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Background: This study aims to assess the associations of admission systolic blood pressure (SBP) level with spontaneous reperfusion (SR) and long-term prognosis in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients., Methods: Data from 3809 STEMI patients who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention within 24 h, as recorded in the Chinese STEMI PPCI Registry (NCT04996901), were analyzed. The primary endpoint was SR, defined as thrombolysis in myocardial infarction grade 2-3 flow of IRA according to emergency angiography. The second endpoint was 2-year all-cause mortality. The association between admission BP and outcomes was evaluated using Logistic regression or Cox proportional hazards models with restricted cubic splines, adjusting for clinical characteristics., Results: Admission SBP rather than diastolic BP was associated with SR after adjustment. Notably, this relationship exhibits a nonlinear pattern. Below 120mmHg, There existed a significant positive correlation between admission SBP and the incidence of SR (adjusted OR per 10-mmHg decrease for SBP ≤ 120 mm Hg: 0.800; 95% CI: 0.706-0.907; p<0.001); whereas above 120mmHg, no further improvement in SR was observed (adjusted OR per 10-mmHg increase for SBP >120 mm Hg: 1.019; 95% CI: 0.958-1.084, p = 0.552). In the analysis of the endpoint event of mortality, patients admitted with SBP ranging from 121 to 150 mmHg exhibited the lowest mortality compared with those SBP ≤ 120mmHg (adjusted HR: 0.653; 95% CI: 0.495-0.862; p = 0.003). In addition, subgroups analysis with Killip class I-II showed SBP ≤ 120mmHg was still associated with increased risk of mortality., Conclusion: The present study revealed admission SBP above 120 mmHg was associated with higher SR,30-d and 2-y survival rate in STEMI patients. The admission SBP could be a marker to provide clinical assessment and treatment., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04996901), 07/27/2021., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Lamiales, comprising over 23,755 species across 24 families, stands as a highly diverse and prolific plant group, playing a significant role in the cultivation of horticultural, ornamental, and medicinal plant varieties. Whole-genome duplication (WGD) and its subsequent post-polyploid diploidization (PPD) process represent the most drastic type of karyotype evolution, injecting significant potential for promoting the diversity of this lineage. However, polyploidization histories, as well as genome and subgenome fractionation following WGD events in Lamiales species, are still not well investigated. In this study, we constructed a chromosome-level genome assembly of Lindenbergia philippensis (Orobanchaceae) and conducted comparative genomic analyses with 14 other Lamiales species. L. philippensis is positioned closest to the parasitic lineage within Orobanchaceae and has a conserved karyotype. Through a combination of Ks analysis and syntenic depth analysis, we reconstructed and validated polyploidization histories of Lamiales species. Our results indicated that Primulina huaijiensis underwent three rounds of diploidization events following the γ-WGT event, rather than two rounds as reported. Besides, we reconfirmed that most Lamiales species shared a common diploidization event (L-WGD). Subsequently, we constructed the Lamiales Ancestral Karyotype (LAK), comprising 11 proto-chromosomes, and elucidated its evolutionary trajectory, highlighting the highly flexible reshuffling of the Lamiales paleogenome. We identified biased fractionation of subgenomes following the L-WGD event across eight species, and highlighted the positive impacts of non-WGD genes on gene family expansion. This study provides novel genomic resources and insights into polyploidy and karyotype remodeling of Lamiales species, essential for advancing our understanding of species diversification and genome evolution., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Chen, Li, Luo, Jiu, Dong, Wang, Li, Hao, Lei, Guo, Liu, Duan, Zhu, Chen, Dong and Yu.)

Histone acetyltransferase CREB-binding protein (CBP) and its homologous protein p300 are key transcriptional activators that can activate oncogene transcription, which present promising targets for cancer therapy. Here, we designed and synthesized a series of p300/CBP targeted low molecular weight PROTACs by assembling the covalent ligand of RNF126 E3 ubiquitin ligase and the bromodomain ligand of the p300/CBP. The optimal molecule A8 could effectively degrade p300 and CBP through the ubiquitin-proteasome system in time- and concentration-dependent manners, with half-maximal degradation (DC 50 ) concentrations of 208.35/454.35 nM and 82.24/79.45 nM for p300/CBP in MV4-11 and Molm13 cell lines after 72 h of treatment. And the degradation of p300/CBP by A8 is dependent on the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway and its simultaneous interactions with the target proteins and RNF126. A8 exhibits good antiproliferative activity in a series of p300/CBP-dependent cancer cells. It could transcriptionally inhibit the expression of c-Myc, induce cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase and apoptosis in MV4-11 cells. This study thus provided us a new chemotype for the development of drug-like PROTACs targeting p300/CBP, which is expected to be applied in cancer therapy., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic progressive joint ailment that is largely predominant worldwide. However, it typically gets worse over time, occurs more frequently, and becomes more crippling., Objectives: Syringic acid (SA) is a well-known phenolic compound reported to suppress inflammation, cell proliferation, and apoptosis of various cancer cells. Since the role of SA in OA remains unknown, there is a need to hypothesize the anti-inflammatory activities of SA on IL- 1β-induced ATDC5 chondrocyte‑like cells and to elucidate its protective action against OA., Methods: The cytotoxicity, inflammatory mediators, mRNA expression of MMPs, ADAMTS, COX-2, and Akt/NF-κB protein expression of SA activity on ATDC5 cells were examined through CCK-8 assay, ELISA, RT-qPCR, and western blot. It was found that SA (10, 20, and 30 μM) did not show any inhibitory effects on the viability of the ATDC5 cells in a concentrationdependent manner., Results: SA markedly reduced the inflammatory mediators, cytokines, PGE2, MMPs, COX-2, and ADAMTS in a concentration-dependent manner. Likewise, SA expressively attenuated IL- 1β-stimulated Akt phosphorylation and NF-κB activation as well as IL-1β- induced ATDC5 chondrocytes., Conclusion: This study revealed that SA is a novel candidate applicable for the treatment of OA., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Background: Cancer patients often suffer from severe stress reactions psychologically, such as anxiety and depression. Prostate cancer (PC) is one of the common cancer types, with most patients diagnosed at advanced stages that cannot be treated by radical surgery and which are accompanied by complications such as bodily pain and bone metastasis. Therefore, attention should be given to the mental health status of PC patients as well as physical adverse events in the course of clinical treatment., Aim: To analyze the risk factors leading to anxiety and depression in PC patients after castration and build a risk prediction model., Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the data of 120 PC cases treated in Xi'an People's Hospital between January 2019 and January 2022. The patient cohort was divided into a training group ( n = 84) and a validation group ( n = 36) at a ratio of 7:3. The patients' anxiety symptoms and depression levels were assessed 2 wk after surgery with the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), respectively. Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors affecting negative mood, and a risk prediction model was constructed., Results: In the training group, 35 patients and 37 patients had an SAS score and an SDS score greater than or equal to 50, respectively. Based on the scores, we further subclassified patients into two groups: a bad mood group ( n = 35) and an emotional stability group ( n = 49). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that marital status, castration scheme, and postoperative Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score were independent risk factors affecting a patient's bad mood ( P < 0.05). In the training and validation groups, patients with adverse emotions exhibited significantly higher risk scores than emotionally stable patients ( P < 0.0001). The area under the curve (AUC) of the risk prediction model for predicting bad mood in the training group was 0.743, the specificity was 70.96%, and the sensitivity was 66.03%, while in the validation group, the AUC, specificity, and sensitivity were 0.755, 66.67%, and 76.19%, respectively. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed a χ 2 of 4.2856, a P value of 0.830, and a C-index of 0.773 (0.692-0.854). The calibration curve revealed that the predicted curve was basically consistent with the actual curve, and the calibration curve showed that the prediction model had good discrimination and accuracy. Decision curve analysis showed that the model had a high net profit., Conclusion: In PC patients, marital status, castration scheme, and postoperative pain (VAS) score are important factors affecting postoperative anxiety and depression. The logistic regression model can be used to successfully predict the risk of adverse psychological emotions., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: There is no conflict of interest., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease which is categorized via destruction of joint cartilage and it also affects the various joints, especially knees and hips. Sinomenine active phytoconstituents isolated from the stem of Sinomenium acutum and already proof anti-inflammatory effect against the arthritis model of rodent. In this experimental protocol, we scrutinized the anti-osteoarthritis effect of sinomenine against monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) induced OA in rats., Methods: MIA (3 mg/50 μL) was used for inducing the OA in the rats, and rats received the oral administration of sinomenine (2.5, 5 and 7.5 mg/kg body weight) up to the end of the experimental study (four weeks). The body and organs weight were estimated. Aggrecan, C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type II collagen (CTX-II), glycosaminoglycans (GCGs), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), Interferon gamma (IFN-γ), antioxidant, inflammatory cytokines, inflammatory mediators and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) were analyzed., Results: Sinomenine significantly (P < 0.001) boosted the body weight and reduced the heart weight, but the weight of spleen and kidney remain unchanged. Sinomenine significantly (P < 0.001) reduced the level of nitric oxide, MCP-1 and improved the level of aggrecan, IFN-γ and GCGs. Sinomenine remarkably upregulated the level of glutathione, superoxide dismutase and suppressed the level of malonaldehyde. It effectually modulated the level of inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory mediators and significantly (P < 0.001) reduced the level of MMPs, like MMP-1, 2, 3, 9 and 13., Conclusions: Sinomenine is a beneficial active agent for the treatment of OA disease.

