bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Fish consumption and incidence of heart failure: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies
Authors: LI Yue-hua , ZHOU Cheng-hui , PEI Han-jun , ZHOU Xian-liang , LI Li-huan , WU Yong-jian , HUI Ru-tai 
Published: January 2024

Background
The association between fish consumption and heart failure (HF) incidence is inconsistent.

Methods
We performed a systematic search of Pubmed and Embase (from 1953 to June 2012) using key words related to fish and HF. Studies with at least three categories of fish consumption reporting both relative risk (RR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) for HF incidence were included. The pooled RR and 95%CI were calculated using a fixed or random-effects model. The generalized least squares regression model was used to quantify the dose-response relationship between fish consumption and HF incidence.

Results
Five prospective cohort studies including 4750 HF events of 170 231 participants with an average of 9.7-year follow-up were selected and identified. Compared with those who never ate fish, individuals with higher fish consumption had a lower HF incidence. The pooled RRs for HF incidence was 0.99 (95%CI, 0.91 to 1.08) for fish consumption 1 to 3 times per month, 0.91 (95%CI, 0.84 to 0.99) for once a week, 0.87 (95%CI, 0.81 to 0.95) for 2 to 4 times per week, and 0.86 (95%CI, 0.84 to 0.99) for 5 or more times per week. An increment of 20 g of daily fish intake was related to a 6% lower risk of HF (RR: 0.94, 95% CI, 0.90 to 0.97; P for trend = 0.001).

Conclusions
This meta-analysis suggests that there is a dose-dependent inverse relationship between fish consumption and HF incidence. Fish intake once or more times a week could reduce HF incidence.
Perinatal risk factors and neonatal complications in discordant twins admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit
Authors: ZHANG Xiao-rui , LIU Jie , ZENG Chao-mei 
Published: January 2024

Background
Many studies have shown a relationship between birth weight discordance and adverse perinatal outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the perinatal risk factors and neonatal complications of discordant twins who are admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit.

Methods
A total of 87 sets of twins were enrolled in this retrospective study, of which 22 sets were discordant twins and 65 sets were concordant twins. Binary Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors associated with the occurrence of discordant twins. The common neonatal complications of discordant twins were also investigated.

Results
Multivariate analysis showed that the use of assisted reproductive techniques, pregnancy-induced hypertension, and unequal placental sharing were risk factors for the occurrence of discordant twins. The incidence of small for gestational age infants and very low birth weight infants of discordant twins was significantly higher, while the birth weight of discordant twins was significantly lower than those of concordant twins. The duration of hospitalization of discordant twins was longer than that of concordant twins. The incidence of several neonatal complications, such as neonatal respiratory distress syndrome and intracranial hemorrhage, was higher in discordant twins than that in concordant twins. The percentage of those requiring pulmonary surfactant and mechanical ventilation was significantly higher in discordant twins than that in concordant twins.

Conclusions
Use of assisted reproductive techniques, pregnancy-induced hypertension, and unequal placental sharing are perinatal risk factors of discordant twins who are admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. These infants are also much more likely to suffer from various neonatal complications, especially respiratory and central nervous system diseases. It is important to prevent the occurrence of discordant twins by decreasing these risk factors and timely treatment should be given to discordant twins.
Hybrid procedures for thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms and dissections
Authors: ZHANG Hong-peng , GUO Wei , LIU Xiao-ping , JIA Xin , XIONG Jiang , MA Xiao-hui 
Published: January 2024

Background
Hybrid procedures including debranching of visceral and renal arteries followed by endovascular exclusion of the thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) have recently been proposed as a less invasive alternative to conventional TAAA surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the immediate and long-term outcomes of hybrid procedures for TAAA in high-risk patients.

Methods
Between September 1998 and May 2012, 32 high-risk TAAA patients (five females, median age 61.5 years) underwent hybrid procedures at a single institution. Simultaneous approach and staged approach were performed on the basis of patients' conditions. Follow-up computed tomography angiography (CTA) was routinely performed before discharge and at 6, 12 months and annually thereafter.

