Somatostatin Receptor Gene Functions in Growth Regulation in Bivalve Scallop and Clam.

Bivalves hold an important role in marine aquaculture and the identification of growth-related genes in bivalves could contribute to a better understanding of the mechanism governing their growth, which may benefit high-yielding bivalve breeding. Somatostatin receptor (SSTR) is a conserved negative regulator of growth in vertebrates. Although SSTR genes have been identified in invertebrates, their involvement in growth regulation remains unclear. Here, we identified seven SSTRs (PySSTRs) in the Yesso scallop, Patinopecten yessoensis, which is an economically important bivalve cultured in East Asia. Among the three PySSTRs (PySSTR-1, -2, and -3) expressed in adult tissues, PySSTR-1 showed significantly lower expression in fast-growing scallops than in slow-growing scallops. Then, the function of this gene in growth regulation was evaluated in dwarf surf clams (Mulinia lateralis), a potential model bivalve cultured in the lab, via RNA interference (RNAi) through feeding the clams Escherichia coli containing plasmids expressing double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) targeting MlSSTR-1. Suppressing the expression of MlSSTR-1, the homolog of PySSTR-1 in M. lateralis, resulted in a significant increase in shell length, shell width, shell height, soft tissue weight, and muscle weight by 20%, 22%, 20%, 79%, and 92%, respectively. A transcriptome analysis indicated that the up-regulated genes after MlSSTR-1 expression inhibition were significantly enriched in the fat digestion and absorption pathway and the insulin pathway. In summary, we systemically identified the SSTR genes in P. yessoensis and revealed the growth-inhibitory role of SSTR-1 in bivalves. This study indicates the conserved function of somatostatin signaling in growth regulation, and ingesting dsRNA-expressing bacteria is a useful way to verify gene function in bivalves. SSTR-1 is a candidate target for gene editing in bivalves to promote growth and could be used in the breeding of fast-growing bivalves.

Artificial Intelligence Technology Combined with Ultrasound-Guided Needle Knife Interventional Treatment of PF: Improvement of Pain, Fascia Thickness, and Ankle-Foot Function in Patients.

Objective: To explore the effect of artificial intelligence (AI) technology combined with ultrasound-guided needle knife intervention in the treatment of plantar fasciitis (PF) on pain, fascia thickness, and ankle and foot function. Methods: A total of 130 patients with PF treated in our hospital from January 2019 to April 2021 were enrolled. The patients were randomly assigned into the control group and the study group. The control group received ultrasound-guided needle knife interventional therapy, and the study group received AI technology combined with ultrasound-guided needle knife interventional therapy. The curative effect, VAS score, plantar fascia thickness, plantar fascia elasticity score, plantar fascia blood flow index, and AOFAS score were investigated. Results: The total effective rate of the study group was higher compared to that of the control (P < 0.05). There exhibited no significant difference in VAS score before treatment, but the VAS score of the study group was lower compared to that of the control group at 2, 4, and 8 weeks after treatment. There exhibited no significant difference in plantar fascia thickness before treatment (P > 0.05), but after treatment, the plantar fascia thickness in the study group was lower compared to that in the control (P < 0.05). The plantar fascia thickness in the study group was lower compared to that in the control at 2, 4, and 8 weeks after treatment (P < 0.05). In terms of the plantar fascia elasticity score, there exhibited no significant difference before treatment (P > 0.05), but the plantar fascia elasticity score of the study group was lower compared to that of the control at 2, 4, and 8 weeks after treatment (P < 0.05). There exhibited no significant difference in plantar fascia blood flow index before treatment (P > 0.05), but after treatment, the plantar fascia blood flow index in the study group was higher compared to that in the control (P < 0.05). The plantar fascia blood flow index in the study group was higher compared to that in the control at 2, 4, and 8 weeks after treatment (P < 0.05). There exhibited no significant difference in the AOFAS score before treatment, but after treatment, the AOFAS score of the study group was higher compared to that of the control at 2, 4, and 8 weeks after treatment. Conclusion: Patients with PF receive AI technology combined with ultrasound-guided needle knife interventional therapy, which can effectively relieve pain and improve fascia thickness and ankle-foot function. Thus, AI technology combined with ultrasound-guided needle knife interventional therapy has the advantages of convenient operation, safety, and effectiveness, which is worthy of clinical application.