Research hotspots and emerging trends of mesenchymal stem cells in cardiovascular diseases: a bibliometric-based visual analysis.

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have important research value and broad application prospects in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). However, few bibliometric analyses on MSCs in cardiovascular diseases are available. This study aims to provide a thorough review of the cooperation and influence of countries, institutions, authors, and journals in the field of MSCs in cardiovascular diseases, with the provision of discoveries in the latest progress, evolution paths, frontier research hotspots, and future research trends in the regarding field. Methods: The articles related to MSCs in cardiovascular diseases were retrieved from the Web of Science. The bibliometric study was performed by CiteSpace and VOSviewer, and the knowledge map was generated based on data obtained from retrieved articles. Results: In our study, a total of 4,852 publications launched before August 31, 2023 were accessed through the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database via our searching strategy. Significant fluctuations in global publications were observed in the field of MSCs in CVDs. China emerged as the nation with the largest number of publications, yet a shortage of high-quality articles was noted. The interplay among countries, institutions, journals and authors is visually represented in the enclosed figures. Importantly, current research trends and hotspots are elucidated. Cluster analysis on references has highlighted the considerable interest in exosomes, extracellular vesicles, and microvesicles. Besides, keywords analysis revealed a strong emphasis on myocardial infarction, therapy, and transplantation. Treatment methods-related keywords were prominent, while keywords associated with extracellular vesicles gathered significant attention from the long-term perspective. Conclusion: MSCs in CVDs have become a topic of active research interest, showcasing its latent value and potential. By summarizing the latest progress, identifying the research hotspots, and discussing the future trends in the advancement of MSCs in CVDs, we aim to offer valuable insights for considering research prospects.

Research trends and hotspots of circular RNA in cardiovascular disease: A bibliometric analysis.

From a global perspective, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), the leading factor accounting for population mortality, and circRNAs, RNA molecules with stable closed-loop structures, have been proven to be closely related. The latent clinical value and the potential role of circRNAs in CVDs have been attracting increasing, active research interest, but bibliometric studies in this field are still lacking. Thus, in this study, we conducted a bibliometric analysis by using software such as VOSviewer, CiteSpace, Microsoft Excel, and the R package to determine the current research progress and hotspots and ultimately provide an overview of the development trends and future frontiers in this field. In our study, based on our search strategy, a total of 1206 publications published before July 31, 2023 were accessed from the WOSCC database. According to our findings, there is a notable increasing trend in global publications in the field of circRNA in CVDs. China was found to be the dominant country in terms of publication number, but a lack of high-quality articles was a significant fault. A cluster analysis on the co-cited references indicated that dilated cardiomyopathy, AMI, and cardiac hypertrophy are the greatest objects of concern. In contrast, a keywords analysis indicated that high importance has been ascribed to MI, abdominal aortic aneurysm, cell proliferation, and coronary artery diseases.

Unraveling ferroptosis in osteogenic lineages: implications for dysregulated bone remodeling during periodontitis progression.

Periodontitis is a highly prevalent disease characterized by inflammation and destruction of tooth-supporting tissues that leads to tooth loss in extreme situations. Elucidating the underlying mechanisms of periodontitis pathogenesis and progression will establish the groundwork for developing effective treatment strategies. Recently, evidence concerning the role of ferroptosis in periodontitis progression has emerged. Osteogenic lineage cells are key regulators of bone remodeling. Osteogenic cell death, as observed in experimental periodontitis models, disrupts the balance between bone resorption and bone formation. However, whether the osteogenic lineage undergoes ferroptosis during periodontitis and the corresponding effect on periodontitis progression remain elusive. Here, we investigated cell-specific ferroptosis within the alveolar bone in a murine periodontitis model. Through immunofluorescence double staining and immunohistochemistry, we identified ferroptotic osteocytes and osteoblasts in inflammatory alveolar bone. Next, in vivo administration of erastin or liproxstatin-1 was conducted to either induce or inhibit ferroptosis, respectively. Severe bone resorption and inflammation, accompanied by increased osteoclast formation and impaired osteogenic potential were detected following ferroptosis activation. Subsequently, we carried out in vitro experiments on osteocytes and further verified that ferroptosis enhanced the osteocytic expression of RANKL and IL-6. These findings suggest that ferroptosis occurring within the osteogenic lineage acts as a catalyst in the progression of periodontitis by stimulating osteoclastogenesis through the secretion of inflammatory cytokines and inhibiting osteoblastic function, providing insights into ferroptosis-induced alterations in microenvironment-based intercellular communication. Ferroptosis is a promising target for controlling inflammation and preventing bone resorption in periodontitis.

