Objective To investigate the influencing mechanism of micro ribonucleic acid(miR)-375 targeting phos-phatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(AKT)pathway on high glucose-induced proliferation and angiogenesis in human retinal endothelial cells(hRECs).Methods The hRECs were cultured in vitro,and transfection and dual lucifer-ase assay were performed on them.These hRECs were divided into the control group,high glucose group,high glucose+miR-375 group,and high glucose+miR-375+LM22B-10 group.The Cell Counting Kit-8 was used to detect the cell prolifera-tion ability,the angiogenesis assay was used to detect the vascular formation ability,real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect the miR-375 and PI3K mRNA expressions in hRECs,and Western blot was used to detect the PI3K and p-AKT/AKT protein expressions in hRECs.Results At 48 h and 72 h after the cultivation,compared with the control group,the pro-liferation viability,PI3K and p-AKT/AKT protein expressions,vascular formation ability,and PI3K mRNA expression in hRECs significantly increased,and the miR-375 expression in hRECs significantly decreased in the high glucose group,high glucose+miR-375 group and high glucose+miR-375+LM22B-10 group(all P＜0.05).Compared with the high glucose group,the proliferation viability,PI3K mRNA and protein expressions,p-AKT/AKT protein expression and vascular forma-tion ability in hRECs were significantly reduced,and miR-375 expression significantly increased in the high glucose+miR-375 group(all P＜0.05).Compared with the high glucose+miR-375 group,the proliferation viability,vascular formation a-bility and p-AKT/AKT protein expression in hRECs significantly increased in the high glucose+miR-375+LM22B-10 group(all P＜0.05);there was no significant difference in the miR-375 and PI3K mRNA(all P＞0.05).After transfected with miR-375 mimic and wt-PI3K-pGL4,the relative luciferase activity in hRECs significantly decreased compared with transfec-tion with miR-375 NC and mut-PI3K-pGL4(all P＜0.05).Conclusion The targeted inhibition of the PI3K/AKT pathway by miR-375 can suppress the high glucose-induced proliferation and angiogenesis of hRECs,alleviating DR.

Background Decline in cognitive function is considered a hallmark of schizophrenia,and transcranial direct current stimulation(tDCS)has developed as a promising tool for cognitive enhancement.Objective To systematically evaluate the effect of tDCS on improving cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia,so as to provide references for clinical intervention of cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia.Methods A computer-based systematic search was conducted on September 12,2023 through CNKI,Wanfang,VIP,PubMed,CINAHL and PsycINFO databases,and randomized controlled trials relevant to the efficacy of tDCS for management of cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia were collected.The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for Randomized Trials(RoB 2.0).Results A total of 17 articles were included,including 953 patients with schizophrenia.TDCS has an improvement effect on cognitive functions such as information processing speed,attention,working memory,executive function and learning ability in patients with schizophrenia.Conclusion tDCS may have an effect on improving cognitive deficits in patients with schizophrenia.

Objective:To explore and analyze the predictive value of EuroSCORE Ⅱ and SYNTAX Ⅱ scores for clinical outcomes in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery.Methods:A total of 500 coronary artery disease (CAD) patients who underwent CABG in Shanxi Cardiovascular Hospital from April 2014 to July 2023 were selected as the study subjects, all patients were given EuroSCORE Ⅱand SYNTAX Ⅱ scores to evaluate the predictive value of EuroSCOREⅡfor perioperative mortality and SYNTAX Ⅱ for 4-year mortality. Univariate and multivariate Logistic analysis were employed to analyze the independent risk factors for perioperative and 4-year mortality.Results:There were 3 deaths during the perioperative period, with a mortality rate of 0.60%, the predicted mortality rate of EuroSCOREⅡwas 1.71%; there were 21 deaths at 4 years after surgery, with a mortality rate of 4.23% and the predicted mortality rate of SYNTAX Ⅱwas 9.02%. Logistic regression analysis showed that left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was the only independent protective factor for perioperative mortality, and advanced age was the only independent risk factor for 4-year postoperative mortality in patients ( P<0.05). The analysis of the working characteristic curve of the subjects found that the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve ( ROC) of EuroSCORE Ⅱ for perioperative mortality was 0.782, and the area under ROC curve of SYNTAX Ⅱfor postoperative 4-year mortality was 0.743. Conclusion:Both EuroSCORE Ⅱand SYNTAX Ⅱhave certain predictive value for perioperative mortality and postoperative 4-year mortality in patients undergoing CABG, respectively, but the predicted mortality rate is relatively higher.

