The Clinical Efficacy of Autologous Platelet-Rich Plasma Interventional Circulatory Perfusion Combined with Radiofrequency Ablation and Thermocoagulation in the Treatment of Discogenic Low Back Pain.

Objective: In this study, we aimed to explore the efficacy of the autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) interventional circulatory perfusion combined with radiofrequency ablation and thermocoagulation (RFAT) in the treatment of discogenic low back pain (DLBP). Methods: From January 2020 to November 2022, 158 patients of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University were selected as the study subjects, and 24 patients met the exclusion criteria. The 134 patients who met the inclusion criteria were divided into 65 patients in the control group (3 patients lost to follow-up) and 69 patients in the observation group (5 patients lost to follow-up), so 126 patients were actually completed the study, including 62 patients in the control group and 64 patients in the observation group. The control group responsible disc received RFAT, and an interventional circulatory perfusion was performed; the observation group received RFAT, and an interventional circulatory perfusion was performed, and then autologous PRP 2 ml was injected. Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were performed before and 4 and 8 weeks after treatment, and the efficacy was evaluated at 4 and 8 weeks after treatment. The changes of lumbar disc MRI before and after treatment were observed. Results: The differences in the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) between the observation group and the control group before the treatment were not statistically significant (P > 0.05 in both). However, four weeks and eight weeks after the treatment, the VAS scores and the ODIs were significantly lower in both groups than those before the treatment (P < 0.05 in both). In terms of the therapeutic efficacy, eight weeks after the treatment, the total effective rates in the control group and the observation group were 67.7% and 87.5%, respectively, with the observation group being superior to the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: After RFAT, interventional circulatory perfusion combined with autologous PRP intramedullary injection in the lumbar disc is a safe and effective treatment for DLBP, and it had superior long-term effects in improving the clinical symptoms and patient dysfunction than the RFAT and interventional circulatory perfusion.

Factors affecting the severity and prognosis of visual damage in inhalational methanol poisoning.

Background/Aim: Inhalational methanol poisoning could cause severe damage to visual function. This study analyzed the prognosis of the correlation between the visual function and the relevant risk factors. Methods: In this retrospective study, 14 patients had confirmed inhalational methanol poisoning, resulting in visual impairment in both eyes. The following tests were performed: laboratory tests, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure, slit lamp, fundus photography, visual field (VF), pattern visual evoked potential (P-VEP), flash electroretinogram (F-ERG), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and orbital or cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Results: With active treatment, visual function improved to varying degrees in all 14 cases (28 eyes) in this study. The BCVA of 21 eyes declined to no light perception at the onset; 16 eyes showed different degrees of improvement after treatment, with the final BCVA (LogMar) mainly ranging from 2 to 3, and vision acuity stabilized after the 5th month. The VF pattern in the acute phase was mostly blind. Other VF patterns included the central visual island, large paracentral scotomas, hemipleural VF defects, and the temporal visual island. Retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickening was observed commonly in the acute phase (146.8 ± 33.2 µm), which subsided in the 1st month, showed dramatic thinning at the 3rd month, and then stabilized in the 5th month after onset. MRI showed that the main sites involved were optic nerve impairment, the optic disk, and retrobulbar segments. The basal ganglia region was the site most involved in the central nervous system (CNS). Conclusion: Inhalational methanol poisoning could lead to severe impairment of visual function, and the prognosis of visual acuity (VA) was highly relevant to the risk factors of duration of toxic exposure, delayed admission, and degree of acidosis.

A convolutional neural network based online teaching method using edge-cloud computing platform.

Teaching has become a complex essential tool for students' abilities, due to their different levels of learning and understanding. In the traditional offline teaching methods, dance teachers lack a target for students 'classroom teaching. Furthermore, teachers have limited time, so they cannot take full care of each student's learning needs according to their understanding and learning ability, which leads to the polarization of the learning effect. Because of this, this paper proposes an online teaching method based on Artificial Intelligence and edge calculation. In the first phase, standard teaching and student-recorded dance learning videos are conducted through the key frames extraction through a deep convolutional neural network. In the second phase, the extracted key frame images were then extracted for human key points using grid coding, and the fully convolutional neural network was used to predict the human posture. The guidance vector is used to correct the dance movements to achieve the purpose of online learning. The CNN model is distributed into two parts so that the training occurs at the cloud and prediction happens at the edge server. Moreover, the questionnaire was used to obtain the students' learning status, understand their difficulties in dance learning, and record the corresponding dance teaching videos to make up for their weak links. Finally, the edge-cloud computing platform is used to help the training model learn quickly form vast amount of collected data. Our experiments show that the cloud-edge platform helps to support new teaching forms, enhance the platform's overall application performance and intelligence level, and improve the online learning experience. The application of this paper can help dance students to achieve efficient learning.

