Apoptosis in Cardiac Conditions Including Cirrhotic Cardiomyopathy.

Apoptosis is a highly regulated process of programmed cell death and plays a crucial pathogenic role in a variety of conditions including cardiovascular diseases. There are two pathways leading to apoptosis, the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. In the intrinsic pathway, also known as the mitochondria-mediated pathway, the cell kills itself because it senses cell stress.

The newly proposed dietary index for gut microbiota and its association with the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: the mediating role of body mass index.

Background And Aims: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is strongly associated with dietary habits and the gut microbiota. The dietary index for the gut microbiota (DI-GM) is a newly proposed index that reflects gut microbial diversity based on dietary intake. However, its relationship with NAFLD remains unclear.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia first presenting with ascites: A case report.

Rationale: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is known for its tendency to present with extramedullary infiltrates, commonly affecting lymph nodes, the spleen, the central nervous system, the orbit, skin, and testes. Less commonly, leukemia can infiltrate unusual sites such as the cervix, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, and thyroid gland. However, it is exceedingly rare for leukemia to present with ascites as the initial symptom.

A case report of varicella-zoster virus-related cerebral infarction in an AIDS patient.

Rationale: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients with varicella-zoster virus (VZV) encephalitis rarely progress to cerebral infarction. This case highlights the potential for such complications in immunocompromised individuals.

Patient Concerns: A 33-year-old male with AIDS experienced recurrent hospitalizations due to neurological complications associated with VZV.

Clinical Outcomes and Prognosis of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Presenting with Obstruction.

Background: The prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) with obstruction is unclear. This study aimed to analyze clinical outcomes and prognosis of patients with ESCC and obstruction.

Methods: Patients with advanced ESCC were included and divided into obstructive and non-obstructive groups.

Comprehensive investigating of MMR gene in hepatocellular carcinoma with chronic hepatitis B virus infection in Han Chinese population.

Hepatocellular carcinoma associated with chronic hepatitis B virus infection seriously affects human health. Present studies suggest that genetic susceptibility plays an important role in the mechanism of cancer development. Therefore, this study focused on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of genes associated with HBV-HCC.

Comprehensive investigating of mismatch repair genes (MMR) polymorphisms in participants with chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

In this study, we focused on the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms in MMR genes and the occurrence and development of HBV infection. A total of 3,128 participants were divided into five groups: negative control group (NeC), spontaneous clearance group (SC), chronic hepatitis B group (CHB), liver cirrhosis group (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma group (HCC), CHB, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma constitute HLD. We conducted three case-control studies: NeC (840 cases) vs.

Genetic variants in IL33 and IL1RL1 genes confer susceptibility to HBV-related liver cirrhosis in Chinese Han population.

Introduction: Previous studies indicate that the IL-33/ST2 pathway is involved in hepatitis B virus (HBV) -related liver diseases. This study aimed to determine the relationship between genetic variants in IL-33/ST2 pathway with susceptibility to liver cirrhosis.

Materials And Methods: A total of 2632 Han Chinese samples met the inclusion and exclusion criteria, including 840 negative controls (NeC), 691 chronic hepatitis B (CHB), 680 HBV-related liver cirrhosis (LC) and 421 HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (without LC) patients.

Targeted inhibition of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in the tumor microenvironment by low-dose doxorubicin to improve immune efficacy in murine neuroblastoma.

Background: High agglomeration of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in neuroblastoma (NB) impeded therapeutic effects. This study aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of targeted inhibition of MDSCs by low-dose doxorubicin (DOX) to enhance immune efficacy in NB.

Methods: Bagg albino (BALB/c) mice were used as tumor-bearing mouse models by injecting Neuro-2a cells, and MDSCs were eliminated by DOX or dopamine (DA) administration.

Oxidative Stress-Related Gene Polymorphisms Are Associated With Hepatitis B Virus-Induced Liver Disease in the Northern Chinese Han Population.

Oxidative stress is closely related to the occurrence and development of various diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular and infectious diseases. We identified six critical genetic variants related to oxidative stress, and evaluated their main effects and their interaction effects on hepatitis B virus (HBV)-induced liver diseases. We enrolled 3,128 Han Chinese subjects into five groups: healthy controls, chronic hepatitis B (CHB), liver cirrhosis (LC), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and natural clearance.

Repeated exposure to the irrigative wastewater in Shijiazhuang induced precancerous lesion associated with cytochrome P450.

In the present study, the carcinogenic effects of the wastewater sample collected from the Dongming Canal in Shijiazhuang city were first detected by the rat medium-term liver bioassay. The experiment contained five groups: a negative control group, a DEN-alone group, 25% wastewater, 50% wastewater, and 100% wastewater. The body weight of rats decreased significantly as the dose increased.

Comparison of air pollutant-related hospitalization burden from AECOPD in Shijiazhuang, China, between heating and non-heating season.

Few researches have been investigated on the effects of ambient air pollutants from coal combustion on acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) hospitalizations. The whole time series was split into heating season and non-heating season. We used a quasi-Poisson generalized linear regression model combined with distributed lag non-linear models (DLNMs) to estimate the relative cumulative risk and calculate the air pollutant hospitalization burden of AECOPD for lag 0-7 days in heating season and non-heating season.

The hospitalization attributable burden of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease due to ambient air pollution in Shijiazhuang, China.

Few studies have investigated the acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD)-associated attributable burden under exposure to high levels of air pollution among Asians. Data on hospitalization for AECOPD, air pollution and meteorological factors from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2016 were collected in Shijiazhuang, China. We used a Poisson generalized linear regression model combined with a distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) to evaluate the relative cumulative risk for a lag of 0-7 days and examined the potential effect modifications by age and sex via stratification analyses, controlling for long-term trends, seasonal patterns, meteorological factors, and other possible confounders.

