Comprehensive analysis of stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase in prostate adenocarcinoma: insights into gene expression, immune microenvironment and tumor progression.

Prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD) is a prevalent global malignancy which depends more on lipid metabolism for tumor progression compared to other cancer types. Although Stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase (SCD) is documented to regulate lipid metabolism in multiple cancers, landscape analysis of its implications in PRAD are still missing at present. Here, we conducted an analysis of diverse cancer datasets revealing elevated SCD expression in the PRAD cohort at both mRNA and protein levels. Interestingly, the elevated expression was associated with SCD promoter hypermethylation and genetic alterations, notably the L134V mutation. Integration of comprehensive tumor immunological and genomic data revealed a robust positive correlation between SCD expression levels and the abundance of CD8+ T cells and macrophages. Further analyses identified significant associations between SCD expression and various immune markers in tumor microenvironment. Single-cell transcriptomic profiling unveiled differential SCD expression patterns across distinct cell types within the prostate tumor microenvironment. The Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome analyses showed that SCD enriched pathways were primarily related to lipid biosynthesis, cholesterol biosynthesis, endoplasmic reticulum membrane functions, and various metabolic pathways. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis highlighted the involvement of elevated SCD expression in crucial cellular processes, including the cell cycle and biosynthesis of cofactors pathways. In functional studies, SCD overexpression promoted the proliferation, metastasis and invasion of prostate cancer cells, whereas downregulation inhibits these processes. This study provides comprehensive insights into the multifaceted roles of SCD in PRAD pathogenesis, underscoring its potential as both a therapeutic target and prognostic biomarker.

The Loss of Interfacial Water-Adsorbate Hydrogen Bond Connectivity Position Surface-Active Hydrogen as a Crucial Intermediate to Enhance Nitrate Reduction Reaction.

The electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (NO3RR) offers a promising solution for remediating nitrate-polluted wastewater while enabling the sustainable production of ammonia. The control strategy of surface-active hydrogen (*H) is extensively employed to enhance the kinetics of the NO3RR, but atomic understanding lags far behind the experimental observations. Here, we decipher the cation-water-adsorbate interactions in regulating the NO3RR kinetics at the Cu (111) electrode/electrolyte interface using AIMD simulations with a slow-growth approach. We demonstrate that the key oxygen-containing intermediates of the NO3RR (e.g., *NO, *NO2, and *NO3) will stably coordinate with the cations, impeding their integration with the hydrogen bond network and further their hydrogenation by interfacial water molecules due to steric hindrance. The *H can migrate across the interface with a low energy barrier, and its hydrogenation barrier with oxygen-containing species remains unaffected by cations, offering a potent supplement to the hydrogenation process, playing the predominant factor by which the *H facilitates NO3RR reaction kinetic. This study provides valuable insights for understanding the reaction mechanism of NO3RR by fully considering the cation-water-adsorbate interactions, which can aid in the further development of the electrolyte and electrocatalysts for efficient NO3RR.

Encoding and display technologies for combinatorial libraries in drug discovery: The coming of age from biology to therapy.

Drug discovery is a sophisticated process that incorporates scientific innovations and cutting-edge technologies. Compared to traditional bioactivity-based screening methods, encoding and display technologies for combinatorial libraries have recently advanced from proof-of-principle experiments to promising tools for pharmaceutical hit discovery due to their high screening efficiency, throughput, and resource minimization. This review systematically summarizes the development history, typology, and prospective applications of encoding and displayed technologies, including phage display, ribosomal display, mRNA display, yeast cell display, one-bead one-compound, DNA-encoded, peptide nucleic acid-encoded, and new peptide-encoded technologies, and examples of preclinical and clinical translation. We discuss the progress of novel targeted therapeutic agents, covering a spectrum from small-molecule inhibitors and nonpeptidic macrocycles to linear, monocyclic, and bicyclic peptides, in addition to antibodies. We also address the pending challenges and future prospects of drug discovery, including the size of screening libraries, advantages and disadvantages of the technology, clinical translational potential, and market space. This review is intended to establish a comprehensive high-throughput drug discovery strategy for scientific researchers and clinical drug developers.

PARP9 affects myocardial function through TGF-ß/Smad axis and pirfenidone.

