Medical colleges summary of biomedical engineering profession<br>—Luzhou Medical College in the perspective of biomedical engineering profession<br>

This paper expounds professional characteristics of biomedical engineering in our school, and analyses some problems lying in it, emphatically discusses advantages and the problems combining biomedical engineering with the medical courses in order to offer targeted solutions. It summarizes the results and problems so as to provide reference value to a new major.

Path Breakthrough of Medical Humanities Education From the Perspective of“All-Staff,Whole-Process,and All-Round Education”

Medical education is an important cornerstone for the development of healthcare,and medical humanities education,as an integral part of medical education,plays an irreplaceable role in cultivating people’s health guardians with high medical ethics.We adopted the method of stratified random sampling to select 309 students and 107 faculty members from three independent medical colleges in Sichuan province as the research subjects and distributed questionnaire surveys investigating in three dimensions:overall cognition of medical humanities,evaluation of medical humanistic qualities,and the current situation of medical humanities education,supplemented by an in-depth literature review and interviews with subject matter experts.We found that“tech-centrism”still has a great influence,the self-evaluation of medical students’humanistic quality is generally not high,the educational concept of“emphasizing professional skills over morality”of faculty and staff is still quite prevalent,and there is still the“last mile”phenomenon in medical humanities education.In order to promote the integrated development of“new medicine”and“new liberal arts”and break the barriers of“tech-centrism”and“instrumental rationality,”it is necessary to change the educational concept and strengthen the education of all employees,break through the bottleneck of internships and strengthen the whole process of education,integrate educational resources and strengthen all-round education,improve the incentive mechanisms,strengthen the assessment methods,and provide Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions for the development of medical humanities education.

One-year results for myopia control of orthokeratology with different back optic zone diameters: a randomized trial using a novel multispectral-based topographer

AIM:To present the 1-year results of a prospective cohort study investigating the efficacy,potential mechanism,and safety of orthokeratology(ortho-k)with different back optic zone diameters(BOZD)for myopia control in children.METHODS:This randomized clinical study was performed between Dec.2020 and Dec.2021.Participants were randomly assigned to three groups wearing ortho-k:5 mm BOZD(5-MM group),5.5 mm BOZD(5.5-MM group),and 6 mm BOZD(6-MM group).The 1-year data were recorded,including axial length,relative peripheral refraction(RPR,measured by multispectral refractive topography,MRT),and visual quality.The contrast sensitivity(CS)was evaluated by CSV-1000 instrument with spatial frequencies of 3,6,12,and 18 cycles/degree(c/d);the corneal higher-order aberrations(HOAs)were measured by iTrace aberration analyzer.The one-way ANOVA was performed to assess the differences between the three groups.The correlation between the change in AL and RPR was calculated by Pearson’s correlation coefficient.RESULTS:The 1-year results of 20,21,and 21 subjects in the 5-MM,5.5-MM,and 6-MM groups,respectively,were presented.There were no statistical differences in baseline age,sex,or ocular parameters between the three groups(all P>0.05).At the 1-year visit,the 5-MM group had lower axial elongation than the 6-MM group(0.07±0.09 vs 0.18±0.11 mm,P=0.001).The 5-MM group had more myopic total RPR(TRPR,P=0.014),with RPR in the 15°–30°(RPR 15–30,P=0.015),30°–45°(RPR 30–45,P=0.011),temporal(RPR-T,P=0.008),and nasal area(RPR-N,P<0.001)than the 6-MM group.RPR 15–30 in the 5.5-MM group was more myopic than that in the 6-MM group(P=0.002),and RPR-N in the 5-MM group was more myopic than that in the 5.5-MM group(P<0.001).There were positive correlations between the axial elongation and the change in TRPR(r=0.756,P<0.001),RPR 15–30(r=0.364,P=0.004),RPR 30–45(r=0.306,P=0.016),and RPR-N(r=0.253,P=0.047).The CS decreased at 3 c/d(P<0.001),and the corneal HOAs increased in the 5-MM group(P=0.030).CONCLUSION:Ortho-k with 5 mm BOZD can control myopia progression more effectively.The mechanism may be associated with greater myopic shifts in RPR.

