Clinicopathologic and endoscopic characteristics of ten patients with gastric hamartomatous inverted polyp: a single center case series.

BACKGROUND: Gastric hamartomatous inverted polyps (GHIPs) are not well characterized and remain diagnostically challenging due to rarity. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the clinicopathologic and endoscopic characteristics of patients with GHIP. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed clinicopathologic and endoscopic features of ten patients with GHIP who were admitted to Beijing Friendship Hospital from March 2013 to July 2022. All patients were treated successfully by endoscopic resection. RESULTS: GHIPs were usually asymptomatic and found incidentally during gastroscopic examination. They may be sessile or pedunculated, with diffuse or local surface redness or erosion. On endoscopic ultrasonography, the sessile submucosal tumor-type GHIP demonstrated a heterogeneous lesion with cystic areas in the third layer of the gastric wall. Histologically, GHIPs were characterized by a submucosal inverted proliferation of cystically dilated hyperplastic gastric glands accompanied by a branching proliferation of smooth muscle bundles. Inflammatory cells infiltration was observed in the stroma, whereas only one patient was complicated with glandular low-grade dysplasia. Assessment of the surrounding mucosa demonstrated that six patients (60%) had atrophic gastritis or Helicobacter pylori-associated gastritis, and four patients (40%) had non-specific gastritis. Endoscopic resection was safe and effective. CONCLUSIONS: GHIPs often arise from the background of abnormal mucosa, such as atrophic or H.pylori-associated gastritis. We make the hypothesis that acquired inflammation might lead to the development of GHIPs. We recommend to make a full assessment of the background mucosa and H. pylori infection status for evaluation of underlying gastric mucosal abnormalities, which may be the preneoplastic condition of the stomach.

Posterior cruciate ligament tibial attachment sacrifice percentage is higher in cruciate-retaining total knee arthroplasty in patients with discoid lateral meniscus.

BACKGROUND: The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) attachment may be damaged in cruciate-retaining total knee arthroplasty (CR-TKA) using the complete resection for tibial preparation, and resection amount varies greatly among individuals. Discoid lateral meniscus (DLM) is one of the most common anatomic knee variants. This study aimed to evaluate the difference in PCL attachment sacrifice in CR-TKA between patients with and without DLM. METHODS: Fifty-one knees in the study group (DLM group) were matched 1:1 to 51 control knees (non-DLM group) by age, sex, and maximum width of the tibial plateau. The percentage of the sacrificed PCL attachment and the morphological parameters of the tibial plateau were evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a blind manner. RESULTS: With a tibial cut simulated at a 0°, 3°, and 7° osteotomy slope, the mean PCL attachment resection percentages in the non-DLM group were 40.5%, 53.6%, and 72.6%, respectively. The corresponding resection percentages in the DLM group were 61.0% (P < 0.001), 73.3% (P < 0.001), and 85.7% (P < 0.001), respectively. The percentage of the minimum meniscus width to the maximum tibia width showed a weak positive correlation with the percentage of PCL attachment sacrifice. CONCLUSIONS: A significantly greater portion of PCL attachment was sacrificed in DLM patients undergoing CR-TKA using the complete proximal tibia resection. Attention should be paid to PCL attachment resection during CR-TKA in patients with DLM, and alternative techniques or prosthesis types should be considered.

[Two-stage Inhibition Effects of Burkholderia sp. Y4 Application on Cadmium Uptake and Transport in Wheat].

