TCERG1L hypermethylation is a risk factor of diabetic retinopathy in Chinese children with type 1 diabetes.

AIM: To identify the differential methylation sites (DMS) and their according genes associated with diabetic retinopathy (DR) development in type 1 diabetes (T1DM) children. METHODS: This study consists of two surveys. A total of 40 T1DM children was included in the first survey. Because no participant has DR, retina thinning was used as a surrogate indicator for DR. The lowest 25% participants with the thinnest macular retinal thickness were included into the case group, and the others were controls. The DNA methylation status was assessed by the Illumina methylation 850K array BeadChip assay, and compared between the case and control groups. Four DMS with a potential role in diabetes were identified. The second survey included 27 T1DM children, among which four had DR. The methylation patterns of the four DMS identified by 850K were compared between participants with and without DR by pyrosequencing. RESULTS: In the first survey, the 850K array revealed 751 sites significantly and differentially methylated in the case group comparing with the controls (|Δß|>0.1 and Adj.P<0.05), and 328 of these were identified with a significance of Adj.P<0.01. Among these, 319 CpG sites were hypermethylated and 432 were hypomethylated in the case group relative to the controls. Pyrosequencing revealed that the transcription elongation regulator 1 like (TCERG1L, cg07684215) gene was hypermethylated in the four T1DM children with DR (P=0.018), which was consistent with the result from the first survey. The methylation status of the other three DMS (cg26389052, cg25192647, and cg05413694) showed no difference (all P>0.05) between participants with and without DR. CONCLUSION: The hypermethylation of the TCERG1L gene is a risk factor for DR development in Chinese children with T1DM.

Impact of tectoridin on the pharmacokinetics of florfenicol via targeting cytochrome P450 and P-glycoprotein of rats.

Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC, commonly used with florfenicol in Chinese veterinary clinics for respiratory tract infections, contains the major effective isoflavone, tectoridin (TEC). This study aimed to investigate the impact of TEC co-administration on the pharmacokinetics of florfenicol in vivo.Male rats received oral TEC (50 mg/kg BW) or sterile water for seven days, followed by a single oral dose of florfenicol (25 mg/kg BW) on the 8th day. Non-compartmental methods analysed the pharmacokinetics of florfenicol, while real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blot, and immunohistochemical analyses measured expression levels of cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoforms in the liver and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in the jejunum.TEC significantly decreased florfenicol's AUC(0-∞), MRT(0-∞), t1/2z, Vz/F, and Cmax by 24.75%, 18.43%, 55.47%, 43.05%, and 19.48%, while increasing CLz/F by 33.33%. TEC also up-regulated hepatic CYP1A2 and CYP3A1 mRNA expression, as well as intestinal MDR1, by 1.39-fold, 1.85-fold, and 1.65-fold. This coincided with a respective increase in protein expression by 1.37-fold, 1.39-fold, and 1.43-fold.These findings suggest that TEC-induced alterations in the pharmacokinetics of florfenicol may be attributed to increased CYP and P-gp expression. Further investigations are warranted to understand the implications of these findings on the clinical effectiveness of florfenicol in veterinary practice.

Coptisine modulates the pharmacokinetics of florfenicol by targeting CYP1A2, CYP2C11 and CYP3A1 in the liver and P-gp in the jejunum of rats: a pilot study.

Coptisine (COP) is the main active ingredient of Coptis chinensis. In Chinese veterinary clinics, Coptis chinensis is commonly used alongside florfenicol to treat intestinal infections. The goal of this study was to investigate the impact of COP co-administration on the pharmacokinetics of florfenicol in rats.Male Sprague-Dawley rats were orally administered COP (50 mg/kg BW) or sterile water for 7 consecutive days, followed by a single oral dose of florfenicol (25 mg/kg BW) on the 8th day. Pharmacokinetics of florfenicol were analysed using non-compartmental methods, while expression levels of cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoforms in the liver and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in the jejunum were measured using real-time RT-PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses.Co-administration of COP and florfenicol significantly increased AUC(0-∞), MRT(0-∞), and Cmax of florfenicol, while CLz/F was significantly decreased. COP down-regulated the expression of CYP1A2, CYP2C11, and CYP3A1 in the liver, as well as P-gp in the jejunum.These findings suggest that co-administration of COP with florfenicol alters the pharmacokinetics of florfenicol in rats. The down-regulation of CYP and P-gp expression may contribute to this effect. Therefore, the co-administration of COP with florfenicol may enhance the prophylactic or therapeutic efficacy of florfenicol in veterinary practice.