Characterization of Phenylalanine Ammonia Lyases from Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) as Robust Biocatalysts for the Production of d- and l-Amino Acids.

Phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) catalyzes the reversible conversion of l-phenylalanine into the corresponding trans-cinnamic acid, providing a route to optically pure α-amino acids. We explored the catalytic function of all five PALs encoded in the genome of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) that are previously known to be involved in wound browning. All LsPALs were active toward l-phenylalanine in the ammonia elimination reaction and displayed maximum activity at 55-60 °C and pH 9.0-9.5. However, four of them, LsPAL1-LsPAL4, showed significantly higher activity and thermal stability than LsPAL5, as well as a broader substrate spectrum including some challenging substrates with steric demanding or electron-donating substituents. The best one LsPAL3 was subjected to the kinetic resolution of a panel of 21 rac-phenylalanine derivatives, as well as the ammonia addition of 21 cinnamic acid derivatives. It showed excellent enantioselectivity in most cases and significantly better activity than previously described PALs for a number of challenging non-natural substrates, demonstrating its great potential in biocatalysis.

Structurally diverse sulphur-containing amides from Glycosmis craibii with their potential antiproliferative activities.

Fourteen new sulphur-containing amides, glycocramides A-N (1-14), as well as nine known analogues (15-23) were isolated and characterized from Glycosmis craibii Tanaka. The chemical structures of new sulphur-containing amides 1-14 were ambiguously elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods, while the known compounds 15-23 were identified by the comparison of their experimental spectral data with those described data in the literatures. The antiproliferative effects of all isolated sulphur-containing amides were evaluated in vitro. As a result, part of sulphur-containing amides showed remarkable inhibitory effects against MGC-803 cell line with IC50 values ranging from 13.12 ± 0.10 to 20.03 ± 0.13 µM. These research results suggest that the sulphur-containing amides are potentially to be developed as a new natural anti-tumor drugs.

Development of an Integrated System for Highly Selective Photoenzymatic Synthesis of Formic Acid from CO2.

Herein, a Zr-based dual-ligand MOFs with pre-installed Rh complex was employed for NADH regeneration in situ and also used for immobilization of formic acid dehydrogenase (FDH) in order to realize a highly efficient CO2 fixation system. Then, based on the detailed investigations into the photochemical and electrochemical properties, it is demonstrated that the introduction of the photosensitive meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl) porphin (TCPP) ligands increased the catalytic active sites and improved photoelectric properties. Furthermore, the electron mediator Rh complex, anchored on the zirconium-based dual-ligand MOFs, enhanced the efficiency of electron transfer efficiency and facilitated the separation of photogenerated electrons and holes. Compared with UiO-66-NH2 , Rh-H2 TCPP-UiO-66-NH2 exhibits an optimized valence band structure and significantly improved photocatalytic activity for NAD+ reduction, resulting the synthesis of formic acid from CO2 increased from 150 µg mL-1 (UiO-66-NH2 ) to 254 µg mL-1 (Rh-H2 TCPP-UiO-66-NH2 ). Moreover, the assembled photocatalyst-enzyme coupled system also allows facile recycling of expensive electron mediator, enzyme, and photocatalyst.

Coding Synthetic Chemistry Strategies for Furan Valorization into Bacterial Designer Cells.

Following a synthetic chemistry blueprint for the valorization of lignocellulosic platform chemicals, this study showcases a so far unprecedented approach to implement non-natural enzyme modules in vivo. For the design of a novel functional whole cell tool, two purely abiotic transformations, a styrene monooxygenase-catalyzed Achmatowicz rearrangement and an alcohol dehydrogenase-mediated borrowing hydrogen redox isomerization, were incorporated into a recombinant bacterial host. Introducing this type of chemistry otherwise unknown in biosynthesis, the cellular factories were enabled to produce complex lactone building blocks in good yield from bio-based furan substrates. This whole cell system streamlined the synthetic cascade, eliminated isolation and purification steps, and provided a high degree of stereoselectivity that has so far been elusive in the chemical methodology.

