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Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors, and the expression and function of an uncharacterized protein RNF214 in HCC are still unknown. Phase separation has recently been observed to participate in the progression of HCC. In this study, we investigated the expression, function, and phase separation of RNF214 in HCC. We found that RNF214 was highly expressed in HCC and associated with poor prognosis. RNF214 functioned as an oncogene to promote the proliferation, migration, and metastasis of HCC. Mechanically, RNF214 underwent phase separation, and the coiled-coil (CC) domain of RNF214 mediated its phase separation. Furthermore, the CC domain was necessary for the oncogenic function of RNF214 in HCC. Taken together, our data favored that phase separation of RNF214 promoted the progression of HCC. RNF214 may be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC.

Abstract This study aimed to explore the gut microbiota characteristics of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients. A case–control study was conducted, and high-throughput sequencing of the V4–V5 region of 16S rRNA was used to analyze the differences in gut microbiota. The results showed that Proteobacteria was significantly increased in the ischemic stroke group compared with the healthy control group, while Fusobacteria was significantly increased in the hemorrhagic stroke group. In the ischemic stroke group, Butyricimonas, Alloprevotella, and Escherichia were significantly more abundant than in the healthy control group. In the hemorrhagic stroke group, Atopobium, Hungatella, Eisenbergiella, Butyricimonas, Odonbacter, Lachnociostridium, Alistipes, Parabacteroides, and Fusobacterium were significantly more abundant than in the healthy control group. Additionally, Alloprevotella, Ruminococcus, and Prevotella were significantly more abundant in the ischemic stroke group than in the hemorrhagic stroke group. The gut microbiota of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients has significant diversity characteristics. These results provide new theoretical basis for exploring the prevention and treatment of different types of stroke through gut microbiota research.

The investigation was motivated by the widespread use of ultra-high-strength steels in cable-stayed bridges and armor steel plates. These structures are exposed to elevated risks from extreme loads, including vehicle impacts and blast loadings. The study aimed to investigate the mechanical properties of 1770 steel for applications in extreme conditions. The strain rates and temperatures ranged from 0.00095 s−1 to 1303 s−1 and 20 °C–900 °C, respectively. Tensile tests were conducted at various strain rates using a Split Hopkinson Tension Bar for dynamic testing and a universal testing machine for quasi-static testing at room temperature (20 °C). Quasi-static tension at elevated temperatures was carried out using an electromechanical testing machine coupled with a heating device. A uniform temperature distribution inside the specimens was ensured by a 30-min holding time. The results of the tensile test indicate that the 1770 steel displays notable thermal softening effects and strain rate hardening that differ from mild steel. The standard Johnson-Cook (J-C) model was found to be inadequate in accurately predicting the strain rate effects of this specimen. To address this issue, the strain rate parameter C in the standard model was adjusted to create the modified J-C model, which demonstrated good agreement with the experimental results. To further demonstrate the modified model and the identified parameters, drop hammer impact tests and corresponding numerical simulations were conducted. The impact test and numerical simulation results showed good agreement in terms of deformation and contact force. The mechanical properties and the constitutive models can serve as a design reference for the ultra-high-strength 1770 steel in extreme envirnments, as well as a theoretical basis for fitting material models of similar ultra-high-strength steels.

Abstract Background This study aims to assess the efficacy and safety of Qingpeng ointment (QPO), a Tibetan medicine for alleviating symptoms in individuals with acute gouty arthritis (AGA). Methods This study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that involved individuals with AGA whose joint pain, as measured on a visual analog scale (VAS) from 0 to 10, was equal to or greater than 3. The participants were randomly assigned to either the QPO or the placebo group and received their respective treatments twice daily for seven consecutive days. In case of intolerable pain, the participants were allowed to use diclofenac sodium sustained-release tablets as a rescue medicine. The primary outcomes measured were joint pain and swelling, while the secondary outcomes included joint mobility, redness, serum uric acid levels, C-reactive protein levels, and the amount of remaining rescue medicine. Any adverse events that occurred during the trial were also recorded. Results A total of 203 cases were divided into two groups, with balanced baselines: 102 in the QPO group and 101 in the placebo group. For joint pain, differences between the groups were notable in the VAS scores [1.75 (0, 3.00) versus 2.00 (1.00, 3.50); P = 0.038], changes in VAS [5.00 (3.00, 6.00) versus 4.00 (2.00, 6.00); P = 0.036], and disappearance rate [26.47% compared to 15.84%; P = 0.046] after treatment. Concerning joint swelling, significant between-group differences were observed in the VAS scores [1.00 (0, 2.30) versus 2.00 (0.70, 3.00); P = 0.032] and disappearance rate [33.33% compared to 21.78%; P = 0.046] at treatment completion. The QPO group exhibited a statistically significant mobility improvement compared to the placebo group (P = 0.004). No significant differences were found in other secondary outcomes. Five patients, four from the QPO group and one from the other, encountered mild adverse events, primarily skin irritation. All of these cases were resolved after dosage reduction or discontinuation of the medication. Conclusions Compared to the placebo, QPO exhibits positive effects on AGA by alleviating pain, reducing swelling, and enhancing joint mobility, without causing significant adverse effects. Trial Registration ISRCTN34355813. Registered on 25/01/2021.

