A retrospective analysis of the clinicopathological features and prognostic value of MAPK12 protein expression in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

PURPOSE: Mitogen-activated protein kinase 12 (MAPK12), also known as p38γ, is a member of the p38 MAPK family and plays a crucial role in tumor occurrence and invasion. However, there is still uncertainty regarding MAPK12 involvement in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). METHODS: Our study investigated the expression of MAPK12 mRNA in various types of cancer using bioinformatic analysis. Furthermore, we performed immunohistochemistry (IHC) to detect the expression of MAPK12 in patients with DLBCL and compared clinical indicators and survival rates. RESULTS: We found that the high expression rate of MAPK12 was 43.1% in DLBCL patients. Several clinical indicators, including IPI scores, Hans classifications, LDH levels, and Ki-67 expression were closely associated with MAPK12 expression. Survival analysis revealed that higher expression of MAPK12 was significantly correlated with shorter progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in DLBCL patients. In addition, both univariate and multivariate analyses revealed IPI score, MAPK12 expression, and rituximab use as the independent OS risk factors (P < 0.05). To explore the functional role of MAPK12 in DLBCL, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and gene ontology (GO) were used to confirm the involvement of MAPK12 in the regulation of type II interferon production, positive regulation of lymphocyte proliferation, and other related biological processes. CONCLUSION: DLBCL patients have poor prognoses when MAPK12 levels are high, which is expected to be a therapeutic target and prognostic factor.

The effect of metabolic syndrome on prognosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

PURPOSE: Metabolic syndrome (MetS), characterized by insulin resistance, is closely associated with the prognosis of various cancer types, but has not been reported in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The aim of this study is to examine how other clinicopathological variables and the MetS influence the prognosis of DLBCL. METHODS: Clinical and pathological data were collected from 319 patients with DLBCL who were admitted to our hospital between January 2012 and December 2020. The data accessible with SPSS 27.0 enables the utilization of various statistical methods for clinical data analysis, including independent sample t test and univariate and multivariate COX regression. RESULTS: The presence of MetS was linked to both overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), in addition to other clinicopathological characteristics as age, IPI score, rituximab usage, and Ki-67 expression level. This link with OS and PFS indicated a poor prognosis, as shown by survival analysis. Subsequent univariate analysis identified IPI score, Ki-67 expression level, tumor staging, rituximab usage, lactate dehydrogenase expression level, and the presence or absence of MetS as factors linked with OS and PFS. Furthermore, multivariate Cox regression analysis confirmed the independent risk factor status of IPI score, Ki-67 expression level, rituximab usage, and the presence of MetS in evaluating the prognosis of patients with DLBCL. CONCLUSION: This study's findings indicate that patients with pre-treatment MetS had a poor prognosis, with relatively shorter OS and PFS compared to those without pre-treatment MetS. Furthermore, the presence of MetS, IPI score, Ki-67 expression level, and rituximab usage were identified as independent risk factors significantly affecting the prognosis of DLBCL.

Establishment of a Practical Sperm Cryopreservation Pathway for the Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum): A Community-Level Approach to Germplasm Repository Development.

The axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) draws great attention around the world for its importance as a biomedical research model, but housing and maintaining live animals is increasingly expensive and risky as new transgenic lines are developed. The goal of this work was to develop an initial practical pathway for sperm cryopreservation to support germplasm repository development. The present study assembled a pathway through the investigation of axolotl sperm collection by stripping, refrigerated storage in various osmotic pressures, cryopreservation in various cryoprotectants, and in vitro fertilization using thawed sperm. By the stripping of males, 25-800 µL of sperm fluid was collected at concentrations of 1.6 × 106 to 8.9 × 107 sperm/mL. Sperm remained motile for 5 d in Hanks' Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS) at osmolalities of 100-600 mOsm/kg. Sperm cryopreserved in 0.25 mL French straws at 20 °C/min in a final concentration of 5% DMFA plus 200 mM trehalose and thawed at 25 °C for 15 s resulted in 52 ± 12% total post-thaw motility. In six in vitro fertilization trials, 20% of eggs tested with thawed sperm continued to develop to stage 7-8 after 24 h, and a third of those embryos (58) hatched. This work is the first report of successful production of axolotl offspring with cryopreserved sperm, providing a general framework for pathway development to establish Ambystoma germplasm repositories for future research and applications.

First Report of Pseudocercospora paraguayensis Causing Leaf Spots on Bixa orellana from Chinese Mainland.