Results
Procedural success was achieved in all cases. The median hospital stay was (21.5P2.3) days, and the median procedure time was (420231) minutes. Blood loss averaged (21003261) ml. A total of 124 visceral artery bypasses was performed. Two patients (6.3%) died within 30 days. One patient exhibited complete paraplegia (3.1%). The visceral graft patency was 96.1% at 3 years. All-cause survival rates were 93.8%, 87.5%, 81.3% and 53.1% at 1, 2, 3 and 5 years, respectively. No patient died due to aortic events. The freedom rates from aortic events were 96.9%, 93.6%, 87.5%, 68.8% at 1, 2, 3 and 5 years, respectively.

Conclusions
The results of visceral hybrid repair for high-risk patients with complex TAAAs are encouraging. However, the procedure is still a significant physiological insult to patients. Until branched and fenestrated endovascular repair become more common, hybrid procedure will continue to have a role in high-risk patients.
Decompression alone versus decompression with instrumented fusion for young patients with single-level lumbar disc herniation: a short-term prospective comparative study
Authors: Sun Zhuoran , Li Weishi , Chen Zhongqiang , Guo Zhaoqing , Qi Qiang , Zeng Yan , Sun Chuiguo , Liu Ning 
Published: January 2024

Background
For young patients, the surgical method for lumbar disc herniation remains controversial. The aim of this study was to prospectively determine the short-term clinical outcome after surgery for young patients with lumbar disc herniation.

Methods
In this prospective comparative study between April 2010 and August 2011, a total of 80 patients underwent primary surgery at a single level for lumbar disc herniation. The patients were divided into two groups: decompression alone and decompression with instrumented fusion. An independent examiner clinically evaluated the patients at preoperation and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. The patients filled out the instruments for back and leg pain using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (ODI), and Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores. The differences between the two groups were analyzed.

Results
The mean age of all the patients at the time of surgery was 33.7 years. Of the 80 patients, 38 patients underwent decompression alone and 42 patients underwent posterior lumbar interbody fusion. Increasing complexity of surgery was associated with a longer surgery time, greater blood loss, and a longer hospital stay after surgery. Both methods of surgery independently improved outcomes compared with baseline status based on VAS, ODI, and JOA scores (P <0.05), and no significant differences were found between the two groups at most of the measuring points in time, although patients with decompression alone had a higher JOA score (P=0.016) and higher JOA recovery rate (P=0.010) at the 3-month follow-up.

Conclusions
The short-term results of our study showed that both methods of surgery obtained effective clinical outcomes, but decompression alone had some advantages (shorter surgery time, less blood loss, shorter hospital stay, and lower cost) compared with decompression with instrumented fusion. Young patients with decompression alone could achieve great physical function earlier.
A meta-analysis of carotid endarterectomy versus stenting in the treatment of symptomatic carotid stenosis
Authors: WANG Liang , LIU Xiao-zhi , LIU Zhen-lin , LAN Feng-ming , SHI Wan-chao , LIU Jun , ZHANG Jian-ning 
Published: January 2024

Background
Carotid stenosis is one of the common reasons for patients with ischemic stroke, and the two invasive options carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS) are the most popular treatments. But the relative efficacy and safety of the methods are not clear.

Methods
About 521 articles related to CAS and CEA for carotid stenosis published in 1995-2011 were retrieved from MEDLINE, Cochrane Library (CL), and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) China Journal Full-Test database. Of them, eight articles were chosen. Meta-analysis was used to assess the relative risks.

Results
The eight studies included 3873 patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis, including 1941 cases in the carotid stent angioplasty group, and 1932 cases in the carotid endarterectomy group. Fixed effect model analysis showed that within 30 days of incidence of all types of strokes, surgery was significantly highly preferred in CAS patients (CAS group) than the CEA patients (CEA group), and the difference was statistically significant (relative ratio (RR)=1.80, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.380-2.401, P<0.0001). But the incidence of death in the two groups is not showed and is not statistically significant after 30 days (RR=1.52, 95% CI: 0.82-2.82, P=0.18). The rate of cranial nerve injury in the CAS group is lower than the CEA group (RR=0.14, 95% CI: 0.05-0.43, P=0.0005). The incidence of CAS patients with myocardial infarction is lower than the CEA group after 30 days, but statistically meaningless (RR=0.22, 95% CI: 0.05-1.02, P=0.05). The stroke or death in CAS patients were higher than the CEA group after 1 year of treatment ((RR=2.58, 95% CI: 1.03-6.48, P=0.04).