Colorectal cancer is a common malignant tumor with high mortality, for which chemotherapy resistance is one of the main reasons. The high expression of ABCG2 in the cancer cells and expulsion of anticancer drugs directly cause multidrug resistance (MDR). Therefore, the development of new ABCG2 inhibitors that block the active causes of MDR may provide a strategy for the treatment of colorectal cancer. In this study, we find that dorsomorphin (also known as compound C or BML-275) potently inhibits the transporter activity of ABCG2, thereby preserving the chemotherapeutic agents mitoxantrone and doxorubicin to antagonize MDR in ABCG2-overexpressing colorectal cancer cells. Additionally, dorsomorphin does not alter ABCG2 protein expression. The results of molecular docking studies show that dorsomorphin is bound stably to the ABCG2-binding pocket, suggesting that dorsomorphin is a potent ABCG2 inhibitor that attenuates ABCG2-mediated MDR in colorectal cancer.

Cervical mucus not only provides energy for sperm but also forms a barrier to block sperm. This paper aims to study the microstructure of cervical mucus in dairy cows during the proestrus, estrus, and metestrus and its effect on sperm permeability. The experiment collected cervical mucus from 60 Holstein cows during these phases, then observed the different shapes of the mucus after crystallization, classified the mucus, and analyzed its proportions. Scanning electron microscopy was used to observe the ultrastructure of the cervical mucus and measure the micro-pore sizes, followed by sperm permeability tests using mucus from different estrous stages and counting the number of permeated sperm. The results indicate that cervical mucus from cows in different estrous phases includes four types (L, S, P, G), with each type constituting a different proportion. During the proestrus, the L type was significantly more prevalent than the other types (p < 0.05); during estrus, the S type was significantly more prevalent than the other types (p < 0.05); and during the metestrus, the p type was significantly more prevalent than the other types (p < 0.05). The micro-pore sizes of the same type of cervical mucus did not show significant differences across different estrous phases (p > 0.05). However, within the same estrous phase, there were significant differences in the micro-pore sizes among the four types (p < 0.05). The number of sperm that permeated the cervical mucus during estrus and metestrus was significantly higher than during the proestrus (p < 0.05). This study provides data support for the research on cervical mucus in dairy cows.

Nobiletin (NOB) is one of the major polymethoxyflavone in citrus peels, which has antioxidant activities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of NOB on hypoxia-induced placental oxidative stress and its mechanism. In vitro experiments, JEG-3 hypoxic model was constructed, and treated with 100 μM NOB. In vivo experiment, pregnant rats were injected intraperitoneally with 50 mg/kg body weight NOB daily, and the placental hypoxia model was established by RUPP. NOB hampered the reducing of reducing power in hypoxic cells, promoted NADPH to provide hydrogen donors to regenerate antioxidants GPX and GSH, thereby promoting the decomposition of ROS. NOB alleviated the adverse reaction of hypoxic placental one-carbon metabolism disorder by regulating the levels of homocysteine, DNMTs and TETs. Moreover, NOB suppressed offspring brain damage induced by RUPP. Taken together, NOB attenuated hypoxia-induced placental redox perturbation and subsequent offspring brain injury by modulating one-carbon metabolism.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is the most frequently altered gene in glioblastoma (GBM), which plays an important role in tumor development and anti-tumor immune response. While current molecular targeted therapies against the EGFR signaling pathway and its downstream key molecules have not demonstrated favorable clinical outcomes in GBM. Whereas tumor immunotherapies, especially immune checkpoint inhibitors, have shown durable antitumor responses in many cancers. However, the clinical efficacy is limited in patients carrying EGFR alterations, indicating that EGFR signaling may involve tumor immune response. Recent studies reveal that EGFR alterations not only promote GBM cell proliferation but also influence immune components in the tumor microenvironment (TME), leading to the recruitment of immunosuppressive cells (e.g., M2-like TAMs, MDSCs, and Tregs), and inhibition of T and NK cell activation. Moreover, EGFR alterations upregulate the expression of immunosuppressive molecules or cytokines (such as PD-L1, CD73, TGF-β). This review explores the role of EGFR alterations in establishing an immunosuppressive TME and hopes to provide a theoretical basis for combining targeted EGFR inhibitors with immunotherapy for GBM.