Bixa orellana L. is a traditional Chinese medicine. In December 2019, a leaf spot disease was observed on B. orellana from a field in Zhanjiang (21°18'12''N, 110°17'22''E), China. Disease incidence was around 85% (n = 100 investigated plants from about 30 hectares). Initial leaf spots were circular, and the center of the lesions was grayish-white with a purple black border. The coalescence of individual spots eventually led to leaf wilt. Ten symptomatic leaves from 10 plants were sampled. The margins of the samples were cut into 2 mm × 2 mm pieces, and the surfaces were disinfected with 75% ethanol for 30 sec, and 2% sodium hypochlorite for 60 sec. The the samples were then rinsed three times in sterile water, plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA), and incubated at 28 °C. Pure cultures were obtained by transferring the hyphal tips to new PDA plates. Three representative isolates (BOPP-1, BOPP-2, and BOPP-3) were used for further study. The colonies of isolates on PDA were dark olive green with off-white aerial mycelia after 7 days at 28 °C. Conidia were solitary, smooth to verrucous, olive to light brown, slightly curved, narrowly obclavate, apex obtuse, base obconic-truncate, had 2-4 septa, and 30.4-55.5×2.0-3.5 µm in size.. These morphological characteristics showed did not differ from the description of Pseudocercospora paraguayensis (Crous et al. 1997). For molecular identification, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, the translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1) gene, and actin (ACT) gene were amplified using primer pairs ITS1/ITS4 (White et al., 1990), EF1/EF2 ( O'Donnell et al. 1998), and ACT-512F/ACT-783R (Carbone and Kohn, 1999) and sequenced from DNA extracted from the three isolates, respectively. Sequences were deposited in GenBank under accession no. MZ363823-MZ363825 (ITS), MZ614954-MZ614956 (TEF1), and MZ614951-MZ614953 (ACT). A phylogenetic tree was generated on the basis of the concatenated data from the sequences of ITS, TEF1, and ACT that the three isolates were nested within the clade containing the type specimen of P. paraguayensis (CBS 111286) but not within P. bixae (the type specimen CPC 25244). Pathogenicity was tested through in vivo experiments. Inoculation and control seedlings (n = 5, 1-month-old) were sprayed with a spore suspension (1 × 105 per ml) of P. paraguayensis and sterile distilled water (control), respectively, until run-off (Fang. 1998). The plants were grown in pots in a greenhouse at 28°C, with at approximately 80% RH. The test was performed three times. Symptoms similar to those in the field were observed on the inoculated plants after two weeks. The control plants remained healthy. The fungus was re-isolated from the infected leaves and confirmed as the same isolates by morphological and comparison of ITS sequences with 100% identical to those of isolates. No original fungi were isolated from the control plants. A previous study reported that P. paraguayensis caused leaf spots on pistachio and eucalypts, and the fungus causing the leaf spots of B. orellana was redescribed as P. bixae (Crous et al. 2019). However, multilocus phylogenetic analyses differentiated P. paraguayensis from P. bixae. In the present study, P. paraguayensis was distinguished from P. bixae due to the absence of catenulate conidia and the presence of finely verruculose conidia (Crous et al. 2013). P. eucalypti as a synonyms was reported in Taiwan (www.MycoBank.org). The current study is the first to report P. paraguayensis causing leaf spots on B. orellana from Chinese Mainland. This finding will help to provide a scientific basis for the disease detection.

Role of apolipoprotein O in autophagy via the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway in myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the role and possible mechanisms of action of apolipoprotein O (APOO) in autophagy in Myocardial Infarction (MI) in vivo and in vitro. METHODS: Differential gene expression and single Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) were used to evaluate MI-related candidate genes. Animal and cell MI models were established. Sh-APOO, si-APOO, and SB203580 were used to inhibit the expression of APOO or p38MAPK. Western blot and qRT-PCR were used to analyze the expression levels of the target protein or mRNA. Apoptosis was observed using the TUNEL assay. The plasma concentrations of CK-MB and cTn-I in humans and mice were determined. RESULTS: In the GSE23294 dataset, APOO mRNA was highly expressed in the left ventricle of mice with MI; GSEA revealed that APOO was positively correlated with p38MAPK, autophagy, and apoptosis. The plasma concentration of APOO in patients with MI was significantly higher than that in healthy subjects. The expression of APOO, Beclin-1, LC3, and Bax in mouse and AC16 cell MI models increased, while the level of Bcl-2 decreased. After silencing the APOO gene, the expression of APOO was downregulated; meanwhile, changes in autophagy, apoptosis and myocardial cell injury were reversed in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, autophagy was alleviated after AC16 cells were treated with SB203580. CONCLUSIONS: The increased APOO expression in mouse and cell MI models may activate autophagy and apoptosis by regulating the p38MAPK signaling pathway, thus aggravating the myocardial injury.

