Dyslipidemia and hyperuricemia: a cross-sectional study of residents in Wuhu, China.

BACKGROUND: While dyslipidemia has been recognized as a potential risk factor for hyperuricemia, there is currently a dearth of large-scale data specifically focused on studying the relationship between these two conditions. To address this gap, the present study analyzed a dataset of 298,891 physical examination records to investigate in greater detail the clinical classification and compositional relationship between hyperuricemia and dyslipidemia. METHODS: For this investigation, a cross-sectional research design was utilized to analyze physical examination data that was gathered from Yijishan Hospital in Wuhu, China between 2011 and 2016. Logistic regression was employed to examine the association between hyperuricemia and dyslipidemia. Furthermore, the association between hyperuricemia and dyslipidemia was evaluated based on the clinical classifications of dyslipidemia and its components. RESULTS: A total of 298,891 participants from China (124,886 [41.8%] females) were included in the study, with an age range of 18 to 90 years (mean [SD]: 47.76 [13.54] years). In multivariate analysis, the odds of hyperuricemia was 1.878 times higher in patients with dyslipidemia compared to those without dyslipidemia (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.835-1.922). In the clinical classification of dyslipidemia, individuals with hypertriglyceridemia and mixed hyperlipidemia had 1.753 times (95% CI: 1.706-1.802) and 1.925 times (95% CI: 1.870-1.982) higher odds of hyperuricemia, respectively, compared to those without dyslipidemia. Among the components of dyslipidemia, the odds ratios for hyperuricemia in individuals in the fourth quartile compared to those in the first quartile were 3.744 (95% CI: 3.636-3.918) for triglycerides, 1.518 (95% CI: 1.471-1.565) for total cholesterol, and 1.775 (95% CI: 1.718 - 1.833) for non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. CONCLUSIONS: Dyslipidemia has been independently linked with hyperuricemia. Moreover, the elevation of triglycerides or total cholesterol levels, including conditions such as hypertriglyceridemia and mixed hyperlipidemia, have been observed to have a positive association with the development of hyperuricemia.

Risk factors of venous thromboembolism for liver tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant complication in liver tumors patients, and understanding the associated risk factors is essential for effective risk assessment, prevention, and management strategies. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to identify key risk factors and their clinical implications for VTE in liver tumors patients. METHODS: A comprehensive search of multiple databases was conducted to identify relevant studies. Eligible studies were selected, and odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted and synthesized for meta-analysis. RESULTS: A total of 11 studies involving 73,652 liver tumors patients and 2049 VTE cases were included. The analysis identified several significant risk factors for VTE in liver tumors patients. Age (≥65 years), male gender, high BMI, diabetes, hepatitis B and C infections, elevated D-dimer and AST levels, reduced albumin levels, and MELD score were all associated with increased VTE risk. CONCLUSION: This systematic review and meta-analysis revealed several key risk factors for VTE in liver tumors patients, these findings highlight the importance of risk assessment, prevention, and management strategies in this high-risk population. Further research with larger sample sizes and standardized methods is needed to strengthen the existing evidence and validate these findings.

The mutation rate of rpoB gene showed an upward trend with the increase of MIRU10, MIRU39 and QUB4156 repetitive number.

