Genome-wide identification and drought stress-induced expression analysis of the NHX gene family in potato.

NHX proteins are transmembrane antiporters belonging to the cation/proton antiporter gene family, with a conserved Na+ (K+)/H+ exchange (PF00999) protein domain. NHXs play a prominent role in plant growth, development, and defense. However, the role of NHX gene family in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is yet to be known. In this study, we conducted a genome-wide analysis of the potato NHX gene family. A total of 25 StNHX family members were identified to be unevenly distributed on 10 chromosomes. The proteins ranged in length from 252 to 1,153 amino acids, with molecular masses ranging from 27516.32 to 127860.87 kD, and isoelectric points (pI) ranging from 4.96 to 9.3. Analyses of gene structures and conserved motifs indicated that StNHX genes in the same phylogenetic cluster are conserved. Phylogenetic analysis divided the StNHX genes into three subfamilies (Classes I, II, and III). Synteny analysis indicated that StNHX gene family Class III of NHX and all Arabidopsis thaliana NHXs shared a close evolutionary relationship. Analysis of cis-acting elements in the upstream 1,500 bp promoter region of potato NHX genes showed that these genes could be regulated by light, stress, and hormones such as abscisic acid and gibberellic acid. Protein-protein interaction network analysis indicated that StNHX proteins may participate in the regulation of potato growth and stress response. Besides, To determine a potential role of these genes in tissue development and drought response, we analyzed the RNA-seq data of different DM potato tissues. The results showed that NHX genes exhibited distinct tissue-specific expression patterns. We further examined the expression patterns of StNHX in different tissues (leaves, roots, shoots, tubers, stolons, and flowers) during the flowering stage in 'Jizhangshu NO.8.' potato. The qRT-PCR results further confirmed the importance of StNHX genes in potato plant growth and development. We further analyzed the RNA-seq data (DM potato) under different abiotic stresses (salt, drought, and heat), and found that the expression of StNHX genes was induced under abiotic stress. qRT-PCR analysis of shoots and roots of 'Jizhangshu NO.8.' potato treated for 0, 6, 12, and 24 h with 15% PEG6000 confirmed that the 25 StNHX genes are involved in the response to drought stress in potato. The results of this study may be useful for selecting appropriate candidate genes for the breeding of new drought-tolerant potato varieties. Furthermore, this study lays a foundation for prospective analysis of StNHX gene functions.

Bismuth-Containing Quadruple Therapy for Helicobacter pylori Eradication: A Randomized Clinical Trial of 10 and 14 Days.

BACKGROUND: Bismuth-containing quadruple therapy is the first-line treatment for eradicating Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). The optimal duration for H. pylori eradication using bismuth-containing quadruple therapy remains controversial. Therefore, we aimed to compare the clinical effects of the 10- and 14-day bismuth-containing quadruple treatment regimen to eradicate H. pylori. METHODS: Treatment-naïve patients with H. pylori infection (n = 1300) were enrolled in this multicenter randomized controlled study across five hospitals in China. They were randomized into 10- or 14-day treatment groups to receive bismuth-containing quadruple therapy as follows: vonoprazan 20 mg twice daily; bismuth 220 mg twice daily; amoxicillin 1000 mg twice daily; and either clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily or tetracycline 500 mg four times daily. At least 6 weeks after treatment, we performed a 13C-urea breath test to evaluate H. pylori eradication. RESULTS: The per-protocol eradication rates were 93.22% (564/605) and 93.74% (569/607) (p < 0.001) and the intention-to-treat eradication rates were 88.62% (576/650) and 89.38% (581/650) (p = 0.007) for the 10- and 14-day regimens, respectively. Incidence of adverse effects was lower in patients who received 10- vs. 14 days of treatment (22.59% vs. 28.50%, p = 0.016). We observed no significant differences in the compliance to treatment or the discontinuation of therapy because of severe adverse effects between the groups. CONCLUSION: Compared with the 14-day bismuth-containing quadruple regimens, the 10-day regimen demonstrated a non-inferior efficacy and lower incidence of adverse effects. Therefore, the 10-day regimen is safe and tolerated and could be recommended for H. pylori eradication (NCT05049902).

Phantom study of a fully automatic radioactive seed placement robot for the treatment of skull base tumours.

