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Microorganisms living with higher organisms are valuable sources of bioactive substances like antibiotics, which could assist them competing for more and better nutrients or space. Here, we focused on a marine animal-associated bacterium, 'Aliisedimentitalea scapharcae' KCTC 42119T, which was isolated from ark shell collected from Gang-Jin bay of South Korea. We evaluated its biosynthetic potentials of medicinal secondary metabolites by de novo genome sequencing. The complete genome of strain KCTC 42119T sequenced is 5,083,900 bp and is comprised of one circular chromosome and four circular plasmids. Functional genome analysis by antiSMASH v7.1.0 showed that there are nine biosynthetic gene clusters encoded on the chromosome. The annotated secondary metabolites include antibiotic corynecin, cytoprotective ectoine and antineoplastic ET-743 (Yondelis), which suggested strain KCTC 42119T possesses potentials to synthesize a series of secondary metabolites of pharmaceutical utility. Genome analysis of 'A. scapharcae' also provides more insights into mining bioactive substances from animal-associated microorganisms.
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Genome, Bacterial , Animals , Republic of Korea , Secondary Metabolism/geneticsABSTRACT
The unique zigzag-patterned tea plant is a rare germplasm resource. However, the molecular mechanism behind the formation of zigzag stems remains unclear. To address this, a BC1 genetic population of tea plants with zigzag stems was studied using histological observation and bulked segregant RNA-seq. The analysis revealed 1494 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the upright and zigzag stem groups. These DEGs may regulate the transduction and biosynthesis of plant hormones, and the effects on the phenylpropane biosynthesis pathways may cause the accumulation of lignin. Tissue sections further supported this finding, showing differences in cell wall thickness between upright and curved stems, potentially due to lignin accumulation. Additionally, 262 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across 38 genes were identified as key SNPs, and 5 genes related to zigzag stems were identified through homologous gene function annotation. Mutations in these genes may impact auxin distribution and content, resulting in the asymmetric development of vascular bundles in curved stems. In summary, we identified the key genes associated with the tortuous phenotype by using BSR-seq on a BC1 population to minimize genetic background noise.
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Camellia sinensis , Gene Expression Regulation, Plant , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide , RNA-Seq , Camellia sinensis/genetics , Camellia sinensis/metabolism , Plant Stems/genetics , Plant Stems/metabolism , Mutation , Phenotype , Lignin/metabolism , Lignin/biosynthesis , Transcriptome/genetics , Gene Expression Profiling/methods , Plant Proteins/genetics , Plant Proteins/metabolismABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Tangshen formula (TSF) has an ameliorative effect on hepatic lipid metabolism in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but the role played by the gut microbiota in this process is unknown. METHOD: We conducted three batches of experiments to explore the role played by the gut microbiota: TSF administration, antibiotic treatment, and fecal microbial transplantation. NAFLD mice were induced with a high-fat diet to investigate the ameliorative effects of TSF on NAFLD features and intestinal barrier function. 16S rRNA sequencing and serum untargeted metabolomics were performed to further investigate the modulatory effects of TSF on the gut microbiota and metabolic dysregulation in the body. RESULTS: TSF ameliorated insulin resistance, hypercholesterolemia, lipid metabolism disorders, inflammation, and impairment of intestinal barrier function. 16S rRNA sequencing analysis revealed that TSF regulated the composition of the gut microbiota and increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria. Antibiotic treatment and fecal microbiota transplantation confirmed the importance of the gut microbiota in the treatment of NAFLD with TSF. Subsequently, untargeted metabolomics identified 172 differential metabolites due to the treatment of TSF. Functional predictions suggest that metabolisms of choline, glycerophospholipid, linoleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, and arachidonic acid are the key metabolic pathways by which TSF ameliorates NAFLD and this may be influenced by the gut microbiota. CONCLUSION: TSF treats the NAFLD phenotype by remodeling the gut microbiota and improving metabolic profile, suggesting that TSF is a functional gut microbial and metabolic modulator for the treatment of NAFLD.