Cardiac arrhythmias are often linked to the overactivity of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs). Investigating the impact of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 9 (PARP9) on Angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced fibroblast activation and the therapeutic effects of pirfenidone (PFD) offers valuable insights into cardiac arrhythmias. This study utilized weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), differential gene expression (DEG) analysis, protein-protein interaction (PPI), and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis on the GSE42955 dataset to identify the hub gene with a significant diagnostic value. The ImmuCellAI tool revealed an association between PARP9 and immune cell infiltration. Our in vitro assessments focused on the influence of PFD on myofibroblast differentiation, transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-ß) expression, and Ang II-induced proliferation and migration in CFs. Additionally, we explored the impact on fibrosis markers and the TGF-ß/Smad signaling pathway in the context of PARP9 overexpression. Analysis of the GSE42955 dataset revealed PARP9 as a central gene with high clinical diagnostic value, linked to seven types of immune cells. The in vitro studies demonstrated that PFD significantly mitigates Ang II-induced CF proliferation, migration, and fibrosis. It also reduces Ang II-induced PARP9 expression and decreases fibrosis markers, including TGF-ß, collagen I, collagen III, and α-SMA. Notably, PARP9 overexpression can partially counteract PFD's inhibitory effects on CFs and modify the expression of fibronectin, CTGF, α-SMA, collagen I, collagen III, MMP2, MMP9, TGF-ß, and p-Smad2/3 in the TGF-ß/Smad signaling pathway. In summary, our findings suggest that PFD effectively counteracts the adverse effects of Ang II-induced CF proliferation and fibrosis, and modulates the TGF-ß/Smad signaling pathway and PARP9 expression. This identifies a potential therapeutic approach for managing myocardial fibrosis.

Chitin synthase genes of Aedes albopictus and their effects on development of pupae.

The invasive species Aedes albopictus is a major vector of several arboviruses. The global spread of this species seriously threatens human health. Insecticide resistance is an increasing problem worldwide that limits the efficacy of mosquito control. As the major structural component of cuticles, chitin is indispensable to insects. Chitin synthase (CHS) is the enzyme that catalyzes the biosynthesis of chitin at the final step. In this study, two CHS genes of Aedes albopictus (AaCHS1 and AaCHS2) were identified and their basic characteristics were evaluated via bioinformatics analysis. The highest abundance of AaCHS1 transcripts was detected in pupae, whereas that of AaCHS2 transcripts was detected in females; the highest expression levels of AaCHS1 and AaCHS2 were found in the epidermis and the midgut of pupae, respectively. The survival and emergence rates of pupae were significantly reduced after the injection of double-stranded RNA of AaCHS1 or AaCHS2, indicating that both AaCHS1 and AaCHS2 play crucial roles in the pupal development. In addition, the chitin content of pupae was obviously decreased after the suppression of AaCHS1 expression by RNA interference (RNAi) treatment. This influence of the RNAi treatment was further supported by the reduced chitin thickness and weakened chitin fluorescence signal in the new cuticle. The midgut of pupae presented a reduced intensity of the chitin fluorescence signal along with RNAi treatment specific to AaCHS2 expression. The results of this study indicate that CHS genes may be suitable as molecular targets used for controlling mosquitoes.

Esketamine vs. placebo combined with erector spinae plane block vs. intercostal nerve block on quality of recovery following thoracoscopic lung resection: A randomized controlled factorial trial.

BACKGROUND: Multimodal analgesic strategy is pivotal for enhanced recovery after surgery. The objective of this trial was to assess the effect of subanesthetic esketamine vs. placebo combined with erector spinae plane block (ESPB) vs. intercostal nerve block (ICNB) on postoperative recovery following thoracoscopic lung resection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This randomized, controlled, 2×2 factorial trial was conducted at a university hospital in Suzhou, China. One hundred adult patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung surgery were randomized to one of four groups (esketamine-ESPB, esketamine-ICNB, placebo-ESPB, and placebo-ICNB) to receive i.v. esketamine 0.3 mg/kg or normal saline placebo combined with ESPB or ICNB using 0.375% ropivacaine 20 mL. All patients received flurbiprofen axetil and patient-controlled fentanyl. The primary outcome was quality of recovery (QoR) at 24 h postoperatively, assessed using the QoR-15 scale, with a minimal clinically important difference of 6.0. RESULTS: The median age was 57 years and 52% were female. No significant interaction effect was found between esketamine and regional blocks on QoR (P=0.215). The QoR-15 score at 24 h was 111.5±5.8 in the esketamine group vs. 105.4±4.5 in the placebo group (difference=6.1, 95% CI, 4.0-8.1; P<0.001); 109.7±6.2 in the ESPB group vs. 107.2±5.6 in the ICNB group (difference=2.5, 95% CI, 0.2-4.9; P=0.033; not statistically significant after Bonferroni correction). Additionally, esketamine resulted in higher QoR-15 scores at 48 h (difference=4.6) and hospital discharge (difference=1.6), while ESPB led to a higher QoR-15 score at 48 h (difference=3.0). CONCLUSIONS: For patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung resection, subanesthetic esketamine improved QoR after surgery, while ICNB can be used interchangeably with ESPB as a component of multimodal analgesia.

A Biomimetic Multifunctional Nanoframework for Symptom Relief and Restorative Treatment of Acute Liver Failure.