Diagnostic value of serum uric acid combined with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in health examination population / 中华健康管理学杂志

Objective:To assess the value of serum uric acid combined with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) for the diagnosis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in health examination population.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted. Total of 3 903 subjects who underwent health examination in the health management center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January to November 2022 were retrospectively selected for this study. The demography and somatology examination, laboratory tests and transient elastography of the liver were carried out in all the subjects. The indices were compared in people with and without NAFLD with t test, single factor analysis of variance or Wilcoxon rank sum test. And the levels of uric acid and HDL-C under different degrees of fatty liver were analyzed. The diagnostic value of uric acid combined with HDL-C for NAFLD was examined with the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve and area under the ROC curve (AUC). Results:Body mass index, uric acid and glutathione transaminase in the NAFLD group were all higher than those in the non-NAFLD group, and HDL-C was lower (all P<0.001). Blood uric acid in normal liver group (303.62±77.65) μmol/L <mild fatty liver group (336.82±82.43) μmol/L <moderate fatty liver group (364.25±79.62) μmol/L <severe fatty liver group (392.98±83.90) μmol/L ( F=202.614, P<0.001); HLD-C in normal liver group (1.43±0.37) mmol/L >mild fatty liver group (1.25±0.31) mmol/L >moderate fatty liver group (1.16±0.28) mmol/L >severe fatty liver group (1.04±0.25) mmol/L ( F=239.24, P<0.001).The proportion of NAFLD in hyperuricemia group (HUA group) (75.0%), low HDL-C group (76.3%), and HUA and low HDL-C group (86.9%) was significantly higher than that in normal uric acid and HDL-C groups (49.2%), and the proportion of NAFLD in HUA and low HDL-C group was the highest ( χ 2=302.109, P<0.001). The diagnostic value of the combination of serum uric acid and HDL-C for NAFLD is higher than that of serum uric acid or HDL-C alone (the AUC was 0.741, 0.692 and 0.288, respectively) (both P<0.001). Conclusion:Serumuric acid and HDL-C were correlated with the severity of NAFLD, and uric acid combined with HDL-C had some diagnostic value for NAFLD.

Sound touch elastography linear combined with ultrasound score for staging liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To study the value of sound touch elastography (STE) linear combined with ultrasound score (US) in the diagnosis of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) liver fibrosis, and to investigate whether their combination can improve the diagnostic efficiency of subdividing the degree of CHB liver fibrosis. Furthermore, a comparison with STE linear combined with the serological model was performed to seek the optimal linear combination model.Methods:A total of 313 subjects were enrolled from September 2018 to December 2021 in Shenzhen Third People′s Hospital Affiliated to Guangdong Medical University, including 259 patients with CHB who had completed liver biopsy and 54 healthy volunteers. CHB patients were divided into liver fibrosis group (F1-F4 group) according to METAVIR classification standard, and healthy volunteers were used as the control group. All subjects underwent liver ultrasound examination, STE and blood biochemical indexes of liver function. The US was performed according to the liver ultrasound examination, and the liver stiffness measurement (LSM) was measured by STE, aspartate aminotransferase and platelet ratio index (APRI) was calculated by blood biochemical index. Fisher discriminant analysis was used to establish the linear combination (LC) diagnostic marker of US and LSM, and the linear combination (LC2) diagnostic marker of LSM and APRI, successively. Spearman rank correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlations between US, LSM, APRI, LC2, LC and pathological results. The ROC curves of US, LSM, APRI, LC2 and LC for diagnosing CHB liver fibrosis were plotted, and the diagnostic efficiency of above diagnostic markers was evaluated according to the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and area under the ROC curve (AUC).Results:The formula for the linear combination of US and LSM was LC=0.986 0×US+ 0.166 7×LSM, and LC was highly positively correlated with pathological findings ( rs=0.851, P<0.001), higher than US, LSM, LC2 and APRI ( rs=0.825, 0.775, 0.802, 0.586, all P<0.001). LC showed the best diagnostic efficiency. The AUCs for diagnosing ≥F1, ≥F2, ≥F3 liver fibrosis and =F4 cirrhosis were 0.945, 0.911, 0.954, 0.955, respectively, which superior to the AUCs of US (0.913, 0.879, 0.934 and 0.916, respectively), the AUCs of LSM (0.860, 0.871, 0.934 and 0.952, respectively) and the AUCs of LC2(0.899, 0.883, 0.941, 0.946, respectively). Compared with US, the AUC of LC diagnosis of ≥F1, ≥F2, ≥F3 liver fibrosis and =F4 cirrhosis increased by 3.2%, 3.2%, 2.0% and 3.9%, respectively, with all significant differences ( P<0.05). Compared with LSM, the AUC of LC increased by 8.5%, 4.0%, 2.0% and 0.3%, respectively, with significant difference ( P<0.05) except for stage =F4 cirrhosis.Compared with LC2, the AUC of LC increased by 4.6%, 2.8%, 1.3% and 0.9%, respectively, and there were significant differences in the diagnosis of ≥F1 and ≥F2 liver fibrosis ( P<0.05). Moreover, the overall efficiency of LC2 was not significantly improved than LSM, the difference was not significant ( P>0.05). Conclusions:US, LSM, LC2 and LC can be used to diagnose the degree of CHB liver fibrosis, but LC is better than US or LSM and LC2 alone, especially in the subdivision of mild liver fibrosis, which is a promising new diagnostic marker to subdivide the degree of CHB liver fibrosis.

