Patterns of teachers' responses to school bullying and their associations with training, self-efficacy, and age: A moderated mediation model.

Bullying remains a pervasive issue in educational settings worldwide. This study examined the effect of teacher training and self-efficacy on teachers' responses to school bullying with the moderating effect of age. Drawing on data from 585 Taiwanese primary and secondary school teachers, the study revealed six distinct response patterns to bullying among Taiwanese teachers. The results underscore the critical role of self-efficacy in enabling proactive responses to bullying, highlighting that training programs that boost teachers' self-efficacy can be effective across different age groups. Furthermore, the research points to the necessity of differentiated training approaches that consider teachers' age to enhance responses of mediating involvers. This study contributes to the broader discourse on bullying prevention, emphasizing the importance of teacher training and the need for further research into the nuanced relationships between teacher characteristics, self-efficacy, and intervention strategies in diverse cultural settings.

Clinical characteristics, ultrasonic diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of eosinophilic fasciitis: a retrospective single-center analysis of 45 cases / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the clinical features, laboratory and imaging results, treatment and outcomes of eosinophilic fasciitis (EF) and assess the value of ultrasound in the diagnosis of EF.@*METHODS@#We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 45 patients with EF treated in our center from January 1, 2006 to February 28, 2022. The consistency between the diagnoses of EF based on ultrasound and MRI findings was assessed.@*RESULTS@#In the 45 EF patients (male/female ratio 3.5:1), the age of onset ranged from 16 to 64 years with a mean disease course of 22.6 months. The average time from symptom onset to diagnosis was 16 months. The most common possible trigger of the disease was vigorous exercise (10/45), causing symmetrical lesions in the limbs, most commonly in the forearms (86.7%) and lower legs (80%). Clinical features of EF included subcutaneous swelling and induration (95.6%), arthralgia and arthritis (55.6%), groove sign (42.2%), hand joint contractures (42.2%), skin pigmentation (37.8%), and peau d'orange appearance (13.3%). Eosinophilia was found in 31 patients (68.9%). Hypergammaglobulinemia was seen in 23/44 (52.3%) and positive antinuclear antibodies in 9 (20%) of the patients. Twentyone of the patients were treated with high-dose methylprednisolone (≥200 mg daily for 3 to 5 consecutive days), and compared with the patients who did not receive this treatment, these patients more frequently experienced relapse before admission, had more extensive involvement, and had a higher rate of hypergammaglobulinemia without fever, but these differences were not statistically significant. Of the 31 patients (68.9%) with follow-up data (for a median of 3.2 years [range 0.2-15.9]), complete remission was achieved in 12 (38.7%) patients, and the accumulative complete remission rate was 44.1% at 5.5 years. No specific baseline characteristics or immunosuppressants were found to correlate with the treatment response. A total of 26 patients underwent both ultrasound and MRI examination, and the Kappa value of the diagnostic results between ultrasound and MRI was 0.91.@*CONCLUSION@#EF is characterized by symmetrical subcutaneous swelling and induration in the limbs, accompanied by eosinophilia and hypergammaglobulinemia. Glucocorticoid is effective for treating EF. Ultrasound examination can identify thickening of subcutaneous fascia for an early diagnosis of EF.

Comparison of accuracy of intraocular lens calculation formulas in cataract eyes with prior radial keratotomy and axial length longer than 28mm / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To compare the accuracy of different intraocular lens(IOL)calculation formulas in cataract patients with axial length longer than 28mm and a history of radial keratotomy(RK).METHODS: Retrospective study. The medical records of 19 cataract patients(29 eyes)after RK and with axial length longer than 28mm who underwent cataract surgery from January 2011 to July 2020 in Beijing Tongren Hospital were analyzed. The absolute error(AE)of the difference among three different formulas was calculated. AE refers to the absolute value between the actual spherical equivalent after cataract surgery and the spherical equivalent predicted by the IOL formula. The AE values of the three formulas and the percentages of eyes with AE≤0.5, 0.75, 1.0, and 2.0D were calculated and compared.RESULTS: The AE values of the three formulas were significantly different(χ2=8.759, P=0.013). The Barrett True-K formula had the smallest median AE, which was only 0.62(0.20, 1.15)D, followed by the Haigis formula 0.76(0.34, 1.26)D, and the Holladay 1(D-K)formula had the largest 1.01(0.49, 1.62)D. The percentages of affected eyes with AE ≤0.5, 0.75, 1.0, and 2.0D for the Barrett True-K formula were 48%, 59%, 69%, and 93%, which were equal to or higher than the other two formulas.CONCLUSION: The Barrett True-K formula is more recommended among the three formulas for cataract patients after RK and with axial length longer than 28 mm.