In order to evaluate the feasibility of using Burkholderia sp. Y4 as a cadmium （Cd）-reducing bacterial agent in contaminated wheat fields， the changes in the rhizosphere soil microbial community and Cd available state， as well as the content and transport characteristics of Cd in the wheat root， basal node， internode， and grain under the treatment of strain Y4 were tested using microbial high-throughput sequencing， step-by-step extraction， subcellular distribution， and occurrence analyses. The results showed that root application of strain Y4 significantly reduced the root and grain Cd content of wheat by 7.7% and 30.3%， respectively， compared with that in the control treatment. The Cd content and Cd transfer factor results in wheat vegetative organs showed that strain Y4 reduced the Cd transfer factor from basal node to internode by 79.3%， and Cd content in the wheat internode stem also decreased by 50.9%. The study of Cd occurrence morphology showed that strain Y4 treatment increased the proportion of residual Cd in roots and basal ganglia， decreased the contents of inorganic and water-soluble Cd in roots， and increased the content of residual Cd in basal ganglia. Further examination of the subcellular distribution of Cd showed that the Cd content in root cell walls and basal ganglia cell fluid increased by 21.3% and 98.2%， respectively， indicating that the Cd fixation ability of root cell walls and basal ganglia cell fluid was improved by the strain Y4 treatment. In the rhizosphere soil， it was found that the microbial community structure was changed by strain Y4 application. Under the Y4 treatment， the relative abundance of Burkholderia increased from 9.6% to 11.5%， whereas that of Acidobacteriota decreased. Additionally， the relative abundance of Gemmatimonadales， Pseudomonadales， and Chitinophagales were also increased by strain Y4 treatment. At the same time， the application of strain Y4 increased the pH value of rhizosphere soil by 8.3%. The contents of exchangeable Cd， carbonate-bound Cd， and iron-manganese oxide-bound Cd in the soil decreased by 44.4%， 21.7%， and 15.9%， respectively， whereas the proportion of residual Cd reached 53.6%. Root application of strain Y4 increased the contents of nitrate nitrogen and ammonium nitrogen in the soil by 22.0% and 21.4%， respectively， and the contents of alkaline nitrogen also increased to a certain extent. In conclusion， the root application of strain Y4 not only improved soil nitrogen availability but also inhibited Cd transport and accumulation from contaminated soil to wheat grains in a "two-stage" manner by reducing Cd availability in rhizosphere soil and improving Cd interception and fixation capacity of wheat roots and basal nodes. Therefore， Burkholderia Y4 has application potential as a Cd-reducing and growth-promoting agent in wheat.

Mechanisms of inflammation modulation by different immune cells in hypertensive nephropathy.

Hypertensive nephropathy (HTN) is the second leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and a chronic inflammatory disease. Persistent hypertension leads to lesions of intrarenal arterioles and arterioles, luminal stenosis, secondary ischemic renal parenchymal damage, and glomerulosclerosis, tubular atrophy, and interstitial fibrosis. Studying the pathogenesis of hypertensive nephropathy is a prerequisite for diagnosis and treatment. The main cause of HTN is poor long-term blood pressure control, but kidney damage is often accompanied by the occurrence of immune inflammation. Some studies have found that the activation of innate immunity, inflammation and acquired immunity is closely related to the pathogenesis of HTN, which can cause damage and dysfunction of target organs. There are more articles on the mechanism of diabetic nephropathy, while there are fewer studies related to immunity in hypertensive nephropathy. This article reviews the mechanisms by which several different immune cells and inflammatory cytokines regulate blood pressure and renal damage in HTN. It mainly focuses on immune cells, cytokines, and chemokines and inhibitors. However, further comprehensive and large-scale studies are needed to determine the role of these markers and provide effective protocols for clinical intervention and treatment.

Mg-based implants with a sandwiched composite coating simultaneously facilitate antibacterial and osteogenic properties.

Insufficient antibacterial effects and over-fast degradation are the main limitations of magnesium (Mg)-based orthopedic implants. In this study, a sandwiched composite coating containing a triclosan (TCS)-loaded poly(lactic acid) (PLA) layer inside and brushite (DCPD) layer outside was prepared on the surface of the Mg-Nd-Zn-Zr (denoted as JDBM) implant. In vitro degradation tests revealed a remarkable improvement in the corrosion resistance and moderate degradation rate. The drug release profile demonstrated a controllable and sustained TCS release for at least two weeks in vitro. The antibacterial rates of the implant were all over 99.8% for S. aureus, S. epidermidis, and E. coli, demonstrating superior antibacterial effects. Additionally, this coated JDBM implant exhibited no cytotoxicity but improved cell adhesion and proliferation, indicating excellent cytocompatibility. In vivo assays were conducted by implant-related femur osteomyelitis and osseointegration models in rats. Few bacteria were attached to the implant surface and the surrounding bone tissue. Furthermore, the coated JDBM implant exhibited more new bone formation than other groups due to the synergistic biological effects of released TCS and Mg2+, revealing excellent osteogenic ability. In summary, the JDBM implant with the sandwiched composite coating could significantly enhance the antibacterial activities and osteogenic properties simultaneously by the controllable release of TCS and Mg2+, presenting great potential for clinical transformation.