Lung imaging characteristics in a patient infected with Elizabethkingia miricola following cerebral hemorrhage surgery: A case report

BACKGROUND Elizabethkingia miricola is a non-fermenting gram-negative bacterium,which was first isolated from the condensate of the Russian peace space station in 2003.Most studies on this bacterium have been carried out in the laboratory,and clinical case studies are rare.To date,a total of 6 clinical cases have been reported worldwide.CASE SUMMARY We present the first case of postoperative pulmonary infection in a patient with intracerebral hemorrhage due to Elizabethkingia miricola.The imaging character-istics of pulmonary infection were identified and the formulation and selection of the clinical treatment plan for this patient are discussed.CONCLUSION Elizabethkingia miricola infection is rare.When pulmonary infection occurs,computed tomography imaging may show diffuse distribution of a ground glass density shadow in both lungs,the air containing bronchial sign in local areas,thickening of bronchial vascular bundle,and pleural effusion.

Mucosa color and size may indicate malignant transformation of chicken skin mucosa-positive colorectal neoplastic polyps

BACKGROUND Lipid metabolism reprogramming is suspected to exist in pre-cancerous lesions,including colorectal adenoma.Screening colonoscopy frequently reveals chicken skin mucosa(CSM;white or yellow-white speckled mucosa)surrounding colo-rectal polyps,caused by macrophages engulfing and accumulating the lipids decomposed by colon cells or adjacent tumors.CSM-positive colorectal polyps are associated with various diseases;however,their prognosis varies greatly.Cold snare polypectomy is commonly used to resect lesions up to 10 to 15 mm in diameter without signs of submucosal invasion but is controversial for CSM-positive colorectal polyps.Improved imaging is required to diagnose and treat CSM-positive colorectal polyps.METHODS This retrospective cohort study included 177 patients with CSM-positive colorectal polyps diagnosed using endoscopy.All patient-related information was extracted from the Goldisc soft-clinic DICOM system or electronic medical record system.Based on the pathological results,patients were classified as non-neoplastic polyps(five juvenile polyps),neoplastic polyps,non-invasive high-grade neoplasia(NHGN),or submucosal invasive carcinoma(SM stage cancer).We analyzed and compared the clinical features,suspected risk factors for malignant transformation of neoplastic polyps,and early infiltration of sub-mucosal carcinoma.RESULTS The diameters of NHGN and SM polyps were much smaller than those of neoplastic polyps.Most NHGN polyps had a deeper red mucosal color.On logistic regression analyses,diameter and deeper red mucosal color were independent risk factors for malignant transformation of neoplastic polyps.Type 1 CSM was more common in high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia and SM;type 2 CSM was more common in neoplastic polyps.Logistic regression analyses revealed no significant differences in the malignant transformation of neoplastic polyps or early submucosal invasion of CSM-positive colorectal cancer.Changes in the CSM mucosa surrounding neoplastic polyps and submucosal invasion of colorectal cancer disappeared within 12 months.No tumor recurrence was found during either partial or complete endoscopic resection of the CSM.CONCLUSION CSM-positive colorectal polyps>1 cm in diameter or with deeper red mucosa may be related to NHGN.Resection of CSM surrounding colorectal adenomas did not affect tumor recurrence.

Analysis of the influencing factors and clinical related characteristics of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND In China,the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)among diabetic patients is estimated to be between 90%-95%.Additionally,China is among the 22 countries burdened by a high number of tuberculosis cases,with approximately 4.5 million individuals affected by active tuberculosis.Notably,T2DM poses a significant risk factor for the development of tuberculosis,as evidenced by the increased incidence of T2DM coexisting with pulmonary tuberculosis(T2DMPTB),which has risen from 19.3%to 24.1%.It is evident that these two diseases are intricately interconnected and mutually reinforcing in nature.AIM To elucidate the clinical features of individuals diagnosed with both T2DM and tuberculosis(T2DM-PTB),as well as to investigate the potential risk factors associated with active tuberculosis in patients with T2DM.METHODS T2DM-PTB patients who visited our hospital between January 2020 and January 2023 were selected as the observation group,Simple DM patients presenting to our hospital in the same period were the control group,Controls and case groups were matched 1:2 according to the principle of the same sex,age difference(±3)years and disease duration difference(±5)years,patients were investigated for general demographic characteristics,diabetes-related characteristics,body immune status,lifestyle and behavioral habits,univariate and multivariate analysis of the data using conditional logistic regression,calculate the odds ratio(OR)values and 95%CI of OR values.RESULTS A total of 315 study subjects were included in this study,including 105 subjects in the observation group and 210 subjects in the control group.Comparison of the results of both anthropometric and biochemical measures showed that the constitution index,systolic blood pressure,diastolic blood pressure and lymphocyte count were significantly lower in the case group,while fasting blood glucose and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were significantly higher than those in the control group.The results of univariate analysis showed that poor glucose control,hypoproteinemia,lymphopenia,TB contact history,high infection,smoking and alcohol consumption were positively associated with PTB in T2DM patients;married,history of hypertension,treatment of oral hypoglycemic drugs plus insulin,overweight,obesity and regular exercise were negatively associated with PTB in T2DM patients.Results of multivariate stepwise regression analysis found lymphopenia(OR=17.75,95%CI:3.40-92.74),smoking(OR=12.25,95%CI:2.53-59.37),history of TB contact(OR=6.56,95%CI:1.23-35.03)and poor glycemic control(OR=3.37,95%CI:1.11-10.25)was associated with an increased risk of developing PTB in patients with T2DM,While being overweight(OR=0.23,95%CI:0.08-0.72)and obesity(OR=0.11,95%CI:0.02-0.72)was associated with a reduced risk of developing PTB in patients with T2DM.CONCLUSION T2DM-PTB patients are prone to worse glycemic control,higher infection frequency,and a higher proportion of people smoking,drinking alcohol,and lack of exercise.Lymphopenia,smoking,history of TB exposure,poor glycemic control were independent risk factors for T2DM-PTB,and overweight and obesity were associated with reduced risk of concurrent PTB in patients with T2DM.