BACKGROUND: Interstitial brachytherapy is a form of intensive local irradiation that facilitates the effective protection of surrounding structures and the preservation of organ functions, resulting in a favourable therapeutic response. As surgical robots can perform needle placement with a high level of accuracy, our team developed a fully automatic radioactive seed placement robot, and this study aimed to evaluate the accuracy and feasibility of fully automatic radioactive seed placement for the treatment of tumours in the skull base. METHODS: A fully automatic radioactive seed placement robot was established, and 4 phantoms of skull base tumours were built for experimental validation. All the phantoms were subjected to computed tomography (CT) scans. Then, the CT data were imported into the Remebot software to design the preoperative seed placement plan. After the phantoms were fixed in place, navigation registration of the Remebot was carried out, and the automatic seed placement device was controlled to complete the needle insertion and particle placement operations. After all of the seeds were implanted in the 4 phantoms, postoperative image scanning was performed, and the results were verified via image fusion. RESULTS: A total of 120 seeds were implanted in 4 phantoms. The average error of seed placement was (2.51 ± 1.44) mm. CONCLUSION: This study presents an innovative, fully automated radioactive particle implantation system utilizing the Remebot device, which can successfully complete automated localization, needle insertion, and radioactive particle implantation procedures for skull base tumours. The phantom experiments showed the robotic system to be reliable, stable, efficient and safe. However, further research on the needle-soft tissue interaction and deformation mechanism of needle puncture is still needed.

A paper-based ratiometric fluorescent sensor for NH3 detection in gaseous phase: Real-time monitoring of chilled chicken freshness.

A ratiometric fluorescence sensor platform with easy-to-use and accurate is nanoengineered for NH3 quantitative detection and visual real-time monitoring of chicken freshness using smartphones. The ratiometric fluorescent probe formed by combining the zinc ion complex and carbon dots has a double-emitted fluorescence peak. The fluorescence intensity of the complex changed can be clearly observed with the increase of the concentration of ammonia solution under 365 nm wavelength excitation. In order to detect NH3 concentration in gaseous phase, a portable paper-based sensor was designed. The sensor had a good linear relationship with NH3 concentration ranging from 10.0 to 90.0 µmol/L and the LOD value was 288 nM. This fluorescent paper-based sensor was used to check the freshness of chicken breast refrigerated at 4 °C, revealed observable shifts from blue to green. The fluorescent paper-based sensor can detect NH3 concentration in real time and simplify the monitoring process of meat freshness while ensuring accuracy and stability.

Beware of the "high functioning trap" - excessive status expectations in patients with bipolar depression / 四川精神卫生

Maintaining long-term stability of patient's condition is crucial in the treatment for bipolar disorder， while accurately assessing the patient's disease status is important and challenging in maintaining treatment. Excessive status expectation is common in patients with bipolar depression， which would warp the patient's perception of his or her own disease status and， thus， ultimately interfere with clinical decisions. Heightened vigilance should be given to such phenomenon. This paper explores the phenomenon and potential mechanisms of excessive status expectation in patients with bipolar disorder， providing ideas for related diagnosis， treatment and research. ［Funded by Jiangsu Provincial Science and Technology PProject （number， BE2015609）］

