Advances and Applications of Brain Organoids / 神经科学通报·英文版

Understanding the fundamental processes of human brain development and diseases is of great importance for our health. However, existing research models such as non-human primate and mouse models remain limited due to their developmental discrepancies compared with humans. Over the past years, an emerging model, the "brain organoid" integrated from human pluripotent stem cells, has been developed to mimic developmental processes of the human brain and disease-associated phenotypes to some extent, making it possible to better understand the complex structures and functions of the human brain. In this review, we summarize recent advances in brain organoid technologies and their applications in brain development and diseases, including neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, psychiatric diseases, and brain tumors. Finally, we also discuss current limitations and the potential of brain organoids.

Expression of the cassava nitrate transporter NRT2.1 enables Arabidopsis low nitrate tolerance

The cassava grows well on low-nutrient soils because of its high-affinity to absorb nitrate. However, the molecular mechanisms by which cassava adapts itself to this environment remain elusive, although we have cloned a putative gene named MeNRT2.1 which has a crucial role in high-affinity nitrate transporter from cassava seeding. Here, the expression pattern of MeNRT2.1 was further assessed using the GUS activity driven by MeNRT2.1 promoter in Arabidopsis transformation plants. The GUS activity was monitored over time following the reduction of nitrate supply. The GUS gene expression not only peaked in roots after 12 h in 0.2mM nitrate media, but also stained stems and leaves. Arabidopsis plants with overexpression of MeNRT2.1 increased the biomass compared to the wild type on rich nitrogen (N-full) media. However, chlorate sensitivity analysis showed that Arabidopsis plants expressing MeNRT2.1 were more susceptable to chlorate than wild type. Significantly, after growing for 15 days on media containing 0.2mM nitrate concentration, wild-type plants became yellowor died, while the transgenic MeNRT2.1 Arabidopsis plants maintained normal growth. With significant increases in the amount of 15NO− 3 uptake in roots, the MeNRT2.1 plants also increased the contents of chlorophyll and nitrate reductase. Taken together, these results demonstrate that MeNRT2.1 has an important role in adaptation to low nitrate concentration as a nitrate transporter.

Endometrial stromal nodule: a report of 7 cases and literature review / 中国实用妇科与产科杂志

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the diagnosis and clinical treatment of endometrial stromal nodules(ESN).METHODS: The clinical data of 7 cases of patients with endometrial stromal nodule in our hospital from 2011 January to2018 January were retrospectively analyzed.RESULTS: The median age of 7 patients was 46 years(29-60 years).The clinical manifestations were irregular menstruation and abdominal pain,and a few were asymptomatic.In 5 cases,no echo area was found in the tumor by color Doppler ultrasound,and in 2 cases,the boundary of the tumor was not clear and the blood flow signal was found in the tumor.Four patients underwent MRI and all had high signal on DWI,3 patients showed T2 WI high signal,and 1 patient had slightly lower T2 WI signal.All patients underwent total hysterectomy and were followed up to February 2018,with an average follow-up time of 30 months(1-96 months).No recurrence or malignant change was found in 7 patients.CONCLUSION:s ESN is a benign tumor.DWI shows obvious high signal and clear boundary in MRI,and Doppler ultrasound shows low echo mass in uterus with no echo area or abnormal blood flow signal.Curettage and biopsy under hysteroscopy are helpful for diagnosis.Patients of childbearing age can choose simple tumor resection and should be followed up closely after operation.For postmenopausal women or those with no desire children,hysterectomy and postoperative routine physical examination are recommended.

Role of endothelial cell injury in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy / 中国糖尿病杂志

[Summary] Diabetic nephropathy is one of the major chronic microvascular complications of diabetes ,which is the leading cause of end‐stage renal disease ,as well as the main cause of death in diabetic patients. Glomerular endothelial cell is an important component of the glomerular filtration barrier ,which is directly related to the materials of circulation ,and it can be easily damaged by glucose ,lipid and inflammatory factors. Under the hyperglycemia ,the PKC pathway ,the polyol pathway and oxidative stress were activated ,producing an excess of advanced glycation end products and reactive oxygen species ,which damage the endothelial nitric oxide synthase ,reduce the generation of nitric oxide ,while produce a large number of Ang Ⅱ. Ang Ⅱ damage the endothelial cell. In addition ,there are crosstalk between glomerular endothelial cells and endothelial cells ,which also cause endothelial cell injury. Here ,we reviewed the role of endothelial cell injury in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy.

