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Hypertension is commonly classified into essential hypertension and secondary hypertension, although definitive classification can be challenging in some cases. Here, we discussed a patient who admitted for refractory hypertension, exhibiting various clinical manifestations including inadequate estrogen secretion, underdeveloped secondary sexual characteristics, primary amenorrhea, short stature, multiple moles, and somatic abnormalities. The patient was finally diagnosed with Turner syndrome (TS) based on clinical findings and chromosomal analysis. The genetic karyotype identified was 46,X,i(X)(q10).

[Objective] In order to investigate the mechanism of mechanical effect of root-soil complex and the application of modeling method. [Methods] The concept and connotation of root-soil complex, the principle of mechanical effect and mechanical model of root-soil complex, advantages and disadvantages as well as the scope of application were summarized and analyzed by using literature analysis method and comparative analysis method. [Results] (1) The root-soil complex was a composite whole of mechanical coupling effect between root system and soil body, and the root system was intertwined in soil playing a reinforced role. (2) The mechanical relationship between root system and soil body was essentially the result of soil mechanical, hydraulic and composite mechanical properties of root-soil complex. The soil mechanical and hydraulic properties focused on the influence of roots on the soil and the influence of water on the soil and root system respectively, and the composite mechanical properties focused on the direct influence of soil properties on the properties and structure of plant roots, so that the mechanical relationship between roots and soil was in a dynamic balance through the three. (3) The study of the composite mechanical model of the root-soil complex was slightly less than that of the soil mechanical and hydraulic model, which were based on quantitative parameters and measure the soil consolidation effect by comparing parameters. However, the composite mechanical properties involves both soil and hydraulic properties, which was a comprehensive consideration and should be the key research direction in the future. [Conclusion] In-depth research was needed in the future to investigate the effects of freeze-thaw cycle, dry-wet alternation and dry-hot cycle on root and soil interaction in different regions, the shear strength of multi-type plant mixtures, the influence mechanism of chemical and microbial effects on soil-water propertiess and the construction of composite models need to be further studied. This study can provide important theoretical value and engineering reference for vegetation restoration, soil and water conservation and sustainable development in ecologically fragile areas.

The pheochromocytoma is an uncommon endocrine neoplasm that originates from chromaffin cells and causes significant cardiovascular effects through the intermittent or sustained release of catecholamines. In this report, we present a rare case of myocardial infarction (MI) induced by pheochromocytoma. A 53-year-old female presented to the emergency department with a history of intermittent palpitations, back pain, and sweating for over 10 years, which had worsened over the past 2 days. The patient’s cardiac enzymes and troponin levels were significantly elevated, and the electrocardiogram (ECG) showed ST-segment elevation, leading to an initial diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. Echocardiography revealed apical ballooning, indicative of stress cardiomyopathy. Emergency coronary angiography revealed no significant stenosis, and the patient’s blood pressure was fluctuating. Computerized tomography (CT) scan of the adrenal gland revealed a bilateral adrenal mass, with the left adrenal mass being larger in size after contrast-enhanced CT scan. The patient’s left adrenal gland was successfully removed through laparoscopic adrenalectomy, and histopathology results confirmed the presence of adrenal pheochromocytoma. Follow-up for 3 months after discharge showed the patient had no symptoms and good prognosis. The abnormal findings on echocardiography and ECG resolved. Prompt diagnosis and management of pheochromocytoma are crucial for a favorable prognosis.

