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Purpose. The current study was designed to investigate the impact of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum uric acid (UA), and cystatin (CysC) on the short-term outcomes and prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients undergoing radical surgery. Methods. CRC patients who underwent radical resection were included from Jan 2011 to Jan 2020 in a single clinical centre. The short-term outcomes, overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared in different groups. A Cox regression analysis was conducted to identify independent risk factors for OS and DFS. Results. A total of 2047 CRC patients who underwent radical resection were included in the current study. Patients in the abnormal BUN group had a longer hospital stay ( p = 0.002 ) and more overall complications ( p = 0.001 ) than that of the normal BUN group. The abnormal CysC group had longer hospital stay ( p < 0.01 ), more overall complications ( p = p < 0.01 ), and more major complications ( p = 0.001 ) than the normal CysC group. Abnormal CysC was associated with worse OS and DFS for CRC patients in tumor stage I ( p < 0.01 ). In Cox regression analysis, age ( p < 0.01 , HR = 1.041, 95% CI = 1.029–1.053), tumor stage ( p < 0.01 , HR = 2.134, 95% CI = 1.828–2.491), and overall complications ( p = 0.002 , HR = 1.499, 95% CI = 1.166–1.928) were independent risk factors for OS. Similarly, age ( p < 0.01 , HR = 1.026, 95% CI = 1.016–1.037), tumor stage ( p < 0.01 , HR = 2.053, 95% CI = 1.788–2.357), and overall complications ( p = 0.002 , HR = 1.440, 95% CI = 1.144–1.814) were independent risk factors for DFS. Conclusion. In conclusion, abnormal CysC was significantly associated with worse OS and DFS at TNM stage I, and abnormal CysC and BUN were related to more postoperative complications. However, preoperative BUN and UA in the serum might not affect OS and DFS for CRC patients who underwent radical resection.

Qi Jin1 &ast;, Jie Li2 &ast;, Guang-Yao Chen1 &ast;, Zi-Yu Wu,3 Xiao-Yu Liu,2 Yi Liu,4 Lin Chen,5 Xin-Yi Wu,5 Yan Liu,2 Xin Zhao,2 Yue-Han Song2 1Graduate School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, People’s Republic of China; 3Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100007, People’s Republic of China; 4Humanities School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, People’s Republic of China; 5Qihuang School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xin Zhao; Yue-Han Song, Email zhaoyyyx@sohu.com; songyuehan1981@126.comObjective: The mechanism of Wendan Decoction (WDD) against Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) was predicted by network pharmacology and validated by in vivo and in vitro experiments.Methods: The targets of WDD for the treatment of GAD were obtained by a search of online databases. Further, PPI network and KEGG enrichment were used to identify the key targets and pathways. Ultimately, these key targets and pathways were validated by in vivo experiments on GAD mice modeled by repeated restraint stress (RRS) and in vitro experiments on inflammatory factor stimulated BV-2 cells.Results: Through searching the databases, the 137 ingredients of WDD that correspond to 938 targets and 4794 targets related to GAD were identified. Among them, 569 overlapping targets were considered as the therapeutic targets of WDD for GAD. PPI analysis showed that the inflammation-related proteins IL-6, TNF, SRC and AKT1 were the key targets, and KEGG enrichment suggested that PI3K/AKT and MAPK signaling pathways were key pathways of WDD in the treatment of GAD. In vivo experiments, RRS mice exhibited abnormality in behavioristics in open field test (OFT) and elevated plus maze (EPM) and increases in serum corticosterone and the percentage of lymphocytes positive for IL-6 in peripheral blood. These abnormal changes can be reversed by WDD and the positive control drug paroxetine. In vitro experiments, WDD can inhibit IL-6 induced activation of PI3K/AKT and MAPK signaling pathways in BV2 cells, and suppress the ensuing release of inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-1β and PGE2, and showed a dose-dependent effect.Conclusion: WDD is able to resist GAD by relieving inflammatory response in peripheral and central system.Keywords: Wendan Decoction, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, network pharmacology, Interleukin-6, PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway

The effect of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on the outcomes of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients after primary CRC surgery is controversial.To analyze whether CKD had specific effect on the outcomes after CRC surgery.We searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library databases and CNKI, from inception to March 14, 2022. Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used for the quality assessment in this meta-analysis, and we used RevMan 5.3 was used for data analysis.A total of nine studies including 47771 patients were eligible for this meta-analysis. No significant difference was found in terms of overall postoperative complications [odds ratio (OR) = 1.78, 95%CI: 0.64-4.94,Preexisting CKD was associated with higher rates of pulmonary infection, higher rates of short-term death, and worse OS and poorer DFS following CRC surgery.