Medulloblastoma (MB) is a malignant tumor of the cerebellum that occurs in children and infants. Abnormal neuronal differentiation can lead to brain tumors, and topoisomerase IIβ (Top IIβ) plays an important role in neuronal differentiation. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanism of 13-cis retinoic acid (13-cis RA) promoting the expression of Top IIβ and inducing neuronal differentiation in human MB Daoy cells. The results showed that 13-cis RA inhibited the cell proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase. The cells differentiated into a neuronal phenotype, with high expression of the neuronal marker microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) and abundant Top IIβ, and obvious neurite growth. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay showed that histone H3 lysine 27 tri-methylation (H3K27me3) modification in Top IIβ promoter decreased after 13-cis RA-induced cell differentiation, while jumonji domain-containing protein 3 (JMJD3) binding in Top IIβ promoter increased. These results suggest that H3K27me3 and JMJD3 can regulate the expression of Top IIβ gene, which is related to inducing neural differentiation. Our results provide new insights into understanding the regulatory mechanisms of Top IIβ during neuronal differentiation and imply the potential application of 13-cis RA in the clinical treatment of MB., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: There is still controversy surrounding routine ilioinguinal neurectomy in open tension-free inguinal hernia repair., Method: PubMed, Cochrane Library and EMBASE databases were searched for randomized controlled trials of ilioinguinal neurectomy in open tension-free inguinal hernia repair. Revman 5.3 software was used for meta-analysis., Result: Meta-analysis revealed that the incidence of severe pain on the first postoperative day was lower in the ilioinguinal neurectomy group (ING) than in the ilioinguinal nerve preservation group (INPG) [P < 0.0001]. The incidence of no pain in the first month postoperatively [P = 0.0004], the incidence of no pain in the sixth months postoperatively [P < 0.00001], and the numbness incidence in the first month postoperatively [P = 0.001] in the ING was higher than that in the INPG. There was no significant difference in the incidence of severe pain in the first month postoperatively [P = 0.20], the numbness incidence in the sixth postoperative month [P = 0.05], the hypoesthesia incidence in the first [P = 0.15] and sixth [P = 0.85] postoperative months between the two groups., Conclusion: Ilioinguinal neurectomy in open tension-free inguinal hernia repair can better prevent postoperative pain., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare that are relevant to the content of this article., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