Conclusions
Compared to CAS, carotid endarterectomy is still the preferred treatment methodology of symptomatic carotid artery stenosis. Future meta-analyses should then be performed in long-term follow-up to support this treatment recommendation.
Clinical and histopathological characteristics of basal cell carcinoma in Chinese patients
Authors: CHANG Jian-min , GAO Xiao-man 
Published: January 2024

Background
The clinical and histopathological characteristics of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) have been relatively well studied in Caucasian population. To characterize BCC in Chinese population, we analyzed the association of the histopathological subtypes with gender, age and anatomical location in this study.

Methods
The clinical and histopathological data of 243 BCC cases diagnosed at three hospitals in Beijing from January 2000 to April 2009 were reviewed retrospectively. Gender, age, location and histopathological subtype were analyzed.

Results
Among 243 patients enrolled, 118 were males and 125 were females. The male/female ratio was 0.94:1. The mean age was (65.16±12.62) years old. The head and neck were the most common sites of BCC (77.4%). Of the BCCs, 53.9% were nodular, 18.9% superficial and 18.5% infiltrative-morphoeic. The nodular, infiltrative-morphoeic and micronodular subtypes were predominant located on the head and neck, whereas the trunk was the most common location for the superficial subtype (P <0.05). The age at first presentation for females was lower than that for males (P <0.05). The age at first presentation for the superficial BCCs was younger than the non-superficial subtypes (P <0.05). Women with superficial BCC subtype visited hospital earlier than men (P <0.05).

Conclusions
Consistent with previous reports in Caucasian patient, our study find that different histopathological subtypes of BCC has distinct clinical features. It is speculated that the mechanisms underlining the pathogenesis of the superficial BCC may be different than those of non-superficial subtypes of BCC.
Construction and identification of an RNA interference lentivirus vector targeting the Ras homology C gene of melanoma cells
Authors: Wang Qiying , Wang Ximei , Zhai Xiaomei , Zhang Jianwen , Chen Minjing , Liu Linbo 
Published: January 2024

Background
Melanoma has the highest mortality among all superficial malignant tumors. The poor prognosis is due to its high metastasis rate and the lack of therapeutic targets. As a molecular switch that controls tumor metastasis, Ras homology C (RhoC) has been correlated with tumor progression, especially tumor invasion and metastasis. However, little research has been done about the effects of RNA interference (RNAi) targeting RhoC on the invasion and metastasis of melanoma. In this study, we constructed an RNAi lentivirus vector targeting the RhoC gene of melanoma cells and identified its silencing effects on the RhoC gene.

Methods
Based on the RhoC gene encoding information, three pGPU6/GFP/Neo-short hairpin (shRNA) plasmids were constructed. After detecting their silencing effects on the RhoC gene of A375 cells, the most effective pGPU6/GFP/ Neo-shRNA plasmid was packed with lentivirus to construct the recombinant pLenti6.3-EGFP-453 targeting RhoC. The lentivirus vector was used to infect A375 cells, and then the expression of RhoC mRNA and protein were determined with real-time PCR and Western blotting.

Results
The plasmids pGPU6/GFP/Neo-shRNA 336, pGPU6/GFP/Neo-shRNA 453, and pGPU6/GFP/Neo-shRNA 680 were constructed. After they were transfected into A375 cells, the expressions of RhoC mRNA and protein were 1.47±0.26, 1.13±0.16, 1.39±0.11 and 70.98±9.21, 50.67±6.06, 65.77±4.06, respectively. pGPU6/GFP/Neo-shRNA 453 was the most effective sequence, and was used to successfully construct the pLenti6.3-EGFP-453 lentiviral vector targeting RhoC. pLenti6.3-EGFP-453 was used to infect A375 cells. The expression of RhoC mRNA and protein were 1.05±0.05 and 62.04±15.86 in the lentivirus group, 4.21±0.24 and 220.86±24.07 in the negative lentivirus control group, and 4.63±0.32 and 257.39±12.30 in the normal control group respectively with the difference between the lentivirus group and the control groups being statistically significant (P <0.05).

