Analysis on the homogeneity of clinical basic skills teaching based on OSCE exam scores / 沈阳医学院学报

Objective:To identify and improve the weakness in different clinical practice teaching hospital,and enhance the quality of practical teaching.Methods:A total of 291 trainees majoring in clinical medicine in grade 2016 in a medical college in Shenyang who practiced in different clinical teaching hospitals and participated in the objective structured clinical examination(OSCE)were enrolled.The OSCE scores was analyzed with one way ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis statistic methods to identify the weakness in clinical practice teaching and improve the teaching quality.Results:In the standardized patient consultation and physical examination results,the passing rate and average score of H hospital was the lowest.The average score of trainees in H hospital was statistically significant compared to that in A,B,F,G,K,and L hospitals(P＜0.01).In terms of skill operation scores,H hospital had the lowest pass rate and average score.The average score of interns in H hospital was statistically significant compared to that in A,D,E,F,G,I,J,K hospitals(P＜0.01).In the interpretation of auxiliary examination results,the passing rate and average score of H hospital was the lowest.The average score of interns in A and H hospital was significantly different from that of B and J hospitals(P＜0.01).Conclusions:There are great differences in the practice effect of students in different clinical teaching hospitals.Medical colleges and universities should strengthen the management of clinical teaching hospitals to ensure the homogeneity of clinical practice teaching quality.

Conformational Engineering of Antibody Fragments on The Surface of Platinum Nanoparticles / 生物化学与生物物理进展

ObjectiveRecent successful restoration of the native conformation and function of the complementary-determining regions (CDRs) of antibodies on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) demonstrates that the era of molecular conformational engineering is dawning. Basically, molecular conformational engineering aims to precisely tune flexible non-functional molecules into special conformations to carry out novel functions, in the same way as protein folding. In order to explore the general applicability of molecular conformational engineering, as well as to reveal the mechanism of protein structure-function relationship, the objective of this work is to restore the native conformation and function of the CDRs of an antibody on platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs). MethodsThe CDR fragment of the anti-lysozyme antibody cAB-lys3, which has no stable conformation or function in free state, was conjugated onto the surface of PtNPs through two Pt-S bonds. The original antigen-recognizing function of the CDR restored on PtNPs was assessed by the specific inhibition of the enzymatic activity of lysozyme by the PtNP-CDR conjugates. ResultsAfter optimization of the peptide density on the surface of PtNPs and modification of PtNPs with polyethylene glycol (PEG), the resulted PtNP-based hybrid artificial antibody (PtNP-10PEG-30P1), dubbed Platinumbody, could bind specifically to lysozyme and significantly inhibit the activity of lysozyme. ConclusionThis is the first time that the fragment of a protein could refold on PtNPs. Together with the previous Goldbody and Silverbody, current work demonstrates that artificial proteins could be generally created by restoration of the native conformation of natural proteins fragments on NPs.

Analysis of Treatment of Renal Atrophy Complicated with Multi-site Carbapenem-resist-ant Klebsiella Pneumoniae Infection / 医药导报

Objective To analyze the treatment of renal atrophy combined with multi-site carbapenem-resistant Kleb-siella pneumoniae(CRKP)infection,and to provide a reference for clinical rational drug use for such diseases.Methods Based on practical experience and referring to the latest literature,clinical pharmacists participated in the treatment of a case of renal atrophy complicated with multi-site CRKP infection.Recommendations were made,including adjusting the usage and dosage of meropenem,combining with polymyxin E,and timely de-escalation treatment.Results After the physician adopted the sug-gestion and adjusted the treatment plan,the patient's symptoms and infection indicators returned to normal,and the infection was effectively controlled.Conclusion Polymyxin E sodium methanesulfonate combined with high-dose meropenem had good clini-cal efficacy in the treatment of urinary tract and bloodstream infections caused by CRKP.

Mechanism by which Notch1 interference regulates the apoptosis of pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells / 中国基层医药

