Improving bee feed recipes to safeguard honeybee colonies during times of food scarcity.

In beekeeping, when natural nectar or pollen sources become limited, it is crucial to provide supplemental bee feed to maintain the viability of the bee colony. This study was conducted during the autumn food shortage season, during which bees were fed with different proportions of modified bee feed. We identified an optimal bee diet by evaluating honeybee longevity, food consumption, body weight, and gut microbe distribution, with natural pollen serving as a control diet. The results indicated that bees preferred a mixture of 65% defatted soy flour, 20% corn protein powder, 13% wheat germ flour, 2% yeast powder, and a 50% sucrose solution. This bee food recipe significantly increased the longevity, feed consumption, and body weight of bees. The group fed the natural pollen diet exhibited a greater abundance of essential intestinal bacteria. The bee diets used in this study contained higher protein levels and lower concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids and vitamins than did the diets stored within the colonies. Therefore, we propose that incorporating both bee feed and natural pollen in beekeeping practices will achieve more balanced nutritional intake.

Neuropsychological functioning of individuals at clinical evaluation of adult ADHD.

OBJECTIVES: Numerous studies showed that adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) suffer from impairments in a range of cognitive functions when compared to healthy controls. However, only little is known about the neuropsychological functions when compared to various clinical control groups and whether a distinct neuropsychological profile can be identified for adult ADHD. METHOD: This retrospective study examined data of 199 outpatients referred for clinical evaluation of adult ADHD, allocated either to an ADHD group (n = 78) or to one of two clinical comparison groups, depending on whether they show indications (n = 71) or no indications (n = 50) for the presence of psychiatric disorders other than ADHD. All individuals performed a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery. RESULTS: Data analysis revealed impairments in a range of cognitive functions in a substantial number of patients of all three groups. However, profiles of neuropsychological impairments were similar between groups. Furthermore, significant small- to medium-sized correlations between basic and higher-order cognitive functions were revealed in the ADHD group and the clinical comparison group with indications for psychiatric disorders other than ADHD. CONCLUSION: Neuropsychological impairments are prominent in psychiatric outpatients seeking a clinical evaluation of adult ADHD but are not specific for ADHD. It is concluded that neuropsychological test performance may have limited incremental value to support the psychiatric differential diagnosis. Furthermore, a clinical trajectory may need to take into account that deficits in a range of higher-order cognitive functions can be substantially explained by deficits in basic cognitive functions.

C/EBPß enhances efficacy of sorafenib in hepatoblastoma.

Hepatoblastoma (HB) is the predominant hepatic neoplasm in infants and young children. Sorafenib has been used to treat adult and pediatric hepatocellular carcinoma. However, efficacy of monotherapy of sorafenib in HB is not sustained. In this study, we tested a possible combinatory therapy of sorafenib with the CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins (C/EBP) overexpression in HB cell line. Firstly, we evaluated the expression level of C/EBPß in the patients with HB by analyzing The Cancer Genome Atlas data. Lower level of C/EBPß was observed in tumor tissues in comparison with matched normal tissues. Next, we observed that combination of sorafenib and C/EBPß overexpression led to dramatic growth and migration inhibition of live tumor cells which implied promising probability for clinical trial. Mechanistically, C/EBPß which can be downregulated by Ras v12, augmented messenger RNA and protein levels of p53. These data suggested that a combination of sorafenib and C/EBPß overexpression inhibited tumor growth synergistically and provided a promising approach to treat HB.

Identification of distinct clinical phenotypes of acute respiratory distress syndrome with differential responses to treatment.