Conclusion
The successfully constructed pLenti6.3-EGFP-453 vector targeting the RhoC can effectively infect human melanoma A375 cells in vitro, and significantly inhibit the RhoC mRNA and protein expression.
Liraglutide prevents high glucose level induced insulinoma cells apoptosis by targeting autophagy
Authors: CHEN Ze-fang , LI Yan-bo , HAN Jun-yong , YIN Jia-jing , WANG Yang , ZHU Li-bo , XIE Guang-ying 
Published: January 2024

Background
The pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes is progressive pancreatic beta cell failure with consequential reduced insulin secretion. Glucotoxicity results in the reduction of beta cell mass in type 2 diabetes by inducing apoptosis. Autophagy is essential for the maintenance of normal islet architecture and plays a crucial role in maintaining the intracellular insulin content by accelerating the insulin degradation rate in beta cells. Recently more attention has been paid to the effect of autophagy in type 2 diabetes. The regulatory pathway of autophagy in controlling pancreatic beta cells is still not clear. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether liraglutide can inhibit apoptosis and modulate autophagy in vitro in insulinoma cells (INS-1 cells).

Methods
INS-1 cells were incubated for 24 hours in the presence or absence of high levels of glucose, liraglutide (a long-acting human glucagon-like peptide-1 analogue), or 3-methyadenine (3-MA). Cell viability was measured using the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) viability assay. Autophagy of INS-1 cells was tested by monodansylcadaverine (MDC) staining, an autophagy fluorescent compound used for the labeling of autophagic vacuoles, and by Western blotting of microtubule-associated protein I light chain 3 (LC3), a biochemical markers of autophagic initiation.

Results
The viability of INS-1 cells was reduced after treatment with high levels of glucose. The viability of INS-1 cells was reduced and apoptosis was increased when autophagy was inhibited. The viability of INS-1 cells was significantly increased by adding liraglutide to supplement high glucose level medium compared with the cells treated with high glucose levels alone.

Conclusions
Apoptosis and autophagy were increased in rat INS-1 cells when treated with high level of glucose, and the viability of INS-1 cells was significantly reduced by inhibiting autophagy. Liraglutide protected INS-1 cells from high glucose level-induced apoptosis that is accompanied by a significant increase of autophagy, suggesting that liraglutide plays a role in beta cell apoptosis by targeting autophagy. Thus, autophagy may be a new target for the prevention or treatment of diabetes.
Inhibition of neovascularization and expression shift of pro-/anti-angiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor isoforms after intravitreal bevacizumab injection in oxygen-induced- retinopathy mouse model
Authors: SHI Xuan , ZHAO Min , XIE Wan-kun , LIANG Jian-hong , MIAO Yi-fei , DU Wei , LI Xiao-xin 
Published: January 2024

Background
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) has become one of the leading causes of visual loss in children. Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) is the principal stimulator of angiogenesis. VEGF was differentially spliced from exon 8 to exons 8a and 8b to form two families: the pro-angiogenic VEGFxxx family and the anti-angiogenic VEGFxxxb family. Previous research has shown variable effeteness of bevacizumab in inhibiting retinal neovascularization in ROP. This study aimed to investigate whether the effectiveness of this inhibition depends on the relative ratio of the two VEGF isoforms.

Methods
Intravitreal bevacizumab injection (IVB) was performed in the oxygen-induced-retinopathy (OIR) mice on postnatal day 12 (P12) (intravitreal phosphate buffered saline (PBS) injection as control). The Evans blue perfused retina were used to test the retinal neovascularization-leakage (NVL) area and non-perfusion (NP) area.

