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1.
Spontaneous rupture of bladder diverticulum with pseudo renal failure:A case report and literature review.
Zhang, Z, Shen, J, He, Q, Nie, H
The American journal of emergency medicine. 2024;:231.e3-231.e7
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spontaneous or non-traumatic bladder rupture is rare but can be life-threatening. Bladder rupture caused by a diverticulum is extremely rare, with only a few case reports in medical literature. CASE PRESENTATION We report the case of a 32-year-old woman admitted to hospital complaints of abdominal pain, oliguria and ascites with no history of trauma. Laboratory tests revealed an elevated serum urea nitrogen(UN) level of 33.5 mmol/l and an elevated creatinine levels of 528 umol/l. X-ray cystography confirmed the rupture of a bladder diverticulum. Subsequent transurethral catheterization led to a prompt increase in urinary output, and serum creatinine level returned to 40 umol/l within 48 h. The patient was successfully treated with laparoscopic diverticulectomy. CONCLUSION Clinicians should maintain a high level of suspicion for urinary bladder rupture in cases presenting with acute lower abdominal pain, urinary difficulties, and oliguria. When acute renal failure, complicated ascites, and an elevated peritoneal fluid creatinine or potassium level exceeding serum levels are observed, intraperitoneal urine leakage should be suspected without delay. This case emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis and intervention in managing this rare but serious condition.
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2.
Fibrinolytic system and COVID-19: From an innovative view of epithelial ion transport.
Fu, Y, Xue, H, Wang, T, Ding, Y, Cui, Y, Nie, H
Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie. 2023;:114863
Abstract
Lifeways of worldwide people have changed dramatically amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and public health is at stake currently. In the early stage of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, fibrinolytic system is mostly inhibited, which is responsible for the development of hypofibrinolysis, promoting disseminated intravascular coagulation, hyaline membrane formation, and pulmonary edema. Whereas the common feature and risk factor at advanced stage is a large amount of fibrin degradation products, including D-dimer, the characteristic of hyperfibrinolysis. Plasmin can cleave both SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and γ subunit of epithelial sodium channel (ENaC), a critical element to edematous fluid clearance. In this review, we aim to sort out the role of fibrinolytic system in the pathogenesis of COVID-19, as well as provide the possible guidance in current treating methods. In addition, the abnormal regulation of ENaC in the occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 mediated hypofibrinolysis and hyperfibrinolysis are summarized, with the view of proposing an innovative view of epithelial ion transport in preventing the dysfunction of fibrinolytic system during the progress of COVID-19.
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3.
New insights into the non-enzymatic function of HDAC6.
Zhu, Y, Feng, M, Wang, B, Zheng, Y, Jiang, D, Zhao, L, Mamun, MAA, Kang, H, Nie, H, Zhang, X, et al
Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie. 2023;:114438
Abstract
Histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) is a class IIb histone deacetylase that contains two catalytic domains and a zinc-finger ubiquitin binding domain (ZnF-UBP) domain. The deacetylation function of HDAC6 has been extensively studied with common substrates such as α-tubulin, cortactin, and Hsp90. Apart from its deacetylase activity, HDAC6 ZnF-UBP binds to unanchored ubiquitin of specific sequences and serves as a carrier for transporting aggregated proteins. As a result, aggresomes are formed and protein degradation is facilitated by the autophagy-lysosome pathway. This HDAC6-dependent microtubule transport can be used by cells to assemble and activate inflammasomes, which play a critical role in immune regulation. Even viruses can benefit from the carrier of HDAC6 to assist in uncoating their surfaces during their infection cycle. However, HDAC6 is also capable of blocking virus invasion and replication in a non-enzymatic manner. Given these non-enzymatic functions, HDAC6 is closely associated with various diseases, including neurodegeneration, inflammasome-associated diseases, cancer, and viral infections. Small molecule inhibitors targeting the ubiquitin binding pocket of HDAC6 have been investigated. In this review, we focus on mechanisms in non-enzymatic functions of HDAC6 and discuss the rationality and prospects of therapeutic strategies by intervening the activation of HDAC6 ZnF-UBP in concrete diseases.
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4.
Regulation of Epithelial Sodium Transport by SARS-CoV-2 Is Closely Related with Fibrinolytic System-Associated Proteins.
