Insights into spinal muscular atrophy from molecular biomarkers.

Spinal muscular atrophy is a devastating motor neuron disease characterized by severe cases of fatal muscle weakness. It is one of the most common genetic causes of mortality among infants aged less than 2 years. Biomarker research is currently receiving more attention, and new candidate biomarkers are constantly being discovered. This review initially discusses the evaluation methods commonly used in clinical practice while briefly outlining their respective pros and cons. We also describe recent advancements in research and the clinical significance of molecular biomarkers for spinal muscular atrophy, which are classified as either specific or non-specific biomarkers. This review provides new insights into the pathogenesis of spinal muscular atrophy, the mechanism of biomarkers in response to drug-modified therapies, the selection of biomarker candidates, and would promote the development of future research. Furthermore, the successful utilization of biomarkers may facilitate the implementation of gene-targeting treatments for patients with spinal muscular atrophy.

Features of extreme PM 2.5 pollution and its influencing factors: evidence from China.

Extreme PM 2.5 pollution has become a significant environmental problem in China in recent years, which is hazardous to human health and daily life. Noticing the importance of investigating the causes of extreme PM 2.5 pollution, this paper classifies cities across China into eight categories (four groups plus two scenarios) based on the generalized extreme value (GEV) distribution using hourly station-level PM 2.5 concentration data, and a series of multi-choice models are employed to assess the probabilities that cities fall into different categories. Various factors such as precursor pollutants and socio-economic factors are considered after controlling for meteorological conditions in each model. It turns out that SO 2 concentration, NO 2 concentration, and population density are the top three factors contributing most to the log ratios. Moreover, in both left- and right-skewed cases, the influence of a one-unit increase of SO 2 concentration on the relative probability of cities falling into different groups shows an increasing trend, while those of NO 2 concentration show a decreasing trend. At the same time, the higher the extreme pollution level, the bigger the effect of SO 2 and NO 2 concentrations on the probability of cities falling into normalized scenarios. The multivariate logit model is used for prediction and policy simulations. In summary, by analyzing the influences of various factors and the heterogeneity of their influence patterns, this paper provides valuable insights in formulating effective emission reduction policies.

Application of eculizumab, a terminal complement inhibitor, in the management of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome in a 14-month-old Chinese pediatric patient: a case report.

Eculizumab, a recombined humanized monoclonal antibody which possesses high affinity for the complement protein C5, is a therapeutic agent utilized in the treatment of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) by inhibiting the terminal complement complex C5b-9. In a pediatric patient with aHUS of 14 months, the administration of eculizumab therapy was accompanied by the inclusion of meningococcal vaccine as part of the national immunization program. Notably, no other antibiotics were administered prior to or during the course of eculizumab treatment. Moreover, there were no occurrences of infusion reactions or meningococcal infections observed throughout the course of treatment. Due to the presence of anti-factor H antibodies and insufficient recovery, glucocorticoids and eculizumab were administered at week 0 and week 1, followed by the initiation of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) at a dosage of 250 mg (approximately 548 mg/m2) per day starting from Day 10. Due to the recovered of complement antibody after 8 doses of eculizumab, the therapeutic interval was extended from once every 3 weeks to once a month since 9th administration. We experienced and successfully treated a rare case of aHUS with eculizumab in a 14-month-old Chinese pediatric patient.

Analysis of blood concentrations and clinical application of risdiplam in patients with spinal muscular atrophy using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Risdiplam, the first oral therapy approved for spinal muscular atrophy and made globally available in 2021, necessitates a highly sensitive and straightforward assay for therapeutic drug monitoring. This is crucial to manage potential toxicities linked to drug concentrations and supervise dosing regimens. A cutting-edge ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry bioassay for risdiplam in human serum has been developed. In this method, analytes were separated on a Phenomenex Kinetex XB C18 column using a 6.5-min gradient elution after a single-step protein precipitation. MS detection was conducted via electrospray ionization in positive mode with selected reaction monitoring. The validated range for risdiplam was determined to be 1.95-125.00 ng/mL. The precision and accuracy of intra- and inter-batch analyses were within ±15%. The novel method met all other established criteria. This assay holds promise for monitoring drug concentrations and guiding clinical decisions in patients with spinal muscular atrophy.