False positive results: a challenge for laboratory physicians and hematologists in treating multiple myeloma with daratumumab.

Daratumumab injection was approved by China in 2019 for the treatment of recurrent or refractory multiple myeloma. However, the molecular weight of daratumumab, an immunoglobin G1 kappa human monoclonal antibody, was similar to that of M protein and could not be distinguished from IgG κ M protein in SPEP and SIFE. It might lead to false-positive detection resulting in misdiagnose and confusing evaluation of therapeutic response, especially for patients with IgG κ M proteins. Herein, we reported two cases encountered in our daily clinical work. These two case reports could serve as a reminder to global hematologists who have not yet started or just begun to use the drug of daratumumab.

Case Report: Multiple Vertebral Compression Fractures in 14-Year-Old Children With Multiple Myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a neoplastic disorder characterized by clonal proliferation of malignant plasma cells derived from B cells in bone marrow. Pediatric MM is rare with only approximately 0.3% of cases diagnosed before the age of 30. In this report, we present a 14 years old boy diagnosed as MM with multiple pathologic vertebral fractures. To our knowledge, our patient is the youngest Chinese case in the literature to present with MM. He was treated with bortezomib, dexamethasone, and cyclophosphamide followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with good clinical response. We hope to aid in the understanding of the pathophysiology and management of this condition.

Evaluation of the diagnostic utility of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin in chronic alcoholism: Results from Southwest China.

ABSTRACT: Although recent gathered evidence indicates that obtaining the diagnostic value of serum carbohydrate-deficient transferrin might be more useful for identifying alcohol abuse than other widely available biochemical tests; however, its precise value as an indicator of chronic alcoholism is unclear. The main objective is to investigate the diagnostic significance of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin in chronic alcoholism in the Chinese population.In this study, we enrolled (1) 52 physically healthy subjects, (2) 20 patients with nonalcoholic liver disease, and (3) 70 alcoholics. Patients with liver injuries and a history of liver surgery were excluded. Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and mean corpuscular volume were determined by standard biochemical assays, and serum carbohydrate-deficient transferrin was estimated in each group using capillary electrophoresis. Subsequently, the diagnostic value of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) in chronic alcoholism was determined based on differences between each indicator among the three groups.The CDT level in the alcoholic group was significantly higher than that of the non-alcoholic liver disease and healthy control groups (P < .05). The area under the curve for alcoholism diagnosis was the highest for CDT, at 0.922, whereas those for gamma-glutamyltransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and mean corpuscular volume were 0.860, 0.744, 0.615, and 0.754, respectively. When the cutoff value of CDT was set at 1.25%, the sensitivity and specificity were 85.5% and 89.6%, respectively. However, the correlation between CDT and daily alcohol consumption was weak (r = 0.175; P = .16).Compared with the other parameters evaluated, CDT was a better indicator of alcoholism. It should, therefore, be actively promoted in clinical practice. However, the correlation between CDT and daily alcohol consumption needs further evaluation.

Molecular Biomarkers in Drug-Induced Liver Injury: Challenges and Future Perspectives.

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is one among the common adverse drug reactions and the leading causes of drug development attritions, black box warnings, and post-marketing withdrawals. Despite having relatively low clinical incidence, its potentially severe adverse events should be considered in the individual patients due to the high risk of acute liver failure. Although traditional liver parameters have been applied to the diagnosis of DILI, the lack of specific and sensitive biomarkers poses a major limitation, and thus accurate prediction of the subsequent clinical course remains a significant challenge. These drawbacks prompt the investigation and discovery of more effective biomarkers, which could lead to early detection of DILI, and improve its diagnosis and prognosis. Novel promising biomarkers include glutamate dehydrogenase, keratin 18, sorbitol dehydrogenase, glutathione S-transferase, bile acids, cytochrome P450, osteopontin, high mobility group box-1 protein, fatty acid binding protein 1, cadherin 5, miR-122, genetic testing, and omics technologies, among others. Furthermore, several clinical scoring systems have gradually emerged for the diagnosis of DILI including the Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method (RUCAM), Clinical Diagnostic Scale (CDS), and Digestive Disease Week Japan (DDW-J) systems. However, currently their predictive value is limited with certain inherent deficiencies. Thus, perhaps the greatest benefit would be achieved by simultaneously combining the scoring systems and those biomarkers. Herein, we summarized the recent research progress on molecular biomarkers for DILI to improved approaches for its diagnosis and clinical management.

