α-Solanine attenuates chondrocyte pyroptosis to improve osteoarthritis via suppressing NF-κB pathway.

α-Solanine has been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory and anti-tumour properties; however, its efficacy in treating osteoarthritis (OA) remains ambiguous. The study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of α-solanine on OA development in a mouse OA model. The OA mice were subjected to varying concentrations of α-solanine, and various assessments were implemented to assess OA progression. We found that α-solanine significantly reduced osteophyte formation, subchondral sclerosis and OARSI score. And it decreased proteoglycan loss and calcification in articular cartilage. Specifically, α-solanine inhibited extracellular matrix degradation by downregulating collagen 10, matrix metalloproteinase 3 and 13, and upregulating collagen 2. Importantly, α-solanine reversed chondrocyte pyroptosis phenotype in articular cartilage of OA mice by inhibiting the elevated expressions of Caspase-1, Gsdmd and IL-1ß, while also mitigating aberrant angiogenesis and sensory innervation in subchondral bone. Mechanistically, α-solanine notably hindered the early stages of OA progression by reducing I-κB phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of p65, thereby inactivating NF-κB signalling. Our findings demonstrate the capability of α-solanine to disrupt chondrocyte pyroptosis and sensory innervation, thereby improving osteoarthritic pathological progress by inhibiting NF-κB signalling. These results suggest that α-solanine could serve as a promising therapeutic agent for OA treatment.

Recent Progress of Transition Metal Selenides for Electrochemical Oxygen Reduction to Hydrogen Peroxide: From Catalyst Design to Electrolyzers Application.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a highly value-added and environmental-friendly chemical with various applications. The production of H2O2 by electrocatalytic 2e- oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) has emerged as a promising alternative to the energy-intensive anthraquinone process. High selectivity Catalysts combining with superior activity are critical for the efficient electrosynthesis of H2O2. Earth-abundant transition metal selenides (TMSs) being discovered as a classic of stable, low-cost, highly active and selective catalysts for electrochemical 2e- ORR. These features come from the relatively large atomic radius of selenium element, the metal-like properties and the abundant reserves. Moreover, compared with the advanced noble metal or single-atom catalysts, the kinetic current density of TMSs for H2O2 generation is higher in acidic solution, which enable them to become suitable catalyst candidates. Herein, the recent progress of TMSs for ORR to H2O2 is systematically reviewed. The effects of TMSs electrocatalysts on the activity, selectivity and stability of ORR to H2O2 are summarized. It is intended to provide an insight from catalyst design and corresponding reaction mechanisms to the device setup, and to discuss the relationship between structure and activity.

A New 3D Iodoargentate Hybrid: Structure, Optical/Photoelectric Performance and Theoretical Research.

The explorations of new three-dimensional (3D) microporous metal halides, especially the iodoargentate-based hybrids, and understanding of their structure-activity relationships are still quite essential but full of great challenges. Herein, with the aromatic 4,4'-dpa (4,4'-dpa = 4,4'-dipyridylamine) ligands as the structural directing agents, we solvothermal synthesized and structurally characterized a novel member of microporous iodoargentate family, namely [H2-4,4'-dpa]Ag6I8 (1). Compound 1 possesses a unique and complicated 3D [Ag6I8]n2n- anionic architecture that was built up from the unusual hexameric [Ag6I13] secondary building units (SBUs). Research on optical properties indicated that compound 1 exhibited semiconductor behavior, with an optical band gap of 2.50 eV. Under the alternate irradiation of light, prominent photoelectric switching abilities could be achieved by compound [H2-4,4'-dpa]Ag6I8, whose photocurrent densities (0.37 µA·cm-2 for visible light and 1.23 µA·cm-2 for full-spectrum) compared well with or exceeded those of some high-performance halide counterparts. Further theoretical calculations revealed that the relatively dispersed conduction bands (CBs) structures in compound 1 induced higher electron mobilities, which may be responsible for its good photoelectricity. Presented in this work also comprised the analyses of Hirshfeld surface, powder X-ray diffractometer (PXRD), thermogravimetric measurement, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrum (EDX) along with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

Robust immune response stimulated by in situ injection of CpG/αOX40/cGAMP in αPD-1-resistant malignancy.