Objective:To investigate the mechanism of how Notch1 interference regulates the apoptosis of pulmonary vascular endothelial cells.Methods:During January to December 2022, human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells were transfected with Notch1 siRNA, and the cell viability in each group was evaluated using the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. The level of reactive oxygen species was determined using flow cytometry, while cell apoptosis was assessed using the same technique. After treatment with Notch1 siRNA, the protein expression levels of Notch1, Bcl-2, and Caspase-3 in the human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells were detected using western blot assay.Results:The expression level of Notch1 mRNA in human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells was significantly lower in the blank control and si-Notch1 groups than that in the siNC group ( t = 11.25, 9.47, both P < 0.05). Additionally, the optical density value and Bcl-2 protein expression level in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) + Notch1 siRNA group were significantly higher than those in the LPS and LPS + siRNA groups ( t = 11.26, 11.68, both P < 0.05). The level of reactive oxygen species and the apoptosis rate of cells were significantly lower in the LPS + Notch1 siRNA group compared with the LPS and LPS + siRNA groups ( t = 11.68, 11.87, both P < 0.05). Furthermore, the protein expression levels of Notch1 and Caspase-3 were also significantly lower in the LPS + Notch1 siRNA group compared with the LPS and LPS + siRNA groups ( t = 5.08, 6.60, 3.84, 5.83, all P < 0.05). Conclusion:Notch1 interference may interference in the apoptosis of human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells through regulating the level of reactive oxygen species, downregulating the protein expression of Notch1 and Caspase-3, and upregulating the protein expression of Bcl-2. These actions may contribute to the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Directed differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells into midbrain / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To establish an efficient protocol for directed differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) into functional midbrain dopaminergic progenitor cells (DAPs) in vitro.@*METHODS@#hiPSCs were induced to differentiate into DAPs in two developmental stages. In the first stage (the first 13 days), hiPSCs were induced into intermediate cells morphologically similar to primitive neuroepithelial cells (NECs) in neural induction medium containing a combination of small molecule compounds. In the second stage, the intermediate cells were further induced in neural differentiation medium until day 28 to obtain DAPs. After CM-DiI staining, the induced DAPs were stereotactically transplanted into the right medial forebrain bundle (MFB) of rat models of Parkinson's disease (PD). Eight weeks after transplantation, the motor behaviors of PD rats was evaluated. Immunofluorescence assay of brain sections of the rats was performed at 2 weeks after transplantation to observe the survival, migration and differentiation of the transplanted cells in the host brain microenvironment.@*RESULTS@#hiPSCs passaged stably on Matrigel showed a normal diploid karyotype, expressed the pluripotency markers OCT4, SOX2, and Nanog, and were positive for alkaline phosphatase. The primitive neuroepithelial cells obtained on day 13 formed dense cell colonies in the form of neural rosettes and expressed the neuroepithelial markers (SOX2, Nestin, and PAX6, 91.3%-92.8%). The DAPs on day 28 highly expressed the specific markers (TH, FOXA2, LMX1A and NURR1, 93.3-96.7%). In rat models of PD, the hiPSCs-DAPs survived and differentiated into TH+, FOXA2+ and Tuj1+ neurons at 2 weeks after transplantation. Eight weeks after transplantation, the motor function of PD rats was significantly improved as shown by water maze test (P < 0.0001) and apomorphine-induced rotation test (P < 0.0001) compared with rats receiving vehicle injection.@*CONCLUSION@#HiPSCs can be effectively induced to differentiate into DAPs capable of differentiating into functional neurons both in vivo and in vitro. In rat models of PD, the transplanted hiPSCs-DAPs can survive for more than 8 weeks in the MFB and differentiate into multiple functional neurocytes to ameliorate neurological deficits of the rats, suggesting the potential value of hiPSCs-DAPs transplantation for treatment of neurological diseases.

Acupuncture at "umbilical four-acupoints" for chronic insomnia and its comorbid symptoms / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effects of acupuncture at "umbilical four-acupoints" on chronic insomnia and its comorbid symptoms.@*METHODS@#A total of 120 patients with chronic insomnia were randomly divided into an observation group (60 cases, 8 cases dropped off) and a control group (60 cases, 5 cases dropped off). The patients in the observation group were treated with acupuncture at regular acupoints (Baihui [GV 20] and bilateral Shenmen [HT 7], Neiguan [PC 6], Anmian [Extra]) and "umbilical four-acupoints", while the patients in the control group were treated with acupuncture at regular acupoints. Acupuncture was given once a day, 6 times a week, for a total of 3 weeks in the two groups. The Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), insomnia severity index (ISI) scores were observed before treatment, after treatment and in follow-up of one month after treatment completion; the Beck anxiety inventory (BAI), Beck depression inventory (BDI), fatigue severity scale (FSS), and Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) scores were observed before and after treatment; the sleep parameters of polysomnography (PSG), including sleep latency (SL), awake-up time (AT), sleep efficiency (SE) and total sleep time (TST), were observed before and after treatment using polysomnography monitor in the two groups.@*RESULTS@#Compared with those before treatment, the PSQI and ISI scores in both groups were reduced after treatment and in follow-up (P<0.05), and the PSQI and ISI scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group after treatment and in follow-up (P<0.05). Compared with those before treatment, the BAI, BDI, FSS and ESS scores in both groups were reduced after treatment (P<0.05), and the BAI, BDI, FSS and ESS scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group after treatment (P<0.05). Compared with those before treatment, the SL and AT in both groups were reduced after treatment (P<0.05), while SE and TST were increased after treatment (P<0.05); after treatment, the SL and AT in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05), while SE and TST in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#On the basis of regular acupoint selection, acupuncture at "umbilical four-acupoints" could improve sleep quality, alleviate the severity of insomnia, and improve the comorbid symptoms i.e. anxiety, depression, fatigue and lethargy in patients with chronic insomnia.