Application effect of thoracoscopic tricuspid valvuloplasty in geriatric patients with tricuspid valve disease.

BACKGROUND: Thoracoscopic-assisted technology can ensure that doctors can implement minimally invasive treatment through the right intercostal incision or small incision of the lower sternum. This approach not only can achieve a cardiac correction effect equivalent to that of a thoracotomy but also has the benefit of a clear surgical field ensuring the safety of surgical treatment. AIM: To investigate the effect of thoracoscopic tricuspid valvuloplasty in patients with tricuspid valve disease. METHODS: A total of 41 patients with tricuspid valve disease underwent traditional thoracotomy treatment between January 2018 and June 2020. Forty-one patients with tricuspid valve disease who underwent thoracoscopic tricuspid valvuloplasty treatment between July 2020 and June 2021 in our hospital were selected as controls for our retrospective analysis. The study group underwent thoracoscopic tricuspid valvuloplasty, while traditional thoracotomy was performed in the control group. The operation conditions (the duration of extracorporeal circulation, aorta blocking, endotracheal intubation, and surgery), inflammatory response-related indices (C-reactive protein and white blood cell count) before and after surgery, parameters related to myocardial injury (myocardial troponin T, creatine kinase isoenzyme, creatine kinase, and lactate dehydrogenase), and the incidence of adverse events in the two groups was counted. RESULTS: The duration of extracorporeal circulation (109.35 ± 50.31 min), aortic occlusion (94.26 ± 59.61 min), endotracheal intubation (12.59 ± 3.54 h), and hospital stay (5.29 ± 2.34 d) in the study group were shorter than those in the control group (114.91 ± 46.98 min, 101.37 ± 61.44 min, 13.11 ± 4.01 h, 7.09 ± 3.11 d, respectively). The difference in hospital stay between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Serum C-reactive protein level (4.69 ± 1.35 mg/L) and white blood cell count (6.21 ± 1.97 × 109/L) in the study group were found to be not significantly different than those in the control group (5.01 ± 1.18 mg/L, 5.98 ± 2.01 × 109/L, respectively; P > 0.05). Myocardial troponin T (0.04 ± 0.02 ng/mL), creatine kinase isoenzyme (4.02 ± 1.11 mg/mL), creatine kinase (91.35 ± 10.44 U/L), and lactate dehydrogenase (179.81 ± 60.04 U/L) in the study group were also not statistically significant different than those in the control group (0.05 ± 0.03 ng/mL, 3.97 ± 1.05 mg/mL, 89.69 ± 13.05 U/L, 186.35 ± 56.96 U/L; P > 0.05). After the operation, serum C-reactive protein level (7.89 ± 1.73 mg/L) and white blood cell count (10.76 ± 2.35 × 109/L) in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group (9.96 ± 2.04 mg/L, 14.84 ± 3.07 × 109/L, respectively) (P < 0.05). In addition, myocardial troponin T (0.89 ± 0.32 ng/mL), creatine kinase isoenzyme (26.96 ± 4.95 mg/mL), creatine kinase (608.32 ± 202.33 U/L), and lactate dehydrogenase (282.56 ± 101.34 U/L) in the study group were lower than those in the control group (2.61 ± 0.69 ng/mL, 34.37 ± 6.87 mg/mL, 689.94 ± 214.64 U/L, 369.15 ± 114.46 U/L) (P < 0.05). The incidence of adverse events in the study group (4.88%) was lower than that in the control group (19.51%) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Thoracoscopic tricuspid valvuloplasty can achieve good results in treating patients with tricuspid valve disease, reduce the risk of adverse events, and promote the rapid recovery of patients.