[The Influence of Transferrin Gene Polymorphism on Measuring Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrin by Capillary Electrophoresis].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of isoforms of transferrin (Tf) on the detection of serum carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) by capillary electrophoresis (CE). METHODS: A total of 51,17,and 65 serum samples were collected from the healthy participants,the patients with non-alcoholic liver diseases,and the patients with alcoholic liver diseases,respectively. Serum CDT was measured by CE. The genotype ofTf of the samples without a good separation was further analyzed using high resolution melting (HRM) methods. Those with suspected mutation were confirmed by sequencing. RESULTS: Six samples showed incomplete separation (2 from the healthy participants,3 from the patients with non-alcoholic liver diseases,1 from the patient with alcoholic liver diseases). Of the 133 serum samples,2.3% (3/133) were detected withTf-Dchi heterozygote. But noTf-D1 andTf-B2 heterozygote were identified. CONCLUSION: Tf-Dchi variant influences the measurement of carbohydrate deficientTf by CE,leading to unreliable results.

[Clinical Significance of Urinary Microalbumin to Creatinine Ratio in Physical Examinations].

OBJECTIVE: To-determine the association between urinary microalbumin to creatinine ratio (mALB/Cr) and metabolic indicators in people undergoing physical examinations. METHODS: A total of 4 184 people who took physical examinations in West China Hospital, Sichuan University from November 2013 to October 2014 participated in this study. We measured their body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), waistline, hipline, Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), urinary mALB/Cr, serum glucose (GLU), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) , high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (SCr) , uric acid (UA), cystatin C (Cys-C), glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and homocysteine (Hcy). RESULTS: (1) The participants had a median (interquartile range) mALB/Cr of 5.7 (3.1-11.8) mg/g: 5.4 (3.0-11.3) mg/g for males and 6.3 (3.6-13.2) mg/g for females (P < 0.05). (2) About 10.95% participants (10.96% for males and 10.90% for females) had a mALB/Cr ≥ 30 mg/g. (3) mALB/Cr increased with age. (4) BMI, SBP, DBP, waistline, WHR, GLU, HDL-C, TG, SCr, BUN, UA, eGFR and Cys-C were associated the distribution of participants (P < 0.05) across the three groups of mALB/Cr: normal (< 30 mg/g), microalbuminuria (30-300 mg/g) , and proteinuria (> 300 mg/g). (5) Logistic regression demonstrated that age, SBP, WHR, GLU, TG and eGFR were significant predictors of albuminuria. CONCLUSION: A high level of abnormal/positive mALB/Cr was found in people undergoing physical examinations. Increased age, SBP, WHR, GLU, TG and decreased eGFR are major risk factors of abnormal mALB/Cr. mALB/Cr should be monitored, especially in the elderly and those with high-metabolic-syndrome.

[The levels of serum cystatin C in patients with tumors and healthy controls].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between serum cystatin C and tumors. METHODS: Serum samples were obtained from 273 patients with tumors and 185 healthy volunteers. Serum cystatin C was determined by particle-enhanced turbidimetric immunoassay (PETIA). Student t-test, covariance analysis and multiple linear regressions were performed to examine the differences in the levels of cystatin C between the two groups. RESULTS: The student t-test did not show significant statistical differences in the serum cystatin C levels between the two groups (P = 0.075). However, such differences became statistically significant (P < 0.01) after adjustment of age. The multiple liner regression demonstrated that healthy volunteers and men had higher levels of cystatin C than those with tumors and women. Cystatin C also increased with age and decreases with estimating glomerular filtration rate. CONCLUSION: Cystatin C may be associated with the genesis and development of tumors.