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a rare and serious condition characterized by major hepatocyte death and liver dysfunction. Owing to the limited therapeutic options, this disease generally has a poor prognosis and a high mortality rate. When ALF cannot be reversed by medications, liver transplantation is often needed. However, transplant rejection and the shortage of donor organs still remain major challenges. Most recently, stem cell therapy has emerged as a promising alternative for the treatment of liver diseases. However, the limited cell delivery routes and poor stability of live cell products have greatly hindered the feasibility and therapeutic efficacy of stem cell therapy. Inspired by the functions of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) primarily through the secretion of several factors, we developed an MSC-inspired biomimetic multifunctional nanoframework (MBN) that encapsulates the growth-promoting factors secreted by MSCs via combination with hydrophilic or hydrophobic drugs. The red blood cell (RBC) membrane was coated with the MBN to enhance its immunological tolerance and prolong its circulation time in blood. Importantly, the MBN can respond to the oxidative microenvironment, where it accumulates and degrades to release the payload. In this work, two biomimetic nanoparticles, namely, rhein-encapsulated MBN (RMBN) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC)-encapsulated MBN (NMBN), were designed and synthesized. In lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/d-galactosamine (D-GalN)-induced and acetaminophen (APAP)-induced ALF mouse models, RMBN and NMBN could effectively target liver lesions, relieve the acute symptoms of ALF, and promote liver cell regeneration by virtue of their strong antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and regenerative activities. This study demonstrated the feasibility of the use of an MSC-inspired biomimetic nanoframework for treating ALF.

Finite element analysis of three different minimally invasive fixation methods for distal tibial fractures with soft tissue injury / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:The treatment of distal tibial fractures with soft tissue injury has always been challenging,and the new retrograde tibial nailing is a new choice.Up to now,there were few reports on the biomechanical properties between the new retrograde tibial nailing,anterograde intramedullary nailing and supercutaneous locking plate. OBJECTIVE:To explore the biomechanical stability of new retrograde tibial nailing,antegrade intramedullary nailing and supercutaneous locking plate in the treatment of distal tibial fractures with soft tissue injury using finite element analysis so as to offer a scientific foundation for clinical application. METHODS:The finite element model of transverse distal tibia fracture was established by relevant software utilizing the CT data of the tibia from a 42-year-old healthy male.Retrograde tibial nailing,antegrade intramedullary nailing and supercutaneous locking plate finite element models were assembled under the principle of fracture fixation.Finally,meshing,applying loads,and data processing were accomplished with the ANSYS 2019 software.Moreover,the stress distribution and displacement of the tibia and internal fixation of each model were compared. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The displacement of fracture end in the three groups increased with the increase of load.In all mode loads,the average displacement of the fracture end was the least in the retrograde tibial nailing group,followed by the supercutaneous locking plate group,and the highest in the antegrade intramedullary nailing group.At 800 N vertical load,the displacement difference of the fracture end was statistically significant(P<0.05).There was no statistical significance in other load modes.(2)Under different loads,the tibial stress in the three groups was the highest in the middle of the tibia,and gradually decreased to the proximal and distal ends.The stress distribution of the tibial shaft was the highest in the retrograde tibial nailing group,followed by the supercutaneous locking plate group,and the least in the antegrade intramedullary nailing group.(3)Under different loads,the stress of the tibial stress raiser in the three groups was significantly higher in the supercutaneous locking plate group than in the other two groups,with statistical significance(P<0.05).(4)Under different loads,the stress of the fixators in the three groups was the largest in the supercutaneous locking plate group,followed by the retrograde tibial nailing group,and the minimum in the antegrade intramedullary nailing group.There were significant differences in the stress of fixator stress raiser among the three groups under different loading modes(P<0.05).(5)It is indicated that all three fixation methods have the good anti-rotation ability and axial stability.Retrograde tibial nail shows better biomechanical stability.