Enhancement of the catalytic activity of Mg/Al layered double hydroxide for glycerol oligomers production.

In this study, the impact of rehydration on the catalytic properties of Mg/Al layered double hydroxides (LDH) for glycerol oligomerization was assesed. Although previous works have employed other LDH derived materials in this reaction, little information on recyclability is published. After observing the initial results on how basicity and surface area were related to the catalytic activty, an LDH modification strategy was developed with the addition of acetic acid. Changes on the basic site distribution were noticed and consequently, selectivity to diglycerol was improved. The best catalytic performance (reaction with 4 wt% cat., at 240 °C for 8 hours) led to 64% of glycerol conversion (XGly) and 37% of diglycerol selectivity (Sdi). Aditionally, reciclying of modified LDH was better than the non acid treated material, presenting higher yield of diglycerol. Catalyst deactivation was related to the harsh reaction conditions and to the blockage of active species by impurities. Loss of metallic species by leaching to the reaction products was not oberseved, an advantage in comparison with previous works.

Role of apolipoprotein O in autophagy via the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway in myocardial infarction

Abstract Objectives To explore the role and possible mechanisms of action of apolipoprotein O (APOO) in autophagy in Myocardial Infarction (MI) in vivo and in vitro. Methods Differential gene expression and single Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) were used to evaluate MI-related candidate genes. Animal and cell MI models were established. Sh-APOO, si-APOO, and SB203580 were used to inhibit the expression of APOO or p38MAPK. Western blot and qRT-PCR were used to analyze the expression levels of the target protein or mRNA. Apoptosis was observed using the TUNEL assay. The plasma concentrations of CK-MB and cTn-I in humans and mice were determined. Results In the GSE23294 dataset, APOO mRNA was highly expressed in the left ventricle of mice with MI; GSEA revealed that APOO was positively correlated with p38MAPK, autophagy, and apoptosis. The plasma concentration of APOO in patients with MI was significantly higher than that in healthy subjects. The expression of APOO, Beclin-1, LC3, and Bax in mouse and AC16 cell MI models increased, while the level of Bcl-2 decreased. After silencing the APOO gene, the expression of APOO was downregulated; meanwhile, changes in autophagy, apoptosis and myocardial cell injury were reversed in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, autophagy was alleviated after AC16 cells were treated with SB203580. Conclusions The increased APOO expression in mouse and cell MI models may activate autophagy and apoptosis by regulating the p38MAPK signaling pathway, thus aggravating the myocardial injury. HIGHLIGHTS APOO was highly expressed in the left ventricle of mice with myocardial infarction. Increasing of APOO may activate autophagy and apoptosis in myocardial infarction. The regulation of APOO in autophagy and apoptosis was regulated by p38MAPK signaling pathway.

Serum asprosin level in different subtypes of polycystic ovary syndrome: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Polycystic ovary syndrome can be divided into different subtypes, including insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum asprosin levels and polycystic ovary syndrome subtypes. METHODS: A total of 93 women with polycystic ovary syndrome and 77 healthy women as controls were selected for this study. The clinical and laboratory data were compared between the Polycystic ovary syndrome group and the control group. The Polycystic ovary syndrome group was further divided into subgroups: (1) women with or without hyperandrogenism (polycystic ovary syndrome hyperandrogenism and Polycystic ovary syndrome none-hyperandrogenism, respectively) and (2) women with or without insulin resistance (polycystic ovary syndrome insulin resistance and Polycystic ovary syndrome none-insulin resistance, respectively). Serum asprosin was measured by using enenzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Serum asprosin levels showed no significant difference between the polycystic ovary syndrome and control groups. However, it was significantly lower in the Polycystic ovary syndrome HA and insulin resistance groups compared with the respective Polycystic ovary syndrome none-hyperandrogenism and none-insulin resistance groups (p<0.05). In the Polycystic ovary syndrome group, serum asprosin was negatively correlated with body mass index, luteinizing hormone, testosterone, basal antral follicles, fasting insulin, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, and triglycerides. After adjusting for body mass index, the correlations were not significant, and asprosin was only positively correlated with prolactin (prolactin; r=0.426, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Our study shows that women with polycystic ovary syndrome hyperandrogenism or insulin resistance exhibit significantly lower serum asprosin levels compared with controls, and the lower asprosin level directly correlated with prolactin level.