BACKGROUND: Mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable number tandem repeat (MIRU-VNTR) is a frequently used typing method for identifying the Beijing genotype of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), which is easily transformed into rifampicin (RIF) resistance. The RIF resistance of Mtb is considered to be highly related with the mutation of rpoB gene. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the relationship between the repetitive number of MIRU loci and the mutation of rpoB gene. METHODS: An open-source whole-genome sequencing data of Mtb was used to detect the mutation of rpoB gene and the repetitive number of MIRU loci by bioinformatics methods. Cochran-Armitage analysis was performed to analyze the trend of the rpoB gene mutation rate and the repetitive number of MIRU loci. RESULTS: Among 357 rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB), 304 strains with mutated rpoB genes were detected, and 6 of 67 rifampicin susceptible strains were detected mutations. The rpoB gene mutational rate showed an upward trend with the increase of MIRU10, MIRU39, QUB4156 and MIRU16 repetitive number, but only the repetitive number of MIRU10, MRIU39 and QUB4156 were risk factors for rpoB gene mutation. The Hunter-Gaston discriminatory index (HGDI) of MIRU10 (0.65) and QUB4156 (0.62) was high in the overall sample, while MIRU39 (0.39) and MIRU16 (0.43) showed a moderate discriminatory Power. CONCLUSION: The mutation rate of rpoB gene increases with the addition of repetitive numbers of MIRU10, QUB4156 and MIRU39 loci.

Propofol Regulates HIF-1 α Effect of Expression of Targeted SIRT1 Signal pathway on Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of propofol on kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) by regulating hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) expression and silencing signal regulatory factor 1 (SIRT1) signal pathway. In this regard, human KIRC cell line RCC4 was added into 0, 5 and 10 µ G/ml propofol treatment and was divided into a control group (CG), low dose group (LG) and high dose group (HG). CCK8 was used to detect the proliferative ability of the three groups of cells, ELISA was used to detect the level of inflammatory factors in the cells, Western blot was used to detect the protein expression, qPCR was used to detect the related mRNA expression level, and Transwell method was used to detect the invasive ability of the cells in vitro. The experimental results showed that propofol decreased the proliferation and invasion ability of KIRC cells, up-regulated the expression of TGF- ß 1, IL-6, TNF- α, HIF-1 α, Fas, bax and FasL, and down-regulated the expression of SIRT1 in a dose-dependent manner. It was concluded that propofol can inhibit the SIRT1 signal pathway by up-regulating the level of HIF-1α in KIRC, which can significantly decrease the proliferation and invasion ability of KIRC cells, induce apoptosis and increase the release of intracellular inflammatory factors.

Age and sex trend differences in hemoglobin levels in China: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Both age and gender are the influence factors of hemoglobin concentration. However, the changing trend of hemoglobin levels between males and females with age remains unclear. This study aimed to explore their changing characteristics in different genders. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Physical Examination Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College in Wuhu, China from 2014 to 2016. The generalized linear model was applied to explore the relationship between age, gender and hemoglobin levels. RESULTS: Among the 303,084 participants, the mean age for females and males was 46.9 ± 13.4(15-98) and 48.1 ± 13.7(14-98) years old, respectively. Generalized smoothing splines showed that hemoglobin levels increased up to age 25 and then decreased in men; in women the levels increased up until age 20, and then decreased, with slight increase again (ß = 0.244, P < 0.01). After dividing all participants into hyperglycemia and normal groups, only the normal female group showed a significant upward trend (ß = 0.257, P < 0.01) between ages 50-59. CONCLUSIONS: Hemoglobin concentration changes with age and the curve is different in males and females. The slightly upward trend of female hemoglobin in the age range of 50-59 years old should be considered in developing the reference range of hemoglobin making.

The V-shaped curve relationship between fasting plasma glucose and human serum albumin in a large health checkup population in China.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and human serum albumin (HSA) in a large health checkup population in China. METHODS: In this cross-sectional health checkup study, we enrolled a population of 284,635 subjects from Wuhu between 2011 and 2016. All participants completed the physical examination, blood biochemical examination, and blood routine examination. RESULTS: The prevalence of diabetes in men and women was 6.11% and 2.98%, respectively. The average level of HSA and FPG was significantly higher in men than in women (48.44 ± 3.25 vs. 47.14 ± 3.22, P < 0.0001; 5.50 ± 1.26 vs. 5.26 ± 0.94, P < 0.0001). There were significant differences in blood biochemistry and blood routine values by gender. After adjusting for confounding factors, the results showed that FPG and HSA were a V-shaped curve, and the threshold value of HSA was 40.7 mmol/L. FPG and HSA still showed a V-shaped curve after stratification by gender and age. In the male group, FPG decreased with HSA when HSA<42.3 mmol/L, and increased when HSA ≥ 42.3 mmol/L. In the female group, FPG decreased with HSA when HSA<35.7 mmol/L, and increased when HSA ≥ 35.7 mmol/L. In the age<65 group, FPG decreased with HSA when HSA<37.5 mmol/L, and increased when HSA ≥ 37.5 mmol/L. In the age ≥ 65 group, FPG decreased with HSA when HSA<43.2 mmol/L, and increased when HSA ≥ 43.2 mmol/L. CONCLUSIONS: A V-shape relationship exists between fasting plasma glucose and human serum albumin among the Chinese health checkup population studied.