Biomechanical difference of different fixation methods in bone healing of distal tibial comminuted fractures analyzed by finite element method / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:The treatment of distal tibial comminuted fractures with soft tissue injury has always been challenging.The new retrograde tibial nailing and supercutaneous locking plate are important treatment methods,but their strain and stress shielding at the fracture end during different periods of fracture healing and different load conditions have not been reported. OBJECTIVE:To explore the biomechanical stability of retrograde tibial nailing and supercutaneous locking plate in different periods of fracture healing by finite element analysis to offer a scientific foundation for clinical application and rehabilitation exercise. METHODS:The finite element model of distal tibial comminuted fracture was established by utilizing the CT data of the tibia from a 40-year-old healthy male.Retrograde tibial nailing,supercutaneous locking plate,and callus models were assembled in accordance with the principle of fracture fixation.The finite element analysis was performed using ANSYS software to compare the displacement of the fracture end,the stress shielding of the tibia,the stress of the callus,and the stress distribution of the tibia and the fixation device during different periods of fracture healing. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The relative displacement of the tibial fracture decreased gradually with the healing of the fracture,and the displacement decreased significantly after 3 months.At 0 and 1 months after operation,the vertical displacement and total displacement of the supercutaneous locking plate group were higher than those in the retrograde intramedullary nail group.The Z-axis displacement(horizontal medial and lateral displacement)of the two fixation methods was more obvious than the X-axis and Y-axis,and the Z-axis displacement of supercutaneous locking plate group was the most obvious.The maximum Z-axis displacement of the two fixation methods was located on the outside of the tibia,and the minimum displacement was located on the inside of the tibia.(2)The stress shielding rate at different periods of fracture healing gradually decreased with time.The stress shielding rate of the retrograde intramedullary nail was higher than that of the supercutaneous locking plate at different stages of fracture healing.After 3 months,the stress shielding rate of the supercutaneous locking plate was reduced to about 4%,and the stress shielding rate of the retrograde intramedullary nail was reduced to about 40%.(3)The stress of the stress concentration site of the callus in the two fixation methods increased with the increase of the load,and the stress of the callus in the supercutaneous locking plate group was always greater than that in the retrograde intramedullary nail group.The maximum stress distribution of the callus was approximately equally distributed among the two modes of fixation,both in the lateral portion of the tibia.(4)As the fracture healed,the maximum stress of the tibia in the two groups decreased gradually,and the stress in the supercutaneous locking plate group was always greater than that in the retrograde intramedullary nail group.The average stress of the maximum stress area of the tibia in the supercutaneous locking plate group under 1 500 N load was 285 MPa,while that in the retrograde intramedullary nail group was 26 MPa.(5)As the fracture healed,the stress of the fixation device in the two groups decreased gradually,and the stress in the supercutaneous locking plate group was significantly higher than that in the retrograde intramedullary nail group.After 3 months,the stress of the two fixation devices decreased significantly.(6)It is indicated that in the early stage of fracture healing,the strain on the fracture end in the retrograde intramedullary nail group is small,and the maximum stress of the tibia is moderate,allowing early loaded.The fractured ends in the supercutaneous locking plate group had too large strain and too large maximum stress of the tibia,which needed to be partially loaded under protection and could not be fully loaded.In the middle and late stages of fracture healing,the tibial retrograde intramedullary nail and the supercutaneous locking plate could be completely loaded,and the stress shielding rate of the supercutaneous locking plate was significantly lower than the tibial retrograde intramedullary nail.

Clinical significance of chorda arteriae umbilicalis in laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal hernia repair / 局解手术学杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of the chorda arteriae umbilicalis in laparoscopic transabdominal preperi-toneal(TAPP)hernia repair.Methods The clinical data of 60 patients with inguinal hernia admitted to Xinrui Hospital in Xinwu District of Wuxi City from June 2019 to June 2022 were analyzed,and the patients were randomly divided into two groups according to whether the chorda arteriae umbilicalis was used as a marker during operation.Both the control group and the observation group were operated according to the routine procedure.The observation group exposed the chorda arteriae umbilicalis,which was used as a reference to precisely free the surgical plane and gap to complete the parietalization of spermatic cord,meanwhile,the angle formed by the intersection of the deferens and umbilical artery cord was used to assist in fixing the patch.The operation time,time of parietalization of spermatic cord,hospital stay,bladder surface bleeding volume,removal rate of hernial sac,the occurrence of postoperative complications and recurrence of patients were compared between the two groups.Results There was no significant difference in the operation time,removal rate of hernial sac,hospital stay,recurrence rate or the incidence of postoperative complications such as chronic pain,uroschesis of patients between the two groups(P>0.05).The time of parietalization of spermatic cord,bladder surface bleeding volume,and incidence of seroma of patients in the observation group were shorter/lower than those in the control group,the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion The chorda arteriae umbilicalis has a constant morphology and relatively fixed anatomical position and alignment.The chorda arteriae umbilicalis can be used as a reference and guiding mark,especially when the anatomical layer is dense and unclear or strayed into the layer in TAPP hernia repair,whihc can guide to operate at the correct layer,standardize the parietalization of spermatic cord,reduce bleeding and vice-damage,and also assist the fixation of the patch and prevent the displacement of the patch.

Application value of MEX3A,CDX2,MUC2 and MUC5AC in judging cancerous gastric mucosal intestinal metaplasia / 中国现代医生