We assessed interactions between the astrocytic volume-regulated anion channel (VRAC) and aquaporin 4 (AQP4) in the supraoptic nucleus (SON). Acute SON slices and cultures of hypothalamic astrocytes prepared from rats received hyposmotic challenge (HOC) with/without VRAC or AQP4 blockers. In acute slices, HOC caused an early decrease with a late rebound in the neuronal firing rate of vasopressin neurons, which required activity of astrocytic AQP4 and VRAC. HOC also caused a persistent decrease in the excitatory postsynaptic current frequency, supported by VRAC and AQP4 activity in early HOC; late HOC required only VRAC activity. These events were associated with the dynamics of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) filaments, the late retraction of which was mediated by VRAC activity; this activity also mediated an HOC-evoked early increase in AQP4 expression and late subside in GFAP-AQP4 colocalization. AQP4 activity supported an early HOC-evoked increase in VRAC levels and its colocalization with GFAP. In cultured astrocytes, late HOC augmented VRAC currents, the activation of which depended on AQP4 pre-HOC/HOC activity. HOC caused an early increase in VRAC expression followed by a late rebound, requiring AQP4 and VRAC, or only AQP4 activity, respectively. Astrocytic swelling in early HOC depended on AQP4 activity, and so did the early extension of GFAP filaments. VRAC and AQP4 activity supported late regulatory volume decrease, the retraction of GFAP filaments, and subside in GFAP-VRAC colocalization. Taken together, astrocytic morphological plasticity relies on the coordinated activities of VRAC and AQP4, which are mutually regulated in the astrocytic mediation of HOC-evoked modulation of vasopressin neuronal activity.

Purpose The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of preoperative bicarbonate and lactate levels (LL) on the short-term outcomes and prognosis in elderly (≥ 65 years) patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods We collected the information of CRC patients from Jan 2011 to Jan 2020 in a single clinical center. According to the results of preoperative blood gas analysis, we divided patients into the higher/lower bicarbonate group and the higher/lower lactate group, and compared their baseline information, surgery-related information, overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Results A total of 1473 patients were included in this study. Comparing the clinical data of the higher/lower bicarbonate group and the higher/lower lactate group, the lower group were older (p Conclusion Preoperative LL significantly affected postoperative OS and DFS of CRC patients, but bicarbonate might not affect the prognosis of CRC patients. Therefore, surgeons should actively focus on and adjust the LL of patients before surgery.

In vivo administration of dopamine (DA) receptor (DR)-related drugs modulate gastric pepsinogen secretion. However, DRs on gastric pepsinogen-secreting chief cells and DA D2 receptor (D2R) on somatostatin-secreting D cells were subsequently acquired. In this study, we aimed to further investigate the local effect of DA on gastric pepsinogen secretion through DRs expressed on chief cells or potential D2Rs expressed on D cells. To elucidate the modulation of DRs in gastric pepsinogen secretion, immunofluorescence staining, ex vivo incubation of gastric mucosa isolated from normal and D2R−/− mice were conducted, accompanied by measurements of pepsinogen or somatostatin levels using biochemical assays or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. D1R, D2R, and D5R-immunoreactivity (IR) were observed on chief cells in mouse gastric mucosa. D2R-IR was widely distributed on D cells from the corpus to the antrum. Ex vivo incubation results showed that DA and the D1-like receptor agonist SKF38393 increased pepsinogen secretion, which was blocked by the D1-like receptor antagonist SCH23390. However, D2-like receptor agonist quinpirole also significantly increased pepsinogen secretion, and D2-like receptor antagonist sulpiride blocked the promotion of DA. Besides, D2-like receptors exerted an inhibitory effect on somatostatin secretion, in contrast to their effect on pepsinogen secretion. Furthermore, D2R− /− mice showed much lower basal pepsinogen secretion but significantly increased somatostatin release and an increased number of D cells in gastric mucosa. Only SKF38393, not quinpirole, increased pepsinogen secretion in D2R− /− mice. DA promotes gastric pepsinogen secretion directly through D1-like receptors on chief cells and indirectly through D2R-mediated suppression of somatostatin release.