Results of combined newborn hearing and deafness gene screening in Yuncheng area of Shanxi Province / 中华医学遗传学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the clinical significance of combined newborn hearing and deafness gene screening in Yuncheng area of Shanxi Province.@*METHODS@#Results of audiological examinations, including transient evoked otoacoustic emission and automatic discriminative auditory brainstem evoked potentials, for 6 723 newborns born in Yuncheng area from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021, were retrospectively analyzed. Those who failed one of the tests were considered to have failed the examination. A deafness-related gene testing kit was used to detect 15 hot spot variants of common deafness-associated genes in China including GJB2, SLC26A4, GJB3, and mtDNA12S rRNA. Neonates who had passed the audiological examinations and those who had not were compared using a chi-square test.@*RESULTS@#Among the 6 723 neonates, 363 (5.40%) were found to carry variants. These have included 166 cases (2.47%) with GJB2 gene variants, 136 cases (2.03%) with SLC26A4 gene variants, 26 cases (0.39%) with mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene variants, and 33 cases (0.49%) with GJB3 gene variants. Among the 6 723 neonates, 267 had failed initial hearing screening, among which 244 had accepted a re-examination, for which 14 cases (5.73%) had failed again. This has yielded an approximate prevalence of hearing disorder of 0.21% (14/6 723). Among 230 newborns who had passed the re-examination, 10 (4.34%) were found to have carried a variant. By contrast, 4 out of the 14 neonates (28.57%) who had failed the re-examination had carried a variant, and there was a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Genetic screening can provide an effective supplement to newborn hearing screening, and the combined screening can provide a best model for the prevention of hearing loss, which can enable early detection of deafness risks, targeted prevention measures, and genetic counseling to provide accurate prognosis for the newborns.

Testicular exosomes disturb the immunosuppressive phenotype of testicular macrophages mediated by miR-155-5p in uropathogenic Escherichia coli-induced orchitis / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

Male reproductive infections are known to shape the immunological homeostasis of the testes, leading to male infertility. However, the specific pathogenesis of these changes remains poorly understood. Exosomes released in the inflammatory microenvironment are important in communication between the local microenvironment and recipient cells. Here, we aim to identify the immunomodulatory properties of inflammatory testes-derived exosomes (IT-exos) and explore their underlying mechanisms in orchitis. IT-exos were isolated using a uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC)-induced orchitis model and confirmed that IT-exos promoted proinflammatory M1 activation with increasing expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in vitro. We further used small RNA sequencing to identify the differential miRNA profiles in exosomes and primary testicular macrophages (TMs) from normal and UPEC-infected testes, respectively, and identified that miR-155-5p was highly enriched in IT-exos and TMs from inflammatory testes. Further study of bone marrow derived macrophages (BMDMs) transfected with miR-155-5p mimic showed that macrophages polarized to proinflammatory phenotype. In addition, the mice that were administrated IT-exos showed remarkable activation of TM1-like macrophages; however, IT-exos with silencing miR-155-5p showed a decrease in proinflammatory responses. Overall, we demonstrate that miR-155-5p delivered by IT-exos plays an important role in the activation of TM1 in UPEC-induced orchitis. Our study provides a new perspective on the immunological mechanisms underlying inflammation-related male infertility.