@#Objective To investigate the correlation between MEX3A and differentiation characteristics of gastric cancer and intestinal metaplasia,and its combination with caudal-related homeobox transcription factor 2(CDX2)and mucin 2(MUC2)and mucin 5AC(MUC5AC)to determine the role of carcinogenic intestinal metaplasia.Methods From January 2010 to December 2014,a total of 410 cases of gastric cancer and paracarcinoma paraffin-embedded tissue samples were selected from the Central Hospital Affiliated to Shenyang Medical College and the Second Hospital Affiliated to Shenyang Medical College.According to pathological diagnosis,they were divided into control group(mild superficial gastritis,79 cases),intestinal metaplasia group(149 cases)and gastric cancer group(182 cases).The expressions of MEX3A,CDX2,MUC2 and MUC5AC were detected by immunohistochemistry.Results MEX3A was highly expressed in gastric cancer group and intestinal metaplasia group,especially diffuse gastric cancer,poorly differentiated gastric cancer and type Ⅲ intestinal metaplasia(P<0.05).CDX2 and MUC2 were highly expressed in gastric cancer group and intestinal metaplasia group,especially intestinal type gastric cancer,highly and moderately differentiated gastric cancer,type Ⅰ and type Ⅱ intestinal metaplasia(P<0.05).The expression of MUC5AC was high in control group and low in gastric cancer group and intestinal metaplasia group,especially in intestinal type gastric cancer,type Ⅰ and type Ⅲ intestinal metaplasia(P<0.05).Gastric cancer and intestinal metaplasia differentiation were negatively correlated with MEX3A and MUC5AC expression,but positively correlated with CDX2 and MUC2 expression(P<0.05).MEX3A was negatively correlated with the expression of CDX2 and MUC2,and positively correlated with the expression of MUC5AC in gastric cancer(P<0.05).MEX3A was negatively correlated with the expression of CDX2 and MUC2 in intestinal metaplasia(P<0.05),while CDX2 was positively correlated with the expression of MUC2(P<0.05).Conclusion MEX3A is negatively correlated with gastric cancer and intestinal metaplasia differentiation.Gastric cancer is characterized by high MEX3A expression and low CDX2 and MUC2 expression.

Novel Anti-Cancer Products Targeting AMPK: Natural Herbal Medicine against Breast Cancer.

Breast cancer is a common cancer in women worldwide. The existing clinical treatment strategies have been able to limit the progression of breast cancer and cancer metastasis, but abnormal metabolism, immunosuppression, and multidrug resistance involving multiple regulators remain the major challenges for the treatment of breast cancer. Adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-Activated Protein Kinase (AMPK) can regulate metabolic reprogramming and reverse the "Warburg effect" via multiple metabolic signaling pathways in breast cancer. Previous studies suggest that the activation of AMPK suppresses the growth and metastasis of breast cancer cells, as well as stimulating the responses of immune cells. However, some other reports claim that the development and poor prognosis of breast cancer are related to the overexpression and aberrant activation of AMPK. Thus, the role of AMPK in the progression of breast cancer is still controversial. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of AMPK, particularly the comprehensive bidirectional functions of AMPK in cancer progression; discuss the pharmacological activators of AMPK and some specific molecules, including the natural products (including berberine, curcumin, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate, ginsenosides, and paclitaxel) that influence the efficacy of these activators in cancer therapy; and elaborate the role of AMPK as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of breast cancer.

Genetic and Phenotypic Variation of Campylobacter jejuni NCTC11168 Caused by flhA Mutation during Laboratory Passage / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

OBJECTIVE@#Campylobacter jejuni NCTC11168 is commonly used as a standard strain for flagellar biosynthesis research. In this report, two distinguished phenotypic isolates (CJ1Z, flhA mutant strain, lawn; CJ2S, flhA complemented strain, normal colony) appeared during laboratory passages for NCTC11168.@*METHODS@#Phenotypic assessments, including motility plates, transmission electron microscopy, biofilm formation assay, autoagglutination assay, and genome re-sequencing for these two isolates (CJ1Z, flhA mutant strain; CJ2S, flhA complemented strain) were carried out in this study.@*RESULTS@#Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the flagellum was lost in CJ1Z. Phenotypic assessments and genome sequencing of the two isolates were performed in this study. The capacity for biofilm formation, colony auto-agglutination, and isolate motility was reduced in the mutant CJ1Z. Comparative genomic analysis indicated a unique native nucleotide insertion in flhA (nt, 2154) that caused the I719Y and I720Y mutations and early truncation in flhA.@*CONCLUSION@#FlhA has been found to influence the expression of flagella in C. jejuni. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to describe the function of the C-terminal of this protein.

Complete chloroplast genome sequencing and phylogeny of wild Atractylodes lancea from Yuexi, Anhui province / 中国中药杂志

This study investigated the choroplast genome sequence of wild Atractylodes lancea from Yuexi in Anhui province by high-throughput sequencing, followed by characterization of the genome structure, which laid a foundation for the species identification, analysis of genetic diversity, and resource conservation of A. lancea. To be specific, the total genomic DNA was extracted from the leaves of A. lancea with the improved CTAB method. The chloroplast genome of A. lancea was sequenced by the high-throughput sequencing technology, followed by assembling by metaSPAdes and annotation by CPGAVAS2. Bioiformatics methods were employed for the analysis of simple sequence repeats(SSRs), inverted repeat(IR) border, codon bias, and phylogeny. The results showed that the whole chloroplast genome of A. lancea was 153 178 bp, with an 84 226 bp large single copy(LSC) and a 18 658 bp small single copy(SSC) separated by a pair of IRs(25 147 bp). The genome had the GC content of 37.7% and 124 genes: 87 protein-coding genes, 8 rRNA genes, and 29 tRNA genes. It had 26 287 codons and encoded 20 amino acids. Phylogenetic analysis showed that Atractylodes species clustered into one clade and that A. lancea had close genetic relationship with A. koreana. This study established a method for sequencing the chloroplast genome of A. lancea and enriched the genetic resources of Compositae. The findings are expected to lay a foundation for species identification, analysis of genetic diversity, and resource conservation of A. lancea.

