The neural regulation and impact of posterior nasal neurectomy on nasal ciliary motion in vivo in a murine allergic rhinitis model.

BACKGROUND: Posterior nasal neurectomy (PNN) is a commonly employed surgical approach for the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR). Due to its denervation effect on the nasal mucosa, PNN may potentially alter the motion and defensive capability of cilia. Previous research on the effects of neural regulation and denervation on cilia has been limited by the absence of a feasible in vivo evaluation method for assessing ciliary function. METHODOLOGY: Utilizing a new system developed by our team for visualizing and analyzing ciliary motion in vivo, we analysed ciliary beat frequency and distance in vivo and histomorphological changes in a murine PNN and AR model. Ovalbumin, histamine and neurotransmitters (acetylcholine chloride, α receptor agonist and ß receptor agonist) were applied to investigate the responsiveness and neural regulation of the nasal mucosa. RESULTS: Denervation resulting from PNN led to a reduction in nasal ciliary beat frequency (CBF) to 78% of the control, as well as diminished response towards allergens and histamine. Among neurotransmitters examined, α receptor agonists exhibited inhibitory effects on in vivo ciliary motion while acetylcholine and ß receptor agonists demonstrated stimulatory effects. PNN did not affect the reactivity of in vivo cilia towards these neurotransmitters. CONCLUSIONS: PNN-induced denervation can reduce ciliary motion, potentially compromising the defensive capability of nasal mucosa. Neural regulation and the neurotransmitters involved have significant effect on ciliary motion.

[Efficacy and safety of flexible ureteral lithotripsy for upper urinary tract calculi in patients aged 80 years and older].

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of flexible ureteral lithotripsy (FURL) for treating upper urinary tract calculi in patients ≥80 years. Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 297 elderly patients who underwent FURL for unilateral upper urinary tract calculi at Beijing Hospital from January 2019 to September 2023. Patients were divided into elderly group (≥80 years) and low-middle aged group (≥60-<80 years). Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to match preoperative clinical data of patients. After PSM, the basic, perioperative and postoperative data of the two groups were compared. Results: After PSM, 116 patients were enrolled, including 58 patients in each group. The age [M (Q1, Q3)] of elderly group was 83.0 (81.0, 86.0) years, which included 29 males. The age of low-middle aged group was 69.5 (64.8, 74.0) years, which included 33 males. The duration of postoperative hospitalization [M (Q1, Q3)] in elderly group was longer than that in low-middle aged group [2 (1, 3) d vs 1 (1, 2) d, P=0.002]. Serious postoperative complications occurred in 3 cases in the elderly group and 1 case in the low-middle aged group, respectively, without surgical intervention. There was no significant statistical difference in stone-free rate (SFR) [79.3% (46/58) vs 84.5% (49/58)], operation time [M (Q1, Q3), 70.0 (48.3, 100.0) vs 65.0 (46.5, 101.2) min] and postoperative complication rate [25.9% (15/58) vs 22.4% (13/58)] between two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions: In the treatment of upper urinary tract calculi in patients ≥80 years, the SFR, operation time and postoperative complication rate of FURL are comparable to those in low-middle aged elderly patients. FURL has good safety and effectiveness in the treatment of upper urinary tract calculi in patients ≥80 years.

[Follow-up study of fetal cardiac birth defects after prenatal diagnosis and graded counseling].

Objective: To explore accurate prenatal diagnosis, full-coverage graded counseling and follow-up for the fetus with cardiac birth defects (CBD). Methods: CBD fetus diagnosed prenatal by echocardiography from January 2018 to December 2020 in Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital were enrolled. Fetal CBD was graded (Ⅰ-Ⅵ) according to prognosis and possible operation time after birth, and the classification criteria and common diseases included were proposed. After the prenatal grading counseling, the outcome of the fetus was followed-up. The induced labor rate, live birth rate, prenatal and postnatal ultrasound diagnosis coincidence rate and other indicators were calculated. The disease composition ratio, prognosis of fetus with different grades and the outcome of integrated treatment were analyzed. Results: The detection rate of fetal CBD was up to 16.2% (1 971/12 188), 30 cases of which were excluded. A total of 1 941 cases were included in this study, including 196 cases (10.1%) of gradeⅠ, 433 cases (22.3%) of gradeⅡ, 615 cases (31.7%) of grade Ⅲ, 261 cases (13.4%) of grade Ⅳ, 388 cases (20.0%) of gradeⅤ, 48 cases (2.5%) of grade Ⅵ. Grade Ⅱ and gradeⅢ (the operation time was within 1 year after birth) accounted for 54.0% (1 048/1 941). The distribution of some diseases in different grades had obvious proportion advantage, which was representative. Among 1 747 CBD fetus, 736 cases (induced labor rate 42.1%) chose to terminate pregnancy due to CBD. Of the 1 010 live births, 975 cases (96.5%) had the same prenatal and postnatal diagnosis, 3 cases were missed diagnosis and 32 cases were misdiagnosed. The diagnostic accuracy of live births with severe and complex congenital heart disease was 383 out of 389 (98.5%). A total of 258 cases have received surgery or intervention. The age at the time of surgery or intervention was different among grades（χ²=47.3，P<0.001）. With the improvement of prognosis from gradeⅠ to Ⅴ, the live birth rate increased and the induced labor rate decreased accordingly; the difference between grades was significant（χ²=623.6，P<0.001）. Conclusions: Prenatal diagnosis and graded counseling is important in the integrated model. Fetal CBD grading could refine post-natal treatment strategies, guide delivery decisions and become an evaluation standard.

[Therapeutic effect of gene silencing peptidyl arginine deaminase 4 on pulmonary interstitial lesions induced by collagen-induced arthritis mice].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutic effect of gene silencing peptidyl arginine deaminase 4 (PAD4) on pulmonary interstitial lesions induced by collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice, and possible mechanisms. METHODS: A CIA mouse model was established in DBA/1 mice, followed by a tail vein injection of the virus solution prepared by the PAD4-siRNA expression vector once a week for 8 times. The mice were sacrificed at the end of the experiment. The expression of PAD4 mRNA in lungs was detected by real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). The expression of PAD4 protein was detected by tissue immunohistochemistry. Cell culture was performed by spleen tissue. Flow cytometry changes in the ratio of Tfh cells to Tfr cells were examined; lung staining was performed in the lungs to observe changes in lung pathology. RESULTS: (1) Compared with the blank group, the expression of PAD4 mRNA in the lung tissue of the model group increased, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). PAD4 mRNA in the lung tissue of the CIA mice after PAD4-siRNA treatment. The expression level was significantly lower than that of the model group and the negative control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). (2) Red fluorescence was less in the lung tissue of the blank group, while more red fluorescence was observed in the inflammatory cell infiltration area and trachea around the lung tissue of the model group and the negative control group, and the red fluorescence of the three groups after PAD4-siRNA treatment was significantly reduced; (3) Compared with the blank group, the proportion of Tfh cells in the model group increased, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05), the proportion of Tfh cells in spleen cells of the CIA mice after PAD4-siRNA treatment was significantly lower than that of the model group and the negative control group, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05); compared with the blank group, in the mouse spleen cells in the model group the proportion of Tfr cells was slightly decreased, but the difference was not statistically signifi-cant. The proportion of Tfr cells in the spleen cells of the mice increased after PAD4-siRNA treatment, but the difference was statistically significant only in the PAD4-siRNA2 group compared with the model group and the negative control group (P < 0.05); (4) The proportion of Tfh/Tfr in the spleen cells of the model group was increased, compared with the blank group, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05); the ratio of Tfh/Tfr in the three groups after PAD4-siRNA treatment all decreased, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05); (5) Compared with the blank group, the alveolar wall of the lung tissue of the model group was thickened, the inflammatory cell infiltration was increased, and the lung tissue destruction and inflammatory infiltration of the CIA mice were decreased after PAD4-siRNA treatment. The degree of reduction was reduced. CONCLUSION: Gene silencing of PAD4 can reduce the proportion of Tfh cells, increase the proportion of Tfr cells, reverse the proportion of Tfh/Tfr, and reduce the degree of interstitial lesions and inflammatory infiltration of lung tissue.

[The characteristics and change of aeroallergens in children from 2015 to 2020 in a hospital of pediatric in Beijing].

Objective: To analyze the characteristics of clinical distribution and change of aeroallergens in children with allergic diseases from 2015 to 2020. Methods: Children who visited Capital Institute of Pediatrics affiliated Children's Hospital, suspected of allergic diseases and received serum aeroallergens specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) test were retrospectively enrolled (1 to 14 years old). sIgE was detected by Phadia1000 system with radioallergosorbent test fluorescent enzyme-linked immunoassay. The characteristics and change of the aeroallergens among the 6 years was analyzed. Enumeration data were expressed by percentage and categorical variables were compared by the independent samples t-test and Pearson χ2 test. Results: In total 4 608 tests (4 575 patients) of children were enrolled, the average age was (5.4±2.9) years old, with the median age of 5.0 years old. 3 176 were boys (68.9%), and 1 432 were girls (31.1%). 4 294 children were from the north of China (93.2%), 295 children were from the south of China (6.4%), and 19 children were from unknown regions (0.4%). In total the most common aeroallergen was mold mixture (1 956/4 457 tests, 43.9%) and Alternaria alternata (276/630 tests, 43.8%), followed by Artemisia (300/889 tests, 33.7%), Humulus scandens (12/38 tests, 31.6%) and grass mixture (909/2 874 tests, 31.6%). Among the 6 years, mold, grass pollen and tree pollen sensitization increased, and mold [38/130 (29.2%) vs 1 574/3 233 (48.7%)], grass pollen [11/77 (14.3%) vs 1 069/3 072 (34.8%)] increased significantly (χ2 was 18.953 and 49.559, respectively, P=0.000). Positive rate of tree pollen increased [1/10 (10.0%) vs 516/2 122 (24.3%)], but did not have statistical significance (χ²=1.111, P=0.292). Dust mite [36/146 (24.7%) vs 321/1 408 (22.8%)] and hair of pets [7/33 (21.2%) vs 321/1 408 (17.1%)] sensitization didn't change greatly (χ2 =0.258, P =0.611; χ2 =0.379, P =0.538). In 2015, the most common aeroallergens was mold (38/130, 29.2%), followed by dust mite (36/146, 24.7%), while in 2020, the most common aeroallergens was still mold (1 574/3 233, 48.7%), with grass pollen (1 069/3 072, 34.8%) and tree pollen (516/2 122, 24.3%) ranked after. Conclusion: Mold might be the most common aeroallergens in allergic children in Beijing area. With time went on, dust mite was gradually exceeded by grass pollen and tree pollen.

Matrix-material dependence on the elongation of embedded gold nanoparticles induced by 4 MeV C60 and 200 MeV Xe ion irradiation.

We report the elongation of embedded Au nanoparticles (NPs) in three different matrices, i.e. amorphous carbon (a-C), crystalline indium tin oxide (InxSn1-xOz; ITO) and crystalline calcium fluoride (CaF2), under irradiations of 4 MeV C60 + cluster ions and 200 MeV Xe14+ ions. Under 4 MeV C60 cluster irradiation, strong sputtering is induced in CaF2 layer so that the whole the layer was completely lost at a fluence of 5 × 1013 ions cm-2. Au NPs were partly observed in the SiO2, probably due to the recoil implantation. Amorphous carbon (a-C) layer exhibits low sputtering loss even under 4 MeV C60 irradiation. However, the elongation in a-C layer was low. While the ITO layer showed a certain decrease in thickness under 4 MeV C60 irradiation, large elongation of Au NPs was observed under both 4 MeV C60 and 200 MeV Xe irradiation. The ITO layer preserved the crystallinity even after large elongation was induced. This is the first report of the elongation of metal NPs in a crystalline matrix.

Isolation and identification of bioactive substance 1-hydroxyphenazine from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and its antimicrobial activity.

A strain named as Pseudomonas aeruginosa 2016NX1, which could produce phenazine and cereusitin, was isolated from the root of Millettia specisoa. Phenazines were extracted, isolated and purified by chloroform, thin-layer chromatography, column chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. Then the purified materials were identified by analysis of nuclear magnetic resonance. The major yellow component is 1-hydroxyphenazine and the minor blue component is cereusitin A. The tests of antimicrobial activity of yellow component showed that the growth of several common plant pathogenic fungi and bacteria (such as Cochliobolus miyabeanus, Diaporthe citri, Salmonella sp., Klebsiella oxytoca) could be strongly inhibited. This study suggested that Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain 2016NX1 had a significant potential for biological control of phytopathogenic fungi. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: In this study, one bioactive substance from Pseudomonas aeruginosa 2016NX1 was identified and its antimicrobial activity was verified. This study demonstrated that one bioactive substance from P. aeruginosa can strongly inhibit the growth of plant pathogenic fungi and bacteria. This study suggested that P. aeruginosa strain 2016NX1 has a significant potential for biological control of phytopathogenic fungi.

C-Terminal Part of Glutamate-Ammonia-Ligase Adenyltransferase Gene Identified by RAPD-HRM with 3H Primer for E. Coli Screening.

A single random oligonucleotide 3H primer has been previously applied in random-amplified- polymorphic-DNA (RAPD)-PCR to distinguish stocked bacteria E. coli within a cocktail mixture also containing Enterococcus faecalis, Bifidobacterium longum and Ruminococcus gnavus. In this study, we demonstrate that a 702 base pair (bp) gene fragment can be amplified as a unique pattern by RAPD-PCR using a 3H primer in human faeces containing E. coli. This unique 702 bp amplicon contained a 687 bp gene fragment identified as the C-terminal region of the glutamate-ammonia-ligase adenyltransferase (glnE) gene of E. coli. By high-resolution melt (HRM) analysis, a mean melt-curve temperature of this 702 bp amplicon was determined to be approximately 88.1 ± 0.22 degrees Celsius (°C). A combination of RAPD with HRM in one single reaction based on this amplicon can achieve semi-quantitative detection of up to 102 CFU/ml of E. coli. To increase the signal intensity of HRM, a primer pair capable of screening E. coli directly from fresh human faeces was re-designed from the 687 bp gene segment, giving a mean peak melt-curve temperature at 88.35 ± 0.11 °C. Finally, single-nucleotide polymorphisms of this 687 bp gene segment were analysed for pathogenic E. coli strains, including UMN026, O83:H1, O104:H4, O157:H7 and O169:H41. We conclude that this 687 bp segment of the glnE gene has a high potential for screening of human faecal E. coli, including pathogenic strains, in contaminated food and water.

Transplantation of adipose tissue-derived stem cells ameliorates autoimmune pathogenesis in MRL/lpr mice : Modulation of the balance between Th17 and Treg.

BACKGROUND: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells characterized by immunomodulatory properties and are therefore considered a promising tool for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether transplantation of adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) affects the autoimmune pathogenesis in MRL/lpr mice. METHODS: Fifteen 12-week-old MRL/lpr mice were randomly divided into three groups: ADSC, cyclophosphamide (CTX), and control groups, with five mice in each group. ADSC and control groups were injected with 1â€¯× 106 ADSCs or PBS, respectively, via the tail vein, once a week for 8 weeks. The CTX group was injected with CTX at a dose of 15 mg/kg body weight, once a week for 2 weeks, and this was repeated after 2 weeks rest. Proteinuria, anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) antibody, and serum creatinine levels were then measured. The populations of Th17 and Treg cells in the spleen were detected by flow cytometry. All statistical analyses were performed using least square difference. RESULTS: Eight weeks after treatment, the 24 h proteinuria, anti-dsDNA antibody levels, and serum creatinine were decreased significantly with transplantation of mouse ADSCs. ADSCs markedly reduced the number of TH17 cells, increased Treg cells, and improved renal pathology. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that transplantation of ADSCs could significantly inhibit autoimmune progression in MRL/lpr mice and the efficacy of ADSCs was comparable to that of CTX.

[Doxycycline inhibits paraquat-induced pulmonary fibrosis via TGF-ß1/Smad pathway].

Objective: To investigate the possible mechanism of doxycycline inhibiting paraquat-induced pulmonary fibrosis and provide a theoretical basis for its clinical application. Methods: Human lung fibroblast HFL1 cells were selected as the research object in the cell group. Divided into blank group, paraquat group, paraquat+doxycycline group. The expression of TGF-ß1, a-SMA, Smad3 and Smad2 protein was detected by ELISA using 40 ml of paraquat 40 umol/L and 3 mg/L of oleic acid 10 mg/L. In the animal group, 120 healthy and clean SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: blank group, paraquat group, paraquat+doxycycline group. The expression of TGF-ß1, a-SMA, Smad3 and Smad2 protein in lung tissue of mice at 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 14 days and 21 days was detected by Elisa method. The expression of TGF-ß1, a-SMA, Smad3 and Smad2 protein in lung tissue of 21-day mice was detected by Western Blotting. The pathological changes of lung tissue were observed by HE staining for 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 14 days and 21 days. Results: In the cell group experiment, the expression of TGF-ß1, a-SMA, Smad3 and Smad2 protein increased gradually with paraquat in the paraquat group, and the expression of TGF-ß1, a-SMA, Smad3 and Smad2 protein was significantly higher than that in the blank group. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.05) . The expressions of TGF-ß1, a-SMA, Smad3 and Smad2 in the paraquat+doxycycline group were significantly lower than those in the paraquat group, but still higher than the blank group, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05) . Conclusion: Doxycycline inhibits paraquat-induced pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting the expression of TGF-ß1, a-SMA and Smad3, Smad2 proteins.