It is still controversial whether glue can be used for mesh fixation in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. The aim of this meta-analysis was used to systematically evaluate the effectiveness and safety of glue mesh fixation in laparoscopic tension-free inguinal hernia repair. The PubMed database, EMBASE database and Cochrane Library were searched to collect published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on laparoscopic tension-free inguinal hernia repair with glue mesh fixation. Sixteen RCTs and 2409 patients with inguinal hernia were included. The meta-analysis showed that compared with the mechanical mesh fixation group(MMFG), the glue mesh fixation group(GMFG) had significantly reduced incidences of chronic pain[relative risk (RR) = 0.40, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.28,0.57), P < 0.00001], urinary retention[RR = 0.53, 95% CI(0.29,0.97), P = 0.04], haematoma[RR = 0.23, 95% CI(0.09,0.58), P = 0.002] and total complications[RR = 0.28, 95% CI(0.18,0.44), P < 0.00001]; there were no significant differences in pain score on postoperative day 1[MD = -1.33, 95% CI(-2.93,0.26), P = 0.10], operation time[MD = 1.46, 95% CI(-3.97,6.88), P = 0.60] and recurrence rate[RR = 0.72, 95% CI(0.35,1.47), P = 0.37] between the two groups. In conclusion, the application of glue mesh fixation in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair is safe and reliable with fewer complications. Moreover, it can reduce the incidence of chronic pain without increasing the recurrence rate. However, due to the small number of cases in this analysis and limitations in the quality of the included studies, the findings need to be further verified by multicentre, large-sample and high-quality RCTs in the future., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2023 Asian Surgical Association and Taiwan Robotic Surgery Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aims: We aimed to evaluate the effect of periplocin on inhibiting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and further determine its mechanisms., Main Methods: Cytotoxic activity of periplocin against HCC cells was tested by CCK-8 and colony formation assays. The antitumor effects of periplocin were evaluated in human HCC SK-HEP-1 xenograft and murine HCC Hepa 1-6 allograft mouse models. Flow cytometry was used to measure cell cycle distribution, apopotosis, and the number of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Hoechst 33258 dye was applied to observe the nuclear morphology. Network pharmacology was performed to predict possible signaling pathways. Drug affinity responsive target stability assay (DARTS) was used to evaluate AKT binding of periplocin. Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence were used to examine the protein expression levels., Key Finding: Periplocin inhibited cell viability with IC 50 values from 50 nM to 300 nM in human HCC cells. Periplocin disrupted cell cycle distribution and promoted cell apoptosis. Moreover, AKT was predicted as the target of periplocin by network pharmacology, which was confirmed by that AKT/NF-κB signaling was inhibited in periplocin-treated HCC cells. Periplocin also inhibited the expression of CXCL1 and CXCL3, leading to decreased accumulation of MDSCs in HCC tumors., Significance: These findings reveal the function of periplocin in inhibiting HCC progression by G 2 /M arrest, apoptosis and suppression of MDSCs accumulation through blockade of the AKT/NF-κB pathway. Our study further suggests that periplocin has the potential to be developed as an effective therapeutic agent for HCC., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Whether to use antibiotics to prevent surgical site infection in elective inguinal tension-free hernia repair has been controversial. To systematically evaluate the effect of prophylactic antibiotic application in elective inguinal tension-free hernia repair, we identified all published randomised controlled trials of the effect of prophylactic antibiotic application on elective inguinal tension-free hernia repair were collected by computer retrieval from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure; VIP Database; Wanfang Database; China Biomedical Literature Database; and PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library databases. Meta-analysis was performed by RevMan 5.3 software. The meta-analysis showed that the total incidence of surgical site infections [P = 0.003] and the incidence of superficial surgical site infections [P = 0.004] in the antibiotic group (AG) were lower than those in the non-antibiotic group (NAG). There was no significant difference in the total incidence of postoperative infections [P = 0.06], deep surgical site infections [P = 0.26] and seroma [P = 0.52] between the AG and the NAG. Based on current evidence, the application of prophylactic antibiotics in elective inguinal tension-free hernia repair can prevent the total incidence of surgical site infections and that of superficial surgical site infections but cannot prevent the total incidence of postoperative infection events, incidence of deep surgical site infections and incidence of seroma., (© 2022 The Authors. International Wound Journal published by Medicalhelplines.com Inc (3M) and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Endometriosis is a benign gynecological disease with the feature of estrogen dependence and inflammation. The function of autophagy and the correlation with inflammation were not yet revealed., Methods: Autophagosomes were detected by transmission electron microscopy. Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was referred to analyze the expression of autophagy-related genes. Quantification of mRNA and protein expression was examined by qRT-PCR and Western Blot. Immunohistochemistry was performed to explore the expression of proteins in tissues. The mouse model of endometriosis was performed to analyze the autophagic activity and effect of LXA4., Results: The expression of autophagy-related genes in endometriotic lesions were unusually changed. The number of autophagosomes and LC3B-II expression was diminished, and p62 was increased in ectopic lesions from both patients and mice. Interleukin 1β (IL1β) attenuated the expression of LC3B and promoted the level p62. The autophagy activator MG-132 upregulated the expression of LC3B and reduced IL1β, IL6, and p62. LXA4 reversed the inhibitory effect of IL1β on the expression of LC3B and p62, and blocking the receptor of LXA4 AhR (aryl hydrocarbon receptor) resulted in the incapacitation of LXA4 to influence the effect of IL1β. LXA4 depressed the phosphorylation of AKT and mTOR to against IL1β, and blocking AhR negatively regulated the effect of LXA4 on AKT/mTOR pathway. LXA4 reduced the ectopic lesions and the expression of IL1β and p62, but enhanced LC3B-II in endometriotic mouse models., Conclusion: In endometriosis, increased inflammation of ectopic lesions prominently depresses autophagy. LXA4 could regulate autophagy by suppressing inflammatory response through AhR/AKT/mTOR pathway., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) has been proved to be an effective target for cancer therapy. Two kinds of mTOR inhibitors, the rapalogs and mTOR kinase inhibitors (TORKi), have been developed and clinically validated in several types of malignancies. Compared with rapalogs, TORKi can exert better antitumor activity by inhibiting both mTORC1 and mTORC2, but the clinical development of current TORKi candidates has been relative slow, more TORKi with novel scaffold need to be developed to expand the current pipelines. In this study, a series of 9-methyl-9H-purine and thieno[3, 2-d]pyrimidine derivatives were designed, synthesized and biological evaluation. Most of these compounds exhibited good mTOR kinase inhibitory activity and selectivity over PI3Kα. Subsequent antiproliferative assay allowed us to identify the lead compound 15i, which display nanomolar to low micromolar IC 50 s against six human cancer cell lines. 15i could induce cell cycle arrest of MCF-7, PC-3 and A549 cells at the G0/G1 phase and suppress the migration and invasion of these cancer cells by suppressing the phosphorylation of AKT and P70S6 kinase. It could also regulate autophagy-related proteins to induce autophagy. Therefore, 15i would be a starting point for the development of new TORKi as anticancer drug., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The treatment of soft tissue defects with exposed cartilage after tumor excision is challenging. Local flap reconstruction causes occasional scarring, especially in non-Caucasian populations. Scar treatment requires secondary procedures for aesthetic modifications. Two-step reconstruction with an acellular dermal matrix addresses this issue and yields highly acceptable aesthetic resultsWe aimed to investigate the efficacy of an artificial dermal matrix cover using one-step reconstruction for defects with cartilage exposure., Methods: From July 2018 to September 2020, seven patients were enrolled and underwent a single-stage operation using acellular dermal matrices. Patients were followed up for at least 6 months and the size of the wound, days to heal, patient satisfaction, and scar scale scores were recorded., Results: Patients were followed up for an average of 25.7 months. The average time to heal was 23.4 days postoperatively. No hyperpigmentation, tumor recurrence, or retraction was noted. High acceptance and satisfaction with the outcome were observed in all patients., Conclusions: Single-stage reconstruction yielded high acceptance of aesthetic results similar to that in two-stage reconstruction. Less time and cost make this an effective and efficient treatment for soft tissue defects compared with traditional techniques., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Research has connected Parkinson's disease (PD) with impaired intestinal barrier. The activation of G-protein-coupled receptor 109A (GPR109A) protects the intestinal barrier by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway. Sodium butyrate (NaB), which is a GPR109A ligand, may have anti-PD effects. The current study's objective is to demonstrate that NaB or monomethyl fumarate (MMF, an agonist of the GPR109A) can treat PD mice induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) via repairing the intestinal barrier. Male C57BL/6J mice were divided into four groups randomly: control, MPTP + vehicle, MPTP + NaB, and MPTP + MMF. Modeling mice received MPTP (20 mg/kg/day, i.p.) for a week, while control mice received sterile PBS. Then, four groups each received two weeks of sterile PBS (10 mL/kg/day, i.g.), sterile PBS (10 mL/kg/day, i.g.), NaB (600 mg/kg/day, i.g.), or MMF (100 mg/kg/day, i.g.). We assessed the expression of tight junction (TJ) proteins (occludin and claudin-1), GPR109A, and p65 in the colon, performed microscopic examination via HE staining, quantified markers of intestinal permeability and proinflammatory cytokines in serum, and evaluated motor symptoms and pathological changes in the substantia nigra (SN) or striatum. According to our results, MPTP-induced defected motor function, decreased dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine levels in the striatum, decreased tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons and increased activated microglia in the SN, and systemic inflammation were ameliorated by NaB or MMF treatment. Additionally, the ruined intestinal barrier was also rebuilt and NF-κB was suppressed after the treatment, with higher levels of TJ proteins, GPR109A, and decreased intestinal permeability. These results show that NaB or MMF can remedy motor symptoms and pathological alterations in PD mice by restoring the intestinal barrier with activated GPR109A. We demonstrate the potential for repairing the compromised intestinal barrier and activating GPR109A as promising treatments for PD.

Four dinuclear bismuth(III) Schiff-base complexes bearing Schiff-base ligands have been synthesized and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, and spectral techniques (FT-IR, NMR and MS). The analytical data reveal the bismuth(III) complexes possess 1:1 metal-ligand ratios. In vitro biological studies have revealed that bismuth(III) complexes displayed much higher antibacterial and antitumor activities than their parent ligands, which involves two gram-negative (S. aureus, B. subtili) and two gram-positive (E. coli, P. aeruginosa) bacteria, and human gastric cancer SNU-16 cells. The power-time curves of S. pombe exposed to tested compounds were detected by bio-microcalorimetry. Some thermokinetic parameters (k, P max, t G and Q total ) were derived based on the metabolic power-time curves, and their quantitative relationships with the concentrations (c) were further discussed., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The Asian longhorned beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis , is a forestry pest found worldwide. A. glabripennis causes serious harm because of the lack of natural enemies in the invaded areas. Dastarcus helophoroides and Dendrocopos major are important natural enemies of A. glabripennis . MaxEnt was used to simulate the distribution of D. helophoroides and D. major in China, and their suitable areas were superimposed to pinpoint which regions are potentially appropriate to release or establish natural enemy populations under current and future conditions. The results showed that, with climate change, the suitable areas of D. helophoroides and D. major migrated northward; the centroid shift of A. glabripennis was greater than those of D. helophoroides and D. major . From current conditions to 2090, the suitable area of A. glabripennis , D. helophoroides, and D. major will increase by 1.44 × 10 4 , 20.10 × 10 4 , and 31.64 × 10 4 km 2 , respectively. Northern China (e.g., Xinjiang, Gansu, and Inner Mongolia), where A. glabripennis causes more serious damage, is also a potentially suitable area for D . helophoroides and D . major , and this provides a potential strategy for the management of A. glabripennis . Therefore, we suggest that natural enemies should be included in the model used for predicting suitable areas for invasive pests.