A robust microsatellite instability detection model for unpaired colorectal cancer tissue samples / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#Microsatellite instability (MSI) is a key biomarker for cancer immunotherapy and prognosis. Integration of MSI testing into a next-generation-sequencing (NGS) panel could save tissue sample, reduce turn-around time and cost, and provide MSI status and comprehensive genomic profiling in single test. We aimed to develop an MSI calling model to detect MSI status along with the NGS panel-based profiling test using tumor-only samples.@*METHODS@#From January 2019 to December 2020, a total of 174 colorectal cancer (CRC) patients were enrolled, including 31 MSI-high (MSI-H) and 143 microsatellite stability (MSS) cases. Among them, 56 paired tumor and normal samples (10 MSI-H and 46 MSS) were used for modeling, and another 118 tumor-only samples were used for validation. MSI polymerase chain reaction (MSI-PCR) was performed as the gold standard. A baseline was built for the selected microsatellite loci using the NGS data of 56 normal blood samples. An MSI detection model was constructed by analyzing the NGS data of tissue samples. The performance of the model was compared with the results of MSI-PCR.@*RESULTS@#We first intersected the target genomic regions of the NGS panels used in this study to select common microsatellite loci. A total of 42 loci including 23 mononucleotide repeat sites and 19 longer repeat sites were candidates for modeling. As mononucleotide repeat sites are more sensitive and specific for detecting MSI status than sites with longer length motif and the mononucleotide repeat sites performed even better than the total sites, a model containing 23 mononucleotide repeat sites was constructed and named Colorectal Cancer Microsatellite Instability test (CRC-MSI). The model achieved 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity when compared with MSI-PCR in both training and validation sets. Furthermore, the CRC-MSI model was robust with the tumor content as low as 6%. In addition, 8 out of 10 MSI-H samples showed alternations in the four mismatch repair genes ( MLH1 , MSH2 , MSH6 , and PMS2 ).@*CONCLUSION@#MSI status can be accurately determined along the targeted NGS panels using only tumor samples. The performance of mononucleotide repeat sites surpasses loci with longer repeat motif in MSI calling.

Amyloid arthropathy with joint flexion contracture as the initial manifestation:a report of 5 cases and literature review / 解放军医学杂志

Objective To report 5 cases of amyloid arthropathy with joint flexion contracture as the first manifestation,and perform a literature review to improve the understanding of the disease.Methods Retrospective analysis of the clinical manifestations,laboratory and imaging results clinical data of patients with immunoglobulin light chain(AL)amyloidosis related amyloid arthropathy with joints flexion contracture as the first manifestation at the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology,the First Medical Center of People's Liberation Army General Hospital from January 2012 to February 2022.Meanwhile searching the database(CNKI,Wanfang Data,PubMed),excluding myeloma-associated amyloid arthropathy,and analyzing the literature results comprehensively.Results There were a total of 5 patients with amyloid arthropathy with joint flexion contracture as the initial manifestation in this center,including 4 males and 1 female.By February 2022(searching CNKI,Wanfang Data and PubMed),two eligible patients were selected,all males.A total of 7 patients were included with male-to-female ratio of 6:1.The median age was 30-year-old(range from 19 to 73).Spine and limb joints were involved,especially finger joints(7 cases,100%).Soft tissue was involved in 5 patients(71.4%),carpal tunnel syndrome in 4 patients(57.1%),giant tongue in 3 patients(42.9%),shoulder pad sign in 2 patients(28.6%),muscle swelling in 2 patients(28.6%).Five patients were misdiagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis(RA)and 1 patient was misdiagnosed as spondyloarthritis(SpA).The median time of delayed diagnosis was 24 months(2-204 months).The laboratory results showed that 3 patients(42.9%)were positive for immunoelectrophoresis,all of which were λ light chain.Only 1 patient was positive for HLA-B27,while the other patients were negative for autoantibodies and rheumatoid factors.Only 1 patient had elevated C reactive protein(CRP)and erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR).Ultrasound examination of the lesion site of 5 patients(71.4%)showed hypoechoic area around the joint,thickening of ligaments or periarticular tenosynovitis.Five patients(71.4%)underwent X-ray examination,of which 4 patients had no bone destruction,1 patient had soft tissue swelling with bone erosion and subchondral cyst.MRI was performed in 5 patients(71.4%),in which low signal on T1 weighted image,medium signal on T2 weighted image and edema signal on peripheral tendon sheath were seen in 1 patient.One patient(14.3%)underwent emission computed tomography(ECT)without abnormal uptake.Conclusion Joint flexion contracture may be the first sign of amyloid arthropathy.Vigilance for amyloid arthropathy is warranted when there is associated soft tissue involvement,negative autoantibodies,and imaging showing no joint destruction but surrounding soft tissue abnormalities.