Expression and significance of pigment epithelium-derived factor and vascular endothelial growth factor in colorectal adenoma and cancer

BACKGROUND The incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer(CRC)are among the highest in the world,and its occurrence and development are closely related to tumor neovascularization.When the balance between pigment epithelium-derived factors(PEDF)that inhibit angiogenesis and vascular endothelial growth factors(VEGF)that stimulate angiogenesis is broken,angiogenesis is out of control,resulting in tumor development.Therefore,it is very necessary to find more therapeutic targets for CRC for early intervention and later treatment.AIM To investigate the expression and significance of PEDF,VEGF,and CD31-stained microvessel density values(CD31-MVD)in normal colorectal mucosa,adenoma,and CRC.METHODS In this case-control study,we collected archived wax blocks of specimens from the Digestive Endoscopy Center and the General Surgery Department of Chengdu Second People's Hospital from April 2022 to October 2022.Fifty cases of specimen wax blocks were selected as normal intestinal mucosa confirmed by electronic colonoscopy and concurrent biopsy(normal control group),50 cases of specimen wax blocks were selected as colorectal adenoma confirmed by electronic colonoscopy and pathological biopsy(adenoma group),and 50 cases of specimen wax blocks were selected as CRC confirmed by postoperative pathological biopsy after inpatient operation of general surgery(CRC group).An immunohistochemical staining experiment was carried out to detect PEDF and VEGF expression in three groups of specimens,analyze their differences,study the relationship between the two and clinicopathological factors in CRC group,record CD31-MVD in the three groups,and analyze the correlation of PEDF,VEGF,and CD31-MVD in the colorectal adenoma group and the CRC group.The F test or adjusted F test is used to analyze measurement data statistically.Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test was used between groups for ranked data.The chi-square test,adjusted chi-square test,or Fisher's exact test were used to compare the rates between groups.All differences between groups were compared using the Bonferroni method for multiple comparisons.Spearman correlation analysis was used to test the correlation of the data.The test level(α)was 0.05,and a two-sided P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.RESULTS The positive expression rate and expression intensity of PEDF were gradually decreased in the normal control group,adenoma group,and CRC group(100%vs 78%vs 50%,χ^(2)=34.430,P<0.001;++~++vs+~++vs-~+,H=94.059,P<0.001),while VEGF increased gradually(0%vs 68%vs 96%,χ^(2)=98.35,P<0.001;-vs-~+vs++~+++,H=107.734,P<0.001).In the CRC group,the positive expression rate of PEDF decreased with the increase of differen-tiation degree,invasion depth,lymph node metastasis,distant metastasis,and TNM stage(χ^(2)=20.513,4.160,5.128,6.349,5.128,P<0.05);the high expression rate of VEGF was the opposite(χ^(2)=10.317,13.134,17.643,21.844,17.643,P<0.05).In the colorectal adenoma group,the expression intensity of PEDF correlated negatively with CD31-MVD(r=-0.601,P<0.001),whereas VEGF was not significantly different(r=0.258,P=0.07).In the CRC group,the expression intensity of PEDF correlated negatively with the expression intensity of CD31-MVD and VEGF(r=-0.297,P<0.05;r=-0.548,P<0.05),while VEGF expression intensity was positively related to CD31-MVD(r=0.421,P=0.002).CONCLUSION It is possible that PEDF can be used as a new treatment and prevention target for CRC by upregulating the expression of PEDF while inhibiting the expression of VEGF.

