Public Awareness of Blindness Caused by Hyaluronic Acid Injection in China: A Questionnaire Survey.

Background: The occurrence of blindness resulting from facial injection is a catastrophic complication that remains a significant safety concern for patients. The aim was to assess public awareness of blindness caused by hyaluronic acid injection. Methods: The Tencent questionnaire platform was used to gather self-reported demographic data, information about injection experience, and factors influencing the understanding of blindness. Additionally, we included an educational section on blindness caused by hyaluronic acid injection and evaluated the respondents' intention to undergo injections. Results: A total of 1000 respondents completed the questionnaire, 15.4% had received filler injections, and 53.7% expressed their consideration of facial filler injections. The majority of respondents (68.3%) reported being aware of the risk of blindness associated with filler injections, with professional health blogs, social media, and news serving as the primary sources of information. Furthermore, 93.4% of the respondents believed that plastic surgeons should discuss the risk of blindness with patients before injection. Conclusions: The majority of the respondents in this study were aware of the possibility of blindness resulting from filler injections. Health blogs, news outlets, and social media platforms are likely the primary channels through which the public obtains information on this topic.

The impact of carvacrol on the larval gut bacterial structure and function of Lymantria dispar.

Introduction: The gut bacteria of insects play an important role in regulating their metabolism, immune system and metabolizing pesticides. Our previous results indicate that carvacrol has certain gastric toxic activity on Lymantria dispar larvae and affects their detoxification metabolism at the mRNA level. However, the impact of carvacrol on the gut bacteria of L. dispar larvae has been unclear. Methods: In this study, the 16S rRNA sequencing technology was used to sequence and analyze the gut bacteria of the larvae which were exposed with sublethal concentration (0.297 mg/mL) and median lethal concentration (1.120 mg/mL), respectively. Results: A total of 10 phyla, 16 classes, 47 orders, 72 families, 103 genera, and 135 species were obtained by using a 97% similarity cutoff level. The dominant bacterial phyla in the gut of the L. dispar larvae are Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. The treatment with carvacrol can significantly affect the structure of gut bacteria in the larvae of the L. dispar. At both doses, carvacrol can shift the dominant gut bacteria of the larvae from Proteobacteria to Firmicutes. At the genus level, two doses of carvacrol can significantly enhance the relative abundance of probiotic Lactobacillus in the gut of L. dispar larvae (p ≤ 0.01). Additionally, significant differences were observed among the five bacterial genera Burkholderia-Caballeronia-Paraburkholderia, Anoxybacillus, Pelomonas, Mesorhizobium (p ≤ 0.05). The analysis of α-diversity and ß-diversity indicates that the treatment with carvacrol at two doses significantly affect the bacterial richness and diversity in the larvae. However, the results of functional classification prediction (PICRUSt) indicate that carvacrol significantly down-regulate 7 functions, including Energy metabolism, Cell growth and death, and up-regulate 2 functions, including Carbohydrate metabolism and Membrane transport. The network analysis indicates that the correlation between gut bacteria also has been changed. In addition, the insecticidal activity results of carvacrol against L. dispar larvae with gut bacteria elimination showed that gut bacteria can reduce the insecticidal activity of carvacrol against L. dispar larvae. Discussion: This study provides a theoretical foundation for understanding the role of gut bacteria in detoxifying plant toxins and conferring pesticide resistance.

Achieving ultrasensitive detection of glyphosate in fruits and vegetables using a triple-mode strategy based on carbon dots nanozymes derived from expired drugs.

Rapid and sensitive detection of glyphosate (GLP) holds significant importance in the monitoring of environmental pollution and potential risks to human health. In this study, carbon dots nanozymes (CDszymes) with peroxidase-like activity were synthesized rapidly using a microwave-assisted method, employing expired drugs as raw materials. In the presence of H2O2, CDszymes catalyze the oxidation of TMB to generate blue oxTMB, which exhibits a photothermal effect under near-infrared light irradiation; an inner filter effect (IFE) may occur between oxTMB and CDszymes. By coupling the cascade catalysis of AChE and ChOx to generate H2O2, GLP effectively inhibits the activity of AChE, constructing a colorimetric/fluorescent/photothermal response platform for GLP. In colorimetry, the detection limit of GLP was 0.33 ng/mL. The detection limits of GLP by fluorescence method and photothermal method were 0.02 ng/mL and 0.41 ng/mL, respectively. The efficacy of this methodology has been successfully demonstrated in fruit and vegetable, it also provides a strategy for the high-value conversion of expired drugs.