Colorectal cancer-derived exosomes and modulation KRAS signaling

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide and one of the main causes of cancer-associated mortality. At the period of diagnosis, metastases to other tissues will be present in around 30% of CRC individuals. Individuals with CRC continue to have a poor prognosis despite advances in medication. There is a growing body of literature that CRC develops as a result of the aggregation of various mutations in tumor oncogenes or suppressor genes and that diagnosing cancer in its initial phases may assist in increasing the overall lifespan of individuals with the illness. On the other hand, tumor cells may discharge exosomes in response to oncogenic mutations. By Inhibiting signaling pathways, including the Kirsten rat sarcoma virus (KRAS) mechanism, which is important in a variety of cell activities, exosomes have been shown to cause colorectal cancer in animal studies. The purpose of this review was to summarize the latest discoveries on the modulation of KRAS signaling by exosomes extracted from colorectal cancer. (AU)

Etiology of ascites in 165 children / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To study the etiology and clinical features of children with ascites, so as to provide a basis for the diagnosis and treatment of ascites in children.@*METHODS@#The medical data of the children with ascites, who were hospitalized from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2019, were retrospectively reviewed.@*RESULTS@#Among the 165 children with ascites, the male/female ratio was 1.53:1, and the mean age of onset was (6±4) years. The causes of ascites included surgical acute abdomen (39 children, 23.6%), infectious diseases (39 children, 23.6%), neoplastic diseases (27 children, 16.4%), hepatogenic diseases (18 children, 10.9%), pancreatitis (10 children, 6.1%), cardiogenic diseases (8 children, 4.8%), rheumatic immune diseases (6 children, 3.6%), and nephrogenic diseases (5 children, 3.0%). According to the age of onset, there were 33 infants, 24 young children, 30 preschool children, 41 school-aged children, and 37 adolescents. Surgical acute abdomen and hepatogenic diseases were the main causes of ascites in infants (P<0.05). Neoplastic disease was the leading cause in young children (P<0.05). Infectious diseases were the most common cause in adolescents (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Surgical acute abdomen, infectious diseases, neoplastic diseases, and hepatogenic diseases are the common causes of ascites in children, and there are some differences in the leading cause of ascites between different age groups.

NIR-triggered drug delivery system for chemo-photothermal therapy of posterior capsule opacification.

Posterior capsule opacification (PCO) is the most common complication after cataract surgery and is likely to cause the second loss of vision. Pharmacological PCO prophylaxis has been proved to be effective, yet no clinical option is available due to the lack of a suitable mode of administration. In this work, we propose a unique concept of NIR dual-triggered drug release from black phosphorus (BP)-based implantable intraocular lens (IOL) for controlled drug release and chemo-photothermal combination therapy of PCO. Here, IOL is used as a "reservoir" of doxorubicin-loaded black phosphorus (BP-DOX), and BP is used as NIR activation agent for controlled drug release and photothermal therapy. This BP-DOX integrated IOL, namely BP-DOX@IOL, shows the characteristics of good transmittance, good mechanical property, NIR dual-triggered drug release behaviors, and excellent photothermal efficacy. In vivo studies reveal that there is no PCO occurrence in rabbits' model by using BP-DOX@IOL combined NIR irradiation, which exhibits distinct superiority on inhibiting PCO than the control group (100% PCO occurrence) 28 days post-surgery. This novel IOL drug delivery system would be a promising strategy for the future clinical application for PCO prophylaxis and treatment.

Metabolic Reprogramming of Mammary Epithelial Cells during TGF-ß-Induced Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition.