A novel aptamer-G-quadruplex/hemin self-assembling color system: rapid visual diagnosis of invasive fungal infections.

BACKGROUND: The clinical symptoms of invasive fungal infections (IFI) are nonspecific, and early clinical diagnosis is challenging, resulting in high mortality rates. This study reports the development of a novel aptamer-G-quadruplex/hemin self-assembling color system (AGSCS) based on (1 → 3)-ß-D-glucans' detection for rapid, specific and visual diagnosis of IFI. METHODS: We screened high affinity and specificity ssDNA aptamers binding to (1 → 3)-ß-D-glucans, the main components of cell wall from Candida albicans via Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment. Next, a comparison of diagnostic efficiency of AGSCS and the (1 → 3)-ß-D-glucans assay ("G test") with regard to predicting IFI in 198 clinical serum samples was done. RESULTS: Water-soluble (1 → 3)-ß-D-glucans were successfully isolated from C. albicans ATCC 10,231 strain, and these low degree of polymerization glucans (< 1.7 kD) were targeted for aptamer screening with the complementary sequences of G-quadruplex. Six high affinity single stranded DNA aptamers (A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 and A6) were found. The linear detection range for (1 → 3)-ß-D-glucans stretched from 1.6 pg/mL to 400 pg/mL on a microplate reader, and the detection limit was 3.125 pg/mL using naked eye observation. Using a microplate reader, the sensitivity and specificity of AGSCS for the diagnosis of IFI were 92.68% and 89.65%, respectively, which was higher than that of the G test. CONCLUSION: This newly developed visual diagnostic method for detecting IFI showed promising results and is expected to be developed as a point-of-care testing kit to enable quick and cost effective diagnosis of IFI in the future.

Initial respiratory support modality and outcome in preterm infants with less than 32 weeks of gestation in China: A multicentre retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: For initial respiratory management, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is increasingly used for preterm infants, especially for gestational age less than 32 weeks. However, neonatologists are concerned about the potential risks of CPAP support failure. OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between different initial respiratory support modalities and the outcomes of preterm infants at <32 weeks of gestation across multiple neonatal intensive care units (NICU) in China. METHODS: This study was carried out over a period of 12 months in 2018. Unadjusted relative risks (RR) for demographic and clinical characteristics were calculated for CPAP failure and CPAP success in the total cohort using log-linear model based on generalised estimating equations for clustered observations. RESULTS: Among 1560 preterm infants delivered at <32 weeks, the incidence of CPAP failure was 10.3%. After adjustment for demographic and clinical factors, the relative risk of mortality (RR 7.54, 95% CI 5.56, 10.44), pneumothorax (RR 9.85, 95% CI 2.89, 61.53), pulmonary haemorrhage (RR 7.78, 95% CI 4.51, 14.64) and BPD (RR 3.65, 95% CI 3.65, 4.51) were considerably higher for infants in the CPAP failure group than those in the CPAP-S group. However, the risk of poor outcomes in CPAP failure infants was similar to that of those in the initial mechanical ventilation (MV) group. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous positive airway pressure failure was associated with an increased risk of mortality and major morbidities, including BPD, pulmonary haemorrhage and pneumothorax, and was comparable to the risk associated with initial MV.

