SNP-based and haplotype-based genome-wide association on drug dependence in Han Chinese.

BACKGROUND: Drug addiction is a serious problem worldwide and is influenced by genetic factors. The present study aimed to investigate the association between genetics and drug addiction among Han Chinese. METHODS: A total of 1000 Chinese users of illicit drugs and 9693 healthy controls were enrolled and underwent single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based and haplotype-based association analyses via whole-genome genotyping. RESULTS: Both single-SNP and haplotype tests revealed associations between illicit drug use and several immune-related genes in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region (SNP association: log10BF = 15.135, p = 1.054e-18; haplotype association: log10BF = 20.925, p = 2.065e-24). These genes may affect the risk of drug addiction via modulation of the neuroimmune system. The single-SNP test exclusively reported genome-wide significant associations between rs3782886 (SNP association: log10BF = 8.726, p = 4.842e-11) in BRAP and rs671 (SNP association: log10BF = 7.406, p = 9.333e-10) in ALDH2 and drug addiction. The haplotype test exclusively reported a genome-wide significant association (haplotype association: log10BF = 7.607, p = 3.342e-11) between a region with allelic heterogeneity on chromosome 22 and drug addiction, which may be involved in the pathway of vitamin B12 transport and metabolism, indicating a causal link between lower vitamin B12 levels and methamphetamine addiction. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide new insights into risk-modeling and the prevention and treatment of methamphetamine and heroin dependence, which may further contribute to potential novel therapeutic approaches.

Establishment of a nomogram model for predicting liver cirrhosis with esophagogastric variceal bleeding based on aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index and platelet-albumin-bilirubin score / 临床肝胆病杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the value of aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index （APRI） and platelet-albumin-bilirubin （PALBI） score in predicting the risk of esophagogastric variceal bleeding in patients with liver cirrhosis. MethodsA total of 119 patients with liver cirrhosis who were admitted to The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from May 2021 and June 2022 were enrolled， and clinical data， routine blood test results， serum biochemistry， and coagulation test results were collected from all patients. According to the presence or absence of esophagogastric variceal bleeding， the patients were divided into non-bleeding group with 59 patients and bleeding group with 60 patients， and a comparative analysis was performed for the two groups. The independent samples t-test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups， and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups； the chi-squared test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. The multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent risk factors for esophagogastric variceal bleeding in patients with liver cirrhosis and establish a nomogram predictive model. ResultsThe male patients accounted for 75.00% in the bleeding group and 40.68% in the non-bleeding group， and there was a significant difference in sex composition between the two groups （χ2=14.384， P<0.001）. Chronic hepatitis B was the main etiology in both the bleeding group and the non-bleeding group （53.33% vs 38.98%）， and there was no significant difference in composition ratio between the two groups （χ2=2.464， P=0.116）. Compared with the non-bleeding group， the bleeding group had a significantly higher activity of AT-IIIA （t=3.329， P=0.001） and significantly lower levels of PLT， TBil， Ca， TC， and TT （all P<0.05）. There were significant differences in APRI and PALBI between the two groups （χ2=6.175 and 19.532， both P<0.05）. The binary logistic regression analysis showed that APRI （odds ratio ［OR］=0.309， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 0.109‍ ‍—‍ ‍0.881， P=0.028）， PALBI （OR=7.667， 95%CI： 2.005‍ ‍—‍ ‍29.327， P=0.003）， Ca （OR=0.001， 95%CI： 0.000‍ ‍—‍ ‍0.141， P=0.007）， TC （OR=0.469， 95%CI： 0.226‍ ‍—‍ ‍0.973， P=0.042）， and TT （OR=0.599， 95%CI： 0.433‍ ‍—‍ ‍0.830， P=0.002） were independent influencing factors for esophagogastric variceal bleeding in liver cirrhosis. A nomogram model was established based on the above factors and had an index of concordance of 0.899 and a well-fitted calibration curve. ConclusionAPRI and PALBI have a good value in predicting esophagogastric variceal bleeding in patients with liver cirrhosis， and the nomogram model established based on this study can predict the incidence rate of esophagogastric variceal bleeding in patients with liver cirrhosis.