Abstract Background Acute gouty arthritis (AGA) is an inflammatory arthritis clinically characterized by severe pain, swelling, and restricted movement of joints, which may cause physical disability and decrease quality of life. The use of recommended first-line treatment agents for AGA may be limited by adverse events. There has been a traditional use of alternative therapies for AGA. Tibetan medicine Qingpeng ointment is one of the on-market herbal products used for symptom relief of AGA. Previous clinical studies indicated that Qingpeng ointment can relieve pain, swelling, redness, and dysfunction of joints in patients with AGA. However, there is no rigorous randomized trial to demonstrate its benefit for AGA. In order to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Qingpeng ointment for AGA, we designed a randomized controlled trial. Methods This study is designed as a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Two hundred and six adults with acute flare of gout, and visual analogue scale (VAS) score of joint pain ≥ 3 points will be recruited. Participants will be randomly assigned to herbal treatment or placebo group at a ratio of 1:1. Qingpeng ointment, or equal placebo ointment, will be applied topically at involved joints twice a day for consecutive 7 days. Patients in both groups would be allowed giving diclofenac sodium sustained-release tablets as rescue therapy when VAS score of joint pain ≥ 7 points during the treatment. The primary outcomes will be joint pain measured by VAS score, and joint swelling measured using width and thickness of affected joints and VAS score. Other outcome measures will be joint mobility, joint redness, C-reactive protein, serum uric acid, and the use of rescue medicine as well as adverse effect. Discussion To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first multi-center, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled clinical trial to assess the efficacy of Tibetan medicine Qingpeng ointment for AGA. The findings of this study would provide evidence for its use to relieve symptoms of AGA. Trial registration ISRCTN ISRCTN34355813 . Registered on 25 January 2021

AIM: To analyze the protective effect of resveratrol on the optic nerve of glaucoma rats and its effect on the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(Akt)signal pathway and its related factors.METHODS: SPF grade SD rats were used to cauterize the scleral surface veins to make a right eye glaucoma model. After successful modeling, different doses(10, 20, 40 mg/kg intraperitoneal injection)of resveratrol were used to intervene. Intraocular pressure was measured 2h after the last administration, and retinal slices were made to observe the survival of retinal ganglion cells(RGC). Retinal plaque to observe the survival of retinal ganglion cells(RGC). Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of retinal PI3K, Akt, basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF).RESULTS: The intraocular pressure(30.25±4.25)mmHg in the model group was higher than that in the low-dose group(26.30±4.05)mmHg, the middle dose group(22.31±3.68)mmHg and the high dose group(18.32±3.21)mmHg, and the model group RGC labeling rate(48.25±4.50)% was lower than the low dose group(56.32±5.05)%, middle dose group(66.03±6.68)% and high dose group(78.56±7.82)%(P

With the development of modern cities, the demand for cleaning glass curtain walls in urban skyscrapers is increasing, and therefore, many researches on facade cleaning robots have been carried out in the past few decades. In this article, a novel type of facade cleaning robot based on four-ducted fan is proposed. To improve the load capacity of the robot, the lifting and horizontal movement are, respectively, supported by an independent lifting mechanism and a lateral movement mechanism. Unlike the previous passive and active suction, the powerful suction power of the robot is provided by the four-ducted fan. Meanwhile, the obstacle-climbing force is caused by the forward of the four-ducted fan that improves the crossing obstacle ability. In addition, an incremental sliding mode algorithm is applied for controlling the posture when the robot crosses obstacles, which can ensure the stable performance of the cleaning robot under disturbance. Some simulations and experiments are conducted and the results demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the designed facade cleaning robot.

Background/Aims. Sexual differences exist in endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), and various cardiovascular risk factors are associated with the preservation of endothelial function in premenopausal women. However, it is unclear whether differences in endothelial function and circulating EPCs exist between overweight premenopausal women and age-matched men. Methods. We compared EPC counting and functions in normal-weight and overweight premenopausal women and men, evaluated endothelial function in each group, and detected the expression of the guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase I (GTPCH I) pathway. Results. The number of EPCs was lower in the male group than in the female group, regardless of normal-weight or overweight status, and there was no significant difference between the different weight groups among females or males. Endothelial function and EPC migration and proliferation were preserved in overweight premenopausal women compared with overweight men as were nitric oxide (NO) levels in plasma and secreted by EPCs. Endothelial function, the circulating EPC population, and NO levels were not different between normal-weight and overweight premenopausal women. Flow-mediated dilatation was significantly correlated with EPC function, plasma NO levels, and EPC-secreted NO. Conclusions. This investigation provides the first evidence for sex-based differences in EPC activity and endothelial function in overweight middle-aged individuals; these differences are associated with alterations in NO production and may partly occur through downregulation of the GTPCH I pathway. The present results provide new insights into the mechanism underlying the preserved endothelial function in overweight premenopausal women and may uncover a potential therapeutic target for endothelial repair in overweight population.