Purpose The purpose of the current study is to analyze the difference of short-term and oncologic outcomes between younger and older colorectal cancer (CRC) patients who underwent primary CRC surgery using a propensity score matching (PSM) analysis. Methods We retrospectively collected CRC patients who underwent primary surgery in a single clinical database from Jan 2011 to Jan 2020. The short-term and oncologic outcomes were compared between younger aged group and older aged group. Results A total of 4599 patients were included in this study, and there were 4196 patients in older aged group and 403 patients in younger aged group. After 1:1 ratio PSM, there were 401 patients in each group. No significant difference was found in terms of baseline information after PSM (p>0.05). Younger aged group had larger retrieved lymph nodes before (p Conclusion Younger CRC patients had larger retrieved lymph nodes and better prognosis than older CRC patients after primary CRC surgery.

PurposeThe aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of carbon nanoparticles staining (CNS) on colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery, lymph node tracing and postoperative complications using propensity score matching (PSM).MethodPatients who were diagnosed with CRC and underwent surgery were retrospectively collected from a single clinical center from Jan 2011 to Dec 2021. Baseline characteristics, surgical information and postoperative information were compared between the CNS group and the non-CNS group. PSM was used to eliminate bias.ResultsA total of 6,886 patients were enrolled for retrospective analysis. There were 2,078 (30.2%) patients in the CNS group and 4,808 (69.8%) patients in the non-CNS group. After using 1: 1 ratio PSM to eliminate bias, there were 2,045 patients left in each group. Meanwhile, all of their baseline characteristics were well matched and there was no statistical significance between the two groups (P > 0.05). In terms of surgical information and short-term outcomes, the CNS group had less intraoperative blood loss (P P P P = 0.013), more total retrieved lymph nodes (P P = 0.011) and less postoperative overall complications (P P = 0.004), shorter postoperative hospital stay (P P P > 0.05).ConclusionPreoperative CNS could help the surgeons detect more lymph nodes, thus better determining the patient's N stage. Furthermore, it could reduce intraoperative blood loss and reduce the hospital stay.

Rhizoma Drynariae has been widely used for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA), but its potential targets and molecular mechanisms remain to be further explored. Targets of Rhizoma Drynariae and OA were predicted by relevant databases, and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed to identify key targets. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis was performed to obtain related pathways and then select significant pathways associated with OA. The OA chondrocyte model was established by inflammatory factor-induced SW1353 chondrocytes, and molecular docking was conducted to verify the above theoretical prediction. The results showed that a total of 86 Rhizoma Drynariae-OA interaction targets were identified, among which IL-6 and AKT1 were the key targets in the PPI network. Luteolin was the most critical component of Rhizoma Drynariae. KEGG results indicated that the effects of Rhizoma Drynariae on OA are associated with the PI3K/AKT, TNF, IL-17, apoptosis, and HIF-1 signaling pathway. The PI3K/AKT pathway can activate the downstream NF-κB pathway and further regulate the transcription and expression of downstream IL-6, IL-17, HIF-1α, Bax, and TNF, suggesting that the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway is the critical pathway in the treatment of OA with Rhizoma Drynariae. Active components of Rhizoma Drynariae and key proteins of the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway were subjected to molecular docking, whose results showed that luteolin and IKK-α played a critical role. In vitro experiments indicated that both aqueous extracts of Rhizoma Drynariae (AERD) and luteolin inhibited the expression of IL-6 and HIF-1α and suppressed the activation of PI3K/AKT/NF-κB, IL-17, and TNF pathways. The measurement of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) indicated that AERD and luteolin can decrease the LPS-induced early apoptotic cells. Luteolin had a more prominent inhibitory effect than AERD in the abovementioned in vitro experiments. In conclusion, the therapeutic mechanism of Rhizoma Drynariae against OA may be closely related to the inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway and downstream pathways, and luteolin plays a vital role in the treatment.