Objective:To investigate the safety and feasibility of the CHESS endoscpic ruler (CHESS ruler), and the consistency between the measured values and the interpretation values by endoscopic physician experience.Methods:From January 2021 to January 2022, a total of 105 liver cirrhosis patients with portal hypertension were prospectively enrolled from General Hospital, Xixia Branch Hospital, Ningnan Hospital of People′s Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (29 cases), and the First People′s Hospital of Yinchuan (25 cases), General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University (18 cases), Wuzhong People′s Hospital (10 cases), the Fifth People′s Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (10 cases), Shizuishan Second People′s Hospital (6 cases), Yinchuan Second People′s Hospital (5 cases), and Zhongwei People′s Hospital (2 cases) 8 hospitals. The clinical characteristics of all the patients, including gender, age, nationality, etiolog of liver cirrhosis, and Child-Pugh classification of liver function were recorded. A big gastroesophageal varices was defined as diameter of varices ≥5 mm. Endoscopist (associated chief physician) performed gastroscopy according to the routine gastroscopy procedures, and the diameter of the biggest esophageal varices was measured by experience and images were collected, and then objective measurement was with the CHESS ruler and images were collected. The diameter of esophageal varices of 10 randomly selected patients (random number table method) was determined by 6 endoscopists (attending physician or associated chief physician) with experience or measured by CHESS ruler. Kappa test was used to test the consistency in the diameter of esophageal varices between measured values by CHESS ruler and the interpretation values by endoscopic physician experience.Results:Among 105 liver cirrhosis patients with portal hypertension, male 65 cases and female 40 cases, aged (54.8±12.2) years old, Han nationality 82 cases, Hui nationality 21 cases and Mongolian nationality 2 cases. The etiology of liver cirrhosis included chronic hepatitis B (79 cases), alcoholic liver disease (7 cases), autoimmune hepatitis (7 cases), chronic hepatitis C (2 cases), and other etiology (10 cases). Liver function of 32 cases was Child-Pugh A, Child-Pugh B 57 cases, and Child-Pugh C 16 cases. All 105 liver cirrhosis patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension were successfully measured the diameter of gastroesophageal varices by CHESS ruler, and the success rate of application of CHESS ruler was 100.0% (105/105). The procedure time from the CHESS ruler into the body to the exit of the body after measurement was (3.50±2.55) min. No complications happened in all the patients during measurement. Among 105 liver cirrhosis patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension, 96 cases (91.4%) were recognized as big gastroesophageal varices by the endoscopists. Totally 93 cases (88.6%) were considered as big gastroesophageal varices by CHESS ruler. Eight cases were recognized as big gastroesophageal varices by the endoscopist, however not by the CHESS ruler; 5 cases were recognized as big gastroesophageal varices by the CHESS ruler, but not by the endoscopists; 4 cases were not recognized as big gastroesophageal varices both by the endoscopists and CHESS ruler; 88 cases were recognized as big gastroesophageal varices both by the endoscopists and CHESS ruler. The missed diagnostic rate of big gastroesophageal varices by the endoscopists experience was 5.4% (5/93), and the Kappa value of consistency coefficient between the measurement by the CHESS ruler and the interpretation by endoscopists experience was 0.31 (95% confidence interval 0.03 to 0.60). The overall Kappa value of consistency coefficient by 6 endoscopists measured by CHESS ruler in big gastroesophageal varices diagnosis was 0.77 (95% confidence interval 0.61 to 0.93).Conclusion:As an objective measurement tool, CHESS ruler can make up for the deficiency of subjective judgment by endoscopists, accurately measure the diameter of gastroesophageal varices, and is highly feasible and safe.

