cyr61 and LXA4 were predictors of the severity of knee osteoarthritis ( P<0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) of combination of serum LXA4 and Cyr61 in predicting severe knee osteoarthritis was 0.819, the sensitivity was 79.07%, and the specificity was 79.34%. Conclusions:The decrease of serum LXA4 level and the increase of Cyr61 level in patients with knee osteoarthritis are related to the severity of the disease. The combination of the two has the ability of clinical auxiliary diagnosis of the severity of osteoarthritis.

Objective To observe the therapeutic effect and mechanism of Baoyuan Decoction for chronic heart failure model rat.Methods SD rats were randomly divided into blank group,model group,Baoyuan Decoction group,Captopril group,Baoyuan Decoction+CCT020312[protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase(PERK)activator]group,15 rats in each group.Except for the blank group,the rats in the other groups were induced by Adriamycin to construct a chronic heart failure model.After corresponding drug intervention,cardiac function indexes[left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVEDD),left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF),left ventricular fractional shortening(LVFS),brain natriuretic peptide(BNP),cardiac troponin I(cTnI)],inflammation-related factors[tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α),interleukin 1β(IL-1β)],oxidative stress factors[malondialdehyde(MDA),superoxide dismutase(SOD)]were detected in each group.Changes in apoptosis-related indicators[B-cell lymphoma 2(Bcl-2),B-cell lymphoma 2-associated X protein(Bax),Caspase-3]and PERK/transcription activator 4(ATF4)signaling pathway-related proteins glucose-regulated protein 78(GRP78),PERK,ATF4,C/EBP homologous protein(CHOP)levels.Results Compared with the blank group,LVEDD,BNP,cTnI,TNF-α,IL-1β,MDA levels,protein expression levels of Bax,Caspase-3,GRP78,PERK,ATF4,CHOP in the model group were significantly increased,LVEF,LVFS,SOD levels and Bcl-2 protein expression level were significantly decreased(all P＜0.05).Compared with the model group and Baoyuan Decoction+CCT020312 group,LVEDD,BNP,cTnI,TNF-α,IL-1β,MDA levels,protein expression levels of Bax,Caspase-3,GRP78,PERK,ATF4,CHOP in Baoyuan Decoction group and Captopril group were significantly decreased,LVEF,LVFS,SOD levels and Bcl-2 protein expression level were significantly increased(all P＜0.05).Compared with the Captopril group,there was no significant change in the above indexes(except CHOP protein expression level)in the Baoyuan Decoction group(P＞0.05).Conclusion Baoyuan Decoction can delay the progression of chronic heart failure rats,and its mechanism may be related to inhibiting the PERK/ATF4 signaling pathway to alleviate cardiomyocyte apoptosis,further reducing the degree of inflammatory response and oxidative stress,thereby promoting the repair of cardiac function and myocardial injury.

Objective To investigate the differences in visual perception between children with autism spectrum disorder(ASD)and typically developing(TD)children when watching different intention videos,and to explore the feasibility of machine learning algorithms in objectively distinguishing between ASD children and TD children.Methods A total of 58 children with ASD and 50 TD children were enrolled and were asked to watch the videos containing joint intention and non-joint intention,and the gaze duration and frequency in different areas of interest were used as original indicators to construct classifier-based models.The models were evaluated in terms of the indicators such as accuracy,sensitivity,and specificity.Results When using eight common classifiers,including support vector machine,linear discriminant analysis,decision tree,random forest,and K-nearest neighbors(with K values of 1,3,5,and 7),based on the original feature indicators,the highest classification accuracy achieved was 81.90% .A feature reconstruction approach with a decision tree classifier was used to further improve the accuracy of classification,and then the model showed the accuracy of 91.43% ,the specificity of 89.80% ,and the sensitivity of 92.86% ,with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.909(P<0.001).Conclusions The machine learning model based on eye-tracking data can accurately distinguish ASD children from TD children,which provides a scientific basis for developing rapid and objective ASD screening tools.[Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics,2024,26(2):151-157]

Objective To investigate the changes in the serum levels of oxidized phospholipids(OxPLs)and endothelial nitric oxide synthase(eNOS)and their association with coronary artery disease(CAL)in children in the acute stage of Kawasaki disease(KD),as well as the clinical significance of OxPLs and eNOS.Methods A prospective study was conducted on 95 children in the acute stage of KD(KD group).According to the presence of absence of CAL,the KD group was further divided into a CAL subgroup and a non-CAL(NCAL)subgroup.Thirty children with fever due to lower respiratory tract infection were enrolled as the fever group.Thirty healthy children who underwent physical examination were enrolled as the healthy control group.The above groups were compared in terms of general information and serum levels of OxPLs,eNOS and other laboratory indexes,and the correlation between OxPLs level and eNOS level was analyzed.Results The KD group had a significantly higher level of OxPLs and a significantly lower level of eNOS compared with the fever group and the healthy control group(P<0.05).After treatment,the children with KD had a significantly decreased OxPLs level and a significantly increased eNOS level(P<0.05).Compared with the NCAL subgroup,the CAL subgroup had a significantly higher level of OxPLs and a significantly lower level of eNOS(P<0.05).Among the children of KD,the level of OxPLs was negatively correlated with that of eNOS(rs=-0.353,P<0.05).Conclusions Serum OxPLs and eNOS in the acute stage of KD may be involved in the development of CAL in children with KD,and therefore,they may be used as the biomarkers to predict CAL in these children.