Effect of competence health cultivation on the prevention and control of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia.

OBJECTIVE To explore the feasibility of health competence cultivation on the prevention and control of Inadvertent Perioperative Hypothermia (IPH). METHODS Patients with expected spinal surgery were divided into group A and group B by the random number method. Group B followed routine IPH management, and health training measures for performance and ability were implemented in Group A. The scores of the health competence questionnaire, the temperature at different times, IPH complications, and hospitalization for the two groups were observed and compared. RESULTS The main evaluation indexes, such as the health competence questionnaire score, temperature fluctuations, and IPH complications, during the perioperative period in group A were significantly better than those in group B (p < 0.05). The indexes of anesthesia, total hospital expenses, and health service satisfaction in group A were also significantly better than those in group B, which shows the advantages of cultivating health capabilities in both doctors and patients. CONCLUSION Through health competence cultivation and feasible health management measures, the medical staff can improve the quality of IPH prevention and management.

Effect of competence health cultivation on the prevention and control of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE To explore the feasibility of health competence cultivation on the prevention and control of Inadvertent Perioperative Hypothermia (IPH). METHODS Patients with expected spinal surgery were divided into group A and group B by the random number method. Group B followed routine IPH management, and health training measures for performance and ability were implemented in Group A. The scores of the health competence questionnaire, the temperature at different times, IPH complications, and hospitalization for the two groups were observed and compared. RESULTS The main evaluation indexes, such as the health competence questionnaire score, temperature fluctuations, and IPH complications, during the perioperative period in group A were significantly better than those in group B (p < 0.05). The indexes of anesthesia, total hospital expenses, and health service satisfaction in group A were also significantly better than those in group B, which shows the advantages of cultivating health capabilities in both doctors and patients. CONCLUSION Through health competence cultivation and feasible health management measures, the medical staff can improve the quality of IPH prevention and management.

RESUMO OBJETIVO Explorar a viabilidade do cultivo da competência em saúde na prevenção e controle da hipotermia perioperativa inadvertida (IPH). MÉTODOS Pacientes com cirurgia espinhal marcada foram divididos em dois grupos, A e B, pelo método de números aleatórios. O grupo B foi conduzido com base na gestão rotineira para prevenção de IPH; já no grupo A, foram implementadas medidas de treinamento em competência de saúde. As pontuações do questionário sobre competência em saúde, a temperatura aferida em diferentes momentos, complicações relacionadas à IPH e hospitalização dos dois grupos foram observadas e comparadas. RESULTADOS Os principais índices de avaliação, como a pontuação do questionário sobre competência em saúde, a variação de temperatura e as complicações relacionadas à IPH durante o período perioperatório foram significativamente melhores no grupo A do que no grupo B (p<0,05). Os índices de anestesia, despesas hospitalares totais e satisfação com o serviço de saúde também foram significativamente melhores no grupo A do que no B, o que demonstra as vantagens do cultivo da competência de saúde tanto em médicos como em pacientes. CONCLUSÃO Por meio do cultivo de competências de saúde e de medidas viáveis de gestão da saúde, a equipe médica pode melhorar a qualidade da prevenção e gestão da IPH.

Effects of Rosuvastatin on Apolipoprotein J in Balloon-Injured Carotid Artery in Rats.

BACKGROUND: Restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention in coronary heart disease remains an unsolved problem. Clusterin (CLU) (or Apolipoprotein [Apo] J) levels have been reported to be elevated during the progression of postangioplasty restenosis and atherosclerosis. However, its role in neointimal hyperplasia is still controversial. OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the role Apo J in neointimal hyperplasia in a rat carotid artery model in vivo with or without rosuvastatin administration. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: the control group (n = 20), the model group (n = 20) and the statin intervention group (n = 32). The rats in the intervention group were given 10mg /kg dose of rosuvastatin. A 2F Fogarty catheter was introduced to induce vascular injury. Neointima formation was analyzed 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks after balloon injury. The level of Apo J was measured by real-time PCR, immunohistochemistry and western blotting. RESULTS: Intimal/medial area ratio (intimal/medial, I/M) was increased after balloon-injury and reached the maximum value at 4weeks in the model group; I/M was slightly increased at 2 weeks and stopped increasing after rosuvastatin administration. The mRNA and protein levels of Apo J in carotid arteries were significantly upregulated after rosuvastatin administration as compared with the model group, and reached maximum values at 2 weeks, which was earlier than in the model group (3 weeks). CONCLUSION: Apo J served as an acute phase reactant after balloon injury in rat carotid arteries. Rosuvastatin may reduce the neointima formation through up-regulation of Apo J. Our results suggest that Apo J exerts a protective role in the restenosis after balloon-injury in rats.