Protective Effect of Liuwei Dihuangwan on Mitochondrial Damage in AD Model of Caenorhabditis Elegans / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effect of the extract of Liuwei Dihuangwan （LW） on mitochondrial damage in the Alzheimer's disease （AD） model of Caenorhabditis elegans （C. elegans）. MethodC. elegans transfected with human β-amyloid protein （Aβ） 1-42 gene was used as an AD model. The rats were divided into blank group， model group， metformin group （50 mmol·L-1）， and low， medium， and high dose （1.04， 2.08， 4.16 g·kg-1） LW groups. Behavioral methods were used to observe the sensitivity of 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT） in nematodes. Western blot was used to detect the expression of Aβ in nematodes. Total ATP content in nematodes was detected by the adenine nucleoside triphosphate （ATP） kit， and mitochondrial membrane potential was detected by the JC-1 method. In addition， the mRNA expression of Aβ expression gene （Amy-1）， superoxide dismutase-1 （SOD-1）， mitochondrial transcription factor A homologous gene-5 （HMG-5）， mitochondrial power-associated protein 1 （DRP1）， and mitochondrial mitoprotein 1 （FIS1） was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR）. ResultThe extract of LW could reduce the hypersensitivity of the AD model of nematodes to exogenous 5-HT （P<0.05） and delay the AD-like pathological characteristics of hypersensitivity to exogenous 5-HT caused by toxicity from overexpression of Aβ in neurons of the AD model of nematodes. Compared with the blank group， in the model group， the mRNA expression of Aβ protein and Amy-1 increased （P<0.01）， and the mRNA expression of SOD-1 and HMG-5 decreased （P<0.01）. The mRNA expression of DRP1 and FIS1 increased （P<0.01）， and the level of mitochondrial membrane potential decreased （P<0.05）. The content of ATP decreased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， in the positive medicine group and medium and high dose LW groups， the mRNA expression of Aβ protein and Amy-1 decreased （P<0.05，P<0.01）， and the mRNA expression of SOD-1 and HMG-5 increased （P<0.01）. The mRNA expression of DRP1 decreased （P<0.05，P<0.01）， and that of FIS1 decreased （P<0.01）. The level of mitochondrial membrane potential increased （P<0.01）， and the content of ATP increased （P<0.05，P<0.01）. ConclusionThe extract of LW may enhance the antioxidant ability of mitochondria， protect mitochondrial DNA， reduce the fragmentation of mitochondrial division， repair the damaged mitochondria， adjust the mitochondrial membrane potential， restore the level of neuronal ATP， and reduce the neuronal damage caused by Aβ deposition.

An AIE-Active NIR Fluorescent Probe with Good Water Solubility for the Detection of Aß1-42 Aggregates in Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD), an amyloid-related disease, seriously endangers the health of elderly individuals. According to current research, its main pathogenic factor is the amyloid protein, which is a kind of fibrillar aggregate formed by noncovalent self-assembly of proteins. Based on the characteristics of aggregation-induced emission (AIE), a bislactosyl-decorated tetraphenylethylene (TPE) molecule TMNL (TPE + malononitrile + lactose), bearing two malononitrile substituents, was designed and synthesized in this work. The amphiphilic TMNL could self-assemble into fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) with near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence emission in physiological PBS (phosphate buffered saline), achieving excellent fluorescent enhancement (47-fold) upon its combination with Aß1-42 fibrils. TMNL was successfully applied to image Aß1-42 plaques in the brain tissue of AD transgenic mice, and due to the AIE properties of TMNL, no additional rinsing process was necessary. It is believed that the probe reported in this work should be useful for the sensitive detection and accurate localization mapping of Aß1-42 aggregates related to Alzheimer's disease.

Fabrication and characterization of colorimetric indicator for Salmon freshness monitoring using agar/polyvinyl alcohol gel and anthocyanin from different plant sources.

In order to investigate the sensitivity of anthocyanins from different plant origin as indicators for salmon freshness, nine plant anthocyanins were extracted and fabricated into colorimetric sensor arrays to detect NH3, trimethylamine (TMA), dimethylamine (DMA) to indicate salmon freshness. Rosella anthocyanin had the highest sensitivity for amines, ammonia and salmon. HPLC-MSS analysis indicated that Delphinidin-3 glucoside accounted for 75.48 % of the Rosella anthocyanin. UV-visible spectral analysis showed that the maximum absorbance band of Roselle anthocyanins for acid and alkaline forms were located at 525 nm and 625 nm which showed a relatively broader spectrum than other anthocyanins. An indicator film was fabricated by combining Roselle anthocyanin with agar and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), which showed visible changes from red to green when employed to monitor the freshness of salmon stored at 4 °C. The ΔE value of Roselle anthocyanin indicator film was changed from 5.94 to >10. The ΔE value also can predict the chemical quality indicators of salmon effectively, especially with characteristic volatile components, and the predictive correlation coefficient was above 0.98. Therefore, the proposed indicating film showed great potential monitoring salmon freshness.