BACKGROUND: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a heterogeneous syndrome, and the identification of homogeneous subgroups and phenotypes is the first step toward precision critical care. We aimed to explore whether ARDS phenotypes can be identified using clinical data, are reproducible and are associated with clinical outcomes and treatment response. METHODS: This study is based on a retrospective analysis of data from the telehealth intensive care unit (eICU) collaborative research database and three ARDS randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (ALVEOLI, FACTT and SAILS trials). We derived phenotypes in the eICU by cluster analysis based on clinical data and compared the clinical characteristics and outcomes of each phenotype. The reproducibility of the derived phenotypes was tested using the data from three RCTs, and treatment effects were evaluated. RESULTS: Three clinical phenotypes were identified in the training cohort of 3875 ARDS patients. Of the three phenotypes identified, phenotype I (n = 1565; 40%) was associated with fewer laboratory abnormalities, less organ dysfunction and the lowest in-hospital mortality rate (8%). Phenotype II (n = 1232; 32%) was correlated with more inflammation and shock and had a higher mortality rate (18%). Phenotype III (n = 1078; 28%) was strongly correlated with renal dysfunction and acidosis and had the highest mortality rate (22%). These results were validated using the data from the validation cohort (n = 3670) and three RCTs (n = 2289) and had reproducibility. Patients with these ARDS phenotypes had different treatment responses to randomized interventions. Specifically, in the ALVEOLI cohort, the effects of ventilation strategy (high PEEP vs low PEEP) on ventilator-free days differed by phenotype (p = 0.001); in the FACTT cohort, there was a significant interaction between phenotype and fluid-management strategy for 60-day mortality (p = 0.01). The fluid-conservative strategy was associated with improved mortality in phenotype II but had the opposite effect in phenotype III. CONCLUSION: Three clinical phenotypes of ARDS were identified and had different clinical characteristics and outcomes. The analysis shows evidence of a phenotype-specific treatment benefit in the ALVEOLI and FACTT trials. These findings may improve the identification of distinct subsets of ARDS patients for exploration in future RCTs.

Volatile Organic Compounds to Identify Infectious (Bacteria/Viruses) Diseases of the Central Nervous System: A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Central nervous system (CNS) infectious diseases are common diseases in emergency rooms and neurology departments. CNS pathogen identification methods are time consuming and expensive and have low sensitivity and poor specificity. Some studies have shown that bacteria and viruses can produce specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The aim of this study is to find potential biomarkers by VOC analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in patients with bacterial and viral meningitis/encephalitis (ME). METHODS: CSF samples from 16 patients with bacterial ME and 42 patients with viral ME were collected, and solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to analyze the metabolites in the CSF. RESULTS: There are 2 substances (ethylene oxide and phenol) that were found to be different between the 2 groups. Ethylene oxide was significantly greater in the group of bacterial ME patients than in the viral ME group of patients (p < 0.05). In addition, phenol was remarkably increased in the group of ME patients compared with the bacterial ME patients (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Ethylene oxide and phenol may be potential biomarkers to distinguish bacterial ME and viral ME. VOC analysis of CSF may be used as a supporting tool for clinical diagnosis.

Cas9-nickase-mediated genome editing corrects hereditary tyrosinemia in rats.

Hereditary tyrosinemia type I (HTI) is a metabolic genetic disorder caused by mutation of fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase (FAH). Because of the accumulation of toxic metabolites, HTI causes severe liver cirrhosis, liver failure, and even hepatocellular carcinoma. HTI is an ideal model for gene therapy, and several strategies have been shown to ameliorate HTI symptoms in animal models. Although CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing is able to correct the Fah mutation in mouse models, WT Cas9 induces numerous undesired mutations that have raised safety concerns for clinical applications. To develop a new method for gene correction with high fidelity, we generated a Fah mutant rat model to investigate whether Cas9 nickase (Cas9n)-mediated genome editing can efficiently correct the Fah First, we confirmed that Cas9n rarely induces indels in both on-target and off-target sites in cell lines. Using WT Cas9 as a positive control, we delivered Cas9n and the repair donor template/single guide (sg)RNA through adenoviral vectors into HTI rats. Analyses of the initial genome editing efficiency indicated that only WT Cas9 but not Cas9n causes indels at the on-target site in the liver tissue. After receiving either Cas9n or WT Cas9-mediated gene correction therapy, HTI rats gained weight steadily and survived. Fah-expressing hepatocytes occupied over 95% of the liver tissue 9 months after the treatment. Moreover, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene therapy prevented the progression of liver cirrhosis, a phenotype that could not be recapitulated in the HTI mouse model. These results strongly suggest that Cas9n-mediated genome editing is a valuable and safe gene therapy strategy for this genetic disease.