Results
The retinal NVL and NP area in the IVB group were significantly smaller than the intravitreal PBS injection group (IVP group). On P17, the protein level of total VEGF isoforms was significantly inhibited compared to IVP group (P <0.05) while VEGF165b isoform was slight reduced (P >0.05). The switch from pro-angiogenic isoforms to anti-angiogenic isoforms after IVB could be found. The relative protein expression of VEGF165b isoform was significantly higher in IVB group than in IVP group (P <0.05) on P17 which was correlated with the reduced ischemia-induced angiogenesis in OIR mice after IVB.

Conclusions
The anti-angiogenic effectiveness might depend on the relative high expression of VEGF165b after intravitreal bevacizumab injection. Anti-angiogenic therapy is a more effective therapy for ROP.
Association between single nucleotide polymorphisms and wheat-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis in Chinese population
Authors: Cai Pei-pei , Yin Jia 
Published: January 2024

Background
Wheat-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis (WDEIA) is a complex disease resulting from interaction of environmental and genetic factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (IL-4-C590T, IL-4RA A1727G and IL-10-A627C) with WDEIA.

Methods
SNP genotyping was conducted among the case subset composing 51 patients with WDEIA and four control subsets by sequencing DNA yielded from polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Statistical analysis of genotype/allele’s frequencies between cases and controls were carried out through Fisher’s exact test with the software of SPSS16.0.

Results
For IL-4-C590T, there were statistically significant differences of genotype frequencies in case-control 1 (P=0.03) and case-control 4 (P=0.001) and statistically significant differences of allele frequencies in three case-control models (case-control 1: OR=4.27 (95% CI=1.40-13.07), P=0.009; case-control 3: OR=1.99 (95% CI=1.13-3.50), P=0.02; case-control 4: OR=2.39 (95% CI=1.49-3.84), P=0.001). All other association studies showed no statistically significant (P >0.05).

Conclusions

IL-4-C590T may be related to the susceptibility of WDEIA, and the minor allele C might be a potential risk factor accounting for WDEIA. IL-4RA A1727G and IL-10-A627C might not be involved in the occurrence of WDEIA.
Hydrogen sulfide is endogenously generated in rat skeletal muscle and exerts a protective effect against oxidative stress
Authors: DU Jian-tong , LI Wei , YANG Jin-yan , TANG Chao-shu , LI Qi , JIN Hong-fang 
Published: January 2024

Background
Skeletal muscle has recently been recognized as an endocrine organ that can express, synthesize and secrete a variety of bioactive molecules which exert significant regulatory effects. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is endogenously produced in mammalian tissues and participates in a number of physiological and pathophysiological processes. We aimed to verify whether H2S could be endogenously generated and released by rat skeletal muscle, and determine the biological effects of H2S in rat skeletal muscle.

Methods
The study was divided into two parts: detection of endogenous H2S generation and release in rat skeletal muscle and determination of antioxidative activity of skeletal muscle-derived H2S. H2S content and production in tissues were detected by sensitive sulfur electrode method. The expressions of H2S producing enzymes cystathionine β-synthase, cystathionine γ-lyase and mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase were detected by real-time PCR and western blotting and their tissue distributions were observed by immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent analysis. Rat skeletal muscular ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) injury model was created and evaluated by histological analysis under microscope. The malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, hydrogen peroxide levels, superoxide anion and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were detected using spectrophotometer.

Results
H2S could be endogenously generated and released by skeletal muscle of Sprague-Dawley rats (H2S content: (2.06±0.43) nmol/mg; H2S production: (0.17±0.06) nmol·min-1·mg-1). Gene and protein expressions of the three H2S producing enzymes were detected in skeletal muscle, as well as the liver and kidney. Endogenous H2S content and production were decreased in skeletal muscles of rats with I-R skeletal muscle injury (P <0.05). Furthermore, H2S significantly protected rat skeletal muscle against I-R injury and resulted in decreased MDA content, reduced hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion levels, but increased SOD activity and protein expression in skeletal muscles (all P <0.01).

Conclusion
H2S generation pathway exists in rat skeletal muscle and it acts as an antioxidant in skeletal muscle.