Comparing the efficacy and safety of low,medium,and high dosages of selexipag for treating pulmonary hypertension:A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:The maintenance dosage of selexipag is categorized as low,medium or high.In order to assess the efficacy and safety of different dosages of selexipag for the risk stratification of pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH),we performed a sys-tematic review and meta-analysis.Methods:Studies assessing PAH risk stratification indices,such as the World Health Organization functional class(WHO-FC),six-minute walk distance(6MWD),N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP)level,right atrial pressure(RAP),cardiac index(CI)and mixed venous oxygen saturation(SvO2),were included.Results:Thirteen studies were included.Selexipag led to improvements in the 6MWD(MD:24.20 m,95%CI:10.74-37.67),NT-proBNP(SMD:-0.41,95%CI:-0.79-0.04),CI(MD:0.47 L/min/m^(2),95%CI:0.17-0.77)and WHO-FC(OR:0.564,95%CI:0.457-0.697).Subgroup analysis demonstrated that all three dosages improved the 6MWD.A moderate dosage led to improvements in the CI(MD:0.30 L/min/m^(2),95%CI:0.15-0.46)and WHO-FC(OR:0.589,95%CI:0.376-0.922).Within 6 months of treatment,only the WHO-FC and CI were significantly improved(OR:0.614,95%CI:0.380-0.993;MD:0.30 L/min/m^(2),95%CI:0.16-0.45,respectively).More than 6 months of treatment significantly improved the 6MWD,WHO-FC and NT-proBNP(MD:40.87 m,95%CI:10.97-70.77;OR:0.557,95%CI:0.440-0.705;SMD:-0.61,95%CI:-1.17-0.05,respectively).Conclusions:Low,medium,and high dosages of selexipag all exhibited good effects.When treatment lasted for more than 6 months,selexipag exerted obvious effects,even in the low-dosage group.This finding is important for guiding individualized treatments.

An overview of acupuncture for the treatment of limb spasticity in cerebral palsy-A mini review

Cerebral palsy is a common chronic disabling disease in children with special needs,and rehabilitation for cerebral palsy is characterized by a long period,multiple methods and limited efficacy.Due to the limited motor function of cerebral palsy patients,the quality of life of patients is reduced,and their ability to participate in society is reduced,so the improvement of patients’motor function has become an important goal of cerebral palsy rehabilitation.The motor function of cerebral palsy has become an important goal of cerebral palsy rehabilitation.Limb spasticity is one of the main clinical signs of cerebral palsy patients,and the more severe the limb spasticity is,the greater the impact on the patient's motor function,so improving limb spasticity in patients with cerebral palsy is particularly important.Acupuncture,as a Chinese medicine treatment method,has been widely used in the clinical treatment of cerebral palsy in China,and has shown certain efficacy.To promote the clinical application of acupuncture technique in cerebral palsy limb spasticity,this paper analyses and summarizes the relevant literature on acupuncture treatment of cerebral palsy limb spasticity summarizes the current status of the clinical application of acupuncture in cerebral palsy limb spasticity,and provides clinical references for the reasonable application of acupuncture in cerebral palsy limb spasticity.

Analysis of laboratory and imaging examination results of patients with COVID-192 years after discharge in Chengdu

Objective:To summarize the follow-up results of laboratory examination,echocardiographic and chest CT of patients with COVID-19 at the time of 2 years after discharge in Chengdu.Methods:A total of 29 COVID-19 survivors who have participated in the 1-year follow-up and 2-year follow-up at Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu were included in our study.Their blood laboratory tests,echocardiography and chest CT results were analyzed in order to evaluate the long-term recovery of COVID-19 survivors.Results:The most common abnormal laboratory test results at the 2-year follow-up were increased serum fibronectin(21 cases,72.4%)and decreased NK cell counts(19 cases,65.5%).Compared with laboratory test results at the 1-year follow-up,platelet count,hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase isoenzyme were decreased(all P<0.05),while serum fibrinogen,triglyceride,insulin and non-specific immunoglobulin A were increased(all P<0.05).Serum specific total SARS-CoV-2 antibody amount in COVID-19 survivors at half a year after COVID-19 vaccine was significantly higher than that before vaccination.More than half of patients(55.2%)had normal echocardiography results at the 2-year follow-up,the main abnormal results of them were valve regurgitation(7 cases,24.1%)and reduced left ventricular diastolic function(9 cases,31.0%).Compared with 1-year follow-up,7 patients had fewer abnormal cardiac ultrasound results.28 cases underwent chest CT at the 2-year follow-up,the mainly abnormal results were ground glass shadow(17.9%),pulmonary nodules(diameter<6mm)(32.1%)and scattered cable shadow(39.3%).71.4%(20/28)of them had no significant change between the two chest CT results.Conclusion:The mainly abnormal blood laboratory indicators in COVID-19 survivors at 2-year follow-up after discharge were increased serum fibronectin and decreased NK cell counts.Although echocardiography and chest CT results were no significant change between 1-year follow-up and 2-year follow-up among COVID-19 survivors,there were still some patients whose abnormal results were decreasing.Serum specific total SARS-CoV-2 antibody amount in COVID-19 survivors at half a year after COVID-19 vaccine was still significantly higher than that before vaccination,but the amount of specific antibody had a downward trend with time.