Reference intervals and factors contributing to serum cystatin C levels in a Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: Serum cystatin C (Cys-C), an inhibitor of cysteine proteases, has been suggested as an ideal biomarker of glomerular filtration rate (GFR). OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to describe the reference intervals of serum Cys-C and identify factors associated with serum Cys-C or its variability, including age, gender, creatinine (Crea), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and uric acid (UA). DESIGN AND METHODS: Serum Cys-C, Crea, BUN, and UA were measured in 4,517 healthy participants aged 8-89 years attending our hospital. Serum Cys-C was analyzed using a latex-enhanced immunoturbidimetric method. Crea were tested by picric acid jaffe method, BUN, and UA by kinetic UV assays. RESULTS: The predominant characteristic of Cys-C distribution was that Cys-C concentration in age ≥60 years group was the highest (P < 0.05). The differences of Cys-C concentration between males and females existed for subjects aged from 30 to 59 years (P < 0.05). In a multiple model adjusted only for gender and age, gender (ß = 0.007) has stronger effect on Cys-C levels, compared with age (ß = 0.003). The clinical variables, comprised of age, gender, Crea, BUN, and UA, involved in the fully adjusted equation accounted for 37.6% of variation of Cys-C. CONCLUSIONS: Ninety-five percent reference intervals for healthy population were partitioned into three categories only by age, 0.59-1.07 mg/L for subjects aged 19-59 years; 0.74-1.14 mg/L for the older aged ≥60 years; and 0.63-1.11 mg/L for children aged ≤18 years. Serum Cys-C is significantly related to gender, age, UA, Crea, and BUN. Besides, there are still other factors contributing to variation of Cys-C levels.

[Association of sex, age, renal function, metabolic index and types of diseases with serum cystatin-C in patients].

OBJECTIVE: To identify the determinants of serum cystatin-C (Cys C) in patients. METHODS: The medical records of 31235 patients admitted to West China hospital from September to October, 2009 and their first laboratorial test results were examined. Liner regression analyses were performed to determine the association of sex, age, renal function, and metabolic index serum Cys C. One-way ANOVA and LSD tests were performed to determine the association between different diseases and serum Cys C. RESULTS: The multiple linear regression equation was obtained: Cys C = 0.331 + 0. 686Crea + 0. 174Urea + 0.119Age + 0. 068Uric - 0. 057HDL-C -0.041Sex + 0.038eGFR -0.031LDL-C -0. 026Glu, with a correlation coefficient of 0. 859 and a coefficient of determination of 0. 738. The level of serum Cys C varied with different diseases, with urinary diseases showing the highest level followed by vascular and respiratory diseases. CONCLUSION: Serum Cys C is associated with renal function, but not with metabolic index. Cys C tends to rise in patients renal function injury.

[Combined myocardial injury markers for diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of different myocardial injury markers and their combinations in diagnosing acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: The myocardial injury markers: AST, CK, CK-MB, LDH, HBDH, cTnI, CK-MB mass were detected in patients with acute chest pain-onset who were hospitalized in Sichuan University West China Hospital from July 2005 to October 2006. The accuracy of those markers in diagnosing AMI were evaluated by their sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio. Student t-test and one-way ANOVA were performed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of the markers. RESULTS: cTnI had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with 85% of sensitivity and 92.5% of specificity (P < 0.05). cTnI in parallel with myocardial enzymes produced the highest combined diagnostic accuracy, with 100% of sensitivity and 37.29% of specificity (P < 0.05). Myocardial enzymes in sequence with cTnI produced the highest sequential diagnostic accuracy, with 50% of sensitivity and 100% of specificity (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: cTnI is the best indicator for diagnosis and differential diagnosis of AMI. Myocardiozymogram is poor in sensitivity and specificity, which should be used only in combination with cTnI or CK-MB mass. Parallel testing can increase sensitivity, while sequential testing can improve specificity.

[Study on influencing factors of the by-product CHCl3 produced in the electrochemical sterilization process].

OBJECTIVE: To gain an understanding of the progressive course and influencing factors of the by-product CHCl3 produced in the electrochemical sterilization process. METHODS: Taking filtering water, using graphite and Ti(matrix)-Ti as electrodes, adding different concentrations of SO4(2-) and Cl- in the filtering water, adjusting the electric current for analyzing sample in different times, and reviewing the production of CHCl3 under different conditions. RESULTS: The quantity of CHCl3 produced in the electrolysis using Ti (matrix)-Ti was greater than that using graphite. Besides, it was found that the more the current density increased, the more would be the production of CHCl3. No significant difference in the quantity of CHCl3 was seen after the addition of trace electrolyte Na2SO4; however, after the addition of trace electrolyte NaCl, (CHCl3) increased with the increase of (Cl-). CONCLUSION: The graphite electrode should be the best and choicest electrode for use in the electrochemical sterilization of drinking water; the time of electrolysis should not be more than 10 minutes; the appropriate current density current is 1 mA/cm2. These suggestions may conduce to minimizing the production of CHCl3.