Wang, T, Zhai, Y, Xue, H, Zhou, W, Ding, Y, Nie, H
Biomolecules. 2023;(4)
Abstract
Dyspnea and progressive hypoxemia are the main clinical features of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Pulmonary pathology shows diffuse alveolar damage with edema, hemorrhage, and the deposition of fibrinogens in the alveolar space, which are consistent with the Berlin Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Criteria. The epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) is a key channel protein in alveolar ion transport and the rate-limiting step for pulmonary edema fluid clearance, the dysregulation of which is associated with acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome. The main protein of the fibrinolysis system, plasmin, can bind to the furin site of γ-ENaC and induce it to an activation state, facilitating pulmonary fluid reabsorption. Intriguingly, the unique feature of SARS-CoV-2 from other β-coronaviruses is that the spike protein of the former has the same furin site (RRAR) with ENaC, suggesting that a potential competition exists between SARS-CoV-2 and ENaC for the cleavage by plasmin. Extensive pulmonary microthrombosis caused by disorders of the coagulation and fibrinolysis system has also been seen in COVID-19 patients. To some extent, high plasmin (ogen) is a common risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection since an increased cleavage by plasmin accelerates virus invasion. This review elaborates on the closely related relationship between SARS-CoV-2 and ENaC for fibrinolysis system-related proteins, aiming to clarify the regulation of ENaC under SARS-CoV-2 infection and provide a novel reference for the treatment of COVID-19 from the view of sodium transport regulation in the lung epithelium.
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5.
Ferulic Acid: A Review of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutic Effects on Pulmonary Diseases.
Zhai, Y, Wang, T, Fu, Y, Yu, T, Ding, Y, Nie, H
International journal of molecular sciences. 2023;(9)
Abstract
Ferulic acid (FA), a prevalent dietary phytochemical, has many pharmacological effects, including anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation effects, and has been widely used in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetics industries. Many studies have shown that FA can significantly downregulate the expression of reactive oxygen species and activate nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor-2/heme oxygenase-1 signaling, exerting anti-oxidative effects. The anti-inflammatory effect of FA is mainly related to the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor-kappaB signaling pathways. FA has demonstrated potential clinical applications in the treatment of pulmonary diseases. The transforming growth factor-β1/small mothers against decapentaplegic 3 signaling pathway can be blocked by FA, thereby alleviating pulmonary fibrosis. Moreover, in the context of asthma, the T helper cell 1/2 imbalance is restored by FA. Furthermore, FA ameliorates acute lung injury by inhibiting nuclear factor-kappaB and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways via toll-like receptor 4, consequently decreasing the expression of downstream inflammatory mediators. Additionally, there is a moderate neuraminidase inhibitory activity showing a tendency to reduce the interleukin-8 level in response to influenza virus infections. Although the application of FA has broad prospects, more preclinical mechanism-based research should be carried out to test these applications in clinical settings. This review not only covers the literature on the pharmacological effects and mechanisms of FA, but also discusses the therapeutic role and toxicology of FA in several pulmonary diseases.
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6.
Comparison between human olfactory sensitivity in the fasted and fed states: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Nie, H, Zhao, R, Ai, Y, Yang, Y, Cao, B, Han, P
Appetite. 2023;:106395
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Olfaction is tightly regulated by internal status such as hunger level. The influence of fasted and fed states on olfactory sensitivity in humans has reached mixed results. This study aims to systematically review, integrate and meta-analyze evidence of the impact of fasting on olfactory sensitivity in humans and to explore the impact of potential moderators. METHOD Electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, COCHRANE and Ovid) were searched for studies with human participants investigating the effect of fasting on olfactory sensitivity. Studies were included in the review if they measured odor threshold both at fasted and sated status. The data extraction was determined based on the change in odor threshold from the fasted state to the fed state. Meta-analysis was conducted using a random-effect model to estimate the standardized mean difference transformed olfactory sensitivity change between fasted and fed states with 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS Thirteen studies (12 articles) were included in the meta-analysis with a total of 550 participants. Olfactory sensitivity was higher in the fasted state compared to the fed state (SMD = -0.251, 95% CI = -0.426, -0.075, Z = -2.804, p = 0.005). Separated analyses for food and non-food odors revealed a significant elevated sensitivity to non-food odors during the fasted state compared to the fed state. The meta-regression analysis revealed that fasting time positively moderate the increased olfactory sensitivity from the fasted to fed states (β = -0.013, 95% CI = -0.023, -0.002, p = 0.016). CONCLUSION Fasting improves human olfactory sensitivity to non-food odors, and this effect increases with longer fasting time. Future research design on olfactory sensitivity should take both the fasted state and fasting period of the participants into consideration.
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7.
Exploring and exploiting genetics and genomics for sweetpotato improvement: Status and perspectives.