Orthokeratology with increased compression factor in adolescent myopia control:a 2-year prospective randomized clinical trial

AIM:To explore the long-term efficacy,safety,and optical mechanism of orthokeratology with increased compression factor in adolescent myopia control.METHODS:A prospective,double-masked,and randomized clinical trial was performed from May 2016 to June 2020.Subjects aged between 8 and 16y,with myopia(-5.00 to-1.00 D),low astigmatism(≥-1.50 D)and anisometropia(≤1.00 D),were stratified into low(-2.75 to-1.00 D)and moderate(-5.00 to-3.00 D)myopia groups.Then they were randomly assigned to wear either increased compression factor(ICF;1.75 D)orthokeratology or conventional compression factor(CCF;0.75 D)orthokeratology.The data were recorded including axial length(AL),spherical equivalent(SE),best corrected visual acuity(BCVA),near visual acuity(NVA),corneal staining(using Efron grading scales),corneal hysteresis(CH),corneal resistance factor(CRF),higher-order aberrations(HOAs,expressed as root mean square,RMS_(h)),and subfoveal choroidal thickness(SFCh T)in the 2-year followup period.Pearson's correlation coefficient was conducted to analyze the association between the changes in AL and RMS_(h),SFCh T.RESULTS:At the 2-year visit,there were no statistical differences in all the parameters between the ICF group and the CCF group in low myopia subjects(P>0.05).For the moderate myopia subjects,the ICF group had shorter AL elongation(0.23±0.08 vs 0.30±0.11 mm,P=0.015),higher RMS_(h)(1.94±0.50 vs 1.65±0.51μm,P=0.041),and higher SFCh T(279.04±35.72 vs 254.08±29.60μm,P=0.008)than those in CCF group.The change in AL was negatively correlated with RMS_(h)(r=-0.687,P<0.001)and SFCh T(r=-0.464,P=0.013).CONCLUSION:ICF orthokeratology can control the progression of moderate myopia more effectively,which might be related to greater RMS_(h) and SFCh T.

Chicken skin mucosa surrounding small colorectal cancer could be an endoscopic predictive marker of submucosal invasion

BACKGROUND Chicken skin mucosa(CSM)surrounding colon polyps is a common endoscopic finding with pale yellow-speckled mucosa during a colonoscopy screening.Although reports about CSM surrounding small colorectal cancer are scarce,and its clinical significance in intramucosal and submucosal cancers is unclear,previous studies have suggested it could be an endoscopic predictive marker for colonic neoplastic and advanced polyps.Currently,because of the inaccurate preoperative evaluation by endoscopists,many small colorectal cancers,particularly lesions with a diameter<2 cm,are improperly treated.Therefore,more effective methods are required to better assess the depth of the lesion before treatment.AIM To explore potential markers of small colorectal cancer early invasion under white light endoscopy,providing patients with better treatment alternatives.METHODS This retrospective cross-sectional study included 198 consecutive patients[233 early colorectal cancers(ECCs)]who underwent endoscopy or surgical procedures at the Digestive Endoscopy Center of Chengdu Second People’s Hospital between January 2021 and August 2022.The participants had pathologically confirmed colorectal cancer with a lesion diameter<2 cm and received endoscopic or surgical treatment,including endoscopic mucosal resection and submucosal dissection.Clinical pathology and endoscopy parameters,including tumor size,invasion depth,anatomical position,and morphology,were reviewed.Fisher’s exact test,theχ2 test,and Student’s t-test were used to analyze the patient’s basic characteristics.Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between morphological characteristics,size,CSM prevalence,and ECC invasion depth under white light endoscopy.Statistical significance was set at P<0.05.RESULTS The submucosal carcinoma(SM stage)was larger than the mucosal carcinoma(M stage)with a significant difference(17.2±4.1 vs 13.4±4.6 mm,P<0.01).M-and SM-stage cancers were common in the left colon;however,no significant differences were found between them(151/196,77%and 32/37,86.5%,respectively,P=0.199).The endoscopic features of colorectal cancer revealed that CSM,depressed areas with clear boundaries,and erosion or ulcer bleeding were more common in the SM-stage cancer group than in the M-stage cancer group(59.5%vs 26.2%,46%vs 8.7%,and 27.3%vs 4.1%,respectively,P<0.05).CSM prevalence in this study was 31.3%(73/233).The positive rates of CSM in flat,protruded,and sessile lesions were 18%(11/61),30.6%(30/98),and 43.2%(32/74),respectively,with significant differences(P=0.007).CONCLUSION CSM-related small colorectal cancer was primarily located in the left colon and could be a predictive marker of submucosal invasion in the left colon.