Highly Reactive Glycosylation with 1-O-(Methylthio)thiocarbonyl Glycosyl Donors under Acidic to Neutral Reaction Conditions.

In this study, we have successfully developed a glycosylation method using 1-O-(methylthio)thiocarbonyl-glycoses as donors. Such xanthate donors are easily accessible and shelf-stable. The glycosylation reaction could be promoted by cations (acidic to neutral conditions) under mild conditions, exhibiting a reactivity intermediate between that with glycosyl trichloroacetimidate as the donor and that with thioglycoside as the donor. This methodology tolerates both "armed" and "disarmed" glycosyl donors, as well as various sugar acceptors, and affords the corresponding glycosides in good to excellent yields. Based on the relative higher reactivity of such xanthate donors than thioglycoside donors under the same glycosylation conditions, a trisaccharide was further synthesized in a one-pot glycosylation strategy.

Rational Design and Fine Fabrication of Passive Daytime Radiative Cooling Textiles Integrate Antibacterial, UV-Shielding, and Self-Cleaning Characteristics.

Passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) textiles hold substantial potential for localized outdoor cooling of the human body without additional energy consumption, but their limited multifunctional integration severely hinders their practical application. Herein, aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) nanoparticles were purposefully introduced into poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) nanofibers via a facile electrospinning process, forming a large-scale and flexible PDRC textile with the desired antibacterial, UV-shielding, and self-cleaning capabilities. These prepared PDRC textiles present a weighted sunlight reflection rate of 92.3% and a weighted emissivity of 89.5% in the mid-infrared region. Furthermore, outdoor tests with an average solar intensity of ∼715 W/m2 demonstrated that a skin simulator temperature could be cooled by ∼16.1 °C below the ambient temperature, outperforming cotton fabric by ∼6.3 °C. Owing to the outstanding photocatalytic properties of the AZO nanoparticles, these prepared PVDF textiles exhibit antibacterial properties (Escherichia coli: 99.99%), UV-shielding performance (UPF > 50+), and superior self-cleaning capabilities, providing a cost-effective and eco-friendly avenue for daytime personal thermal management.

Bilateral hearing loss caused by anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis with teratoma: A case report.

Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is an autoimmune disease in the central nervous system. Clinical manifestations include cognitive dysfunction, psychiatric-behavioral abnormalities, epilepsy, motor disorders, speech disorders, and memory impairment. Some patients do not have the characteristic clinical manifestations of the disease when they see a doctor, so they are easily diagnosed incorrectly. Autoimmune antibodies originate from genetic and acquired factors. Clinical data have found a correlation between ovarian teratoma and autoimmune encephalitis. This case reports a 34-year-old woman who was diagnosed with teratoma-associated anti-N-methyl-D- aspartate receptor-mediated autoimmune encephalitis called anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis with bilateral hearing loss in 2021. Through this case report, clinicians will pay attention to autoimmune encephalitis and raise awareness of the specific clinical manifestations of autoimmune encephalitis, and focus on early identification. It means that clinicians should be familiar with the representative clinical manifestations of the disease.

Sucurchalasins A and B, Sulfur-Containing Heterodimers of a Cytochalasan and a Macrolide from the Endophytic Fungus Aspergillus spelaeus GDGJ-286.

Two sulfur-containing heterodimers of a cytochalasan and a macrolide, sucurchalasins A and B (1 and 2), and four known cytochalasan monomers (3-6), as well as four known macrolide derivatives (7-10), were obtained from the endophytic fungus Aspergillus spelaeus GDGJ-286. Sucurchalasins A and B (1 and 2) are the first cytochalasan heterodimers formed via a thioether bridge between cytochalasan and curvularin macrolide units. Their structures were elucidated by detailed analysis of NMR, LC-MS/MS, and X-ray crystallography. In bioassays, 1 and 2 exhibited cytotoxic effects on A2780 cells, with IC50 values of 3.9 and 8.3 µM, respectively. They also showed antibacterial activities against E. faecalis and B. subtilis with MIC values of 3.1 and 6.3 µg/mL, respectively.

[Effects of Streptomyces pactum Act12 on root morphogenesis and medicinal quality of Codonopsis pilosula]. / 密旋链霉菌Act12å¯¹å šå‚æ ¹ç³»å½¢æ€åŠè¯æå“è´¨çš„å½±å“.