A short-term efficacy evaluation of biological antibacterial peptides in the adjuvant therapy of stageⅢ periodontitis / 口腔医学

Objective@#To investigate the efficacy of antibacterial peptides in the adjuvant therapy of stage Ⅲ periodontitis.@*Methods@#Fifty-one patients were randomly divided into simple mechanical curettage group, minocycline hydrochloride group and antibacterial peptide group according to the treatment mode. Three groups received periodontal sequential treatment, and after the ultrasonic supragingival scaling, they were performed with curettage, root surface planing, polishing and flushing. After treatment in the minocycline hydrochloride group and the biological antibacterial peptide group, minocycline hydrochloride ointment and biological antibacterial peptide periodontal gel were injected into the periodontal pocket respectively. The mechanical curettage group did not take medicine. Periodontal checklists at baseline and 90 d after treatment were recorded to compare differences of the three groups in periodontal probing depth (PD), bleeding index (BI) and attachment level (AL). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELSIA) was used to detect the change of tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β by collecting the gingival crevicular fluid of the three sets at baseline, 7 d after treatment and 90 d after treatment. @*Results@#There was no statistically significant difference in periodontal clinical examination indexes(PD,BI,AL) and contents of TNF-α and IL-1β in the gingival crevicular fluid between the three groups at baseline (P>0.05). At 7 and 90 d after treatment, all indexes in the three groups were improved compared with those before treatment. The comparison between groups showed that in periodontal pockets with PD≤5 mm, there was no statistically significant difference in the indicators between the three groups. In periodontal pockets with PD≥6 mm, the minocycline hydrochloride group and the bio-antibacterial peptide group had no statistically significant difference in various indicators, but they were all better than the mechanical scaling group.@*Conclusion@#Basic periodontal therapy is an important treatment for stage Ⅲ periodontitis. Minocycline hydrochloride and biological antibacterial peptides are both effective adjuvant drugs for deep periodontal pockets with PD≥6 mm.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervenes in Signaling Pathways Associated with CKD-MBD： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has certain advantages in the treatment of chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder （CKD-MBD）. In recent years， there have been many studies on the treatment of CKD-MBD by Chinese medicinal compounds and monomers. As revealed by literature retrieval， the research on the mechanism of Chinese medicine in intervening in signaling pathways related to CKD-MBD was mainly based on self-made Chinese medicinal compounds， and the action pathways involved fibroblast growth factor 23/Klotho （FGF23/Klotho） signaling pathway， Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway， receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB/receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand/osteoprotegerin （RANK/RANKL/OPG） system， and other signaling pathways. TCM can improve calcium and phosphorus metabolism and bone metabolism disorder， and regulate inflammatory reaction， oxidative stress， apoptosis， and autophagy by regulating this series of signaling pathways for the treatment of CKD-MBD. This paper introduced the research results of these signaling pathways and the mechanism of TCM in the treatment of CKD-MBD in order to provide ideas and references for the related research of Chinese medicine in the treatment of CKD-MBD.

A prospective cohort study of long-term fasting blood glucose variability and risk of mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective: To investigate the association between long-term fasting blood glucose (FPG) variability and all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: A total of 7 174 type 2 diabetic patients included in National Basic Public Health Service Program in Changshu of Jiangsu Province were recruited as participants. Long-term glucose variability was assessed using standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation (CV), average real variability (ARV), and variability independent of the mean (VIM) across FPG measurements at the more than three visits. Death information were mainly obtained from the death registry system in Jiangsu. Then Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the associations of four variability indicators and all-cause mortality's hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95%CIs. Results: Among 55 058.50 person-years of the follow-up, the mean follow-up time was 7.67 years, and 898 deaths occurred during the follow-up period. After adjustment, compared with T1 group, the Cox regression model showed that HRs of T3 group in SD, CV, ARV and VIM were 1.24 (95%CI: 1.03-1.49), 1.20 (95%CI: 1.01-1.43), 1.28 (95%CI: 1.07-1.55) and 1.20 (95%CI:1.01-1.41), respectively. HRs of per 1 SD higher SD, CV, ARV and VIM were 1.13 (95%CI: 1.06-1.21), 1.08 (95%CI: 1.01-1.15), 1.05 (95%CI: 1.00-1.12) and 1.09 (95%CI: 1.02-1.16) for all-cause mortality, respectively. In the stratified analysis, age, gender, hypoglycemic agent and insulin uses had no effect on the above associations (all P for interaction >0.05). Conclusion: Long-term FPG glycemic variability was positively associated with the risk of all-cause mortality in type 2 diabetes patients.