Prediction of carotid plaque by blood biochemical indices and related factors based on Fisher discriminant analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to establish the predictive model of carotid plaque formation and carotid plaque location by retrospectively analyzing the clinical data of subjects with carotid plaque formation and normal people, and to provide technical support for screening patients with carotid plaque. METHODS: There were 4300 subjects in the ultrasound department of Maanshan People's Hospital collected from December 2013 to December 2018. We used demographic and biochemical data from 3700 subjects to establish predictive models for carotid plaque and its location. The leave-one-out cross-validated classification, 600 external data validation, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were used to verify the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and application value of the model. RESULTS: There were significant difference of age (F = - 34.049, p < 0.01), hypertension (χ2 = 191.067, p < 0.01), smoking (χ2 = 4.762, p < 0.05) and alcohol (χ2 = 8.306, p < 0.01), Body mass index (F = 15.322, p < 0.01), High-density lipoprotein (HDL) (F = 13.840, p < 0.01), Lipoprotein a (Lp a) (F = 52.074, p < 0.01), Blood Urea Nitrogen (F = 2.679, p < 0.01) among five groups. Prediction models were built: carotid plaque prediction model (Model CP); Prediction model of left carotid plaque only (Model CP Left); Prediction model of right carotid plaque only (Model CP Right). Prediction model of bilateral carotid plaque (Model CP Both). Model CP (Wilks' lambda = 0.597, p < 0.001, accuracy = 78.50%, sensitivity = 78.07%, specificity = 79.07%, AUC = 0.917). Model CP Left (Wilks' lambda = 0.605, p < 0.001, accuracy = 79.00%, sensitivity = 86.17%, specificity = 72.70%, AUC = 0.880). Model CP Right (Wilks' lambda = 0.555, p < 0.001, accuracy = 83.00%, sensitivity = 81.82%, specificity = 84.44%, AUC = 0.880). Model CP Both (Wilks' lambda = 0.651, p < 0.001, accuracy = 82.30%, sensitivity = 89.50%, specificity = 72.70%, AUC = 0.880). CONCLUSION: Demographic characteristics and blood biochemical indexes were used to establish the carotid plaque and its location discriminant models based on Fisher discriminant analysis (FDA), which has high application value in community screening.

Association between the Triglyceride-Glucose Index and the Risk of Large Artery Atherosclerotic Stroke.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the value of the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and the risk of large artery atherosclerotic (LAA) stroke. Information on general demographic and clinical characteristics, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) examination, and blood biochemical index determination were obtained. Based on age stratification, three models to evaluate the odds ratio (OR) and the 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were employed to determine the correlation between the TyG index and the risk of LAA stroke. The most effective TyG index threshold in predicting a high risk of LAA stroke was identified using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Logistic regression verified the association between the risk of LAA stroke and the TyG index. Both with and without age stratification, logistic regression analysis showed that the TyG index was a significant predictor of the occurrence of LAA stroke (P < 0.05). The maximum Youden index for determining a high risk of LAA stroke was found at a TyG index of 4.60. The area under the ROC curve was 0.69 (95% CI: 0.646-0.742, P < 0.05), sensitivity was 78.0%, and specificity was 63.4%. An elevated TyG index was remarkably associated with a high risk of LAA stroke.

The Potential Antidepressant Action of Duloxetine Co-Administered with the TAAR1 Receptor Agonist SEP-363856 in Mice.