Effects of Rosuvastatin on Apolipoprotein J in Balloon-Injured Carotid Artery in Rats / Efeitos da Rosuvastatina sobre Apolipoproteína J em Artérias de Ratos Lesionadas com Balão

Abstract Background: Restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention in coronary heart disease remains an unsolved problem. Clusterin (CLU) (or Apolipoprotein [Apo] J) levels have been reported to be elevated during the progression of postangioplasty restenosis and atherosclerosis. However, its role in neointimal hyperplasia is still controversial. Objective: To elucidate the role Apo J in neointimal hyperplasia in a rat carotid artery model in vivo with or without rosuvastatin administration. Methods: Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: the control group (n = 20), the model group (n = 20) and the statin intervention group (n = 32). The rats in the intervention group were given 10mg /kg dose of rosuvastatin. A 2F Fogarty catheter was introduced to induce vascular injury. Neointima formation was analyzed 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks after balloon injury. The level of Apo J was measured by real-time PCR, immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Results: Intimal/medial area ratio (intimal/medial, I/M) was increased after balloon-injury and reached the maximum value at 4weeks in the model group; I/M was slightly increased at 2 weeks and stopped increasing after rosuvastatin administration. The mRNA and protein levels of Apo J in carotid arteries were significantly upregulated after rosuvastatin administration as compared with the model group, and reached maximum values at 2 weeks, which was earlier than in the model group (3 weeks). Conclusion: Apo J served as an acute phase reactant after balloon injury in rat carotid arteries. Rosuvastatin may reduce the neointima formation through up-regulation of Apo J. Our results suggest that Apo J exerts a protective role in the restenosis after balloon-injury in rats.

Resumo Fundamento: A reestenose após intervenção coronária percutânea (ICP) após doença coronariana continua um problema não solucionado. Estudos relataram que os níveis de clusterina (CLU), também chamada de apolipoproteína (Apo) J, encontram-se elevados na progressão da reestenose pós-angioplastia e na aterosclerose. Contudo, seu papel na hihperplasia neointimal ainda é controverso. Objetivo: Elucidar o papel da Apo J na hiperplasia neointimal na artéria carótida utilizando um modelo experimental com ratos in vivo, com e sem intervenção com rosuvastatina. Métodos: ratos Wistar machos foram divididos aleatoriamente em três grupos - grupo controle (n = 20), grupo modelo (n = 20), e grupo intervenção com estatina (n = 32). Os ratos no grupo intervenção receberam 10 mg/kg de rosuvastatina. Um cateter Fogarty 2 F foi introduzido para induzir lesão vascular. A formação de neoíntima foi analisada 1, 2, 3 e 4 semanas após lesão com balão. Concentrações de Apo J foram medidas por PCR em tempo real, imuno-histoquímica e western blotting. Resultados: A razão área íntima/média (I/M) aumentou após a lesão com balão e atingiu o valor máximo 4 semanas pós-lesão no grupo modelo; observou-se um pequeno aumento na I/M na semana 2, que cessou após a administração de rosuvastatina. Os níveis de mRNA e proteína da Apo J nas artérias carótidas aumentaram significativamente após administração de rosuvastatina em comparação ao grupo modelo, atingindo o máximo na semana 2, mais cedo em comparação ao grupo modelo (semana 3). Conclusão: A Apo J atuou como reagente de fase aguda após lesão com balão nas artérias carótidas de ratos. A rosuvastatina pode reduzir a formação de neoíntoma por aumento de Apo J. Nossos resultados sugerem que a Apo J exerce um papel protetor na reestenose após lesão com balão em ratos.

Design, synthesis, and structure-activity relationship of novel and effective apixaban derivatives as FXa inhibitors containing 1,2,4-triazole/pyrrole derivatives as P2 binding element.

Four series of novel and potent FXa inhibitors possessing the 1,2,4-triazole moiety and pyrrole moiety as P2 binding element and dihydroimidazole/tetrahydropyrimidine groups as P4 binding element were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their anticoagulant activity in human and rabbit plasma in vitro. Most compounds showed moderate to excellent activity. Compounds 14a, 16, 18c, 26c, 35a, and 35b were further examined for their inhibition activity against human FXa in vitro and rat venous thrombosis in vivo. The most promising compound 14a, with an IC50 (FXa) value of 0.15µM and 99% inhibition rate, was identified for further evaluation as an FXa inhibitor.