American journal of translational research最新文献

Objective: To investigate the risk factors for premature rupture of membranes (PROM) and preterm birth in pregnant women following cervical conization. A nomogram model was developed and validated to predict the occurrence of PROM and preterm birth in this population.

Methods: A total of 100 pregnant women who had undergone cervical conization between January 2014 and December 2023 were included. The participants were divided into two groups: 52 in the PROM group and 48 in the non-PROM group. Additionally, 43 cases were in the preterm birth group, and 57 were in the full-term group. Maternal age, body mass index (BMI) during pregnancy, and the conization method were recorded. A nomogram model was constructed to predict PROM and preterm birth, with the predictive performance evaluated using the area under the ROC curve (AUC), C-index, and decision curve analysis (DCA).

Results: Univariate and multivariate regression analyses identified pre-pregnancy obesity, advanced maternal age, time after conization, and second-trimester cervical length as significant risk factors for PROM and preterm birth. These factors were incorporated into a clinical nomogram. Calibration curves demonstrated excellent internal and external accuracy for the model. The AUC for the nomogram was 0.8746. DCA showed the clinical utility of the model when the threshold probability ranged from 20% to 60%.

Conclusion: Pre-pregnancy obesity, advanced maternal age, time since conization (<12 months), and second-trimester cervical length (<25 mm) were identified as independent risk factors for predicting PROM and preterm birth in pregnant women after cervical conization.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of subcutaneous specific immunotherapy (SCIT) for allergic rhinitis (AR) combined with asthma.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of clinical data from 93 patients with AR combined with asthma admitted to our hospital from January 2022 to January 2023 was conducted. Based on the treatment interventions received, the patients were divided into a control group (n=46, receiving sublingual specific immunotherapy [SLIT]) and an observation group (n=47, receiving SCIT). Clinical treatment response, lung function, levels of immune indicators, levels of inflammatory indicators, and occurrence of adverse reactions were compared between the two groups.

Results: The total response rate was 95.74% in the observation group and 84.78% in the control group (P > 0.05). In terms of scores for symptom assessment, Total Nasal Symptom Score (TNSS), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS), and Nasal Allergy Symptom Score (NASS) scores in both groups decreased after treatment, with greater decreases in the observation group (P < 0.05). In addition, lung function was improved in both groups after treatment as reflected by increased Forced Expiratory Volume in one second to Forced Vital Capacity ratio (FEV1/FVC) and Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) levels, with greater increases found in the observation group (P < 0.05). Among the immune and inflammatory indicators, Cluster of Differentiation 14 (CD14) and Interleukin-33 (IL-33) levels decreased, while Secretory Protein D-1 (SPD-1), serum Immunoglobulin G4 (sIgG4), Interferon-γ (INF-γ), and Interleukin-27 (IL-27) levels increased in both groups after treatment, with greater changes observed in the observation group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the observation group (14.89%) and the control group (21.74%) (P > 0.05).

Conclusion: In the treatment of AR combined with asthma, SCIT can better alleviate clinical symptoms, improve lung function, regulate immune and inflammatory responses in patients, and does not increase the risk of adverse reactions compared to SLIT.

Objective: The development of objective assessment tools for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has become a hot research topic. The aim was to explore the value of the P300 wave and integrated visual and auditory continuous performance test (IVA-CPT) in diagnosing ADHD.

Methods: We enrolled 30 patients with ADHD and 30 age-matched healthy volunteers in a prospective study to evaluate differences in IVA-CPT and P300 indexes using student t test. These tools' accuracy in identifying ADHD patients was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Additionally, the correlation between P300 and IVA-CPT in ADHD patients was evaluated using Pearson correlation analysis.

Results: Compared with healthy volunteers, ADHD patients showed longer latency and lower amplitude, and had lower scores of IVA-CPT (P<0.01). There was no significant difference of latency, amplitude, and area below the amplitude of the P300 wave and in the score of IVA-CPT for age and gender within-ADHD groups (P>0.05). Moreover, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed high accuracy of P300 and IVA-CPT in identifying ADHD patients. Furthermore, both P300 index and IVA-CPT had high accuracy and performance in identification of ADHDin, ADHDhi, and ADHDcom. However, for different subtypes of ADHD, no significant differences were observed of ROC curves between subgroups (P>0.05). In addition, the performance in IVA-CPT was positively correlated with the amplitude, and negatively correlated with the latency of P300.

Conclusion: These results support the discriminant validity of P300 and IVA-CPT in distinguishing ADHD patients, providing a theoretical basis for P300 and IVA-CPT testing in the clinical diagnosis of ADHD.

Objective: To systematically evaluate the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the comprehensive post-resection treatment of primary liver cancer.

Methods: Clinical studies on TCM in the comprehensive treatment of primary liver cancer post-resection were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane and Google Scholar databases. The search encompassed the period from the inception of each database up to June 28, 2024. Two independent reviewers conducted literature screening based on pre-established inclusion and exclusion criteria, performed data extraction, and evaluated the risk of bias and the methodological quality of the included studies. A meta-analysis was conducted utilizing Review Manager 5.3 software.