Here, we explored the possible interaction between duloxetine and SEP-363856 (SEP-856) in depression-related reactions. The results showed that oral administration of duloxetine showed powerful antidepressant-like effects in both the forced swimming test (FST) and the suspension tail test (TST). SEP-856 orally administered alone also exerted an antidepressant-like effect in FST and TST, especially at doses of 0.3, 1, and 10 mg/kg. In addition, duloxetine (15 mg/kg) and SEP-856 (15 mg/kg) both showed antidepressant-like effects in the sucrose preference test (SPT). Most importantly, in the above experiments, compared with duloxetine alone, the simultaneous use of duloxetine and SEP-856 caused a more significant antidepressant-like effect. It is worth noting that doses of drug combination in FST and TST did not change the motor activities of mice in the open-field test (OFT). Thus, duloxetine and SEP-856 seem to play a synergistic role in regulating depression-related behaviors and might be beneficial for refractory depression.

Effect of Co-Treatment of Olanzapine with SEP-363856 in Mice Models of Schizophrenia.

Olanzapine is a commonly used drug in the treatment of schizophrenia, but its clinical application has been restricted by metabolic-related side effects. In order to mitigate the weight gain side effects caused by olanzapine, other drugs with different targets were selected for combined use and evaluated in animal models of schizophrenia. SEP-363856 is a novel psychotropic agent which is under phase III clinical trials for schizophrenia treatment. The aim of the research was to evaluate whether co-administration of olanzapine and SEP-363856 exerts synergistic anti-schizophrenic effects in the apomorphine (APO)-induced climbing test, the MK-801-induced hyperactivity test, and the Morris water maze test, and therefore reduces the weight gain side effects induced by olanzapine. Through isobolographic analysis, the results showed a synergistic interaction in the climbing test; the experimental ED30 (3 mg/kg) was significantly smaller (p < 0.05) than the theoretical ED30 (5 mg/kg). Additionally, such potentiating effects appeared additive in the MK-801 challenge experiment. Co-treatment with an effective dose of olanzapine and a low dose of SEP-363856 reversed MK-801-induced cognitive impairment symptoms in mice. Moreover, combination treatment with olanzapine and SEP-363856 controls sustained weight gain in mice with chronic exposure to olanzapine. These results support further clinical trials to test the effectiveness of co-treatment of olanzapine and SEP-363856 for controlling symptoms and weight gain in patients with schizophrenia during antipsychotic treatments.

Association between admission hypothermia and outcomes in very low birth weight infants in China: a multicentre prospective study.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this prospective, multicentre, observational cohort study was to evaluate the association between admission hypothermia and neonatal outcomes in very low-birth weight (VLBW) infants in multiple neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in China. METHODS: Since January 1, 2018, a neonatal homogeneous cooperative research platform-Shandong Neonatal Network (SNN) has been established. The platform collects clinical data in a prospective manner on preterm infants with birth weights (BWs) < 1500 g and gestational ages (GAs) < 34 weeks born in 28 NICUs in Shandong Province. These infants were divided into normothermia, mild or moderate/severe hypothermia groups according to the World Health Organization (WHO) classifications of hypothermia. Associations between outcomes and hypothermia were tested in a bivariate analysis, followed by a logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 1247 VLBW infants were included in this analysis, of which 1100 infants (88.2%) were included in the hypothermia group, 554 infants (44.4%) in the mild hypothermia group and 546 infants (43.8%) in the moderate/severe hypothermia group. Small for gestational age (SGA), caesarean section, a low Apgar score at 5 min and intubation in the delivery room (DR) were related to admission hypothermia (AH). Mortality was the lowest when their admission temperature was 36.5 ~ 37.5 °C, and after adjustment for maternal and infant characteristics, mortality was significantly associated with AH. Compared with infants with normothermia (36.5 ~ 37.5 °C), the adjusted ORs of all deaths increased to 4.148 (95% CI 1.505-11.437) and 1.806 (95% CI 0.651-5.009) for infants with moderate/severe hypothermia and mild hypothermia, respectively. AH was also associated with a high likelihood of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH), and late-onset neonatal sepsis (LOS). CONCLUSIONS: AH is still very high in VLBW infants in NICUs in China. SGA, caesarean section, a low Apgar score at 5 min and intubation in the DR were associated with increased odds of hypothermia. Moderate/severe hypothermia was associated with mortality and poor outcomes, such as RDS, IVH, LOS.

