Electroacupuncture at Baliao points for erectile dysfunction after stroke: a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the clinical effect of electroacupuncture at Baliao points in patients with erectile dysfunction after stroke.@*METHODS@#A total of 58 patients with erectile dysfunction after stroke were randomly divided into an observation group (29 cases, 1 case dropped off, 1 case discontinued) and a control group (29 cases, 1 case dropped off). Both groups were given basic treatment, including routine medical treatment, routine acupuncture treatment, rehabilitation training and pelvic floor biofeedback electrical stimulation treatment. The observation group was treated with electroacupuncture at Baliao points, and the control group was treated with shallow acupuncture combined with electroacupuncture at the control points (8 points at 20 mm horizontally beside Baliao points), continuous wave, frequency in 50 Hz, current intensity in 1-5 mA, 5 times a week for 4 weeks. The 5-item version of the international index of erectile function (IIEF-5) score, erectile dysfunction effect on quality of life (ED-EQoL) score and pelvic floor muscle contraction amplitude were compared between the two groups before and after treatment.@*RESULTS@#After treatment, the IIEF-5 scores and the contraction amplitude of fast muscle fiber, comprehensive muscle fiber and slow muscle fiber in the two groups were higher than those before treatment (P<0.05), the ED-EQoL scores were lower than those before treatment (P<0.05), and the changes of above indexes in the observation group were larger than the control group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Electroacupuncture at Baliao points can improve the erectile function of patients with erectile dysfunction after stroke, increase the contraction amplitude of pelvic floor muscles, and promote the quality of life of patients.

Correlation between the mRNA levels of BCRP and LUNX genes and pathological types and stages of patients with non-small cell lung cancer / 中华医学遗传学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the correlation between the mRNA levels of breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) and lung-specific X protein (LUNX) genes with pathological types and stages of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and their significance for prognosis.@*METHODS@#Eighty nine patients with NSCLC admitted to Huaihe Hospital of Henan University between June 2015 and June 2018 were recruited, with 55 patients with benign lung lesions admitted during the same period of time selected as the control group. The mRNA levels of BCRP and LUNX genes were detected in the peripheral blood samples from the two groups, and their correlation with the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of the patients was analyzed.@*RESULTS@#The expression rates of BCRP and LUNX mRNA in the NSCLC group were significantly higher compared with the control group (P < 0.05). The level of BCRP mRNA of the NSCLC patients has correlated with the degree of differentiation and TNM staging (P < 0.05), but not with gender, age, smoking, pathological types and lymph node metastasis (P > 0.05). The level of LUNX mRNA of them has correlated with the degree of differentiation, TNM staging and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05), but not with gender, age, smoking, and pathological types (P > 0.05). Compared with those with no expression, the overall survival rate of patients with BCRP and LUNX expression was significantly lower (P < 0.05). The degree of differentiation, TNM staging, lymph node metastasis, and expression of the BCRP and LUNX mRNA may all affect the prognosis of the patients.@*CONCLUSION@#The levels of BCRP and LUNX mRNA in the peripheral blood of patients with NSCLC are significantly increased. The expression of BCRP mRNA is correlated with the degree of differentiation and TNM staging, whilst the expression of LUNX mRNA is correlated with the differentiation degree, TNM staging and lymph node metastasis. Both may be used as independent predictors for the prognosis of patients with NSCLC.

Preparation of vitexin albumin nanoparticles and its pharmacokinetic study / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to prepare vitexin albumin nanoparticles(VT-BSA-NPs) to alleviate the low bioavailability of vitexin(VT) in vivo due to its poor water solubility. VT micro powders were prepared by the antisolvent crystallization method, and the morphology, size, and physicochemical properties of VT micro powders were studied. The results showed that the VT micro powder had a particle size of(187.13±7.15) nm, an approximate spherical morphology, and a uniform size distribution. Compared with VT, the chemical structure of VT micro powders has not changed. VT-BSA-NPs were prepared from VT micro powders by desolvation-crosslinking curing method. The preparation process was screened by single factor test and orthogonal test, and the quality evaluation of the optimal prescription particle size, PDI, Zeta potential, EE, and morphology was performed. The results showed that the average particle size of VT-BSA-NPs was(124.33±0.47) nm; the PDI was 0.184±0.012; the Zeta potential was(-48.83±2.20) mV, and the encapsulation rate was 83.43%±0.39%, all of which met the formulation-related requirements. The morphological results showed that the VT-BSA-NPs were approximately spherical in appearance, regular in shape, and without adhesion on the surface. In vitro release results showed a significantly reduced release rate of VT-BSA-NPs compared with VT, indicating a good sustained release effect. LC-MS/MS was used to establish an analytical method for in vivo analysis of VT and study the plasma pharmacokinetics of VT-BSA-NPs in rats. The results showed that the specificity of the analytical method was good, and the extraction recovery was more than 90%. Compared with VT and VT micro powders, VT-BSA-NPs could significantly increase AUC, MRT, and t_(1/2), which was beneficial to improve the bioavailability of VT.