elationship between preoperative fasting plasma glucose and postoperative pulmonary complications after lung resection in type 2 diabetic patients / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective     To explore the relationship between preoperative fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) in type 2 diabetic patients undergoing elective thoracoscopic lung resection, and provide a reference for prediction and prevention of PPCs in the clinic. Methods     A retrospective analysis was performed on the type 2 diabetic patients who underwent elective thoracoscopic lung resection for the first time in our hospital from January 2017 to March 2021. According to the level of FPG one day before the operation, the patients were divided into three groups: a hypoglycemia group (<6.1 mmol/L), a medium level blood glucose group (≥6.1 mmol/L and <8.0 mmol/L) and a high blood glucose group (≥8.0 mmol/L). Besides, the patients were divided into a PPCs group and a non-PPCs group according to whether PPCs occurred. The risk factors for PPCs were analyzed by logistic regression analysis, and the predictive value of preoperative FPG level on PPCs was estimated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Results     A total of 130 patients were included, including 75 (57.7%) males and 55 (42.3%) females with an average age of 63.5±9.0 years. Logistic regression analysis showed that compared to non-PPCs patients, the level of preoperative FPG (P=0.023) and smoking history ratio (P=0.036) were higher and the operation time was longer (P=0.004) in the PPCs patients. High FPG level on preoperative day 1 and longer operation time were associated with PPCs risk. Besides, the preoperative FPG of 6.79 mmol/L was the threshold value to predict the occurrence of PPCs [AUC=0.653, 95%CI (0.559, 0.747), P=0.003]. Conclusion     There is a certain correlation between preoperative FPG level and postoperative PPCs, which may be used as an index to predict the occurrence of PPCs.

Discovery of the mechanisms of acupuncture in the treatment of migraine based on functional magnetic resonance imaging and omics / 医学前沿

Migraine is one of the most prevalent and disabling neurological disease, but the current pharmacotherapies show limited efficacy and often accompanied by adverse effects. Acupuncture is a promising complementary therapy, but further clinical evidence is needed. The influence of acupuncture on migraine is not an immediate effect, and its mechanism remains unclear. This study aims to provide further clinical evidence for the anti-migraine effects of acupuncture and explore the mechanism involved. A randomized controlled trial was performed among 10 normal controls and 38 migraineurs. The migraineurs were divided into blank control, sham acupuncture, and acupuncture groups. Patients were subjected to two courses of treatment, and each treatment lasted for 5 days, with an interval of 1 day between the two courses. The effectiveness of treatment was evaluated using pain questionnaire. The functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were analyzed for investigating brain changes induced by treatments. Blood plasma was collected for metabolomics and proteomics studies. Correlation and mediation analyses were performed to investigate the interaction between clinical, fMRI and omics changes. Results showed that acupuncture effectively relieved migraine symptoms in a way different from sham acupuncture in terms of curative effect, affected brain regions, and signaling pathways. The anti-migraine mechanism involves a complex network related to the regulation of the response to hypoxic stress, reversal of brain energy imbalance, and regulation of inflammation. The brain regions of migraineurs affected by acupuncture include the lingual gyrus, default mode network, and cerebellum. The effect of acupuncture on patients' metabolites/proteins may precede that of the brain.

Effect of Chaihu Guizhitang on Triple-negative Breast Cancer Cells： Based on HIF-1α/VEGFA Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Chaihu Guizhitang on triple-negative breast cancer （TNBC） cells based on hypoxia-inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α）/vascular endothelial growth factor A （VEGFA） signaling pathway. MethodTNBC xenograft model was established and the cells were randomized into model group， capecitabine group （0.2 mg·kg-1）， Chaihu Guizhitang low-dose group， medium-dose group， and high-dose group （10.62， 21.23， 42.46 g·kg-1）， with 10 mice in each group. After 21 days of medication， the content of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in serum was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The expression of HIF-1α mRNA was detected by real-time fluorogenic quantitative polymerase chain reaction （real-time PCR）. Immunohistochemistry （IHC） was employed to detect the expression of HIF-1α， TNF-α， and VEGFA in tumor tissues， and CD34 staining to examine the angiogenesis in tumor tissues. Microvessel density （MVD） was calculated， and the protein expression of HIF-1α， VEGFA， and epidermal growth factor receptor （EGFR） in tumor tissues was measured by Western blot. ResultCompared with the model group， the rest four groups showed low levels of TNF-α （P<0.01）， HIF-1α mRNA （P<0.01）， expression of HIF-1α， TNF-α， VEGFA， and CD34 in cells， and MVD （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and low protein levels of HIF-1α， VEGFA， and EGFR （P<0.01）. Compared with capecitabine group， medium-dose and high-dose Chaihu Guizhitang decreased the level of TNF-α （P<0.01）， HIF-1α mRNA （P<0.01）， expression of HIF-1α， TNF-α， and VEGFA in cells （P<0.01）， CD34 expression， MVD， and protein levels of HIF-1α， VEGFA， and EGFR （P<0.01）. ConclusionChaihu Guizhitang may inhibit the angiogenesis in TNBC cells by regulating the expression of HIF-1α/VEGFA signaling pathway， thus exerting anti-tumor effect.