Study on RHD and RHCE gene mRNA based on three generation sequencing technology / 中国输血杂志

【Objective】 To establish RH gene mRNA sequencing method based on nanopores sequencing and to explore the RHD and RHCE mRNA transcripts in D positive and Del individuals. 【Methods】 From March 2021 to May 2022, 5 RhD positive samples and 5 Del samples screened out by hospitals in Chengdu were sent to our laboratory for futher examination. The erythrocytes and buff coat were isolated, then DNA and RNA were extracted.All 10 samples were genotyped by PCR-SSP. After the mRNA was reversely transcribed into cDNA, the full-length mRNA of RHD and RHCE genes were simultaneously amplified by a pair of primers. Sanger sequencing and third-generation sequencing technology based on Nanopore were used to sequence the amplified products, and the types and expressions of different splices of RHD and RHCE gene mRNA transcripts were analyzed. 【Results】 The method established in this study can simultaneously amplify the full length transcripts of RHD and RHCE. Ten different RHD gene mRNA transcripts and nine RHCE gene mRNA transcripts were detected in 10 samples. RHD full-length transcript (RHD-201) can be detected in RhD Del type, but the expression amount was significantly lower than that in RhD positive samples. The expression amount of transcript RHD-207 (Del789) in Del samples was significantly higher than that in RhD positive samples. The transcript RHD-208 (Del8910+ 213) was only detected in RhD Del type individuals, and no significant difference was found between other RHD transcripts and all RHCE transcripts in the two phenotypes. 【Conclusion】 In this study, an analytical method for sequencing full-length transcript isomers of RHD and RHCE mRNA via the third generation was successfully established, and complex alternative splicing patterns were found in RHD and RHCE genes, providing a new method for the study of alternative splicing of blood group gene variants mRNA.

Recruitment strategies of blood donors during the COVID-19 epidemic / 中国输血杂志

【Objective】 To explore the recruitment strategy of blood donors under the situation of blood supply shortage during the COVID-19 epidemic. 【Methods】 The theory of planned behavior and the stage change model of behavior were used to analyze the recruitment strategy of blood donors during the COVID-19 epidemic. The recruitment practice strategies of some countries or regions, i. e. the United States, Japan, South Korea, and the European Union, during this period were investigated. Based on the theoretical analysis results and practical status, relevant reference strategies were proposed. 【Results】 The theoretical analysis showed that attitude, subjective norms and ethical norms played an important role in the recruitment of blood donors during the COVID-19 epidemic, but blood donation self-efficacy and promoting blood donation behavior were the two key factors. According to the survey, in terms of enhancing and maintaining attitudes, subjective norms, ethical norms and other elements that were jointly affected by the same strategy, most countries continued previous policies while some updated recruitment ideas. In terms of enhancing and maintaining the key elements of blood donation self-efficacy, more human and material support had been made. 【Conclusion】 During the COVID-19 pandemic, enhancing and maintaining blood donation self-efficacy and promoting blood donation behavior are the key elements to effectively improve the blood supply shortage. The blood donor recruitment strategy constructed accordingly has reference value for China.

