Objective To investigate the expression of disulfidptosis-related genes in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)and the prognostic value of disulfidptosis in HCC,to construct a prognostic model,and to analyze its impact on the biological processes of HCC and sorafenib resistance.Methods The TCGA-LIHC database was used to collect the mRNA expression profiles and corresponding clinical data of HCC patients,and the LASSO-Cox regression algorithm was used to construct a four-gene predictive model for prognosis in the TCGA cohort.The external datasets ICGC and GSE14520 were used to validate the prognostic efficacy of the model,and the Cancer Drug Sensitivity Genomics(GDSC)data were used to investigate the value of the disulfidptosis model in predicting sorafenib treatment response,and gene ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)analyses were used to investigate the biological functions of disulfidptosis-related genes.The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups,and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups.The Kaplan-Meier curve and the log-rank test were used to evaluate the difference in prognosis,and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to investigate whether risk score was an independent influencing factor for patient prognosis.Results The univariate Cox regression analysis in the TCGA cohort showed that seven known disulfidptosis-related genes were significantly associated with overall survival(OS)in HCC(all P<0.05).The LASSO-Cox regression analysis was used to construct a prognostic model based on disulfidptosis-related genes(DRG),and the risk score RS-DRG was calculated as RS-DRG=(0.061 6)×GYS1 expression level+(0.152 8)×LRPPRC expression level+(0.268 3)×RPN1 expression level+(0.183 5)×SLC7A11 expression level.The log-rank test showed that the patients with a high risk score based on the disulfidptosis model had a significantly lower OS than those with a low risk score(P<0.001).Based on the results of the multivariate Cox regression analysis,risk score was an independent predictive factor for OS in both TCGA and ICGC cohorts(TCGA:hazard ratio[HR]=1.869,P=0.002;ICGC:HR=3.469,P=0.004).The Spearman correlation analysis showed that RS-DRG was significantly positively correlated with the infiltration level of various immune cells(including B lymphocytes,CD4+T lymphocytes,neutrophils,macrophages,and dendritic cells)in tumor microenvironment(all P<0.05).The patients in the high-risk score group had a significantly lower IC50 value of sorafenib and were more sensitive to sorafenib(P<0.001).The KEGG/GO enrichment analysis showed that the differentially expressed disulfidptosis-related genes were significantly enriched in various mitosis-related molecular functions.Conclusion This study constructed a novel prognostic model based on disulfidptosis-related genes,which has a potential clinical value in predicting the prognosis of HCC,and targeting disulfidptosis-related genes may provide a promising approach for HCC treatment.

Coronary perforation is when a contrast agent or blood flows outside a blood vessel through a tear in a coronary artery.In this case,we reported a case of percutaneous coronary intervention for coronary calcified lesions,which led to iatrogenic coronary perforation and cardiac tamponade after the use of Shockwave balloon to treat intracoronary calcified nodules,and the management of PCI-related CAP was systematically reviewed through the literature.

Objective To preliminarily evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a novel non-implantable atrial shunt device based on radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of chronic heart failure(CHF).Methods This was a prospective single-arm study.From January 2023 to December 2023,five eligible CHF patients were consecutively enrolled at Beijing Anzhen Hospital,Capital Medical University,and underwent inter-atrial shunt using Shenzhen Betterway atrial shunt device.Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure(PCWP),right atrial pressure(RAP),pulmonary artery pressure(PAP),total pulmonary resistance(TPR),pulmonary vascular resistance(PVR),and pulmonary/systemic blood flow ratio(Qp/Qs)were measured using right heart catheterization before and immediately after procedure.Patients were followed up for 90 days,and echocardiography,right heart catheterization,and cardiac functional indicators were evaluated.The primary endpoint was procedural success.Secondary endpoints included clinical success,echocardiographic changes,6-minute walk distance(6MWD)changes,New York Heart Association(NYHA)class changes,Kansas city cardiomyopathy questionnaire(KCCQ)score changes,and amino-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP)level changes at 90 days.The safety endpoint was major cardiovascular and cerebrovascular adverse events and device-related adverse events.Results All five patients successfully achieved left-to-right atrial shunt.Compared with baseline,PCWP decreased significantly immediately after procedure in all five patients,with a procedural success rate of 100％.There were no significant changes in RAP,PAP,TPR,and PVR before and immediately after procedure.After 90 days follow-up,four patients had persistent left-to-right atrial shunt,and PCWP was significantly lower than baseline,with a clinical success rate of 80％.Compared with baseline,LVEF increased,left ventricular end-diastolic diameter decreased,and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion and right ventricular fractional area change were not impaired in all five patients at 90 days.KCCQ scores and 6MWT improved,NT-proBNP decreased,and NYHA class did not change significantly.There were no deaths,rehospitalizations for heart failure,stroke-related adverse events,or device-related adverse events during the follow-up.Conclusions The novel non-implantable atrial shunt catheter can safely and effectively improve hemodynamic,echocardiographic,and cardiac functional indicators in patients with heart failure.However,larger-scale clinical studies are still needed to validate its long-term clinical effectiveness.