The safety and efficacy of esketamine in comparison to dexmedetomidine during drug-induced sleep endoscopy in children with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome: A randomized, controlled and prospective clinical trial.

Background and Purpose: Data and high-quality studies of anesthetic methods for children with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) who undergo drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) are limited. Research on pediatric DISE using esketamine has never been reported before. To test the safety and efficacy of esketamine during DISE in children with OSAHS, we compare esketamine (Group K) with dexmedetomidine (Group D) in this study. Methods: 100 children with ASA Ⅰ∼Ⅱ grade, prepared for an elective adenotonsillectomy under general anesthesia, were enrolled in this study and randomized into two groups. Midazolam 0.1 mg/kg was administered intravenously for both groups. In Group D a 1 µg/kg bolus of dexmedetomidine was given over 10 min followed by the infusion rate 1 µg/kg/hr to the end of DISE. Group K received a 1.0 mg/kg IV bolus of esketamine over 10 s followed by the infusion rate 1 mg/kg/hr to the end of DISE. Results: Group K had a higher percentage of success than Group D (p = 0.008). The onset time of Group K was shorter than that of Group D (p = 0.000). The University of Michigan Sedation Scale (UMSS) score of Group K was higher than that of Group D (p = 0.005). The risk of adverse effects (AEs) was lower in Group K (p = 0.000). In Group D, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) and heart rate (HR) all decreased, while in Group K, SBP, DBP, and HR hardly changed. Conclusion: Esketamine in comparison to dexmedetomidine provides more effective and safer depth of anesthesia for OSAHS pediatric DISE by ensuring short onset time, deep sedation, and few AEs. Clinical Trial Registration: ClincalTrials.gov, identifier NCT04877639.

Post-treatment With Irisin Attenuates Acute Kidney Injury in Sepsis Mice Through Anti-Ferroptosis via the SIRT1/Nrf2 Pathway.

Kidney is one of the most vulnerable organs in sepsis, resulting in sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI), which brings about not only morbidity but also mortality of sepsis. Ferroptosis is a new kind of death type of cells elicited by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, which participates in pathogenesis of sepsis. The aim of this study was to verify the occurrence of ferroptosis in the SA-AKI pathogenesis and demonstrate that post-treatment with irisin could restrain ferroptosis and alleviate SA-AKI via activating the SIRT1/Nrf2 signaling pathway. We established a SA-AKI model by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) operation and an in vitro model in LPS-induced HK2 cells, respectively. Our result exhibited that irisin inhibited the level of ferroptosis and ameliorated kidney injury in CLP mice, as evidenced by reducing the ROS production, iron content, and MDA level and increasing the GSH level, as well as the alteration of ferroptosis-related protein (GPX4 and ACSL4) expressions in renal, which was consistent with the ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1). Additionally, we consistently observed that irisin inhibited ROS accumulation, iron production, and ameliorated mitochondrial dysfunction in LPS-stimulated HK-2 cells. Furthermore, our result also revealed that irisin could activate SIRT1/Nrf2 signaling pathways both in vivo and vitro. However, the beneficial effects of irisin were weakened by EX527 (an inhibitor of SIRT1) in vivo and by SIRT1 siRNA in vitro. In conclusion, irisin could protect against SA-AKI through ferroptotic resistance via activating the SIRT1/Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Targeting a cryptic allosteric site of SIRT6 with small-molecule inhibitors that inhibit the migration of pancreatic cancer cells

SIRT6 belongs to the conserved NAD+-dependent deacetylase superfamily and mediates multiple biological and pathological processes. Targeting SIRT6 by allosteric modulators represents a novel direction for therapeutics, which can overcome the selectivity problem caused by the structural similarity of orthosteric sites among deacetylases. Here, developing a reversed allosteric strategy AlloReverse, we identified a cryptic allosteric site, Pocket Z, which was only induced by the bi-directional allosteric signal triggered upon orthosteric binding of NAD+. Based on Pocket Z, we discovered an SIRT6 allosteric inhibitor named JYQ-42. JYQ-42 selectively targets SIRT6 among other histone deacetylases and effectively inhibits SIRT6 deacetylation, with an IC50 of 2.33 μmol/L. JYQ-42 significantly suppresses SIRT6-mediated cancer cell migration and pro-inflammatory cytokine production. JYQ-42, to our knowledge, is the most potent and selective allosteric SIRT6 inhibitor. This study provides a novel strategy for allosteric drug design and will help in the challenging development of therapeutic agents that can selectively bind SIRT6.