Prediction of superantigen active sites and clonal expression of staphylococcal enterotoxin-like W / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective: The docking and superantigen activity sites of staphylococcal enterotoxin-like W (SElW) and T cell receptor (TCR) were predicted, and its SElW was cloned, expressed and purified. Methods: AlphaFold was used to predict the 3D structure of SElW protein monomers, and the protein models were evaluated with the help of the SAVES online server from ERRAT, Ramachandran plot, and Verify_3D. The ZDOCK server simulates the docking conformation of SElW and TCR, and the amino acid sequences of SElW and other serotype enterotoxins were aligned. The primers were designed to amplify selw, and the fragment was recombined into the pMD18-T vector and sequenced. Then recombinant plasmid pMD18-T was digested with BamHⅠand Hind Ⅲ. The target fragment was recombined into the expression plasmid pET-28a(+). After identification of the recombinant plasmid, the protein expression was induced by isopropyl-beta-D- thiogalactopyranoside. The SElW expressed in the supernatant was purified by affinity chromatography and quantified by the BCA method. Results: The predicted three-dimensional structure showed that the SElW protein was composed of two domains, the amino-terminal and the carboxy-terminal. The amino-terminal domain was composed of 3 α-helices and 6 β-sheets, and the carboxy-terminal domain included 2 α-helices and 7 antiparallel β-sheets composition. The overall quality factor score of the SElW protein model was 98.08, with 93.24% of the amino acids having a Verify_3D score ≥0.2 and no amino acids located in disallowed regions. The docking conformation with the highest score (1 521.328) was selected as the analysis object, and the 19 hydrogen bonds between the corresponding amino acid residues of SElW and TCR were analyzed by PyMOL. Combined with sequence alignment and the published data, this study predicted and found five important superantigen active sites, namely Y18, N19, W55, C88, and C98. The highly purified soluble recombinant protein SElW was obtained with cloning, expression, and protein purification. Conclusions: The study found five superantigen active sites in SElW protein that need special attention and successfully constructed and expressed the SElW protein, which laid the foundation for further exploration of the immune recognition mechanism of SElW.

Population structure of food-borne Staphylococcus aureus in China / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective: To understand the population structure of food-borne Staphylococcus (S.) aureus in China. Methods: Whole genome sequencing was used to analyze 763 food-borne S. aureus strains from 16 provinces in China from 2006 to 2020. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST), staphylococcal protein A gene (spa) typing, and staphylococcal chromosome cassettemec (SCCmec) typing were conducted, and minimum spanning tree based on ST types (STs) was constructed by BioNumerics 7.5 software. Thirty-one S. aureus strains isolated from imported food products were also included in constructing the genome phylogenetic tree. Results: A total of 90 STs (20 novel types) and 160 spa types were detected in the 763 S. aureus isolates. The 72 STs (72/90, 80.0%) were related to 22 clone complexes. The predominant clone complexes were CC7, CC1, CC5, CC398, CC188, CC59, CC6, CC88, CC15, and CC25, accounting for 82.44% (629/763) of the total. The STs and spa types in the predominant clone complexes changed over the years. The methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) detection rate was 7.60%, and 7 SCCmec types were identified. The ST59-t437-Ⅳa (17.24%, 10/58), ST239-t030-Ⅲ (12.07%, 7/58), ST59-t437-Ⅴb (8.62%, 5/58), ST338-t437-Ⅴb (6.90%, 4/58) and ST338-t441-Ⅴb (6.90%, 4/58) were the main types in MRSA strains. The genome phylogenetic tree had two clades, and the strains with the same CC, ST, and spa types clustered together. All CC7 methicillin sensitive S. aureus strains were included in Clade1, while 21 clone complexes and all MRSA strains were in Clade2. The MRSA strains clustered according to the SCCmec and STs. The strains from imported food products in CC398, CC7, CC30, CC12, and CC188 had far distances from Chinese strains in the tree. Conclusions: In this study, the predominant clone complexes of food-borne strains were CC7, CC1, CC5, CC398, CC188, CC59, CC6, CC88, CC15, and CC25, which overlapped with the previously reported clone complexes of hospital and community-associated strains in China, suggesting that close attention needs to be paid to food, a vehicle of pathogen transmission in community and food poisoning.

Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton immunotherapy for cervical high-risk HPV persistent infection / 中华妇产科杂志

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton (Nr-CWS) in the treatment of persistent cervical high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection. Methods: A randomized, double blind, multi-center trial was conducted. A total of 688 patients with clinically and pathologically confirmed HR-HPV infection of the cervix diagnosed in 13 hispital nationwide were recruited and divided into: (1) patients with simple HR-HPV infection lasting for 12 months or more; (2) patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) Ⅰ and HR-HPV infection lasting for 12 months or more; (3) patients with the same HR-HPV subtype with no CINⅡ and more lesions after treatment with CINⅡ or CIN Ⅲ (CINⅡ/CIN Ⅲ). All participants were randomly divided into the test group and the control group at a ratio of 2∶1. The test group was locally treated with Nr-CWS freeze-dried powder and the control group was treated with freeze-dried powder without Nr-CWS. The efficacy and negative conversion rate of various subtypes of HR-HPV were evaluated at 1, 4, 8, and 12 months after treatment. The safety indicators of initial diagnosis and treatment were observed. Results: (1) This study included 555 patients with HR-HPV infection in the cervix (included 368 in the test group and 187 in the control group), with an age of (44.1±10.0) years. The baseline characteristics of the two groups of subjects, including age, proportion of Han people, weight, composition of HR-HPV subtypes, and proportion of each subgroup, were compared with no statistically significant differences (all P>0.05). (2) After 12 months of treatment, the effective rates of the test group and the control group were 91.0% (335/368) and 44.9% (84/187), respectively. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (χ2=142.520, P<0.001). After 12 months of treatment, the negative conversion rates of HPV 16, 18, 52, and 58 infection in the test group were 79.2% (84/106), 73.3% (22/30), 83.1% (54/65), and 77.4% (48/62), respectively. The control group were 21.6% (11/51), 1/9, 35.1% (13/37), and 20.0% (8/40), respectively. The differences between the two groups were statistically significant (all P<0.001). (3) There were no statistically significant differences in vital signs (body weight, body temperature, respiration, pulse rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, etc.) and laboratory routine indicators (blood cell analysis, urine routine examination) between the test group and the control group before treatment and at 1, 4, 8, and 12 months after treatment (all P>0.05); there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions related to the investigational drug between the two groups of subjects [8.7% (32/368) vs 8.0% (15/187), respectively; χ2=0.073, P=0.787]. Conclusion: External use of Nr-CWS has good efficacy and safety in the treatment of high-risk HPV persistent infection in the cervix.

Functional muscular transfer of lateral femoral muscle superficial region in emergency reconstruction of traumatic defects of dynamical muscle: A report of preliminary clinical study / 中华显微外科杂志

Objective:To explore the feasibility and clinical effect of emergency lateral thigh muscle transfer in functional reconstruction of major traumatic muscle defects.Methods:Emergency surgeries for 8 patients(7 males and 1 female) with muscle defects were carried out subject to emergently reconstruct the power of lateral femoral muscle superficial region, between March 2020 and December 2021, in the Department of Hand and Foot Microsurgery Hospital, Xi'an Fengcheng Hospital. The 8 patients were 23 to 52 years old with an average of 37.6 years old. Five patients injured by machine crush, 2 by heavy object crush and 1 by traffic accident. Five patients were in Gustilo III B injury in forearm, including 2 with flexor muscle group defects, 2 with extensor muscle group defects and 1 with defect of dorsal metacarpal flexor muscle and extensor muscle. Among the 5 patients, 2 patients had the defects in left forearm and 3 in right forearm. One patient had defect of right 1st metacarpal bone and skin and thenar muscle. One patient suffered a complete right upper arm detachment with musculocutaneous nerve being drawn out from the bicipital muscle. One patient had Gustilo III C injury in the right calf with defects of extensor hallucis longus and extensor digitorum. The areas of soft tissue defect were 10.0 cm×8.0 cm-36.0 cm×11.0 cm and the size of flaps was 12.0 cm×6.0 cm-38.0 cm×12.0 cm with the volumes of excised muscle at 18.0 cm×9.0 cm×1.5 cm-10.0 cm×2.0 cm×1.0 cm. The anatomical cross-section and length of the corresponding muscle on the healthy side were measured by musculoskeletal ultrasound. The chimeric tissue flap was designed on the anterolateral side of the thigh. The flap was designed according to the size of the wound and the corresponding flap. Then 1 or 2 muscle tissue blocks were designed and cut from the superficial region of the lateral femoral muscle according to the condition of the muscle defect, to cover the wound and reconstruct the muscle power. Postoperative follow-ups were conducted by scheduled hospital visit. The contents of follow-up included dynamic observation, evaluation and record through musculoskeletal ultrasound, electromyography and strength of muscle.Results:For the 8 patients who were subject to a muscle reconstruction, the transferred muscles and flaps survived in stage-one without vascular event. Postoperative follow-ups lasted for 10 to 32 months with an average of 19.6 months. The strength of muscle was evaluated according to the M 4 strength of muscle. Strength of muscle restored to M 4 or above in 7 patients who could lift, hook or push a heavy object in 5-30 kg of weight, with free joint movement. One patient restored the strength of muscle to M 3+. Muscle contraction was detected 2-4 months after surgery by musculoskeletal B ultrasound. The average ratio of contraction to resting cross sectional area in 5 cases was 1.45±0.42. The shape of limb was bilaterally symmetrical. There was no discomfort in the donor site and knee joint. The flaps were soft and glossy, with protective sensation restored. Conclusion:Muscle transfer from the lateral femoral muscle superficial region in emergency surgery for functional reconstruction of traumatic muscle defects is feasible and effective with a good clinical effect.

