Prognostic significance and relationship of SMAD3 phospho-isoforms and VEGFR-1 in gastric cancer: A clinicopathological study.

Background: The TGF-β/SMAD3 and VEGFR-1 signaling pathways play important roles in gastric cancer metastasis. SMAD3 phosphorylation is a crucial prognostic marker in gastric cancer.

Aim: To determine the prognostic value and relationship of SMAD3 phospho-isoforms and VEGFR-1 in gastric cancer.

The mediation effect of HDL-C: Non-HDL-C on the association between inflammatory score and recurrent coronary events.

Background: Inflammation and lipids are both involved in the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease (CHD). However, the mediation effect of lipoproteins on the association between inflammation and recurrent coronary events in CHD patients remains unclear.

Methods: This was a retrospective study including CHD patients hospitalized in the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine in Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital between January 2011 and December 2012 with the endpoint of recurrent coronary events.

Application of electrogastrogram in assessment of gastric motility in acute pancreatitis.

Electrogastrogram (EGG) can reflect gastric motility disorders in many diseases, but its application in acute pancreatitis (AP) has not been studied. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the value of EGG in assessing the existence of gastric motility disorder in patients with AP and in predicting the severity of AP. Patients with AP admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from June 2020 to December 2020 were enrolled.

Etiological Changes and Prognosis of Hospitalized Patients with Acute Pancreatitis Over a 15-Year Period.

Background: The worldwide incidence of acute pancreatitis (AP) is increasing, but the dominant etiology of AP may vary by country. Mixed etiologies are involved in the increase in the number of AP patients.

Aims: This study was to analyze the etiological changes and prognosis of AP patients and explore the prognosis of AP patients with mixed etiologies.

RBMS3, a downstream target of AMPK, Exerts Inhibitory Effects on Invasion and Metastasis of Lung Cancer.

Lung cancer is a highly malignant disease, primarily due to its propensity for metastasis. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), the principal downstream effector of Liver Kinase B1 (LKB1), orchestrates a broad spectrum of molecular targets, thereby constraining tumor invasion and metastasis. In parallel, the RNA-binding protein RBMS3 (RNA-binding motif, single-stranded-interacting protein 3) plays a pivotal role in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a pivotal process in tumorigenesis.

Elevated CK-MB levels are associated with adverse clinical outcomes in acute pancreatitis: a propensity score-matched study.

Aim: Cardiac injury, reflected by the measured concentrations of chemicals released from injured cardiac muscle, is common in acute pancreatitis (AP). However, there is no adequate evidence assessing the impact of cardiac injury on AP-related outcomes. Creatine kinase-myocardial band (CK-MB) mainly exists in the myocardium.

Early evaluation of waist-to-height ratio for the prediction of worsening acute pancreatitis.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between the waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and the aggravation of acute pancreatitis (AP). This prospective study included AP patients treated from May 2019 to December 2019 in the Department of Gastroenterology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to determine the optimal threshold values for predicting the aggravation of AP.

Defined, low threshold for caesarean section and multidisciplinary team management improves fetal outcome from acute pancreatitis in pregnancy.

Background: Acute pancreatitis in pregnancy (APIP) is associated with increased maternal and fetal mortality.

Objectives: We sought to determine whether a low threshold for cesarean section (C-section) in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) or Predict SAP improves maternal and fetal outcomes in patients with APIP.

Methods: We identified patients with APIP at a single institution from a prospective database and studied fetal and maternal health in APIP before (2005-2014) and after (2015-2019) introduction of multidisciplinary team management with a defined, lowered threshold for C-section.

Serum triglyceride levels are associated with recurrence in patients with acute hypertriglyceridemic pancreatitis.

Aim: To analyze the clinical profile of patients with acute hypertriglyceridemic pancreatitis (HTGP) and explore risk factors for recurrence.

Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted in patients who experienced an attack of HTGP for the first time. Patients were followed until the recurrence of acute pancreatitis (AP) or 1 year.

Recurrence for patients with first episode of hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis: A prospective cohort study.

Background: Data on recurrent hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis (HTG-AP) are scarce.

Objective: To investigate the incidence and risk factors for recurrence of HTG-AP, and the effect of triglyceride (TG) lowering drugs post index attack on recurrence.

Methods: This study was a prospective cohort study of adult patients with first episode of HTG-AP from December 2019 to February 2021 who were followed until recurrence or death, or February 2022.

Clinical characteristics and risk factors of organ failure and death in necrotizing pancreatitis.

Background: Organ failure (OF) and death are considered the most significant adverse outcomes in necrotizing pancreatitis (NP). However, there are few NP-related studies describing the clinical traits of OF and aggravated outcomes.

Purpose: An improved insight into the details of OF and death will be helpful to the management of NP.

Global research trends of immunotherapy and biotherapy for inflammatory bowel disease: a bibliometric analysis from 2002 to 2021.