Yan, M, Nie, H, Wang, Y, Wang, X, Jarret, R, Zhao, J, Wang, H, Yang, J
Plant communications. 2022;(5):100332
Abstract
Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) is one of the most important root crops cultivated worldwide. Because of its adaptability, high yield potential, and nutritional value, sweetpotato has become an important food crop, particularly in developing countries. To ensure adequate crop yields to meet increasing demand, it is essential to enhance the tolerance of sweetpotato to environmental stresses and other yield-limiting factors. The highly heterozygous hexaploid genome of I. batatas complicates genetic studies and limits improvement of sweetpotato through traditional breeding. However, application of next-generation sequencing and high-throughput genotyping and phenotyping technologies to sweetpotato genetics and genomics research has provided new tools and resources for crop improvement. In this review, we discuss the genomics resources that are available for sweetpotato, including the current reference genome, databases, and available bioinformatics tools. We systematically review the current state of knowledge on the polyploid genetics of sweetpotato, including studies of its origin and germplasm diversity and the associated mapping of important agricultural traits. We then outline the conventional and molecular breeding approaches that have been applied to sweetpotato. Finally, we discuss future goals for genetic studies of sweetpotato and crop improvement via breeding in combination with state-of-the-art multi-omics approaches such as genomic selection and gene editing. These approaches will advance and accelerate genetic improvement of this important root crop and facilitate its sustainable global production.
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8.
Research progress and clinical application prospects of miRNAs in oral cancer.
Xing, L, Feng, Z, Nie, H, Liu, M, Liu, Y, Zhang, X, Zhou, H
Molecular biology reports. 2022;(11):10653-10665
Abstract
Oral cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, and it is also one of the most important and difficult clinical problems to be solved. Due to the regional differences in diet culture, some areas have taken the 'hardest hit' of oral cancer cases. However, the existing clinical treatment methods (surgery as the main treatment method, radiotherapy and chemotherapy as the auxiliary ones) do not have satisfactory treatment effects; therefore, new diagnosis and treatment methods need to be developed and utilized. Micro RNAs (miRNAs), as a class of substances that play an important regulatory role in the development of tumors, have an important value in the diagnosis and treatment of various tumors. At the same time, many miRNAs have obvious expression differences in oral cancer tissues compared to normal tissues. Therefore, they may have diagnostic and therapeutic effects on oral cancer. In this review, we evaluate the miRNAs that play a regulatory role in the development of oral cancer and those that are expected to be applied in the diagnosis and treatment of oral cancer. At the same time, we summarize the important challenges that need to be addressed, aiming to provide evidence and suggestions for the application of miRNAs in the diagnosis and treatment of oral cancer.
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9.
Effects of hypoxia on respiratory diseases: perspective view of epithelial ion transport.
Zhou, W, Yu, T, Hua, Y, Hou, Y, Ding, Y, Nie, H
American journal of physiology. Lung cellular and molecular physiology. 2022;(3):L240-L250
Abstract
The balance of gas exchange and lung ventilation is essential for the maintenance of body homeostasis. There are many ion channels and transporters in respiratory epithelial cells, including epithelial sodium channel, Na,K-ATPase, cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, and some transporters. These ion channels/transporters maintain the capacity of liquid layer on the surface of respiratory epithelial cells and provide an immune barrier for the respiratory system to clear off foreign pathogens. However, in some harmful external environments and/or pathological conditions, the respiratory epithelium is prone to hypoxia, which would destroy the ion transport function of the epithelium and unbalance the homeostasis of internal environment, triggering a series of pathological reactions. Many respiratory diseases associated with hypoxia manifest an increased expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1, which mediates the integrity of the epithelial barrier and affects epithelial ion transport function. It is important to study the relationship between hypoxia and ion transport function, whereas the mechanism of hypoxia-induced ion transport dysfunction in respiratory diseases is not clear. This review focuses on the relationship between hypoxia and respiratory diseases, as well as dysfunction of ion transport and tight junctions in respiratory epithelial cells under hypoxia.
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10.
Molecular mechanisms and promising role of dihydromyricetin in cardiovascular diseases.
Nie, H, Ji, T, Fu, J, Chen, D, Tang, Z, Zhang, C
Physiological research. 2022;(6):749-762
Abstract
Vine tea, a Chinese herbal medicine, is widely used in traditional Asian medicine to treat common health problems. Dihydromyricetin (DMY) is the main functional flavonoid compound extracted from vine tea. In recent years, preclinical studies have focused on the potential beneficial effects of dihydromyricetin, including glucose metabolism regulation, lipid metabolism regulation, neuroprotection, and anti-tumor effects. In addition, DMY may play a role in cardiovascular disease by resisting oxidative stress and participating in the regulation of inflammation. This review is the first review that summaries the applications of dihydromyricetin in cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, myocardial hypertrophy, and diabetic cardiomyopathy. We also clarified the underlying mechanisms and signaling pathways involved in the above process. The aim of this review is to provide a better understanding and quick overview for future researches of dihydromyricetin in the field of cardiovascular diseases, and more detailed and robust researches are needed for evaluation and reference.