Role of Yes-associated protein 1 in acute lung injury in septic mice: the relationship with ferroptosis / 中华麻醉学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the role of Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) in acute lung injury (ALI) and the relationship with ferroptosis in septic mice.Methods:Twenty-four male wild-type mice and 24 YAP1 conditional knockout mice, aged 9-10 weeks, weighing 22-25 g, were divided into 2 groups ( n=12 each) using a random number table method: wild-type sham operation group (WT+ Sham group) and wild-type sepsis-induced ALI group (WT+ ALI group); YAP1 conditional knockout sham operation group (CKO+ Sham group) and YAP1 conditional knockout sepsis-induced ALI group (CKO+ ALI group). The sepsis-induced ALI model was developed by cecal ligation and perforation (CLP) in anesthetized animals.The bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected at 24 h after CLP to determine the protein concentration (by bicinchoninic acid method) and concentrations of interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) (by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Mice were then sacrificed, and the lung tissues were obtained for examination of ultrastructure (using a transmission electron microscope) and for determination of wet/dry lung weight ratio (W/D ratio), contents of Fe 2+ , malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) (by colorimetric assay), and expression of YAP1, glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4) and solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) (by Western blot). Results:Compared with WT+ Sham group, the concentrations of protein in BALF, IL-1β and TNF-α were significantly increased, W/D ratio and contents of Fe 2+ and MDA were increased, GSH contents were decreased, the expression of GPX4 and SLC7A11 was down-regulated, ACSL4 expression was up-regulated ( P<0.05), alveolar epithelial cells showed characteristic changes of ferroptosis with mitochondrial shrinkage and decreased mitochondrial cristae in WT+ ALI group.Compared with WT+ CLP and CKO+ Sham groups, the concentrations of protein in BALF, IL-1β and TNF-α were significantly increased, W/D ratio and contents of Fe 2+ and MDA were increased, GSH contents were decreased, the expression of GPX4 and SLC7A11 was down-regulated, ACSL4 expression was up-regulated ( P<0.05), and the mitochondria in alveolar epithelial cells in lung tissues shrank obviously, and the mitochondrial cristae were reduced or even disappeared in CKO+ CLP group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:YAP1 is involved in the endogenous protective mechanism against ALI, which is related to inhibition of ferroptosis in septic mice.

Relationship between Nrf2 and ferroptosis during lung ischemia-reperfusion in rats / 中华麻醉学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the relationship between nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and ferroptosis during lung ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) in rats.Methods:Fifty-four healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 220-250 g, were divided into 3 groups ( n=18 each) using a random number table method: sham operation group (Sham group), lung I/R group (IR group), and lung I/R+ Nrf2 agonist sulforaphane group (IR+ SFP group). Lung I/R model was developed by clamping the left pulmonary hilum for 60 min followed by 120 min of reperfusion.In IR+ SFP group, SFP 500 μg/kg was intraperitoneally injected at 3 days before lung ischemia once a day for 3 consecutive days, and the model was developed at 2 h after the end of administration.The rats were sacrificed at the end of reperfusion, and the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected to determine the protein concentration (using bicinchoninic acid method), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) concentrations (by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). The animals were then sacrificed, and lung tissue specimens were harvested for microscopic examination of the pathological changes (with a transmission electron microscope) and for determination of wet/dry weight (W/D) ratio, contents of iron, malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) (by chemical colorimetric) and expression of nuclear Nrf2, glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4) (by Western blot). Results:Compared with Sham group, the concentrations of protein, IL-6 and TNF-α in BALF, W/D ratio, and contents of Fe 2+ and MDA were significantly increased, GSH content was decreased, GPX4 expression was down-regulated, the expression of nuclear Nrf2and ACSL4 was up-regulated ( P<0.05), and the mitochondrial morphology of type Ⅱalveolar epithelial cells showed the characteristic changes of ferroptosis, including the presence of smaller mitochondria and reduced cristae in IR group.Compared with IR group, the concentrations of protein, IL-6 and TNF-α in BALF, W/D ratio, and contents of Fe 2+ and MDA were significantly decreased, GSH content was increased, the expression of nuclear Nrf2 and GPX4 expression was up-regulated, ACSL4 expression was down-regulated ( P<0.05), and the pathological changes of lung tissues were significantly attenuated in IR+ SFP group. Conclusions:Nrf2 can inhibit ferroptosis during lung I/R and is involved in the endogenous protective mechanism in rats.