Synergism of calycosin and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells to combat podocyte apoptosis to alleviate adriamycininduced focal segmental glomerulosclerosis

BACKGROUND Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)show podocyte-protective effects in chronic kidney disease.Calycosin(CA),a phytoestrogen,is isolated from Astragalus membranaceus with a kidney-tonifying effect.CA preconditioning enhances the protective effect of MSCs against renal fibrosis in mice with unilateral ureteral occlusion.However,the protective effect and underlying mechanism of CA-pretreated MSCs(MSCsCA)on podocytes in adriamycin(ADR)-induced focal segmental glomerulosclerosis(FSGS)mice remain unclear.AIM To investigate whether CA enhances the role of MSCs in protecting against podocyte injury induced by ADR and the possible mechanism involved.METHODS ADR was used to induce FSGS in mice,and MSCs,CA,or MSCsCA were administered to mice.Their protective effect and possible mechanism of action on podocytes were observed by Western blot,immunohistochemistry,immunofluorescence,and real-time polymerase chain reaction.In vitro,ADR was used to stimulate mouse podocytes(MPC5)to induce injury,and the supernatants from MSC-,CA-,or MSCsCA-treated cells were collected to observe their protective effects on podocytes.Subsequently,the apoptosis of podocytes was detected in vivo and in vitro by Western blot,TUNEL assay,and immunofluorescence.Overexpression of Smad3,which is involved in apoptosis,was then induced to evaluate whether the MSCsCA-mediated podocyte protective effect is associated with Smad3 inhibition in MPC5 cells.RESULTS CA-pretreated MSCs enhanced the protective effect of MSCs against podocyte injury and the ability to inhibit podocyte apoptosis in ADR-induced FSGS mice and MPC5 cells.Expression of p-Smad3 was upregulated in mice with ADR-induced FSGS and MPC5 cells,which was reversed by MSCCA treatment more significantly than by MSCs or CA alone.When Smad3 was overexpressed in MPC5 cells,MSCsCA could not fulfill their potential to inhibit podocyte apoptosis.CONCLUSION MSCsCA enhance the protection of MSCs against ADR-induced podocyte apoptosis.The underlying mechanism may be related to MSCsCA-targeted inhibition of p-Smad3 in podocytes.

Low-temperature 3D-printed collagen/chitosan scaffolds loaded with exosomes derived from neural stem cells pretreated with insulin growth factor-1 enhance neural regeneration after traumatic brain injury

There are various clinical treatments for traumatic brain injury,including surgery,drug therapy,and rehabilitation therapy;howeve r,the therapeutic effects are limited.Scaffolds combined with exosomes represent a promising but challenging method for improving the repair of traumatic brain injury.In this study,we determined the ability of a novel 3D-printed collagen/chitosan scaffold loaded with exosomes derived from neural stem cells pretreated with insulin-like growth factor-1(3D-CC-INEXOS) to improve traumatic brain injury repair and functional recove ry after traumatic brain injury in rats.Composite scaffolds comprising collagen,chitosan,and exosomes derived from neural stem cells pretreated with insulin-like growth fa ctor-1(INEXOS) continuously released exosomes for 2weeks.Transplantation of 3D-CC-INExos scaffolds significantly improved motor and cognitive functions in a rat traumatic brain injury model,as assessed by the Morris water maze test and modified neurological seve rity scores.In addition,immunofluorescence staining and transmission electron microscopy showed that3D-CC-INExos implantation significantly improved the recove ry of damaged nerve tissue in the injured area.In conclusion,this study suggests that transplanted3D-CC-INExos scaffolds might provide a potential strategy for the treatment of traumatic brain injury and lay a solid foundation for clinical translation.