Epidemiological characteristics and influencing factors of Blastocystis hominis infection among children with diarrhea under five years of age in Guangzhou City / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To investigate the prevalence and influencing factors of Blastocystis hominis infection among children with diarrhea under five years of age in Guangzhou City. Methods Children with diarrhea under 5 years of age admitted to Guangzhou Children’s hospital, Guangzhou Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital and Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center during the period between January 1 and December 31, 2020, were enrolled. Participants’ demographics, living environments and health status were collected using questionnaire surveys. Stool samples were collected from participants and nucleic acid was extracted. B. hominis infection was identified using PCR assay and sequence alignment, and the factors affecting B. hominis infection among children with diarrhea under 5 years of age were identified using univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results A total of 684 children with diarrhea under 5 years of age were enrolled, including 468 male children and 216 female children, with a mean age of (1.79 ± 1.12) years. The overall prevalence of B. hominis infection was 4.97% [34/684, 95% confidential interval (CI): (3.59%, 6.86%)] among participants, and there was no significant difference in the prevalence of B. hominis infection between children with chronic [7.52% (20/266), 95% CI: (4.92%, 11.33%)] and acute diarrhea [3.35% (14/418), 95% CI: (2.01%, 5.54%)] (χ2 = 5.983, P = 0.014). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified keeping pet [odds ratio (OR) = 6.298, 95% CI: (2.711, 14.633)], drinking non-tap water [OR = 4.522, 95% CI: (1.769, 11.561)], lactose intolerance [OR = 4.221, 95% CI: (1.043, 17.087)], antibiotic use [OR = 0.125, 95% CI: (0.017, 0.944)] and chronic diarrhea [OR = 2.172, 95% CI: (1.018, 4.637)] as factors affecting B. hominis infection among children with diarrhea under 5 years of age in Guangzhou City. Conclusions B. hominis infections is detected in children with diarrhea under five years of age in Guangzhou City. Improving home environments and pet-keeping hygiene is recommended to reduce the likelihood of B. hominis infection among children.

Immunoprotective effect of recombinant peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase from Babesia microti against B. microti infection in mice / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To evaluate the immunoprotective effect of active immunization with recombinant peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase from Babesia microti against B. microti infection in mice. Methods Female BALB/c mice at 6 weeks of age, each weighing approximately 20 g, were divided into the recombinant protein immunization group, the infection control group and the normal control group, of 25, 18, 15 mice in each group, respectively. Mice in the recombinant protein immunization group were given active immunization with recombinant BmPPIase protein, and 18 mice with the highest antibody titers were intraperitoneally injected with 100 μL of B. microti-infected whole blood 2 weeks after the last immunization. Mice in the infection control group were intraperitoneally injected with 100 μL of B. microti-infected whole blood, while 15 mice in the normal control group received no treatment. Blood samples were collected from mice in the recombinant protein immunization group and the infection control group on days 0 to 30 post-immunization for detection of B. microti infection, and blood samples were collected on days 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 post-immunization for routine blood tests with a blood cell analyzer and for detection of serum cytokines using cytometric bead array. Results Anti-BmPPIase antibodies were detected in 25 mice in the recombinant protein immunization group 2 weeks after the last immunization, with titers of 5 × 103 to 8 × 104. B. microti infection rate peaked in mice in both the recombinant protein immunization and the infection control group on day 7 post-immunization, with positive infection rates of 13.3% and 50.0%, and there were significant differences between the two groups in terms of B. microti infection rate on days 3 (χ2= 113.18, P < 0.01), 5 (χ2 = 475.22, P < 0.01), 7 (χ2 = 465.98, P < 0.01) and 9 post-infection (χ2= 18.71, P < 0.01), while the B. microti infection rate tended to be 0 in both groups on day 11 post-immunization. Routine blood tests showed higher red blood cell counts [(5.30 ± 0.50) × 1012 to (9.87 ± 0.24) × 1012 counts/L)] and hemoglobin levels [(89.67 ± 22.80) to (148.60 ± 3.05) g/L)] in the recombinant protein immunization group than in the infection control group on days 0 to 28 post-immunization. Cytometric bead array detected higher serum interferon-γ [(748.59 ± 17.56) to (3 858.28 ± 1 049.10) fg/mL], tumor necrosis factor-α [(6 687.34 ± 1 016.64) to (12 708.13 ± 1 629.79) fg/mL], interleukin (IL)-6 [(611.05 ± 75.60) to (6 852.68 ± 1 554.00) fg/mL] and IL-17a [(167.68 ± 185.00) to (10 849.27 ± 355.40) fg/mL] and lower IL-10 levels [(247.65 ± 138.00) to (18 787.20 ± 2 830.22) fg/mL] in the recombinant protein immunization group than in the infection control group during the study period. Conclusions Recombinant BmPPIase protein induces up-regulation of interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α and presents a high immunoprotective activity against B. microti infection in mice, which is a potential vaccine candidate protein.