As a kind of tonic Chinese medicine with dual use in medicine and food, there is a large market demanding for Codonopsis pilosula. Taking one-year-old C. pilosula seedlings as materials, we conducted a field experiment to examine the effect of compound fertilizer (750 kg·hm-2), organic fertilizer (15 t·hm-2) and Streptomyces pactum Act12 agent (9 t·hm-2 Act12+10 t·hm-2 organic fertilizer) treatments on root morphology, secondary metabolite content and expression level of lobetyolin metabolic pathway gene of C. pilosula, to clarify the effects of three fertilizers on the root morphology and medicinal quality. Compared to the control (10 t·hm-2 organic fertilizer, conventional fertilization), three fertilization treatments could promote root growth and formation. All fertilization treatments promoted the accumulation of C. pilosula polysaccharides and secondary metabolites. Act12 agent significantly increased the content of lobetyolin, atractylenolideIII, and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. The qRT-PCR analysis indicated that three fertilization treatments increased the expression level of lobetyolin metabolic pathway genes, with Act12 agent treatment showing the most significant effect. Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated that the expression level of CpHCT and CpFAD genes was significantly positively correlated with atractylenolide III content. In conclusion, three fertilization treatments could effectively improve the yield and quality of C. pilosula. Among the three treatments, Act12 agent performed better than that of compound fertilizer and organic fertilizer, which was an effective measure to increase the yield and quality of C. pilosula.

Hypertension and iron deficiency anemia: Exploring genetic associations and causal inference.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Observational studies have suggested a potential association between hypertension and Iron deficiency anemia (IDA). However, it is unclear whether there is a genetic and causal link between hypertension and IDA. METHODS AND RESULTS: Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) data for hypertension were sourced from the UK Biobank and FinnGen. Genetic variants data for IDA were extracted from FinnGen and the IEU Open GWAS project, all derived from European populations. The genetic association between hypertension and IDA was assessed using Linkage Disequilibrium Score Regression (LDSC), with MR employed to determine causality. Inverse variance weighted (IVW) as a major analytical method for MR. Sensitivity and heterogeneity analyses were conducted to ensure result reliability. Furthermore, validation analysis was performed to further strengthen the robustness of the findings. A genetic association between hypertension and IDA was observed (rg = 0.121, P = 0.002). Our findings suggest that hypertension increases the risk of developing IDA (OR = 2.493,P = 0.038), and IDA maybe serve as a risk factor for hypertension (OR = 1.006,P < 0.001). Validation analysis yielded consistent results. Importantly, our findings demonstrated no heterogeneity or horizontal pleiotropy. CONCLUSION: Additional insights into the connection between hypertension and IDA were gained. Regular testing of iron ions and anemia-related markers in hypertensive patients is crucial for early identification of IDA. Furthermore, it is imperative to closely monitor the blood pressure of patients with IDA to promptly identify and diagnose hypertension. The implementation of these integrated health strategies is vital for global efforts to tackle the dual challenges of hypertension and IDA.

Glutaminolysis provides nucleotides and amino acids to regulate osteoclast differentiation in mice.

Osteoclasts are bone resorbing cells that are essential to maintain skeletal integrity and function. While many of the growth factors and molecular signals that govern osteoclastogenesis are well studied, how the metabolome changes during osteoclastogenesis is unknown. Using a multifaceted approach, we identified a metabolomic signature of osteoclast differentiation consisting of increased amino acid and nucleotide metabolism. Maintenance of the osteoclast metabolic signature is governed by elevated glutaminolysis. Mechanistically, glutaminolysis provides amino acids and nucleotides which are essential for osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption in vitro. Genetic experiments in mice found that glutaminolysis is essential for osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption in vivo. Highlighting the therapeutic implications of these findings, inhibiting glutaminolysis using CB-839 prevented ovariectomy induced bone loss in mice. Collectively, our data provide strong genetic and pharmacological evidence that glutaminolysis is essential to regulate osteoclast metabolism, promote osteoclastogenesis and modulate bone resorption in mice.

Loss of OsMATE6 Function Enhances Drought Resistance Without Yield Penalty by Regulating Stomatal Closure in Rice.