Diagnostic value of methylated branched chain amino acid transaminase 1/IKAROS family zinc finger 1 for colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND The diagnostic value of combined methylated branched chain amino acid transaminase 1(BCAT1)/IKAROS family zinc finger 1(IKZF1)in plasma for colorectal cancer(CRC)has been explored since 2015.Recently,several related studies have published their results and showed its diagnostic efficacy.AIM To analyze the diagnostic value of methylated BCAT1/IKZF1 in plasma for screening and postoperative follow-up of CRC.METHODS The candidate studies were identified by searching the PubMed,Embase,Cochrane Library,CNKI,and Wanfang databases from May 31,2003 to June 1,2023.Sensitivity,specificity,and diagnostic accuracy were calculated by merging ratios or means.RESULTS Twelve eligible studies were included in the analysis,involving 6561 participants.The sensitivity of methylated BCAT1/IKZF1 in plasma for CRC diagnosis was 60%[95%confidence interval(CI)53-67]and specificity was 92%(95%CI:90-94).The positive and negative likelihood ratios were 8.0(95%CI:5.8-11.0)and 0.43(95%CI:0.36-0.52),respectively.Diagnostic odds ratio was 19(95%CI:11-30)and area under the curve was 0.88(95%CI:0.85-0.91).The sensitivity and specificity for CRC screening were 64%(95%CI:59-69)and 92%(95%CI:91-93),respectively.The sensitivity and specificity for recurrence detection during follow-up were 54%CONCLUSION The detection of methylated BCAT1/IKZF1 in plasma,as a non-invasive detection method of circulating tumor DNA,has potential CRC diagnosis,but the clinical application prospect needs to be further explored.

Association of MBOAT7 rs641738 polymorphism with hepatocellular carcinoma susceptibility:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND The MBOAT7 rs641738 single-nucleotide polymorphism(SNP)has been proven to influence various liver diseases,but its association with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)susceptibility has been debated.To address this discrepancy,we conducted the current systematic review and meta-analysis.AIM To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis on association of MBOAT7 SNP and HCC susceptibility.METHODS We performed a systematic review in PubMed,Web of Science,Scopus,and EMBASE;applied specific inclusion and exclusion criteria;and extracted the data.Meta-analysis was conducted with the meta package in R.Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were also performed.This meta-analysis was registered in PROSPERO(CRD42023458046).RESULTS Eight studies were included in the systematic review,and 12 cohorts from 6 studies were included in the meta-analysis.Our meta-analysis revealed an association between the MBOAT7 SNP and HCC susceptibility in both the dominant[odds ratio(OR):1.14,95%confidence interval(95%CI):1.02-1.26,P=0.020]and recessive(OR:1.21,95%CI:1.05-1.39,P=0.008)models.Subgroup analysis revealed that stratification of the included patients by geographical origin showed a significant association in Asia(OR:1.20,95%CI:1.03-1.39).CONCLUSION This meta-analysis underscores the contribution of the MBOAT7 rs641738 SNP to hepatocarcinogenesis,especially in Asian populations,which warrants further investigation.

Haplotype analysis of long-chain non-coding RNA NONHSAT102891 promoter polymorphisms and depression in Chinese individuals: A case-control association study

BACKGROUND Our previous study reported that the single-nucleotide polymorphism(SNP)rs155979 GC in the promoter region of long-chain non-coding RNA(lncRNA)NONHSAT102891 affects depression susceptibility in a Chinese population.AIM To explored associations of two SNPs and haplotypes in the lncRNA NONHSAT102891 promoter region with depression susceptibility in Chinese population.METHODS This this case-control association study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Chengdu Medical College(approval number:201815).Patient diagnosis was based on DSM-IV criteria.We selected a total of 480 patients with depression and 329 healthy controls with no history of psychopathology,and performed genotyping of two SNPs by extracting peripheral venous blood samples from the subjects.The function of the two lncRNA NONHSAT102891 promoter G/C and A/T haplotypes was detected by dual-luciferase reporter assays of human embryonic kidney 293T transfected cells.RESULTS Stratified analysis of clinical and genotypic characteristics of our cohort showed that the degree of mild depressive episodes associated with the rs6230 TC/CC genotype increased by 1.59 times[TC/CC vs TT:odds ratio(OR)=1.59,95%confidence interval(CI):1.08-2.35,P=0.019].The haploid analysis revealed linkage disequilibrium between rs3792747 and rs6230,and the double SNP CG haplotype was more common in the control group compared to case group,indicating that this haplotype significantly reduced the risk of depression(C/G vs T/A:OR=0.42,95%CI:0.21-0.83,P=0.01).There was no significant difference in the dual-luciferase reporter activity of the G/C and A/T haplotypes compared with the control group(P>0.05),indicating that the double SNP haplotype has no transcrip-tional activity.CONCLUSION The rs3792747 and rs6230 CG haplotypes of the lncRNA NONHSA T102891 promoter may be related to a reduced risk of depression in the Han Chinese population.