Release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from colorectal cancer cell line LS174T.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide. To date, no non-invasive and specific biomarkers have been identified for the diagnosis of CRC. The analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is attracting increasing attention and provides the possibility of a non-invasive diagnosis. Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) have been used to analyze the VOCs released from the headspace gas of LS174T (Dukes' type B colorectal adenocarcinoma) cells, arsenic trioxide (ATO)-treated LS174T cells and the blood from tumor-bearing mice. The data were processed using principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), which showed that the levels of decanal, 2,4-dimethyl- heptane, and twelve other metabolites were significantly greater in the headspace gas of the LS174T cells and blood of tumor-bearing mice. Additionally, in vivo experiments indicated that formic acid, ethenyl ester and p-trimethylsilyloxyphenyl-(trimethylsilyloxy)trimethylsilylacrylate were consumed during tumor growth. In conclusion, VOCs such as 1-methoxy-hexane and 2,4-dimethyl-heptane could be useful diagnostic markers for CRC. Further research should focus on the potential metabolic pathways associated with these profiles.

Grey Matter Volumes in the Executive Attention System Predict Individual Differences in Effortful Control in Young Adults.

Effortful control (EC), considered as one component of temperament, describes an individual's capacity for self-regulation. Previous neuroimaging studies have provided convergent evidence that individual differences in EC are determined by the functioning of neural systems subserving executive attention, primarily comprising the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC). Notwithstanding, as previous neuroimaging findings highlighted the structural neural bases of EC in adolescence, during which the PFC is prominently remodeled, the underlying neuroanatomical substrates of EC remain uncertain in young adults. In this study, we included 246 healthy young adults and used voxel-based morphometry analysis to investigate the relationship between EC and grey matter (GM) volumes. Additionally, permutation testing and cross-validation were applied to determine whether GM volumes in the detected regions could predict individual differences in EC. Our results revealed that EC was associated with GM volumes in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and the pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA), demonstrating that these two regions may play a crucial role in EC. Furthermore, the identified regional GM volumes reliably contribute to the prediction of EC confirmed by cross-validation. Overall, these findings provide further evidence for the involvement of the executive attention system in EC, and shed more light on the neuroanatomical substrates of EC in young adulthood.

Reversal of Ovarian Cancer Multidrug Resistance by a Combination of LAH4-L1-siMDR1 Nanocomplexes with Chemotherapeutics.

The mortality of ovarian cancer stably ranks first in gynecological malignancies due to the lack of specific symptoms and diagnostic methods at an early stage. For most patients, the cancer cells had metastasized before they were diagnosed. As a result, 90% of them died of multidrug resistance (MDR) to chemotherapeutics. In our study, RNAi technology was introduced and applied to overcome this big problem. LAH4-L1, an amphipathic cationic polypeptide, was reported to have high transfection efficiency and was first selected by us to deliver siMDR1 for overcoming ovarian cancer cells MDR. In this research, LAH4-L1-siRNA nanocomplexes (LSCs) delivery system was designed via electrostatic interactions. The nanocomplexes could realize 87.3% MDR1 gene silence and 85% P-gp down-regulation on SKOV-3 cells. What's more, with the combination of chemotherapeutics, SKOV-3 cells growth inhibition can reach to 82.9%. We have also found that there was about 50% reduction on cells migration when MDR1 gene was down-regulated. Besides what have been mentioned above, physicochemical characteristics, cytotoxicity, pH responsivity, cells cycle, cellular uptake, and endosomal escape abilities were also studied in this research. In conclusion, lower cytotoxicity, higher down-regulation of targeted gene, and great cell inhibition, when combined with chemotherapeutics, all show the great potential of LSCs for the reversal of multidrug resistance on SKOV-3 cells in the future.

Cytotoxicity of the Defensive Secretion from the Medicinal Insect Blaps rynchopetera.

Blaps rynchopetera Fairmaire has long been used as a folk medicine by the Yi and Bai ethnic groups in China to treat fever, cough, gastritis, boils, and tumors. In the present study, the cytotoxicity of the defensive secretion (TDS) of B. rynchopetera against AGS Caco-2, HepG2 U251 and Bel-7402 was tested, and the results revealed that TDS had potent cytotoxicity against testing cells with IC50 values of 45.8, 17.4, 53.6, 98.4 and 23.4 µg/mL, respectively. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis was employed to clarify the cytotoxic constituents in TDS of B. rynchopetera and five volatile compounds, including 2-ethyl-2,5-cyclohexadiene-1,4-dione (3, 31.00%), 1-tridecene (5, 28.02%), 2-methyl-2,5-cyclohexadiene-1,4-dione (2, 22.86%), hydroquinone (4, 1.33%), and p-benzoquinone (1, 1.01%), were identified. Chemical constituent investigation on TDS further supported the presence of 5 above compounds. A cytotoxic assay indicated that compounds 1, 2, 3 and 4 exhibited significant cytotoxicity against the testing cell lines, implying that benzoquinones and hydroquinone played important roles in the cytotoxicity of TDS of B. rynchopetera. TDS is a cytotoxic natural material and further studies investigating mechanisms and inhibitory activities on other cell lines is warranted.