Primary cutaneous anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (pC-ALCL) is distinguished from systemic anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (S-ALCL) with cutaneous involvement. Although pC-ALCL is a unique entity with different genetics, clinical characteristics, and prognosis, its causes are unknown. Herein, we report the case of a Chinese woman with a 4-month history of a gradually enlarged ulcerative mass in her right forearm following an unidentified insect bite. Biopsy revealed an extensive infiltrate with patches of large anaplastic lymphoid cells. These cells were immunohistochemically positive for CD45, CD30, and TIA-1 and negative for CD2, CD3, CD4, CD5, CD20, CD7, CD8, and ALK-1. DUSP22-IRF4 rearrangement was detected; on the other hand, TP63 rearrangement was not observed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). No Epstein-Barr virus-encoded small RNAs (EBERs) were detected by ISH. Rearrangement of monoclonal TCR gene was found using BIOMED-2 polymerase chain reaction. No abnormality was found on the subsequent positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) scan. After five cycles of cyclophosphamide + doxorubicin + vincristine + prednisolone (CHOP) chemotherapy, the patient achieved complete remission. This is the first report of a unique pC-ALCL with DUSP22-IRF4 rearrangement following an insect bite other than S-ALCL involving the skin.

Emerging evidence indicates extensive oxidative stress is a consequence of obesity which impairs bone formation. Glutathione peroxidase 7 (GPX7) is a conserved endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention protein, lacking of which causes accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and promotes adipogenesis. Since the imbalance between osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) leads to severe bone diseases such as osteoporosis, it is critical to investigate the potential protective role of Gpx7 in osteogenesis. Here, we provide evidence that deficiency of Gpx7 reduces osteogenesis, but increases adipogenesis in both human BMSCs (hBMSCs) and mouse mesenchymal stem cell line. Interestingly, further studies indicate this defect can be alleviated by the ER stress antagonist, but not the ROS inhibitor, unveiling an unexpected finding that, unlike adipogenesis, lacking of Gpx7 inhibits osteogenesis mediating by induced ER stress instead of enhanced ROS. Furthermore, the mTOR signalling pathway is found down‐regulation during osteogenic differentiation in Gpx7‐deficient condition, which can be rescued by relief of ER stress. Taken together, for the first time we identify a novel function of Gpx7 in BMSCs’ osteogenic differentiation and indicate that Gpx7 may protect against osteoporotic deficits in humans through ER stress and mTOR pathway interplay.

Transient receptor potential vanilloid type 4 (TRPV4) can function as an oncogene or tumor suppressor depending on the tumor types. However, little is known regarding the effect of TRPV4 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), a highly prevalent malignancy in Southern China and Southeast Asia. We found that TRPV4 mRNA and protein levels were significantly upregulated in NPC tissues. In addition, activation of TRPV4 in NPC cell lines using GSK1016790A (100 nM) induced a Ca2+ influx, whereas pharmacological inhibition or gene knockdown of TRPV4 reduced the proliferation rates of NPC cells. TRPV4 knockdown also decreased the growth of tumor xenografts in vivo. Mechanistically, TRPV4-mediated tumorigenesis is dependent on the activation of Ca2+/calcineurin/calcineurin-nuclear factor of activated T cell 4 (NFAT4) signaling. Furthermore, NFAT4 protein level was overexpressed in NPC tissues and correlated positively with TRPV4. Taken together, TRPV4 promotes the malignant potential of NPC cells by activating NFAT4 signaling. Our findings highlight TRPV4-NFAT4 axis as a potential therapeutic target in NPC.

BackgroundThe targeted therapy for lung cancer relies on prognostic genes and requires further research. No research has been conducted to determine the effect of endothelin-converting enzyme 2 (ECE2) in lung cancer.MethodsWe analyzed the expression of ECE2 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and normal adjacent tissues and its relationship with clinicopathological characteristics from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus database (GEO). Immunohistochemical staining was used to further validate the findings. GO/KEGG enrichment analysis and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) of ECE2 co-expression were performed using R software. Data from TIMER, the GEPIA database, and TCGA were analyzed to determine the relationship between ECE2 expression and LUAD immune infiltration. To investigate the relationship between ECE2 expression levels and LUAD m6A modification, TCGA data and GEO data were analyzed.ResultsECE2 is highly expressed in various cancers including LUAD. ECE2 showed high accuracy in distinguishing tumor and normal sample results. The expression level of ECE2 in LUAD was significantly correlated with tumor stage and prognosis. GO/KEGG enrichment analysis showed that ECE2 was closely related to mitochondrial gene expression, ATPase activity and cell cycle. GSEA analysis showed that ECE2-related differential gene enrichment pathways were related to mitotic cell cycle, MYC pathway, PLK1 pathway, DNA methylation pathway, HIF1A pathway and Oxidative stress-induced cellular senescence. Analysis of the TIMER, GEPIA database, and TCGA datasets showed that ECE2 expression levels were significantly negatively correlated with B cells, CD4+ cells, M2 macrophages, neutrophils, and dendritic cells. TCGA and GEO datasets showed that ECE2 was significantly associated with m6A modification-related genes HNRNPC, IGF2BP1, IGF2BP3 and RBM1.ConclusionECE2 is associated with m6A modification and immune infiltration and is a prognostic biomarker in LUAD.