Ulcerative colitis （UC） is a chronic recurrent inflammatory bowel disease which primarily affects the colonic mucosa. The UC patients mainly present diarrhea， abdominal pain， tenesmus， and mucous bloody stools， and even malnutrition and systemic symptoms in severe cases， with rising incidence， which has a significant impact on the health and quality of life of patients. The pathogenesis of UC is not clear， and the Western medical therapies include sulfasalazine， glucocorticoids， and immunosuppressants， which， however， have side effects and unsatisfactory effects. Chinese medicine with high safety， mild adverse reactions， and a multi-component， multi-target， and multi-pathway treatment manner has garnering increasing attention. Therefore， finding the Chinese medicine to treat UC has become a hot spot. Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma is one of the commonly used Chinese herbal medicines， with the effects of tonifying spleen and reinforcing qi， clearing heat and detoxifying， dispelling phlegm and relieving cough， relieving pain， and harmonizing medicines. Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma mainly contains glycyrrhizic acid， glycyrrhetinic acid， diammonium glycyrrhizinate and other active ingredients. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma has anti-inflammatory， antioxidant， antimicrobial， and immunomodulatory activities. According to statistics， Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma is among the top three Chinese herbal medicines for the treatment of UC. The recent years have witnessed progress in the treatment of UC with Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and the related prescriptions. The present study summarized the mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory， immunomodulatory， intestinal flora-regulating， cell apoptosis-inducing， and oxidative stress-reducing effects of the key chemical constituents （glycyrrhetinic acid， diammonium glycyrrhizinate， polysaccharide， glycyrrhetinic acid， and isoglycyrrhizin） and compound prescriptions of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma. The findings provide a solid foundation for further development and clinical application of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma.

Adventitia ; Atherosclerosis/genetics* ; Cell Communication ; Humans ; Hyperhomocysteinemia/genetics* ; Sequence Analysis, RNA

Objective:To evaluate the hemostatic efficacy of N-carboxyethylchitosan fiber gauze (numbered NWL-K) in a leporine bleeding wounds of intraperitoneal parenchymal visceral.Methods:Sixty New Zealand rabbits were divided into two groups according to the randomized digital number method, with 30 rabbits per group. The leporine bleeding models of hepatic or splenic wound were made respectively. The two groups were subdivided into three groups: common gauze group, SURGICEL group and NWL-K group, with 10 rabbits per group. By analyzing the weight of excised liver tissue and amount of bleeding, the model stability was measured. The time to hemostasis and bleeding score in each group were analyzed every (20±5)seconds after compression for 30 seconds in the hepatic bleeding models or every (30±5)seconds after compression for 3 minutes in the splenic bleeding models. The adhesion between wound and gauze was evaluated at the same time.Results:There was no significant difference in the weight of excised liver tissue and amount of bleeding when the hepatic or splenic bleeding models were made ( P>0.05). It showed that the model was made stably and the hemostasis experiment would not be affected. In the splenic wound model experiment, the time to hemostasis was 255(233, 300)seconds in SURGICEL group and 210(180, 248)seconds in NWL-K group, both of which were significantly shorter than 465(383, 660)seconds in common guaze group ( P<0.05). NWL-K achieved shorter time to hemostasis than SURGICEL ( P<0.05). In the hepatic wound model experiment, the time to hemostasis was 90(85, 110)seconds in SURGICEL group and 70(70, 95)seconds in NWL-K group, both of which were significantly shorter than 250(225 290)seconds in common gauze group ( P<0.05). In the splenic wound model experiment, the bleeding score in NWL-K group and SURGICEL group decreased faster than that in common gauze group ( P<0.05). The difference of bleeding score was significant between NWL-K group and SURGICEL group at 180 seconds ( P<0.05). In the hepatic wound model experiment, the bleeding score in NWL-K group and SURGICEL group decreased faster than that in common gauze group at 50 seconds, 70 seconds and 90 seconds ( P<0.05). The bleeding score in common gauze group and NWL-K group showed significant difference at 30 seconds, 110 seconds and 130 seconds ( P<0.05). For the adhesion evaluation, both the water-absorbency and adhesion to tissue of NWL-K were better than common gauze and SURGICEL. Conclusions:For hepatic and splenic bleeding wounds, compared with other types of gauze, the application of NWL-K can effectively shorten the time to hemostasis and reduce the blood loss. The NWL-K shows high water-absorbency and firm adhesion to bleeding wound.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the protective effect of SBi4211 (heptamidine), an inhibitor of S100B, against central nervous system injury induced by HIV-1 envelope protein gp120. METHODS: In an RESULTS: In the cell co-culture system, SBi4211 treatment significantly inhibited gp120-induced expression of S100B, RAGE and GFAP in U251 cells ( CONCLUSIONS SBi4211 can protect neurons from gp120-induced neurotoxicity possibly by inhibiting the S100B/ RAGE-mediated signaling pathway.
Animals ; Astrocytes ; Blotting, Western ; Central Nervous System ; HIV Envelope Protein gp120 ; Mice ; Neurons ; S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit ; Signal Transduction

