Abnormalities of retinal structure and microvasculature are associated with cerebral white matter hyperintensities.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Whilst retinal microvasculature represents cerebral small vessels, the retinal nerve fiber layer is the extended white matter of the brain. The aim was to investigate the correlation between changes in retina and white matter hyperintensities (WMHs). METHODS: Sixty-four candidates with WMHs received an optical coherence tomography angiography examination. WMHs were divided into mild or moderate/severe groups according to the Fazekas score. After imaging the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP), the microvascular density parameters (vascular perfusion density [VPD], vascular length density [VLD] and fovea avascular zone area) and morphological parameters (vessel diameter index [VDI], fractal dimension [FD] and vessel tortuosity) were identified. A software algorithm measured the thickness of the peripapillary retina nerve fiber layer (PRNFL). RESULTS: Thirty-two were classified as having mild WMHs and 32 were moderate/severe. The median (interquartile range) ages of the two groups were 58 (54-64) and 61 (57-67) years, respectively. A decrease of FD, VPD and VLD in either SCP or DCP appeared with an increased risk of moderate/severe WMHs. Although changes of capillary plexus were not associated with paraventricular WMHs, decreased FD, VPD, VLD and fovea avascular zone area in either SCP or DCP were associated with an increased risk of moderate/severe deep WMHs (DWMHs). Participants with moderate/severe WMHs demonstrated reduced PRNFL thickness, particularly in the DWMHs, compared with mild WMHs. CONCLUSIONS: Abnormalities of retinal microvascular density, morphological parameters and PRNFL thickness are correlated with the incidence of moderate/severe WMHs, particularly the DWMHs, suggesting that arteriosclerosis and hypoperfusion are the causes of DWMHs.

Air quality characteristics in Wuhan (China) during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.

Understanding the relationship between air quality, pollution emission control measures, and meteorological conditions is important for developing effective air quality improvement policies. In this study, we used pollution monitoring and meteorological data from January to May 2020 to analyze the air quality characteristics during the COVID-19 lockdown in Wuhan, which lasted from January 23 to April 8, 2020. Compared with the same period in 2019, the air quality in 2020 was significantly better. The total excellent and good air quality rates increased by 17.58%-90.08% in 2020; concentrations of NO2, particulate matter with a diameter <10 µm (PM10) and <2.5 µm (PM2.5), and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) also decreased by 38.23%, 30.25%, 32.92%, and 39.80%, respectively. Moreover, the number of days with NO2, PM10, and PM2.5 as the primary pollutants decreased by approximately 10%, 9%, and 15%, respectively. We compared the wind direction, wind speed, temperature, and relative humidity in January-April 2020, 2019, 2018, and 2017 and found no obvious correlation between meteorological factors and improved air quality during the 2020 lockdown. The implementation of strict lockdown measures, such as home quarantining, traffic restrictions, and non-essential enterprise shutdowns, was the dominant cause for the substantial air quality improvement during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown in Wuhan.

[Heat shock protein 90 in male reproduction].

Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90), as a member of the Hsp family and widely found in the gonads of humans and animals, plays an essential role in male reproduction and induces various changes in the process of reproduction. Hsp90 regulates the division of germ cells and participates in spermatogenesis, location of germ cells, formation of sperm microtubes, protection of sperm from oxidative stress, and inducement of acrosomal reaction. Studies showed significant changes in location and expression of Hsp90 in the sperm of oligospermia and asthenospermia patients. This paper presents an overview of Hsp90 in male reproduction and male infertility and a prospect of the treatment of male infertility.

Pressure Combined with Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury Induces Deep Tissue Injury via Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in a Rat Pressure Ulcer Model.