Preliminary evaluation of autologous pericardium ring for tricuspid Annuloplasty: a two-year follow-up study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of autologous pericardium ring in tricuspid annuloplasty surgery for the treatment of tricuspid regurgitation (TR). METHODS: From December 2010 to December 2012, a total of 107 patients with secondary TR underwent tricuspid annuloplasty. The patients were divided into three groups: autologous pericardium ring group (n = 38), Edwards-MC3 ring group (n = 35), and DeVega group (n = 34). The patients were followed-up for two years. The survival rates and free from hospital readmission rates were measured and analyzed. The patients also received transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in order to obtain TR regurgitant jet area to right atrial area (STR/STA), diastolic tricuspid annuloplasty diameter (DTAD), right atrial diameter (RAD), and right ventricular diameter (RVD). RESULTS: One patient from DeVega group and one patient from autologous pericardium ring died from low cardiac output syndrome during the perioperative period. In the two-year follow-up period, each group has one instance of death for unclear reasons. One month after operation, the STR/STA, DTAD, RAD, and RVD values in all groups were significantly lower than the pre-operation values (P < 0.05). During the two year follow-up period, DTAD values of patients from DeVega group increased significantly as compared to the values at one month post operation (P<0.05), which is different from the other two groups in which DTAD values remained stable (P>0.05). In both pericardium ring group and Edwards-MC3 group, STR/SRA, remained stable (P>0.05) during the follow-up period, whereas STR/SRA of the DeVega group had showed a tendency of increase (although statistically insignificant, P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the survival rates among three study groups (P > 0.05), but the rate of free from hospital readmission in the DeVega group was significantly lower than those in the other two groups (P < 0.05) during the two-year follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Autologous pericardium tissue based ring annuloplasty demonstrated remarkable clinical utility for treating tricuspid regurgitation. It shows similar beneficial results to Edwards-MC3 annuloplasty within a short-term follow-up period, and outperforms the widely used DeVega annuloplasty. Autologous pericardium tissue annuloplasty represents a promising technique for tricuspid annuloplasty and holds great potential for treating tricuspid valve dysfunctions.

Size-Tunable Targeting-Triggered Nanophotosensitizers Based on Self-Assembly of a Phthalocyanine-Biotin Conjugate for Photodynamic Therapy.