Safety and efficacy of belimumab in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosu: a single-center real-world study / 中华风湿病学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the safety and efficacy of belimumab(BLM) in patients with SLE.Methods:Clinical data were collected for SLE patients who were diagnosed and treated with BLM in the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology (inpatient and outpatient department) of Guilin Medical College Affiliated Hospital from 1 December, 2019 to 12 May, 2023. BLM + standard of care (SOC) for the BLM group and SOC only for the SOC group. The primary clinical endpoint was adverse events (AE) occurring in groups, and the secondary clinical endpoint was disease activity index including SLEDAI-2000, clinical indicators, glucocortoid dosage reduction, and disease flare in the two groups. Propensity score matching method, independent sample t-test, non-parametric rank-sum test, variance analysis were used for statistical analysis. Results:Among the 79 BLM patients included, 48 had hematological impairment (61%), 53 had renal impairment (67%), 11 had skin and mucosal impairment (14%), 20 had joint impairment (25%), and 2 had neurological impairment(3%). There were no serious adverse events during the treatment in both groups. In the BLM group, with 14 cases experienced respiratory system infection, 1 with urinary system infection, 3 with skin infection, 4 with herpes virus infection, and 16 with liver function impairment. In the SOC group, there were 26 cases experienced respiratory system infection, 1 with urinary system infection, 6 with digestive system symptoms, 6 with skin infection, 4 with herpes virus infection, 10 with liver function impairment, 2 with thrombosis, and 1 with sepsis. Patients tolerated BLM generally well, with fewer adverse events occurring [in patients with the long course treatment, the number of AE cases in the BLM group vs SOC group 11 [(33%) vs 22 (68%), ( χ2=3.74, P=0.053)]. From all study groups and high-dose glucocorticoid (≥20 mg) groups, it was observed that the BLM group had a more significant reduction in glucocortoid dose [baseline glocucorticoid reduction in the BLM group decreased from 20 (12, 40)mg/d to 6 (4, 10)mg/d ( Z=0.12, P=0.01). In the renal injury group, after treatment, serum creatinine level decreased in the BLM group glomerular filtration rate increased from 72.37 (41.97, 95.74) to 97.03 (71.18, 114.34) ( Z=-4.62, P<0.001). There was less flares in the BLM group [7 cases (28%) vs 18 cases (72%), χ2=5.58, P=0.018] when compared with the soc group. Conclusion:BLM is safe and effective for the treatment of SLE, which can reduce disease activity, improve clinical parameters, reduce glocucorticoid dosage, and have a low flare rate.

Repair of extremity soft tissue defects using anterolateral femoral flaps with versus without anastomosis of anterolateral femoral cutaneous nerve / 中华创伤骨科杂志

Objective:To analyze the necessity of anastomosis of the cutaneous nerve by comparing anterolateral femoral flaps with versus without anastomosis of the anterolateral femoral cutaneous nerve in the repair of extremity soft tissue defects.Methods:A retrospective analysis was made of the clinical data of 30 patients with extremity soft tissue defects who had been admitted to Department of Orthopedics, The Sixth People＇s Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine from September 2019 to March 2022. The patients were assigned into 2 groups according to whether the anterolateral femoral cutaneous nerve was anastomosed or not in the repair of extremity soft tissue defects using anterolateral femoral flaps. In the anastomosis groups of 14 cases, there were 7 males and 7 females, with an age of (46.4±15.2) years and a flap size of (22.4±7.3) cm×(8.5±1.3) cm. In the non-anastomosis group of 16 cases, there were 11 males and 5 females, with an age of (39.9±15.8) years and a flap size of (23.0±6.4) cm×(9.0±2.1) cm. The 2 groups were compared in terms of flap survival, Semmes-Weinstein recovery degree and area of monofilament tactile sensation, and time periods for temperature sensation and two-point discrimination.Results:There was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups in the preoperative general data, showing they were comparable ( P>0.05). All the flaps survived completely without vascular crisis. In the anastomosis group, the time periods required for Semmes-Weinstein recovery of monofilament tactile sensation to the areas of 20.0%, 50.0%, and 80.0% [(2.5±0.7) months, (6.7±1.1) months, and (11.0±1.2) months] were significantly shorter than those in the non-anastomosis group [(3.6±1.3) months, (8.6±1.4) months, and (15.0±2.2) months], the recovery area at the last follow-up [100.0% (100.0%, 100.0%)] was significantly larger than that in the non-anastomosis group [84.6% (81.7%, 89.9%)], and the time period for recovery of temperature sensation [(3.9±0.7) months] significantly shorter than that in the non-anastomosis group [(6.1±1.1) months] (all P<0.05). The time for recovery of two-point discrimination in the 14 patients in the anastomosis group was (10.4±1.7) months while only 7 of the 16 patients in the non-anastomosis group recovered two-point discrimination after (14.7±1.4) months, showing a significant difference between the 2 groups ( P<0.05). Conclusion:In the repair of extremity soft tissue defects using anterolateral femoral flaps, compared with no anastomosis of the cutaneous nerve, anastomosis of the anterolateral femoral cutaneous nerve may ensure more or less the sensory recovery of the flaps.