[Response Characteristics of Soil Fungal Community Structure to Long-term Continuous Cropping of Pepper].

This study aimed to clarify the effect of long-term continuous cropping of pepper on soil fungal community structure, reveal the mechanism of continuous cropping obstacles, and provide a theoretical basis for the ecological safety and sustainable development of pepper industry. We took the pepper continuous cropping soil in the vegetable greenhouse planting base of Tongren City as the research object. The diversity and community structure of fungi in farmland soil were analyzed using Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing, the responses of soil physio-chemical properties and fungal community characteristics to long-term continuous pepper cropping were discussed, and the relationships between the characteristics of fungal community structure and environmental factors were determined using CCA and correlation network analysis. The results showed that with the extension of pepper continuous cropping years, the soil pH value and organic matter (OM) content decreased, total phosphorus (TP) and available phosphorus (AP) contents increased, hydrolyzed nitrogen (AN) and available potassium (AK) contents decreased first and then increased, and total nitrogen (TN) and total potassium (TK) contents did not change significantly. Long-term continuous cropping decreased the Chao1 index and observed species index and decreased the Shannon index and Simpson index. The change in continuous cropping years had a significant effect on the relative abundance of soil fungal dominant flora. At the phylum level, the relative abundance of Mortierellomycota decreased with the extension of pepper continuous cropping years, the relative abundance of Ascomycota increased first and then decreased, and the relative abundance of Basidiomycota decreased first and then increased. At the genus level, with the increasing of pepper continuous cropping years, the relative abundance of Fusarium increased, and the relative abundance of Mortierella and Penicillium decreased. In addition, long-term continuous cropping simplified the soil fungal symbiosis network. CCA analysis indicated that pH, OM, TN, AN, AP, and AK were the driving factors of soil fungal community structure, and correlation network analysis showed that pH, OM, TN, TP, TK, AN, AP, and AK were the driving factors of soil fungal community structure, including Fusarium, Lophotrichus, Penicillium, Mortierella, Botryotrichum, Staphylotrichum, Plectosphaerella, and Acremonium. In conclusion, continuous cropping changed the soil physical and chemical properties, affected the diversity and community structure of the soil fungal community, changed the interaction between microorganisms, and destroyed the microecological balance of the soil, which might explain obstacles associated with continuous cropped pepper.

Protective effect of sevoflurane on lung function of elderly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common respiratory disorder that affects the elderly population and increases the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) after major surgeries. Sevoflurane is a volatile anesthetic that has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and attenuate lung injury in animal models. AIM: To evaluate the protective effect of sevoflurane on the lung function of elderly COPD patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA). METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial, we randomly assigned 120 elderly patients with COPD, who were scheduled for THA, to receive either sevoflurane (sevoflurane group) or propofol (propofol group) as the maintenance anesthetic. The primary outcome was the incidence of PPCs within seven days after surgery. The secondary outcomes were changes in the lung function parameters, inflammatory markers, oxidative stress markers, and postoperative pain scores. RESULTS: The results showed that the incidence of PPCs was significantly lower in the sevoflurane group than in the propofol group (10% vs 25%, P = 0.02). Furthermore, the decline in the forced expiratory volume in 1 s, forced vital capacity, and peak expiratory flow was significantly lesser in the sevoflurane group than in the propofol group at 24 h and 48 h after surgery (P < 0.05). The interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, malondialdehyde, and 8-hydroxy-2 α-deoxyguanosine levels were significantly lower in the sevoflurane group than in the propofol group at 24 h after surgery (P < 0.05). The sevoflurane group showed significantly lower postoperative pain scores than the propofol group at 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h after surgery (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Sevoflurane protects the lung function of elderly COPD patients undergoing THA under general anesthesia by reducing the incidence of PPCs, attenuating inflammatory and oxidative stress responses, and alleviating postoperative pain.