Drought is one of the most severe environmental factors limiting plant growth and crop yield, necessitating the identification of genes that enhance drought resistance for crop improvement. Through screening an ethyl methyl sulfonate-mutagenized rice mutant library, we isolated the PEG tolerance mutant 97-1 (ptm97-1), which displays enhanced resistance to osmotic and drought stress, and increased yield under drought conditions. A point mutation in OsMATE6 was identified as being associated with the drought-resistant phenotype of ptm97-1. The role of OsMATE6 in conferring drought resistance was confirmed by additional OsMATE6 knockout mutants. OsMATE6 is expressed in guard cells, shoots and roots and the OsMATE6-GFP fusion protein predominantly localizes to the plasma membrane. Our ABA efflux assays suggest that OsMATE6 functions as an ABA efflux transporter; mutant protoplasts exhibited a slower ABA release rate compared to the wild type. We hypothesize that OsMATE6 regulates ABA levels in guard cells, influencing stomatal closure and enhancing drought resistance. Notably, OsMATE6 knockout mutants demonstrated greater yields under field drought conditions compared to wild-type plants, highlighting OsMATE6 as a promising candidate for improving crop drought resistance.

Schizophyllum commune fruiting body polysaccharides inhibit glioma by mediating ARHI regulation of PI3K/AKT signalling pathway.

Glioma poses a serious threat to human health and has a high mortality rate. Therefore, developing natural anti-tumour drugs for cancer treatment is an urgent priority. Schizophyllum commune is an edible and medicinal fungus, with polysaccharides as its main active components, which may have anti-tumour properties. Herein, we characterised S. commune fruiting body polysaccharides (SCFP) structure and evaluated its anti-glioma activity in vitro and in vivo. UV and FTIR spectra, high-performance gel chromatography, and monosaccharide composition analyses demonstrated that SCFP was a heteropolysaccharide with a molecular weight of 290.92 kDa. Among the monosaccharide compositions, mannose, galactose, and glucose were the most abundant. SCFP significantly inhibited the survival of the glioma cell lines U251 and U-87MG. U251 xenograft tumours treated with SCFP via gavage showed a 47.39 % inhibition, with no significant toxic side effects observed. SCFP upregulated aplasia Ras homologue member I (ARHI) expression, thereby regulating PI3K/AKT signalling, inhibiting tumour migration, and inducing apoptosis, to inhibit tumour growth. Furthermore, SCFP treatment increased the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria, including Akkermansia muciniphila, Ligilactobacillus murinus, and Parabacteroides goldsteinii, in tumour-bearing mice and restored the gut microbiota structure to that of the normal group (NG group) mice without tumours. Thus, SCFP has the potential for application as a natural anticancer drug.

Facile Synthesis of Potassium Decahydrido-Monocarba-closo-Decaborate Imidazole Complex Electrolyte for All-Solid-State Potassium Metal Batteries.

All-solid-state potassium metal batteries have caught increasing interest owing to their abundance, cost-effectiveness, and high energy/power density. However, their development is generally constrained by the lack of suitable solid-state electrolytes. Herein, we report a new complex KCB9H10·2C3H4N2, synthesized by grinding and heating the mixture of potassium decahydrido-monocarba-closo-decaborate (KCB9H10) and imidazole (C3H4N2) under mild conditions, to achieve the K-ion superionic solid-state electrolyte. The crystal structure was revealed as an orthorhombic lattice with the space group of Pna21 by FOX software. The diffusion properties for K+ in the crystal structure were calculated using the climbing image nudged elastic band (CI-NEB) method. KCB9H10·2C3H4N2 exhibited a high ionic conductivity of 1.3 × 10-4 S cm-1 at 30 °C, four orders of magnitude higher than that of KCB9H10. This ionic conductivity is also the highest value of hydridoborate-based K+ conductors reported. Moreover, KCB9H10·2C3H4N2 demonstrated a K+ transference number of 0.96, an electrochemical stability window of 1.2 to 3.2 V vs. K/K+, and good stability against the K metal coated by a layer of potassium imidazolate (KIm). These great performances make KCB9H10·2C3H4N2 a promising K-ion solid-state electrolyte.

Overexpression of DUSP26 gene suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of human prostate cancer cells.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is threatening the health of millions of people, the pathological mechanism of prostate cancer has not been fully elaborated, and needs to be further explored. Here, we found that the expression of DUSP26 is dramatically suppressed, and a positive connection of its expression with PCa prognosis was also observed. In vitro, overexpression of DUSP26 significantly inhibited the proliferative, migrative, and invasive capacities of PC3 cells, DUSP26 silencing presented opposite results. Tumor formation experiments in subcutaneous nude mice demonstrated that DUSP26 overexpression could significantly suppress PC3 growth in vivo. Moreover, the mechanism of DUSP26 gene and PCa was discovered by RNA-Seq analysis. We found that DUSP26 significantly inhibited MAPK signaling pathway activation, and further experiments displayed that DUSP26 could impair TAK1, p38, and JNK phosphorylation. Interestingly, treatment with the TAK1 inhibitor (iTAK1) attenuated the effect of DUSP26 on PC3 cells. Together, these results suggested that DUSP26 may serve as a novel therapeutic target for PC3 cell type PCa, the underlying mechanism may be through TAK1-JNK/p38 signaling.