Despite significant advancements in treatments for heart failure,the overall prognosis for patients remains poor.Hemodynamic abnormalities in heart failure manifest as elevated left atrial pressure and pulmonary congestion.Previous studies have shown that reducing left atrial pressure can improve symptoms and prognosis for heart failure patients,suggesting that left-sided heart overload may be a potential target for heart failure treatment.Atrial shunting procedures aim to create a stable and controlled left-to-right intracardiac shunt,restoring the decompensated left heart volume and pressure load in heart failure patients to a compensatory state,thereby improving heart failure symptoms and prognosis.Currently,this treatment is still in the clinical research stage globally.Existing data indicate that atrial shunting procedures can lower left atrial pressure at rest or during exercise in heart failure patients,improve pulmonary congestion,enhance patients'exercise tolerance,and clinical cardiac function.However,no studies have yet confirmed that it can improve clinical endpoints such as rehospitalization and mortality due to heart failure.Future research will focus on identifying heart failure patients who may benefit from atrial shunting,with assessments of heart failure etiology,right heart function,and reversibility of pulmonary vascular resistance,as well as heart failure classification based on ejection fraction,serving as potential key factors for patient selection.

Behcet's disease can be classified into the category of fox-creeper disease in the field of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM).Professor LIN Chang-Song believes that the pathogenesis of Behcet's disease is characterized by deficiency in origin and excess in superficiality,and liver depression and spleen deficiency is the fundamental pathogenesis of Behcet's disease.The cause of Behcet's disease is due to exogenous attack of pathogenic qi,and the disease has the syndrome manifestation of internal accumulation of damp-heat.For the treatment of Bechet's disease,the use of self-made Baisai Prescription and Kouyan Prescription which were derived from Gancao Xiexin Decoction recorded in Jin Gui Yao Lve(Essentials from the Golden Cabinet)together with large dosage of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma has achieved good clinical efficacy.According to the original records of traditional Chinese Medicine classics and by combining the clinical medication experience,Professor LIN Chang-Song proposed that the dosage of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma should be enlarged,usually in the dose of 30-40 g.For the treatment of patients with Behcet's disease with obvious spleen and stomach deficiency syndrome,modified Baisai Prescription(composed of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata cum Melle,Codonopsis Radix,Pyrolae Herba,Pinelliae Rhizoma Praeparatum,Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens,Scutellariae Radix,Coptidis Rhizoma,etc.)is adopted and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata cum Melle should be used.For the treatment of patients with intense damp-heat type of Behcet's disease,Kouyan Prescription(composed of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,Scutellariae Radix,Coptidis Rhizoma,Pinelliae Rhizoma Praeparatum,Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens,Jujubae Fructus,Pseudostellariae Radix,Ganoderma Capense,Lophatheri Herba,Plantaginis Semen,etc.)is recommended and raw Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma should be adopted.Moreover,the importance of having proper eating and drinking,keeping regular living and avoiding to overwork to prevent the recurrence of Behcet's disease was stressed.

