Tissue-specific Cre driver mice to study vascular diseases.

Vascular diseases, including atherosclerosis and abdominal aneurysms, are the primary cause of mortality and morbidity among the elderly worldwide. The life quality of patients is significantly compromised due to inadequate therapeutic approaches and limited drug targets. To expand our comprehension of vascular diseases, gene knockout (KO) mice, especially conditional knockout (cKO) mice, are widely used for investigating gene function and mechanisms of action. The Cre-loxP system is the most common method for generating cKO mice. Numerous Cre driver mice have been established to study the main cell types that compose blood vessels, including endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and fibroblasts. Here, we first discuss the characteristics of each layer of the arterial wall. Next, we provide an overview of the representative Cre driver mice utilized for each of the major cell types in the vessel wall and their most recent applications in vascular biology. We then go over Cre toxicity and discuss the practical methods for minimizing Cre interference in experimental outcomes. Finally, we look into the future of tissue-specific Cre drivers by introducing the revolutionary single-cell RNA sequencing and dual recombinase system.

Should patients with epilepsy be vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination coverage, willingness, and safety profiles in patients with epilepsy remain poorly understood. We aimed to summarize the available evidence of COVID-19 vaccination coverage, willingness, and safety profiles among patients with epilepsy. METHODS: We performed a literature search in the Pubmed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register database between 1 January 2020 and 30 April 2022. We included eligible studies that provided information on the COVID-19 vaccination coverage, willingness, and safety profiles among patients with epilepsy. We investigated the association between baseline characteristics of patients with epilepsy and unvaccination status using a fixed-effect model. We calculated the pooled overall willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19. We systematically reviewed the safety profiles after COVID-19 vaccination in patients with epilepsy. RESULTS: Ten eligible observational studies and two case reports yielded 2589 participants with epilepsy or their caregivers. Among 2145 participants that provided the information of vaccination status, 1508 (70.3%) patients with epilepsy were not administered COVID-19 vaccine, and 58% (95%CI 40-75%) of respondents were willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Seizure status (active versus inactive, OR 1.84 95%CI 1.41-2.39, I2 = 0%) rather than seizure type (focal versus non-focal, OR 1.22 95%CI 0.94-1.58, I2 = 0%) was associated with COVID-19 unvaccination status. Vaccines were well-tolerated; epilepsy-related problems such as increase in seizure frequency and status epilepticus after COVID-19 vaccination were uncommon. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest a low COVID-19 vaccination coverage and willingness in patients with epilepsy. Vaccination against COVID-19 appears to be well-tolerated and safe in patients with epilepsy, supporting a positive outlook toward vaccination in this population.

[Clinical observation on treatment of functional dyspepsia by injection of vitamin B1 into Zusanli (ST36) and Hegu (LI4)].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect and safety of injection of vitamin B1 into Zusanli (ST36) and Hegu (LI4) in the treatment of functional dyspepsia (FD). METHODS: A total of 100 FD patients were equally divided into medication group and acupoint injection group (n=50/group) according to a random number table. Patients in the medication group were ordered to take mosapride citrate tablets (5 mg) orally 30 min before each of the three meals, while those in the acupoint injection group received injection of vitamin B1 into ST36 and LI4, once every other day, three times a week. One week later, the clinical symptom scores, total effective rates, serum gastrin (GAS) and plasma motilin (MTL) contents, and gastric emptying rates between the two groups were compared, followed by the observation of adverse reactions. Two weeks' follow-up survey was conducted after the end of treatment, and the clinical symptom scores and total effective rates of the two groups were further compared. RESULTS: Compared with the data before treatment in the same one group, the clinical symptom scores and serum GAS contents of post-treatment as well as the follow-up symptom scores were all significantly decreased (P<0.05，P<0.01), while the plasma MTL levels and gastric emptying rates were obviously increased in both groups (P<0.01). Comparison between the two groups showed that the clinical symptom score, serum GAS content after the treatment and follow-up symptom score were considerably lower (P<0.01), but the total effective rate, plasma MTL, gastric emptying rate after the treatment and total effective rate of follow-up notably higher in the acupoint injection group than those in the medication group (P<0.01,P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Injection of vitamin B1 into ST36 and LI4 is effective in improving symptoms of PD patients, which may be related to its functions in regulating the levels of GAS and MTL in blood, and facilitating gastrointestinal motility.