Recent Advances in Fire-Retardant Silicone Rubber Composites.

Silicone rubber (SR), as one kind of highly valuable rubber material, has been widely used in many fields, e.g., construction, transportation, the electronics industry, automobiles, aviation, and biology, owing to its attractive properties, including high- and low-temperature resistance, weathering resistance, chemical stability, and electrical isolation, as well as transparency. Unfortunately, the inherent flammability of SR largely restricts its practical application in many fields that have high standard requirements for flame retardancy. Throughout the last decade, a series of flame-retardant strategies have been adopted which enhance the flame retardancy of SR and even enhance its other key properties, such as mechanical properties and thermal stability. This comprehensive review systematically reviewed the recent research advances in flame-retarded SR materials and summarized and introduced the up-to-date design of different types of flame retardants and their effects on flame-retardant properties and other performances of SR. In addition, the related flame-retardant mechanisms of the as-prepared flame-retardant SR materials are analyzed and presented. Moreover, key challenges associated with these various types of FRs are discussed, and future development directions are also proposed.

Diagnostic efficacy of the contrast-enhanced ultrasound thyroid imaging reporting and data system classification for benign and malignant thyroid nodules.

Background: The contrasted-enhanced ultrasound thyroid imaging reporting and data system (CEUS TI-RADS) is the first international risk stratification system for thyroid nodules based on conventional ultrasound (US) and CEUS. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of CEUS TI-RADS for benign and malignant thyroid nodules and to assess the related interobserver agreement. Methods: The study recruited 433 patients who underwent thyroid US and CEUS between January 2019 and June 2023 at the Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University. A retrospective analysis of 467 thyroid nodules confirmed by fine-needle aspiration (FNA) and/or surgery was performed. Further, a CEUS TI-RADS classification was assigned to each thyroid nodule based on the CEUS TI-RADS scoring criteria for the US and CEUS features of the nodule. The nodules were grouped based on their sizes as follows: size ≤1 cm, group A; size >1 and ≤4 cm, group B; and size >4 cm, group C. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze independent risk factors for malignant thyroid nodules. Pathological assessment was the reference standard for establishing the sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SPE), accuracy (ACC), positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of CEUS TI-RADS in diagnosing malignant thyroid nodules. The area under the curve (AUC) in the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to compare the diagnostic efficacy of the scoring system in predicting malignancy in three groups of nodules. The intragroup correlation coefficient (ICC) was adopted to assess the interobserver agreement of the CEUS TI-RADS score. Results: Out of the 467 thyroid nodules, 262 were malignant and 205 were benign. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the independent risk factors for malignant thyroid nodules included punctate echogenic foci (P<0.001), taller-than-wide shape (P=0.015), extrathyroidal invasion (P=0.020), irregular margins/lobulation (P=0.036), hypoechoicity on US (P=0.038), and hypoenhancement on CEUS (P<0.001). The AUC for the CEUS TI-RADS in diagnosing malignant thyroid nodules was 0.898 for all nodules, 0.795 for group A, 0.949 for group B, and 0.801 for group C, with the optimal cutoff values of the CEUS TI-RADS being 5 points, 6 points, 5 points, and 5 points, respectively. Among these groups of nodules, group B had the highest AUC, with the SEN, SPE, ACC, PPV, and NPV for diagnosing malignant nodules being 95.9%, 88.1%, 92.8%, 92.6%, and 93.2%, respectively. The ICC of the CEUS TI-RADS classification between senior and junior physicians was 0.862 (P<0.001). Conclusions: In summary, CEUS TI-RADS demonstrated significant efficacy in distinguishing thyroid nodules. Nonetheless, there were variations in its capacity to detect malignant nodules across diverse sizes, and it demonstrate optimal performance in 1- to 4-cm nodules. These findings may serve as important insights for clinical diagnoses.

Rational Design of Oil-Resistant and Electrically Conductive Fluorosilicone Rubber Foam Nanocomposites for Sensitive Detectability in Complex Solvent Environments.