Efficacy of microwave ablation versus radiofrequency ablation in the treatment of colon cancer liver metastases: a meta-analysis / 中华肝胆外科杂志

Objective:To explore the best treatment for local ablation of colon cancer liver metastases (CRLM) by meta-analysis.Methods:The electronic databases of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CNKI and the Cochrane Library were searched from the establishment to August 22, 2022, and studies that report outcomes with comparison between microwave ablation (WMA) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in CRLM treatment were selected by inclusion and exclusion criteria. Furthermore, the perioperative and survival data were statistically summarized and analyzed by Review Manager 5.3 software.Results:A total of 5 retrospective studies were included with a total sample size of 648 cases, including 316 cases (48.8%) in the WMA group and 332 cases (51.2%) in the RFA group. The results of meta-analysis showed that locoregional recurrence rate in WMA group was significantly lower than that in RFA group. The 1-year and 2-year disease-free survival (DFS) of the WMA group was significantly better than that of the RFA group with HR of 1.77 ( P=0.04, 95% CI: 1.04-3.02) and 1.60 ( P=0.02, 95% CI: 1.09-2.35), respectively. Conclusion:The local control rate and 1-year and 2-year DFS of WMA were superior to RFA.

Study on acupoint selection law of acupuncture for autism spectrum disorder based on data mining / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective:To analyze the acupoint selection law of acupuncture for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using data mining techniques.Methods:Literature related to acupuncture for ASD was retrieved from the CNKI, SinoMed, VIP, Wanfang, and PubMed databases from the establishment of the databases to April 1, 2022, and then a database of acupuncture prescriptions was established. The frequency analysis of acupoint use was performed using Microsoft Excel 2019; the Apriori algorithm was used to analyze the association law of acupoints/acupoint areas; SPSS 26.0 was used to perform intergroup cluster analysis.Results:A total of 97 relevant articles with 97 acupuncture prescriptions and 98 acupoints/acupoint areas were included. The most frequently used acupoint was Shenmen (HT 7). The acupoint area of Jin's three-needle therapy and the Governor Vessel acupoints are commonly used. The most frequently occurring part of the acupoint/acupoint area was the head, and the most commonly used specific acupoint was the rendezvous acupoint. Association rule analysis yielded 40 groups of acupoints/acupoint areas, and the most commonly used combination was Laogong (PC 8) and Shenmen (HT 7). Four categories were extracted among high-frequency acupoints/acupoint areas by cluster analysis.Conclusion:Acupuncture treatment for ASD mainly selects the head acupoints, mainly selecting the acupoint area of Jin's three-needle therapy and the Governor Vessel acupoints, and paying attention to the use of specific acupoints.

The application of Xing's ureteroileal anastomosis technique in urinary diversion / 中华泌尿外科杂志

Objective:To evaluate the clinical value of Xing's ureteroileal anastomosis technique in radical cystectomy.Methods:The data of 38 patients who underwent radical cystectomy with Xing's ureteroileal anastomosis technique at Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Beijing Chaoyang Hospital from July 2013 to June 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. There were 30 males and 8 females. The mean age was 61.6±15.1 years old. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 25.1±2.7 kg/m 2. The American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) graded 25 cases as grade 1, 10 cases as grade 2 and 3 cases as grade 3. There were 35 cases with stage cT 2N 0M 0 and 3 cases with cT 3N 0M 0. All patients underwent radical cystectomy and ileal conduit, and the ureteroileal anastomosis was performed using the Xing's ureteroileal anastomosis technique. Afferent loop entry was divided equally into two lumens. After 1.5 cm-long lengthwise incisions, each ureter was directly and end-to-end anastomosed to the aforementioned lumens. Postoperative information was recorded, including ureteric stricture, ureteric reflux, hydronephrosis, anastomotic leakage, renal calculus, urinary tract infection, and pyelonephritis. Results:Ureteroileal anastomosis was performed successfully in 38 cases with 76 units. The median follow-up time was 35.6 (17.0, 46.3) months. Three patients developed unilateral anastomotic stenosis after operation. Five patients had unilateral ureteral reflux. Two patients had unilateral hydronephrosis. No anastomotic leakage, urinary tract infection, or pyelonephritis occurred after the operation. Renal calculus appeared in 3 cases, all on the left unit.Conclusions:Xing's ureteroileal anastomosis technique is a simple method with few postoperative and good functional outcomes.