Development of Human Vital Signs and Body Posture Monitoring and Positioning Alarm Systems / 中国医疗器械杂志

In view of the high incidence of malignant diseases such as malignant arrhythmias in the elderly population, accidental injuries such as falls, and the problem of no witnesses when danger occurs, the study developed a human vital signs and body posture monitoring and positioning alarm system. Through the collection and analysis of electrocardiogram (ECG), respiration (RESP) and acceleration (ACC) signals, the system monitors human vital signs and body posture in real time, automatically judges critical states such as malignant arrhythmias and accidental falls on the local device side, and then issues alarm information, opens the positioning function, and uploads physiological information and patient location information through 4G communication. Experiments have shown that the system can accurately determine the occurrence of ventricular fibrillation and falls, and issue position and alarm information.

Research progress in host-directed anti-tuberculosis drug targets / 中国人兽共患病学报

Tuberculosis is a serious zoonotic disease causing approximately 10 million new cases worldwide every year.The emergence of various drug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is currently an important challenge intuberculosispre-vention and control,and an urgent need exists to develop new anti-tuberculosis drugs to treat drug-resistant tuberculosis and shorten the treatment time.The discovery of drug targets is a bottleneck inthe development of new anti-tuberculosis drugs.At present,the widely reported drug targets for tuberculosis include primarily new targets related to the biosynthesis of Mycobac-terium tuberculosis components and immune metabolic pathways.In addition,host-directed therapiestargeting the host immune system have become a research hotspot in recent years.Adjuvant host-directed therapies can enhance the therapeutic effect of tuberculosis and shorten treatment times by affecting granuloma formation,autophagy,host immune metabolism and the intra-cellular killing mechanism,as well as regulating pulmonary inflammation.The discovery of these new targets provides new ide-as for the future development of safe and effective new anti-tuberculosis drugs.

Transcriptome analysis and differential gene screening of Panax ginseng seed in different sand storage stages / 药学学报

Analyze the changes in gene expression profiles during the process of Panax ginseng seed dormancy release, and screen for differential genes, providing a basis for analyzing the mechanism of P. ginseng seed dormancy release. Comparative transcriptome analysis was conducted by using RNA-Seq sequencing technology in P. ginseng seeds stored at different low temperature. A total of 80.97 Gb of Raw reads and 80.19 Gb of Clean reads were obtained from the transcriptome. Principal component analysis and correlation analysis showed that there were significant differences in gene expression patterns at different developmental stages. Upset results showed that 46 248 unigenes were co-expressed in four stages, and 414, 445, 400 and 389 unigenes were specifically expressed in 0, 8,14 and 28 days, respectively. Gene Ontology functional annotation showed that the differentially expressed genes were mainly involved in nsaturated fatty acid biosynthetic process, nuclear body and oxidoreductase activity. Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes metabolic pathway showed that differentially expressed genes were mainly involved in peroxisome, mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway-plant, plant hormone signal transduction, ribosome, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acid, circadian rhythm-plant and other metabolic pathways. In the process of P. ginseng seed dormancy release, multiple biological processes, such as unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis and plant hormone signal transduction, are required to coordinate regulation, which constitutes a complex dormancy release regulation network. Transcriptome analysis and differential gene screening of P. ginseng seeds at different sand storage time laid a foundation for the analysis of P. ginseng seed dormancy release mechanism and molecular breeding.

Research progress in antenna technology for microwave imaging of stroke / 国际生物医学工程杂志

The diagnostic technology of acute stroke by microwave imaging has the advantages of being non-ionizing, fast, small, and low-cost. Therefore, this technology is expected to become an auxiliary or alternative means to CT and MRI technology. As the signal transmitting and receiving device of the microwave imaging system, the antenna has an important influence on the performance of the imaging system. At present, there are many antennas with different performances used in imaging systems, but there is a lack of clear evaluation criteria for them. In this paper, several typical antennas were introduced, their advantages and disadvantages from the perspective of bandwidth and near-field were analyzed, and the common requirements of imaging systems for antennas and the performance indicators of various types of imaging systems were summarized. Moreover, the development trend of antenna technology for microwave imaging was pointed out to provide a reference for the study of stroke microwave imaging technology.