Background The aim of this study was to determine the expression and function of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein R (HNRNPR) in esophageal carcinoma (ESCA), the correlation between its expression and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computerized tomography scan (PET/CT)-related parameters. We also investigated whether 18F-FDG PET/CT can be used to predict the expression of HNRNPR in ESCA. Methods We analyzed patients with ESCA who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT before surgery, and their tissues were stained with HNRNPR IHC. The associated parameters were derived using the 18F-FDG PET imaging data, and the correlation with the IHC score was evaluated. The Oncomine, TCGA, and GEO datasets were used to investigate HNRNPR expression in the pan- and esophageal cancers, as well as its relationship with N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification and glycolysis. The R software, LinkedOmics, GeneMANIA, and StringOnline tools were used to perform GO/KEGG, GGI, and PPI analyses on the HNRNPR. Results HNRNPR is highly expressed in the majority of pan-cancers, including ESCA, and is associated with BMI, weight, and history of reflux in patients with ESCA. HNRNPR is somewhat accurate in predicting the clinical prognosis of ESCA. HNRNPR expression was positively correlated with SUVmax, SUVmean, and TLG in ESCA (p Conclusion HNRNPR overexpression correlates with 18F-FDG uptake in ESCA and may be involved in the regulation of the cell cycle, m6A modification, and cell glycolysis. 18F-FDG PET/CT-related parameters can predict the diagnostic accuracy of HNRNPR expression in ESCA.

As one of the largest and most representative families of natural medicines harvested from plants, the mass production of opioids legitimately occupies large, worldwide farmland cultivation of opiu...

AIM:To evaluate the mitomycin-C(MMC)0.02% efficacy in preventing haze after trans-epithelial photorefractive keratectomy(Trans-PRK)in the treatment of the high myopia. METHODS: Retrospective case series. Trans-PRK were performed on 142 eyes with a preoperative spherical equivalent. They were divided into with 0.02% MMC(MMC group)and without MMC(control)groups. In MMC group there were 94 eyes with MMC 0.02%; in control group there were 48 eyes. Patients were treated with an intraoperative application of MMC 0.02% for 30-45s depending on refractive error in MMC group. After surgery, fluorometholone 0.1% eye drops were used for 4mo in all groups. The mean follow-up time was 6mo. The regression trees were used to analyse the relationship between different related factors and haze. RESULTS:Haze was quantified with Fantes. Incidence of haze was 8.5% eyes in MMC group and 33.3% in without MMC group(P=0.001). In the regression trees, optical zone and ablation depth MAX were related to haze(P5.6mm, ablation depth MAX becomes the main factor for haze.CONCLUSION: The design of optical zone and ablation depth MAX in Trans-PRK should be considered for the treatment of the high myopia with thin cornea and abnormal corneal morphology. MMC 0.02% was effective in preventing haze after Trans-PRK in the treatment of the high myopia.

Previous studies on the adverse events of acute pulmonary embolism (APE) were mostly limited to single marker, and short follow-up duration, from hospitalization to up to 30 days. We aimed to predict the long-term prognosis of patients with APE by joint assessment of D-dimer, N-Terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-ProBNP), and troponin I (cTnI). Newly diagnosed patients of APE from January 2011 to December 2015 were recruited from three hospitals. Medical information of the patients was collected retrospectively by reviewing medical records. Adverse events (APE recurrence and all-cause mortality) of all enrolled patients were followed up via telephone. D-dimer > 0.50 mg/L, NT-ProBNP > 500 pg/mL, and cTnI > 0.40 ng/mL were defined as the abnormal. Kaplan–Meier curve was used to compare the cumulative survival rate between patients with different numbers of abnormal markers. Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to further test the association between numbers of abnormal markers and long-term prognosis of patients with APE after adjusting for potential confounding. During follow-up, APE recurrence and all-cause mortality happened in 78 (30.1%) patients. The proportion of APE recurrence and death in one abnormal marker, two abnormal markers, and three abnormal markers groups were 7.69%, 28.21%, and 64.10% respectively. Patients with three abnormal markers had the lowest survival rate than those with one or two abnormal markers (Log-rank test, P