The distribution of blood pressure and associated factors of the elderly with type 2 diabetes in Jiangsu Province / 中华预防医学杂志

Objective: To investigate the distribution of blood pressure and analyze the associated factors of blood pressure of the elderly with type 2 diabetes in Jiangsu Province. Methods: The elderly over 60 years old participants with type 2 diabetes in the communities of Huai'an City and Changshu City, Jiangsu Province were selected in this study. They were divided into two groups: taking antihypertensive drugs and not taking antihypertensive drugs. The demographic characteristics, such as age and sex, and relevant factors were collected by questionnaire. The systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured by physical examination. The percentile of SBP and DBP in each age group of men and women were described. The kernel density estimation curve was used to show the blood pressure distribution. The trend of blood pressure with age was fitted by locally weighted regression. The logistic regression model was used to analyze relevant factors of blood pressure. Results: A total of 12 949 participants were included in this study, including 7 775 patients in the antihypertensive drug group and 5 174 patients in the group without antihypertensive drugs. The SBP of participants was concentrated at 140-160 mmHg, and their DBP was concentrated at 75-85 mmHg. There were significant differences in the distribution of blood pressure among the subgroups of body mass index (BMI) and rural areas whether taking antihypertensive drugs and not. For participants aged under 80 years old, the SBP showed an increasing trend with age and the DBP showed a decreasing trend with age. Age, BMI ≥24 kg/m2, fasting blood glucose ≥7.0 mmol/L, living in rural areas and no smoking were influencing factors of the elevated SBP; BMI ≥24 kg/m2, male, living in rural areas, no smoking, drinking alcohol and not receiving drug hypoglycemic treatment were influencing factors of the elevated DBP. Conclusion: The SBP of older diabetic adults in Jiangsu Province is at a high level, and the distribution of blood pressure is significantly different between men and women in taking antihypertensive drugs group. The SBP presents a rising trend and the DBP is decreasing at the age of 60-80 years. The blood pressure level of this population are mainly affected by age, BMI, urban and rural areas, smoking.

Assessment of the diagnostic value and prognosis of different detection markers in endocervical adenocarcinoma / 中华肿瘤杂志

Objective: To study the diagnostic value of different detection markers in histological categories of endocervical adenocarcinoma (ECA), and their assessment of patient prognosis. Methods: A retrospective study of 54 patients with ECA in the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from 2005-2010 were performed. The cases of ECA were classified into two categories, namely human papillomavirus-associated adenocarcinoma (HPVA) and non-human papillomavirus-associated adenocarcinoma (NHPVA), based on the 2018 international endocervical adenocarcinoma criteria and classification (IECC). To detect HR-HPV DNA and HR-HPV E6/E7 mRNA in all patients, we used whole tissue section PCR (WTS-PCR) and HPV E6/E7 mRNA in situ hybridization (ISH) techniques, respectively. Additionally, we performed Laser microdissection PCR (LCM-PCR) on 15 randomly selected HR-HPV DNA-positive cases to confirm the accuracy of the above two assays in identifying ECA lesions. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to analyze the efficacy of markers to identify HPVA and NHPVA. Univariate and multifactorial Cox proportional risk model regression analyses were performed for factors influencing ECA patients' prognoses. Results: Of the 54 patients with ECA, 30 were HPVA and 24 were NHPVA. A total of 96.7% (29/30) of HPVA patients were positive for HR-HPV DNA and 63.3% (19/30) for HR-HPV E6/E7 mRNA, and 33.3% (8/24) of NHPVA patients were positive for HR-HPV DNA and HR-HPV E6/E7 mRNA was not detected (0/24), and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.001). LCM-PCR showed that five patients were positive for HR-HPV DNA in the area of glandular epithelial lesions and others were negative, which was in good agreement with the E6/E7 mRNA ISH assay (Kappa=0.842, P=0.001). Analysis of the ROC results showed that the AUC of HR-HPV DNA, HR-HPV E6/E7 mRNA, and p16 to identify HPVA and NHPVA were 0.817, 0.817, and 0.692, respectively, with sensitivities of 96.7%, 63.3%, and 80.0% and specificities of 66.7%, 100.0%, and 58.3%, respectively. HR-HPV DNA identified HPVA and NHPVA with higher AUC than p16 (P=0.044). The difference in survival rates between HR-HPV DNA (WTS-PCR assay) positive and negative patients was not statistically significant (P=0.156), while the difference in survival rates between HR-HPV E6/E7 mRNA positive and negative patients, and p16 positive and negative patients were statistically significant (both P<0.05). Multifactorial Cox regression analysis showed that International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology (FIGO) staging (HR=19.875, 95% CI: 1.526-258.833) and parametrial involvement (HR=14.032, 95% CI: 1.281-153.761) were independent factors influencing the prognosis of patients with ECA. Conclusions: HR-HPV E6/E7 mRNA is more reflective of HPV infection in ECA tissue. The efficacy of HR-HPV E6/E7 mRNA and HR-HPV DNA (WTS-PCR assay) in identifying HPVA and NHPVA is similar, with higher sensitivity of HR-HPV DNA and higher specificity of HR-HPV E6/E7 mRNA. HR-HPV DNA is more effective than p16 in identifying HPVA and NHPVA. HPV E6/E7 mRNA and p16 positive ECA patients have better survival rates than negative.