Four novel, rare carbon-bridged citrinin dimers, namely dicitrinones G-J ( 1 - 4 ), and five known analogs ( 5 - 9 ) were isolated from the starfish-derived fungus Penicillium sp. GGF 16-1-2. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis and quantum chemical calculations. Compounds 1 - 9 exhibited strong antifungal activities against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides with LD 50 values from 0.61 μg/mL to 16.14 μg/mL. Meanwhile, all compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against human pancreatic cancer BXPC-3 and PANC-1 cell lines; as a result, compound 1 showed more significant cytotoxicities than the positive control against both cell lines. In addition, based on the analyses of the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and Western blot, 1 could induce apoptosis by activating caspase 3 proteins (CASP3).

γ-Aromatic butenolides (γ-AB) are an important type of structures found in many bioactive microbial secondary metabolites (SMs). γ-AB refer to a group of natural products (NPs) containing five-membered (unsaturated) lactones with 3-phenyl and 4-benzyl substituents. Their wide-range biological activities have inspired pharmaceutical chemists to explore its biosynthesis mechanisms and design strategies to construct the γ-AB skeleton. Recently, there are a great deal of interesting research progress on the structures, biological activities and biosynthesis of γ-AB. This review will focus on these aspects and summarize the important achievements of γ-AB from 1975 to 2021., (© 2022 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Aims: This study aimed to compare the differences in the bacterial community structure of Lycium barbarum rhizosphere and elucidate the contribution of rhizosphere bacteria to the active ingredients of L. barbarum fruit., Methods and Results: This study investigated the soil and meteorological characteristics of L. barbarum rhizosphere during three growth stages across three production regions of China. High-throughput sequencing showed significant differences in the bacterial community diversity of L. barbarum rhizosphere across the three production regions, and norank&#95;o&#95;Gaiellales, norank&#95;f&#95;Anaerolineaceae and norank&#95;f&#95;AKYG1722 were the highest in Ningxia. In addition, regression and path analysis revealed that pH, norank&#95;o&#95;Gaiellales and norank&#95;f&#95;AKYG1722 significantly promoted the accumulation of total sugar and flavonoids in L. barbarum fruit directly or indirectly. Soil organic matter (SOM), norank&#95;f&#95;Anaerolineaceae and humidity significantly promoted the accumulation of betaine. The average temperature during the growth stages, norank&#95;f&#95;AKYG1722, and norank&#95;o&#95;Gaiellales promoted the accumulation of polysaccharides., Conclusions: The interaction between rhizosphere bacteria and environmental factors promoted the accumulation of active ingredients in L. barbarum fruits., Significance and Impact of the Study: Our results provided insights to improve the quality of L. barbarum fruit., (© 2022 Society for Applied Microbiology.)

Objectives: To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of arbidol and lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) in the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) using a meta-analysis method., Methods: The China Knowledge Network, VIP database, WanFang database PubMed database, Embase database, and Cochrane Library were searched for a collection of comparative studies on arbidol and lopinavir/ritonavir in the treatment of COVID-19. Meta-analysis was used to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Arbidol and lopinavir/ritonavir in the treatment of COVID-19., Results: The results of the systematic review indicated that Arbidol had a higher positive-to-negative conversion rate of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) nucleic acid on Day 7 (p = 0.03), a higher positive-to-negative conversion rate of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid on Day 14 (p = 0.006), a higher improvement rate of chest computed tomography on Day 14 (p = 0.02), a lower incidence of adverse reactions (p = 0.002) and lower rate of mortality (p = 0.007). There was no difference in the rate of cough disappearance on Day 14 (p = 0.24) or the rate of severe/critical illness (p = 0.07) between the two groups., Conclusions: Arbidol may be superior to lopinavir/ritonavir in the treatment of COVID-19. However, due to the small number of included studies and the number of patients, high-quality multicenter large-sample randomized double-blind controlled trials are still needed for verification., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Background: Accumulated experimental evidence suggests that resveratrol may have an effect on diabetic nephropathy by inhibiting inflammation and decreasing oxidative stress. However, the credibility of the evidence for this practice is unclear. Thus, we aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of animal studies to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of resveratrol when used in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy. Methods: Electronic bibliographic databases including PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched for relevant studies. The methodological quality of animal studies was assessed based on the SYstematic Review Center for Laboratory animal Experimentation Risk of Bias (SYRCLE's RoB) tool. A meta-analysis was performed based on the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions by using RevMan 5.4 software. This study was registered within International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) as number CRD42021293784. Results: Thirty-six qualified studies involving 726 animals were included. There was a significant association of resveratrol with the levels of blood glucose (BG), serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Nevertheless, resveratrol treatment did not effectively decrease the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). In addition, more remarkable antioxidant and hypoglycemic effects were observed in type 2 diabetic nephropathy rather than in type 1 diabetic nephropathy based on subgroup analysis. Conclusion: In this meta-analysis, resveratrol can exert its antioxidant activities by reducing the levels of MDA and recovering the activities of SOD, CAT, GSH, and GPx. With regard to pro-inflammatory cytokines, resveratrol had a positive effect on the reduction of IL-1β. However, the analysis indicated that resveratrol had no effect on IL-6 and TNF-α levels, probably because of the methodological quality of the studies and their heterogeneity. Current evidence supports the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of resveratrol, but its relationship with the levels of some inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-α in animals with diabetic nephropathy needs further elucidation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Hu, Lei, Zhang and Luo.)