Effect of FTY720 on transfusion-related acute lung injury: a preliminary investigation / 中国输血杂志

【Objective】 To investigate the effects and mechanisms of different doses of fingolimod (FTY720) on non-antibody-mediated transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI). 【Methods】 A TRALI mouse model was constructed using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) pre-stimulation and platelets (Plt) of different storage days for second strike. The success of the modeling was determined by protein concentration in lung tissue homogenates, myeloperoxidase (MPo) activity, lung wet/dry weight ratio (W/D ratio), lung tissue damage score and pathological sections. Ceramide and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) contents in platelets of different storage days were detected. FTY720 was administered 1 h after LPS injection to investigate the role of FTY720 in TRALI. The expression levels of vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-cadherin) and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) were analyzed by WB. 【Results】 Mice infused with stored 5-day Plt (d5Plt group) exhibited typical signs of TRALI, and the differences in lung tissue homogenate protein concentration (6 546.38±409.50) μg/mL, MPO activity (49.38±4.43) U/L, W/D ratio 4.79±0.21, and lung tissue damage score 7.24±0.38 from the rest of the groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). With the increase of platelet storage time, the ceramide content gradually increased and S1P content gradually decreased, and the ratio of the two was imbalanced. d5Plt showed statistically significant differences (P<0.01) in ceramide content (58.37±5.69) μmol/L and S1P content (149.81±4.86) nmol/L from the rest of the groups. After preventive administration of FTY720, 1 mg/kg FTY720 had no significant effect on TRALI mice, whose lung tissue homogenate protein concentration (6 170.26±545.50) μg/mL, MPO activity (45.97±4.79) U/L, W/D ratio 4.88±0.25, and lung tissue damage score 7.92±0.65 were significantly higher than those of the normal and LPS control groups (P<0.01). The low-dose (0.5, 0.2, and 0.1 mg/kg) FTY720 group alleviated lung injury, and its protein concentration, MPO activity, W/D ratio, and lung tissue injury score were significantly lower than those of the d5Plt group (P<0.05). Pathological sections also showed similar results. In terms of endothelial intercellular junction protein expression, the VE-cadherin expression levels in the 1 mg/kg FTY720 group were significantly lower than those in the normal and LPS control groups (P<0.05), and the VE-cadherin and ZO-1 expression levels in the low-dose (0.5, 0.2, and 0.1 mg/kg) FTY720 group were significantly higher than those in the d5Plt group (P<0.05), which tended to be normalized. 【Conclusion】 In this study, a TRALI mouse model was successfully established by one strike of LPS and two strikes of d5Plt. Low doses of FTY720 (0.5, 0.2, 0.1 mg/kg) were protective against TRALI, while high doses of FTY720 (1 mg/kg) may aggravate the symptoms of TRALI. This protective effect may be somewhat dependent on the expression of VE-cadherin and ZO-1.

Research on characteristics of potential blood donors and influencing factors of blood donation intention / 中国输血杂志

【Objective】 To investigate the demographic characteristics and factors affecting the willingness to donate blood among potential donors in China, so as to improve the recruitment efficiency for blood donors. 【Methods】 Non-blood donors aged 18-55 were investigated by online questionnaire to collect data in terms of sociodemographic characteristics (10 items), blood donation related behaviors (9 items), blood donation willingness and factors affecting their willingness (5 items) from October to December 2022. Logistic regression analysis was utilized to investigate their demographic characteristics, and linear regression analysis was used to explore the factors influencing their donation willingness. 【Results】 Logistic regression analysis was conducted with potential blood donors as dependent variable, revealed that individuals who were not only-child 59.6%(334/560) vs 45.4%(98/216), had friends received blood transfusion 63.8%(238/373) vs 48.3%(194/402), had relatives with blood donation experience 63.0%(194/308) vs 51.0%(238/467), and received blood donation information from relatives or friends 64.4%(152/236) vs 51.9%(280/539) were more likely to be potential donors(P0.05). While subjective norms, convenience of blood donation and personal empathy had positive effects on willingness to donate blood, the regression coefficients were all greater than 0, which were 0.58, 0.14 and 0.34 (P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 To establish a wider blood donor community in China, recruitment strategies should be tailored to specific potential donor groups, and efforts should be made to strengthen promotion through relatives and friends, reinforce subjective norms, and provide more flexible options for blood donation time and location selection. In addition, incentive measures should be carefully selected to encourage blood donation.