Comparison study of clinical features between persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous and congenital fibrovascular pupillary membrane / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To analyze the similarities and differences of the clinical features between persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous(PHPV)and congenital fibrovascular pupillary membrane(CFPM).METHODS: Retrospectively analyze the ocular biometric parameters, clinical features and morphological changes in children with PHPV(PHPV group)and CFPM(CFPM group)who received surgery at the department of ophthalmology, Xijing Hospital from March 2006 to December 2021.RESULTS: The study included 56 cases(61 eyes)of PHPV and 24 cases(25 eyes)of CFPM. There were no differences on the gender and age of onset between PHPV and CFPM, and both of them were mainly unilaterally affected, with the ratio of 91% and 96%. Children with PHPV and cataract combined with other complications and ocular developmental abnormalities. CFPM was mainly presented different degrees of blockage and morphological abnormalities of pupillary area. In unilateral cases of PHPV and CFPM, the anterior chamber depth(ACD)of affected eyes was smaller than that of the fellow eyes, and in subgroups with age of operation ≤24mo, the axial length(AL)of affected eyes was smaller than that of the fellow eyes(P&#x003C;0.05). The corneal diameter(CD)of the affected eyes in PHPV group was smaller and the intraocular pressure(IOP)was higher than those of the fellow eyes(all P&#x003C;0.05); while there were no significant differences on CD and IOP between affected eyes and the fellow eyes in CFPM group(P&#x0026;#x003E;0.05). The ACD of affected eyes in PHPV group was significantly smaller than that of CFPM group(P&#x003C;0.05). The fibrovascular membrane in PHPV group was located in the posterior part of the lens and vitreous cavity; while the fibrovascular membrane in CFPM group was located between the iris and the anterior capsule of the lens, rarely involving the lens.CONCLUSION: PHPV and CFPM had the similar clinical features, suggesting that they may belong to the different variants of persistent fetal vasculature(PFV). However, PHPV had a wider range of lesions and more complex conditions.

Cloning and expression analysis of wpHSP90 gene from Whitmania pigra at different temperatures / 中国中药杂志

HSP90 is a widely distributed molecular chaperone that participates in a variety of cellular processes and plays an important role in the meiosis of germ cells. However, its role in the gonadal development of hermaphroditic Whitmania pigra is not yet clear. To explore the effect of HSP90 on the germ cell development of Wh. Pigra, this study cloned the wpHSP90 gene, performed bioinformatics analysis, and measured its expression levels. The results showed that the cloned wpHSP90 was 2 592 bp in length, with an open reading frame(ORF) of 2 373 bp, encoding 790 amino acids. Prediction analysis revealed 85 phosphorylation modification sites on serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues of the wpHSP90 protein. Structural domain prediction and multiple sequence alignment results showed that wpHSP90 contained two conserved domains of HSP90 and exhibited the highest homology with Helobdella robusta, with a sequence similarity of 80.72%. RT-qPCR results showed that the relative expression level of wpHSP90 in the gonads of 5-month-old Wh. pigra was positively correlated with temperature within the range of 12 ℃ to 28 ℃. The expression level in the female gonads was significantly higher than in the male gonads and correlated with the trend of germ cell development in the ovaries and testes. In conclusion, wpHSP90 may be involved in regulating the development of germ cells, particularly oocytes, in Wh. pigra. This study provides a reference for further research on the gonadal development mechanism in Wh. pigra.