Double-center randomized controlled trial on post-stroke shoulder pain treated by electroacupuncture combined with Tuina / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate clinical therapeutic effect of post-stroke shoulder pain treated by acupuncture combined with Tuina.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Three hundred cases of post-stroke shoulder pain were randomly divided into an acupuncture and Tuina group and a rehabilitation group by double-center randomized controlled clinical trial method. In acupuncture and Tuina group, normalized electroacupuncture and Tuina therapy were applied, that was electroacupuncture at main points, such as Chize (LU 5), Quze (PC 3), Shaohai (HT 3), Jianyu (LI 15), Jianliao (TE 14) and Jianjing (GB 21),etc., combined with traditional Tuina manipulations; in rehabilitation group, the rehabilitation methods such as the electrostimulation through nervus cutaneus and the squeezing and stabilizing manipulations of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF), etc. were applied. The treatment courses of both groups were 6 weeks. The main therapeutic effect indices were the Assessment Face Scale (AFS) for pain when shoulder was in passive motion and the Fugl-Meyer Motor Assessment for upper limbs active function; the secondary indices were the moditied Rankin Scale (mRS) and the clinical incidences of shoulder-hand syndrome of hemiplegia and shoulder joint subluxation of hemiplegia.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After 6 weeks treatment and 12 weeks follow-up, AFS score, Fugl-Meyer motor assessment of upper limbs active function and mRS evaluation in acupuncture and Tuina group were more obviously improved than those in rehabilitation group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Although the clinical incidences of shoulder-hand syndrome of hemiplegia and shoulder joint subluxation of hemiplegia in acupuncture and Tuina group was equal to those in rehabilitation group [3.55% (5/141) vs 8.45% (12/142), 1.42% (2/141) vs 5.63% (8/142), both P > 0.05], the data indicated that there was a superiority tendency in acupuncture and Tuina group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The combined therapy of electroacupuncture and Tuina is a normative manipulation, and the therapeutic effect is satisfying for post-stroke shoulder pain, superior to that of comprehensive rehabilitation treatment.</p>

Bioinformatic studies on the group 2 allergens of Dermatophagoides farinae from China.

The present study aimed to characterize the group 2 allergens of the house dust mite Dermatophagoides farinae (Der f 2) from Hainan Island, a tropical region in Southeastern China. We cloned and sequenced cDNA coding for Der f 2 and found an additional region of 87 base pairs (bp) (from +77 to +163 bp) in our strain that was absent in the reference sequence (GenBank AB195580) used for primer design. However, the BLAST analysis identified the same sequence in strains reported from Reinbek, Germany, and Guangzhou, China. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using the Der f 2 nucleotide sequences from different regions or countries and showed that the Hainan sequence clustered with the strains from Reinbek and Guangzhou. Analysis of the translated amino acid sequence suggests that the encoded peptide is hydrophobic and extracellular with a cleavage site between the 17th and 18th amino acid residues and contains a strong trans-membrane helix from the 6th amino acid to the 24th amino acid, indicating a MD-2-related lipid recognition domain in this protein. Furthermore, the secondary structure of the pro-protein consists of 16.57% alpha helix, 32.57% extended strand and 50.86% random coil. In brief, we obtained a gene coding for Der f 2 and predicted the molecular characteristics of this protein using bioinformatics tools. Our analysis identified that this gene showed several significant differences to those reported previously.

The serum uric acid and related cardiovascular risk factors in south Taiwan.

Hyperuricemia has been shown to be related to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Uric acid is a metabolic product synthesized from nucleic acids, amino acids and the Krebs cycle, reflecting a multiple metabolic associations in humans. The relation between uric acid and various cardiovascular metabolic parameters in Asians has rarely been reported on. In this study, we report the relationship between uric acid and various cardiovascular risk factors in 1,027 healthy Taiwanese adults living in Alien, an agricultural town in subtropical South Taiwan. Serum uric acid levels increased in proportion to age in women, but not in men. There were age and gender-specific correlations between uric acid and various cardiovascular metabolic parameters. Triglycerides and creatinine levels were two independent factors predicting serum uric acid levels in men, while only creatinine predicted uric acid levels in women of all age groups. Processes that influence the metabolism of uric acid and its association with other metabolic parameters differs by gender and age.

Overexpression of estrogen receptor-related receptor a can stimulate estrogen receptor negative endometrial cancer cell proliferation / 中华妇产科杂志

Objective To investigate the role of human estrogen receptor-related receptor(ERR) ?,a submember of orphan receptors,in the tumorigenesis of endometrial cancer.Methods Plasmid of pSG-ERR? was transfected into endometrial cancer cell lines HEC-1A,HEC-1B,and Ishikawa.Real-time quantitative RT-PCR and western blot were used to analyze the mRNA and protein expression of ERR? in endometrial cancer cell.Flow cytometry was used to analyze the cellular growth.Results Expressions of the ERR? were significantly increased in the endometrial cancer cells transfected with pSG-ERR? plasmid; expression of the ERR? mRNA in HEC-1A cell was 9644.4 copies/ng,HEC-1B:9835.3 copies/ng,and Ishikawa:8008.6 copies/ng(P

O que há de errado no tratamento da pioartrite do quadril? / What is wrong in the treatment of hip pyoarthritis?

O trabalho visa chamar a atençäo sobre a incidência da pioartrite do quadril no Departamento de Ortopedia e Traumatologia da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Säo Paulo e concluimos que seu tratamento nos parece ainda insuficiente e inadequado, em face da elevada proporçäo de maus resultados