Gut microbiota controls the development of chronic pancreatitis: A critical role of short-chain fatty acids-producing Gram-positive bacteria

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a progressive and irreversible fibroinflammatory disorder, accompanied by pancreatic exocrine insufficiency and dysregulated gut microbiota. Recently, accumulating evidence has supported a correlation between gut dysbiosis and CP development. However, whether gut microbiota dysbiosis contributes to CP pathogenesis remains unclear. Herein, an experimental CP was induced by repeated high-dose caerulein injections. The broad-spectrum antibiotics (ABX) and ABX targeting Gram-positive (G+) or Gram-negative bacteria (G-) were applied to explore the specific roles of these bacteria. Gut dysbiosis was observed in both mice and in CP patients, which was accompanied by a sharply reduced abundance for short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs)-producers, especially G+ bacteria. Broad-spectrum ABX exacerbated the severity of CP, as evidenced by aggravated pancreatic fibrosis and gut dysbiosis, especially the depletion of SCFAs-producing G+ bacteria. Additionally, depletion of SCFAs-producing G+ bacteria rather than G- bacteria intensified CP progression independent of TLR4, which was attenuated by supplementation with exogenous SCFAs. Finally, SCFAs modulated pancreatic fibrosis through inhibition of macrophage infiltration and M2 phenotype switching. The study supports a critical role for SCFAs-producing G+ bacteria in CP. Therefore, modulation of dietary-derived SCFAs or G+ SCFAs-producing bacteria may be considered a novel interventive approach for the management of CP.

Short-term efficacy of laparoscopic total gastrectomy with hand-sewn esophagojejunostomy versus Roux-en-Y anastomosis using propensity score matching / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the short-term efficacy of laparoscopic total gastrec-tomy with hand-sewn esophagojejunostomy versus Roux-en-Y anastomosis.Methods:The propen-sity score matching and retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 159 patients who underwent laparoscopic total gastrectomy in Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine from October 2014 to July 2021 were collected. There were 107 males and 52 females, aged 63(range, 28?79)years. Of 159 patients, 71 cases undergoing totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy with hand-sewn esophagojejunostomy were allocated into totally laparoscopic group and 88 cases undergoing laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y anastomosis were allocated into laparoscopic-assisted group, respectively. Observation indicators: (1) propensity score matching and comparison of general data of patients between the two groups after matching; (2) intraoperative and postoperative conditions; (3) perioperative complications. Propensity score matching was done by the 1:1 nearest neighbor matching method. Measurement data with normal distribution were expressed as Mean± SD, and t test was used for comparison between groups. Measurement data with skewed distribution were expressed as M(range), and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison between groups. Count data were expressed as absolute numbers or percentages, and comparison between groups was analyzed using the chi-square test or Fisher's exact probability method. The rank sum test was used for comparison of ordinal data. Results:(1) Propensity score matching and comparison of general data of patients between the two groups after matching. Of 159 patients, 112 cases were successfully matched, including 56 cases in the totally laparoscopic group and 56 cases in the laparoscopic-assisted group. Before propensity score matching, age, cases with tumor located in cardia or gastric body in the totally laparoscopic group were 61(range, 30?76)years, 26, 45, respectively. The above indicators in the laparoscopic-assisted group were 65(range, 28?79)years, 50, 38, respectively. There were significant differences in the above indicators between the two groups ( Z=?2.89, χ2=6.43, P<0.05). After propensity score matching, the males and females, age, body mass index, cases of American Society of Anesthesiologists classification Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ, tumor diameter, cases with tumor located in cardia or gastric body, cases in TNM stage Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ of patients in the totally laparoscopic group were 40, 16, (62±9)years, (22.7±2.8)kg/m 2, 22, 26, 7, 1, 3.5(range, 0.6?17.0)cm, 24, 32, 22, 9, 25. The above indicators of patients in the laparoscopic-assisted group were 38, 18, (62±10)years, (22.7±3.2)kg/m 2, 19, 32, 5, 0, 4.0(range, 0.6?15.0)cm, 23, 33, 21, 7, 28, respectively. There was no significant difference in the above indicators between the two groups ( χ2=0.17, t=?0.09, ?0.04, Z=?0.12, ?0.82, χ2=0.04, Z=?0.42, P>0.05). The elimination of age and tumor location confounding bias ensured comparability between the two groups. (2) Intraoperative and postoperative conditions: after propensity score matching, the total operation time, time of esophagojejunostomy, postopera-tive 24-hour pain numerical score and time to first out-off bed activities were (310±49)minutes, (37±10)minutes, 2.3±0.8 and (2.4±0.7)days for patients in the totally laparoscopic group, versus (344±77)minutes, (44±12)minutes, 3.1±1.2 and (2.9±1.0)days in the laparoscopic-assisted group, showing significant differences between the two groups ( t=?2.85, ?3.05, ?4.20, ?3.10, P<0.05). (3) Perioperative complications: after propensity score matching, 6 cases of the patients in the totally laparoscopic group had Clavien-Dindo grade 2 or higher complications, including 2 cases of anas-tomotic leak, 1 case of anastomotic stenosis, 1 case of pleural effusion, 1 case of abdominal infection and 1 case of intestinal obstruction. The incidence of Clavien-Dindo grade 2 or higher complications was 10.7%(6/56). In the laparoscopic-assisted group, 5 patients had Clavien-Dindo grade 2 or higher complications, including 2 cases of anastomotic leak, 1 case of abdominal infection, 1 case of intestinal obstruction and 1 case of cholangitis. The incidence of Clavien-Dindo grade 2 or higher complications was 8.9%(5/56). There was no significant difference in the incidence of Clavien-Dindo grade 2 or higher complications between the two groups ( χ2=0.10, P>0.05). Patients with anas-tomotic leak were improved after puncture and drainage, secondary surgery and conservative treat-ment, and other complications were improved after symptomatic treatment. Conclusions:Com-pared with Roux-en-Y anastomosis in laparoscopic total gastrectomy, the time of hand-sewn esophagojejunostomy and esophago-jejunal anastomosis are shorter, patients have less postopera-tive pain and faster postoperative recovery. Both methods have good peri-operative safety.