Recently, the emergence of immunotherapy has revolutionized traditional tumour treatment. However, effective treatments for patients exhibiting αPD-1 resistance are still lacking. In our study, a combination of cytosine-phosphate-guanine oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG-ODNs), anti-OX40 and cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate (cGAMP) injection in situ systematically generated a robust antitumour immune response in TC1 and B16 cells, which are αPD-1-resistant malignancies. More precisely, this method activates both adaptive and innate immunity. Additionally, in situ vaccination with CpG/αOX40/cGAMP fully activates the production of cytokines. However, the combination of αPD-1 does not improve the efficacy of triple therapy, prompting further questions. Collectively, the combination of CpG/αOX40/cGAMP causes the regression of various αPD-1-resistant tumours through the full mobilization of innate and adaptive immunity. In addition, we explored the therapeutic effect of triple therapy on the αPD-1-sensitive cell line CT26. The results showed that triple therapy could significantly enhance the therapeutic effect of αPD-1, and some mice even achieved complete tumour regression after the combined application of αPD-1 and triple treatment.

An artificial neural network model based on autophagy-related genes in childhood systemic lupus erythematosus.

BACKGROUND: Childhood systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) is a multisystemic, life-threatening autoimmune disease. Compared to adults, SLE in childhood is more active, can cause multisystem involvement including renal, neurological and hematological, and can cause cumulative damage across systems more rapidly. Autophagy, one of the core functions of cells, is involved in almost every process of the immune response and has been shown to be associated with many autoimmune diseases, being a key factor in the interplay between innate and adaptive immunity. Autophagy influences the onset, progression and severity of SLE. This paper identifies new biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of childhood SLE based on an artificial neural network of autophagy-related genes. METHODS: We downloaded dataset GSE100163 from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and used Protein-protein Interaction Network (PPI) and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) to screen the signature genes of autophagy-related genes in cSLE. A new artificial neural network model for cSLE diagnosis was constructed using the signature genes. The predictive efficiency of the model was also validated using the dataset GSE65391. Finally, "CIBERSORT" was used to calculate the infiltration of immune cells in cSLE and to analyze the relationship between the signature genes and the infiltration of immune cells. RESULTS: We identified 37 autophagy-related genes that differed in cSLE and normal samples, and finally obtained the seven most relevant signature genes for cSLE (DDIT3, GNB2L1, CTSD, HSPA8, ULK1, DNAJB1, CANX) by PPI and LASOO regression screening, and constructed an artificial neural network diagnostic model for cSLE. Using this model, we plotted the ROC curves for the training and validation group diagnoses with the area under the curve of 0.976 and 0.783, respectively. Finally, we performed immunoassays on cSLE samples, and the results showed that Plasma cells, Macrophages M0, Dendritic cells activated and Neutrophils were significantly infiltrated in cSLE. CONCLUSION: We constructed an artificial neural network diagnostic model of seven autophagy-related genes that can be used for the diagnosis of cSLE. Meanwhile, the characteristic genes affect the immune infiltration of cSLE, which may provide new perspectives for the exploration of cSLE treatment and related mechanisms.

GPR120 agonist ameliorated insulin resistance and improved ovarian function.

GPR120 is implicated in the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism, and insulin resistance. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the role of GPR120 in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). With the adoption of dehydroepiandrosterone, a rat model was established to simulate PCOS in vitro. mRNA and protein expression levels of GPR120 were measured using RT-qPCR and western blot, respectively. In addition, expression levels of testosterone, estradiol, luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone, serum total cholesterol and triglyceride were assessed using the corresponding kits. Moreover, haematoxylin and eosin staining was used to detect pathological changes in ovary or liver and oil red staining was utilized to evaluate lipid accumulation. In the present study, GPR120 was downregulated in plasma, liver and ovary in the PCOS rat model. In addition, the GPR120 agonist regulated lipid metabolism in the liver and weight in the PCOS rat model. Furthermore, the GPR120 agonist decreased insulin resistance in the PCOS rat model but improved the ovarian function. It is suggested that GPR120 plays a vital role in suppressing insulin resistance, regulating ovary function and decreasing lipid accumulation in the liver, demonstrating that targeting GPR120 could be an effective method for the improvement of PCOS.