New Lycopodium alkaloids with neuroprotective activities from Lycopodium japonicum Thunb.

One new lycopodine-type alkaloid (1), one new natural product (2), and eight known analogs (3-10) were isolated from the whole plants of Lycopodium japonicum Thunb. The structures of 1-10 were determined based on extensive comprehensive spectroscopic analyses, including UV, IR, NMR, and HRESIMS. Moreover, the isolated alkaloids were evaluated for their neuroprotective activity against Hemin-induced HT22 cell damage. Notably, compounds 1 and 10 exhibited potential neuroprotective activities, with 21.45% and 20.55% increase in cell survival at 20 µM, respectively. Moreover, compounds 1 and 10 revealed protective effects on Hemin-induced apoptosis in HT22 cells.

[Pollution Characteristics, Source Analysis, and Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in the Surrounding Farmlands of Manganese Mining Area].

In order to understand the status of heavy metal pollution and the resulting ecological risk of farmland soil surrounding the manganese mining area, 174 soil samples were collected, and the heavy metals(Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, Ni, Mn, As, and Hg) were analyzed. Principal component analysis (PCA) and the positive matrix factorization (PMF) model were used to determine the source of heavy metals in the soils. The single-factor pollution index method, geo-accumulation index method, potential ecological risk assessment method, and US EPA health risk assessment model were used to evaluate the ecological environment risk of heavy metals. The results showed that the average values of Cu, Zn, Cr, Ni, Mn, and Hg exceeded the background value of Guizhou. 100% of Zn samples and 38.86% of Cu samples exceeded the risk screening value for agricultural land soil pollution. Source analysis revealed that the main sources of soil heavy metals were mining emission, mixed agricultural activity and transportation, nature, and agricultural activities. The risk evaluation showed that Ni, Cr, Pb, and As belonged to the clean level, Hg and Cu were in a light pollution stage, Zn fell into the category of moderate contamination, and Mn reached the heavy pollution level. Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, Ni, Mn, As, and Cd posed low potential ecological risk, while Hg caused a considerable potential ecological risk. In total, the integrated potential ecological risk of heavy metals was ranked "strong", eight types of heavy metals had carcinogenic risks and non-carcinogenic risks for children aged 0-5 years, and the main contributing factors were Cr and Mn, respectively.

Immunomodulatory biomaterials against bacterial infections: Progress, challenges, and future perspectives.

Bacterial infectious diseases are one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Even with the use of multiple antibiotic treatment strategies, 4.95 million people died from drug-resistant bacterial infections in 2019. By 2050, the number of deaths will reach 10 million annually. The increasing mortality may be partly due to bacterial heterogeneity in the infection microenvironment, such as drug-resistant bacteria, biofilms, persister cells, intracellular bacteria, and small colony variants. In addition, the complexity of the immune microenvironment at different stages of infection makes biomaterials with direct antimicrobial activity unsatisfactory for the long-term treatment of chronic bacterial infections. The increasing mortality may be partly attributed to the biomaterials failing to modulate the active antimicrobial action of immune cells. Therefore, there is an urgent need for effective alternatives to treat bacterial infections. Accordingly, the development of immunomodulatory antimicrobial biomaterials has recently received considerable interest; however, a comprehensive review of their research progress is lacking. In this review, we focus mainly on the research progress and future perspectives of immunomodulatory antimicrobial biomaterials used at different stages of infection. First, we describe the characteristics of the immune microenvironment in the acute and chronic phases of bacterial infections. Then, we highlight the immunomodulatory strategies for antimicrobial biomaterials at different stages of infection and their corresponding advantages and disadvantages. Moreover, we discuss biomaterial-mediated bacterial vaccines' potential applications and challenges for activating innate and adaptive immune memory. This review will serve as a reference for future studies to develop next-generation immunomodulatory biomaterials and accelerate their translation into clinical practice.