An electromagnetic coupling mathematical model is established by finite element method and is verified by the contrastive experiments of copper matrix Ni–TiN cylindrical coating electrode, copper electrode and Cu50W electrode. The wear mechanism of Ni–TiN/Cu composite electrode in the case of high-frequency pulse current is studied, and the influence of the fluctuation frequency of discharge current on electrode wear in micro-EDM is found out. Compared with the electrode made from homogeneous material, the high frequency electromagnetic properties of Ni–TiN composite layer can be used effectively to inhibit the effect of high frequency pulse on the electrode and improve the distribution trend of current density.

In this study, we sequenced and annotated the nearly complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Sitona callosus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). This mitogenome was 14,333 bp long and encoded 13 protein-coding genes, 19 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), and two ribosomal RNA unit genes. Gene rearrangements were presented in a tRNA cluster of six tRNAs between nad3 and nad5, i.e. the ancestral order ARNSEF was changed to be RNSAEF. All tRNAs had a typical secondary cloverleaf structure, except for trnS1 which lacked the dihydrouridine arm. The Bayesian phylogenetic tree of 11 Entiminae species based on the concatenated nucleotide sequences of 13 PCGs showed that S. callosus and S. lineatus formed a clade which was at the basal position in the Entiminae phylogeny.

Here, we determined the complete mitogenome sequence of Sympiezomias velatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae). This mitogenome was 15,592 bp long with an A + T content of 74.1% and contains 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 21 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), 2 ribosomal RNA unit genes and a large non-coding region (putative control region). The trnI gene was not found in the S. velatus mitogenome. The order and orientation of the mitochondrial genes were identical to the inferred ancestral arrangement of insects except for trnR which was changed to be adjacent the nad3 gene. All tRNAs had the typical cloverleaf structure, except for trnS1 which lacked the dihydrouridine arm. The Bayesian phylogenetic tree of 10 Entiminae species based on the concatenated nucleotide sequences of 13 PCGs strong supported a sister relationship of S. velatus and Barynotus obscures.

In this study we sequenced and annotated the nearly complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Taiwania circumdata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae), an important insect pest on sweetpotato and water spinach in Southern China. This mitogenome was 13,546 bp long and encoded 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 19 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs) and 2 ribosomal RNA unit genes. The T. circumdata mitogenome with an A + T content of 77.9% presented a positive AT-skew (0.126) and a negative GC-skew (−0.160). Eleven PCGs started with a typical ATN codon, whereas the remaining two PCGs used TTG (nad1) and AAT (cox1) as the initial codon. All the 19 tRNAs had a typical secondary cloverleaf structure, except for trnS1 (AGN) which lacked the dihydrouridine arm. Phylogenetic analyses using Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood methods based on the concatenated nucleotide sequences of 13 PCGs recovered a phylogeny of Bruchinae+ ((Galerucinae + Chrysomelinae) + (Criocerinae + Cassidinae)). In Cassidinae, T. circumdata and Laccoptera ruginosa formed a clade, which was sister to three Cassida species.

Hepatocellular cancer (HCC) is a lethal malignancy with poor prognosis and easy recurrence. There are few agents with minor toxic side effects that can be used for treatment of HCC. Evodiamine (Evo), one of the major bioactive components derived from fructus Evodiae, has long been shown to exert anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activity by suppressing activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). In addition, in the Nucleotide-Binding Oligomerization Domain 1 (NOD1) pathway, NOD1 could initiate NF-κB-dependent and MAPK-dependent gene transcription. Recent experimental studies reported that the NOD1 pathway was related to controlling development of various tumors. Here we hypothesize that Evo exerts anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activity by inhibiting NOD1 to suppress NF-κB and MAPK activation. Therefore, we proved the anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activity of Evo on HCC cells and detected the effect of Evo on the NOD1 pathway. We found that Evo significantly induced cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase, upregulated P53 and Bcl-2 associated X proteins (Bax) proteins, and downregulated B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), cyclinB1, and cdc2 proteins in HCC cells. In addition, Evo reduced levels of NOD1, p-P65, p-ERK, p-p38, and p-JNK, where the level of IκBα of HCC cells increased. Furthermore, NOD1 agonist γ-D-Glu-mDAP (IE-DAP) treatment weakened the effect of Evo on suppression of NF-κB and MAPK activation and cellular proliferation of HCC. In an in vivo subcutaneous xenograft model, Evo also exhibited excellent tumor inhibitory effects via the NOD1 signal pathway. Our results demonstrate that Evo could induce apoptosis remarkably and the inhibitory effect of Evo on HCC cells may be through suppressing the NOD1 signal pathway in vitro and in vivo.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between obesity and mortality in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in China. METHODS: In total, 909 patients with CAP were recruited for this study from January 2010 to June 2015. All patients were selected and divided into 4 groups according to their body mass index (BMI) values. All patients’ clinical information was recorded. The associations among mortality; BMI; the 30-day, 6-month and 1-year survival rates for different BMI classes; the etiology of pneumonia in each BMI group; and the risk factors for 1-year mortality in CAP patients were analyzed. RESULT: With the exception of the level of C-reactive protein (CRP), no other clinical indexes showed significant differences among the different BMI groups. No significant differences were observed among all groups in terms of the 30-d and 6-month mortality rates (p>0.05). There was a significantly lower risk of 1-year mortality in the obese group than in the nonobese group, (p