Simultaneous Quantification of Four Phenylethanoid Glycosides in Rat Plasma by UPLC-MS/MS and Its Application to a Pharmacokinetic Study of Acanthus Ilicifolius Herb.

Acanthus ilicifolius herb (AIH), the dry plant of Acanthus ilicifolius L., has long been used as a folk medicine for treating acute and chronic hepatitis. Phenylethanoid glycosides (PhGs) are one family of the main components in AIH with hepatoprotective, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, the pharmacokinetics of AIH was investigated preliminarily by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). A simultaneously quantitative determination method for four PhGs (acteoside, isoacteoside, martynoside, and crenatoside) in rat plasma was first established by UPLC-MS/MS. These four PhGs were separated with an ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 column (2.1 × 50 mm, 1.7 µm) by gradient elution (mobile phase: MeCN and 0.1% formic acid in water, 0.4 mL/min). The mass spectrometry detection was performed using negative electrospray ionization (ESI-) in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. By the established method, the preliminary pharmacokinetics of AIH was elucidated using the kinetic parameters of the four PhGs in rat plasma after intragastric administration of AIH ethanol extract. All four PhGs showed double peaks on concentration-time curves, approximately at 0.5 h and 6 h, respectively. Their elimination half-lives (t1/2) were different, ranging from 3.42 h to 8.99 h, although they shared similar molecular structures. This work may provide a basis for the elucidation of the pharmacokinetic characteristics of bioactive components from AIH.

A novel 4-phenyl amino thiourea derivative designed for real-time ratiometric-colorimetric detection of toxic Pb2.

The objective of this study was to develop a ratiometric and colorimetric organic sensor for Pb2+ detection in environmental samples. A new probe 4-phenyl amino thiourea (PAT) was designed and synthesized using hydrazine hydrate and phenyl isothiocyanate as raw materials. After its structure was characterized and confirmed, its UV-vis spectral property was investigated in detail. PAT possesses a specifically real-time, ratiometric and colorimetric response to Pb2+ in dimethyl formamide (DMF)/H2O (v/v = 9:1, pH = 7.0) within 18.0 s. There was little interference in the presence of some other common metal ions, such as Fe3+, Cd2+, Zn2+, Mg2+, Cr3+, Ca2+, Ba2+, Sn2+, Na+, Mn2+, Hg2+, and Pb2+. Under the optimized conditions (DMF/H2O with v/v of 9:1, cPAT = 1.0 × 10-3 mol·L-1, pH = 7.0), the present sensor PAT was successfully applied for Pb2+ determination in environmental water samples with satisfied recoveries (83.0%-106.0%) and analytical precision (≤7.2%). The recognition mechanism was confirmed to form a stable 1:1 six-member ring complex between the target dye and Pb2+ with a coordination constant of 4.96 × 104.

Improvement of Orbitofrontal Cortex Function Associated with Blephrospasm Symptom Remission.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) function improves with blepharospasm (BSP) symptom remission using a verbal fluency task and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). METHODS: Nineteen BSP patients and 9 healthy controls (HCs) matched by gender and education were examined using NIRS. The BSP patients were divided into 2 groups based on the onset or remission of BSP symptoms. A covariance analysis was conducted to analyze the differences among the 3 groups to avoid the influence of different ages. The least significant difference was used to process the post hoc test. RESULTS: The hemoglobin concentration and cerebral blood flow of the bilateral orbitofrontal area (channels 27, 31, 34, 37, and 39) were not significantly different between the BSP remission and HC groups (p > 0.05); however, both groups were significantly increased compared with the BSP onset group (BSP remission group vs. BSP onset group: p = 0.003, p = 0.018, p = 0.013, p = 0.001, and p = 0.011, respectively; BSP remission group vs. BSP onset group: p = 0.037, p = 0.044, p = 0.023, p = 0.016, and p = 0.025, respectively). CONCLUSION: This is the first investigation to control for symptom stages in BSP patients examined via NIRS. Cognitive ability and OFC function improve with BSP symptom remission. Thus, the OFC may be inter-connected with motor and cognitive symptoms in BSP.