The effect and safety of first-line autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in elderly patients with moderate/high-risk diffuse large B-cell lymphoma / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and related influencing factors of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(auto-HSCT)as first-line consolidation therapy for newly diagnosed elderly patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma(DLBCL).Methods:Retrospective study of clinical characteristics, therapeutic effect, and prognostic factors of newly diagnosed DLBCL elderly patients with an International Prognostic Index(IPI)score≥3 who underwent auto-HSCT in the Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University from January 2015 to August 2020.Results:Among the 31 patients, 18 were males and 13 were females, with a median age of 65(60-75)years.The 13 cases(41.9%)were involved in 2 sites outside lymph nodes, and 13 cases(41.9%)were involved in bone marrow.IPI medium and high risk(IPI=3 points)was found in 21 cases(67.7%), high risk(≥4 points)in 10 cases(32.2%). Before transplantation, 21(67.7%)patients achieved complete remission(CR), and the other 10(32.3%)patients were in the partial remission(PR). All patients after transplantation achieved hematopoietic reconstitution.The median time for neutrophil and platelet engraftment were 10(9-16)days and 12(8-58)days respectively.During a median follow-up of 20.9(3.1 to 73.0)months after transplantation, transplant-related mortality within 100 days was 3.2%(1/31). The 2-year overall survival(OS)and progression-free survival(PFS)were(77.2±8.4)% and(72.7±8.3)%, respectively.Multivariate Cox analysis showed that the achieved partial remission status before auto-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation[OS( HR=30.064, 95% CI: 2.231-405.209, P=0.010), PFS( HR=9.165, 95% CI: 1.926-43.606, P=0.005)], and CD34 + cell count in graft <3×10 6/kg[OS( HR=12.004, 95% CI: 1.234-116.807, P=0.032), PFS( HR=6.115, 95% CI: 1.325-28.221, P=0.020)]were the independent poor prognostic factor affecting both OS and PFS in elderly lymphoma patients. Conclusions:Auto-HSCT may improve the survival rate of carefully selected elderly patients with DLBCL.Pretransplant disease status and the number of CD34 + cells in the graft are important factors to predict the efficiency of auto-HSCT of the patients.

Research Progress of NK Cells in Immunotherapy of Glioma / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

Natural Killer （NK） cells are another type of anti-tumor immune cells with promising clinical application in addition to T cells. NK cell activity is mainly regulated by its surface receptors and immune microenvironment. The strong immunosuppressive microenvironment of glioma results in low efficiency of NK cell immunotherapy. This article reviews NK cells in the immunotherapy for glioma from the interaction of glioma-NK cell， and the latest research progress of targeted NK cells compounds， monoclonal antibody， and cytokine therapy， focusing on the genetic modification of NK cells in the present situation and trend of glioma immunotherapy， and molecular mechanism of glioma cells related to immune escape. We hope this article will provide theoretical basis and new ideas for NK cell-based immunotherapy of glioma.