This study explored the active ingredients and mechanism of Pleurotus placentodes extract (PP-a) in alleviating acute liver injury. According to un-targeted metabolomics analysis, 102 compounds were identified in PP-a, 32 were regarded as active compounds for treating liver injury. PP-a’s targets (203) were observed for liver injury by network pharmacology analysis. Animal tests showed that PP-a significantly reduce inflammatory factors, increase anti-oxidative effects, and repair injured liver tissues, further effectively improving liver function. In addition, the mRNA expression of PTGS2 and NR3C1 was significantly reduced, while the mRNA expression of PPARA was significantly increased in CCl4-induced mice as a result of PP-a. These results suggest that P. placentodes exerts hepatoprotective effects probably by regulating the mRNA expression of PTGS2, NR3C1 and PPARA. For PP-a, L-Histidine, N-Acetyl-D-alloisoleucine, 15-OxoEDE and palmitic acid probably play a critical role in protecting against liver injury in CCl4-indcued mice.

To efficiently remove all recurrent lymph nodes (rLNs) and minimize complications, we developed a combination approach that consisted of 68Gallium prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) ligand positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) and integrated indocyanine green (ICG)-guided salvage lymph node dissection (sLND) for rLNs after radical prostatectomy (RP). Nineteen patients were enrolled to receive such treatment. 68Ga-PSMA ligand PET/CT was used to identify rLNs, and 5 mg of ICG was injected into the space between the rectum and bladder before surgery. Fluorescent laparoscopy was used to perform sLND. While extensive LN dissection was performed at level I, another 5 mg of ICG was injected via the intravenous route to intensify the fluorescent signal, and laparoscopy was introduced to intensively target stained LNs along levels I and II, specifically around suspicious LNs, with 68Ga-PSMA ligand PET/CT. Next, both lateral peritonea were exposed longitudinally to facilitate the removal of fluorescently stained LNs at levels III and IV. In total, pathological analysis confirmed that 42 nodes were rLNs. Among 145 positive LNs stained with ICG, 24 suspicious LNs identified with 68Ga-PSMA ligand PET/CT were included. The sensitivity and specificity of 68Ga-PSMA ligand PET/CT for detecting rLNs were 42.9% and 96.6%, respectively. For ICG, the sensitivity was 92.8% and the specificity was 39.1%. At a median follow-up of 15 (interquartile range [IQR]: 6–31) months, 15 patients experienced complete biochemical remission (BR, prostate-specific antigen [PSA] 0.2 ng ml−1. Therefore, 68Ga-PSMA ligand PET/CT integrating ICG-guided sLND provides efficient sLND with few complications for patients with rLNs after RP.