PurposeThe purpose of our study was to investigate the effect of pre-operative hypoalbuminemia on the short-term outcomes after primary colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery.Materials and methodsThe retrospective study enrolled CRC patients who underwent primary surgery from January 2011 to December 2021 in a single teaching hospital. The short-term outcomes were compared between the hypoalbuminemia group and the normal group using propensity score matching (PSM). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used for analyzing independent predictors of overall complications and major complications.ResultsA total of 7,072 patients from a single center were enrolled in this study. There were 1,078 (15.2%) patients in the pre-operative hypoalbuminemia group and 5,994 (84.8%) patients in the normal pre-operative albumin group. After 1:1 PSM, there were 1,028 patients in the hypoalbuminemia group and 1,028 patients in the normal group. No significant differences were found in baseline information between the two groups after PSM. In terms of short-term outcomes, the hypoalbuminemia group had a longer operation time (p = 0.003), greater volume of blood loss (p = 0.036), longer hospital stays (p < 0.01), higher proportion of overall complications (p = 0.003), major complications (p = 0.016), higher incidence of pneumonia and abdominal infection (p = 0.001) than the normal group after PSM. Furthermore, hypoalbuminemia was an independent predictor for overall complications (p = 0.008) and major complications (p = 0.016).ConclusionPre-operative hypoalbuminemia increased overall complications and major complications after primary CRC surgery. Furthermore, hypoalbuminemia was an independent predictor for overall complications and major complications.

Polyacrylamide (PAM)/polyethyleneimine (PEI) gels doped with graphene oxide (GO) were prepared. Their structure and properties were systematically studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transition infrared spectrum (FT-IR), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and rheological experiments. The results showed that the graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets were significantly involved in the cross-linking reaction between the main agent (PAM) and the cross-linker (PEI), serving as multi-functional cross-linker and effective reinforcing nanofillers. Increasing the main agent and cross-linker content, the strength of gels was enhanced effectively. The GO could effectively adjust the strength and the gelation time to exhibit characteristics of weak gel, thanks to the improved three-dimensional honeycombed structure with controllable pore size. The DSC confirmed that the PAM/PEI/GO gel exhibited excellent thermal stability and did not dehydrate above 170 °C. This work provides theoretical support for further optimization of polyacrylamide gel used in ultra-deep and high-temperature reservoirs for water control.

Background: The incidence and mortality of sepsis are increasing year by year, and there is still a lack of specific biomarkers to predict its prognosis. Prognostic value of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in predicting the severity and mortality of sepsis has been gradually discovered.Methods: Literature was searched through Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI) and Cochrane Library databases in March 2022. Observational studies, evaluating the impact of VEGF in sepsis outcomes (mortality and severity) are included in this meta-analysis. Risk of bias was assessed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Sensitivity and publication bias analyses were also assessed. Meta-regression analysis were performed to identify the potential sources of heterogeneity.Result: A total of 1,574 articles were retrieved from the systematic literature search. We included 20 studies for qualitative and quantitative analysis. Deceased and critically ill patients had higher baseline VEGF levels than survivors and non-severe patients. The pooled sensitivity and specificity for VEGF predicts sepsis mortality were 0.79and 0.76, respectively. the area under the SROC curve was 0.83.Conclusion: High VEGF are associated with poor clinical outcomes for patients diagnosed with sepsis. This study was recorded on PROSPERO, under the registration ID: CRD42022323079.

BACKGROUND Hemophilic pseudotumor (HP) is a rare complication in patients with hemophilia. The lesion most frequently occurs in the long bones, pelvis, small bones of the hands and feet, or rarely in the maxillofacial region. Postoperative changes in HP are seldom arrested, whereas angiogenesis characterized by disturbed wound healing in HP may cause vascular malformations. CASE SUMMARY We report the case of an 11-year-old boy who was affected by maxillary intraosseous venous malformation. Enucleation of an HP without factor replacement was performed initially on the right side of the maxilla 3 years ago. The patient was referred to us because of painless swelling in the same location. Factor replacement and subtotal maxillectomy were performed. Pathological examinations revealed intraosseous venous malformation. CONCLUSION This study is the first to document the development of intraosseous venous malformation after enucleation of an HP in the maxillofacial region. Angiogenesis characterized by disturbed wound healing in patients with hemophilia may be pivotal in the pathogenesis of this condition.