Emodin Ameliorates High Glucose-Induced Podocyte Apoptosis via Regulating AMPK/mTOR-Mediated Autophagy Signaling Pathway / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effect of emodin on high glucose (HG)-induced podocyte apoptosis and whether the potential anti-apoptotic mechanism of emodin is related to induction of adenosine-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)-mediated autophagy in podocytes (MPC5 cells) in vitro.@*METHODS@#MPC5 cells were treated with different concentrations of HG (2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80 and 160 mmol/L), emodin (2, 4, 8 µ mol/L), or HG (40 mmol/L) and emodin (4 µ mol/L) with or without rapamycin (Rap, 100 nmol/L) and compound C (10 µ mol/L). The viability and apoptosis of MPC5 cells were detected using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. The expression levels of cleaved caspase-3, autophagy marker light chain 3 (LC3) I/II, and AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway-related proteins were determined by Western blot. The changes of morphology and RFP-LC3 fluorescence were observed under microscopy.@*RESULTS@#HG at 20, 40, 80 and 160 mmol/L dose-dependently induced cell apoptosis in MPC5 cells, whereas emodin (4 µ mol/L) significantly ameliorated HG-induced cell apoptosis and caspase-3 cleavage (P<0.01). Emodin (4 µ mol/L) significantly increased LC3-II protein expression levels and induced RFP-LC3-containing punctate structures in MPC5 cells (P<0.01). Furthermore, the protective effects of emodin were mimicked by rapamycin (100 nmol/L). Moreover, emodin increased the phosphorylation of AMPK and suppressed the phosphorylation of mTOR. The AMPK inhibitor compound C (10 µ mol/L) reversed emodin-induced autophagy activation.@*CONCLUSION@#Emodin ameliorated HG-induced apoptosis of MPC5 cells in vitro that involved induction of autophagy through the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway, which might provide a potential therapeutic option for diabetic nephropathy.

Impaired sensitivity to thyroid hormones is associated with ischemic stroke in young and middle-aged euthyroid population / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

【Objective】 To investigate the association of thyroid indices with the prevalence of ischemic stroke in young and middle-aged euthyroid population. 【Methods】 For this retrospective study, 620 euthyroid patients aged from 18 to 65 years were divided into ischemic stroke group (n=308) and non-ischemic stroke group (n=312). The characteristics of the study population; serum thyroid indices, i.e., free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), were collected from biochemical test results. Multivariate conditional logistic regression analyses were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for thyroid indices and ischemic stroke. 【Results】 Compared with non-ischemic stroke group, significant differences were observed in age, gender, weight, smoking status, drinking status, history of hypertension and diabetes, SBP, DBP, FBG, TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, FT3, FT4, FT3/FT4, TFQI, and PTFQI in ischemic stroke patients (all P0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that lower FT3 [OR (95% CI) =0.722 (0.547~0.955) , P=0.022] and FT3/FT4 ratio [OR (95% CI) =0.723 (0.600~0.870) , P=0.001] , FT4 [OR (95% CI) =1.099 (1.011~1.194) , P=0.026] were significantly associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke. After stratified analysis by hypertension, FT4 [OR (95% CI) =1.133 (1.021~1.257) , P=0.019] , lower FT3/FT4 ratio [OR (95% CI) =0.723 (0.600~0.870) , P=0.003] , TFQI [ OR (95% CI) =1.854 (1.026~3.350) , P=0.041] , and PTFQI [OR (95% CI) =1.871 (1.065~3.288) , P=0.029] were significantly associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke in patients combined with hypertension, while after stratified analysis by diabetes, we only found that lower FT3/FT4 ratio [OR (95% CI) =0.730 (0.559~0.953) , 0.704 (0.536~0.944) , P=0.021] and FT4 [OR (95% CI) =1.170 (1.025~1.335) , P=0.026] were significantly associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke in patients combined with diabetes. 【Conclusion】 FT3, FT4, and FT3/FT4 ratio are associated with an increased risk for ischemic stroke in young and middle-aged euthyroid population; TFQI and PTFQ are associated with an increased risk for ischemic stroke in patients combined with hypertension.

Remnant cholesterol is associated with triglyceride and glucose index in young and middle-aged patients with ischemic stroke / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

【Objective】 To investigate the association between remnant cholesterol (RC) and triglyceride and glucose (TyG) index in young and middle-aged patients with ischemic stroke. 【Methods】 A total of 268 patients were divided into two groups, namely low TyG index group (n=134) and high TyG index group (n=134). Characteristics of the study population and metabolism risk factors (TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, UA) were collected from biochemical test results. Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between metabolism risk factors and TyG index. Multivariate conditional logistic regression analyses were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for RC and TyG index. 【Results】 Compared with the low TyG index group, significant differences were observed for BMI, history of diabetes, history of hypertension, SBP, DBP, FBG, TC, TG, LDL-C, RC, UA, and TyG index in high TyG index group. No significant differences were observed in age, gender, smoking status, or drinking status, HDL-C between the two groups. Spearman correlation analysis indicated that significant linear associations were observed between BMI, SBP, DBP, FBG, TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, RC, UA and TyG index. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the RC, BMI, hypertension, diabetes, TC, LDL-C, and UA were significantly associated with the risk of increased level of TyG index. After adjusted analysis by RC, BMI, hypertension, diabetes, TC, LDL-C, and UA, only RC was significantly associated with an increased risk of increased level of TyG index. 【Conclusion】 Remnant cholesterol was associated with an increased risk of elevated TyG index level in young and middle-aged patients with ischemic stroke.