Regulating the mobility of lattice oxygen on hollow cobalt-manganese sub-nanospheres for enhanced catalytic oxidation of toluene and o-xylene.

Promoting lattice oxygen mobility of Co-based catalysts is crucial to making progress in catalytic oxidation technology. The addition of manganese, a transition metal with similar ionic radius to cobalt and variable valence, was supposed to enhance the mobility of lattice oxygen species of Co-based oxide. A range of hollow CoMnaOx sub-nanosphere catalysts with different Mn/Co ratios was synthesized via a template-sacrificed method, and the effects of different Mn/Co ratios on the structural properties of the catalysts and their catalytic performance for benzene series volatile organic compounds (VOCs) oxidation were investigated. Hollow CoMn2Ox sub-nanosphere exhibited good catalytic activity for oxidation of toluene (T90 = 265 °C) and o-xylene (T90 = 297 °C), as well as excellent recycling ability and water resistance. By adjusting the Mn/Co ratio, metal ions enter into the different tetrahedral or octahedral active sites. Compared with Co3O4, the desorption temperature of surface lattice oxygen on CoMn2Ox decreased by 110 °C. These results demonstrate that the addition of manganese can encourage the electron transfer on CoMnaOx, indicating that the introduction of the appropriate amount of manganese accelerates the activation of gas O2 and mobility of surface lattice oxygen species, thereby expediting the oxidation of benzene series VOCs.

Study on the related factors of TCM constitution and hemodynamics in patients with coronary heart disease.

Background: The concepts of "individualization" and "preventive treatment" should be incorporated into the precise diagnosis and treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD). Both hemodynamics and Chinese medicine constitution studies align with these two concepts. Methods: This study utilized data from 81 patients with CHD, including 12 patients with balanced constitution (BC), 20 patients with blood stasis constitution (BSC), 17 patients with phlegm-dampness constitution (PDC), 15 patients with qi-deficiency constitution (QDC), and 17 patients with other constitutions. Clinical data provided information on the patients' blood property, heart function, degree of coronary stenosis, coronary hemodynamics, and so on. These parameters were compared between patients with balanced constitution vs. biased constitutions as well as between those with blood stasis constitution, phlegm-dampness constitution, and qi-deficiency constitution. Results: Compared to biased constitution (BC), patients with balanced constitution exhibited lower total cholesterol (TC) levels and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. Additionally, they had lighter stenosis degrees in the Left anterior descending branch (LAD) and Left circumflex branch (LCX) branches. The hemodynamic condition of the LAD and LCX was better for those with balanced constitution; however there was no difference in heart function. Among the groups categorized by blood stasis, phlegm dampness or qi deficiency constituions, patients classified under phlegm dampness had higher levels of LDL compared to those classified under blood stasis or qi deficiency, while patients classified under qi deficiency had higher levels of blood glucose compared to those classified under blood stasis or phlegm dampness. Hemodynamic environments also differed among the LAD and LCX for each group but there were no significant differences observed in heart function or degree of coronary stenosis among these three groups. Conclusion: The balanced constitution demonstrates superior blood property, degree of coronary artery stenosis, and coronary hemodynamics compared to the biased constitution. Furthermore, among the three constitutions with CHD, variations in blood property and certain hemodynamic parameters are observed. These findings emphasize the significant clinical value of incorporating physical factors into the diagnosis and treatment of patients with CHD.