A high-efficiency and versatile CRISPR/Cas9-mediated HDR-based biallelic editing system / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Clustered regulatory interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 nuclease (Cas9), the third-generation genome editing tool, has been favored because of its high efficiency and clear system composition. In this technology, the introduced double-strand breaks (DSBs) are mainly repaired by non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) or homology-directed repair (HDR) pathways. The high-fidelity HDR pathway is used for genome modification, which can introduce artificially controllable insertions, deletions, or substitutions carried by the donor templates. Although high-level knock-out can be easily achieved by NHEJ, accurate HDR-mediated knock-in remains a technical challenge. In most circumstances, although both alleles are broken by endonucleases, only one can be repaired by HDR, and the other one is usually recombined by NHEJ. For gene function studies or disease model establishment, biallelic editing to generate homozygous cell lines and homozygotes is needed to ensure consistent phenotypes. Thus, there is an urgent need for an efficient biallelic editing system. Here, we developed three pairs of integrated selection systems, where each of the two selection cassettes contained one drug-screening gene and one fluorescent marker. Flanked by homologous arms containing the mutated sequences, the selection cassettes were integrated into the target site, mediated by CRISPR/Cas9-induced HDR. Positively targeted cell clones were massively enriched by fluorescent microscopy after screening for drug resistance. We tested this novel method on the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilin 1 (PSEN1) loci and demonstrated up to 82.0% biallelic editing efficiency after optimization. Our results indicate that this strategy can provide a new efficient approach for biallelic editing and lay a foundation for establishment of an easier and more efficient disease model.

Evaluation of individual and ensemble probabilistic forecasts of COVID-19 mortality in the US

Short-term probabilistic forecasts of the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States have served as a visible and important communication channel between the scientific modeling community and both the general public and decision-makers. Forecasting models provide specific, quantitative, and evaluable predictions that inform short-term decisions such as healthcare staffing needs, school closures, and allocation of medical supplies. Starting in April 2020, the US COVID-19 Forecast Hub (https://covid19forecasthub.org/) collected, disseminated, and synthesized tens of millions of specific predictions from more than 90 different academic, industry, and independent research groups. A multi-model ensemble forecast that combined predictions from dozens of different research groups every week provided the most consistently accurate probabilistic forecasts of incident deaths due to COVID-19 at the state and national level from April 2020 through October 2021. The performance of 27 individual models that submitted complete forecasts of COVID-19 deaths consistently throughout this year showed high variability in forecast skill across time, geospatial units, and forecast horizons. Two-thirds of the models evaluated showed better accuracy than a naive baseline model. Forecast accuracy degraded as models made predictions further into the future, with probabilistic error at a 20-week horizon 3-5 times larger than when predicting at a 1-week horizon. This project underscores the role that collaboration and active coordination between governmental public health agencies, academic modeling teams, and industry partners can play in developing modern modeling capabilities to support local, state, and federal response to outbreaks. Significance StatementThis paper compares the probabilistic accuracy of short-term forecasts of reported deaths due to COVID-19 during the first year and a half of the pandemic in the US. Results show high variation in accuracy between and within stand-alone models, and more consistent accuracy from an ensemble model that combined forecasts from all eligible models. This demonstrates that an ensemble model provided a reliable and comparatively accurate means of forecasting deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic that exceeded the performance of all of the models that contributed to it. This work strengthens the evidence base for synthesizing multiple models to support public health action.

Deep learning: a new multifaceted tool assisting biomedical research and clinical diagnosis / 国际生物医学工程杂志

Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the hottest research topics. The development of AI technology not only brings convenience to people's lives, but also integrates with other frontier fields to aid in data processing and result prediction. Deep learning is one of the emerging technologies that demonstrate outstanding performances. In this paper, the wide application of deep learning technology in many fields of biomedicine was summarized, common methods and models were briefly introduced including artificial neural network, deep neural network, convolutional neural network and recurrent neural network. Besides, the application of deep learning in biomedical image analysis, omics data processing and protein spatial structure prediction was summarized, and its limitations and development prospects in the above applications were briefly discussed.

Targeting RAS phosphorylation in cancer therapy: Mechanisms and modulators

RAS, a member of the small GTPase family, functions as a binary switch by shifting between inactive GDP-loaded and active GTP-loaded state. RAS gain-of-function mutations are one of the leading causes in human oncogenesis, accounting for ∼19% of the global cancer burden. As a well-recognized target in malignancy, RAS has been intensively studied in the past decades. Despite the sustained efforts, many failures occurred in the earlier exploration and resulted in an 'undruggable' feature of RAS proteins. Phosphorylation at several residues has been recently determined as regulators for wild-type and mutated RAS proteins. Therefore, the development of RAS inhibitors directly targeting the RAS mutants or towards upstream regulatory kinases supplies a novel direction for tackling the anti-RAS difficulties. A better understanding of RAS phosphorylation can contribute to future therapeutic strategies. In this review, we comprehensively summarized the current advances in RAS phosphorylation and provided mechanistic insights into the signaling transduction of associated pathways. Importantly, the preclinical and clinical success in developing anti-RAS drugs targeting the upstream kinases and potential directions of harnessing allostery to target RAS phosphorylation sites were also discussed.