Effect and mechanism of extracorporeal photopheresis on preventing acute graft versus host disease in ice / 中国输血杂志

【Objective】 To investigate the preventive effects of early apoptotic splenic mononuclear cells induced by extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) on acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) in mice and explore the underlying mechanisms. 【Methods】 1) Splenic mononuclear cells were extracted from C57BL/6 mice and treated with different concentrations of 8-MOP (50 ng/mL, 100 ng/mL, 200 ng/mL, 300 ng/mL, 600 ng/mL). After treatment, irradiate the cells with 2 J/cm2 of ultraviolet light. Then, use the Annexin V-FITC/PI apoptosis detection kit to assess the early apoptosis rate of the cells and determine the optimal concentration of 8-MOP for the experiment.2) There were 35 SPF-grade female BALB/C mice (H-2Kd) aged 6-8 weeks. After whole-body irradiation with 8Gy X-rays, the mice were divided into five groups: sham irradiation group received intravenous infusion of 0.2 mL of normal saline, the syngeneic bone marrow transplantation group received intravenous infusion of 0.2 mL of BALB/C mouse bone marrow nucleated cell suspension (including a cell count of 1×107), the allogeneic bone marrow transplantation group received intravenous infusion of 0.2 mL of C57BL/6 mouse bone marrow nucleated cell suspension (including a cell count of 1×107), the aGVHD group received intravenous injection of a mixture of C57BL/6 mouse bone marrow nucleated cells (including a cell count of 1×107) and splenic mononuclear cells (including a cell count of 1×107) in 0.2 mL, the ECP prevention group received pre-transplant intravenous infusion of 0.2 mL of ECP-treated splenic mononuclear cells of C57BL/6 mice (including a cell count of 1×107 ) 48 hours before transplantation, and on the day of transplantation, intravenous injection of a mixture of C57BL/6 mouse bone marrow nucleated cells (including a cell count of 1×107) and splenic mononuclear cells (including a cell count of 1×107 ) in 0.2 mL.The preventive effects of ECP on aGVHD were observed, and the concentrations of IFN-γ, IL-2, TNF, IL-4 and IL-6 in mouse serum were measured using CBA. Th1 cell counts were determined by flow cytometry. 【Results】 Different concentrations of 8-MOP (50 ng/mL,100 ng/mL, 200 ng/mL, 300 ng/mL, 600 ng/mL) were used to treat mouse splenic mononuclear cells. The early apoptosis rates (%), observed after treatment were as follows: (14.18±0.865) vs (16.76±0.407) vs (18.83±0.404) vs (19.27±0.404) vs (14.5±0.529). The appropriate concentration of 8-MOP was determined to be 200 ng/mL.In vivo experiment, the results showed that the aGVHD group had decreased survival rate, reduced body weight, and increased clinical scores compared to the syngeneic and allogeneic bone marrow transplantation groups (P<0.01), and the chimerism of bone marrow cells in mice after transplantation was over 90%. ECP significantly improved the survival rate of mice after transplantation, reduced clinical scores (P<0.05), and decreased the concentrations of Th1 cell cytokines in serum (P<0.05) and the counts of Th1 cells in the spleen (P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 ECP-induced early apoptotic single nuclear cells from the spleen can prevent the occurrence of aGVHD by reducing the Th1 response in mouse.

Analysis of causes of graft loss in 135 kidney transplant recipients / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the causes of graft loss in kidney transplant recipients.@*METHODS@#We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 135 recipients with graft loss after renal transplantation in the Eighth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 1, 2002 to January 1, 2022.@*RESULTS@#A total of 135 kidney transplant recipients experienced graft failure. The causes of graft loss included graft rejection (70 cases, 51.8%), death of the recipients with functional graft (37 cases, 27.4%), surgical complications (12 cases, 8.9%), drug toxicity (4 cases, 3.0%), carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae infection (4 cases, 3.0%), polyoma BK virus-related nephropathy (3 cases, 2.2%), primary nonfunctioning kidney (2 cases, 1.5%), recurrence of primary disease (2 cases, 1.5%), and prerenal acute renal failure (1 case, 0.7%).@*CONCLUSION@#The main cause of graft loss after renal transplantation is graft rejection, and the secondary cause is death of the recipient with functional graft, and other reasons can be rare.

Association Between Constipation and a Reduction in Lower Limb Muscle Strength in Preoperative Patients with Thoracic Spinal Tumors / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