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Gastrointestinal Microbiome , Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease , Mice , Animals , Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/drug therapy , Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/metabolism , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/metabolism , Liver , Diet, High-Fat/adverse effects , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Mice, Inbred C57BLABSTRACT
In modern times, a notable trend toward delayed childbearing has been observed in most developed countries. As a result, sperm aging and quality loss, as well as premature ovarian failure (POF), have emerged as major causes of infertility. The pathogenesis of sperm aging and POF is complex and has not been clearly elucidated. However, evidence from some studies has linked germ cell aging to epigenetic modifications. Epigenetics refers to the heritable changes in gene expression that occur in the absence of any alterations to the gene's nucleotide sequence. This paper systematically reviewed and analyzed the relevant literature to describe the relationship of DNA methylation, non-coding RNA regulation, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling, and RNA modifications with sperm aging and POF. In addition, we analyzed how sperm aging and POF can be mitigated via epigenetic interventions. This review could provide new therapeutic insights and guide strategies for improving sperm quality and ovarian function.
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In the presence of a thiyl radical species, the catalytic Markovnikov thiol-ene reaction is challenging because it prefers to proceed via a radical pathway, thereby leading to anti-Markovnikov selectivity. In this work, a rare example of thiyl radical engaged in Markovnikov thiol-ene reaction enabled by cobalt catalysis is reported. This protocol features the avoidance of unique oxidants, exclusive regioselectivity, and broad substrate scope. Scalable synthesis and late-stage modification of complex molecules demonstrate the practicability of the protocol.
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OBJECTIVE To explore the effect and mechanism of the alcoholic extract from Scabiosa comosa against hepatic fibrosis (HF). METHODS Intragastrical administration of carbon tetrachloride was given to induce HF model. By observing the pathological changes in liver tissue, mRNA and protein expressions of HF indexes [α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), collagen type Ⅰ] and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway-related factors were detected, and the improvement effects and possible mechanism of low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose (50, 100, 200 mg/kg) of alcoholic extract from S. comosa on HF model rats were investigated. Drug-containing serum was prepared by intragastrical administration of alcoholic extract from S. comosa at a concentration of 1 800 mg/(kg·d) (calculated by the amount of raw material). The effects of drug- containing serum of alcoholic extract from S. comosa on the expression of miRNA-21 were observed through the intervention of HSC-T6 cells with low, medium and high concentrations of drug-containing serum of alcoholic extract from S. comosa (diluted to 10%, 15%, 20%). miRNA-21 mimics or inhibitors were used to transfect HSC-T6 cells, and the mRNA and protein expressions of factors related to the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway were detected. RESULTS The results of in vivo experiments showed that low, medium and high doses of alcoholic extract from S. comosa significantly ameliorated the histopathological changes in liver tissue of HF rats, and the percentage of collagen was significantly reduced (P<0.01); mRNA and protein expressions of the indicators related to HF as well as PI3K and Akt were significantly reduced (P<0.01), and mRNA and protein expressions of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) were increased in liver tissue of rats (P<0.01). The results of in vitro experiments showed that drug-containing serum of alcoholic extract from S. comosa significantly inhibited the expression of miRNA-21 at low, medium and high concentrations (P<0.01); whereas after transfection with miRNA-21 mimics, it was found that miRNA-21 mimics significantly increased mRNA and protein expressions of PI3K and Akt (P<0.01), while significantly decreased mRNA and protein expressions of PTEN (P<0.01); after transfection with miRNA-21 inhibitor, the changes of above indexes were opposite to the above results (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Alcoholic extracts of S. comosa may inhibit the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway by affecting the expression of miRNA-21, so as to achieve the effect of anti-hepatic fibrosis.