Development and validation of a nomogram for pneumonia risk in burn patients with inhalation injury: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Burn patients with inhalation injury are at higher risk of developing pneumonia, and yet there is no reliable tool for the assessment of the risk for such patients at admission. This study aims to establish a predictive model for pneumonia risk for burn patients with inhalation injury based on clinical findings and laboratory tests. METHOD: This retrospective study enrolled 546 burn patients with inhalation injury. They were grouped into a training cohort and a validation cohort. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis and binary logistic regression analysis were utilized to identify risk factors for pneumonia. Based on the factors, a nomogram for predicting pneumonia in burn patients with inhalation injury was constructed. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC), calibration plots, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the efficiency of the nomogram in both the training and validation cohorts. RESULTS: The training cohort included 432 patients, and the validation cohort included 114 patients, with a total of 225 (41.2%) patients experiencing pneumonia. Inhalation injury, tracheal intubation/tracheostomy, low serum albumin, and high blood glucose were independent risk factors for pneumonia in burn patients with inhalation injury and they were further used to build the nomogram. The AUC of the nomogram in the training and validation cohorts were 0.938 (95% CI: 0.917-0.960) and 0.966 (95% CI: 0.931-1), respectively. The calibration curve for probability of pneumonia showed optimal agreement between the prediction by nomogram and the actual observation, and the DCA indicated that the constructed nomogram conferred high clinical net benefit. CONCLUSION: This nomogram can accurately predict the risk of developing pneumonia for burn patients with inhalation injury, and help professionals to identify high-risk patients at an early stage as well as to make informed clinical decisions.

Selenomethionine in gelatin methacryloyl hydrogels: Modulating ferroptosis to attenuate skin aging.

During skin aging, the degeneration of epidermal stem cells (EpiSCs) leads to diminished wound healing capabilities and epidermal disintegration. This study tackles this issue through a comprehensive analysis combining transcriptomics and untargeted metabolomics, revealing age-dependent alterations in the Gpx gene family and arachidonic acid (AA) metabolic networks, resulting in enhanced ferroptosis. Selenomethionine (Se-Met) could enhance GPX4 expression, thereby assisting EpiSCs in countering AA-induced mitochondrial damage and ferroptosis. Additionally, Se-Met demonstrates antioxidative characteristics and extensive ultraviolet absorption. For the sustained and controllable release of Se-Met, it was covalently grafted to UV-responsive GelMA hydrogels via AC-PEG-NHS tethers. The Se-Met@GelMA hydrogel effectively accelerated wound healing in a chronological aging mice model, by inhibiting lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis with augmented GPX4 expression. Moreover, in a photoaging model, this hydrogel significantly mitigated inflammatory responses, extracellular matrix remodeling, and ferroptosis in UV-exposed mice. These characteristics render Se-Met@GelMA hydrogel valuable in practical clinical applications.

Upregulation of IDO gene expression reduces the immunogenicity of epidermal cells and strengthens the immune protection of epidermal cells during transplantation treatment of wounds.

BACKGROUND: Epidermal cell transplantation is a feasible treatment option for large wounds; however, sources of autologous epidermal cells are often limited. Allogeneic epidermal cells can be cultured conveniently; however, related immune rejection needs to be addressed. Herein, we hypothesized that the immunogenicity of epidermal cells with high indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) expression may be reduced by gene transfection. METHODS/RESULTS: To test this hypothesis, we obtained stable transfectants by transfecting epidermal stem cells with a lentiviral vector encoding the IDO gene and screening them for puromycin resistance (a marker for successful transfection). The phenotype tested using cell counting kit -8 and Transwell assays confirmed that IDO-transfected epidermal cells maintained their characteristics. Co-culture of IDO-transfected epidermal cells with allogeneic CD4+ T cells in vitro showed that the upregulation of IDO expression in epidermal cells inhibited the proliferation of CD4+ T cells (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P < 0.001, respectively) and promoted their apoptosis (P = 0.00028, P = 0.0006, and P = 0.00247, respectively) and transformation into functional regulatory T cells (Tregs) (P = 0.0051, P = 0.0132, and P = 0.0248, respectively) compared with Con, NC, and 1-MT groups. The increased proportion of Tregs may be related to the overexpression of IDO, which promoted the expression of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß) (P = 0.0001, P = 0.0013, and, P = 0.0009) and interleukin (IL) 10 (IL-10) (P = 0.0062, P = 0.0058, and P = 0.0119) while inhibited the expression of IL-2 (P = 0.0012, P = 0.0126, and P = 0.0066). We further verified these effects in vivo as transplanted IDO-transfected epidermal stem cells were effective in treating wounds in mice. On days 5 and 7, wounds treated with IDO cells healed faster than those in the other groups (day 5: P = 0.012 and P = 0.0136; day 7: P = 0.0242 and P = 0.0187, respectively), whereas this effect was significantly inhibited by 1-methyltryptophan (1-MT) (day 5: P = 0.0303; day 7: P = 0.0105). Immunofluorescence staining detected IDO and CD4+ Foxp3+ Tregs in the transplanted wounds, which may promote Foxp3+ Tregs in the wound tissue (day 5: P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, and P < 0.0001; day 7: P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, and P < 0.0001), respectively) and decrease CD4+ T cells (day 5: P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, and P < 0.0001; day 7: P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, and P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the upregulation of IDO expression in epidermal stem cells can reduce their immunogenicity by promoting Tregs, thus inducing the immune protection of epidermal stem cells.