Objective To investigate the clinical symptoms experienced by patients with thoracic spinal tumors and verify the associated symptoms that are predictive of a decline in muscle strength in the lower limbs. Methods A single-center, retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on in-patients diagnosed with epidural thoracic spinal tumors between January 2011 and May 2021. The study involved a review of electronic medical records and radiographs and the collection of clinical data. The differences in clinical manifestations between patients with constipation and those without constipation were analyzed. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors associated with a decline in muscle strength in the lower limbs.Results A total of 227 patients were enrolled, including 131 patients with constipation and 96 without constipation. The constipation group had a significantly higher proportion of patients who experienced difficulty walking or paralysis compared to those without constipation prior to surgery (83.2% vs. 17.7%, χ2 = 99.035,P < 0.001). Constipation (OR = 9.522, 95%CI: 4.150-21.849, P < 0.001) and urinary retention (OR = 14.490, 95%CI: 4.543-46.213, P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for muscle strength decline in the lower limbs. Conclusions The study observed that patients with thoracic spinal tumors who experienced constipation symptoms had a higher incidence of lower limb weakness. Moreover, the analysis revealed that constipation and urinary retention were independent risk factors associated with a preoperative decline in muscle strength of lower limbs.

Alcohol extract of root and root bark of Toddalia asiatica alleviates CIA in rats through anti-inflammatory and proapoptotic effects / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to investigate the therapeutic effect of alcohol extract of root and root bark of Toddalia asiatica(TAAE) on collagen-induced arthritis(CIA) in rats through phosphatidylinoinosidine-3 kinase/protein kinase B(PI3K/Akt) signaling pathway. To be specific, CIA was induced in rats, and then the rats were treated(oral, daily) with TAAE and Tripterygium Glycoside Tablets(TGT), respectively. The swelling degree of the hind leg joints was scored weekly. After 35 days of administration, the histopathological changes were observed based on hematoxylin and eosin(HE) staining. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was employed to detect the levels of cytokines [tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin(IL)-6)]. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL) staining was performed to detect the apoptosis of synoviocytes in rats. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins B-cell lymphoma 2(Bcl-2)-associated X(Bax), Bcl-2, and caspase-3 and pathway-related proteins phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K), phosphorylated(p)-PI3K, protein kinase B(Akt), and p-Akt. RT-qPCR was conducted to examine the mRNA levels of Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β and pathway-related proteins PI3K, p-PI3K, Akt, and p-Akt. TAAE can alleviate the joint swelling in CIA rats, reduce serum levels of inflammatory cytokines, improve synovial histopathological changes, promote apoptosis of synoviocytes, and inhibit synovial inflammation. In addition, RT-qPCR and Western blot results showed that TAAE up-regulated the level of Bax, down-regulated the level of Bcl-2, and activated caspase-3 to promote apoptosis in synoviocytes. TAAE effectively down-regulated the protein levels of p-PI3K and p-Akt. In this study, TAAE shows therapeutic effect on CIA in rats and reduces the inflammation. The mechanism is that it suppresses PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and promotes synoviocyte apoptosis. Overall, this study provides a new clue for the research on the anti-inflammatory mechanism of TAAE and lays a theoretical basis for the better clinical application of TAAE in the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Efficacy and prognostic analysis of orthopedic surgery in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma / 中华内科杂志

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and prognosis of orthopedic surgical resection surgery in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM). Methods: This retrospective cohort study collected clinical data of patients with NDMM who underwent surgery due to spinal cord compression or pathological long-bone fractures at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2021. Patients who received biopsy or vertebroplasty/kyphoplasty were excluded and patients with the same degree of bone disease and who did not undergo any surgical intervention were selected as controls. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and physical status (ECOG) scores, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were compared. Statistical analysis included the χ2-test, t-test, and Kaplan-Meier methods. Results: Baseline data were compared between the surgical group (n=40 with 43 interventions) and the non-surgical group (n=80), and included sex, age, paraprotein type, International Staging System (ISS), number of lytic lesions, cytogenetic abnormalities, first-line treatment, and the proportion of patients receiving autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) (all P>0.05). Serum M protein levels in the surgical group were significantly lower than those of the non-surgical group [(21.95±16.44) g/L vs. (36.18±20.85) g/L, P=0.005]. The surgical lesions involved the axial skeleton (79.1%, 34/43) or the extremities (20.9%, 9/43). VAS and ECOG scores improved significantly after surgery (VAS: 2.30±0.80 vs. 6.60±1.50, P<0.001; ECOG: 2.09±0.59 vs. 3.09±0.73, P<0.001). The median follow-up time was 51 months. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis suggested that the median PFS (25 vs. 29 months) and OS (46 vs. 60 months) were comparable between the surgical and non-surgical intervention groups (both P>0.05). Subgroup analysis showed that among patients with ISS Ⅰ or those who had received ASCT, PFS in the surgical group was similar to that of the non-surgical intervention group (both P>0.05), while OS was worse (P=0.005, 0.017). Patients with ISS Ⅱ/Ⅲ scores or without ASCT had similar PFS and OS between the surgical and non-surgical intervention groups (all P>0.05). Cox multivariate analysis suggested that ISS and ASCT were independent prognostic factors for OS (ISS: HR=0.42, 95%CI 0.19-0.93, P=0.031; ASCT: HR=0.41, 95%CI 0.18-0.97, P=0.041), while orthopedic surgery did not influence survival (P=0.233). Conclusion: For patients with NDMM, orthopedic surgical resection decreased bone-related complications and improved quality of life, but did not affect survival.

Summary of experience with patterning cropped and shaped mesh repair for perineal hernia after abdominoperineal excision in rectal cancer / 中华外科杂志

Objective: To examine the patterning cropped and shaped mesh repair for perineal hernia after abdominoperineal excision (APE) in rectal cancer. Methods: The clinical data of 8 patients with perineal hernia after APE who accepted surgical treatment in the Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary and Hernia Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University from March 2017 to December 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. There were 3 males and 5 females, aged (67.6±7.2) years (range: 56 to 76 years). Eight patients developed a perineal mass at (11.3±2.9) months (range: 5 to 13 months) after APE. After surgical separation of adhesion and exposing the pelvic floor defect, a 15 cm×20 cm anti-adhesion mesh was fashioned as a three-dimensional pocket shape to fit the pelvic defect, then fixed to the promontory or sacrum and sutured to the pelvic sidewalls and the anterior peritoneum, while two side slender slings were tailored in front of the mesh and fixed on the pectineal ligament. Results: The repair of their perineal hernias went well, with an operating time of (240.6±48.8) minutes (range: 155 to 300 minutes). Five patients underwent laparotomy, 3 patients tried laparoscopic surgery first and then transferred to laparotomy combined with the perineal approach. Intraoperative bowel injury was observed in 3 patients. All patients did not have an intestinal fistula, bleeding occurred. No reoperation was performed and their preoperative symptoms improved significantly. The postoperative hospital stay was (13.5±2.9) days (range: 7 to 17 days) and two patients had postoperative ileus, which improved after conservative treatment. Two patients had a postoperative perineal hernia sac effusion, one of them underwent placement of a tube to puncture the hernia sac effusion due to infection, and continued irrigation and drainage. The postoperative follow-up was (34.8±14.0) months (range: 13 to 48 months), and 1 patient developed recurrence in the seventh postoperative month, no further surgery was performed. Conclusions: Surgical repair of the perineal hernia after APE can be preferred transabdominal approach, routine application of laparoscopy is not recommended, combined abdominoperineal approach can be considered if necessary. The perineal hernia after APE can be repaired safely and effectively using the described technique of patterning cropped and shaped mesh repair.

Exploration of transcriptome SSR markers and its application in genetic diversity assessment of Asarum sieboldii / 中国中药杂志

To explore the genetic diversity of Asarum sieboldii this study developed SSR markers based on transcriptome sequencing results and five populations of A.sieboldii from different regions were used as samples for genetic diversity assessment using software such as GenALEx 6.5, NTSYS 2.1, and Structure 2.3.4. The results showed that 16 SSR markers with high polymorphism and good repeatability were selected from the A.sieboldii transcriptome. Primers designed based on the flanking sequences of these markers successfully amplified 56 polymorphic fragments from 150 individual samples of the five A.sieboldii populations. On average, each primer amplified 3.5 polymorphic fragments, ranging from 2 to 8. The mean values of expected heterozygosity(H_e), Shannon's diversity index(I), Nei's gene diversity index(H), and the polymorphic information content(PIC) were 0.172, 0.281, 0.429, and 0.382, respectively. The mean population differentiation coefficient(F_(ST)) was 0.588, consistent with the analysis of molecular variance(AMOVA) results, which indicated greater genetic variation among A.sieboldii populations(69%) than that within populations(31%). The percentage of polymorphic loci(PPL) ranged from highest to lowest as SNJ>LN>SY>SZ>TB. Principal coordinate analysis(PCoA) and UPGMA clustering analysis further revealed genetic clustering of A.sieboldii individuals based on their geographical distribution, consistent with the results of the structure clustering analysis. In summary, the SSR markers developed from the transcriptome effectively assessed the genetic differentiation and population structure of natural A.sieboldii populations, revealing a relatively low genetic diversity in A.sieboldii, with genetic variation primarily observed at the population level and a correlation between population differentiation and geographic distance.