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a worldwide life-threatening pandemic. Lianhua Qingwen is believed to possess the ability to treat or significantly improve the symptoms of COVID-19. These claims make it important to systematically evaluate the effects of using Lianhua Qingwen with Western medicine to treat COVID-19., Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of combination therapy, employing Lianhua Qingwen with Western medicine, to treat COVID-19, using a meta-analysis approach., Search Strategy: China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, VIP Database, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for studies evaluating the effect of Lianhua Qingwen-Western medicine combination therapy in the treatment of COVID-19., Inclusion Criteria: (1) Research object: hospitalized patients meeting the diagnostic criteria of COVID-19 were included. (2) Intervention measures: patients in the treatment group received Lianhua Qingwen treatment combined with Western medicine, while the control group received either Western medicine or Chinese medicine treatment. (3) Research type: randomized controlled trials and retrospective study were included., Data Extraction and Analysis: Two researchers extracted the first author, the proportion of males and females, age, body temperature, course of treatment, rate of disappearance of main symptoms, duration of fever, adverse reactions, and total effectiveness from the literature. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used as the effect value for count data, and mean difference (MD) and 95% CI were used as the effect value for measurement data., Results: Six articles met the inclusion criteria, including a total of 856 COVID-19 patients. The meta-analysis showed that Lianhua Qingwen combination therapy achieved higher rates of fever reduction (OR = 3.43, 95% CI [1.78, 6.59], P = 0.0002), cough reduction (OR = 3.39, 95% CI [1.85, 6.23], P < 0.0001), recovery from shortness of breath (OR = 10.62, 95% CI [3.71, 30.40], P < 0.0001) and recovery from fatigue (OR = 2.82, 95% CI [1.44, 5.53], P = 0.003), higher total effectiveness rate (OR = 2.51, 95% CI [1.73, 3.64], P < 0.00001), and shorter time to recovery from fever (MD = -1.00, 95% CI [-1.04, 0.96], P < 0.00001), and did not increase the adverse reaction rate (OR = 0.65, 95% CI [0.42, 1.01], P = 0.06), compared to the single medication control., Conclusion: The Lianhua Qingwen and Western medicine combination therapy is highly effective for COVID-19 patients and has good clinical safety. As only a small number of studies and patients were included in this review, more high-quality, multicenter, large-sample-size, randomized, double-blind, controlled trials are still needed for verification., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2021 Shanghai Yueyang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The article "The mechanism of exogenous adiponectin in the prevention of no-reflow phenomenon in type 2 diabetic patients with acute myocardial infarction during PCI treatment, by C.-J. Zhang, Y.-Z. Deng, Y.-H. Lei, J.-B. Zhao, W. Wei, Y.-H. Li, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2018; 22 (7): 2169-2174-DOI: 10.26355/eurrev&#95;201804&#95;14751-PMID: 29687877" has been withdrawn from the authors due to some technical reasons (the authors still have not figured out how to address them). The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. https://www.europeanreview.org/article/14751.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of persistent organic global environmental pollutants and cause harmful effects on human health. Here, we evaluated adverse effects of chrysene, which is a four-ring PAH and an important member of 16 priority PAHs, on the liver. Chrysene was detected in some common raw and cooked Chinese food samples. Hepatotoxicity including increased relative liver weight, hepatocyte swelling and degeneration, and elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were observed in chrysene-exposed C57BL/6 mice. Glutamine treatment effectively ameliorated chrysene-induced mice liver injury by decreasing serum ALT levels. Chrysene induced mice hepatic glutathione depletion and oxidative DNA damage with increased 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels. Hepatic expression levels of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), AhR-related target genes including CYP1A1, CYP1A2 and CYP1B1, and AhR nuclear translocator (ARNT) were significantly increased in chrysene-exposed C57BL/6 mice. Chrysene induced mice hepatic mRNA levels of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and Nrf2-mediated phase II detoxifying and antioxidant enzymes including NQO1, UGT1A1, UGT1A6, SULT1A1, GSTm1, GSTm3, Catalase (CAT), GPx1, and SOD2. We found that chrysene had toxic effects including increased relative liver weight and elevated serum ALT levels on AhR +/+ mice but not AhR -/- mice. Chrysene significantly induced hepatic mRNA levels of CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 in AhR +/+ mice but not AhR -/- mice. To our knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate that hepatotoxicity causes by chrysene is dependent on AhR, and Nrf2 plays an important regulation role in protection against oxidative liver injury induced by chrysene., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Sepsis‑induced myocardial dysfunction is one of the features of multiple organ dysfunction in sepsis, which is associated with extremely high mortality and is characterized by impaired myocardial compliance. To date, there are few effective treatment options available to cure sepsis. Tannic acid (TA) is reportedly protective during sepsis; however, the underlying mechanisms by which TA protects against septic heart injury remain elusive. The present study investigated the potential effects and underlying mechanisms of TA in alleviating lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‑induced H9C2 cardiomyocyte cell apoptosis. H9C2 cells were treated with LPS (15  µ g/ml), TA (10  µ M) and TA + LPS; control cells were treated with medium only. Apoptosis was measured using flow cytometry, reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR (RT‑qPCR) and western blot analysis. Additionally, the levels of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate were evaluated. Western blotting and RT‑qPCR were also employed to detect the expression levels of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress‑associated functional proteins. The present findings demonstrated that TA reduced the degree of LPS‑induced H9C2 cell injury, including inhibition of ROS production and ER stress (ERS)‑associated apoptosis. ERS‑associated functional proteins, including activating transcription factor 6, protein kinase‑like ER kinase, inositol‑requiring enzyme 1, spliced X box‑binding protein 1 and C/EBP‑homologous protein were suppressed in response to TA treatment. Furthermore, the expression levels of ERS‑associated apoptotic proteins, including c‑Jun N‑terminal kinase, Bax, cytochrome c, caspase‑3, caspase‑12 and caspase‑9 were reduced following treatment with TA. Additionally, the protective effects of TA on LPS‑induced H9C2 cells were partially inhibited following treatment with the ROS inhibitor N‑acetylcysteine, which demonstrated that ROS mediated ERS‑associated apoptosis and TA was able to decrease ROS‑mediated ERS‑associated apoptosis. Collectively, the present findings demonstrated that the protective effects of TA against LPS‑induced H9C2 cell apoptosis may be associated with the amelioration of ROS‑mediated ERS. These findings may assist the development of potential novel therapeutic methods to inhibit the progression of myocardial cell injury.

Osteoporosis (OP) behaves in different manners in different parts of the skeleton. This study aims to investigate the effects of curcumin on bone mass of the mandibular and femur from ovariectomized OP rats and to validate whether enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2)/Wnt/β-Catenin pathway is involved in this process. Curcumin was administered intragastrically into ovariectomized rats for 12 weeks. The bone parameters and the morphology of the trabecular bone of the left mandible and left femur were assessed by micro-computed tomography assay. Morphological changes of the left mandible and left femur were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining. The mRNA levels of EZH2, β-Catenin, and Runx2 in the right mandible and right femur were examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Immunohistochemistry was performed to assess EZH2 expression. Both the mandible and femur exhibited OP-like changes in ovariectomized rats, while the mandible bone resorption was less than the femur bone resorption. Curcumin intragastric administration improved bone microstructure and promoted bone formation in the mandible and femur. Curcumin inhibited EZH2 mRNA level and induced that of β-Catenin and Runx2 in the mandible and femur. Collectively, curcumin exerts protective effects against OP, possibly by regulating the EZH2/Wnt/β-Catenin pathway., (© 2021 The Authors. The Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences published by John Wiley & Sons Australia on behalf of Kaohsiung Medical University.)