Results: A total of 12 studies involving 19,116 patients were included in this study. The meta-analysis revealed that TCM treatment following liver cancer resection significantly reduced the recurrence rate, mortality and incidence of adverse events (RR = 0.76, 95% CI 0.70-0.83, P < 0.00001; RR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.71-0.88, P < 0.0001; RR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.57-0.89, P = 0.003). Additionally, TCM notably increased the 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rate (RR = 1.08, 95% CI 1.05-1.11, P < 0.00001; RR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.14-1.23, P < 0.00001; RR = 1.26, 95% CI 1.12-1.42, P < 0.0001), and extended the recurrence-free survival time and the 5-year overall survival time (HR = 0.72, 95% CI 0.65-0.81, P < 0.00001; HR = 0.73, 95% CI 0.61-0.87, P = 0.0004) in patients with primary liver cancer after resection.

Conclusion: TCM has a beneficial impact on the comprehensive treatment of primary liver cancer post-resection. However, further validation through higher-quality clinical studies is warranted.

Objective: To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion in treating post-stroke aphasia through meta-analysis.

Methods: Major Chinese and international databases were searched from their inception to December 2023. The search terms included "randomized controlled clinical studies on acupuncture treatment for stroke-related aphasia". After screening by specialists, the selected studies were analyzed using RevMan 5.3 software.

Results: A total of 1,900 documents were retrieved, of which 10 studies involving 848 cases met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. The results indicated that traditional Chinese acupuncture could enhance the effectiveness of language rehabilitation training both as a standalone treatment and in combination with other assessment measures. Acupuncture improved the clinical effectiveness of language rehabilitation training for patients with post-stroke aphasia (RR = 3.75, 95% CI [2.54, 2.55], P < 0.00001). When combined with language rehabilitation therapy, acupuncture significantly improved patients' comprehension (MD = 0.95, 95% CI [0.89, 1.02], P < 0.00001), repetition (MD = 0.82, 95% CI [0.76, 0.88], P < 0.00001), reading (MD = 1.95, 95% CI [1.89, 2.01], P < 0.00001), and spontaneous speech abilities (MD = 10.90, 95% CI [9.56, 12.23], P < 0.00001), compared to the control group.

Conclusion: Acupuncture improves the clinical efficacy of language rehabilitation training for stroke-related aphasia. It also enhanced patients' comprehension, repetition, and spontaneous speech abilities more effectively than monotherapy. However, the overall quality of the included studies was low, emphasizing the need for high-quality randomized controlled trials to further validate these findings.

Objective: To investigate the value of amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) combined with neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in the diagnosis and prognostic assessment of neonatal brain injury.

Methods: Clinical data from 94 neonates with brain injury and 90 neonates without, admitted to Baoji Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital between September 2022 and February 2024, were retrospectively analyzed. The relationship between aEEG score, NSE level, and Neurobehavioral Neurological Assay (NBNA) score was analyzed by Pearson's correlation analysis. Independent factors affecting the prognosis of the neonates were identified by unifactorial and multifactorial analyses, and the predictive value was assessed using ROC curves.

Results: The aEEG score was significantly lower while the NSE level was considerably higher in newborns with brain injury compared to those without (both P<0.001). aEEG score was positively correlated with the NBNA score (r=0.718, P<0.001), NSE level was negatively correlated with NBNA score (r=-0.785, P<0.001), and aEEG score was negatively correlated with NSE level (r=-0.749, P<0.001). The aEEG score and NSE level demonstrated good predictive value for neonatal brain injury, with AUC values of 0.903 and 0.897, respectively. The AUC of combined assessment was 0.917. Multifactorial analysis showed that intrauterine distress (OR: 3.385, 95% CI: 1.033-11.903, P=0.048) and higher NSE level (OR: 1.516, 95% CI: 1.117-2.136, P=0.011) were independent risk factors for poor prognosis of neonates with brain injury, while higher aEEG scores (OR: 0.587, 95% CI: 0.370-0.884, P=0.015) was an independent protective factor. Intrauterine distress, aEEG score, and NSE predicted poor prognostic outcomes with AUCs of 0.639, 0.809, and 0.827, and the combined diagnosis had an AUC of 0.871.

Conclusion: aEEG combined with NSE level can effectively predict neonatal brain injury and prognosis, providing a valuable reference for early diagnosis and intervention.

Background: Morinda officinalis saponins (MOS), a traditional Chinese medicine extracted from M. officinalis roots, have been used as a health supplement. Existing evidence suggests that extracts from this plant can be used for osteoporosis treatment. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-osteoporotic effects of M. officinalis remain poorly understood.