Construction and verification of an intelligent measurement model for diabetic foot ulcer / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVES@#The measurement of diabetic foot ulcers is important for the success in diabetic foot ulcer management. At present, it lacks the accurate and convenient measurement tools in clinical. In recent years, artificial intelligence technology has demonstrated the potential application value in the field of image segmentation and recognition. This study aims to construct an intelligent measurement model of diabetic foot ulcers based on the deep learning method, and to conduct preliminary verification.@*METHODS@#The data of 1 042 diabetic foot ulcers clinical samples were collected. The ulcers and color areas were manually labeled, of which 782 were used as the training data set and 260 as the test data set. The Mask RCNN ulcer tissue color semantic segmentation and RetinaNet scale digital scale target detection were used to build a model. The training data set was input into the model and iterated. The test data set was used to verify the intelligent measurement model.@*RESULTS@#This study established an intelligent measurement model of diabetic foot ulcers based on deep learning. The mean average precision@.5 intersection over union (mAP@.5IOU) of the color region segmentation in the training set and the test set were 87.9% and 63.9%, respectively; the mAP@.5IOU of the ruler scale digital detection in the training set and the test set were 96.5% and 83.4%, respectively. Compared with the manual measurement result of the test sample, the average error of the intelligent measurement result was about 3 mm.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The intelligent measurement model has good accuracy and robustness in measuring the diabetic foot ulcers. Future research can further optimize the model with larger-scale data samples.

Role of Erbin in muramyl dipeptide-induced inflammatory responses in macrophages of mice / 中华麻醉学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the role of ErbB2-interacting protein (Erbin) in muramyl dipeptide (MDP)-induced inflammatory responses in the macrophages of mice.Methods:Erbin gene knockout RAW264.7 cell line (Erbin -/ -RAW264.7) was constructed by CRISPR/CAS9 gene-editing technology.RAW264.7 cells were cultured in vitro.Each type of cells was divided into 2 groups ( n=16 each)by a random number table method: RAW264.7 group, RAW264.7 plus MDP group, erbin -/ -RAW264.7 group, and erbin -/ -RAW264.7 plus MDP group.In each MDP group, cells were incubated with 10 μg/ml MDP for 6 h, then immunofluorescence was used to determine the expression of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65, and the concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α)and interleukin-6(IL-6)in the culture medium were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results:Compared with RAW264.7 group, the concentrations of TNF-α and IL-6 in the culture medium were significantly increased( P<0.05), NF-κB p65 moved to the nucleus, and the red fluorescence area was increased in RAW264.7+ MDP group.Compared with RAW264.7+ MDP group and Erbin -/- RAW264.7 group, the concentrations of TNF-α and IL-6 in the culture medium were significantly increased ( P<0.05), NF-κB p65 moved more markedly to the nucleus, and the red fluorescence area was increased in Erbin -/-RAW264.7+ MDP group. Conclusion:Erbin inhibits MDP-induced inflammatory responses in macrophages through inhibiting the activity of NF-κB p65 in mice.

Clinical analysis of bone mineral density in patients with newly diagnosed untreated systemic lupus erythematous / 中华风湿病学杂志