Efficacy of perioperative use of tigecycline in preventing infection and incidence of hypofibrinogenemia in liver transplant recipients / 器官移植

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of perioperative use of tigecycline in preventing infection and the incidence of hypofibrinogenemia in liver transplant recipients. Methods Clinical data of 40 liver transplant recipients given with tigecycline to prevent infection were retrospectively analyzed. The incidence of infection in recipients and donor-derived infection were analyzed. The changes of clinical indexes in recipients during, upon the completion and (7±2) d after tigecycline treatment were analyzed, respectively. The incidence and treatment of hypofibrinogenemia were summarized. Results Among 40 liver transplant recipients, 2 cases were infected by aspergillus niger and cytomegalovirus, out of the antibacterial spectrum of tigecycline. After adjusting the anti-infection regimen, the infection was properly controlled. Liver allografts were positive for relevant culture in 9 cases, whereas none of them progressed into donor-derived infection. Approximately at postoperative 2 weeks, all 40 recipients restored liver function and were discharged from hospital. Among them, 6 recipients developed hypofibrinogenemia complicated with coagulation disorder at postoperative 2-4 d, whereas transaminase level, bilirubin level and infection-related indexes were gradually decreased after liver transplantation, and albumin level was stable. After supplemented with human fibrinogen and prothrombin complex, coagulation function was improved, but fibrinogen level persistently declined. After terminating use of tigecycline, fibrinogen level was gradually restored to normal range, which might be an adverse drug reaction induced by tigecycline. Conclusions Perioperative anti-infection regimen including tigecycline may reduce the incidence of infection caused by sensitive bacteria in liver transplant recipients. Nevertheless, the incidence of hypofibrinogenemia should be intimately monitored throughout the use of tigecycline.

Research progress of amniotic membrane transplantation in the treatment of ophthalmic diseases / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

Amniotic membrane is the innermost membrane in human placenta. It supports epithelialization and has the characteristics of anti-fibrosis, anti-inflammation and anti-angiogenesis. It is gradually widely used in ophthalmic surgery and other surgical operations. In recently years, the amniotic membrane has been used more frequently in ophthalmic clinic and has achieved better curative effect. This article reviews the application of amniotic membrane transplantation in ocular diseases such as ocular burn, conjunctival disease, corneal disease, pterygium, glaucoma and macular hole. It is expected that amniotic membrane transplantation will bring new ideas for the treatment of ocular diseases.

Research progress on the expression and distribution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 in ocular tissues / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

Since 2019,severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)posed a great threat to human health and social economy, which has brought out hundreds of millions infection and caused millions of deaths worldwide. With the increasing research on SARS-CoV-2, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2(ACE2)has been regarded as a significant functional receptor for SARS-CoV-2 invasion. ACE2 is distributed in many tissues of human body, not only expressed in lung, cardiovascular, kidney tissues, but also in conjunctiva, cornea, uvea, retina and optic nerve tissue. More and more cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection through ocular tissues have been found; however, whether ocular ACE2 plays a role in SARS-CoV-2 infection is not completely clear. Therefore, study on expression and distribution of ACE2 in the ocular tissues can not only provide an in-depth understanding of the mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 infection, but also supply a comprehensive acquaintance with the mechanism of ACE2 action in the ocular tissues. In this paper, we review recent research progress about the expression and distribution of ACE2 in ocular tissues and hope to better understand the mechanism of ACE2 in the pathophysiological processes of ocular tissues.

Recombinant Human Peroxiredoxin-5 Improves Anti-tumor Immunity by Inducing Macrophage Polarization / 中国生物化学与分子生物学报