The aim of our research was to obtain Listeria bacteriophages from food and related environments,and conduc-ted the analysis of the electron microscopic morphology,host range specificity,and biological characteristics of the purified phages.The double-layer agar method and the spot test were employed for the isolation and identification of a virulent Listeria phage named LMLPA5,with the isolated strain Listeria in-nocua Lin08 as the host.Phage morphology was observed by transmission electron microscope.The biological characteris-tics of the phage were assessed by determining their host range,optimal multiplicity of infection(MOI),one-step growth curve,and physicochemical stability.Additionally,the preservation efficacy of the phage at 4 ℃,-20 ℃,and-80 ℃ was explored.The phage LMLPA5 belongs to the family Myoviridae based on morphology,exhibiting clear and transparent plaques without halo surrounded.Strains of sever-al Listeria species and different serotypes strains of Listeria monocytogenes were susceptible to lysis by LMLPA5,indica-ting its broad-spectrum activity against Listeria monocytogenes.Optimal MOIs and single-step growth curve analyses revealed optimal MOIs of 0.1 and latent period of 10 minutes for LMLPA5,with average burst size at 95.2 PFU/cell.LMLPA5 was sensitive to high temperatures,and completely inactivated after exposure to 70 ℃ for 1 h,while the phage remained stable for over 32 hours ranging from 4 ℃ to 40 ℃.Within the pH range of 4 to 10,phage titer remained stable and completely inactiva-ted until 60 minutes of ultraviolet exposure.LMLPA5 displayed insensitivity to chloroform,confirming its non-enveloped phage morphology.The phages remained stable for over 8 months when store at 4 ℃ and-80 ℃.The biological characteristics and lysis capacity of phage LMLPA5 were elucidated in this study,which provide the basis for further application.

Gut microbiome and their metabolites are closely related to human diseases, which influence the development of diseases by interacting with receptors. G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) is a receptor superfamily that exists on the surface of cell membrane, which is involved in a wide range of human physiological activities. GPCR is currently considered as important drug targets. Traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) are characterized by multi-components, multi-targets, and multi-pathways. More and more studies have demonstrated that TCM can ultimately intervene in diseases by modulating gut microbiome and their metabolites, affecting their interactions with GPCR. This review discusses the status of gut microbiome and human diseases, the interactions of gut microbiome and their metabolites with GPCR, and the status of GPCR drug development. Based on the above contents, a new model of "TCM-gut microbiome panel-GPCR-disease" is proposed. The interactions between active ingredients of TCM, gut microbiome panel, and GPCR and their effects on disease are elucidated through multi-omics techniques. This review will provide new ideas for analyzing the pharmacological mechanism of TCM efficacy and searching for new targets of TCM.

Aim To discuss the mechanism of Lurong Dabu Decoction on cough variant asthma. Methods Guinea pigs were divided into normal group(CON), model group(OVA), Lurong Dabu Decoction high-dose group(HIGH),low-dose group(LOW), and dexamethasone group(DEX)at random. The CVA model was established by smoking plus injection of OVA, aluminum hydroxide solution and nebulized inhalation to stimulate cough. Gguinea pigs were dissected 24 hours after the last challenge to obtain alveolar lavage fluid(BALF)and lung tissues. Immunoadsorption(ELISA)method was applied to detect the types of inflammatory cells and the content of inflammatory cytokines in BALF; HE and Masson staining of the middle lobe of the left lung were used to observe the pathological changes in lung tissues; immunohistochemical staining was used to observe TLR4 and WNT-5A protein expression and distribution of lung tissues; the protein extracted from the upper lobe of the left lung was used to measure the level of TLR4 and WNT-5A protein in lung tissues by Western blot; immunofluorescence was employed to measure the fluorescence intensity of TLR4 and WNT-5A in lung tissues; flow cytometry was used to detect IL-4 and IFN-γ in guinea pig lung tissues. Results Lurong Dabu Decoction could improve guinea pig airway inflammation, inhibit collagen fiber deposition, reduce the content of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 in BALF, and inhibit the protein expression of TLR4 and WNT-5A in lung tissues and increase IFN-γ levels in lung tissues while decreasing IL-4 levels. Conclusion Lurong Dabu Decoction may inhibit the occurrence of CVA through TLR4/WNT-5A signaling pathway.