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Novel bacterial resources are valuable for studying bacterial taxonomy, bacterial evolution, and genome mining of novel antibiotics, antitumor agents, and immune modulators. In this study, we de novo sequenced the type strain of a novel bacterial family, Temperatibacteraceae fam. Nov., belonging to class Alphaproteobacteria of phylum Pseudomonadota. The type strain, Temperatibacter marinus NBRC 110045T, is mesophilic and was isolated from surface seawater around Muroto city of Japan at a depth of 0.5 m. Here, the sequenced complete genome of strain NBRC 110045T is composed of a circular chromosome of 3,184,799 bp with a mean G + C content of 43.71%. Genome analysis was applied to reveal the genetic basis of its cellular activities. Cellular regulation and signaling was analyzed to infer the regulatory mechanism of its limited growth temperature range. Genomic features of the novel family Temperatibacteraceae may expand our knowledge on environmental adaptation, genetic evolution and natural product discovery of marine bacteria.
Subject(s)
Alphaproteobacteria , Fatty Acids , Sequence Analysis, DNA , DNA, Bacterial/genetics , Alphaproteobacteria/genetics , Bacteria/genetics , Seawater/microbiology , Phylogeny , RNA, Ribosomal, 16SABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to estimate the long-term survival, late toxicity profile, and quality of life of patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with combined induction chemotherapy (IC) and concurrent chemoradiotherapy from a clinical trial focused on reducing the target volume of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). METHODS AND MATERIALS: This prospective, randomized clinical trial was conducted across 6 Chinese hospitals and included 212 patients with stage III-IVB NPC who were randomly allocated to a pre-IC or post-IC group. Eligible patients were treated with 2 cycles of IC + CCRT. All patients underwent radical IMRT. Gross tumor volumes of the nasopharynx were delineated according to pre-IC and post-IC tumor extent in the pre-IC and post-IC groups, respectively. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 98.4 months, 32 of 97 (32.9%) and 33 of 115 (28.7%) patients experienced treatment failure or died in the pre-IC and post-IC groups, respectively. None of the patients developed grade 4 late toxicity. Late radiation-induced toxicity predominantly manifested as grade 1 to 2 subcutaneous fibrosis, hearing loss, tinnitus, and xerostomia, whereas grade 3 late toxicity included xerostomia and hearing loss. The 5-year estimated overall, progression-free, locoregional recurrence-free, and distant metastasis-free survival rates in the pre-IC and post-IC groups were 78.2% versus 83.3%, 72.0% versus 78.1%, 90.2% versus 93.5%, and 78.1% versus 82.1%, respectively. The pre-IC group had a significantly higher incidence of xerostomia and hearing damage than the post-IC group. In terms of quality of life, compared with the pre-IC group, the post-IC group showed significant improvement in cognitive function (P = .045) and symptoms including dry mouth (P = .004), sticky saliva (P = .047), and feeling ill (P = .041). CONCLUSIONS: After long-term follow-up, we confirmed that reducing the target volumes of IMRT after IC in locoregionally advanced NPC showed no inferiority in terms of the risk of locoregional relapse and potentially improved quality of life and alleviated late toxicity.
Subject(s)
Hearing Loss , Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms , Radiation Injuries , Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated , Xerostomia , Humans , Chemoradiotherapy/adverse effects , Chemoradiotherapy/methods , Cisplatin , Hearing Loss/etiology , Induction Chemotherapy/adverse effects , Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma/radiotherapy , Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms/drug therapy , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/drug therapy , Prospective Studies , Quality of Life , Radiation Injuries/etiology , Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated/adverse effects , Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated/methods , Xerostomia/etiologyABSTRACT
During an attempt to screen secondary metabolites of pharmaceutical utility, we sequenced the complete genome of type strain of a novel marine bacterial genus, named genus Hyphococcus. The type strain, Hyphococcus flavus MCCC 1K03223T, was isolated from bathypelagic seawater of South China Sea at a depth of 2500 m. The complete genome of strain MCCC 1K03223T is composed of a circular chromosome of 3,472,649 bp with a mean G + C content of 54.8%. Functional genomic analysis showed that this genome encodes five biosynthetic gene clusters, which were annotated to synthesize medicinally important secondary metabolites. Secondary metabolites annotated include ectoine which acts cytoprotection, ravidomycin which is an antitumor antibiotic and three other different metabolites of terpene type. The secondary metabolic potentials of H. flavus revealed in this study provide more evidences on mining bioactive substances from marine bathypelagic microorganisms.