Background: The aim of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis comparing the safety and feasibility of laparoscopic versus open resection for gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) larger than 5 cm., Method: We searched the Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Embase for relevant articles. Randomized and nonrandomized clinical trials were identified and included in this study. Searching for related articles on large GIST (>5 cm) for laparoscopic resection (laparoscopic group [LAPG]) and open resection (open group [OG]), RevMan 5.3 was used for data analysis, comparing 2 groups of operation time, intraoperative blood loss, complications, length of hospital stay, recurrence rate, disease-free survival, and overall survival., Results: Seven studies including 440 patients were identified for the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis revealed that LAPG had less bleeding, shorter postoperative hospital stay, and a better 5-year disease-free survival. There was no significant difference between LAPG and OG in operation time, postoperative complications, recurrence rate, and overall survival., Conclusion: Laparoscopic resection of large (>5 cm) GIST is safe and feasible and has the advantages of less intraoperative blood loss and fast postoperative recovery, with a good outcome in the recent oncology.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Chansu, dried secretions from Bufonidae, has long been used for cancer treatment as a traditional Chinese medicine. In searching for effective anti-hepatoma agents from Chansu, our preliminary drug screening found that a bufadienolide, namely 1β-hydroxyl-arenobufagin (1β-OH-ABF), displays anti-hepatoma activities. However, the anti-hepatoma effects and molecular mechanisms of 1β-OH-ABF have not been defined., Aim of the Study: To evaluate the anti-hepatoma activity of 1β-OH-ABF against liver cancer Hep3B and HepG2 cells in vitro and in vivo, as well as explore the underlying mechanisms., Materials and Methods: The anti-proliferative effects of 1β-OH-ABF on liver cancer Hep3B, HepG2, HuH7, SK-HEP-1 and normal hepatocyte LO2 cells were examined by MTT assay and colony formation assay. Hoechst 33258 staining and Annexin V-FITC/PI staining assay were used to analyze apoptosis induced by 1β-OH-ABF. The collapse of the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) was detected by JC-1 staining assay. Western blotting was used to examine the expression levels of targeted proteins. The role of mTOR in 1β-OH-ABF-induced apoptosis was investigated using small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection. Zebrafish xenograft model was established to evaluate the anti-hepatoma effects of 1β-OH-ABF in vivo., Results: We found that 1β-OH-ABF inhibits the proliferation of Hep3B, HepG2, HuH7, SK-HEP-1 cells but has little cytotoxicity towards LO2 cells. 1β-OH-ABF induces mitochondria dysfunction and triggers mitochondria apoptotic pathway, which is accompanied by the loss of ΔΨm, upregulation and translocation of Bax, as well as cleavages of caspase-9, caspase-3 and PARP. Mechanistically, 1β-OH-ABF markedly decreases the expression level of p-AKT/AKT and p-mTOR (Ser2248 and Ser2481)/mTOR in a time-dependent manner. Inhibition of mTOR by siRNA strengthens 1β-OH-ABF-mediated apoptosis. Critically, 1β-OH-ABF shows a marked in vivo anti-hepatoma effect on human Hep3B cell xenografts in zebrafish model., Conclusion: 1β-OH-ABF induces mitochondrial apoptosis through the suppression of mTOR signaling in vitro and in vivo, indicating that 1β-OH-ABF may serve as a potential agent for the treatment of liver cancer., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To explore the methods of repairing large soft tissue defect with latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap and the management of secondary wound in donor site. Methods: From June 2015 to June 2019, 30 patients with soft tissue defect caused by various reasons or hyperplastic scar were hospitalized in the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, including 10 males and 20 females, aged 25-64 years, with 18 cases of head soft tissue defects caused by the growth and rupture of tumor, 7 cases of hypertrophic scar in trunk and limbs, and 5 cases of facial and neck soft tissue defects caused by trauma. The area of primary wound after debridement or enlarged lesion resection was 14 cm×10 cm-18 cm×16 cm. Preoperative evaluation of 20 patients showed that the wound was relatively large, and the donor site could not be directly closed by suturing after resection of conventional single-lobe latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap, so the bilobed latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap with area of 14 cm×5 cm-18 cm×8 cm was cut to repair the wound, and the donor site was directly closed by suturing. Preoperative evaluation of 10 patients showed that the donor site could be directly closed by suturing after resection of conventional single-lobe latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap, so that conventional single-lobe latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap with area of 11 cm×9 cm-13 cm×10 cm was resected to repair the primary wound, resulting in big tension in donor site and secondary wound with area of 6 cm×4 cm-8 cm×6 cm that couldn't be directly sutured, which was repaired with donor site local flap with area of 7 cm×4 cm-9 cm×6 cm, and the second donor site was directly closed by suturing. Intraoperative end-to-end anastomosis was performed between the thoracodorsal arteries and veins of the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap and the arteries and veins of the primary recipient wound. The survival of latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flaps and local flaps were observed after surgery, and the appearance and function of the donor and recipient areas were observed during follow-up. Results: All the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flaps and local flaps survived in the patients after surgery. Follow-up of 6-12 months showed that the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap was similar in color to the surrounding normal skin, with soft texture and good elasticity. The donor site of 20 patients repaired with bilobed latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flaps were only left with linear scars, among which 2 patients had hypertrophic scars and none had functional impairment. The donor site of 10 patients repaired with single-lobe latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flaps and donor site local flaps had good appearance, left with linear scar, irregular shape, but no local traction or dysfunction. Conclusions: When repairing a large soft tissue defect, the bilobed latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap or the single-lobe latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap combined with the local flap transfer in the donor site can be used after preoperative evaluation so that the donor site wound can be closed at one time while repairing the primary wound. The donor site has less scar, and both the recipient and donor sites have good appearance and function after surgery.

Bufadienolides are cardioactive C24 steroids with an α-pyrone ring at position C17. In the last ten years, accumulating studies have revealed the anticancer activities of bufadienolides and their underlying mechanisms, such as induction of autophagy and apoptosis, cell cycle disruption, inhibition of angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stemness, and multidrug resistance reversal. As Na + /K + -ATPase inhibitors, bufadienolides have inevitable cardiotoxicity. Short half-lives, poor stability, low plasma concentration and oral bioavailability in vivo are obstacles for their applications as drugs. To improve the drug potency of bufadienolides and reduce their side effects, prodrug strategies and drug delivery systems such as liposomes and nanoparticles have been applied. Therefore, systematic and recapitulated information about the antitumor activity of bufadienolides, with special emphasis on the molecular or cellular mechanisms, prodrug strategies and drug delivery systems, is of high interest. Here, we systematically review the anticancer effects of bufadienolides and the molecular or cellular mechanisms of action. Research advancements regarding bufadienolide prodrugs and their tumor-targeting delivery strategies are critically summarized. This work highlights recent scientific advances regarding bufadienolides as effective anticancer agents from 2011 to 2019, which will help researchers to understand the molecular pathways involving bufadienolides, resulting in a selective and safe new lead compound or therapeutic strategy with improved therapeutic applications of bufadienolides for cancer therapy., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Aim: To explore the influencing factors of diabetes type 2 patients with mild non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) in the Kailuan area of Tangshan, Hebei Province, China., Methods: In this non-interventional, retrospective study, 683 patients with type 2 diabetes were included in the Kailuan Diabetic Retinopathy Study involving participants with diabetes in the community-based longitudinal Kailuan Study. Based on the undilated ultra-wide field (200°; UWF) images and partial dilated digital fundus images, the diabetic retinopathy (DR) of the surveyed population was graded. Interobserver agreement was estimated by using Cohen's Kappa statistics. The main outcome indicators included gender, age, weight, height, body mass index, blood pressure, circumferences of neck, waist and hip, current smoking, levels of fasting plasma glucose (FPG), hypersensitive C-reactive protein, creatinine, and cholesterol, etc . According to different lesions' locations of patients with mild NPDR, logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and their 95%CIs of each risk factor., Results: The study group of 683 patients included 570 males and 113 females. The mean age of the patients was 62.18±9.41y. Compared with dilated fundus examinations, there was fair agreement with the level of DR identified on UWF images in 63.91% of eyes ( k =0.369, 95%CI, 0.00-0.00). Detected by UWF images, there were 98 patients with mild NPDR having peripheral retinal lesions, 35 patients with mild NPDR having posterior lesions, 44 patients with mild NPDR whose lesions were detected both in and out the standard two fields area, and 336 patients with non obvious DR. Parameters that conferred a statistically significant increased risks for mild NPDR with having peripheral retinal lesions were neck circumstance (OR, 1.124; 95%CI, 1.044-1.211), and with posterior lesions were FPG (OR, 1.052; 95%CI, 1.007-1.099)., Conclusion: UWF is an effectiveness means of DR screening. Moreover, it is necessary to evaluate peripheral diabetic retinal lesions which can help to estimate the severity of DR. The phenomenon that nonuniform and inhomogeneous distribution of DR lesions has been found. And the influencing factors in mild NPDR are differing by different lesions' locations., (International Journal of Ophthalmology Press.)