The epidemiology of alcohol burns at a major burn centre in North China.

This study was designed to explore the epidemiological characteristics and potential preventive strategies of alcohol burns. In this five-year, retrospective study, 163 patients with alcohol burns (admitted from 1 January 2015 to 31 May 2020 were included. There was a male-to-female ratio of 1.1:1, a mean age of 34.1±16.8 years, and a mean burn size of 13.3±13.7% total body surface area (TBSA). The number of patients with alcohol burns was similar year by year during the five-year period. Just over half of patients (n=84, 51.5%) sustained a third-degree burn injury, which was significantly associated with a longer hospital stay and the need for surgery. The most prevalent aetiology was cupping (n=49, 29.5%), followed by cooking hotpot (n=37, 22.7%). Of the patients, seven (4.29%) sustained injuries during experiments at school and one patient sustained injury when using alcohol spray for disinfection against COVID-19. The incidence of facial burn injury (n=105, 64.4%) was significantly higher than previously reported data (33.2%). The result of the study showed that cupping and hotpot were the main causes of alcohol burns in Beijing, which should be taken into consideration for prevention. It is necessary to strengthen safety management of classes at school where experiments are undertaken and to educate the general public on the proper means of disinfecting against COVID-19.

Paracoccus albicereus sp. nov., isolated from the shallow-sea hydrothermal system off Kueishantao Island.

Strain designated TK19116T was isolated from the shallow-sea hydrothermal systems off Kueishantao Island in Taiwan, China. The bacterium was Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, oxidase-positive and catalase-positive. Cells of the strain TK19116T were short-rod-shaped and non-motile. The results of phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain TK19116T belonged to the genus Paracoccus, with the highest sequence similarity to Paracoccus alkanivorans 4-2T (97.1 %). The average nucleotide identity values between the strain TK19116T with Paracoccus alkanivorans 4-2T, Paracoccus zhejiangensis J6T, Paracoccus siganidrum M26T and Paracoccus tegillarcae BM15T were 75.3, 76.7, 76.7 and 75.8%, respectively. The digital DNA-DNA hybridization value between the strain TK19116T with Paracoccus alkanivorans 4-2T, Paracoccus zhejiangensis J6T, Paracoccus siganidrum M26T and Paracoccus tegillarcae BM15T were 19.7, 20.3, 20.5 and 20.0%, respectively. The main respiratory quinone of strain TK19116T was ubiquinone 10. The polar lipids include aminolipid, phosphatidylcholine, diphosphatidylglycerol, glycolipid, phosphatidylglycerol and phospholipid. The principal fatty acid of strain TK19116T was summed feature 8 (C18 : 1 ω6c and/or C18 : 1 ω7c). The G+C content of the chromosomal DNA was 64.2 %. The combination of the results of the phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic analysis, strain TK19116T represents a novel species of the genus Paracoccus, for which the name Paracoccus albicereus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is TK19116T (= MCCC 1K08025T=JCM 35527T).