Subject(s)
Fatty Acids , Genomics , Fatty Acids/metabolism , Phylogeny , Seawater/microbiology , China , Pharmaceutical Preparations , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S , DNA, Bacterial/genetics , Sequence Analysis, DNAABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate transient and persistent effects of the Shanghai Omicron epidemic in 2022 on the incidence, characteristics, and outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). METHODS: This retrospective study examined electronic records of patients admitted to the Shanghai Emergency Medical Center during five periods: pre-epidemic, 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2019; low COVID-19 incidence, 1 January 2020 to 27 March 2022; Omicron epidemic, 28 March to 31 May 2022; early post-epidemic, 1 June to 31 July 2022; and late post-epidemic, 1 August to 30 September 2022. Clinicodemographic characteristics and outcomes of OHCA cases were compared between the pre-epidemic and other periods. RESULTS: A total of 55,104 OHCAs were included. The monthly number of OHCAs in the Omicron epidemic was 2.1 times the number in the pre-epidemic (1702 vs 793), while the number in the early post-epidemic was 1.9 times the number in the pre-epidemic (1515 vs 793). Compared to the pre-epidemic, OHCA during or after the epidemic was more likely to involve individuals with hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure or stroke. The probability that circulation would spontaneously resume after OHCA was significantly lower during the epidemic than before it (aOR 0.61, 95% CI 0.41-0.90; P = 0.012). However, this difference disappeared by the early post-epidemic. CONCLUSION: The monthly number of OHCAs doubled during the Omicron epidemic in Shanghai, and it remained elevated for another two months. OHCA affected individuals with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases more during and after the epidemic than before it.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation , Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest , Humans , Retrospective Studies , SARS-CoV-2 , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/complications , Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation/adverse effects , Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest/epidemiology , Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest/etiology , China/epidemiologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to examine the incidence and correlates of insomnia and its impact on health-related quality of life among Chinese pregnant women. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was performed from November 2018 to April 2019 in a university-affiliated general hospital in Guangzhou, China. Seven hundred and seventeen pregnant women completed the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and the obstetric and sociodemographic data sheet. FINDINGS: 24.3% of the pregnant women suffered from insomnia. Compared with women without insomnia, those with insomnia had a significantly lower health-related quality of life during pregnancy. Maternal age, educational level, occupation, economic status, insurance coverage, gestational age, the woman's relationship with her mother-in-law and anxiety were significantly associated with insomnia among pregnant women. CONCLUSION: The incidence of insomnia among pregnant women is high, and insomnia is negatively correlated with health-related quality of life. Appropriate measures and practical therapeutic programmes should be provided to prevent the adverse effects of insomnia in pregnant women with advanced maternal age, lower education, lower economic status, unemployment, lack of insurance coverage, unsatisfied with their relationships with their mothers-in-law, and suffering from anxiety symptoms, especially in the third trimester.