Purpose: To retrospectively analyze the clinical outcomes of meniscus repair with simultaneous anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and explore the causes of failure of meniscus repair. Methods: From May 2013 to July 2018, the clinical data of 165 patients who were treated with meniscus surgery and simultaneous ACL reconstruction, including 69 cases of meniscus repair (repair group) and 96 cases of partial meniscectomy (partial meniscectomy group) were retrospectively analyzed. The exclusion criteria were as follows: (1) ACL rupture associated with fracture, collateral ligament injury, or complex ligament injury; (2) a history of knee surgery; or (3) a significant degree of osteoarthritis. The 69 patients in the repair group were divided into the non-failure group (62 cases) and the failure group (7 cases) depending on the repair effect. Postoperative outcomes of the repair group and the partial meniscectomy group were compared. General conditions and postoperative outcomes of the failure group and the non-failure group were compared. During the median follow-up period of 28 months (range, 4 - 65 months) after the second arthroscopy, postoperative outcomes of seven patients in the failure group were summarized. SPSS 25.0 statistical software was used for statistical analysis. A p value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Seven patients in the failure group who underwent the second arthroscopy were followed up for (30 ± 17.4) months and their postoperative outcomes were summarized. Compared with the partial meniscectomy group, the International Knee Documentation Committee scores of patients in the repair group improved significantly (p = 0.031). Compared with the non-failure group, more patients in the failure group were younger than 24 years (p = 0.030). The median follow-up period was 39.5 months. All patients recovered well after subsequent partial meniscectomy and relieved clinical symptoms. Visual analog scale scores decreased significantly (p = 0.026), and the International Knee Documentation Committee and Lysholm scores improved significantly (p = 0.046 for both). Conclusion: The failure rate of meniscus repair in this study was 10.1% (7/69), all of which were medial meniscus tears. However, the surgical outcomes of ACL reconstruction were not affected, and there might be a role for graft protection. Therefore, meniscus retears can be successful treated by performing subsequent partial meniscectomy in patients with repair failure.

BackgroundHF and osteoporosis shared many common etiological risk factors. However, studies exploring whether patients with HF were associated with a higher risk of osteoporotic fracture resulted in inconsistent findings. This meta-analysis aimed to summarize the association between HF and the risk of incident fracture.MethodsFollowing the Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology group recommendations, we searched multiple electronic databases (PubMed, Cochran Library, and EMBASE) for related studies from inception to April 30, 2021. Studies evaluating the risk of incident fracture in patients with HF compared with those without HF were included for analysis. The random-effects models were used to combine the estimated hazard ratios (HRs) of incident fracture associated with HF.ResultsWe included 8 observational studies for meta-analysis. The sample size ranged from 5,613 to 87,748 participants, with a total of 260,410 participants included. The median follow-up duration was 5.0 years. Random-effects model analyses showed that compared with control groups, patients with HF were associated with a higher risk of all incident fractures (HR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.30–2.16, P < 0.001) and hip fracture (HR = 2.20, 95% CI = 1.28–3.77, P < 0.001). The risk of all incident fractures was increased in all subgroup analyses according to age, sample size, sex, and follow-up duration.ConclusionsPatients with HF were associated with a higher risk of incident fracture, as well as hip fracture.

Background Delayed wound healing is a potention complication after Achilles tendon suture repair and occurs for various reasons. The conventional treatment for delayed wound healing is open surgery, but patients face long recovery times and postoperative care is difficult. Case Presentation This report presents three patients who were seen at our institute from April 2008 to October 2017 due to long‐term non‐healing wounds after surgery. All three patients had undergone surgery at least 2 months previously. We performed endoscopic surgery on these patients. After the operation, patients received less antibiotics and simpler care than would be required for conventional open surgery. There is no need to keep the wound open after the operation or perform wound cleaning for multiple times at the same time, which can reduce healing time. At the last follow up, all postoperative scores among the patients were significantly improved compared to before surgery. The Achilles tendon total rupture scores were excellent and the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society scores were satisfactory, indicating improvements in Achilles tendon function and movement in patients after surgery. Conclusion Our case reports demonstrate that arthroscopic treatment for delayed wound healing after Achilles tendon suture repair is satisfactory and reliable; frequent opening of the wound for cleaning is not required after the operation, thus reducing the healing time.

Pleurotus placentodes, a fungus, belongs to the Pleurotaceae family. The aim of the present study was to characterize the structure of a novel polysaccharide from fruiting bodies of P. placentodes (PPp-W) and evaluate its anticoagulant activity in vitro. The high-performance liquid chromatography and GC–MS analysis indicated that PPp-W with a molecular weight of 27.4 kDa was mainly composed of mannose (17.56%), glucose (6.37%), galactose (44.89%), and fucose (1.22%) with a certain amount of 3-O-methyled galactose. SEM, XRD, and AFM combined with Congo red test revealed that PPp-W was an irregular curly sheet with triple-helix conformation. The FT-IR, methylation, and nuclear magnetic resonance analysis indicated that PPp-W contained→6)-α-D-Galp-(1→, →6)-3-O-Me-α-D-Galp-(1→and →2, 6)-α-D-Galp-(1→ as main chain, partially substituted at O-2 and O-6 by non-reducing ends of β-D-Manp-(1→ and β-L-Fucp-(1→ with a small amount of α-1,3-linked-Glcp in backbone. PPp-W could significantly prolong APTT (12.9 ± 0.42 s, p < 0.001) and thrombin time (39.9 ± 0.28 s, p < 0.01) compared with the control group (11.45 ± 0.071 s and 38.05 ± 0.21 s), which showed that PPp-W had anticoagulant activity. These studies suggested that PPp-W was a 3-O-methylated heteroglycan and might be suitable for functional foods and natural drugs as an anticoagulant ingredient, which provided a basis for the application of polysaccharides from P. placentodes.