[Effects of Nano-copper Oxide on Physiobiochemical Properties of Brassica chinensis L. and Its Heavy Metal Accumulation Under Cadmium Stress].

To investigate the effects of nano-copper oxide (CuO NPs) on plant growth, physio-biochemical characteristics, and heavy metal content under cadmium stress, a hydroponics experiment was conducted on the effects of single and combined treatments of CuO NPs (0, 10, 20, and 50 mg·L-1) and Cd (0, 1, and 5 µmol·L-1) on the fresh weight, photosynthetic pigment content, MDA content, antioxidant enzyme activity (CAT, POD, SOD, and GR), and Cu and Cd contents in Brassica chinensis L. The results showed that under the single addition of CuO NPs, the fresh weight and activities of CAT, POD, and GR were inhibited as a whole. Photosynthetic pigment content and SOD activity increased first and then decreased with the increase in CuO NPs concentration, whereas MDA content in leaves and roots, and Cu content in subcells of B. chinensis L. increased with the increasing of CuO NPs. As compared with that in the control, CuO NPs promoted the growth of B. chinensis L., and the fresh weight increased by 8.70%-44.87% at 1 µmol·L-1 Cd. When the content of Cd was up to 5 µmol·L-1, a low content (10 mg·L-1) of CuO NPs promoted the growth of B. chinensis L., whereas a high concentration (50 mg·L-1) showed an inhibitory effect. The addition of CuO NPs could increase photosynthetic pigment and MDA contents under different Cd stress, and MDA content in leaves and roots of B. chinensis L. increased by 4.34%-36.27% and 13.43%-131.04%, respectively, than that in the control groups. Under the same concentration of 1 µmol·L-1 Cd, the addition of CuO NPs decreased the activities of CAT and GR, whereas the activity of POD increased. When the content of Cd was up to 5 µmol·L-1, CuO NPs increased the POD activity and inhibited the activity of SOD and GR. The activities of CAT and CAT in the leaves of B. chinensis L. initially showed an increasing and then decreasing trend. CuO NPs and Cd showed antagonistic effects, the maximum reduction of Cd content in leaves and roots of Brassica chinensis L. under 1 µmol·L-1 Cd treatment was 45.64% and 33.39%, and that under 5 µmol·L-1 Cd treatment was 18.25% and 25.35%, respectively. The content of Cu and Cd in subcellular organs of the plants decreased, but the proportion of soluble components increased. These results indicated that CuO NPs at low concentrations promoted plant growth under Cd stress and further inhibited the absorption of Cd but increased the oxidative damage to B. chinensis L.

Cytotoxicity of 4 Wild Mushrooms in a Case of Yunnan Sudden Unexplained Death.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the cytotoxicity of four wild mushrooms involved in a case of Yunnan sudden unexplained death (YNSUD), to provide the experimental basis for prevention and treatment of YNSUD. METHODS: Four kinds of wild mushrooms that were eaten by family members in this YNSUD incident were collected and identified by expert identification and gene sequencing. Raw extracts from four wild mushrooms were extracted by ultrasonic extraction to intervene HEK293 cells, and the mushrooms with obvious cytotoxicity were screened by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8). The selected wild mushrooms were prepared into three kinds of extracts, which were raw, boiled, and boiled followed by enzymolysis. HEK293 cells were intervened with these three extracts at different concentrations. The cytotoxicity was detected by CCK-8 combined with lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) Assay Kit, and the morphological changes of HEK293 cells were observed under an inverted phase contrast microscope. RESULTS: Species identification indicated that the four wild mushrooms were Butyriboletus roseoflavus, Boletus edulis, Russula virescens and Amanita manginiana. Cytotoxicity was found only in Amanita manginiana. The raw extracts showed cytotoxicity at the mass concentration of 0.1 mg/mL, while the boiled extracts and the boiled followed by enzymolysis extracts showed obvious cytotoxicity at the mass concentration of 0.4 mg/mL and 0.7 mg/mL, respectively. In addition to the obvious decrease in the number of HEK293 cells, the number of synapses increased and the refraction of HEK293 cells was poor after the intervention of Amanita manginiana extracts. CONCLUSIONS: The extracts of Amanita manginiana involved in this YNSUD case has obvious cytotoxicity, and some of its toxicity can be reduced by boiled and enzymolysis, but cannot be completely detoxicated. Therefore, the consumption of Amanita manginiana is potentially dangerous, and it may be one of the causes of the YNSUD.