LIFR increases the release of soluble endoglin via the upregulation of MMP14 expression in preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-specific disorder that is the main cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Inadequate trophoblastic invasion and endothelial dysfunction in the placenta are considered the foundation of the pathogenesis of preeclampsia in which soluble endoglin (sENG) plays an antiangiogenic role in the development of PE. The leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIFR) has been widely studied and is highly involved in arterial injury in vivo and in the migration of cancer cells in vitro Here, we tested the hypothesis that LIFR may be correlated with preeclampsia through its regulation of the release of sENG. Our data showed that LIFR protein, the expression of which significantly decreased with the progression of pregnancy, was located in the syncytiotrophoblast and cytotrophoblast. The LIFR protein level was increased in pregnancies with preeclampsia compared with normotensive full-term pregnancies. After the overexpression of LIFR in HTR8/SVneo cells, the release of sENG as well as the migration and invasion were significantly enhanced. Moreover, we also observed that LIFR induced the expression of matrix metalloproteinase14 (MMP14) and that the knockdown or inhibition of MMP14 decreased the release of sENG, as well as increased the LIFR-induced migration and invasion of HTR8/SVneo cells. These studies demonstrated that LIFR promoted the release of sENG through MMP14 in vitro, which indicates that LIFR may be involved in the development of preeclampsia.

Alkaline and Earth Alkaline Energetic Materials Based on a Versatile and Multifunctional 1-Aminotetrazol-5-one Ligand.

In our effort to seek for the "green" energetic coordination polymers (CPs), a versatile and multifunctional 1-amino-tetrazol-5-one ligand was synthesized and its complexes with a series of alkaline and earth alkaline metals were prepared and comprehensively characterized. A broad range of differently shaped 1D, 2D, and 3D supramolecular structures for the prepared energetic compounds were found, where each metal was bound in a specific and characteristic fashion. All prepared CPs show very good thermostability, with decomposition temperatures above 236 °C and remarkable insensitivity to mechanical impact and friction (impact sensitivity > 40 J, friction sensitivity > 360 N). In terms of detonation performance, our CPs were calculated to have detonation velocities in the range of 6.8-8.1 km·s-1 and detonation pressures in the range of 16.5-24.5 GPa. Upon their combustion, new materials show a range of characteristic flame colors (from yellow to blue), making these compounds as promising components for various "green" pyrotechnic formulations.

Suppression of STAT3 Signaling by Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) Induces Trophoblast Dysfunction.

AIMS: Marijuana is a widely used illicit drug and its consumption during pregnancy has been associated with adverse reproductive outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of chronic intake of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the major component of marijuana, on trophoblast function, placental development, and birth outcomes. METHODS: The pathological characteristics and distribution of cannabinoid receptors in placenta were observed by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. Cell migration in response to THC was measured by transwell assays. The levels of cannabinoid receptors and Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) were detected by western blot. RESULTS: We found the placenta expressed two main cannabinoid receptors, suggesting that THC induced biological responses in placental cells. Supporting this hypothesis, we observed dramatic alterations of placental morphology in marijuana users. Using THC and inhibitors of cannabinoid receptors, we demonstrated that THC impaired trophoblast cell migration and invasion partly via cannabinoid receptors. Additionally, pregnant mice injected with THC showed adverse reproductive events including reduced number of fetuses, lower maternal and placental weights. Mechanistically, STAT3 signaling pathway was involved in the THC-induced suppression of trophoblast cell motility and pregnancy outcomes. CONCLUSION: Our study indicates that the STAT3 signaling pathway plays a critical role in THC-induced trophoblast dysfunction.

Green Energetic Nitrogen-Rich Salts of 1,1'-Dinitramino-5,5'-bistetrazolate.