Pressure ulcer is a complex and significant health problem in long-term bedridden patients, and there is currently no effective treatment or efficient prevention method. Furthermore, the molecular mechanisms and pathogenesis contributing to the deep injury of pressure ulcers are unclear. The aim of the study was to explore the role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and Akt/GSK3ß signaling in pressure ulcers. A model of pressure-induced deep tissue injury in adult Sprague-Dawley rats was established. Rats were treated with 2-h compression and subsequent 0.5-h release for various cycles. After recovery, the tissue in the compressed regions was collected for further analysis. The compressed muscle tissues showed clear cellular degenerative features. First, the expression levels of ER stress proteins GRP78, CHOP, and caspase-12 were generally increased compared to those in the control. Phosphorylated Akt and phosphorylated GSK3ß were upregulated in the beginning of muscle compression, and immediately significantly decreased at the initiation of ischemia-reperfusion injury in compressed muscles tissue. These data show that ER stress may be involved in the underlying mechanisms of cell degeneration after pressure ulcers and that the Akt/GSK3ß signal pathway may play an important role in deep tissue injury induced by pressure and ischemia/reperfusion.

Camellia Oleifera shells derived nano cellulose crystals conjugated with gallic acid as a sustainable Pickering emulsion stabilizer.

Lately, emulsions with low-fat and natural stabilizers are predominant. This study extracted the nano cellulose crystals (NCs) from Camellia Oleifera shells, and their gallic acid (GA) conjugates were synthesized by free-radical grafting. Pickering emulsions were prepared using NCs 1 %, 1.5 %, 2.5 %, and gallic acid conjugates NC-GA1, NC-GA2, and NC-GA3 as stabilizers. The obtained nano cellulose crystals exhibited 18-25 nm, -40.01 ±â€¯2.45 size, and zeta potential, respectively. The contact angle of 83.4° was exhibited by NC-GA3 conjugates. The rheological, interfacial, and microstructural properties and stability of the Pickering emulsion were explored. NC-GA3 displayed the highest absorption content of 79.12 %. Interfacial tension was drastically reduced with increasing GA concentration in NC-GA conjugates. Rheological properties suggested that the low-fat NC-GA emulsions showed a viscoelastic behavior, increased viscosity, gel-like structure, and increased antioxidant properties. Moreover, NC-GA3 displayed reduced droplet size and improved emulsion temperature and storage stability (28 days) against phase separation. POV and TBARS values were reduced with the NC-GA3 (P < 0.05). This work confirmed that grafting phenolic compounds on NCs could enhance bioactive properties, which can be used in developing low-fat functional foods. NC-GA conjugates can potentially fulfill the increasing demand for sustainable, healthy, and low-fat foods.

MTD-YOLOv5: Enhancing marine target detection with multi-scale feature fusion in YOLOv5 model.

Underwater light attenuation leads to decreased image contrast. This reduction in contrast subsequently decreases target visibility. Additionally, marine target detection is challenging due to multi-scale problems from varying target-to-device distances, complex target clustering, and noise from waterborne particulates.To address these issues, we propose MTD-YOLOv5.Initially, we enhance image contrast with grayscale equalization and mitigate color shift issues through color space transformation.We then introduce a novel feature extraction module, PCBR, combining max pooling and convolution layers for more effective target feature extraction from the background.Furthermore, we present the Multi-Scale Perceptual Hybrid Pooling (MHP) module.This module integrates horizontal and vertical receptive fields to establish long-range dependencies, thereby capturing hidden target information in deep network feature maps. In the Labeled Fishes in the Wild test datasets, MTD-YOLOv5 achieves a precision of 88.1% and a mean Average Precision (mAP[0.5:.95]) of 49.6%.These results represent improvements of 2.6% in precision and 0.4% in mAP over the original YOLOv5.