Tumor cells can use different strategies to suppress the immune system and disable them for killing tumor cells. Previous studies have shown that recombinant human peroxiredoxin-5 (hPRDX5) can activate the normal anti-tumor immune, so as to control and eliminate the tumor cells, but its exact mechanism of action needs to be studied in depth. The study aimed to investigate whether hPRDX5 exerts its anti-tumor activity by activating or reversing the polarization state of mouse macrophages RAW264. 7 cells. The results of CCK8 showed that different doses of hPRDX5 could significantly enhance the viability of macrophage compared with the control group (P < 0. 001); The results of Nitric oxide (NO) test showed that hPRDX5 significantly enhanced NO secretion levels in RAW264. 7 cells (P < 0. 001); ELISA experiments revealed that hPRDX5 promotes TNF-α (P<0. 01) and IL-6 (P<0. 001) secretion in RAW264. 7 cells; Flow cytometry revealed that hPRDX5 increased the expression of antigen differentiation cluster (CD) 80 (P < 0. 01) and inducible nitric oxide oxide synthase (iNOS) (P < 0. 001) in RAW264. 7 cells, and reduced the expression of CD206 (P < 0. 001) in RAW264. 7 cells induced by tumor conditional culture solution (TCS); Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) experiments revealed that hPRDX5 can increase the killing activity of mouse macrophages on mouse pancreatic cancer Panc02 cells. hPRDX5 is able to activate mouse macrophage RAW264. 7 cells, promotes its M1-type polarization, reverses M2-type polarization, and exerts antitumor activity through the immune-enhancing effect.

Developmental comparison between cerebral organoids in vitro and body's cortices in vivo / 解剖学报

Objective To understand the characteristics and developmental differences between cerebral organoids in vitro and normal cerebral cortices in vivo. Methods 1. Grouping: cerebral cortices in vivo group and cultured cerebral organoids in vitro group. 2. Sample collection: cortical tissues were collected from Kunming mouse embryos at embryonic day 7.5(E7.5), E9.5, E11.5, E14.5, and postnatal day 3 (P3) or P7. Three specimens were taken from each group. Meanwhile, cerebral organoids were cultured with mouse induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and samples at different culture time point were collected, and more than 3 samples were collected at each time point. 3. Detection method: the distribution of different types of cells in each group of specimens was analyzed by immunofluorescent staining. Results While relative similarities between in vivo cerebral cortical development and the cerebral organoids in vitro were observed, including the histogenesis, and the morphological differentiation of nerve cells and glial cells, the lamellar architecture of cerebral cortex in mouse brain was not observed in cerebral organoids. Conclusion The development of cerebral organoids in vitro has some similarity with body's cortical development. Therefore, cerebral organoids can be used to a substitution of cortex and diseases' models, but improvement of the existing technologies is necessary.

Thirteen new peptaibols with antimicrobial activities from Trichoderma sp / 中国天然药物

From the fungus Trichoderma sp., we isolated seven novel 18-residue peptaibols, neoatroviridins E-K (1-7), and six new 14-residue peptaibols, harzianins NPDG J-O (8-13). Additionally, four previously characterized 18-residue peptaibols neoatroviridins A-D (14-17) were also identified. The structural configurations of the newly identified peptaibols (1-13) were determined by comprehensive nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high-resolution electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS/MS) data. Their absolute configurations were further determined using Marfey's method. Notably, compounds 12 and 13 represent the first 14-residue peptaibols containing an acidic amino acid residue. In antimicrobial assessments, all 18-residue peptaibols (1-7, 14-17) exhibited moderate inhibitory activities against Staphylococcus aureus 209P, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 8-32 μg·mL-1. Moreover, compound 9 exhibited moderate inhibitory effect on Candida albicans FIM709, with a MIC value of 16 μg·mL-1.