AIM: To observe the changes of intraocular pressure and choroidal thickness after hemodialysis in patients with chronic renal failure, and to explore the impact of hemodialysis on blood supply. METHODS: Totally 55 patients(110 eyes)with chronic renal failure who had been treated for a long time in our hospital were selected to test plasma osmotic pressure. Before and after hemodialysis 5min, hemodialysis venous blood was collected, and plasma osmotic pressure was measured. Before hemodialysis 1h and after hemodialysis 1h, intraocular pressure was measured; intraocular pressure and choroidal thickness were compared before and after hemodialysis measured by enhanced depth imaging technique of optical coherence tomography(OCT). RESULTS: After hemodialysis plasma osmotic pressure reduced, and the difference was statistically significant(t=12.73, Pt=2.07, PPCONCLUSION: After hemodialysis ocular pressure increased and the choroid thickness became thinner in chronic renal failure patients, which might affect the ocular blood flow state. It is suggested that the osmotic pressure gradient should be adjusted in hemodialysis patients and eye test and treatment must be given in necessity.

Abstract Background Cellulose is the most important component of lignocellulose, and its degradation requires three different types of enzymes to act synergistically. There have been reports of single gene duality, but no gene has been described to have more than two functions. Cloning and expression of fusion cellulases containing more than two kinds of catalytic domains has not been reported thus far. Results We synthesized three different cellulase genes and linked the three catalytic domains with a (G4S)3 flexible linker. The trifunctional cellulase gene (BCE) containing three types of cellulase functions was constructed and expressed in S. cerevisiae successfully. The β-glucosidase, the exoglucanase and the endoglucanase activity of the trifunctional cellulase BCE reached 16.80 IU/mg, 2.26 IU/mg and 20.67 IU/mg, which was 46.27, 6.73 and 46.20% higher than the activities of the β-glucosidase BG, the endoglucanase CBH and the endoglucanase EG. The filter paper enzyme activity of BCE was higher than those of BG, CBH and EG, reached 2.04 IU/mg. Conclusions The trifunctional cellulase BCE was designed based on β-glucosidase BG, endoglucanase EG and exoglucanase CBH, and it possessed β-glucosidase activity, endoglucanase activity and exoglucanase activity simultaneously. The BCE has better filter paper activity, it means the potential practical application.

Abstract Background Abnormal apoptosis of lung endothelial cells has been observed in emphysematous lung tissue and has been suggested to be an important upstream event in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Studies have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) contribute to the pathogenesis of pulmonary diseases by regulating cell apoptosis. The present study was designed to investigate the expression of microRNA-34a (miR-34a) in human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMECs) exposed to cigarette smoke extract (CSE), and the potential regulatory role of miR-34a in endothelial cell apoptosis. Results Our results showed that the expression of miR-34a was significantly increased in CSE-treated HPMECs, and inhibiting miR-34a attenuated CSE-induced HPMEC apoptosis. Furthermore, expression of Notch-1, a receptor protein in the Notch signalling pathway, was decreased and was inversely correlated with miR-34a expression in HPMECs treated with CSE. Computational miRNA target prediction confirmed that Notch-1 is a target of miR-34a. Luciferase reporter assay further confirmed the direct interaction between miR-34a and the 3’-untranslated region (UTR) of Notch-1. Restoration of Notch-1 pathway was able to partially block the effect of miR-34a on HPMEC apoptosis. These results indicate that Notch-1 is a critical downstream target of miR-34a in regulating the CSE-induced HPMEC apoptosis. Conclusions Our results suggest that miR-34a plays a key role in CSE-induced endothelial cell apoptosis by directly regulating its target gene Notch-1 in endothelial cells.

AIM:To investigate the prevalence and distribution of cataract among adults aged 50 or older in Foshan area.METHODS:Cluster sampling method was used in 4 539 inhabitants aged 50 or older in urban and rural of Foshan city from January 2014 to June 2015.All individuals were received visual acuity and eye examination, including slit lamp examination, fundus examination, automatic optometry and intraocular pressure examination. RESULTS:There were 641 patients with cataract among the 4 539 adults and the prevalence of cataract was 14.12%. The prevalence of cataract grew as the adults became older(PPP>0.05). CONCLUSION: Cataract is the most common eye disease that leads to blindness and severe visual impairment among adults aged 50 or older in the area.