A series of nitrogen-rich energetic salts of 1,1'-dinitramino-5,5'-bistetrazolate (DNABT) guanidinium (1), aminoguanidinium (2), diaminoguanidinium (3), triaminoguanidinium (4), diaminouronium (5), 3,4-diamino-1,2,4-triazolium (6), and ethylenediammonium (7) was synthesized by a metathesis strategy and characterized by elemental analysis, mass spectrometry, and IR spectroscopy as well as single-crystal X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The natural bond orbitals (NBOs) and electrostatic potentials (ESPs) were further computed for a better understanding of the structures of the DNABT molecule. The heats of formation were calculated based on the Born-Haber energy cycle. The detonation parameters were evaluated by using the EXPLO5 program, and the sensitivities were measured according to BAM standers. These new salts exhibit highly positive heats of formation (407.0-1377.9 kJ mol-1 ) and good thermal stabilities (180-211 °C). Most of these compounds possess detonation velocities comparable to RDX and acceptable detonation pressures. The high volumes of explosion gases of the salts 3 and 4 (921 and 933 L kg-1 , respectively) further support their power as explosives. The enhancing performances, the fact of being free of metals, and the more moderate sensitivities than K2 DNABT, suggest that the salts 4 (D=8851 m s-1 , P=29.0 GPa), 5 (D=9053 m s-1 , P=32.3 GPa), and 6 (D=8835 m s-1 , P=30.2 GPa) might be potential environmentally friendly energetic materials.

Energetic Salts Based on Tetrazole N-Oxide.

Energetic materials (explosives, propellants, and pyrotechnics) are used extensively for both civilian and military applications and the development of such materials, particularly in the case of energetic salts, is subject to continuous research efforts all over the world. This Review concerns recent advances in the syntheses, properties, and potential applications of ionic salts based on tetrazole N-oxide. Most of these salts exhibit excellent characteristics and can be classified as a new family of highly energetic materials with increased density and performance, alongside decreased mechanical sensitivity. Additionally, novel tetrazole N-oxide salts are proposed based on a diverse array of functional groups and ions pairs, which may be promising candidates for new energetic materials.

Application of electrophysiological methods and magnetic resonance tomographic angiography in the differentiation between hemifacial spasm and Meige syndrome.

Bilateral hemifacial spasm and Meige syndrome can be easily confused due to their similar clinical manifestation. Here, we aimed to investigate the application of electrophysiological methods and magnetic resonance tomographic angiography (MRTA) in the differentiation between hemifacial spasm and Meige syndrome. 10 patients with bilateral hemifacial spasm and 9 patients with Meige syndrome received electrophysiological monitoring of nerves. There were two males and eight females with bilateral hemifacial spasm, aged 16-58 years with a course of 5-54 months. For the patients with Meige syndrome, there were three males and six females, aged 51-68 years with a course of 12-36 months. All patients received conventional MRTA of the brain blood vessels before decompression. We found that all patients with Meige syndrome showed synchronous contraction of bilateral orbicularis oculi muscles and (or) burst discharge from orbicularis oris muscles in surface electromyography (sEMG). However, those with hemifacial spasm presented with bilaterally asynchronous burst discharge. Electromyography for patients with Meige syndrome did not record abnormal muscle response (AMR), but recorded AMR for those with bilateral hemifacial spasm. The offending vessels were compressed in patients with hemifacial spasm in MRTA, while MRTA results were generally negative for those with Meige syndrome. Combining sEMG and AMR detection in EMG and MRTA, bilateral hemifacial spasm can be differentiated from Meige syndrome with a reduction of misdiagnosis rate.

Research progress of dual-atom site catalysts for photocatalysis.

Dual-atom site catalysts (DASCs) have sparked considerable interest in heterogeneous photocatalysis as they possess the advantages of excellent photoelectronic activity, photostability, and high carrier separation efficiency and mobility. The DASCs involved in these important photocatalytic processes, especially in the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR), N2/nitrate reduction, etc., have been extensively investigated in the past few years. In this review, we highlight the recent progress in DASCs that provides fundamental insights into the photocatalytic conversion of small molecules. The controllable preparation and characterization methods of various DASCs are discussed. Subsequently, the reaction mechanisms of the formation of several important molecules (hydrogen, hydrocarbons and ammonia) on DASCs are introduced in detail, in order to probe the relationship between DASCs's structure and photocatalytic activity. Finally, some challenges and outlooks of DASCs in the photocatalytic conversion of small molecules are summarized and prospected. We hope that this review can provide guidance for in-depth understanding and aid in the design of efficient DASCs for photocatalysis.

Construction of amorphous/crystalline Fe doped CoSe for effective electrocatalytic oxygen evolution.

Herein, amorphous/crystalline Fe-doped CoSe was synthesized (Fe-CoSe/NF), and it exhibited high oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance. The synergistic effect of the Fe dopant and the amorphous/crystalline structure is conducive to the formation of high valence Co3+ and Fe3+ active sites. Fe-CoSe/NF shows low overpotentials of 269 mV@50 mA cm-2 and 280 mV@100 mA cm-2.