The cytokine transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) can induce normal breast epithelial cells to take on a mesenchymal phenotype, termed epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). While the transcriptional and proteomic changes during TGF-ß-induced EMT have been described, the metabolic rewiring that occurs in epithelial cells undergoing EMT is not well understood. Here, we quantitively analyzed the TGF-ß-induced metabolic reprogramming during EMT of non-transformed NMuMG mouse mammary gland epithelial cells using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. We found that TGF-ß elevates glycolytic and tricarboxylic acid (TCA)-cycle activity and increases glutaminolysis. Additionally, TGF-ß affects the hexosamine pathway, arginine-proline metabolism, the cellular redox state, and strongly affects choline metabolism during EMT. TGF-ß was found to induce phosphocholine production. A kinase inhibitor RSM-93A that inhibits choline kinase α (CHKα) mitigated TGF-ß-induced changes associated with EMT, i.e., increased filamentous (F)-actin stress fiber formation and N-Cadherin mesenchymal marker expression.

The protective effect of Veronica ciliata Fisch. Extracts on relieving oxidative stress-induced liver injury via activating AMPK/p62/Nrf2 pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Veronica ciliata Fisch. existed in various Tibetan medicine prescriptions, which was recorded to treat liver diseases in the Tibetan medicine roll of Chinese materia medica. HYPOTHESIS/PURPOSE: The current study aimed to examine the effect of active constituents from V.ciliata relieving oxidative stress-mediated liver injury and clarify the underlying mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: tert-Butyl hydroperoxide (BHP) induced liver injury in mice model was established to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of ethyl acetate extract of V. ciliata (EAFVC). Serum and liver indicators, as well as the histopathological change of liver were examined. Next, the constituents of EAFVC were separated and characterized by high-speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) and Ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer (UPLC-MS), respectively. Based on the above, the antioxidant activity of EAFVC and two fractions was evaluated using 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2, 2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoli- ne-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) free radical scavenging assays. The hepatoprotective activity of EAFVC and its fractions/compounds attenuating ethanol-induced hepatocyte damage in BRL-3A cells was evaluated using the MTT method. The effect of the fraction and compounds with the strongest protective activity on ethanol-induced cytotoxicity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, and glutathione (GSH) depletion was investigated. mRNA expression of nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and nuclear factor of κB (NF-κB), as well as their downstream target genes, was determined by RT-qPCR. Finally, the potential mechanism of fraction 1 and luteolin on the AMPK/p62/Nrf2 signal pathway was studied using western blotting. RESULTS: Firstly, EAFVC could relieve liver impairment induced by t-BHP in mice. Next, fraction 1 enriched with polyphenolic compounds and luteolin derived from EAFVC were screened to yield the highest hepatoprotective activity against ethanol-induced hepatocyte damage. Further study demonstrated that fraction 1 and luteolin relieved BRL-3A cells damage by decreasing the aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities, ROS accumulation, as well as the depletion of GSH. Also, we determined that fraction 1 and luteolin suppressed inflammation and apoptosis of BRL-3A cells. The mechanistic studies indicated that fraction 1 could attenuate oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis by activating AMPK phosphorylation, which promotes autophagy associated protein expression (LC3-B, Beclin1 and p62) as well as promote phosphorylation of p62 -dependent autophagic degradation of Keap1, to induce Nrf2 dissociation from Keap1 and translocate to nuclear. Nrf2 in the nuclear activate cytoprotective related genes to exert hepatoprotective function. Finally, we found that luteolin activated the protein expression of p-AMPK, p-p62, p62, Nrf2, and its downstream target genes. CONCLUSIONS: This study clarified that fraction 1 enriched phenolic compounds could attenuate ethanol-induced liver injury in BRL-3A cells via activating AMPK/p62/Nrf2 pathway. Luteolin could serve as the major bioactive component in the therapeutic effect of fraction 1. These active constituents in V. ciliata could be used as the potential drugs targeted activation of AMPK or p62 for relieving oxidative stress-mediated liver disorders.