Evasion of complement-mediated killing is a common phenotype for many different types of pathogens, but the mechanism is still poorly understood. Most of the clinic isolates of Edwardsiella tarda, an important pathogen infecting both of human and fish, are commonly found serum-resistant. To explore the potential mechanisms, we applied gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)-based metabolomics approaches to profile the metabolomes of E. tarda EIB202 in the presence or absence of serum stress. We found that tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle was greatly enhanced in the presence of serum. The quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and enzyme activity assays validated this result. Furthermore, exogenous succinate that promotes the TCA cycle increased serum resistance, while TCA cycle inhibitors (bromopyruvate and propanedioic acid) that inhibit TCA cycle, attenuated serum resistance. Moreover, the enhanced TCA cycle increased membrane potential, thus decreased the formation of membrane attack complex at cell surface, resulting serum resistance. These evidences suggested a previously unknown membrane potential-dependent mechanism of serum resistance. Therefore, our findings reveal that pathogen mounts a metabolic trick to cope with the serum complement-mediated killing.

Huge amounts of seismic data undergo complex iterative processing in the oil industry to get knowledge of the earth’s subsurface structure to detect where oil can be found and recovered.To evaluate the suitability of MapReduce for seismic processing algorithms,the algorithm design and implementation of Fresnel tomography on Hadoop MapReduce was described.Experiments demonstrate that MapReduce is approximately 3 times slower than MPI,and tuning the performance of MapReduce is really hard.To expand its applicability to high performance computing for oil industry,MapReduce should be improved in the flexibility and provide the opportunity to exploit fine-grained thread-level parallelism.Finally,research ideas to achieve these objectives were presented.

The aim of this study was to compare the intraoperative difference in anatomic details between loupe-assisted and microscopic varicocelectomy within the same spermatic cord. Between April 2011 and August 2011, 26 men with 33 sides containing grade 2-3 varicocele were enrolled in this study. First, one surgeon performed the open inguinal varicocelectomy under × 3.5 loupe magnifi cation. The presumed vascular channels and lymphatics were isolated and marked without ligation. Another surgeon then microsurgically dissected and checked the same spermatic cord using an operating microscope to judge the results in terms of the ligation of the internal spermatic veins and the preservation of the arteries and lymphatics. There were signifi cant differences in the average number of internal spermatic arteries (1.51 vs 0.97), internal spermatic veins (5.70 vs 4.39) and lymphatics (3.52 vs 1.61) between the microscope and loupe-assisted procedures (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, respectively). Meanwhile, in varicocele repair with loupe magnification, an average of 1.30 ± 1.07 (43/33) internal spermatic veins per side were missed, among the overlooked veins, 1.12 ± 0.93 (37/33) were adhered to the preserved testicular artery, as well as 0.55 ± 0.79 lymphatics and 0.36 ± 0.55 arteries that were to be ligated. In conclusion, microscopic varicocelectomy could preserve more internal spermatic arteries and lymphatics and could ligate more veins than the loupe-assisted procedure. To some degree, loupe magnifi cation is inadequate for the reliable identifi cation and dissection of the tiny vessels of the spermatic cord, as most of the overlooked veins were adhered to the preserved testicular artery.

Mitochondrial overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in diabetic hearts during ischemia/reperfusion injury and the anti-oxidative role of glutamine have been demonstrated. However, in diabetes mellitus the role of glutamine in cardiomyocytes during ischemia/reperfusion injury has not been explored. To examine the effects of glutamine and potential mechanisms, in the present study, rat cardiomyoblast H9C2 cells were exposed to high glucose (33 mM) and hypoxia-reoxygenation. Cell viability, apoptosis, intracellular glutamine, and mitochondrial and intracellular glutathione were determined. Moreover, ROS formation, complex I activity, membrane potential and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content were also investigated. The levels of S-glutathionylated complex I and mitochondrial apoptosis-related proteins, including cytochrome c and caspase-3, were analyzed by western blot. Data indicated that high glucose and hypoxia-reoxygenation were associated with a dramatic decline of intercellular glutamine and increase in apoptosis. Glutamine supplementation correlated with a reduction in apoptosis and increase of glutathione and glutathione reduced/oxidized ratio in both cytoplasm and mitochondria, but a reduction of intracellular ROS. Glutamine supplementation was also associated with less S-glutathionylation and increased the activity of complex I, leading to less mitochondrial ROS formation. Furthermore, glutamine supplementation prevented from mitochondrial dysfunction presented as mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP levels and attenuated cytochrome c release into the cytosol and caspase-3 activation. We conclude that apoptosis induced by high glucose and hypoxia-reoxygenation was reduced by glutamine supplementation, via decreased oxidative stress and inactivation of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway.