G protein subunit Gγ13-mediated signaling pathway is critical to the inflammation resolution and functional recovery of severely injured lungs.

Tuft cells are a group of rare epithelial cells that can detect pathogenic microbes and parasites. Many of these cells express signaling proteins initially found in taste buds. It is, however, not well understood how these taste signaling proteins contribute to the response to the invading pathogens or to the recovery of injured tissues. In this study, we conditionally nullified the signaling G protein subunit Gγ13 and found that the number of ectopic tuft cells in the injured lung was reduced following the infection of the influenza virus H1N1. Furthermore, the infected mutant mice exhibited significantly larger areas of lung injury, increased macrophage infiltration, severer pulmonary epithelial leakage, augmented pyroptosis and cell death, greater bodyweight loss, slower recovery, worsened fibrosis and increased fatality. Our data demonstrate that the Gγ13-mediated signal transduction pathway is critical to tuft cells-mediated inflammation resolution and functional repair of the damaged lungs.To our best knowledge, it is the first report indicating subtype-specific contributions of tuft cells to the resolution and recovery.

Comparison of the effects of moxibustion and acupuncture of combined "Biao-Ben" acupoints on intestinal sensitivity and autonomic nervous system function in rats with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome. / "æ ‡æœ¬é ç©´"è‰¾ç¸ä¸Žé’ˆåˆºå¯¹è ¹æ³»åž‹è‚ æ˜“æ¿€ç»¼åˆå¾å¤§é¼ è‚ é“æ•æ„Ÿæ€§å’Œè‡ªä¸»ç¥žç»åŠŸèƒ½å½±å“çš„æ¯”è¾ƒ.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the effects of moxibustion and acupuncture of combined "Biao-Ben" acupoints (Biao indicates pathogenic factors of disease, Ben refers to body constitution) on a rat model of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D). METHODS: Forty female SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups：normal group, model group, moxibustion group, and acupuncture group, with 10 rats in each group. The IBS-D rat model was established by administering acute-chronic stress combined with folium sennae gavage for 28 days. Rats in the moxibustion group received moxibustion at bilateral "Zusanli"(ST36), "Guanyuan"(CV4), and "Neiguan"(PC6), while those in the acupuncture group received acupuncture at the same acupoints, both for 15 min every time, once a day. The treatments were administered for 21 days. The loose stool rate was observed. Colonic pain threshold and colonic distension threshold were measured by a self-made balloon catheter. Total distance traveled and grid crossing numbers were observed by open field test. Heart rate variability(HRV) time domain indexes SDANN and PNN50 were acguired by using electrophysiological recorder. Histopathological changes in the colon tissue were observed after HE staining. Contents of interleukin-6(IL-6), IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α) in serum were detected by ELISA. RESULTS: Compared with the normal group, rats in the model group showed increased loose stool rate(P<0.05), decreased pain threshold and distension threshold(P<0.05), reduced total distance traveled and grid crossing numbers in the open field test(P<0.05), decreased HRV time domain indexes SDANN and PNN50(P<0.01, P<0.05), and elevated levels of serum IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α contents(P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the moxibustion group and acupuncture group showed decreased loose stool rate(P<0.05), increased total distance traveled and grid crossing numbers in the open field test(P<0.05), increased pain threshold and distension threshold(P<0.05), increased SDANN and PNN50 (P<0.05), and decreased levels of serum IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α contents(P<0.05). Compared with the acupuncture group, the moxibustion group showed further decreased loose stool rate(P<0.05), increased total distance traveled and grid crossing numbers in the open field test(P<0.05), increased pain threshold and distension threshold(P<0.05), increased SDANN and PNN50(P<0.05), and decreased levels of serum IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α contents(P<0.05). No significant pathological changes were observed in the colon tissue of rats in each group. CONCLUSIONS: Moxibustion of combined "Biao-Ben" acupoints is more effective in regulating HRV and serum IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α contents in the IBS-D rat model. Based on the combined "Biao-Ben" acupoints method, moxibustion has better therapeutic effects on IBS-D than acupuncture.

Misdiagnosis of vasitis: a potential diagnostic pitfall with computed tomography.

BACKGROUND: Vasitis is a rare condition that may be challenging for the clinical practitioner. Sometimes it is misdiagnosed as incarcerated inguinal hernia; thus, patients end up receiving unnecessary surgery. Compared with the traditional approach with only sonography, the more recent introduction of computed tomography in the diagnostic process has provided higher quality imaging and more detailed anatomy. Consequently, some urologists advocate the efficacy of computed tomography in the differential diagnosis of difficult cases. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 23-year-old male who suffered from right inguinal pain and swelling. His scrotum ultrasound showed multiple tubular structure dilatation within the subinguinal area and no testis torsion. The initial diagnosis was a right inguinal hernia. Computed tomography supported that initial diagnosis, and we presumed the lesion represented a herniation of the omentum with mesenteric vessels. Since there was a suspicion of hernia incarceration, the patient underwent diagnostic laparoscopy, which did not reveal herniation, but only erythematous reaction and swelling over the right spermatic cord. Following a final diagnosis of vasitis, he received empirical antibiotic treatment and his symptoms entirely resolved. CONCLUSIONS: Even though computed tomography can provide thorough imaging of the urogenital system, the contrast enhancement within vessels and inflammatory organs can still be misleading in the diagnostic process.

RéSUMé: CONTEXTE: La déférendite est. une maladie rare qui peut présenter des difficultés pour le praticien. Parfois, elle est. diagnostiquée à tort comme une hernie inguinale incarcérée; ce qui amène les patients à subir une intervention chirurgicale inutile. Par rapport à l'approche traditionnelle avec la seule échographie, l'introduction plus récente de la tomodensitométrie dans le processus diagnostique a fourni une imagerie de meilleure qualité et une anatomie plus détaillée. Par conséquent, certains urologues préconisent l'efficacité de la tomodensitométrie dans le diagnostic différentiel des cas difficiles. PRéSENTATION DU CAS: Nous rapportons le cas d'un homme de 23 ans qui souffrait d'une douleur et d'une tuméfaction inguinales droites. L'échographie du scrotum a montré une dilatation de multiples structures tubulaires dans la région subinguinale, sans torsion du testicule. Le diagnostic initial a été une hernie inguinale droite. La tomodensitométrie a confirmé ce diagnostic initial, et nous avons supposé que la lésion représentait une hernie de l'épiploon avec des vaisseaux mésentériques. Comme il y avait une suspicion d'incarcération de hernie, le patient a subi une laparoscopie diagnostique, qui n'a pas révélé de hernie, mais seulement une réaction érythémateuse et un gonflement du cordon spermatique droit. Après un diagnostic final de déférendite, le patient a reçu un traitement antibiotique empirique et ses symptômes ont été entièrement résolus. CONCLUSIONS: Même si la tomodensitométrie peut fournir une imagerie approfondie du système urogénital, l'amélioration du contraste dans les vaisseaux et les organes inflammatoires peut encore être trompeuse dans le processus diagnostique. MOTS-CLéS: Déférendite hernie inguinale incarcérée tomodensitométrie laparoscopie diagnostique.

Higher healthy lifestyle scores are associated with greater bone mineral density in middle-aged and elderly Chinese adults.

This study examined the association between healthy lifestyle score (HLS), which contained 7 items (smoking, BMI, physical activity, diet, alcohol, sleep and anxiety) and BMD. Results showed HLS was positively associated with BMD at all studied sites, suggesting that healthier lifestyle patterns might be beneficial to bone health. PURPOSE: Previous studies have reported favourable associations of individual healthy lifestyle factors with bone mineral density (BMD), but limited evidence showed the relationship of a combined healthy lifestyle score (HLS) with BMD. This study examined the association between the HLS and BMD. METHODS: This community-based cross-sectional study included 3051 participants aged 40-75 years. The HLS contained 7 items (smoking, BMI, physical activity, diet quality, alcohol intake, sleep and anxiety). BMD values of whole body (WB), lumbar spine 1-4 (L1-4), total hip (TH) and femur neck (FN) were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential covariates, HLS was positively associated with BMD at all studied sites (P-trend < 0.01). The mean BMDs were 2.69% (WB), 5.62% (L1-4), 6.13% (TH) and 5.71% (FN) higher in participants with HLS of 6-7 points than in those with HLS of 0-2 points. The per 1 of 7 unit increase in the HLS was associated with increases of 7.63 (WB)-13.4 (TH) mg/cm2 BMD levels at all sites. These favourable associations tended to be more pronounced in men than in women. Among the 7 items, physical activity contributed most to the favourable associations, followed by BMI, non-smoking and diet; the other three items played little roles. Sensitivity analyses showed that the significant associations remained after excluding any one of the 7 components or excluding fracture subjects at all sites. CONCLUSION: Higher HLS was associated with greater BMD in middle-aged and elderly Chinese, suggesting that healthier lifestyle patterns might be beneficial to bone health.

A screening method for gastric cancer by oral microbiome detection.

Gastric cancer is the second most common malig-nancy and one of the principal causes of cancer­related mortality worldwide. Early diagnostic and screening methods for gastric cancer are limited at present, most of them involving invasive procedures. We aimed to investigate the characteristics of the oral microbiome in gastric cancer individuals and to conduct a screening method for gastric cancer by oral microbiome detection. We used high­throughput sequencing to examine the total bacterial profile of saliva and plaque samples of 50 subjects, including 37 individuals with gastric cancer and 13 controls. The Venn diagram and species abundance clusters were generated from the data. The results indicated that the oral bacteria were more complex in patients with gastric cancer. Based on the characteristics of the oral microbiome in individuals with gastric cancer, a scoring system was designed to screen gastric cancer. In the present study, 36 out of 37 individuals in the gastric cancer group were identified as a high­risk population, giving a sensitivity rate of 97%. One out of 13 individuals in the control group was identified as a high­risk population, providing a false-positive rate of 7.7%. The scoring system we designed may be a potential method for screening suspected gastric cancer patients by oral microbiome detection. Further calibration of this scoring system is needed by recruiting a larger study population.