Protective effects of n-Butanol extract and iridoid glycosides of Veronica ciliata Fisch. Against ANIT-induced cholestatic liver injury in mice.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Veronica ciliata Fisch. is a traditional medical herb that present in more than 100 types of Tibetan medicine prescriptions, most of which are used for liver disease therapy. Iridoid glycosides have been identified as the major active components of V.ciliata with a variety of biological activities. AIMS OF THE STUDY: The aim of this study is to explore the protective effect and potential mechanism of n-Butanol extract (BE) and iridoid glycosides (IG) from V.ciliata against ɑ-naphthyl isothiocyanate (ANIT)-induced hepatotoxicity and cholestasis in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mice were intragastrically (i.g.) given BE and IG at different dose or positive control ursodeoxycholic acid (UCDA) once a day for 14 consecutive days, and were treated with ANIT to cause liver injury on day 12th. Serum levels of hepatic injury markers and cholestasis indicators, liver index and liver histopathology were measured to evaluate the effect of BE and IG on liver injury caused by ANIT. The protein levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB), interleukin-6 (IL-6), Na+/taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP), bile salt export pump (BSEP), multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (MRP2), and the levels of oxidative stress indicators in liver tissue were investigated to reveal the underlying protective mechanisms of BE and IG against ANIT-induced hepatotoxicity and cholestasis. RESULTS: The n-Butanol extract (BE) and iridoid glycosides (IG) isolated from V.ciliata significantly decreased serum level of cholestatic liver injury markers aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT), total bile acid (TBA), total bilirubin (TBIL), and direct bilirubin (DBIL) in ANIT-treated mice. Histopathology of the liver tissue showed that pathological damages were relieved upon BE and IG treatment. Meanwhile, the results indicated BE and IG notably restored relative liver weights, inhibited oxidative stress induced by ANIT through increasing hepatic level of superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT) and decreasing hepatic content of malondialdehyde (MDA). Western blot revealed that BE and IG inhibited the expression of pro-inflammatory factors TGF-α, IL-6 and NF-κB. Furthermore, the decreased protein expression of bile acid transporters NTCP, BSEP, MRP2 were upregulated by BE and IG in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: The results have demonstrated that BE and IG exhibited a dose-dependently protective effect against ANIT-induced liver injury with acute intrahepatic cholestasis in mice, which might be related to the regulation of oxidative stress, inflammatory response and bile acid transport. In addition, these findings pointed out that iridoid glycosides as main active components of V.ciliata play a critical role in hepatoprotective effect of V.ciliata.

Phytochemical characterization and hepatoprotective effect of active fragment from Adhatoda vasica Nees. against tert-butyl hydroperoxide induced oxidative impairment via activating AMPK/p62/Nrf2 pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Adhatoda vasica Nees., which existed in a large; number of Tibetan medicine prescriptions for hepatopathy, used as an adjuvant to treat liver diseases. HYPOTHESIS/PURPOSE: Oxidative stress is the key player in the development and progression of liver pathogenesis. In recent years, research is increasingly being focused on exploitation of the active components from medicinal plants to combat the liver oxidative injury. In our study, we aimed to screen the active principles from A. vasica and clarify whether they could relieve oxidative damage induced by tert-Butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) and its potential mechanism via activating AMPK/p62/Nrf2 pathway. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) was adopted for analysis of chemical composition in the extracts. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of the fractions was evaluated using DPPH, ABTS and reducing power assay. Along with this, the compounds in this fraction with highest antioxidant activity were analyzed using UPLC-MS. Based on this, the condition for extracting flavonoids of this subfraction was optimized via response surface method. CCK-8 assay was used to detect cell viability. Detection kits were used to measure the activity changes of AST, ALT, LDH and CAT as well as MDA and GSH levels induced by t-BHP. Detection of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was used DCFH-DA probe. DAPI staining and flow cytometry was used to detect cell apoptosis. In terms of the mechanistic studies, the expression of proteins involved in AMPK/p62/Nrf2 pathway was measured using western blotting. RESULTS: Eventually, 70% ethanol extract from leaf of A. vasica was chosen due to its highest active components compared with other extracts. Further, ethyl acetate fraction derived from 70% ethanol extract in A. vasica (AVEA) possess highest ability for scavenging DPPH and ABTS free radicals as well as strongest reducing power than other fractions. Chemical composition analysis showed that AVEA contained 17 compounds, including 1 quinazoline alkaloid, 12 flavonoid-C-glycosides and 4 flavonoid-O-glycosides. In addition, the conditions (ratio of solid-liquid 1:14, the concentration of ethanol 73%, and the temperature 65 °C) were selected to enrich the flavonoids in AVEA. Furthermore, AVEA could attenuate t-BHP induced hepatocyte damage via increasing the cell viability, restoring abnormal the activities of AST, ALT, LDH and CAT as well as the levels of MDA and GSH. ROS fluorescence intensity was reduced by AVEA. Meanwhile, it could inhibit the cell apoptosis of BRL 3 A cells, as evidenced by restoration of cell morphology and decreasing the number of apoptotic cells. Further mechanistic studies indicated AVEA could promote p-AMPK expression to further induce autophagy adaptor-p62 protein expression, which could autophagic degradation of Keap1, leading to Nrf2 release and translocation into nucleus to induce antioxidant genes (HO-1, NQO-1, GCLC and GCLM) expression. CONCLUSION: In our study, AVEA was first to screen as the active fraction in A. vasica with alkaloids and abundant flavones. Moreover, the fraction potentiates its beneficial aspect by displaying the protective role on relieving t-BHP induced oxidative stress and activating AMPK/p62/Nrf2 pathway. AVEA helps maintain the redox homeostasis of hepatic cells and could be considered as an effective candidate against oxidative stress related liver disorders.