Recent years have witnessed the explosive development of highly sensitive smart sensors based on conductive polymer foam materials. However, the design and development of multifunctional polymeric foam composites as smart sensors applied in complex solvent and oil environments remain a critical challenge. Herein, we design and synthesize vinyl-terminated polytrifluoropropylmethylsiloxane through anionic ring-opening polymerization to fabricate fluorosilicone rubber foam (FSiRF) materials with nanoscale wrinkled surfaces and reactive Si-H groups via a green and rapid chemical foaming strategy. Based on the strong adhesion between FSiRF materials and consecutive oxidized ketjen black (OKB) nano-network, multifunctional FSiRF nanocomposites were prepared by a dip-coating strategy followed by fluoroalkylsilane modification. The optimized F-OKB@FSiRF nanocomposites exhibit outstanding mechanical flexibility in wide-temperature range (100 cycle compressions from -20 to 200 °C), structure stability (no detached particles after being immersed into various aqueous solutions for up to 15 days), surface superhydrophobicity (water contact angle of 154° and sliding angle of ∼7°), and tunable electrical conductivity (from 10-5 to 10-2 S m-1). Additionally, benefiting from the combined actions of multiple lines of defense (low surface energy groups, physical barriers, and "shielding effect"), the F-OKB@FSiRF sensor presents excellent anti-swelling property and high sensitivity in monitoring both large-deformation and tiny vibrations generated by knocking the beaker, ultrasonic action, agitating, and sinking objects in weak-polar or nonpolar solvents. This work conceivably provides a chemical strategy for the fabrication of multifunctional polymeric foam nanocomposite materials as smart sensors for broad applications.

Electroacupuncture protects against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury through mitochondrial dynamics.

Background: Electroacupuncture (EA) has been shown to promote functional recovery after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. However, the contribution of mitochondrial dynamics to recovery remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate whether mitochondrial dynamics are involved in the effects of EA on cerebral I/R injury. Methods: The rats with cerebral I/R injury were established by the middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion. Subsequently, EA was applied to Baihui (GV20) and Dazhui (GV14) acupoints, with 2 Hz/5 Hz in frequency, 1.0 mA in intensity, 20 min each time, once a day for seven consecutive days. The therapeutic outcomes were assessed by modified neurological severity score (mNSS), 2,3,5-Triphenyte-trazolium chloride (TTC) staining, and hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Mitochondrial morphology was observed under transmission electron microscopy. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content and ATP synthases (ATPases) activity were evaluated to measure mitochondrial function using ELISA. Finally, mitochondrial dynamics-related molecules, including dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1), fission 1 (Fis1), mitofusin 1 (Mfn1), mitofusin 2 (Mfn2), and optic atrophy 1 (OPA1), were detected by Western blot and immunofluorescence staining. Results: Cerebral I/R injury induced neurological dysfunction, cerebral infarction and neuronal injury, all of which were ameliorated by EA. And EA improved mitochondrial morphology and function. Moreover, EA altered the balance of mitochondrial dynamics. Specifically, the data showed a significant decrease in the expression of Drp1 and Fis1, leading to the inhibition of mitochondrial fission. Additionally, Mfn1, Mfn2 and Opa1, which are related to mitochondrial fusion, were effectively promoted after EA treatment. However, sham EA did not show any neuroprotective effects in rats with cerebral I/R injury. Conclusions: In summary, our study indicates that the balance of mitochondrial dynamics is crucial for EA therapy to treat cerebral I/R injury.

Clinical and Imaging Features of Pulmonary Nodular Lymphoid Hyperplasia.

PURPOSE: To investigate the clinical and radiographic features of PNLH and the relationship with pathologic features. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 11 patients in whom PNLH was confirmed in our department were retrospectively studied. The clinical and radiographic features were extracted and analyzed, and we also discussed the relationship between radiologic and pathologic features. RESULTS: Of the 11 patients with PNLH, 5 were discovered incidentally, while 4 presented with chest symptoms. Laboratory tests showed no specificity and the lesions were located under the pleura with an adjacent pleural indentation. Most lesions were solid, with some showing signs of spiculation or spiculate protuberance. In some cases, hypodense areas and vocules were visible. The enhanced scan showed marked enhancement, but most had no lymph node enlargement, and there was no pleural effusion. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical manifestations of PNLH are nonspecific and the imaging features overlap with those of malignant lung tumors, and the diagnosis depends on pathologic examination.