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of the cell division- associated gene NUF2 in breast cancer and its clinical significance. METHODS: The expression of NUF2 in breast cancer tissues was analyzed using Oncomine database. The relationship between the expression of NUF2 and the prognosis of breast cancer was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier Plotter database. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and GEO database were used to investigate the effect of NUF2 on gene enrichment. The String database was utilized to analyze the proteins associated with NUF2. The TIMER database was analyzed to assess the correlations of NUF2 with BUB1, MAD2L1 and MYC. The expressions of NUF2 mRNA in 8 pairs of breast cancer tissues and adjacent tissues were verified by q-PCR. RESULTS: Compared with that in normal breast tissue, NUF2 was significantly overexpressed in breast cancer ( < 0.001). The overall survival time (HR = 1.52, = 0.015) and the recurrence-free survival time (HR = 1.85, = 3.2e-14) of the patients with high NUF2 expression were significantly shorter than those of patients with low NUF2 expression. In patients with high NUF2 expression, the enriched genes were involved mainly in cell cycle, P53, G2/M, DNA repair, MYC, and PI3K-AKT-MTOR signaling pathways, which were associated with tumor proliferation, invasion, metastasis and stemness. Combination of the results of String database, gene enrichment and TIMER database analyses suggested that NUF2 interacted directly with BUB1, MAD2L1, and MYC, which could promote the progression of breast cancer. The results of q-PCR showed that NUF2 expression was up-regulated in 6 cancer tissues and down-regulated in 2 cancer tissues. CONCLUSIONS NUF2 gene is overexpressed in breast cancer, and its expression level is important in predicting the prognosis of breast cancer.
Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Cell Cycle Proteins ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; Prognosis

Objective To study the clinical phenotype and prognosis of children diagnosed with early-onset epileptic encephalopathy (EOEE) and pachygyria-lissencephaly,and to explore the potential genetic factors.Methods The clinical data of 65 children between December 2005 and December 2016 was obtained and analyzed.And the whole exome sequencing was analyzed by using second generation sequencing technology.Results Among 65 children,17 cases (26.1％) were diagnosed as lissencephaly,34 cases (52.3 ％) were pachygyria,and 14 cases (62.6％)were pachygyria with lissencephaly.Thirteen cases (20.0％) were infantile spasms,9 cases (13.8％) were ohtahara syndrome,3 cases (4.6％) were early myoclonic epileptic encephalopathy,and 40 cases (61.6％) were non-symptomatic EOEE.Six cases (6/65 cases,9.2％) were associated with dyskinesia,of whom 3 cases showed dystonia,2 cases of limb tremor,1 case of dancing-like movements.Electroencephalophalogram (EEG) showed serious multifocal discharge,40 cases had massive multifocal discharge.Brain images showed that simple pachygyria was more common (34/65 cases,52.3 ％).Among them,focal pachygyria was more common (25/34 cases,73.5 ％),mostly involving in the frontoparietal lobe (11/25 cases,44.0％).Copy number variations and whole exon sequencing were performed on 61 patients.Copy number variation was detected in 1 patient.There were 2 cases of lissencephaly-1/platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase isoform 1B (LIS1/PAFAH1B1) mutation,1 case of syntaxin-blinding protein 1 (STXBP1)mutation,1 case of Aristaless-related homeobox (ARX) mutation,and 1 case of dynein cytoplasmic 1 heavy chain 1(DYNC1H1) mutation.The follow-up time varied from 1 year to 8 years [(3.5 ± 1.4) years],in which 20 cases had clinical seizures under control but 45 cases out of control.Conclusion Infantile spasms and non-syndromic EOEEare more common in children diagnosed with EOEE and pachygyria-lissencephaly.A small number of cases have dyskinesia.EEG shows serious abnormalities,mostly multifocal discharge.Brain images show simple pachygyria is more common,mostly involving in the frontoparietal lobe.Common gene mutations are LIS1/PAFAH1B1,STXBP1,ARX.Gene mutations can lead to both clinical manifestations of cortical deformity and EOEE,and genetic factors play an important role in children with brain developmental deformity and epilepsy.