Polyphenols from Penthorum chinense Pursh. Attenuates high glucose-induced vascular inflammation through directly interacting with Keap1 protein.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Penthorum chinense Pursh is used for promoting diuresis and alleviating "heat"-associated disorders, which were considered to be related to diabetic in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). AIMS OF THIS STUDY: Here, we aimed to evaluate the ability and underlying mechanism of the ethyl acetate fraction of Penthorum chinense Pursh stems (PSE) to inhibit vascular inflammation in high glucose (HG)-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC cells). MATERIALS AND METHODS: HUVEC cells were pre-treated with PSE following HG treatment. The cell viability, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation were analyzed. Inflammatory, and antioxidant,-related proteins were analyzed using western blotting. Molecular docking and drug affinity targeting experiments (DARTS) were utilized to analyze and verify the binding of the Keap1 protein and polyphenols of PSE. RESULTS: HG can significantly increase the activity of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), destroy the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and promote the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), while PSE treatment reversed these changes. Mechanistically, PSE inhibited NF-κB and inflammatory cytokines activation induced by HG through activating the expression of Nrf2 and its downstream antioxidant proteins Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), NAD (P)H Quinone Dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1), Glutamate cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC), Glutamate-cysteine ligase modifier (GCLM). Further study indicated that PSE activated Nrf2 antioxidant pathway mainly by the binding of primary polyphenols from PSE and the Keap1 protein. CONCLUSION: Taken together, the present data highlight the health benefits of polyphenols from Penthorum chinense Pursh. regarding diabetes, proving it to be an important source of health care products. Besides, binding of the Keap1 protein may be an effective strategy to activate Nrf2 antioxidant pathway and prevent diabetes.

Application of Chlorophyte ChlB Gene and Cyanophyte NIES Gene in the Detection of Drowning-Related Plankton / 法医学杂志

Objective To construct a polymerase chain reaction-capillary electrophoresis （PCR-CE） detection method using ChlB gene and NIES gene, investigate the method's specificity and sensitivity, and to evaluate its application value in drowning diagnosis. Methods The specific primers ChlB and NIES were designed for the conserved sequence of chlorophyte ChlB gene and cyanophyte NIES gene in GenBank to construct PCR-CE detection method; 50 species of standard DNA samples were amplified; the sensitivity was determined by gradient concentration detection of positive standard samples; 25 actual cadaver lung tissue samples （drowned： 20, natural death： 5） were detected, and the simultaneous detection results of microwave digestion-vacuum filtration-automated scanning electron microscopy （MD-VF-Auto SEM） were simultaneously compared. Results The minimum DNA detection concentration of primers ChlB and NIES was 0.161 ng and 0.109 ng, respectively, which could specifically amplify chlorophyte （Chlorella pyrenoidosa） and cyanophyte ［Microcystis aeruginosa （producing and not producing toxin）］ widespread in water. The product fragments were 156 bp and 182 bp, respectively. The results of non-drowning tissues were negative. Conclusion This method has high sensitivity and specificity. It can be applied to the detection of plankton related to drowning and combined with MD-VF-Auto SEM method, can increase the detection range of plankton related to drowning and improve the evidence power of drowning diagnosis.