The effect and burden modification of heating on adult asthma hospitalizations in Shijiazhuang: a time-series analysis.

Background: Previous studies have found associations between asthma morbidity and air pollution especially in young population, (PLoS One 12:e0180522, 2017; Can J Public Health 103:4-8, 2012; Environ Health Perspect 118:449-57, 2010; Am J Respir Crit Care Med 182:307-16, 2010; J Allergy Clin Immunol 104:717-22, 2008; J Allergy Clin Immunol 104:717-22, 1999; Environ Res 111:1137-47, 2011) but most of them were conducted in areas with relatively low air pollutant level. Moreover, very few studies have investigated the effect and burden modification of heating season during which the ambient air pollution level is significantly different from that during non-heating season in north China.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effect and burden modification of heating on short-term associations between adult asthma hospitalizations and ambient air pollution in the north China city of Shijiazhuang.

Role of and polymorphisms in different outcomes upon Hepatitis B virus infection and prognosis to lamivudine therapy.

, having been found expressing differently in liver tissues in our previous work, including and , which are structural homologs named and Recent studies have indicated that involved in the development and proliferation of HepG2 cell, and may be associated with tumor susceptibility. Based on this, we tested the effects of and single-nucleotide polymorphisms for all major Hepatitis B virus (HBV) outcomes and lamivudine (LAM) treatment in Han Chinese. A total of 1649 samples were enrolled, and peripheral blood samples were collected in the present study.

Fine Particulate Matter-Induced Exacerbation of Allergic Asthma via Activation of T-cell Immunoglobulin and Mucin Domain 1.

Background: Fine particulate matter (PM) exacerbates airway inflammation and hyperreactivity in patients with asthma, but the mechanism remains unclear. The aim of this study was to observe the effects of prolonged exposure to high concentrations of PMon the pathology and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) of BALB/c mice undergoing sensitization and challenge with ovalbumin (OVA) and to observe the effects of apoptosis and T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 1 (TIM-1) in this process.

Methods: Forty female BALB/c mice were divided into four groups: control group, OVA group, OVA/PM group, and PM group (n = 10 in each group).

Role of Thrombospondin-1 and Nuclear Factor-κB Signaling Pathways in Antiangiogenesis of Infantile Hemangioma.

Background: Propranolol is the first-line drug for treatment of infantile hemangioma. However, its mechanism of action remains unclear. Nuclear factor-κB is highly expressed in tumors, directly or indirectly promoting angiogenesis.

Comprehensive investigating of cytokine and receptor related genes variants in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

Background & Aims: Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a global health problem and the outcome are associated with both viral factors and host genetic factors. High Throughput Sequencing (HTS) technology were used to identify variants associated with liver disease.

Methods: Fifty-five Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, fifty-three self-healing HBV (SH) patients and 53 healthy controls (HC) were recruited, 404 cytokine and cytokine receptor related genes were captured and sequenced at high depth (>900X), both variant (Fischer's exact test, P value < 0.

Correction to: Routinely detected indicators in plasma have a predictive effect on the identification of HIV-infected patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial and tuberculous infections.

After publication of this article [1] it came to our attention that the affiliation of Jun Chen and Hong-zhou Lu were incorrectly shown.Jun Chen's affiliation should have been given as Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.Hong-zhou Lu should have been given as Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.

Comprehensive investigation of cytokine- and immune-related gene variants in HBV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

Host genotype may be closely related to the different outcomes of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. To identify the association of variants and HBV infection, we comprehensively investigated the cytokine- and immune-related gene mutations in patients with HBV associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-HCC). Fifty-three HBV-HCC patients, 53 self-healing cases (SH) with HBV infection history and 53 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited, the whole exon region of 404 genes were sequenced at >900× depth.

Routinely detected indicators in plasma have a predictive effect on the identification of HIV-infected patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial and tuberculous infections.

Background: It is difficult to quickly distinguish non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection from tuberculosis (TB) infection in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients because of many similarities between these diseases. A simple and effective way to determine the differences using routine blood tests is necessary in developing countries.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted to recruit HIV-infected patients with either NTM infection or TB infection diagnosed for the first time according to mycobacterial culture and microscopic identification from May 2010 to March 2016.

Genotoxicity Evaluation of Irrigative Wastewater from Shijiazhuang City in China.

In the present study, the wastewater sample collected from the Dongming discharging river in Shijiazhuang city was analysed using both chemical analysis and biological assays including the Salmonella mutagenicity test, micronucleus test and single-cell gel electrophoresis. Chemical analysis of the sample was performed using gas chromatography mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The Salmonella mutagenicity test was performed on Salmonella typhimurium TA97, TA98, TA100 and TA102 strains with and without S9 mixture.

Correlation between polymorphisms in DNA mismatch repair genes and the risk of primary hepatocellular carcinoma for the Han population in northern China.

Purpose: This study investigated correlations between polymorphisms in DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes and the risk of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC).

Methods: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the DNA MMR genes MLH3 (rs175080), PMS1 (rs5742933), PMS2 (rs1059060), MSH3 (rs26279), MSH5 (rs1150793, rs2075789) and MSH6 (rs1042821) were detected using the SNaPshot method in 250 PHC cases and in 308 patients without PHC in the Han population in northern China.

Results: The AA genotype in MLH3 (rs175080) increased the risk of PHC (odds ratio [OR] = 3.