Purpose Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant cancer and the third leading cause of death worldwide. The molecular mechanism of HCC remains unclear. Recent studies have demonstrated that the ubiquitin‐proteasome system (UPS) is associated with HCC. Ubqln2, a member of the UPS, is abnormally expressed in HCC. However, whether Ubqln2 is associated with HCC prognosis remains unknown. Patients and Methods We analyzed the associations between overall survival and various risk factors in 355 HCC tissue samples obtained from the Cancer Genomic Atlas (TCGA) database at the mRNA level and in 166 HCC tissue samples from Southwest Hospital at the protein level. qRCR was used to determinate Ubqln2 expression in cancer and noncancerous tissues. The association between Ubqln2 and Ki‐67 was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. The association between Ubqln2 expression and survival was analyzed using Kaplan‐Meier curve and Cox proportional hazards models. A nomogram was used to predict the impact of Ubqln2 on prognosis. Mutated genes were analyzed to determine the potential mechanism. Results Ubqln2 highly expressed in HCC tissues. The Ubqln2 mRNA level had significant relations with UICC tumor stage (P = .022), UICC stage (P = .034) and resection potential (P = .017). Concordantly, the Ubqln2 protein was closely associated with tumor size (P = .005), UICC stage (P = .012), and recurrence (P = .009). Ubqln2 was highly expressed in HCC and positively associated with poor survival. The nomogram precisely predicted the prognosis of HCC patients with high or low Ubqln2 expression. A genomic waterfall plot suggested that Ubqln2 expression was closely associated with mutated CTNNB1. Conclusion Our findings reveal that Ubqln2, an independent risk factor for HCC, is a potential prognostic marker in HCC patients. Ubqln2 expression is positively associated with mutated CTNNB1., Ubqln2 is abnormally expressed in HCC but its role remains unknown. Here, we reported that Ubqln2, an independent risk factor for HCC, is a potential prognostic marker in HCC patients. Ubqln2 expression is positively associated with mutated CTNNB1.

Background The purpose of this study was to determine the expression and function of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein R (HNRNPR) in esophageal carcinoma (ESCA), the correlation between its expression and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computerized tomography scan (PET/CT)-related parameters, as well as whether 18F-FDG PET/CT can be used to predict the expression of HNRNPR in ESCA. Methods We analyzed patients with ESCA who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT before surgery, and their tissues were stained with HNRNPR IHC. The associated parameters were derived using the 18F-FDG PET imaging data, and the correlation with the IHC score was evaluated. The Oncomine, TCGA, and GEO datasets were used to investigate HNRNPR expression in the pan- and esophageal cancers, as well as its relationship to N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification and glycolysis. The R software, LinkedOmics, GeneMANIA, and StringOnline tools were used to perform GO/KEGG, GGI, and PPI analyses on the HNRNPR. Results HNRNPR is highly expressed in the majority of pan-cancers, including ESCA, and is associated with BMI, weight, and history of reflux in patients with ESCA. HNRNPR is somewhat accurate in predicting the clinical prognosis of ESCA. HNRNPR expression was positively correlated with SUVmax, SUVmean, and TLG in ESCA (p༜0.05). The combination of these three variables provides a strong predictive value for HNRNPR expression in ESCA. GO/KEGG analysis showed that HNRNPR was related to the cell cycle, DNA replication, and the Fannie anemia pathway. The analysis of the TCGA and GEO data sets revealed a significant correlation between HNRNPR expression and m6A and glycolysis-related genes. GSEA analysis revealed that HNRNPR was involved in a variety of m6A and glycolysis related-pathways. Conclusion HNRNPR overexpression correlates with 18F-FDG uptake in ESCA, probably by regulating cell cycle, m6A modification and cell glycolysis. 18F-FDG PET/CT-related parameters may estimate HNRNPR expression for diagnostic accuracy and biomarker of ESCA.