Transcriptome Profiling of Potential Non-coding RNAs in Meningitis-causing Escherichia coli K1 / 中国生物化学与分子生物学报

Bacterial non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are pivotal transcriptional regulators during bacterial proliferation and infection processes.Bacterial ncRNAs play important roles in responding to environmental changes and regulating bacterial gene expression to resist environmental stress.Transcriptome profiling of neonatal meningitis-causing Escherichia coli K1 RS218 (NMEC) reveals abundant ncRNAs.Bioinformatic analyses identified 45 potential ncRNAs.Comparative genome analyses of non-pathogenic E.coli K12 and NMEC identified 300 NMEC-specific sequences (above 100 bp), which contain 9 NMEC-specific ncRNAs (Nsr).Moreover, deletion of one ncRNA, Nsr21, enhanced NMEC survival and proliferation in mouse blood (P< 0.01) , compared to the wild-type RS218 control, in a mouse tail vein injection model.qRT-PCR analysis further revealed expression of Nsr21 decreased in NMEC collected from mouse blood compared to that in NMEC collected from in vitro medium (P<0.001) , indicating that NMEC downregulates Nsr21 expression to benefit its survival and proliferation in blood.This study suggests that the NMEC genome contains a number of ncRNAs, which may be involved in regulating NMEC pathogenicity.During infection process in the blood, NMEC enhances its proliferation ability in blood by downregulating the expression of Nsr21.

Analysis on YABBY Transcription Factor Family of Original Plant Cannabis sativa of Traditional Chinese Medicine Cannabis Fructus / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To analyze the sequence characteristics，chromosomal location，gene structure，conserved motifs，phylogenetic evolution and differential gene expressions of the <italic>Cannabis sativa</italic> YABBY transcription factor family，in order to provide a molecular basis for in-depth study of <italic>YABBY</italic> gene function and theoretical support for the selection and breeding of superior hemp varieties. Method:The bio-informatics method was used to identify and analyze the <italic>CsYABBY </italic>gene family of the original hemp seed plant. PlantTFDB，ExPASy，MEME，CELLO，PLANTCARE and other online websites and TBtools，MEGA，DNAMAN and other software were used for prediction，visualization and analysis. Result:<italic>C. sativa</italic> contains 6 <italic>YABBY</italic> gene members distributed on 5 chromosomes，in which 5 members are localized in the nucleus and 1 in extracellular， they consist of 185-235 amino acids， and the isoelectric point is between 5.05 and 9.34， the molecular weight is between 20 582.45-26 282.7 Da. All of CsYABBY proteins contain two conserved domains， namely Zinc finger domain and YABBY domain. <italic>CsYABBY</italic> genes have multiple cis-acting elements，and their expressions differ in different tissues and cultivars. Conclusion:The expressions of CsYABBY may be affected by hormones and externally environmental factors. <italic>CsYABBY</italic> gene expressions are tissue-specific. In addition，YABBY transcription factor family may play an important role in regulating the development of <italic>C. sativa</italic> female flowers，and subfamilies YAB1 and YAB5 may be involved in the synthesis of cannabinoids.

Research progress on mechanism of phytohormones in regulating flavonoid metabolism / 中国中药杂志

Phytohormones play an important role at all stages of plant growth, influencing plant growth and development and regulating plant secondary metabolism, such as the synthesis of flavone, flavonol, anthocyanin, and other flavonoids. Flavonoids, a group of important secondary metabolites ubiquitous in plants, have antioxidative, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory activities and thus have a wide range of potential applications in Chinese medicine and food nutrition. With the development of biotechnology, phytohormones' regulation on flavonoids has become a research focus in recent years. This study reviewed the research progress on the mechanism of common phytohormones, such as abscisic acid, gibberellin, methyl jasmonate, and salicylic acid, in regulating flavonoid metabolism, and discussed the molecular mechanism of the synthesis and accumulation of flavonoids, aiming at clarifying the key role of phytohormones in modulating flavonoid metabolism. The result is of guiding significance for improving the content of flavonoids in plants through rational use of phytohormones and of reference value for exploring the mechanism of hormones in regulating flavonoid metabolism.