Adsorption and Visible Photocatalytic Synergistic Removal of a Cationic Dye with the Composite Material BiVO4/MgAl-LDHs.

Adsorption and photocatalysis are effective in removing organic pollutants from wastewater. This study is based on the memory effects of MgAl-layered double hydroxides (MgAl-LDHs) after high-temperature calcination. By introducing bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) during the reformation of the layered structure via contact with water, a composite material BiVO4/MgAl-LDHs with enhanced adsorption and visible light catalytic performance was synthesized. The effects of the calcination temperature, ratio, initial methylene blue (MB) concentration, and catalyst dosage on the adsorption and photocatalytic performance were investigated. The BiVO4/MgAl-LDHs showed better photocatalytic performance than the pure BiVO4 and MgAl-LDHs. Under the optimal conditions, the proportion of MB adsorbed in 20 min was 66.1%, and the percentage of MB degraded during 100 min of photolysis was 92.4%. The composite photocatalyst showed good chemical stability and cyclability, and the adsorption-degradation rate was 86% after four cycles. Analyses of the adsorption and photocatalytic mechanisms for the composite material showed that synergistic adsorption and visible light photocatalysis contributed to the excellent catalytic performance of the BiVO4/MgAl-LDHs. A highly adsorbent photocatalytic composite material exhibiting outstanding performance was prepared via a simple, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly method, providing reference information for the removal of organic pollutants from liquids.

Interaction Mechanism Characterized by Bond Performance and Diffusion Performance between TiO2@LDO and Asphalt Based on Molecular Dynamics Simulation.

In order to study the interaction between composite photocatalytic material TiO2@LDO and matrix asphalt, the four-component 12 molecular structure model of 70# matrix asphalt was optimized by using software Materials Studio 2020, and its heterostructure with TiO2@LDO composite was modeled. The bonding performance between asphalt and composite photocatalytic material was analyzed by interface energization, and the diffusion performance between asphalt and composite photocatalytic material was analyzed from the perspectives of particle movement and Z-direction density. By changing the temperature and other parameters in the simulation process, the change in bonding strength between TiO2@LDO and asphalt was investigated. Through the calculation and analysis of interaction energy, it was found that the adsorption and bonding strength between asphalt and TiO2@LDO were the strongest at 40 °C. At the same time, the diffusion performance was studied, and it was found that the molecular diffusion distribution of TiO2@LDO was more extensive at 60 °C, which laid the foundation for further blending of asphalt and TiO2@LDO. The simulation results show that TiO2@LDO molecules have a certain attraction to asphalt molecules and can modify the matrix asphalt to some extent.

A semiconductive copper iodobismuthate hybrid: structure, optical properties and photocurrent response.

Pursuits of new types of Pb-free heterometallic halides adequate for photovoltaic applications are still urgent but challenging. In this study, by using in situ-produced [(Me)2-(DABCO)]2+ (DABCO = 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane; Me = methyl) cations as structure-directing agents, we successfully constructed a non-perovskite copper iodobismuthate hybrid, namely [(Me)2-(DABCO)]2Cu2Bi2I12 (1), which features discrete [Cu2Bi2I12]4- anionic moieties formed by the building units of [CuI4] tetrahedra and [BiI6] octahedra. UV-Vis diffuse reflectance analyses showed that compound 1 possesses semiconductive behaviors with a narrow optical bandgap of 1.80 eV. More importantly, it exhibits excellent photoelectric switching abilities, and its photocurrent density (2.30 µA cm-2) far exceeds those of some high-performance halide-based counterparts. Different from many heterometallic analogues, noteworthily, it also has dispersive band structure and strong electronic coupling near the Fermi level, resulting in a material with small effective masses that may be responsible for the good photoelectricity. This study may offer new guidance for the design and synthesis of eco-friendly heterometallic halides with unique structures and desirable properties.