Nomogram for preoperative estimation risk of lateral cervical lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma: a multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Lateral lymph node metastasis (LLNM) is frequent in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and is associated with a poor prognosis. This study aimed to developed a clinical-ultrasound (Clin-US) nomogram to predict LLNM in patients with PTC. METHODS: In total, 2612 PTC patients from two hospitals (H1: 1732 patients in the training cohort and 578 patients in the internal testing cohort; H2: 302 patients in the external testing cohort) were retrospectively enrolled. The associations between LLNM and preoperative clinical and sonographic characteristics were evaluated by the univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis. The Clin-US nomogram was built basing on multivariate logistic regression analysis. The predicting performance of Clin-US nomogram was evaluated by calibration, discrimination and clinical usefulness. RESULTS: The age, gender, maximum diameter of tumor (tumor size), tumor position, internal echo, microcalcification, vascularization, mulifocality, and ratio of abutment/perimeter (A/P) > 0.25 were independently associated with LLNM metastatic status. In the multivariate analysis, gender, tumor size, mulifocality, position, microcacification, and A/P > 0.25 were independent correlative factors. Comparing the Clin-US nomogram and US features, Clin-US nomogram had the highest AUC both in the training cohort and testing cohorts. The Clin­US model revealed good discrimination between PTC with LLNM and without LLNM in the training cohort (AUC = 0.813), internal testing cohort (AUC = 0.815) and external testing cohort (AUC = 0.870). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the ClinUS nomogram we newly developed can effectively predict LLNM in PTC patients and could help clinicians choose appropriate surgical procedures.

Effectiveness of butylphthalide on cerebral autoregulation in ischemic stroke patients with large artery atherosclerosis (EBCAS study): A randomized, controlled, multicenter trial.

Finding appropriate drugs to improve cerebral autoregulation (CA) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is necessary to improve prognosis. We aimed to investigate the effect of butylphthalide on CA in patients with AIS. In this randomized controlled trial, 99 patients were 2:1 randomized to butylphthalide or placebo group. The butylphthalide group received intravenous infusion with a preconfigured butylphthalide-sodium chloride solution for 14 days and an oral butylphthalide capsule for additional 76 days. The placebo group synchronously received an intravenous infusion of 100 mL 0.9% saline and an oral butylphthalide simulation capsule. The transfer function parameter, phase difference (PD), and gain were used to quantify CA. The primary outcomes were CA levels on the affected side on day 14 and day 90. Eighty patients completed the follow-up (52 in the butylphthalide group and 28 in the placebo group). The PD of the affected side on 14 days or discharge and on 90 days was higher in the butylphthalide group than in the placebo group. The differences in safety outcomes were not significant. Therefore, butylphthalide treatment for 90 days can significantly improve CA in patients with AIS.Trial registration: ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT03413202.

Effects of sericin on oxidative stress and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signal pathway in cryopreserved mice ovarian tissue.