Mechanism of albiflorin in improvement of Alzheimer's disease based on network pharmacology and in vitro experiments / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to explore the mechanism of albiflorin in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease(AD) based on network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vitro experiments. Network pharmacology was used to predict the potential targets and pathways of albiflorin against AD, and molecular docking technology was used to verify the binding affinity of albiflorin to key target proteins. Finally, the AD cell model was induced by Aβ_(25-35) in rat pheochromocytoma(PC12) cells and intervened by albiflorin to validate core targets and pathways. The results of network pharmacological analysis showed that albiflorin acted on key targets such as mitogen-activated protein kinase-1(MAPK1 or ERK2), albumin(ALB), epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR), caspase-3(CASP3), and sodium-dependent serotonin transporter(SLC6A4), and signaling pathways such as MAPK, cAMP, and cGMP-PKG. The results of molecular docking showed that albiflorin had strong binding affinity to MAPK1(ERK2). In vitro experiments showed that compared with the blank group, the model group showed decreased cell viability, decreased expression level of B-cell lymphoma 2(Bcl-2), increased Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax), and reduced phosphorylation level of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2(ERK1/2) and the relative expression ratio of p-ERK1/2 to ERK1/2. Compared with the model group, the albiflorin group showed potentiated cell viability, up-regulated expression of Bcl-2, down-regulated Bax, and increased phosphorylation level of ERK1/2 and the relative expression ratio of p-ERK1/2 to ERK1/2. These results suggest that the mechanism of albiflorin against AD may be related to its activation of the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway and its inhibition of neuronal apoptosis.

Distribution characteristics and results of allergens in patients with allergic rhinitis in Ningxia area / 临床耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the distribution of allergens in patients with allergic rhinitis （AR） in Ningxia, and provide theoretical data for the prevention and treatment of AR in this region. Methods:A total of 1664 patients diagnosed with AR in the Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Department of Yinchuan First People's Hospital Outpatient Clinic from January 2018 to December 2021 were retrospectively collected. Use the allergen sIgE antibody detection kit （immunoblotting method） to detect inhalation and ingestion allergens in patients.Results: ①Among all AR patients, 1 158 cases were detected positive, resulting in the detection rate was 69.59%; ②The detection rate of inhalation allergen was 65.87%, and the detection rate of ingestion allergen was 19.83%; ③Mugwort was the most sensitive allergen, and 76.32% of the patients having a positive grade ≥3; ④Out of the patients, 294 cases （25.39%） were allergic to only one allergen, 244 cases （21.07%） were allergic to two allergens, and 620 cases （53.54%） were allergic to three or more allergens; ⑤During different seasons, the highest number of positive allergens detected was in the summer, with 968 cases （83.59%）. Mugwort was the main allergen during this season （69.01%）. After the COVID-19 epidemic, the total positive rate of sIgE tests in AR patients decreased compared to before, and the difference was statistically significant （P<0.001）; ⑥Mugwort, dog epithelium, mold combination, egg, peanut, soybean, Marine fish combination and fruit combination all showed statistically significant differences between different gender groups （P<0.05）; ⑦Common ragweed, mugwort, dust mite combination, cockroach, egg, milk, Marine fish combination, shrimp, fruit combination and nut combination all showed statistically significant differences among different age groups （P<0.05）; ⑧There were statistically significant differences in hay dust among different ethnic groups （P<0.05）. Conclusion:Artemisia argyi is the main allergen in Ningxia, and the distribution characteristics of different allergens are influenced by treatment season, the COVID-19 epidemic, gender, age, ethnicity, and other factors, showing certain distribution patterns and rules.