Single-cell transcriptomic profiling reveals decreased ER protein Reticulon3 drives the progression of renal fibrosis.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) poses a significant global health dilemma, emerging from complex causes. Although our prior research has indicated that a deficiency in Reticulon-3 (RTN3) accelerates renal disease progression, a thorough examination of RTN3 on kidney function and pathology remains underexplored. To address this critical need, we generated Rtn3-null mice to study the consequences of RTN3 protein deficiency on CKD. Single-cell transcriptomic analyses were performed on 47,885 cells from the renal cortex of both healthy and Rtn3-null mice, enabling us to compare spatial architectures and expression profiles across 14 distinct cell types. Our analysis revealed that RTN3 deficiency leads to significant alterations in the spatial organization and gene expression profiles of renal cells, reflecting CKD pathology. Specifically, RTN3 deficiency was associated with Lars2 overexpression, which in turn caused mitochondrial dysfunction and increased reactive oxygen species levels. This shift induced a transition in renal epithelial cells from a functional state to a fibrogenic state, thus promoting renal fibrosis. Additionally, RTN3 deficiency was found to drive the endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition process and disrupt cell-cell communication, further exacerbating renal fibrosis. Immunohistochemistry and Western-Blot techniques were used to validate these observations, reinforcing the critical role of RTN3 in CKD pathogenesis. The deficiency of RTN3 protein in CKD leads to profound changes in cellular architecture and molecular profiles. Our work seeks to elevate the understanding of RTN3's role in CKD's narrative and position it as a promising therapeutic contender.

Strategies to prolong drug retention in solid tumors by aggregating Endo-CMC nanoparticles.

Developing a highly effective nano-drug delivery system with sufficient drug permeability and retention in tumors is still a major challenge for oncotherapy. Herein, a tumor microenvironment responsive, aggregable nanocarriers embedded hydrogel (Endo-CMC@hydrogel) was developed to inhibit the tumoral angiogenesis and hypoxia for enhanced radiotherapy. The antiangiogenic drug (recombinant human endostatin, Endo) loaded carboxymethyl chitosan nanoparticles (Endo-CMC NPs) was wrapped by 3D hydrogel to comprise the Endo-CMC@hydrogel. After peritumoral injection, the Endo-CMC NPs were released, invaded deeply into the solid tumor, and cross-linked with intratumoral calcium ions. The cross-linking process enabled these Endo-CMC NPs to form larger particles, leading to long retention in tumor tissue to minimize premature clearance. This Endo-CMC@hydrogel, integrating the abilities of good tumoral penetration, long retention of anti-drug, and alleviation of hypoxia in tumor tissue, greatly improved the therapeutic effect of radiotherapy. This work provides a proof-of-concept of tumor microenvironment-responding and an aggregable nano-drug delivery system as promising antitumor drug carriers for effective tumor therapy.

Baicalin suppresses expression of TLR2/4 and NF-κB in chlamydia trachomatis-infected mice.

Our previous studies have shown that the baicalin could blocked infection of chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis)-infected cells in vitro. Toll-like receptor 2 and 4 (TLR2/4) and the downstream nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway, which mediate the inflammatory reaction, are involved in the pathophysiological processes of inflammation. In this study, we investigated whether baicalin inhibits TLR2/4 signaling pathway in gential tract chlamydia-infected mice. The progesterone-treated animals were given intravaginally 200 mg/kg baicalin administered. Nineteen days after infection, cervical tissue were taken and expression of TLR2/4, NF-κB were determined by RT-PCR or westernblot. Nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2 production in cervical tissue were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. It was demonstrated that baicalin significantly reduced C. trachomatis loading in BALB/c mice that were vaginally infected with the pathogen. Meanwhile, baicalin also reduced the expression of TLR2/4 and NF-κB, decreased activity of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxgenase-2 in cervical tissue. Our results suggest that baicalin inhibits the TLR2/4 signaling pathway in cervical tissue of gential tract chlamydia-infected mice. On the basis of these data and our previous observations, we conclude that further evaluation of baicalin for prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted chlamydial infection is warranted.

Heart rate variability is associated with cerebral small vessel disease in patients with diabetes.