Ovarian tissue cryopreservation is an effective fertility protective strategy for preadolescent female cancer patients, whose tumor treatment cannot be delayed. In the present study, the effects of sericin, as an antioxidant, on mice ovarian tissue freezing and thawing were investigated. Mice ovarian tissues were cryopreserved and thawed in medium containing 0.5% or 1%sericin (w/v), and 0.1 mM melatonin. Then, the follicular morphology was observed. The levels of antioxidant enzymes were determined, including glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and catalase (CAT). Moreover, the levels of nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were also tested. Besides, apoptosis-related proteins Bcl-2 and Bax were determined. Our results showed that 1% sericin maintained follicular morphology, inhibited apoptosis, decreased MDA and NO levels, and boosted endogenous antioxidant enzyme levels, while had no significant effect on LDH levels. Furthermore, these effects may be related with the activation of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of Rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway, as demonstrated by increased PI3K, p-AKT and mTOR levels. These findings demonstrate that 1% sericin may reduce oxidative stress and protect ovarian tissues during freezing and thawing via PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

Autoimmune gastritis with a gastric hamartomatous inverted polyp and two hyperplastic polyps: a case report.

We report an unusual case of autoimmune gastritis (AIG) complicated with a submucosal tumor (SMT) and two pedunculated polyps in a 60-year-old man. The patient was admitted for epigastric distention, heartburn, and anorexia. Endoscopy showed an SMT in the fundus, two pedunculated polyps in the body, and markedly atrophic mucosa of the body and fundus. The SMT, measuring 20 mm in diameter, was resected by endoscopic submucosal dissection and histologically diagnosed as a gastric hamartomatous inverted polyp (GHIP), which is characterized by submucosal glandular proliferation, cystic dilatation, and calcification. The gland structures consisted of foveolar cells and pseudopyloric or mucous-neck cell types. The two pedunculated polyps that were resected by endoscopic mucosal resection were histologically diagnosed as hyperplastic polyps, which are characterized by hyperplastic foveolar glands with pseudopyloric or mucous-neck glands in the inflamed stroma in the mucosa, which consisted of almost the same types of lining cells as the GHIP in the fundus. Findings may indicate the relationship between GHIP, hyperplastic polyp, and AIG. We highlight considering GHIP as a differential diagnosis for an SMT in patients with AIG.

Electroacupuncture and manual acupuncture at LR3 and ST36 have attenuating effects on hypertension and subsequent cognitive dysfunction in spontaneously hypertensive rats: A preliminary resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

Introduction: Chronic hypertension may have a contributory role toward cognitive impairment. Acupuncture exerts protective effects on cognitive functions while controlling the blood pressure. However, the neural mechanism underlying the dual attenuating effect of acupuncture remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) and manual acupuncture (MA) on the functional activity of the brain regions of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) by through resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). We also evaluated the differences in these functional activities between the EA and MA groups. Methods: We randomly assigned 30 SHRs into the EA, MA, and model (SHR) groups. Wistar Kyoto rats (n = 10) were used as normal control (WKY). The interventions were administered once every alternate day for 12 weeks. The systolic blood pressure of all rats was recorded every 2 weeks until the end of the intervention. After the intervention, rs-fMRI scanning was performed to access the whole brain data of rats randomly selected from each group evenly. The amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) analysis, regional homogeneity (ReHo) analysis, and functional connectivity (FC) analysis were also conducted. The Morris water maze (MWM) test was conducted to evaluate the learning and memory of the rats. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and Nissl staining were performed to observe histopathological changes in the key brain regions. Results: We demonstrated that, when compared with the SHR group, the EA and MA groups had significantly lower blood pressure and better performance for behavioral test indices, and that the effect of EA was better than that of MA. ALFF and ReHo analyses revealed enhancement of the neuronal activity of some functionally impaired brain areas in the EA and MA groups. The main callback brain regions included the hypothalamus, entorhinal cortex, brain stem, prelimbic cortex, cingulate cortex, corpus callosum, and cerebellum. The FC analysis demonstrated that EA and MA enhanced the functional connectivity between the seeds and brain regions such as the brain stem, entorhinal cortex, hippocampus, prelimbic cortex, and cerebellum. The pathological test of the entorhinal cortex also verified the protective effect of acupuncture on the neuronal functional activity. Discussion: Our findings suggested that EA and MA exhibited attenuating effects on hypertension and cognitive dysfunction by enhancing the functional activities in the corresponding brain regions. Moreover, EA activated more callback brain regions and functional connectivity than MA, which may explain why the effect of EA was better than that of MA.