Subject(s)
Pregnant Women , Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders , Female , Pregnancy , Humans , Quality of Life , Cross-Sectional Studies , Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/epidemiology , Incidence , East Asian People , Depression/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of a novel modified Blumgart pancreaticojejunostomy in laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD).Methods:Between May 2021 and January 2022, 13 successive cases from Lihuili Hospital Affiliated to Ningbo University who underwent LPD were enrolled in this retrospective study. The study retrospectively analyzed the demographic characteristics, perioperative outcomes, and pathological results of these cases.Results:Twenty patients underwent LPD success-fully and one required conversion to open surgery. The operative time was (308.6 ± 61.7) min. The duration for PJ was (26.7 ± 4.3) min. The estimated blood loss was (188.1 ± 94.2) ml. The postoperative hospital stay was (14.2 ± 3.5) d. There was one case of biochemical leakage and no case of grade B or grade C pancreatic fistula.Conclusions:The new method is safe, simple and feasible. The novel method could reduce the incidence of pancreatic fistula and other complications after LPD.
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Objective:To investigate whether indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase-1 (IDO1) is involved in Neisseria gonorrhoeae ( Ng) infection and its immunomodulatory role in Ng infection. Methods:Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were induced to differentiate into DC in vitro. The phenotype of DC was identified. The expression of IDO1 was detected by Western blot. The expression of IDO1 at mRNA level in the secretions of Ng-positive patients was detected. Changes in Treg and myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) in the anticoagulant whole blood of Ng-positive patients were detected by flow cytometry. Results:Ng could induce human DCs to produce IDO1, which depended on the activity of Ng. The expression of IDO1 in the genital tract secretions of Ng-positive patients was significantly higher than that in healthy people. Besides, the proportions of MDSC and Treg in the peripheral blood of patients with Ng infection were higher than those in healthy people. Based on literature review, it was suggested that Treg could induce the expression of IDO1 +, and IDO1 +, in turn, together with MDSC, promoted the differentiation of new Treg, which inhibited the proliferation of CD4 + T cells and was involved in immune tolerance. Conclusions:Understanding the immune regulatory network of "IDO1-CD4 + T cells-immune microenvironment" in the immune microenvironment would provide new targets or thoughts for the immunotherapy of gonorrhea, so as to better use immunotherapy to prevent and control the occurrence and development of gonorrhea.
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Objective To investigate the role and mechanism of action of Scabiosa atropurea in inhibiting the proliferation of hepatic stellate cells using cell experiment. Methods A total of 20 Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group and administration group, with 10 rats in each group. The rats in the control group were given normal saline by gavage, and those in the administration group were given Scabiosa atropurea by gavage to prepare drug-containing serum. HSC-T6 cells were incubated with the serum from the control group (10%) or the low-, middle-, and high-dose serum containing Scabiosa atropurea (10%, 15%, and 20%, respectively). MTT assay was used to observe the effect of different drug concentrations on cells in different periods of time; flow cytometry was used to measure cell apoptosis; qRT-PCR and Western blot were used to measure the mRNA and protein expression levels of fibrosis markers (α-SMA, collagen Ⅰ) and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway-related factors in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison between multiple groups, and the least significant difference t - test was used for further comparison between two groups. Results Compared with the control group, the low-, middle-, and high-dose serum containing Scabiosa atropurea groups had a significant reduction in the OD value of cells (all P < 0.05) and a significant increase in the overall apoptosis rate of cells (all P < 0.05). The results of qRT-PCR showed that compared with the control group, the low-, middle-, and high-dose serum containing Scabiosa atropurea groups had significant reductions in the mRNA expression levels of α-SMA, collagen Ⅰ, PI3K, and Akt and a significant increase in the mRNA expression level of PTEN (all P < 0.05); Western blot showed that compared with the control group, the low-, middle-, and high-dose serum containing Scabiosa atropurea groups had significant reductions in the protein expression levels of α-SMA, collagen Ⅰ, PI3K, Akt, and p-Akt and a significant increase in the protein expression level of PTEN (all P < 0.05). Conclusion The Mongolian medicine Scabiosa atropurea can inhibit the proliferation of HSC-T6 cells and promote their apoptosis, possibly by regulating fibrosis markers and the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway to exert an anti-liver fibrosis effect.