Objective: Low heart rate variability (HRV), an indicator of autonomic nervous system dysfunction, has been associated with increased all-cause and cardiovascular mortality and incident stroke. However, the relationship between HRV and cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) showed contradictory results. We aimed to examine the relationship of HRV and total burden of CSVD and each of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers of CSVD. Methods: We recruited 435 patients who attended our hospital for physical examination between June 2020 and August 2021. All underwent 24-h Holter monitoring and MRI scan. The standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals (SDNN) was selected as the method for HRV assessment. The presence of severe white matter hyperintensity, lacunes, and >10 enlarged basal ganglia perivascular spaces, and cerebral microbleeds were added for estimating the CSVD score (0-4). Multivariate logistic analyses was performed to assess whether HRV was independently associated with the burden of CSVD and each of the MRI markers of CSVD, with and without stratification by prevalent diabetes. Results: This study included 435 subjects with a mean age of 64.0 (57.0-70.0) years; 49.4% of the patients were male, and 122 (28.0%) had a history of diabetes. In multivariate analyses, lower SDNN was independently associated with total burden of CSVD and the presence of enlarged perivascular spaces in all subjects. According to diabetes stratification, lower SDNN was independently associated with total burden of CSVD and each MRI markers of CSVD separately only in the diabetic group. Conclusions: Lower HRV was associated with total burden of CSVD and each MRI markers of CSVD separately among diabetic patients, but not among non-diabetic patients.

In vitro anti-influenza A H1N1 effect of extract of Bupleuri Radix.

This study investigated the effect of the extract of Bupleuri Radix (BRE) on the infection of Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells by anti-H1N1 virus. The effect of BRE on RANTES (the chemokine regulated on activation, normal T cells expressed and secreted) secretion in H1N1-infected A549 cells (human bronchial epithelial cells) was evaluated via quantative measurement of the changes in the cytopathic effects and by the ultraviolet (UV) absorbance at 600 nm. It was found that BRE was toxic to MDCK cells at a higher concentration while had a marked inhibitory effect on cell pathological changes at a lower concentration. Results also showed that BRE possessed more than 50% suppressing effect on RANTES secretion in H1N1-infected A549 cells at a concentration of 100 and 200 µg/ml. Our findings show that BRE has a significant protective effect on MDCK cells infected in a dose-dependent manner with an excellent suppressing effect on RANTES secretion, suggesting that BRE can be developed as an antivirus agent.

Effects of baicalin on Chlamydia trachomatis infection in vitro.

Baicalin has emerged as a promising agent for the therapy of infectious diseases due to the increasing number of pathogenic microbial strains resistant to several antibiotics. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory activity of baicalin on Chlamydia infection in vitro. We found that baicalin blocked the infection of HeLa cells in vitro when added to the infected cells. In order to shed light on the inhibitory effects of baicalin on the Chlamydia-infected cells, the expression of RFX5 and Chlamydia protease-like activity factor (CPAF) mRNAs and proteins in the Chlamydia-infected cells were examined using Western blot and real-time RT-PCR analysis. The results demonstrated that RFX5 and CPAF were upregulated and downregulated, respectively, by baicalin. Because CPAF is responsible for degrading RFX5, it is suggested that CPAF is a primary target of baicalin and plays an important role in downregulating RFX5. In conclusion, our findings demonstrated that baicalin can effectively inhibit Chlamydia Trachomatis in HeLa cells and therefore can be considered a potential agent for the therapy of infectious diseases caused by C. trachomatis.

Effects of Mg(2+)on spectral characteristics and photosynthetic functions of spinach photosystem II.

In the present paper we report the results obtained with the photosystem II (PSII) isolated from spinach treated by MgCl(2), and studied the effect of Mg(2+) on spectral characteristics and photosynthetic functions of PSII. The results showed that Mg(2+) treatment at a suitable concentration could significantly increase the absorption intensity of PSII and the intensity ratio of Soret band to Q band of chlorophyll-a. The treatment also elevated the excited peak intensity at 230, 278 and 343 nm, and the emitted peak intensity at 304 and 682 nm, and the ratio of F(278)/F(230), respectively. The results implied that Mg(2+) increased absorbance for visible light, improving energy transfer among amino acids within PSII protein complex and accelerating energy transport from tyrosine residue to chlorophyll-a. The photochemical activity and oxygen evolving rate of PSII were also enhanced by Mg(2+). This is viewed as evidence that Mg(2+) can promote energy transfer and oxygen evolution in PSII of spinach.