Self-assembled phototheranostic nanomaterials used for photodynamic therapy (PDT) have attracted increasing attention owing to their several advantages. Herein, we developed a novel strategy for size-tunable self-assembled nanophotosensitizers for PDT through a simple method. A series of switchable self-assembled nanophotosensitizers (NanoPc90, NanoPc40, NanoPc20, and NanoPc10) of different particle sizes were readily prepared based on an amphiphilic silicon(IV) phthalocyanine (SiPc)-biotin conjugate by regulating the amount of the Cremophor EL surfactant used. The photoactivities, including fluorescence and reactive oxygen species (ROS), of the self-assemblies could be regulated by the particle size. The self-assemblies could be specifically disassembled by tumor-overexpressing biotin receptors, leading to the recovery of quenched photoactivities. Demonstrated by the competitive assay, the self-assemblies were able to enter HepG2 cells through a biotin-receptor-mediated pathway, followed by biotin-receptor-triggered fluorescence recovery at the cellular level. Moreover, the particle size could also affect the in vitro and in vivo PDT effects and tumor targeting. The photocytotoxicity of NanoPc20 against HepG2 cells was more potent compared to that of NanoPc90 because of its strong intracellular fluorescence, higher intracellular ROS generation, and different subcellular localization. In addition, NanoPc20 showed higher in vivo tumor targeting and photodynamic therapeutic efficacy than NanoPc90. This work would provide a valuable reference for the development of self-assembled nanophotosensitizers for cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Acupuncture Compared with Intramuscular Injection of Neostigmine for Postpartum Urinary Retention: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture versus intramuscular injection of neostigmine. METHODS: Databases including CNKI, VIP, WanFang, SinoMed, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and clinicaltrials.gov database were retrieved for relevant literature, with the retrieval deadline being November 2017. Two reviewers independently screened, selected, and extracted data and validated the results. The methodological quality was evaluated with the "Risk of Bias" tool, and the meta-analysis was performed by using the RevMan 5.3.5 software. RESULTS: Totally 953 patients with postpartum urinary retention from 15 randomized controlled trials entered the meta-analysis. 12 articles compared the clinical cure rate of acupuncture alone versus intramuscular injection of neostigmine and found the cure rate in the acupuncture group was 2 times that in the neostigmine group (RR, 1.91; 95% CI: 1.66-2.19). 15 articles compared the clinical effectiveness rate of acupuncture alone with that of intramuscular injection of neostigmine and found the clinical effectiveness rate was 28% higher in the acupuncture group than in the neostigmine group (RR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.16-1.42). No adverse event was reported in the acupuncture group. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture alone is more effective in treating postpartum urinary retention than intramuscular injection of neostigmine, with good safety profile. Therefore, it is a feasible and valuable technique in clinical settings.

The effects of anti-Fas ribozyme on T lymphocyte apoptosis in mice model with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of anti-Fas ribozyme on the apoptosis of T lymphocytes (T cells) in mice model with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male 6-week-old C57BL/6 mice were used to establish the COPD model by exposure to cigarette smoke. The COPD mice were sacrificed for spleen dissection and T cell isolation. T cells were randomly divided into four groups (n=10 per group). Group A was used as the control. B, C, and D groups were transfected with empty lentivirus, anti-Fas ribozyme, and an anti-Fas ribozyme mutant, respectively. The expression of Fas mRNA and protein in the T cells were evaluated using qPCR and Western blot, respectively. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate the apoptosis of CD4+ T cells and calculate the ratio of CD4+ to CD8+ T cells (CD4+/CD8+). RESULTS: Anti-Fas ribozyme significantly inhibited the expression of Fas in the T cells of COPD mice. In addition, the number of apoptotic CD4+ T cells and CD4+/CD8+ of the C and D groups were significantly lower and higher than those of group A, respectively (P<0.05). The apoptotic CD4+ T cells and CD4+ CD8+ of the C group were significantly lower and higher than those of group D, respectively (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Anti-Fas ribozyme significantly inhibited the expression of Fas, increased CD4+/CD8+, and inhibited the apoptosis of T cells in COPD mice.

Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Predicts Pathology Complete Response of Rectal Cancer Treated with Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the predictive value of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) for pathologic complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) in locally advanced rectal cancer. METHODS: A total of 265 patients with rectal adenocarcinoma, whole Diffusion-Weighted MRI (DWI-MRI) images, clinically stage II to III (cT3-4 and/or cN+) and treated with NCRT followed by TME were screened. Fifty patients with pCR and another 50 patients without pCR with similar clinical charcacters and treatment regimens were selected for statistical analysis. All the patients' pre-CRT and post-CRT average ADC values were calculated from the coefficient maps created by DWI-MRI and recorded independently. The difference in the ADC values between the pCR and non-pCR was analyzed by the Mann-Whitney U test. The cut-off ADC value of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve with pCR was then established. RESULTS: The mean pre- and post-ADC values in all patients, and in pCR patients and non-pCR patients were 0.879±0.06 and 1.383±0.11, 0.859±0.04 and 1.440±0.10, 0.899±0.07 and 1.325±0.09 (×10(-3) mm(2)/s), respectively. The difference between the pre- and post-ADC values in all patients, pCR patients, and non-pCR patients were considered to be statistically significant. The pre-ADC value was significantly lower in the pCR patients than in the non-pCR patients (p = 0.003), whereas the post-ADC values were significantly higher in the pCR patients than in the non-pCR patients. The percentage increase of the ADC value (ΔADC%) in the pCR and non-pCR patients were 68% and 48% respectively (p<0.001). The ROC curves of the cut-off value of the pre-CRT patient ADC value was 0.866×10(-3) mm(2)/s. The AUC, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of diagnosing pCR were 0.670 (95% CI 0.563-0.777), 0.600, 0.640, 60%, 60%, and 60%, respectively. The cut-off value of ΔADC% was 58%. The corresponding AUC, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of diagnosing pCR were 0.856 (95% CI 0.783-0.930), 0.800, 0.760, 76.9%, 79.2%, and 78%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: DWI-MRI technology can be efficient for predicting pCR for LARC after NCRT. Although the mean pre-CRT ADC value and the ΔADC% are moderate predictors for pCR, the latter would be more accurate.