An ethnography of construction and characteristics of curriculum for inheritance of intangible cultural heritage martial arts in universities.

Background: Inheriting excellent traditional Chinese culture is a prerequisite for ensuring the continuity of the cultural genes of the Chinese nation. However, with the historical mission of shaping the national character of the descendants of the Chinese nation, intangible cultural heritage martial arts face the problem of an unclear curriculum content construction mechanism in university inheritance and make it difficult for these martial arts to shoulder the responsibility of cultural inheritance in the era. Method: Educational ethnography as a research method is conducive to the in-depth exploration of the mechanism of curriculum content construction in the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage martial arts in universities. Results: Research suggests that the construction of curriculum content for the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage martial arts in universities relies on the form of cooperation between universities and inheritors, and form three models of curriculum content construction: off campus, on campus, and on-campus cooperation. The construction of curriculum content for off-campus inheritors belongs to the "attachment style" model, which is based on the actual needs of the inheritors and the selection of boxing types. The construction of curriculum content for inheritors on campus belongs to the "reshaping" model, which is the inheritor's "simplification and reorganization" based on traditional routines and subjective and objective conditions of inheritance. The construction of course content in school local cooperation belongs to the "integrated" model, which is the reintegration of course content by universities based on their own development characteristics and the characteristics of various martial arts. Conclusion: In the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage martial arts in universities, emphasis is placed on local knowledge, core skills, cultural traditions, and other characteristics, highlighting the excellence of its cultural inheritance. In the future, the focus of the inheritance of these martial arts in universities should be to cultivate innovative talents who are familiar with both traditional and modern martial arts.

Bioinformation Analysis of Differential Expression Proteins in Different Processes of COVID-19.

COVID-19 is a highly infectious respiratory disease whose progression has been associated with multiple factors. From SARS-CoV-2 infection to death, biomarkers capable of predicting different disease processes are needed to help us further understand the molecular progression of COVID-19 disease. The aim is to find differentially expressed proteins that are associated with the progression of COVID-19 disease or can be potential biomarkers, and to provide a reference for further understanding of the molecular mechanisms of COVID-19 occurrence, progression, and treatment. Data-independent Acquisition (DIA) proteomics to obtain sample protein expression data, using R language screening differentially expressed proteins. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia for Genes and Genomes analysis was performed on differential proteins and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed to screen key proteins. A total of 47 differentially expressed proteins were obtained from COVID-19 incubation patients and healthy population (L/H), mainly enriched in platelet-related functions, and complement and coagulation cascade reaction pathways, such as platelet degranulation and platelet aggregation. A total of 42 differential proteins were obtained in clinical and latent phase patients (C/L), also mainly enriched in platelet-related functions and in complement and coagulation cascade reactions, platelet activation pathways. A total of 10 differential proteins were screened in recovery and clinical phase patients (R/C), mostly immune-related proteins. The differentially expressed proteins in different stages of COVID-19 are mostly closely associated with coagulation, and key differential proteins, such as FGA, FGB, FGG, ACTB, PFN1, VCL, SERPZNCL, APOC3, LTF, and DEFA1, have the potential to be used as early diagnostic markers.

Percutaneous microchannel unilateral approach bilateral micro decompression for adjacent segmental degeneration after lumbar fusion at 10 years: a case report and review of literature.