Farnesoid X receptor is an important target for the treatment of disorders of bile acid and fatty acid metabolism in mice with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease combined with cholestasis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been rising globally. NAFLD patients combined with cholestasis have more obvious liver fibrosis, impaired bile acid (BA), and fatty acid (FA) metabolism and severer liver injury; however, its therapeutic options are limited, and the underlying metabolic mechanisms are understood. Here, we aimed to investigate the effects of farnesoid X receptor (FXR) on BA and FA metabolism in NAFLD combined with cholestasis and related signaling pathways. METHODS: A mouse model of NAFLD combined with cholestasis was established by joint intervention with high-fat diet (HFD) and alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate. The effects of FXR on BA and FA metabolism were evaluated by serum biochemical analysis. Liver damage was identified by histopathology. The expression of nuclear hormone receptor, membrane receptor, FA transmembrane transporter, and BA transporter protein in mice were measured by western blot. RESULTS: NAFLD mice combined with cholestasis developed more severe cholestasis and dysregulated BA and FA metabolism. Meanwhile, the expression of FXR protein was decreased in NAFLD mice combined with cholestasis compared to the controls. Fxr-/- mice showed liver injury. HFD aggravated the liver injury with decreased BSEP expression, increased expression of NTCP, LXRα, SREBP-1c, FAS, ACC1, and CD36, and significantly increased BA and FA accumulation. CONCLUSION: All the results suggested that FXR plays a key role in both FA and BA metabolism in NAFLD combined with cholestasis and thus may be a potential target for the treatment of disorders of BA and FA metabolism in NAFLD combined with cholestasis.

Transcriptome analysis of hepatic injury caused by delayed resuscitation following severe burns in rats.

BACKGROUND: Delayed resuscitation (DR) can induce hepatic reperfusion injury after severe burns. The underlying molecular mechanisms of DR-induced hepatic injury remain unidentified. This study sought to predict candidate genes and molecular pathways in a DR-induced hepatic injury preclinical model. METHODS: Rats were randomized into three groups: the sham injury (Sham) group; the DR group, which had third-degree burns covering 30% of the body surface area and DR; and the early resuscitation (ER) group, in which ER was administered. The liver tissue was harvested for the purpose of evaluating hepatic injury and performing transcriptome sequencing. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for DR versus Sham and ER versus DR were analyzed respectively. Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis were used. The DEGs and critical module genes were intersected to obtain critical genes. Immune infiltration and competing endogenous RNA networks were also analyzed. Validation was conducted using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Hepatic injury was evident in DR rats. There were 2,430 DEGs between DR and Sham and 261 DEGs between ER and DR. Differentially expressed genes were mostly enriched in metabolic process for DR versus Sham, and immune and inflammatory processes for ER versus DR. Four critical genes (Tff3, C1galt1, Cd48, and MGC105649) were obtained by screening. Five immune cells were significantly different between DR and Sham, and seven immune cells were significantly different between ER and DR in immunoassays. Three critical genes, 75 miRNAs, 7 lncRNAs, and 197 edges constituted the mRNA-miRNA-lncRNA linkages, which included C1galt1-rno-miR-330-5p-Pvt1, among others. CONCLUSION: This is the first attempt to perform a high-throughput analysis of gene expression profiles in DR-induced hepatic injury. It shows that immunity and inflammation-related RNAs and pathways play an important role in the progression of hepatic injury. It also provides insight into some important RNAs and regulatory targets related to disease.

Programmed death of intestinal epithelial cells in neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis: a mini-review.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is one of the most fatal diseases in premature infants. Damage to the intestinal epithelial barrier (IEB) is an important event in the development of intestinal inflammation and the evolution of NEC. The intestinal epithelial monolayer formed by the tight arrangement of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) constitutes the functional IEB between the organism and the extra-intestinal environment. Programmed death and regenerative repair of IECs are important physiological processes to maintain the integrity of IEB function in response to microbial invasion. However, excessive programmed death of IECs leads to increased intestinal permeability and IEB dysfunction. Therefore, one of the most fundamental questions in the field of NEC research is to reveal the pathological death process of IECs, which is essential to clarify the pathogenesis of NEC. This review focuses on the currently known death modes of IECs in NEC mainly including apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, and abnormal autophagy. Furthermore, we elaborate on the prospect of targeting IECs death as a treatment for NEC based on exciting animal and clinical studies.