Objective: This cross-sectional investigation aimed to determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, prognosis, and related risk factors of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain in mainland China. Methods: Data of patients with SARS-CoV-2 from December 28, 2022, to February 21, 2023, were collected through online and offline questionnaires from 45 tertiary hospitals and one center for disease control and prevention in mainland China. The questionnaire included demographic information, previous health history, smoking and alcohol drinking, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, olfactory and gustatory function before and after infection, other symptoms after infection, as well as the duration and improvement of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction. The self-reported olfactory and gustatory functions of patients were evaluated using the Olfactory VAS scale and Gustatory VAS scale. Results: A total of 35 566 valid questionnaires were obtained, revealing a high incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain (67.75%). Females(χ2=367.013, P<0.001) and young people(χ2=120.210, P<0.001) were more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Gender(OR=1.564, 95%CI: 1.487-1.645), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), oral health status (OR=0.881, 95%CI: 0.839-0.926), smoking history (OR=1.152, 95%CI=1.080-1.229), and drinking history (OR=0.854, 95%CI: 0.785-0.928) were correlated with the occurrence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2(above P<0.001). 44.62% (4 391/9 840) of the patients who had not recovered their sense of smell and taste also suffered from nasal congestion, runny nose, and 32.62% (3 210/9 840) suffered from dry mouth and sore throat. The improvement of olfactory and taste functions was correlated with the persistence of accompanying symptoms(χ2=10.873, P=0.001). The average score of olfactory and taste VAS scale was 8.41 and 8.51 respectively before SARS-CoV-2 infection, but decreased to3.69 and 4.29 respectively after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and recovered to 5.83and 6.55 respectively at the time of the survey. The median duration of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions was 15 days and 12 days, respectively, with 0.5% (121/24 096) of patients experiencing these dysfunctions for more than 28 days. The overall self-reported improvement rate of smell and taste dysfunctions was 59.16% (14 256/24 096). Gender(OR=0.893, 95%CI: 0.839-0.951), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), history of head and facial trauma(OR=1.180, 95%CI: 1.036-1.344, P=0.013), nose (OR=1.104, 95%CI: 1.042-1.171, P=0.001) and oral (OR=1.162, 95%CI: 1.096-1.233) health status, smoking history(OR=0.765, 95%CI: 0.709-0.825), and the persistence of accompanying symptoms (OR=0.359, 95%CI: 0.332-0.388) were correlated with the recovery of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2 (above P<0.001 except for the indicated values). Conclusion: The incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain is high in mainland China, with females and young people more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Active and effective intervention measures may be required for cases that persist for a long time. The recovery of olfactory and taste functions is influenced by several factors, including gender, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status, history of head and facial trauma, nasal and oral health status, smoking history, and persistence of accompanying symptoms.
Female ; Humans ; Adolescent ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Smell ; COVID-19/complications* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; COVID-19 Vaccines ; Incidence ; Olfaction Disorders/etiology* ; Taste Disorders/etiology* ; Prognosis

Objective: To determine the feasibility of using temporary permanent pacemaker (TPPM) in patients with high-degree atrioventricular block (AVB) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) as bridging strategy to reduce avoidable permanent pacemaker implantation. Methods: This is a prospective observational study. Consecutive patients undergoing TAVR at Beijing Anzhen Hospital and the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from August 2021 to February 2022 were screened. Patients with high-degree AVB and TPPM were included. Patients were followed up for 4 weeks with pacemaker interrogation at every week. The endpoint was the success rate of TPPM removal and free from permanent pacemaker at 1 month after TPPM. The criteria of removing TPPM was no indication of permanent pacing and no pacing signal in 12 lead electrocardiogram (EGG) and 24 hours dynamic EGG, meanwhile the last pacemaker interrogation indicated that ventricular pacing rate was 0. Routinely follow-up ECG was extended to 6 months after removal of TPPM. Results: Ten patients met the inclusion criteria for TPPM, aged (77.0±11.1) years, wirh 7 females. There were 7 patients with third-degree AVB, 1 patient with second-degree AVB, 2 patients with first degree AVB with PR interval>240 ms and LBBB with QRS duration>150 ms. TPPM were applied on the 10 patients for (35±7) days. Among 8 patients with high-degree AVB, 3 recovered to sinus rhythm, and 3 recovered to sinus rhythm with bundle branch block. The other 2 patients with persistent third-degree AVB received permanent pacemaker implantation. For the 2 patients with first-degree AVB and LBBB, PR interval shortened to within 200 ms. TPPM was successfully removed in 8 patients (8/10) at 1 month without permanent pacemaker implantation, of which 2 patients recovered within 24 hours after TAVR and 6 patients recovered 24 hours later after TAVR. No aggravation of conduction block or permanent pacemaker indication were observed in 8 patients during follow-up at 6 months. No procedure-related adverse events occurred in all patients. Conclusion: TPPM is reliable and safe to provide certain buffer time to distinguish whether a permanent pacemaker is necessary in patients with high-degree conduction block after TAVR.
Female ; Humans ; Atrioventricular Block/therapy* ; Feasibility Studies ; Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement ; Pacemaker, Artificial ; Bundle-Branch Block