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Sleep deprivation (SD) has many deleterious health effects and occurs in more than 70% of pregnant women. However, the changes in sex hormones and relevant mechanisms after SD have not been well clarified. The aim of the present study was to explore the effects of SD on the secretion of sex hormones and the underlying mechanisms. Twelve pregnant Wistar rats were divided into control (CON, n = 6) and SD (n = 6) groups. Pregnant rats in the SD group were deprived of sleep for 18 h, and allowed free rest for 6 h, and then the above procedures were repeated until delivery. The CON group lived in a 12 h light/dark light cycle environment. Estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the expression of circadian clock genes, Bmal1, Clock and Per2, in hypothalamus and pituitary gland tissues were evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The PI3K and Akt phosphorylation levels in the hypothalamic and pituitary tissues were determined by Western blot. The results showed that, compared with the CON group, the SD group exhibited significantly reduced serum E2 and P4 levels, down-regulated Bmal1, Clock and Per2 expression, as well as decreased phosphorylation levels of PI3K and Akt. But there was no significant difference of the total PI3K and Akt protein expression levels between the two groups. These results suggest that SD might affect the expression of the circadian clock genes in the hypothalamus and pituitary via PI3K/Akt pathway, and subsequently regulate the secretion of sex hormones in the pregnant rats, which hints the important roles of SD-induced changes of serum sex hormone levels in the pregnant rats.
Subject(s)
Circadian Clocks , Gonadal Steroid Hormones , Hypothalamus , Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt , Sleep Deprivation , ARNTL Transcription Factors/genetics , ARNTL Transcription Factors/metabolism , Animals , Circadian Clocks/genetics , Circadian Clocks/physiology , Circadian Rhythm/genetics , Female , Gene Expression Regulation/genetics , Gonadal Steroid Hormones/genetics , Gonadal Steroid Hormones/metabolism , Hypothalamus/metabolism , Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/genetics , Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism , Pituitary Gland/metabolism , Pregnancy , Progesterone , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/genetics , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Signal Transduction , Sleep Deprivation/genetics , Sleep Deprivation/metabolismABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of platelet-rich plasma on tendon-bone healing after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. METHODS: This retrospective study included 85 patients (range, 18-50 years; mean age, 33.95 ± 10.53 years; male/female, 49/36) who underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using autologous hamstring tendons between August 2017 and June 2019 at our institute. The participants in the study group (n = 42) were injected with platelet-rich plasma at both ends of the tendon graft, while those in the control group (n = 43) received an injection of normal saline. Magnetic resonance imaging signal/noise quotient values of the femoral and tibial ends, knee Lysholm scores, and International Knee Documentation Committee scores were compared at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. RESULTS: The signal/noise quotient values of the femoral and tibial ends in both groups were higher at 6 months than at 3 and 12 months postoperatively. The signal/noise quotient values of the tibial end were significantly lower in the platelet-rich plasma group than in the normal saline group at all follow-up time points (P < 0.05). The signal/noise quotient values of the tibial and femoral ends in both groups were significantly different at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively (P < 0.05). Additionally, the signal/noise quotient values of the tibia were significantly lower than those of the femur in both groups (P < 0.05). The Lysholm and International Knee Documentation Committee scores were significantly better in the platelet-rich plasma group than in the normal saline group only at 3 months postoperatively. No complications, such as knee joint infection or vascular and nerve injuries, occurred in any of the 85 patients. The knee flexion of all patients were more than 90°, and the straight degree was 0°. No joint stiffness was observed in all patients. CONCLUSION: Platelet-rich plasma can promote tendon-bone healing in grafts and can improve early postoperative knee joint function.