A Potential Resuscitation Route on Battlefield: Immediate Intraperitoneal Fluid Administration Post-burn Shows Satisfactory Fluid Absorption and Anti-shock Effects.

INTRODUCTION: Timely fluid resuscitation remains the key to the early treatment of severe burns. Intraperitoneal (IP) fluid administration is a simple, rapid resuscitation strategy via a puncture in the abdominal wall. This study aimed to evaluate the fluid absorption and anti-shock effects of IP delivery in the early stage after severe burns. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 30% total body surface area full-thickness burn model was established using male C57BL/6 mice. A total of 126 mice were randomly assigned into six groups (n = 21): the sham injury group (SHAM), the burn group without fluid resuscitation (NR), and the four IP resuscitation groups (IP-A/B/C/D, each being intraperitoneally administered with 60, 80, 100, and 120 mL/kg of sodium lactate Ringer's solution post-injury). Three-hour post-burn, six mice in each group were randomly selected and sacrificed for blood and tissue sampling to detect the IP fluid absorption rate and evaluate organ damage because of low perfusion. The remaining 15 mice in each group were observed for the vital signs within 48-h post-injury, and their survival rate was calculated. RESULTS: The 48-h survival rate increased in the IP-A (40.0%), IP-B (66.7%), IP-C (60.0%), and IP-D (13.3%) groups, compared with the NR group (0%). The mean arterial pressure, body temperature, and heart rate of mice were significantly stabilized in the IP groups. For the first 3-h post-injury, the absorption rates of groups IP-A (74.3% ± 9.5%) and IP-B (73.3% ± 6.9%) were significantly higher than those of groups IP-C (59.7% ± 7.1%) and IP-D (48.7% ± 5.7%). The levels of arterial blood pH, partial pressure of oxygen, partial pressure of carbon dioxide, lactate, and hematocrit were better maintained in the IP groups. Intraperitoneal resuscitation remarkably reduced the injury scores in burn-induced histopathology of the liver, kidneys, lungs, and intestines, accompanied by decreased alanine transaminase, creatinine, interleukin-1, and tumor necrosis factor-α in plasma, and augmented superoxide dismutase 2 and inhibited malondialdehyde in tissues. Group IP-B has the best performance for these indices. CONCLUSIONS: Intraperitoneal administration of isotonic saline post-burn can be adequately and rapidly absorbed, thereby boosting circulation and perfusion, precluding shock, alleviating organ damage caused by ischemia and hypoxia, and significantly increasing the survival rate. This technique, with a potential to be a supplement to existing resuscitation methods on the battlefield, is worth further investigation.

Review on risk factors, classification, and treatment of sternal wound infection.

Sternal wound infection (SWI) is the most common complication of the median sternal incision. The treatment time is long, and the reconstruction is difficult, which causes challenges for surgeons. Plastic surgeons were often involved too late in such clinical scenarios when previous empirical treatments failed and the wound damage was relatively serious. Accurate diagnosis and risk factors against sternal wound infection need to be in focus. Classification of different types of sternotomy complications post-cardiac surgery is important for specific categorization and management. Not familiar with this kind of special and complex wound, objectively increasing the difficulty of wound reconstruction. The purpose of this comprehensive review is to review the literature, introduce various SWI risk factors related to wound nonunion, various classification characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of various wound reconstruction strategies, to help clinicians understand the pathophysiological characteristics of the disease and choose a better treatment method.