A wealth of evidence supports the role of tumor immunotherapy as a vital therapeutic option in cancer. In recent decades, accumulated studies have revealed the anticancer activities of natural products and their derivatives. Increasing interest has been driven toward finding novel potential modulators of tumor immunotherapy from natural products, a hot research topic worldwide. These works of research mainly focused on natural products, including polyphenols (e.g., curcumin, resveratrol), cardiotonic steroids (e.g., bufalin and digoxin), terpenoids (e.g., paclitaxel and artemisinins), and polysaccharide extracts (e.g., lentinan). Compelling data highlight that natural products have a promising future in tumor immunotherapy. Considering the importance and significance of this topic, we initially discussed the integrated research progress of natural products and their derivatives, including target T cells, macrophages, B cells, NKs, regulatory T cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, immunogenic cell death, and immune checkpoints. Furthermore, these natural compounds inactivate several key pathways, including NF-κB, PI3K/Akt, MAPK, and JAK/STAT pathways. Here, we performed a deep generalization, analysis, and summarization of the previous achievements, recent progress, and the bottlenecks in the development of natural products as tumor immunotherapy. We expect this review to provide some insight for guiding future research., (© 2020 The Authors. Journal of Leukocyte Biology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Leukocyte Biology.)

Particulate pollution in the air has strong links with increased morbidity of cardiopulmonary diseases. Iron is one of the major carcinogens in air pollution and can produce hydroxyl radical which induce oxidative stress, lead to cell damage and even to cancer. In this work, a novel nitronyl nitroxide radical NITPh(OMe) 2 (2-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl) -4,4,5,5- tetramethylimidazoline- 1- oxyl-3- oxide) was prepared and characterized by electron spin-resonance spectroscopy (ESR), X-ray crystal diffraction, Fourier transform infrared (IR), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), elemental analysis, ultraviolet and visible spectra (UV-Vis), and the electronic transition processes was also calculated by time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) to analysis UV-Vis spectrum. In vitro cell model of oxidative damage was established by ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) overload, and NITPh(OMe) 2 was studied as a free radical scavenger to protect peroxidation of A549 cells. Results showed that NITPh(OMe) 2 could significantly alleviate the damage of A549 cells by iron overload in cell morphology, cell viability, cell proliferation and cell apoptosis. The apoptotic signaling pathway of A549 cells induced by FAC and the protection mechanism of NITPh(OMe) 2 were all discussed through the expression of three relating proteins, Bcl-2, Bax and DDIT3. This work confirms that nitroxide radicals are effective antioxidants, and have potential application in clinical practice as therapeutic agents., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To explore the clinical application effects of portable visual retractor in superficial temporal fascia flap harvesting. Methods: From January 2010 to June 2019, 27 patients meeting the inclusion criteria and planning to perform operation of superficial temporal fascia flap harvesting were admitted to the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery of the First Clinical Medical Center of the People's Liberation Army General Hospital. The patients were divided into traditional surgical method group [6 males and 3 females, aged (34±14) years], cold light source retractor group [6 males and 4 females, aged (35±16) years], and portable visual retractor group [7 males and 1 female, aged (30±14) years] according to way of superficial temporal fascia flap harvesting. The superficial temporal fascia flaps of patients in traditional surgical method group were resected by traditional way of resection, and the superficial temporal fascia flaps of patients in cold light source retractor group and portable visual retractor group were resected at assistance of cold light source retractor and portable visual retractor, respectively. Length of incision, operation time, intraoperative blood loss volume, postoperative drainage volume, and postoperative complication of patients in 3 groups were observed and recorded. Data were processed with Fisher's exact probability test, one-way analysis of variance, least significant difference test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, and Bonferroni correction. Results: The length of incision of patients in visual retractor group was (3.6±0.8) cm, significantly shorter than (12.6±1.6) cm in traditional surgical method group and (5.8±0.9) cm in cold light source retractor group ( P <0.05). The incision length of patients in traditional surgical method group was significantly longer than that in cold light source retractor group ( P <0.05). The operation time of patients in visual retractor group was 24.0 (23.3, 25.8) min, significantly shorter than 35.0 (30.5, 36.5) min in traditional surgical method group and 28.5 (26.8, 30.5) min in cold light source retractor group ( H =16.5, 9.8, P <0.05). The operation time of patients in traditional surgical method group was significantly longer than that in cold light source retractor group ( H =6.6, P <0.05). The intraoperative blood loss volume was (26±3) mL of patients in visual retractor group, significantly less than (34±4) mL in traditional surgical method group and (30±6) mL in cold light source retractor group ( P <0.05). The intraoperative blood loss volume of patients in traditional surgical method group was significantly more than that in cold light source retractor group ( P <0.05). The postoperative drainage volumes of patients in visual retractor group, cold light source retractor group, and traditional surgical method group were (33±4), (34±6), and (31±7) mL, respectively, and there were no significantly statistical differences in postoperative drainage volumes among patients in the three groups ( F =0.3, P >0.05). There were no severe complications such as ischemia and necrosis of superficial temporal fascia flaps in patients of the three groups. One patient in cold light source retractor group had subcutaneous hematoma after operation, which was improved by removing stitches and hematoma. Conclusions: Superficial temporal fascia flap harvesting at the assistance of portable visual retractor has the advantages of clear visual field, simple operation, short operation time, small incision, and less intraoperative blood loss.

Neurodegenerative diseases are disorders that are characterized by a progressive decline of motor and/or cognitive functions caused by the selective degeneration and loss of neurons within the central nervous system. The most common neurodegenerative diseases are Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and Huntington's disease (HD). Neurons have high energy demands, and dysregulation of mitochondrial quality and function is an important cause of neuronal degeneration. Mitochondrial quality control plays an important role in maintaining mitochondrial integrity and ensuring normal mitochondrial function; thus, defects in mitochondrial quality control are also significant causes of neurodegenerative diseases. The mitochondrial deacetylase SIRT3 has been found to have a large effect on mitochondrial function. Recent studies have also shown that SIRT3 has a role in mitochondrial quality control, including in the refolding or degradation of misfolded/unfolded proteins, mitochondrial dynamics, mitophagy, and mitochondrial biogenesis, all of which are affected in neurodegenerative diseases., (Copyright © 2019 Meng, Yan, Lei, Wan, Hou, Sun and Zhou.)

PURPOSE：To investigate the effects of adenoid hypertrophy and maxillary sinus mucosal thickening on dentofacial development. METHODS：The selected subjects were divided into 4 groups according to the inclusion criteria: group A (adenoid hypertrophy with maxillary sinus mucosal thickening), group B (adenoid hypertrophy without maxillary sinus mucosal thickening), group C (normal adenoid with maxillary sinus mucosal thickening), and group D (normal adenoid without maxillary sinus mucosal thickening). There were 20 subjects in each group, aging from 12 to 14 years old. The volume of maxillary sinus was measured by Mimics software. The adenoid, dental arch width, basal bone width and palatal height were measured by Dolphin software and dentofacial measurements were performed in the lateral cephalograms derived from cone-beam CT (CBCT). The data were analyzed with SPSS 24.0 software package. RESULTS： There was no significant difference in dentofacial measurements between group B and group D or group C and group D，except for ANB angle (P<0.05). Compared with group D, SNB, ANB, Wits appraisal, NA-APo, MP-HP, N-Me, S-Go/N-Me, N-ANS (perp HP), sum of three angles, Ar-Go of group A were significantly different (P<0.05). Neither left nor right maxillary sinus bony volume had significant difference between group B and D or group C and D. CONCLUSIONS： Both adenoid hypertrophy and maxillary sinus mucosal thickening have impact on dentofacial development. Moderate or more severe adenoid hypertrophy with maxillary sinus mucosal thickening has greater impact on dentofacial development over adenoid hypertrophy or maxillary sinus mucosal thickening alone.