Subject(s)
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction/methods , Hamstring Tendons/transplantation , Platelet-Rich Plasma , Wound Healing , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , Transplantation, Autologous , Young AdultABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the effect of human tumor suppressor folliculin (FLCN) on the expression of melanocyte chemokines (MC) mediated by immune factors in vitiligo.Methods:The MC of vitiligo patients that received autologous melanocyte transplantation in the Department of Dermatology, Hangzhou Third People′s Hospital from January to April 2019 were collected. The blister fluid of the white spot and the normal part was taken. Western blot was used to analyze the expression difference of MC and FLCN protein in normal, vitiligo patients and that induced by immune factors; FLCN shRNA lentivirus was constructed by shRNA and transfected into normal MC (FLCN shRNA MC) to interfere with the expression of silenced FLCN gene. The effect of immune factors on chemokines in FLCN shRNA MC was detected by ELISA.Results:The results of Western blot showed that FLCN protein was highly expressed in melanocytes of vitiligo patients, immune factors stimulated FLCN protein expression in normal melanocytes significantly increased ( t=1.27; P<0.001), chemokine CXCL10 and CCL20 also significantly increased ( t=104.53 and 60.21, respectively; P<0.001). The expression of FLCN in FLCN shRNA MC was significantly decreased ( F=1.95, P<0.001); and the high expression of CXCL10 and CCL20 induced by immune factors was significantly inhibited ( F=93.676 and 74.096, all P<0.001). Conclusions:Immune factors can stimulate the expression of CXCL10 and CCL20, which are closely related to vitiligo, while FLCN is a key protein involved in immune factors inducing melanocyte chemokine expression.
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Objective:To study the clinical characteristics and etiological distribution characteristics of plastic bronchitis in children, analyze its early warning indicators, and evaluate the clinical diagnosis and treatment effect of flexible bronchoscopy.Methods:The clinical data of 232 children with severe pneumonia admitted to Guiyang Maternal and Child Health Hospital from January 2019 to February 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.The children were divided into the plastic bronchitis group and non-plastic bronchitis group according to bronchoscopic results.The gender, age, clinical manifestations, auxiliary examinations, imaging features, bronchoscopy findings and treatment of the children were collected, compared and analyzed, comparison between two groups by t test and χ2 test. Results:A total of 232 children were included in this study, including 98 cases in the plastic bronchitis group and 134 cases in the non-plastic bronchitis group.The main symptoms of both groups were fever, cough and shortness of breath.The age of onset in the plastic bronchitis group was (54.640±37.085) months, and the age of onset in the non-plastic bronchitis group was (14.870±19.813) months.The difference in the age of onset between the two groups was statistically significant ( t=9.656, P<0.001). The average hospitalization days of the plastic and non-plastic bronchitis groups were (16.133±6.227) d and (12.690±4.287) d, respectively.Significant difference was found in the average hospitalization days between the two groups ( t=4.721, P<0.001). The average fever days of the plastic bronchitis group were (10.090±3.473) d, and the average fever days of the non-plastic bronchitis group were (6.030±4.850) d. There was significant difference in the average fever days between the two groups ( t=5.654, P<0.001). The age of onset, hospitalization days, and fever days of the plastic bronchitis group were larger than those of the non-plastic bronchitis group (all P<0.001). The physical examination suggested that 40% (39/98) of patients in the plastic bronchitis group had reduced the breath sounds, and this percentage was significantly higher than that in the non-plastic bronchitis group[6%(8/134)]. The plastic bronchitis group had lower partial pressure of blood oxygen (PO 2) and oxygen saturation (SO 2) levels than the non-plastic bronchitis group (all P<0.01). The plastic bronchitis group had a higher percentage of neutrophils (N), C-reactive protein (CRP) level, procalcitonin (PCT) level, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level and D-dimer level than the non-plastic bronchitis group (all P<0.01). According to the imaging results, in the plastic bronchitis group, lung consolidation was found in 72 cases (73%, 72/98), atelectasis in 32 cases (33%, 32/98), and pleural effusion in 33 cases (34%, 33/98). In the non-plastic bronchitis group, 65%(87/134) cases had lung consolidation, 5%(7/134) cases had atelectasis, 3.7% (5/134) cases had pleural effusion.The first pathogen detected in 46.9% of the patients in the plastic bronchitis group was Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP), and the percentage was significantly higher that in the non-plastic bronchitis group (11.1%). Flexible bronchoscopy was performed on both groups at their admission.The plastic bronchitis group received the flexible bronchoscopy check for (2.960±1.157) times on average, and the non-plastic bronchitis group was tested for (1.140±0.371) times on average.Of 98 children in the plastic bronchitis group, 95 cases were improved and discharged, 2 cases were transferred, and 1 case died.All 134 children in the non-plastic bronchitis group were improved and discharged. Conclusions:Preschool and school-age children, fever ≥10 d, PCT, CRP, LDH, D-dimer levels are early warning signs of plastic bronchitis clinically.MP is still the primary pathogen causing plastic bronchitis.Flexible bronchoscopy technique is a key measure for timely diagnosis and effective treatment of plastic bronchitis.