Silencing of CD59 enhanced the sensitivity of HT29 cells to 5-Fluorouracil and Oxaliplatin.

Complement regulatory proteins (CD55 and CD59) were known to be expressed in many tumors and tumor cell lines including colorectal carcinoma, and were proposed as immunotherapy targets, however whether knocking down of CD55 and CD59 will affect the sensitivity of HT-29 cells to chemotherapy drugs for example, 5-Fluorouracil and Oxaliplatin and their possible mechanisms haven't been studied. To address this question, SiRNAs targeting CD55 and CD59 were chemically synthesized and transfected into HT-29 cells by lipofectamine. HT-29 growth curves of CD55 and CD59 knockdown cells were detected by MTT assay, HT29 inhibition curves to chemotherapy drugs (5-Fu and Oxaliplatin) were also assayed, in addition, chemotherapy sensitivity changes of HT29 affected by CD55 and CD59 knockdown were equally detected. Complement mediated lysis was examined by calcein-AM. We found that silencing CD59 in HT-29 cells could significantly enhance their sensitivity to 5-FU (P < 0.05) and Oxaliplatin (P < 0.05), and significantly reduced their IC50 concentration. On the contrary, knocking down of CD55 could inhibit HT-29 growth (P < 0.05). Mechanisms included increasing apoptosis rate of HT-29 by CD59 knocking down and G1/G0 blocking by silencing CD55. Our results thus shed light on the novel mechanism of chemotherapy resistance and provide an alternative strategy to overcome the resistance problem.

Malinzi, a traditional medicinal plants: Comprehensive review of botany, medical application, chemical composition, and pharmacology.

Malinzi is the dry ripe seed of Iris Lactea Pall. var. chinensis (Fisch.) Koidz and is a tradtional medicinal plant with significant development and utilization value. A total of 31 compounds from Malinzi have been reported, including flavonoids, quinones, oligostilbenes, and other constituents. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that Malinzi has good activities in anti-tumor, radio-sensitization, boost immunity, anti-oxidation, anti-fertility, and glucolipid metabolism. In this paper, by reviewing the domestic and foreign research literatures of Malinzi and summarizing its traditional uses, chemical constituents, and pharmacological activities, it is expected to provide theoretical reference for the subsequent in-depth research and application of Malinzi.

The checkmark association between gamma glutamyl-transpeptidase and body mass index in a large Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: Obesity has long been regarded as a risk factor for abnormal liver function, although the quantitative relationship between them is not clear. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) in different gender populations. METHODS: The cross-sectional study included 221,934 people aged over 18 years and under 90 years who underwent physical examinations at Yijishan Hospital in Wuhu City from 2011 to 2016. t-test and Chi-square test were used to compare the differences in demographic characteristics and biochemical indexes between men and women. Linear regression model and smooth curve method were used to investigate the relationship between BMI and GGT. RESULTS: The smooth curve shows a checkmark association between GGT and BMI. After adjusting for confounders, the cut-off BMI for the whole population was 19.5 kg/m2. When BMI was less than 19.5 kg/m2, GGT levels decreased with increasing BMI, and when BMI was greater than 19.5 kg/m2, GGT levels increased with increasing BMI. After gender stratification, there was a checkmark association between male and female GGT levels and BMI, but the trend of male GGT levels changing with BMI was more obvious than that of females. CONCLUSIONS: Our investigation demonstrated that the GGT level in obese Chinese people is significantly higher than that in non-obese people living in Wuhu City. BMI level can be considered as an early warning index for diseases related to liver function injury in the clinic, although the influence of gender difference should be specifically considered.