Comparison of Effects of Liuzijue Exercise and Conventional Respiratory Training on Patients after Cardiac Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the feasibility and safety of Liuzijue exercise (LE) for the clinical effect in patients after cardiac surgery.@*METHODS@#Totally 120 patients who underwent cardiac surgery and were admitted to the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital between July and Oclober, 2022 were allocated to the LE group, the conventional respiratory training (CRT) group, and the control group by a random number table at a ratio of 1:1:1; 40 patients in each group. All patients received routine treatment and cardiac rehabilitation. LE group and CRT group respectively performed LE and CRT once a day for 30 min for 7 days. Control group did not receive specialized respiratory training. The forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 s, peak inspiratory flow rate, peak expiratory flow rate, maximum inspiratory pressure, maximum expiratory pressure, modified Barthel index (MBI), and Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A) were evaluated before, after 3 and 7 days of intervention. In addition, the postoperative length of hospital stay (LOS) and the adverse events that occurred during the intervention period were compared.@*RESULTS@#A total of 107 patients completed the study, 120 patients were included in the analysis. After 3 days of intervention, the pulmonary function, respiratory muscle strength, MBI and HAM-A of all 3 groups improved compared with that before the intervention (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with the control group, pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength were significantly improved in the CRT and LE groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01). MBI and HAM-A were significantly improved in the LE group compared with the control and CRT groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01). On the 7th day after intervention, the difference was still statistically significant (P<0.01), and was significantly different from that on the 3rd day (P<0.05 or P<0.01). In addition, on the 7th day of intervention, the pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength in the LE group were significantly improved compared with those in the CRT group (P<0.01). MBI and HAM-A were significantly improved in the CRT group compared with the control group (P<0.01). There were no significant differences in postoperative LOS among the 3 groups (P>0.05). No training-related adverse events occurred during the intervention period.@*CONCLUSIONS@#LE is safe and feasible for improving pulmonary function, respiratory muscle strength, the ability to complete activities of daily living and for relieving anxiety of patients after cardiac surgery (Registration No. ChiCTR2200062964).

Effect of Morus alba extract sanggenon C on growth and proliferation of glioblastoma cells / 中国中药杂志

Glioblastoma is the most common primary cranial malignancy, and chemotherapy remains an important tool for its treatment. Sanggenon C(San C), a class of natural flavonoids extracted from Morus plants, is a potential antitumor herbal monomer. In this study, the effect of San C on the growth and proliferation of glioblastoma cells was examined by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium(MTT) assay and 5-bromodeoxyuridinc(BrdU) labeling assay. The effect of San C on the tumor cell cycle was examined by flow cytometry, and the effect of San C on clone formation and self-renewal ability of tumor cells was examined by soft agar assay. Western blot and bioinformatics analysis were used to investigate the mechanism of the antitumor activity of San C. In the presence of San C, the MTT assay showed that San C significantly inhibited the growth and proliferation of tumor cells in a dose and time-dependent manner. BrdU labeling assay showed that San C significantly attenuated the DNA replication activity in the nucleus of tumor cells. Flow cytometry confirmed that San C blocked the cell cycle of tumor cells in G_0/G_1 phase. The soft agar clone formation assay revealed that San C significantly attenuated the clone formation and self-renewal ability of tumor cells. The gene set enrichment analysis(GSEA) implied that San C inhibited the tumor cell division cycle by affecting the myelocytomatosis viral oncogene(MYC) signaling pathway. Western blot assay revealed that San C inhibited the expression of cyclin through the regulation of the MYC signaling pathway by lysine demethylase 4B(KDM4B), which ultimately inhibited the growth and proliferation of glioblastoma cells and self-renewal. In conclusion, San C exhibits the potential antitumor activity by targeting the KDM4B-MYC axis to inhibit glioblastoma cell growth, proliferation, and self-renewal.

Oral absorption and effect of macromolecules in traditional Chinese medicine: a new perspective and research mode of phase structure / 中国中药杂志

Protein polypeptides and polysaccharides, the indispensable macromolecular active components in traditional Chinese medicine, are widely found in Chinese medicine decoction after the decoction of traditional Chinese medicine. However, through oral administration, these macromolecules are digested by the stomach and intestine and thus fail to be absorbed in prototype. This is inconsistent with the actual clinical efficacy of Chinese medicine decoction. According to modern research, new phase structures and effects of the macromolecules emerge during the decoction of traditional Chinese medicine, but the phase change law caused by the interaction among the components of traditional Chinese medicine and the relationship between phase structure and effect are still unclear. Thus, this study reviewed the oral absorption of macromolecular components of traditional Chinese medicine, analyzed the internal relationship of the form of macromolecules in traditional Chinese medicine with the absorption and effect based on phase structure, and summarized the research mode of oral absorption and effect of macromolecules in traditional Chinese medicine with phase structures as the core, providing new ideas and methods for future research.