As one of the major cell organelles responsible for ATP production, it is important that neurons maintain mitochondria with structural and functional integrity; this is especially true for neurons with high metabolic requirements. When mitochondrial damage occurs, mitochondria are able to maintain a steady state of functioning through molecular and organellar quality control, thus ensuring neuronal function. And when mitochondrial quality control (MQC) fails, mitochondria mediate apoptosis. An apparently key molecule in MQC is the transcriptional coactivator peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α). Recent findings have demonstrated that upregulation of PGC-1α expression in neurons can modulate MQC to prevent mitochondrial dysfunction in certain in vivo and in vitro aging or neurodegenerative encephalopathy models, such as Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. Because mitochondrial function and quality control disorders are the basis of pathogenesis in almost all neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), the role of PGC-1α may make it a viable entry point for the treatment of such diseases. This review focuses on multi-level MQC in neurons, as well as the regulation of MQC by PGC-1α in these major NDDs.

Purpose: To examine the role of ocular axial length as an ocular parameter for the prevalence and severity of diabetic retinopathy (DR)., Methods: The cross-sectional Kailuan Diabetic Retinopathy Study included patients with diabetes who participated in the community-based longitudinal Kailuan Study and who had undergone ocular fundus photography. The fundus photographs were graded using the Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study criteria., Results: The study included 1096 patients with diabetes (mean age: 60.8 ± 9.4 years; axial length: 23.37 ± 0.92 mm). In binary regression analysis, a higher DR prevalence was associated with shorter axial length (P = 0.007; odds ratio [OR]: 0.81; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.70, 0.95) after adjusting for longer known duration of diabetes (P = 0.02; OR: 1.13; 95%CI: 1.02, 1.24) and higher fasting blood glucose concentration (P < 0.001; OR: 1.38; 95%CI: 1.26, 1.52). A more severe DR stage was associated (regression coefficient r: 0.46) with shorter ocular axial length (P = 0.047; standardized regression coefficient β: -0.06) after adjusting for higher fasting blood glucose (P < 0.001; β: 0.41) and longer known duration of diabetes (P = 0.045; β: 0.07). Longer axial length was associated with a lower DR prevalence (P = 0.003; β: -0.10) after adjusting for younger age (P < 0.001), male sex (P < 0.001), higher body mass index (P = 0.016), and lower fasting blood glucose concentration (P = 0.036)., Conclusions: After adjusting for systemic risk factors, DR prevalence decreased by 19% (95%CI: 5, 30) for each millimeter increase in axial length. With longer axial length being a surrogate for axial myopia, the marked increase in myopia prevalence worldwide may lead to a relative decrease in the prevalence and incidence of DR in future.

Fibroblasts are the major effector cells of skin wound healing. Adipose‑derived stem cells can differentiate into fibroblasts under certain conditions. In the present study, it was hypothesized that adipose‑derived stem cells (ADSCs) could be induced by the adipose extracellular matrix (ECM) to differentiate into fibroblasts in order to promote skin wound healing. First, flow cytometry was used to detect the ratio of fibroblasts and relative expression of the fibroblast markers cytokeratin 19 (CK19) and vimentin in ADSCs. Then, the effect of the adipose ECM during the differentiation of ADSCs into fibroblasts was investigated by detecting the total amount of collagen fibers and degree of fibrosis, and the proliferation and cell cycle of differentiated fibroblasts, using the MTT assay and flow cytometry analysis respectively. Finally, a mouse skin wound model was established and treated with PBS, ADSC suspension or ECM + ADSCs to compare wound healing rate and expression of collagen I and collagen III by immunohistochemistry. Following induction of ADSCs with the adipose ECM, more fibroblasts were found, expression of CK19 and vimentin increased, and a greater degree of fibrosis occurred, which revealed the positive effect of the adipose ECM on the differentiation of ADSCs into fibroblasts. In addition, the induced fibroblasts had enhanced proliferation activity, with more cells in the S phase and fewer in the G2/M phase. The in vivo experiment indicated that the ECM produced by the ADSCs had a faster wound healing rate and increased expression of collagen I and collagen III compared with mice injected with PBS or ADSCs alone, which verified that ADSCs induced by the adipose ECM had a positive effect on skin wound healing. The present study demonstrated that the adipose ECM in combination with ADSCs may be a novel therapeutic target for the repair of skin injury, due to the ability of the adipose ECM to induce the differentiation of ADSCs into fibroblasts and to facilitate the wound healing process.

Objective: We aim to examine teenagers with varying vertical facial skeletal types with near-normal occlusion. We further aim to identify and study mandibular morphology and dentition characteristics to establish normal ranges and variations for future clinical reference., Methods: According to the results of the case studies, 42 adolescents with near-normal occlusion were divided into three groups, namely, low- (7 cases), average- (23 cases) and high-angle (12 cases) groups. We used Invivo 5 software for Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) data to calculate the cant of occlusal plane, axis corner of L6, ∠L1/MP, ∠L6/MP, Balkwill angle and Bonwill triangle of each group., Results: Markedly, the finding shows that the cant of occlusal plane and axis corner of L6 in the low-angle group were smaller than those of the other two groups. In the average-angle group, ∠L1/MP was larger than that of the high-angle group. Lastly, in the high-angle group, ∠L6/MP was smaller than those of the two other groups. On the one hand, these differences were considered statistically significant (P<0.05). On the other hand, other measurements show that these differences were considered statistically non-significant (P>0.05)., Conclusions: In the low-angle group, the parallelisation of the occlusal plane tends to be more obvious compared with the two other groups. In the coronal section of the low-angle group, the axis of the mandibular first molar is up-right, whereas it is distally tilted in the sagittal section of the high-angle group. Furthermore, a number of differences are noted in the adult groups. Factors, such as aging and development in the craniofacial region, lead to changes in functional occlusion.

Objective: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a typical cardiac arrhythmia. The autonomic nervous system can modulate the myocardial system with complicated mechanisms. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is involved in myocardial diseases, and lncRNA TCONS&#95;00202959 is down-regulated in AF. However, the detailed effects of AF on automatic functions or cardiomyocytes are not well known yet., Materials and Methods: Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into control group, AF group (which was prepared by injecting the acetylcholine-CaCl2 solution) and treatment group (receiving lentiviral transfection of lncRNA TCONS&#95;00202959 on AF rats). Real Time-quantitative PCR (RT-PCR) was used to measure the expression of lncRNA TCONS&#95;00202959. Atrial effective refractory period (AERP) and AF induction rate were measured, along with heart rate variability (HRV) analysis to reveal autonomic nervous function. The expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and choline acetyltransferase (CHAT) was analyzed in atrial tissues., Results: The expression of lncRNA TCONS&#95;00202959 was decreased in the AF group compared to the control group (p < 0.05), which also had shortened AERP and elevated AF induction rate. The analysis of the autonomic nervous function revealed lower standard deviation of NN intervals (SDNN), SDNN of atrial (SDANN), root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) and SDNN intervals in all 5-min segments (SDNNindx), plus elevated power ratio of low frequency (LF)/high frequency (HF). TH expression was increased whilst CHAT expression was decreased (p < 0.05). The treatment group showed enhanced expression of lncRNA TCONS&#95;00202959, elongated AERP plus decreased AF induction rate. The treatment rats also had higher SDNN, SDANN, RMSSD and SDNNindx, lower LF/HF ratio, decreased TH expression and increased CHAT expression (p < 0.05 compared to the AF group)., Conclusions: AF rats had decreased expression of lncRNA TCONS&#95;00202959, which can help to prevent AF pathogenesis by suppressing cardiac autonomic nervous function.