Influence of porosity on osteogenesis, bone growth and osteointegration in trabecular tantalum scaffolds fabricated by additive manufacturing.

Porous tantalum implants are a class of materials commonly used in clinical practice to repair bone defects. However, the cumbersome and problematic preparation procedure have limited their widespread application. Additive manufacturing has revolutionized the design and process of orthopedic implants, but the pore architecture feature of porous tantalum scaffolds prepared from additive materials for optimal osseointegration are unclear, particularly the influence of porosity. We prepared trabecular bone-mimicking tantalum scaffolds with three different porosities (60%, 70% and 80%) using the laser powder bed fusing technique to examine and compare the effects of adhesion, proliferation and osteogenic differentiation capacity of rat mesenchymal stem cells on the scaffolds in vitro. The in vivo bone ingrowth and osseointegration effects of each scaffold were analyzed in a rat femoral bone defect model. Three porous tantalum scaffolds were successfully prepared and characterized. In vitro studies showed that scaffolds with 70% and 80% porosity had a better ability to osteogenic proliferation and differentiation than scaffolds with 60% porosity. In vivo studies further confirmed that tantalum scaffolds with the 70% and 80% porosity had a better ability for bone ingrowh than the scaffold with 60% porosity. As for osseointegration, more bone was bound to the material in the scaffold with 70% porosity, suggesting that the 3D printed trabecular tantalum scaffold with 70% porosity could be the optimal choice for subsequent implant design, which we will further confirm in a large animal preclinical model for better clinical use.

Salmonella typhimurium may support cancer treatment: a review.

Antitumour treatments are evolving, including bacteria-mediated cancer therapy which is concurrently an ancient and cutting-edge approach. Salmonella typhimurium is a widely studied bacterial species that colonizes tumor tissues, showing oncolytic and immune system-regulating properties. It can be used as a delivery vector for genes and drugs, supporting conventional treatments that lack tumor-targeting abilities. This article summarizes recent evidence on the anticancer mechanisms of S. typhimurium alone and in combination with other anticancer treatments, suggesting that it may be a suitable approach to disease management.

Whole exome sequencing with a focus on cardiac disease-associated genes in families of sudden unexplained deaths in Yunnan, southwest of China.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the causes of sudden unexpected death (SUD) and to search for high-risk people, whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed in families with SUDs.  METHODS: Whole exome sequencing of 25 people from 14 SUD families were screened based on cardiac disease-associated gene variants, and their echocardiograms and electrocardiograms (ECG) were also examined. The protein function of mutated genes was predicted by SIFT, PolyPhen2 and Mutation Assessor. RESULTS: In the group of 25 people from 14 SUD families, 49 single nucleotide variants (SNVs) of cardiac disease-associated genes were found and verified by Sanger sequencing. 29 SNVs of 14 cardiac disorder-related genes were predicted as pathogens by software. Among them, 7 SNVs carried by two or more members were found in 5 families, including SCN5A (c.3577C > T), IRX4 (c.230A > G), LDB3 (c.2104 T > G), MYH6 (c.3G > A), MYH6 (c.3928 T > C), TTN (c.80987C > T) and TTN (c.8069C > T). 25 ECGs were collected. In summary, 4 people had J-point elevation, 2 people had long QT syndrome (LQTS), 4 people had prolonged QT interval, 3 people had T-wave changes, 3 people had sinus tachycardia, 4 people had sinus bradycardia, 4 people had left side of QRS electrical axis, and 3 people had P wave broadening. Echocardiographic results showed that 1 person had atrial septal defect, 1 person had tricuspid regurgitation, and 2 people had left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: Of the 14 heart disease-associated genes in 14 SUDs families, there are 7 possible pathological SNVS may be associated with SUDs. Our results indicate that people with ECG abnormalities, such as prolonged QT interval, ST segment changes, T-wave change and carrying the above 7 SNVs, should be the focus of prevention of sudden death.