Guang-yao Chen,1,&ast; Jing Luo,2,3,&ast; Yi Liu,4,&ast; Xin-bo Yu,1 Xiao-yu Liu,5 Qing-wen Tao2,3 1Graduate School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of TCM Rheumatology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, 100029, People’s Republic of China; 3Beijing Key Lab for Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, 100029, People’s Republic of China; 4Humanities School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, People’s Republic of China; 5School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Qing-wen Tao, Department of TCM Rheumatology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China, Tel +8613910528490, Email taoqg1@outlook.comObjective: The study aimed to explore the mechanism of total flavonoids of Rhizoma Drynariae (TFRD) in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) based on network pharmacology and experimental validation.Methods: The active components of TFRD were identified from TCMSP and TCMID databases. Relevant targets of the active compounds of TFRD and RA-related targets were predicted by public databases online. A component-target (C-T) regulatory network was constructed by Cytoscape. The genes of TFRD regulating RA were imported into STRING database to construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network in order to predict the key targets. KEGG enrichment analysis was performed to predict the crucial mechanism of TFRD against RA. The active components of TFRD underwent molecular docking with the key proteins. Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model of rats and inflammatory factors-stimulated fibroblast-like synoviocytes were used in vivo and in vitro to validate the efficacy and predicted critical mechanisms of TFRD.Results: Network Pharmacology analysis revealed that TFRD had 14 active compounds, corresponding to 213 targets, and RA related to 2814 genes. There were 137 intersection genes between TFRD and RA. KEGG indicated that therapeutic effects of TFRD on RA involves T cell receptor signaling pathway, Th17 cell differentiation, IL-17 signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway and PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. In vivo experiments suggested TFRD can alleviate the inflammatory response, joint swelling and synovial abnormality of CIA rats. TFRD contributed to the decrease of Th17 cells and the down-regulated secretion of IL-17A and TNF-α of activated lymphocyte in CIA model. In vitro experiments confirmed TFRD can effectively inhibit the inflammatory response of fibroblast-like synoviocytes and suppress the abnormal activation of MAPK, PI3K/AKT and NFκB signaling pathways.Conclusion: The treatment of RA with TFRD is closely related to inhibiting Th17 differentiation and inflammatory response of synoviocytes.Keywords: total flavonoids of Rhizoma Drynariae, Rheumatoid arthritis, network pharmacology, T cell differentiation, inflammatory response

Purpose The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of body mass index (BMI) on patients with concurrent colorectal cancer (CRC) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods Patients who underwent primary radical CRC surgery from Jan 2011 to Jan 2020 were retrospectively collected. The perioperative information, overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared between the higher BMI group and the lower BMI group. Results A total of 574 patients with concurrent CRC and T2DM were included in this study. The higher BMI group had higher portion of hypertension (p p p = 0.016) and DFS (p = 0.040) than the lower BMI group in stage II CRC. In multivariate analysis, age (OS: p = 0.002, HR = 2.016, 95% CI = 1.307–3.109/ DFS: p = 0.003, HR = 1.847, 95% CI = 1.230–2.772), TNM stage (OS: p p = 0.001, HR = 1.545, 95% CI = 1.207–1.977), overall complications (OS: p = 0.004, HR = 1.837, 95% CI = 1.218–2.880/ DFS: p = 0.006, HR = 1.783, 95% CI = 1.184–2.686) and major complications (OS: p = 0.005, HR = 2.819, 95% CI = 1.376–5.774/ DFS: p = 0.014, HR = 2.414, 95% CI = 1.196–4.870) were independent factors of OS and DFS. Moreover, BMI (p = 0.019, HR = 0.413, 95% CI = 0.197–0.864) was an independent factor of OS in stage II CRC. Conclusion Higher BMI was associated with better OS in diabetic patients with stage II CRC.

The plastic concentration in terrestrial systems is orders of magnitude higher than that found in marine ecosystems, which has raised global concerns about their potential risk to agricultural sustainability. Previous research on the transport of nanoplastics in soil relied heavily on the qualitative prediction of the mean-field extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek theory (XDLVO), but direct and quantitative measurements of the interfacial forces between single nanoplastics and porous media are lacking. In this study, we conducted multiscale investigations ranging from column transport experiments to single particle measurements. The maximum effluent concentration (C/C0) of amino-modified nanoplastics (PS-NH