Background: To date, the difference in microRNA expression profiles in tears of dry eye patients and healthy people has not been reported. In current study, we evaluated the significance of microRNAs and transforming growth factor beta2 (TGF-β2) in distinguishing dry eye. Methods: A total of 138 patients with dry eye from October 2017 to October 2018 were selected. During the same period, 138 healthy persons were collected. All patients were followed up for 12 months through outpatient, telephone or medical records and the time of corneal injury was recorded. Results: Compared with healthy people, TGF-β2 concentrations in dry eye patients were significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Array analysis, predictive software and dual-luciferase reporter assays showed that miR-450b-5p, miR-1283 and miR-3671 can target TGF-β2 expression. Tear miR-450b-5p, miR-1283 and miR-3671 concentrations were significantly higher in dry eye patients than healthy people. A logistic regression model combining miR-450b-5p, miR-1283, miR-3671 and TGF-β2 was performed. This model presented a high discriminating value (AUC: 0.907, 0.876–0.939, P < 0.001) than any single indicator, and the sensitivity and specificity were 77.7% and 92.7%, respectively. Compared with the low miR-450b-5p, low miR-1283, low miR-3671 and high TGF-β2 groups, the high miR-450b-5p, high miR-1283, high miR-3671 and low TGF-β2 groups had a significantly higher probability of corneal injury (TGF-β2: χ2 = 5.762, P = 0.016; miR-450b-5p: χ2 = 13.267, P < 0.001; miR-1283: χ2 = 19.431, P < 0.001; miR-3671: χ2 = 8.131, P = 0.004). Conclusion: Current model combining tear miR-450b-5p, miR-1283, miR-3671 and TGF-β2 had important values in the identification of dry eye and was of great value in evaluating the risk of corneal injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A characteristic of endothelia damage and repair is the turnover of extracellular matrix components. As a part of extracellular matrix glycosaminoglycan (GAG), hyaluronic acid (HA, main component of glycocalyx) is not only involved in inflammation, proliferation, differentiation of cells, and tissue remodeling, but also functions as a barrier of endothelium via preventing blood flow-induced injury from endothelial layer. Therefore, the metabolism of hyaluronic acid could allow the fine-tuning of cell behavior. In this study, we found that low shear stress decreased the expression of hyaluronic acid, whereas pretreatment with berberine could significantly increase the expression of hyaluronic acid in vitro and in vivo. On this background, it is very important to better understand the beneficial effect of berberine (BBR) on low shear stress-induced degradation of hyaluronic acid and its potential mechanism. By using siRNA and inhibitors, we testified that AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and p47phox/hyaluronidase 2 (Hyal2) signaling pathway involved in the modulation of hyaluronic acid metabolism. Further, berberine, by increasing AMPK phosphorylation, decreased the dissociation of p47phox/Hyal2, and subsequently inhibited Hyal2 activation and p47phox phosphorylation, leading to the metabolic maintaining of hyaluronic acid. Importantly, we primarily demonstrated a direct binding between AMPKα and p47phox in HUVECs by co-immunoprecipitation. On the other hand, berberine also increased the expression of hyaluronic acid synthase 2 (HAS2) by regulating AMPKα/p47phox signaling pathway. Taken together, berberine treatment can attenuate low shear stress-induced hyaluronic acid degradation via increasing phosphorylation of AMPKa, and then not only downregulates p47phox and Hyal2 activity but also upregulates the expression of HAS2. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple reports relate new-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) to poor clinical outcomes in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who received percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) is a reliable indicator of immunonutritional-inflammatory status, and it is linked to clinical outcomes in cardiovascular disease patients. This research aims to explore the relationship between NOAF and PNI.Overall, 600 STEMI patients treated with PCI were recruited for this retrospective analysis. The patients were categorized into the NOAF group or sinus rhythm (SR) group. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were conducted to assess PNI estimation. Lastly, the Kaplan-Meier curve was used to compare all-cause mortality between both groups.The combined NOAF incidence in PCI-treated STEMI patients was 7.7%. PNI was independently correlated with NOAF using multivariate regression analyses (odds ratio [OR], 0.824; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.750-0.906; P < 0.001). In ROC curve analyses, the best PNI threshold value for predicting NOAF was 40.1, with sensitivity, and specificity of 76.09% and 71.30%, respectively area under the curve, 0.787; 95% CI, 0.752-0.819; P < 0.001). After a median of 41-month follow-up, the Kaplan-Meier curve revealed that the NOAF patients displayed an elevated all-cause death incidence compared with SR patients, with a log-rank of P = 0.005.This study demonstrated that PNI is an independent predictor of NOAF in STEMI patients during hospitalization after PCI, which is strongly correlated with a poor outcome upon discharge.