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Objective:To investigate the expression of CXC chemokine ligand 11 (CXCL11) in gallbladder cancer (GBC) and its effect on cell proliferation and invasion.Methods:The surgically resected specimens of 47 GBC patients were collected in Lihuili Hospital Affiliated to Ningbo University from January 2017 to December 2020. There were 26 females and 21 males, with the age (62.0±8.2) years. The expression of CXCL11 protein in GBC tissues and corresponding paracancer tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry. Associations between CXCL11 expression and clinicopathological features were analyzed. After co-culturing of GBC-SD cells with exogenous CXCL11, cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and Transwell assays were performed to detect cell proliferation and invasion ability. The expression and phosphorylation level of phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (Akt) were also detected by Western blot.Results:The positive expression rate of CXCL11 in GBC tissues was significantly higher than that in adjacent paracancerous tissues [63.8% (30/47) vs 31.9% (15/47), χ 2=9.59, P=0.002]. Furthermore, CXCL11 expression was significantly associated with tumor stage (χ 2=6.64, P=0.010) and lymph nodal metastasis (χ 2=7.86, P=0.005). CCK-8 assay revealed that the proliferation ability of GBC-SD cells in CXCL11-treated group significantly increased than that in the control group (absorbance value: 0.59±0.06 vs 0.32±0.04, t=9.64, P<0.001). Transwell assay showed that the cell invasion ability in CXCL11-treated group significantly increased than that in the control group [number of transmembrane cells: (133.4±12.3) cells vs (38.6±4.4) cells, t=16.21, P<0.001]. Western blot analysis showed that the relative expression levels of phosphorylated PI3K (p-PI3K) and phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt) in CXCL11-treated group (0.88±0.06 and 0.83±0.04) were significantly higher than those in the control group (0.17±0.04 and 0.23±0.06), and the differences were statistically significant ( t=18.54, P<0.001 and t=15.21, P<0.001). Conclusion:CXCL11 is highly expressed in GBC and closely related to tumor progression. CXCL11 can promote the proliferation and invasion of GBC cells via PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
ABSTRACT
Pelagovum pacificum SM1903T, belonging to a novel genus of the family Rhodobacteraceae, was isolated from the surface seawater of the Mariana Trench. Here, we report the first complete genome sequence of the novel genus Pelagovum. The genome of strain SM1903T consists of a circular chromosome of 4,040,866â¯bp and two plasmids of 41,363â¯bp and 9705â¯bp, respectively. Gene annotation and metabolic pathway analyses showed that strain SM1903T possesses a series of genes related to adaptation to marine oligotrophic environments, which are involved in utilization of aromatic compounds, allantoin, and alkylphosphonate, and second messenger signaling in response to the oligotrophic stress. This strain also contains a variety of genes involved in coping with other stresses including osmotic stress, oxidative stress, cold shock, and heat shock. These features would assist this strain to survive under the natural nutrient limitation and other stresses from the environment. The genome of strain SM1903T of the novel genus Pelagovum would deepen our knowledge on marine bacterioplankton and their adaption strategies to marine oligotrophic environments.