Analysis of emergency reconstruction of forearm Gustilo III B and III C fracture with complex tissue defect: outcomes and related factors / 中华显微外科杂志

Objective:To discuss outcomes of emergency repairing for Gustilo III B and III C fractures of forearm with complicated tissue defects and the related influence factors.Methods:From January 2014 to Feburary 2022, data of 98 cases of Gustilo III B and III C fractures with large compound defects of soft tissue, blood vessel, bone, tendon or muscle from elbow to wrist were collected. Primary debridement, bone fixation, wound coverage by free flap, bone transfer(or bone cement filling) or dynamic reconstruction of muscle were completed with emergency surgery in Department of Hand and Foot Microsurgery, Xi'an Fengcheng Hospital. Postoperative follow-ups were conducted through outpatient clinic visits, telephone and WeChat reviews. Video clips, questionnaires and the latest information of patients were also analysed. Rank sum test and Chi-square test were used to examine the relationship between independent variables such as general condition, disease condition and surgical procedures of chimeric tissue transfer group and simple flap transfer group, together with dependent variables such as limb salvage, number of surgery, wound healing, function scores, and complications. P<0.05 were further included in the regression equation to discover the relationship between multiple independent variables and dependent variables. Results:Follow-up lasted for 6-96 months, with an average of 71.1 months. In the chimeric group, the limb salvage rate was at 95.1%, with an infection rate of 8.50% and an average number of surgery was 2.13±0.89. In the simple flap transfer group, the limb salvage rate was at 87.5%, with an infection rate of 15.38% and an average number of surgery was 2.62±0.64. The good rate of Anderson score was 65.3% and the average score of Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand(DASH) was 32.9(0-60) points for all the patients. There were significant differences in dependent variables of limb salvage and infection rate between the 2 groups ( P<0.05). Ischemia time and method of bone fixation led to significant differences in number of surgery ( P<0.05). Methods of bone fixation and the types of flap made significant differences in wound healing ( P<0.05). Underlying disease, bonedefect, Gustilo classification and method of bone fixation all contributed to the significant differences in function score ( P<0.05 or P<0.01) . Conclusion:Emergency surgery for repair of serious injury of forearm has a relatively high limb salvage rate and good functional effects. The limb salvage rate is not correlated with independent variables such as severity of injury, Mangledextremity Severity Score (MESS) and ischemia time, while transfer of a simple flap or a chimeric flap is significantly correlated with the limb salvage rate, infection and wound healing. The severity of injury, ischemia time and bone defect are correlated with functional assessment, number of surgery and bone healing.

Preliminary study on anatomy and clinical significance of the superficial region of lateral femoral muscle / 中华显微外科杂志

Objective:To explore the feasibility in reconstruction of the muscular power with the superficial part of lateral femoral muscle through anatomical study on the superficial region of lateral femoral muscle.Methods:Studies on 4 sides of lower limbs of 2 cadaver specimen were conducted in the Department of Hand and Foot Microsurgery of Xi'an Fengcheng Hospital. Intraoperative observations and measurements were further carried out on 21 sides of 21 patients. Muscular fascia in superficial region, muscular gross morphology, thickness, length and width of muscles, length of muscle fibres and pinnate angles of muscle surface were observed and measured. Both blood vessels and nerves in the muscle were separated to measured.Results:The superficial region of lateral femoral muscle was in a shape of fusiform and started from the greater trochanter and ended at the patella and rectus femoris, with the fascia at proximal end and the muscle of distal end. The inferior muscle fibres of the fascia were arranged in sequence and ended at the deep fascia from proximal to distal. Mean muscle thickness was measured at 1.96 cm±0.48 cm, and mean pinnate angle was of 18.9°±3.3°. The superficial region was found being distributed by the descending branches of lateral circumflex femoral artery(LCFA) and the second branch of femoral nerve, and they accompanied each other. At 5.0 cm from the point of entry to the muscle, the diameter of the vessels was measured at 2.39 mm±0.52 mm, and the diameter of nerves was at 2.64 mm±0.61 mm. Both of arteries and nerves further branched out anteriorly and posteriorly in 1.0-1.5 cm intervals after having entered the muscle. At 0 - 2.5 cm away from the muscle entry point, a larger branch was often running posteriorly into the muscle, and this branch appears on all 4-sided specimens. While the occurrence rate in the 21 sides of patients observed in operations was of 90.5%, with a transverse diameter at 1.23 mm±0.28 mm.Conclusion:The superficial region of lateral femoral muscle is dominated by independent vessels and nerves and there are many branches from superior vessels and nerves, which form an anatomical basis for one or more muscular flaps.