Background: Adjacent segmental degeneration after lumbar fusion is one of the common long-term complications after lumbar fusion. With the continuous development of adjacent segmental degeneration, patients who fail conservative treatment often need reoperation to relieve symptoms. In recent years, the technique of bilateral microdecompression through unilateral approach under microchannel has been widely used in the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases. However, the efficacy of this procedure for adjacent-segment degeneration after lumbar fusion has not been established. Here, we report a case of bilateral microscopic decompression via a unilateral approach through a microchannel in a patient with adjacent segmental degeneration after lumbar fusion. Case report: A 70-year-old male patient was admitted to hospital because of lumbago accompanied by left lower extremity pain, numbness and weakness for 2 years, which aggravated for 2 months. Ten years ago, he underwent PLIF for lumbar spinal stenosis, and recovered well after the operation. According to imaging data and physical examination, the diagnosis was adjacent segmental degeneration after lumbar fusion. Bilateral microdecompression was performed through a unilateral approach under a microchannel. Good clinical outcomes was observed through 1-year postoperative follow-up. Conclusions: This report reports the successful treatment of a patient with ASD 10 years after lumbar fusion. Bilateral microdecompression via a unilateral approach under a microchannel is a safe and effective method for the treatment of ASD after lumbar fusion with good surgical outcomes.

Comparison of outcomes after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with and without a cervical collar: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: The clinical outcomes of patients who received a cervical collar after anterior cervical decompression and fusion were evaluated by comparison with those of patients who did not receive a cervical collar. METHODS: All of the comparative studies published in the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Medline, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases as of 1 October 2023 were included. All outcomes were analysed using Review Manager 5.4. RESULTS: Four studies with a total of 406 patients were included, and three of the studies were randomized controlled trials. Meta-analysis of the short-form 36 results revealed that wearing a cervical collar after anterior cervical decompression and fusion was more beneficial (P < 0.05). However, it is important to note that when considering the Neck Disability Index at the final follow-up visit, not wearing a cervical collar was found to be more advantageous. There were no statistically significant differences in postoperative cervical range of motion, fusion rate, or neck disability index at 6 weeks postoperatively (all P > 0.05) between the cervical collar group and the no cervical collar group. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review and meta-analysis revealed no significant differences in the 6-week postoperative cervical range of motion, fusion rate, or neck disability index between the cervical collar group and the no cervical collar group. However, compared to patients who did not wear a cervical collar, patients who did wear a cervical collar had better scores on the short form 36. Interestingly, at the final follow-up visit, the neck disability index scores were better in the no cervical collar group than in the cervical collar group. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023466583.

Effects of continuous intravenous infusion with propofol on intestinal metabolites in rats.

Microbial metabolites play an important role in regulating intestinal homeostasis and immune responses. Propofol is a common anesthetic in clinic, but it is not clear whether it affects intestinal metabolites in rats. Tail vein puncture was performed after adaptive feeding for 1 month in eight 2-month-old rats and they were given continuous intravenous infusion of propofol for 3 h. The feces of rats were divided into different groups based on time periods, with before and after anesthesia with propofol on days 1, 3 and 7 labeled as groups P, A1, A3 and A7, respectively. The effect of continuous intravenous infusion with propofol on rat fecal metabolites was determined using the non-targeted metabolomics technique gas chromatography coupled with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer analysis. The types and contents of metabolites in rat feces were changed after continuous intravenous infusion with propofol, but the changes were not statistically significant. The contents of the metabolites 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid and palmitic acid increased from day 3 to 7, and it was shown that the two metabolites were positively correlated at a statistically significant level. Linoleic acid decreased to its lowest level on day 3, and it returned to pre-anesthesia level on day 7. At the same time, linoleic acid metabolism was a metabolic pathway that was co-enriched 7 days after infusion with propofol. Spearman correlation analysis showed that there was significant correlation between some differential metabolites and differential microorganisms. It was observed that zymosterol 1, cytosin and elaidic acid were negatively correlated with Alloprevotella in the A3 vs. P group. In the A7 vs. P group, cortexolone 3 and coprostan-3-one were positively correlated with Faecalibacterium, whilst aconitic acid was negatively correlated with it. In conclusion, the present study revealed statistically insignificant effects of continuous intravenous propofol on the intestinal metabolites in rats.

Preparation of Al3Ti-Al2O3/Al Inoculant and Its Inoculation Effect on Al-Cu-Mn Alloy.