Objective To assess the feasibility and imaging outcomes of unilateral biportal endoscopic technique in the treatment of lumbar foraminal stenosis through contralateral approach.Methods The clinical data of 33 patients with lumbar foraminal stenosis treated with unilateral biportal endoscopic technique from January 2021 to July 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.There were 17 males and 16 females;age ranging from 34 to 72 years old with an average of(56.00±7.89)years old;operation time and perioperative complications were recorded;visual analogue scale(VAS)of pain was recorded,to evaluate the degree of low back pain and lower extremity pain,and Oswestry disability index(ODI)to evaluate the lumbar spine func-tion.At the latest follow-up,the modified Macnab score was used to evaluate the clinical efficacy.Results All patients success-fully completed the operation.The operation time ranged from 47 to 65 minutes,with an average of(56.10±5.19)minutes.The postoperative follow-up ranged from 12 to 18 months,with an average of(14.9±2.3)months.The VAS of low back and lower extermity pain before operation were(7.273±1.442)and(7.697±1.447)scores,ODI was(69.182±9.740)％.Postoperative lumbocrural pain VAS were(3.394±0.966)and(2.818±0.727)scores,ODI was(17.30±4.78)％.At the latest follow-up,VAS of back and lower extermity pain was(2.788±0.650)and(2.394±0.704)scores,ODI was(14.33±350)％.There were signifi-cant differences in VAS of low back and lower extremity pain and ODI before and after operation(P＜0.05).At the latest follow-up,according to the modified Macnab criteria,24 patients got excellent result,5 as good,2 as fair,and 2 as poor.Conclusion Unilateral biportal endoscopic treatment of lumbar foraminal stenosis through the contralateral approach is a safe and efficient method,with few complications,quick postoperative recovery,and satisfactory clinical outcomes.During the follow-up period,no iatrogenic lumbar instability was observed.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a common kidney disease in diabetic patients. Long non-coding RNA maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) and microRNA (miR)-23c are reported to be implicated in DN development. Nevertheless, it is unclear that the molecular mechanism between MEG3 and miR-23c in DN remains unclear. Methods: Human mesangial cells (HMCs) were treated with high glucose (HG) to simulate the DN status in vitro. Expression of MEG3 and miR-23c was measured. Effects of MEG3 silencing on HG-stimulated HMC injury were determined. The relationship between MEG3 and miR-23c was verified by the dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. Results: MEG3 was overexpressed in serums from DN patients and HG-stimulated HMCs. MEG3 knockdown weakened HG-stimulated HMC proliferation, extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation, and inflammation. MEG3 regulated lin-28 homolog B (LIN28B) expression through adsorbing miR-23c. MiR-23c inhibitor reversed MEG3 knockdown-mediated effects on HG-stimulated HMC proliferation, ECM accumulation, and inflammation. LIN28B overexpression overturned miR-23c mimic-mediated effects on HG-stimulated HMC proliferation, ECM accumulation, and inflammation. Conclusion: MEG3 regulated HMC injury via regulation of the miR-23c/LIN28B axis in DN, which can help us better understand the mechanism of DN mediated by MEG3.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a common kidney disease in diabetic patients. Long non-coding RNA maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) and microRNA (miR)-23c are reported to be implicated in DN development. Nevertheless, it is unclear that the molecular mechanism between MEG3 and miR-23c in DN remains unclear. Methods: Human mesangial cells (HMCs) were treated with high glucose (HG) to simulate the DN status in vitro. Expression of MEG3 and miR-23c was measured. Effects of MEG3 silencing on HG-stimulated HMC injury were determined. The relationship between MEG3 and miR-23c was verified by the dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. Results: MEG3 was overexpressed in serums from DN patients and HG-stimulated HMCs. MEG3 knockdown weakened HG-stimulated HMC proliferation, extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation, and inflammation. MEG3 regulated lin-28 homolog B (LIN28B) expression through adsorbing miR-23c. MiR-23c inhibitor reversed MEG3 knockdown-mediated effects on HG-stimulated HMC proliferation, ECM accumulation, and inflammation. LIN28B overexpression overturned miR-23c mimic-mediated effects on HG-stimulated HMC proliferation, ECM accumulation, and inflammation. Conclusion: MEG3 regulated HMC injury via regulation of the miR-23c/LIN28B axis in DN, which can help us better understand the mechanism of DN mediated by MEG3.

Patchoulol is an important sesquiterpenoid in the volatile oil of Pogostemon cablin, and is also considered to be the main contributing component to the pharmacological efficacy and fragrance of P. cablin oil, which has antibacterial, antitumor, antioxidant, and other biological activities. Currently, patchoulol and its essential oil blends are in high demand worldwide, but the traditional plant extraction method has many problems such as wasting land and polluting the environment. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new method to produce patchoulol efficiently and at low cost. To broaden the production method of patchouli and achieve the heterologous production of patchoulol in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the patchoulol synthase(PS) gene from P. cablin was codon optimized and placed under the inducible strong promoter GAL1 to transfer into the yeast platform strain YTT-T5, thereby obtaining strain PS00 with the production of(4.0±0.3) mg·L~(-1) patchoulol. To improve the conversion rate, this study used protein fusion method to fuse SmFPS gene from Salvia miltiorrhiza with PS gene, leading to increase the yield of patchoulol to(100.9±7.4) mg·L~(-1) by 25-folds. By further optimizing the copy number of the fusion gene, the yield of patchoulol was increased by 90% to(191.1±32.7) mg·L~(-1). By optimizing the fermentation process, the strain was able to achieve a patchouli yield of 2.1 g·L~(-1) in a high-density fermentation system, which was the highest yield so far. This study provides an important basis for the green production of patchoulol.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae/metabolism* ; Sesquiterpenes/metabolism* ; Pogostemon ; Oils, Volatile/metabolism*