Effects of ring finger and tryptophan-aspartic acid 2 on dendritic spines and synapse formation in cerebral cortex neurons of mice / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To clarify the functional effects of differential expression of ring finger and tryptophan-aspartic acid 2 (RFWD2) on dendritic development and formation of dendritic spines in cerebral cortex neurons of mice.@*METHODS@#Immunofluorescent staining was used to identify the location and global expression profile of RFWD2 in mouse brain and determine the co-localization of RFWD2 with the synaptic proteins in the cortical neurons. We also examined the effects of RFWD2 over-expression (RFWD2-Myc) and RFWD2 knockdown (RFWD2-shRNA) on dendritic development, dendritic spine formation and synaptic function in cultured cortical neurons.@*RESULTS@#RFWD2 is highly expressed in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of mice, and its expression level was positively correlated with the development of cerebral cortex neurons and dendrites. RFWD2 expression was detected on the presynaptic membrane and postsynaptic membrane of the neurons, and its expression levels were positively correlated with the length, number of branches and complexity of the dendrites. In cultured cortical neurons, RFWD2 overexpression significantly lowered the expressions of the synaptic proteins synaptophysin (P < 0.01) and postsynapic density protein 95 (P < 0.01), while RFWD2 knockdown significantly increased their expressions (both P < 0.05). Compared with the control and RFWD2-overexpressing cells, the neurons with RFWD2 knockdown showed significantly reduced number of dendritic spines (both P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#RFWD2 can regulate the expression of the synaptic proteins, the development of the dendrites, the formation of the dendritic spines and synaptic function in mouse cerebral cortex neurons through ubiquitination of Pea3 family members and c-Jun, which may serve as potential treatment targets for neurological diseases.

Effectiveness of induction therapy with exclusive enteral nutrition in pediatric Crohn's disease / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To evaluate the effectiveness of induction therapy with exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) in pediatric Crohn's disease (CD).@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 62 children with CD who received EEN in Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, from March 2013 to August 2021. The medical data included general information and height, weight, Pediatric Crohn's Disease Activity Index (PCDAI), Crohn's Disease Endoscopic Index of Severity, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and serum albumin level before treatment and after 8 weeks of treatment. The changes in the above indicators were compared before and after treatment.@*RESULTS@#Among the 62 children with CD, there were 39 boys (63%) and 23 girls (37%), with a mean age of (11.9±3.0) years at diagnosis. Among the 55 children who completed EEN treatment for at least 8 weeks, 48 (87%) achieved clinical remission at week 8. PCDAI at week 8 was significantly lower than that before treatment (P<0.001). Except for 17 children with involvement of the small intestine alone and 3 children with involvement of the colon who did not receive colonoscopy reexamination, the remaining 35 children with involvement of the colon received colonoscopy reexamination after the 8-week EEN treatment. Of the 35 children, 29 (83%) achieved mucosal healing. As for the 48 children who achieved clinical remission at week 8, there were significant improvements in height-for-age Z-score and body mass index-for-age Z-score at week 8 (P<0.01). As for the 7 children who did not achieve clinical remission at week 8, there were no significant changes in height-for-age Z-score and body mass index-for-age Z-score at week 8 (P>0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#The 8-week EEN treatment has a good effect on clinical remission and mucosal healing in children with CD. For the children with CD achieving clinical remission, EEN can improve their height and body mass index.