An innovated elastic compression hemostasis technique for extremity excision in patients with extensive burns: A prospective clinical randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To introduce an innovative elastic compression hemostasis technique for extremity excision in extensively burnt patients and investigate its effectiveness. METHODS: Ten patients were included and divided into 2 groups: the control group (4 patients, 12 extremities) receiving the conventional hemostasis technique and the experimental group (6 patients, 14 extremities) receiving the innovative technique. General data of the patients were collected, excision size measured, hemostasis time recorded, average blood loss per 1% total body surface area of the excised wound calculated, incidence of subcutaneous hematoma and take rate determined. RESULTS: The 2 groups had no statistical difference in the baseline data. Average blood loss per 1% total body surface area of the excised wound in the upper and the lower extremities was (62.1 ± 11.5) mL and (35.6 ± 11.0) mL in the experimental group, significantly less than (94.3 ± 6.9) mL and (82.3 ± 6.2) mL in the control group; a reduction of 34.1% and 56.8% respectively. Hemostasis time in the upper and the lower extremities were (5.0 ± 0.7) min/1% total body surface area and (2.6 ± 0.3) min/1% total body surface area, respectively, in the experimental group, significantly less than (7.4 ± 0.6) min/1% total body surface area and (4.0 ± 0.9) min/1% total body surface area in the control group; a reduction of 31.8% and 34.9% respectively. The incidences of subcutaneous hematoma were 7.1% and 8.3%, and the take rate (85.9 ± 6.0)% and (86.5 ± 4.8)% in the experimental and the control group, respectively, with no statistically significant differences. CONCLUSION: The innovative elastic compression hemostasis technique is a reliable new method that significantly reduces blood loss during extremity excision in patients with extensive burns and is worth wider understanding and application.

Effects of different cooking methods on physicochemical, textural properties of yak meat and its changes with intramuscular connective tissue during in vitro digestion.

The effects of vacuum cooking (VC), traditional cooking (TC), and high-pressure cooking (HPC) on the physicochemical properties and texture of yak meat and the digestibility of yak meat and intramuscular connective tissue (IMCT) were investigated. Compared with VC treatment, TC and HPC treatment significantly increased meat cooking loss and meat hardness (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the carbonyl content of yak meat of TC and HPC was 3.73 nmol/mg protein, and the free sulfhydryl content was 7.93 nmol/mg protein, indicating that more protein was oxidized at higher temperatures. Oxidative aggregation of proteins caused by cooking reduced meat digestibility by about 25%. However, cooking reduced the undigested residue of IMCT and promoted its digestion. Principal component analysis showed that the physicochemical, texture, oxidation, and protein digestibility of TC and HPC meat were similar but significantly different from VC meat.

WITHDRAWN: Transdifferentiation of Human Neonatal Foreskin Fibroblasts into Keratinocyte-like Cells via Regulating the AKT/P53/WNT/LEF1 Axis

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Role and Mechanism of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Mice Pancreatic Islet Dysfunction After Severe Burns.

This study attempted to investigate the role and mechanism of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the islet dysfunction in mice after severe burns. C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into the sham group, burn group, and burn+4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA) group. Mice were burned with full thickness of 30% total surface area (TBSA), and 4-PBA solution was intraperitoneally injected into mice in burn+4-PBA group. Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS), Fasting blood glucose (FBG) and glucose tolerance were detected 24 hours post severe burns. The ER stress-related pathway markers immunoglobulin binding protein (BIP), X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1), phosphorylation-PKR-like ER kinase (p-PERK), phosphorylation-eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (p-eIF2α), CHOP, activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6), apoptosis-related protein Cleaved-Caspase 3, and islet cell apoptosis were measured. Mice were characterized with elevated FBG, decreased glucose tolerance and GSIS levels post severe burns. The expression of BIP, XBP1, p-PERK, p-eIF2α, CHOP, ATF6, Cleaved-Caspase 3, and islet cell apoptosis were increased significantly after severe burns. 4-PBA treatment contributed to decreased FBG, improved glucose tolerance, increased GSIS, inhibited islet ER stress, and reduced pancreatic islet cell apoptosis in mice post severe burns. ER stress occurs in islets of severely burned mice, which leads to increased apoptosis of islet cells, thus resulting in islet dysfunction.