Effects of Dangguibuxue Tang, a Chinese herbal medicine, on growth performance and immune responses in broiler chicks.

The effects of Dangguibuxue Tang (DBT) on growth performance and immunity response in immunosuppressed broiler chicks were investigated in this study. 240 one-d-old broiler chicks (DaHeng S01) were randomly divided into 4 groups, 2.0% DBT-treatment (A), 0.5% DBT-treatment (B), cyclophosphamide-control (C), and control group (D). From 4 d to 7 d of age, chicks in group A, B and C were given cyclophosphamide (CY) at a dosage of 100mg/kg body weight (BW) daily by intraperitoneal injection to induce immunosuppression. Chicks in group D were given an equal volume of physiological saline daily by intraperitoneal injection and considered normal chicks. Groups A and B were supplemented with 2.0% or 0.5% of DBT in the drinking water from 8 d to 42 d of age. Groups C and D did not receive any additional medication. The results revealed that chicks from group B had lower feed:gain rate (FGR), lower total mortality, higher immunity organ indexes, higher levels of Newcastle disease (ND) antibody and infectious bursal disease (IBD) antibody, higher interleukin-2 and interleukin-6 levels, and greater lymphocyte proliferative responses to concanavalin A (ConA) during the experiment than those from group C. However, no significant difference in the immunity status in the two levels of DBT-treatment was observed. These results indicate that supplementation of 0.5% of DBT can improve both cellular immunity and humoral immunity in immunosuppressed broiler chicks.

Effects of Dangguibuxue Tang, a Chinese herbal medicine, on growth performance and immune responses in broiler chicks

The effects of Dangguibuxue Tang (DBT) on growth performance and immunity response in immunosuppressed broiler chicks were investigated in this study. 240 one-d-old broiler chicks (DaHeng S01) were randomly divided into 4 groups, 2.0% DBT-treatment (A), 0.5% DBT-treatment (B), cyclophosphamide-control (C), and control group (D). From 4 d to 7 d of age, chicks in group A, B and C were given cyclophosphamide (CY) at a dosage of 100mg/kg body weight (BW) daily by intraperitoneal injection to induce immunosuppression. Chicks in group D were given an equal volume of physiological saline daily by intraperitoneal injection and considered normal chicks. Groups A and B were supplemented with 2.0% or 0.5% of DBT in the drinking water from 8 d to 42 d of age. Groups C and D did not receive any additional medication. The results revealed that chicks from group B had lower feed:gain rate (FGR), lower total mortality, higher immunity organ indexes, higher levels of Newcastle disease (ND) antibody and infectious bursal disease (IBD) antibody, higher interleukin-2 and interleukin-6 levels, and greater lymphocyte proliferative responses to concanavalin A (ConA) during the experiment than those from group C. However, no significant difference in the immunity status in the two levels of DBT-treatment was observed. These results indicate that supplementation of 0.5% of DBT can improve both cellular immunity and humoral immunity in immunosuppressed broiler chicks.