Objective:The study was aimed to investigate the bone mineral density (BMD) status of newly diagnosed systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) patients.Methods:Newly diagnosed SLE patients and healthy controls in Peking University Third Hospital from 2014 to 2018 were enrolled into this cross-sectional study. Medical records including systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI)-2000 and BMD of the lumbar vertebrae and hips measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry were collected. Patients were divided into normal and low BMD groups. Parameters were compared by Student- t test, Mann-Whitney U test and χ 2 test. Results:Eighty-nine patients and 20 healthy controls were included. Approximately 52.8% of the SLE patients had low BMD. Compared to the healthy control group, the BMD of lumbar spine and hip was obviously lower than in the newly diagnosed SLE group[(0.97±0.14) g/cm 2, (1.08±0.10) g/cm 2, t=3.548, P<0.01; (0.88±0.15) g/cm 2, (1.00±0.08) g/cm 2, t=3.878, P<0.01]. The BMD of lumbar spine and hip in the low BMD group was lower than that in the normal BMD group [(0.88±0.10) g/cm 2, (0.80±0.11) g/cm 2; (1.07±0.11) g/cm 2, (0.97±0.13) g/cm 2, respectively]. Compared with the normal BMD group, the body mass index (BMI) was significantly lower [(19.2±2.0) kg/m 2, (23.2±3.6) kg/m 2 respectively, t=3.678, P<0.01], the disease duration was longer [(45.7±7.7) weeks, (16.0±19.5) weeks, respectively, t=-3.306, P<0.01). Patients with low BMD tended to have lower 25-hydroxy-vitamin-D(25-OH-VD 3) level and higher bone metabolism marker levels (Degradation products of collagen B) [(9±5) nmol/L vs (12±7) nmol/L, t=1.385, P>0.05; 0.62(0.21, 1.61) ng/ml vs 0.43(0.19, 0.88) ng/ml, Z=0.624, P>0.05], although their differences didn't reach the statistical significant difference. Conclusion:Newly diagnosed SLE patients' BMD is lower than the healthy people. About 52.8% newly diagnosed untreated SLE patients have low BMD. Lower BMI and longer disease duration are their clinical characteristics. High bone metabolism marker levels, low 25-hydroxy-vitamin-D level might have clinical significance, although the current findings do not find statistically significant difference. Large sample size is required for subsequent research analysis.

Effect of oxycodone hydrochloride injection on focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of oxycodone hydrochloride injection pretreatment on focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.Methods:Seventy-two male SD rats weighing 200-250 g were randomly divided into 3 groups( n=24 each group): sham operation group (sham group), focal cerebral I/R group (I/R group), and oxycodone hydrochloride injection group (Oxy group). Focal cerebral I/R was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion for 2 h followed by reperfusion. In the Oxy group, oxycodone hydrochloride 0.5 mg/kg was injected iv at 5 min before ischemia. While the same volume of saline (1 mL) was injected in the sham group and I/R group. The neurological deficit score (NDS) was assessed at 24 h of reperfusion, the rats were then sacrificed, and their brains were immediately removed for determination of brain water content and the infarct volume, and the histopathological changes were observed after HE staining. The levels of cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-10) in the ischemia cortex were quantified by ELISA. MPO activity in the ischemia cortex was assessed. Western blot was used to detect the expression of NF-κB in the ischemia cortex. The data were analyzed using SPSS 20.0 software, multiple-group comparisons were performed using one-way ANOVA, and LSD- t test was used for pairwise comparison between groups. A P<0.05 was considered statistically significant different. Results:Compared with the sham group, NDS, brain water content, relative infarction volume and rate of nerve cell necrosis were significantly increased in the I/R and Oxy groups (all P<0.05). Levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-10, NF-κB and the activities of MPO were increased in the ischemia cortex (all P<0.05). Compared the Oxy group with the I/R group, NDS, brain water content, relative infarction volume and rate of nerve cell necrosis were significantly decreased [(1.7±0.9) vs (2.6±1.1);(79.2±2.4)% vs (84.7±4.2)%; (23.0±5.4)% vs (34.8±6.0)%; (25.2±12.4)% vs (54.8±14.8)%, all P<0.05]. The levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, relative expression of NF-κB, and the activities of MPO were significantly decreased in the ischemia cortex [(4.4±1.2) pg/mg vs (6.5±1.2) pg/mg; (5.4±0.7) pg/mg vs (7.8±0.8) pg/mg; (0.83±0.11) vs (1.23±0.33); (0.27±0.09) U/g vs (0.36±0.14) U/g, all P<0.05] , while the concentration of IL-10 was significantly increased [(20.9±4.5) pg/mg vs (9.2±1.6) pg/mg, t=6.036, P=0.000 1]. Conclusions:Oxycodone hydrochloride can attenuate focal cerebral I/R injury through inhibiting NF-κB activity.

Relationship between cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway and autophagy during liver injury in septic mice / 中华麻醉学杂志