Development and validation of a prediction nomogram for academic burnout among Chinese adolescents: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to screen the potential risk factors for academic burnout among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic, develop and validate a predictive tool based on the risk factors for predicting academic burnout. DESIGN: This article presents a cross-sectional study. SETTING: This study surveyed two high schools in Anhui Province, China. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1472 adolescents were enrolled in this study. OUTCOME MEASURES: The questionnaires included demographic characteristic variables, living and learning states and adolescents' academic burnout scale. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed to screen the risk factors for academic burnout and develop a predictive model. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to assess the accuracy and discrimination of the nomogram. RESULTS: In this study, 21.70% of adolescents reported academic burnout. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that single-child family (OR=1.742, 95% CI: 1.243 to 2.441, p=0.001), domestic violence (OR=1.694, 95% CI: 1.159 to 2.476, p=0.007), online entertainment (>8 hours/day, OR=3.058, 95% CI: 1.634 to 5.720, p<0.001), physical activity (<3 hours/week, OR=1.686, 95% CI: 1.032 to 2.754, p=0.037), sleep duration (<6 hours/night, OR=2.342, 95% CI: 1.315 to 4.170, p=0.004) and academic performance (<400 score, OR=2.180, 95% CI: 1.201 to 3.958, p=0.010) were independent significant risk factors associated with academic burnout. The area under the curve of ROC with the nomogram was 0.686 in the training set and 0.706 in the validation set. Furthermore, DCA demonstrated that the nomogram had good clinical utility for both sets. CONCLUSIONS: The developed nomogram was a useful predictive model for academic burnout among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is essential to emphasise the importance of mental health and promote a healthy lifestyle among adolescents during the future pandemic.

Construction and Verification of a Combined Hypoxia and Immune Index for Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is one of the most aggressive malignancies in humans. Hypoxia-related genes are now recognized as a reflection of poor prognosis in cancer patients with cancer. Meanwhile, immune-related genes play an important role in the occurrence and progression of ccRCC. Nevertheless, reliable prognostic indicators based on hypoxia and immune status have not been well established in ccRCC. The aims of this study were to develop a new gene signature model using bioinformatics and open databases and to validate its prognostic value in ccRCC. The data used for the model structure can be accessed from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Univariate, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to identify the hypoxia- and immune-related genes associated with prognostic risk, which were used to develop a characteristic model of prognostic risk. Kaplan-Meier and receiver-operating characteristic curve analyses were performed as well as independent prognostic factor analyses and correlation analyses of clinical characteristics in both the training and validation cohorts. In addition, differences in tumor immune cell infiltrates were compared between the high and low risk groups. Overall, 30 hypoxia- and immune-related genes were identified, and five hypoxia- and immune-related genes (EPO, PLAUR, TEK, TGFA, TGFB1) were ultimately selected. Survival analysis showed that the high-risk score on the hypoxia- and immune-related gene signature was significantly associated with adverse survival outcomes. Furthermore, clinical ccRCC samples from our medical center were used to validate the differential expression of the five genes in tumor tissue compared to normal tissue through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). However, more clinical trials are needed to confirm these results, and future experimental studies must verify the potential mechanism behind the predictive value of the hypoxia- and immune-related gene signature.

[Influence of acupuncture on the clinical manifestations and gastrointestinal symptoms of children with autism spectrum disorder].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupuncture therapy based on "gut-brain axis" on clinical manifestations and gastrointestinal symptoms of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHODS: A total of 66 children with ASD were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 33 cases in each group. The control group was treated by routine rehabilitation training. On the basis of the control group, the observation group was treated with acupuncture based on "gut-brain axis", and the acupoints were Touwei (ST 8), Shenting (GV 24), Sishencong (EX-HN 1), Tianshu (ST 25), Zhongwan (CV 12), Zusanli (ST 36), etc. Both treatments were given once every other day, 3 times a week, 4 weeks as a course of treatment, consecutively for 3 courses. The scores of autism behavior checklist (ABC), TCM symptoms of gastrointestinal disease and childhood autism rating scale (CARS) were compared between the two groups before and after treatment, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated. RESULTS: After treatment, the scores of ABC, CARS and TCM symptoms of gastrointestinal disease in the two groups were lower than before treatment (P<0.05), and those in the observation group were lower than the control group (P<0.05). The total effective rate of the observation group was 90.9% (30/33), which was higher than 81.8% (27/33) in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: On the basis of routine rehabilitation training, acupuncture therapy based on "gut-brain axis" is effective in treating ASD, which can relieve the clinical manifestations and gastrointestinal symptoms.