Role of PD-L1 on promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition by activating NF-κB in endometrial cancer / 中国现代医生

@#Objective To investigate the effect of programmed death ligand-1(PD-L1)overexpression on epithelial mesenchymal transformation(EMT)in endometrial cancer cells and its possible mechanism.Methods Ishikawa/PD-L1,a PD-L1 stable overexpression cell line constructed in the laboratory and the control Ishikawa/EV were used.The efficiency of PD-L1 overexpression was detected by qPCR and Western blot assay.The cell migration ability and invasion activity were detected by scratch assay and Transwell assay.The EMT-related protein and the phosphorylation level of nuclear transcription factor-κB(NF-κB)were detected by Western blot.Results Compared with the control group,the migration ability and invasion activity of Ishikawa/PD-L1 were significantly enhanced,and the expression of E-cadherin was significantly down-regulated,whereas vimentin,N-cadherin and p-p65 were significantly increased.Conclusion PD-L1 can promote EMT by inducing the activation of NF-κB pathway,and thus enhance the migration and invasion ability of endometrial cancer cells.

Applications of Biologically Oriented Preparation Technique in Prosthodontics / 昆明医科大学学报

The preparation edge of the tooth in oral restoration has always been the hot concern for dentists,and the improper preparation edge may lead to such diseases as caries and periodontitis,and ultimately lead to the restoration failure.The application of biologically oriented preparation technique has been proven to restore good periodontal soft and hard tissue morphology,which is expected to replace the traditional dental preparation methods.This article aims to comprehensively discuss the application of biologically oriented preparation technique in veneers,full crown and implantation.

Autologous platelet-rich plasma treatment for infected deep second-degree burn wounds: a case report / 中国输血杂志

【Objective】 To explore the feasibility of using autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in the treatment of deep second-degree burns complicated with wound infection. 【Methods】 A retrospective analysis was conducted on the treatment process of a patient with deep second-degree burns and bacterial infection on the wound using autologous PRP. Clinical treatment highlights and outpatient follow-up were combined to discuss the feasibility and clinical effects of using autologous PRP in the treatment of burn wounds complicated with infection. 【Results】 The patient had a deep second-degree burn with a coagulase-negative Staphylococcus infection on the left lower limb. After one week of conventional wound dressing and antibiotic treatment, the patient's body temperature returned to normal. However, wound healing was slow and yellow secretion persisted. Subsequently, the burn wound was treated combined with topical autologous PRP. The wound pain score gradually decreased from 8 to 1. After 2 weeks, the bacterial culture of the wound secretion was negative, and the wound healed completely after 18 days. The wound scar score decreased from 5 to 2 at 1, 3 and 6 months after PRP treatment, and no obvious scar formation was observed. In the course of PRP treatment, there were no adverse reactions such as increased wound inflammation, abnormal blood routine and liver and kidney function test results. 【Conclusion】 For deep second-degree burn patients with localized wound bacterial infections who either refuse surgery or are not suitable for surgery, autologous PRP is a safer alternative that can effectively promote tissue regeneration and wound healing. The patient in this case achieved a curative effect in a short period of time.

Preoperative Prediction of Lymphovascular Invasion of Node-Negative Gastric Cancer Based on CT Radiomics / 中国医学影像学杂志