Objective To evaluate the relationship between cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway and autophagy during liver injury in septic mice.Methods SPF healthy male 32 C57BL/6 mice,aged 6-8 weeks,weighing 18-22 g,were divided into 4 groups (n=8 each) using a random number table method:sham operation group (group Sham),sepsis group (group Sep),α7nAChR agonist GTS-21 plus sepsis group (GTS-21+Sep group),and α7nACh antagonist α-BGT plus sepsis plus GTS-21 group (α-BGT+Sep+GTS-21 group).Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture.GTS-21 4 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected immediately after operation in group GTS-21 +Sep.α-BGT 1 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected at 15 min before operation,and GTS-21 4 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected immediately after operation in group α-BGT+Sep+GTS-21.Blood samples were obtained at 6 h after surgery for determination of serum aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) concentrations by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Liver tissues were obtained for determination of the expression of microtubule-associated protein-1 light chain 3-Ⅱ (LC3 Ⅱ) and sequestosome-1/p62 (by Western blot) and for examination of the number of autophagosomes in liver cells (under a transmission electron microscope).Results Compared with Sham group,the expression of LC3 Ⅱ and sequestosome-1/p62 was significantly up-regulated,the number of autophagosomes was increased,and the serum AST and ALT concentrations were increased in Sep group (P＜0.05).Compared with Sep group,the expression of LC3 Ⅱ was significantly up-regulated,the expression of sequestosome-1/p62 was down-regulated,the number of autophagosomes was increased,and the serum AST and ALT concentrations were decreased in GTS-21 +Sep group (P＜0.05).Compared with GTS-21 +Sep group,the expression of LC3 Ⅱ was significantly down-regulated,the expression of sequestosome-1/p62 was up-regulated,the number of autophagosomes was decreased,and the serum AST and ALT concentrations were increased in α-BGT+Sep+GTS-21 group (P＜0.05).Conclusion Activation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway can enhance the level of autophagy in liver cells and is involved in the endogenous protective mechanism of sepsis-induced liver injury in septic mice.

The dynamic expr ession and significance of regulatory T cells, T helper cell 17 , interleukin-17 and interleukin-23 in patients with multiple sclerosis / 中华风湿病学杂志

Objective To investigate the levels of T helper cell 17 (Th17), Th17-related cytokines in-terleukin 17 (IL-17) and interleukin 23 (IL-23) and regulatory T cell (Treg) in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Methods In a case-control study, plasma was collected from RRMS patients (n=20) and healthy subjects as control group (n=20). The percentages of Th17 and Treg cells and the levels of IL-17 and IL-23 were tested. The levels of Th17, Treg, IL-17 and IL-23 of the two groups were compared. Patients were treated with methylprednisolone. The levels of Th17, Treg, IL-17 and IL-23 of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients b efore and after treatment were compared. Expanded disability status scale (EDSS) score and the number of Gd-enhancing lesions were evaluated in the case group. Statistical analysis was made by body mass index (IBM) statistical program for social sciences (SPSS) 17.0 software. Independent sample t test was conducted to compare the measurement data of the case group and the healthy control group, and enumeration data were compared by χ2 test; paired sample t test was performed to compare the data of the case group before and after treatment; Pearson correlation analysis was made forthe variables of the MS group before treatment. Results In the RRMS group, the percentage of Th17 cells in peripheral blood was significantly higher than the control group [(2.10±0.45)％vs (1.09±0.20)％](t=9.130, P<0.01), the levels of Th17-related cytokines IL-17 and IL-23 were remarkably higher than the control group (IL-17:t=19.843, P<0.01;IL-23:t=22.747, P<0.01), and the percentage of Treg cells was significantly lower than the control group [(1.33 ±0.30)％vs (2.52±0.30)％], (t=12.422, P<0.01). The levels of Th17 and IL-17 were positively associated with EDSS score (Th17: r=0.458, P<0.05; IL-17: r=0.480, P<0.05), there was no significant-correlation between the level of IL-23 and EDSS score (r=0.368, P>0.05), and Th17, IL-17 and IL-23 were positively correlated with the number of Gd-enhancing lesions (Th17: r=0.446, P<0.05; IL-17: r=0.544, P<0.05; IL-23: r=0.461, P<0.05). The levels of Th17, IL-17 and IL-23 in the RRMS group after the treatment with methylprednisolone were obviously decreased than before treatment (Th17: t=5.747, P<0.01; IL-17: t=9.967, P<0.01; IL-23: t=14.697, P<0.01), while that of Treg was apparently increased (t=10.050, P<0.01). Compared with the control group, the levels of Th17, IL-17 and IL-23 in the RRMS group after treatment were higher (Th17: t=6.889, P<0.01;IL-17:t=7.185, P<0.01;IL-23:t=13.284, P<0.01), and the percentage of Treg was lower (t=7.622, P<0.01). EDSS score of the RRMS group after treatment was remarkably decreased than before treatment(t=6.190, P<0.01), but the number of Gd-enhanced lesions after treatment was no significantiy changed (t=1.453, P>0.05). Conclusion Th17/Treg expression imbalance and Th17-related cytokines IL-17, IL-23 may participate in the pathological process of MS, and they might be therapeutic target for MS.