Methods and results: In this study, we investigated the osteogenesis-promoting effects of MOS on human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (HUC-MSCs). Alkaline phosphatase staining, alizarin red staining, and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR demonstrated that MOS promoted the osteogenic differentiation of HUC-MSCs in a concentration-dependent manner. RNA sequencing results showed that the expression of key osteogenic differentiation-related genes, including BMP4, as well as the activity of transforming growth factor-β and calcium signaling pathways increased following MOS treatment. Furthermore, treatment with the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) antagonist Noggin reversed the MOS-induced pro-osteogenic differentiation effects and the upregulation of osteoblast-specific markers.

Conclusions: Overall, the results indicate that MOS can partially promote osteogenic differentiation of HUC-MSCs by regulating the BMP-SMAD signaling pathway. These findings indicate the potential utility of MOS as a therapeutic agent for osteoporosis, particularly in the context of stem cell therapy.

Background: The human lens is a highly organized tissue, and it is constructed of delicate inner architectures that ensure its transparency. However, the pattern of cell distribution in the intact lens has rarely been observed or traced in a three-dimensional (3D) perspective.

Methods: Here, we modified and compared three different kinds of tissue transparency methods to investigate the cellular and molecular changes in the human lens at different ages from a 3D perspective.

Results: First, we analyzed the general 3D parameters of cleared human lenses from 6 months to 72 years of age and found that the equator proportion remained constant with age (23.05% ± 0.36). Next, we visualized the cellular distribution patterns in the anterior capsule and equator, as well as the distribution of cortical fiber cells. Interestingly, we observed the accumulation of equatorial epithelium in adolescents and the asymmetrical denucleation of cortical fiber cells in the elderly. Zonula occludens-1 and tropomyosin receptor kinase A were also identified in the pre-equatorial germinative zone, and its presence decreased when comparing lenses of a 17-year-old to those of a 49-year-old.

Conclusion: We present a 3D cellular and molecular reconstruction of the human lens, illustrating the observed alterations in human lens epithelial cells across different ages.

Objective: To analyze the effects of acupuncture combined with auricular bean embedding on autonomic nervous dysfunction, heart rate variability and psychological state of migraine patients.

Method: Sixty migraine patients admitted to our hospital from August 2022 to June 2023 were selected for this retrospective study. Based on their treatment protocols, the patients were divided into the acupuncture alone group (control group) and acupuncture combined with auricular bean embedding group (observation group), with 30 cases in each group. The clinical effects in the two groups were compared. The heart rate variability (low-frequency power, high-frequency power, standard deviation of all normal sinus intervals) of patients between the two groups after treatment was compared. The SF-McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) scores were compared between the two groups before and after treatment, as were psychological scores using the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) and quality of life (QOL) scores. The autonomic nervous dysfunction was also compared between the two groups before and after treatment.

Results: The observation group showed superior clinical efficacy compared to the control group (χ²=8.161, P=0.043). Clinical features scale (CFS) scores significantly decreased in both groups post-treatment, with greater reduction in the observation group (t=4.283, P < 0.001). Heart rate variability parameters also showed significant improvements in the observation group, including increases in both low-frequency power and high-frequency power (t=2.010, P=0.049; t=2.111, P=0.039 respectively) and standard deviation of sinus intervals (t=2.435, P=0.018). Post-treatment SF-MPQ scores were significantly lower in the observation group compared to the control group (t=17.709, P < 0.001), indicating reduced pain. Anxiety levels, as measured by HAM-A scores, decreased more significantly in the observation group compared to the control group (t=3.429, P=0.001). Both groups showed significant improvements in quality of life, with the observation group saw more substantial effects (t=7.235, P < 0.001).

Conclusion: Acupuncture combined with auricular bean embedding effectively improves autonomic nervous dysfunction, enhances the activity of the autonomic nervous system, including both sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves, restores autonomic nerve balance, and relieves clinical symptoms of migraine patients. It also demonstrates significant therapeutic efficacy and holds substantial value in clinical application and warrants promotion.

Objectives: To investigate the effect of nursing risk management in cardiovascular interventional catheterization rooms, reduce perioperative complications and enhance treatment outcomes.

Methods: This retrospective study included 60 patients who underwent cardiovascular interventional surgery at the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2023 to January 2024. Patients were divided into two groups based on the nursing approach received. The observation group (n=32) received nursing risk management intervention, while the control group (n=28) received routine nursing care. Outcomes compared included psychological status, nursing satisfaction, postoperative complications, and general clinical information.

Results: Both groups showed significant reductions in Self-Rating Anxiety Scale and Self-Rating Depression Scale scores, with the observation group achieving lower scores post-intervention (both P<0.05). Nursing satisfaction was higher in the observation group (93.75%) compared to the control group (78.57%) (P<0.05). The rate of postoperative complications was lower in the observation group (6.2% vs. 17.9%) (P=0.047). Multiple regression analysis identified urinary retention (P=0.007) and nursing risk management (P<0.001) as independent factors influencing patients' psychological status.

Conclusion: Nursing risk management in cardiovascular interventional catheterization rooms can reduce anxiety and depression, decrease postoperative complications, and improve nursing satisfaction.