Background: It is known that inflammatory bowel disease is the result of a defective immune system, and immunotherapy and biological therapy have gradually become important means to treat it. This paper focused on the bibliometric statistical analysis of the current research progress to summarize the research status of this field and analyze the research trends in recent years.

Methods: Two visualization tools, CiteSpace and VOSviewer, were used to explore the data of journals, institutions, countries/regions, authors, references, and keywords for the literature included in the Web of Science Core Collection from January 1, 2002, to December 31, 2021.

Trilobatin promotes angiogenesis after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury via SIRT7/VEGFA signaling pathway in rats.

Angiogenesis plays a pivotal role in the recovery of neurological function after ischemia stroke. Herein, we investigated the effect of trilobatin (TLB) on angiogenesis after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI). The effect of TLB on angiogenesis after CIRI were investigated in mouse brain microvascular endothelium bEnd.

Regulation of gene transcription of B lymphoma Mo-MLV insertion region 1 homolog (Review).

B lymphoma Mo-MLV insertion region 1 homolog (Bmi-1) is a core protein component of the polycomb repressive complex 1 that inhibits cell senescence and maintains the self-renewal ability of stem cells via downregulation of and expression. Bmi-1 serves an important role in hematopoietic stem cell maintenance and neurodevelopment during embryonic development, and it has been shown to enhance tumorigenesis by promoting cancer stem cell self-renewal and epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Emerging evidence suggests that overexpression is closely related to the development and progression of various types of cancer, and that downregulation of Bmi-1 expression can inhibit the proliferation, invasion and metastasis of cancer cells.

AMPK inhibits Smad3-mediated autoinduction of TGF-β1 in gastric cancer cells.

We have previously shown that adenine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) regulates transforming growth factor β (TGF-β)-triggered Smad3 phosphorylation. Here we report that AMPK inhibits TGF-β1 production. First, metformin reduced mRNA levels of TGF-β1 in gastric cancer cells, in parallel to the decrease of its protein abundance.

Metformin attenuates trauma-induced heterotopic ossification via inhibition of Bone Morphogenetic Protein signalling.

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an intracellular sensor of energy homoeostasis that is activated under energy stress and suppressed in energy surplus. AMPK activation leads to inhibition of anabolic processes that consume ATP. Osteogenic differentiation is a process that highly demands ATP during which AMPK is inhibited.

Inonotus obliquus polysaccharides induces apoptosis of lung cancer cells and alters energy metabolism via the LKB1/AMPK axis.

The present study explores the mechanisms underlying the anti-cancer action of Inonotus obliquus polysaccharides (IOP). Thus, we characterized the IOP components extracted from Chaga sclerotium and, found that the extracts contained 70% polysaccharides with an average molecular weight of 4.5 × 10 Da consisting of 75% glucose.

AMP-activated protein kinase regulates cancer cell growth and metabolism via nuclear and mitochondria events.

Adenine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a fuel sensing enzyme that is activated in shortage of energy and inhibited in its surplus. Cancer is a metabolic disease characteristic of aerobic glycolysis, namely Warburg effect, and possesses heterogeneity featured by spatiotemporal hypoxia and normoxia, where AMPK is deeply implicated. The present study delineates the regulation of mitochondrial functions by AMPK in cancer cells.

Photoreceptor Protection by Mesencephalic Astrocyte-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (MANF).

Retinal degenerations are a major cause of vision impairment and blindness. Neuroprotective therapy is a promising therapeutic strategy for retinal degenerative diseases. We investigated a novel neurotrophic factor mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) in the retina.

Metformin and berberine, two versatile drugs in treatment of common metabolic diseases.

Metformin has been used as a glucose lowering drug for several centuries and is now a first-line drug for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Since the discovery that it activates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and reduces risk of cancer, metformin has drawn great attentions. Another drug, berberine, extracted from (root), was an ancient herbal medicine in treating diarrhea.

Mechanisms of AMPK in the maintenance of ATP balance during energy metabolism.

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a conserved sensor of cellular energy change and is activated by increased AMP/ATP and/or ADP/ATP ratios. AMPK maintains the energy balance by decreasing the ATP-consuming processes such as transcription of synthetic fat genes and rRNA, the translation of ribosomal proteins, synthesis of cholesterol and fatty acid, while the metabolic pathways such as glucose and fatty transport, fatty acid oxidation, autophagy, mitochondrial synthesis and oxidative metabolism are increased to preserve ATP during energy deficiency. Recent advance has demonstrated that AMPK activity has a close association with the initiation and progression in various cancers.

Clinical characteristics of acute pancreatitis in pregnancy: experience based on 121 cases.

Purpose: Acute pancreatitis in pregnancy (APIP) is a rare condition; however, it markedly affects maternal and fetal health. This study aimed to describe the types, clinical characteristics, mortality, and the safety and necessity of gestation termination of acute pancreatitis in pregnancy (APIP).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 121 APIP cases in the Gastroenterology Department of The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University.