Purpose To explore the value of CT-based radiomics in the preoperative prediction of lymphatic invasion of node-negative gastric cancer,and to construct a nomogram combined with clinical variables.Materials and Methods The clinical and CT imaging data of 173 gastric cancer patients with lymph node negative and pathologically confirmed gastric cancer in the Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital from January 2019 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.A total of 60 cases with lymphovascular invasion(LVI)positive patients and 113 cases with LVI negative patients were included,and randomly divided into train cohort(n=121)and test cohort(n=52)at 7∶3.Based on the train cohort,the clinical model,the radiomics model,the fusion model were constructed and verified in the test cohort.Clinical data and conventional CT features included age,gender,tumor marker,tumor location,tumor morphology,enhancement range,etc.The clinical significant variables were selected through univariate and multivariate analysis to establish the clinical model.The tumor regions of interest were segmented and radiomics features were extracted by using the 3D-Slicer software.Key features were screened through least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis,and then the radiomics model was constructed with random forest algorithm,and converted to random forest score(RF score).The fusion model was constructed via combining clinical significant variables and RF score,and visualized as a nomogram.The receiver operator characteristic curve and area under curve(AUC)were used to evaluate the prediction performance of the models.Decision curve analysis was used to calculate the clinical practicability.Results The radiomics model was superior to the clinical model.The radiomics model AUC of the train cohort and the test cohort were 0.872(0.810 to 0.935)and 0.827(0.707 to 0.947),the clinical model AUC were 0.767(0.682 to 0.852)and 0.761(0.610 to 0.913).The nomogram further improved the predictive efficiency,the AUC in train cohort and test cohort reached 0.898(0.842 to 0.953)and 0.844(0.717 to 0.971),respectively.Decision curve analysis demonstrated clinical benefits of nomogram.Conclusion The radiomics model can be used to preoperatively predict LVI of node-negative gastric cancer.The nomogram can further improve the prediction efficiency.

Application of CAD/CAM Technology in the Teaching of Inlay Production / 昆明医科大学学报

Objective To study the application value of CAD/CAM technology in the teaching of inlay manufacturing.Methods A total of 60 undergraduates interned in the Department of Stomatology,Yan'an Hospital,Kunming Medical University were randomly divided into an experimental group(n=30)and a control group(n=30).We selected appropriate clinical cases for students to prepare for mandibular molar's proximal occlusal inlays.The instructor guided the results of the first preparation in different ways,and the students made the second modification and preparation,and the assessment team scored and evaluated the five aspects of the final preparation,the shape of the preparation,the shape of the occlusal surface,the dovetail retention,and the adjacent surface.Results The scores of all detection indexes in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion The application of CAD/CAM technology in inlay manufacturing teaching can effectively improve students'clinical hands-on ability and achieve better teaching effects than traditional teaching methods.

Engineering ultrafast charge transfer in a bismuthene/perovskite nanohybrid.

In this work, 0-dimensional (0D) CsPbBr3 QDs were integrated with 2D bismuthene having ultrafast carrier mobility, to obtain a 0D/2D nanohybrid. Moreover, an excellent charge transfer efficiency (0.53) and an appreciable quenching constant of 2.3 × 105 M-1 were observed. Tuning the ratio of bismuthene in the Bi/perovskite nanohybrid achieved the quantified control of charge transfer efficiency and quenching performance at the interface.

Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation Attenuates Cognitive Deficits and Alzheimer's Disease-Type Pathologies via ISCA1-Mediated Mitochondrial Modulation in APP/PS1 Mice / 神经科学通报·英文版

Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS), a time-saving and cost-effective repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation regime, has been shown to improve cognition in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the specific mechanism underlying iTBS-induced cognitive enhancement remains unknown. Previous studies suggested that mitochondrial functions are modulated by magnetic stimulation. Here, we showed that iTBS upregulates the expression of iron-sulfur cluster assembly 1 (ISCA1, an essential regulatory factor for mitochondrial respiration) in the brain of APP/PS1 mice. In vivo and in vitro studies revealed that iTBS modulates mitochondrial iron-sulfur cluster assembly to facilitate mitochondrial respiration and function, which is required for ISCA1. Moreover, iTBS rescues cognitive decline and attenuates AD-type pathologies in APP/PS1 mice. The present study uncovers a novel mechanism by which iTBS modulates mitochondrial respiration and function via ISCA1-mediated iron-sulfur cluster assembly to alleviate cognitive impairments and pathologies in AD. We provide the mechanistic target of iTBS that warrants its therapeutic potential for AD patients.