Peripheral CD4^(+)CD8^(+) double positive T cells:A potential marker to evaluate renal impairment susceptibility during systemic lupus erythematosus

Lupus nephritis(LN) has a high incidence in systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) patients, but there is a lack of sensitive predictive markers. The purpose of the study was to investigate the association between the CD4^(+)CD8^(+)double positive T(DPT) lymphocytes and LN. The study included patients with SLE without renal impairment(SLE-NRI), LN, nephritic syndrome(NS), or nephritis. Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets were analyzed by flow cytometry. Biochemical measurements were performed with peripheral blood in accordance with the recommendations proposed by the National Center for Clinical Laboratories. The proportions of DPT cells in the LN group were significantly higher than that in the SLE-NRI group(t=4.012, P<0.001), NS group(t=3.240,P=0.001), and nephritis group(t=2.57, P=0.011). In the LN group, the risk of renal impairment increased significantly in a DPT cells proportion-dependent manner. The risk of LN was 5.136 times(95% confidence interval, 2.115–12.473) higher in cases with a high proportion of DPT cells than those whose proportion of DPT cells within the normal range. These findings indicated that the proportion of DPT cells could be a potential marker to evaluate LN susceptibility, and the interference of NS and nephritis could be effectively excluded when assessing the risk of renal impairment during SLE with DPT cell proportion.

A new method for preparing a rat intracerebral hemorrhage model by combining focused ultrasound and microbubbles

Background:We aimed to prepare a non-invasive,reproducible,and controllable rat model of intracerebral hemorrhage with focused ultrasound(FUS).Methods:A rat intracerebral hemorrhage(ICH)model was established by combining FUS and microbubbles(μBs),and edaravone was used to verify whether the free radical scavenger had a protective effect on the model.The brain tissue of each group was sectioned to observe the gross histology,blood-brain barrier(BBB)permeability,cerebral infarction volume,and histopathological changes.Results:Compared with the FUS group,the BBB permeability was significantly increased in the FUS+μBs(F&B)group(p=0.0021).The second coronal slice in the F&B group had an obvious hemorrhage lesion,and the FUS+μBs+edaravone(F&B&E)group had smaller hemorrhage areas;however,ICH did not occur in the FUS group.The cerebral infarction volume in the F&B group was significantly larger than that in the FUS group(p=0.0030)and F&B&E group(p=0.0208).HE staining results showed that nerve fibrinolysis,neuronal necrosis,microglia production,and erythrocytes were found in both the F&B group and the F&B&E group,but the areas of the nerve fibrinolysis and neuronal necrosis in the F&B group were larger than the F&B&E group.Conclusions:A rat ICH model was successfully prepared using theμBs assisted FUS treatment,and edaravone had a therapeutic effect on this model.This model can be used to study the pathophysiological mechanism of ICH-related diseases and in preclinical research on related new drugs.

LINC01268 promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition,invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and targeting MARCKS

BACKGROUND Long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs)with differential expression characteristics have been found to be closely related to the tumorigenesis and development of gastric cancer(GC),but their specific mechanisms and roles still need to be further elucidated.AIM To investigate the expression of LINC01268 in GC and its mechanism of affecting GC progression.METHODS Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression of LINC01268 in GC tissues,cell lines and plasma.The Kaplan-Meier method was used to evaluate the value of LINC01268 in the prognostication of GC patients.An receiver operating characteristic curve was constructed to evaluate the value of LINC01268 in the diagnosis of GC.Transwell migration and invasion assays and wound healing assays were used to confirm the effect of LINC01268 on the invasion and migration of GC cells.The regulatory relationship between LINC01268 and myristoylated alanine rich protein kinase C substrate(MARCKS),the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway,and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)process in GC was demonstrated by western blot analysis.RESULTS The expression of LINC01268 was increased in GC tissues and cell lines.The expression level of LINC01268 was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis,TNM stage,and tumor differentiation in patients with GC.Over-expression of LINC01268 indicated a poor prognosis for patients with GC,and it had a certain auxiliary diagnostic value for GC.In vitro functional experiments proved that the abnormal expression of LINC01268 further activated the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and promoted EMT by targeting and regulating MARCKS and ultimately promoted the invasion and metastasis of GC.CONCLUSION This study elucidates that LINC01268 in GC may be an oncogene that further activates the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and EMT by targeting and regulating MARCKS,and ultimately promotes the invasion and metastasis of GC.LINC01268 may be a potential effective target for the treatment of GC.