The grain size plays a pivotal role in determining the properties of the alloy. The grain size can be significantly decreased by adding inoculants. Aiming to address the shortcomings of existing inoculants, the Al3Ti-Al2O3/Al inoculant was successfully prepared using Al-Ti master alloy and Al2O3 whiskers as raw materials. With the aid of ultrasonic energy, the Al2O3 whiskers were uniformly dispersed within the inoculants. Under the combined action of ultrasonic and titanium, the Al2O3 whiskers were broken into small particles at high temperature. To enhance the morphology of Al3Ti and achieve even particle dispersion throughout the matrix, vacuum rapid quenching treatment was applied to the inoculant. The SEM test results indicated a significant reduction in particle size after vacuum rapid quenching. The Al3Ti-Al2O3/Al inoculants exhibited excellent grain refinement effects on the weldable Al-Cu-Mn alloy. Crystallographic calculations and HRTEM analysis revealed that Al2O3 and Al have orientation relationships, indicating their potential as effective heterogeneous nucleation sites. The mechanical properties of the Al-Cu-Mn alloy were obviously improved after the Al3Ti-Al2O3/Al inoculant was added.

Networks of Neuropsychological Functions in the Clinical Evaluation of Adult ADHD.

This study applied network analysis to explore the relations between neuropsychological functions of individuals in the clinical evaluation of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adulthood. A total of 319 participants from an outpatient referral context, that is, 173 individuals with ADHD (ADHD group) and 146 individuals without ADHD (n-ADHD group), took part in this study and completed a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment. A denser network with stronger global connectivity was observed in the ADHD group compared to the n-ADHD group. The strongest connections were consistent in both networks, that is, the connections between selective attention and vigilance, and connections between processing speed, fluency, and flexibility. Further centrality estimation revealed attention-related variables to have the highest expected influence in both networks. The observed relationships between neuropsychological functions, and the high centrality of attention, may help identify neuropsychological profiles that are specific to ADHD and optimize neuropsychological assessment and treatment planning of individuals with cognitive impairment.

Comparison of outcomes between tubular microdiscectomy and conventional microdiscectomy for lumbar disc herniation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

PURPOSE: The clinical outcomes of using a tubular microdiscectomy for lumbar disc herniation were evaluated by comparison with conventional microdiscectomy. METHODS: All of the comparative studies published in the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Medline, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases as of 1 May 2023 were included. All outcomes were analysed using Review Manager 5.4. RESULTS: This meta-analysis included four randomized controlled studies with a total of 523 patients. The results showed that using tubular microdiscectomy for lumbar disc herniation was more effective than conventional microdiscectomy in improving the Oswestry Disability Index (P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in operating time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, Visual Analogue Scale, reoperation rate, postoperative recurrence rate, dural tear incidence, and complications rate (all P > 0.05) between the tubular microdiscectomy and conventional microdiscectomy groups. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our meta-analysis, it was found that the tubular microdiscectomy group had better outcomes than the conventional microdiscectomy group in terms of Oswestry Disability Index. However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of operating time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, Visual Analogue Scale, reoperation rate, postoperative recurrence rate, dural tear incidence, and complications rate. Current research suggests that tubular microdiscectomy can achieve clinical results similar to those of conventional microdiscectomy. PROSPERO registration number is: CRD42023407995.

Expression of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 mRNA in different SARS-CoV-2 infection states and times.

To measure the expression of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) mRNA in SARS-CoV-2 infection with different infection status and at different stages during infection, we used RT-qP CR to measure the expression of ACE2 mRNA. Measurements were analyzed by two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (RMANOVA). Expression of ACE2 mRNA was downregulated in initial stages of SARS-CoV-2 infection both in the asymptomatic infection (ASY) group and the confirmed cases (CON) group (t=-8.0845, P < 0.0001; t=-8.1904, P < 0.0001, respectively). The expression of ACE2 mRNA in the incubation period of CON group was lower compared with the intinal period of ASY group (F = 6.084, p = 0.016, partialη2 = 0.070). Relative expression of ACE2 mRNA was upregulated at the late stage of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the ASY and CON groups (F = 23.489, p = 0.000, partialη2 = 0.225; F = 46.555, p = 0.000, partialη2 = 0.365, respectively). The relative expression of ACE2 mRNA was down-regulated (mean ± SEM:0.69 ± 0.03) after inoculation with SARSCoV- 2 Spike pseudovirus, and there was a statistical difference (one-way t test, mean diffience =-0.31, 95%CI: -0.37˜-0.24, t=-8.1904, P < 0.0001). The expression of ACE2 mRNA is downregulated in the initial stage of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and then upregulated in the late stage of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The lower expression of ACE2 mRNA during the incubation period can lead to clinical symptoms. Downregulation of ACE2 mRNA was related to the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 S protein and ACE2.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.