Electroacupuncture alleviates postoperative pain through inhibiting neuroinflammation via stimulator of interferon genes/type-1 interferon pathway / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE@#This work explores the impact of electroacupuncture (EA) on acute postoperative pain (APP) and the role of stimulator of interferon genes/type-1 interferon (STING/IFN-1) signaling pathway modulation in the analgesic effect of EA in APP rats.@*METHODS@#The APP rat model was initiated through abdominal surgery and the animals received two 30 min sessions of EA at bilateral ST36 (Zusanli) and SP6 (Sanyinjiao) acupoints. Mechanical, thermal and cold sensitivity tests were performed to measure the pain threshold, and electroencephalograms were recorded in the primary somatosensory cortex to identify the effects of EA treatment on APP. Western blotting and immunofluorescence were used to examine the expression and distribution of proteins in the STING/IFN-1 pathway as well as neuroinflammation. A STING inhibitor (C-176) was administered intrathecally to verify its role in EA.@*RESULTS@#APP rats displayed mechanical and thermal hypersensitivities compared to the control group (P < 0.05). APP significantly reduced the amplitude of θ, α and γ oscillations compared to their baseline values (P < 0.05). Interestingly, expression levels of proteins in the STING/IFN-1 pathway were downregulated after inducing APP (P < 0.05). Further, APP increased pro-inflammatory factors, including interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α and inducible nitric oxide synthase, and downregulated anti-inflammatory factors, including interleukin-10 and arginase-1 (P < 0.05). EA effectively attenuated APP-induced painful hypersensitivities (P < 0.05) and restored the θ, α and γ power in APP rats (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, EA distinctly activated the STING/IFN-1 pathway and mitigated the neuroinflammatory response (P < 0.05). Furthermore, STING/IFN-1 was predominantly expressed in isolectin-B4- or calcitonin-gene-related-peptide-labeled dorsal root ganglion neurons and superficial laminae of the spinal dorsal horn. Inhibition of the STING/IFN-1 pathway by intrathecal injection of C-176 weakened the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of EA on APP (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#EA can generate robust analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects on APP, and these effects may be linked to activating the STING/IFN-1 pathway, suggesting that STING/IFN-1 may be a target for relieving APP. Please cite this article as: Ding YY, Xu F, Wang YF, Han LL, Huang SQ, Zhao S, Ma LL, Zhang TH, Zhao WJ, Chen XD. Electroacupuncture alleviates postoperative pain through inhibiting neuroinflammation via stimulator of interferon genes/type-1 interferon pathway. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(5): 496-508.

Double heterozygous pathogenic mutations in KIF3C and ZNF513 cause hereditary gingival fibromatosis / 国际口腔科学杂志·英文版

Hereditary gingival fibromatosis (HGF) is a rare inherited condition with fibromatoid hyperplasia of the gingival tissue that exhibits great genetic heterogeneity. Five distinct loci related to non-syndromic HGF have been identified; however, only two disease-causing genes, SOS1 and REST, inducing HGF have been identified at two loci, GINGF1 and GINGF5, respectively. Here, based on a family pedigree with 26 members, including nine patients with HGF, we identified double heterozygous pathogenic mutations in the ZNF513 (c.C748T, p.R250W) and KIF3C (c.G1229A, p.R410H) genes within the GINGF3 locus related to HGF. Functional studies demonstrated that the ZNF513 p.R250W and KIF3C p.R410H variants significantly increased the expression of ZNF513 and KIF3C in vitro and in vivo. ZNF513, a transcription factor, binds to KIF3C exon 1 and participates in the positive regulation of KIF3C expression in gingival fibroblasts. Furthermore, a knock-in mouse model confirmed that heterozygous or homozygous mutations within Zfp513 (p.R250W) or Kif3c (p.R412H) alone do not led to clear phenotypes with gingival fibromatosis, whereas the double mutations led to gingival hyperplasia phenotypes. In addition, we found that ZNF513 binds to the SOS1 promoter and plays an important positive role in regulating the expression of SOS1. Moreover, the KIF3C p.R410H mutation could activate the PI3K and KCNQ1 potassium channels. ZNF513 combined with KIF3C regulates gingival fibroblast proliferation, migration, and fibrosis response via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK pathways. In summary, these results demonstrate ZNF513 + KIF3C as an important genetic combination in HGF manifestation and suggest that ZNF513 mutation may be a major risk factor for HGF.

Autologous mesenchymal stem cells offer a new paradigm for salivary gland regeneration / 国际口腔科学杂志·英文版

Salivary gland (SG) dysfunction, due to radiotherapy, disease, or aging, is a clinical manifestation that has the potential to cause severe oral and/or systemic diseases and compromise quality of life. Currently, the standard-of-care for this condition remains palliative. A variety of approaches have been employed to restore saliva production, but they have largely failed due to damage to both secretory cells and the extracellular matrix (niche). Transplantation of allogeneic cells from healthy donors has been suggested as a potential solution, but no definitive population of SG stem cells, capable of regenerating the gland, has been identified. Alternatively, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are abundant, well characterized, and during SG development/homeostasis engage in signaling crosstalk with the SG epithelium. Further, the trans-differentiation potential of these cells and their ability to regenerate SG tissues have been demonstrated. However, recent findings suggest that the "immuno-privileged" status of allogeneic adult MSCs may not reflect their status post-transplantation. In contrast, autologous MSCs can be recovered from healthy tissues and do not present a challenge to the recipient's immune system. With recent advances in our ability to expand MSCs in vitro on tissue-specific matrices, autologous MSCs may offer a new therapeutic paradigm for restoration of SG function.