Identification and expression analysis of the C2H2 gene family in Cannabis sativa L / 药学学报

C2H2 transcription factors play an important role in plant growth, development and the regulation of secondary metabolism. This article identifies members of the C2H2 gene family in Cannabis sativa L. at the genome level. Chromosomal location and linkage, evolutionary relationships, and identification of conserved motifs was determined from the C. sativa genome and transcriptome data using bioinformatics tools and on-line websites such as TBtools, MEGA software, NCBI, PlantTFDB, ExPASy, HMMSCAN, MEME, WoLFPSORT and PlantCARE. The results show that C. sativa contains 30 members of the C2H2 gene family (named CsC2H2-1-CsC2H2-30) distributed on 9 chromosomes. The encoded proteins range in length from 138 to 635 amino acids, and the theoretical isoelectric points range from 5.85 to 9.52. Molecular weights range from 15 909.48 to 68 445.53 Da. Transcriptome analysis showed that CsC2H2 was differentially expressed in the female flowers, bracts, leaves, and stems of the Diku variety and female flowers of nine different varieties of C. sativa. Quantitative real-time PCR verified that CsC2H2-1, CsC2H2-5, and CsC2H2-19 were significantly expressed in the female flowers and bracts of the Diku variety. This provides a theoretical basis for in-depth study of the function of the C2H2 gene family and the breeding of high-quality C. sativa varieties.

[Genome-wide analysis of LBD(lateral organ boundaries domain) gene family in Cannabis sativa of traditional Chinese medicine hemp seed].

LBD(lateral organ boundaries)transcription factors play an important role in the regulation of plant growth, development and secondary metabolism. In order to explore the function of LBD genes in cannabis, the Cannabis sativa genome and transcriptome were used to identify the C. sativa LBD gene family, and analyzed their expression patterns. Our results showed that the cannabis LBD contains 32 members, which were divided into two major categories, seven sub-families. Class Ⅰ was divided into 5 sub-families, named Class Ⅰ_a to Class Ⅰ_e, while Class Ⅱ was divided into 2 sub-families, including Class Ⅱ_a and Class Ⅱ_b. Analysis showed that the number of amino acids encoded LBDs was between 172 and 356, and the isoelectric point was between 4.92 and 9.43. The mole-cular weight of LBD was between 18 862.92 Da and 40 081.33 Da, and most members are located in the nucleus. Chromosome positioning of LBD showed that 32 members were unevenly distributed on 10 chromosomes of C. sativa LBD transcription factor domain, gene structure and motifs are relatively conservative, and the characteristics of different class members are similar. The upstream promoter region of the gene contains a variety of cis-acting elements related to plant hormones and environmental factors, C. sativa LBD genes have different expression patterns in the stems, leaves, and flowers of ZYS varieties(low tetrahydrocannabinol, high cannabidiol). The members of the LBD gene family are mainly expressed in the flowers and stems of ZYS varieties, while members expressed in the leaves very few; Class Ⅱ members CsLBD21 and CsLBD23 are expressed in flowers and stems, and CsLBD8 and CsLBD18 are expressed in flowers, stems and leaves. These genes may participate in the growth and development of cannabis and affect the biosynthesis of cannabinoids. This study laid the foundation for the subsequently functional research of the cannabis LBD gene family.

Activation of p62-Keap1-Nrf2 Pathway Protects 6-Hydroxydopamine-Induced Ferroptosis in Dopaminergic Cells.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder primarily caused by the death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). However, the manner of death of dopaminergic neurons remains indistinct. Ferroptosis is a form of cell death involving in the iron-dependent accumulation of glutathione depletion and lipid peroxide. Besides, previous studies indicated that ferroptosis might be involved in the death of dopaminergic neurons. In this study, we aim to explore the protective effect of the p62-Keap1-Nrf2 pathway against 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced ferroptosis in dopaminergic cells. Firstly, our results demonstrated that 6-OHDA-induced ferroptosis could be observed in vivo zebrafish and in vitro human dopaminergic cell line (SH-SY5Y cells) model. Moreover, ferroptosis induced by 6-OHDA mitigates in SH-SY5Y cells upon ferrostatin-1 (Fer, an inhibitor of ferroptosis) treatment via upregulating the protein expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4). Then, we found that high p62/SQSTM1 (p62) expression could protect SH-SY5Y cells against ferroptosis through promoting Nrf2 nuclear transfer and upregulating the expression of the antioxidant protein heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Ultimately, high p62 expression activates the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway through binding to Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1). Collectively, the activation of the p62-Keap1-Nrf2 pathway prevents 6-OHDA-induced ferroptosis in SH-SY5Y cells, targeting this pathway in combination with a pharmacological inhibitor of ferroptosis can be a potential approach for PD therapy.