Impact of Invisalign® first system on molar width and incisor torque in malocclusion during the mixed dentition period.

In orthodontic treatment of patients during the mixed dentition period, arch expansion and opening deep overbite are one of the objectives to achieve proper alignment of the teeth and correction of sagittal and vertical discrepancies. However, the expected outcomes of most therapeutic regimens are not clear, making it impossible to standardize early treatment effects. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the impact of the Invisalign® First System on the dental arch circumference and incisor inclination in patients during the mixed dentition period. A total of 21 children during the mixed dentition period (10 females and 11 males, with an average age of 8.76 years) were included in this study. The patients received non-extraction treatment through Invisalign® First System clear aligners, and no other auxiliary devices were used except Invisalign® accessories. Subsequently, the cooperation degree of patients during treatment and the oral measurement parameters at the beginning (T1) and the end (T2) of treatment were collected. All patients showed moderate/good cooperation degree during treatment. Besides, horizontal width of the maxillary first molar increased significantly; the designed arch expansion was 4.1 mm (±1.4 mm), while the actual arch expansion was 3.0 mm (±1.7 mm). Furthermore, the torque expression rate of upper anterior teeth reached 56.53%. Invisalign® First System clear aligners can effectively correct the teeth of patients during the mixed dentition period, widen the circumference of dental arch, and control the torque of incisors.

Determining Whether an Individual is 18 Years or Older Based on the Third Molar Root Pulp Visibility in East China.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the age-related changes of the mandibular third molar root pulp visibility in individuals in East China, and to explore the feasibility of applying this method to determine whether an individual is 18 years or older. METHODS: A total of 1 280 oral panoramic images were collected from the 15-30 years old East China population, and the mandibular third molar root pulp visibility in all oral panoramic images was evaluated using OLZE 0-3 four-stage method, and the age distribution of the samples at each stage was analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Stages 0, 1, 2 and 3 first appeared in 16.88, 19.18, 21.91 and 25.44 years for males and in 17.47, 20.91, 22.01 and 26.01 years for females. In all samples, individuals at stages 1 to 3 were over 18 years old. CONCLUSIONS: It is feasible to determine whether an individual in East China is 18 years or older based on the mandibular third molar root pulp visibility on oral panoramic images.

Novel MIP gene mutation causes autosomal-dominant congenital cataract.

AIM: To identify disease-causative mutations in families with congenital cataract. METHODS: Two Chinese families with autosomal-dominant congenital cataract (ADCC) were recruited and underwent comprehensive eye examinations. Gene panel next-generation sequencing of common pathogenic genes of congenital cataract was performed in the proband of each family. Sanger sequencing was used to valid the candidate gene mutations and sequence the other family members for co-segregation analysis. The effect of sequence changes on protein structure and function was predicted through bioinformatics analysis. Major intrinsic protein (MIP)-wildtype and MIP-G29R plasmids were constructed and microinjected into zebrafish single-cell stage embryos. Zebrafish embryonic lens phenotypes were screened using confocal microscopy. RESULTS: A novel heterozygous mutation (c.85G>A; p.G29R) in the MIP gene was identified in the proband of one family. A known heterozygous mutation (c.97C>T; p.R33C; rs864309693) in MIP was found in the proband of another family. In-silico prediction indicated that the novel mutation might affect the MIP protein function. Zebrafish embryonic lens was uniformly transparent in both wild-type PCS2+MIP and mutant PCS2+MIP. CONCLUSION: Two missense mutations in the MIP gene in Chinese cataract families are identified, and one of which is novel. These findings expand the genetic spectrum of MIP mutations associated with cataracts. The functional studies suggest that the novel MIP mutation might not be a gain-of-function but a loss-of-function mutation.

Development and evaluation of a multi-target droplet digital PCR assay for highly sensitive and specific detection of Yersinia pestis.

BACKGROUND: Plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, is a zoonotic disease that poses considerable threats to human health. Nucleic acid tests are crucial for plague surveillance and the rapid detection of Y. pestis. However, inhibitors in complex samples such as soil and animal tissues often hamper nucleic acid detection, leading to a reduced rate of identifying low concentrations of Y. pestis. To address this challenge, we developed a sensitive and specific droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) assay for detecting Y. pestis DNA from soil and animal tissue samples. METHODS: Three genes (ypo2088, caf1, and pla) from Y. pestis were used to develop a multi-target ddPCR assay. The limits of detection (LoD), reproducibility, and specificity were assessed for bacterial genomic DNA samples. The ability of the assay to detect low concentrations of Y. pestis DNA from simulated soil and mouse liver tissue samples was respectively evaluated and compared with that of quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). RESULTS: The results showed that the ddPCR LoDs ranged from 6.2 to 15.4 copies/reaction for the target genes, with good reproducibility and high specificity for Y. pestis. By testing 130 soil and mouse liver tissue samples spiked with Y. pestis, the ddPCR assay exhibited a better sensitivity than that of the qPCR assay used in the study, with LoDs of 102 colony forming units (CFU)/100 mg soil and 103 CFU/20 mg liver. Moreover, the assay presented good quantitative linearity (R2 = 0.99) for Y. pestis at 103-106 CFU/sample for soil and liver samples. CONCLUSION: The ddPCR assay presented good performance for detecting Y. pestis DNA from soil and mouse tissue samples, showing great potential for improving the detection rate of low concentrations of Y. pestis in plague surveillance and facilitating the early diagnosis of plague cases.

Pangenome characterization and analysis of the NAC gene family reveals genes for Sclerotinia sclerotiorum resistance in sunflower (Helianthus annuus).

BACKGROUND: Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is one of the most important economic crops in oilseed production worldwide. The different cultivars exhibit variability in their resistance genes. The NAC transcription factor (TF) family plays diverse roles in plant development and stress responses. With the completion of the H. annuus genome sequence, the entire complement of genes coding for NACs has been identified. However, the reference genome of a single individual cannot cover all the genetic information of the species. RESULTS: Considering only a single reference genome to study gene families will miss many meaningful genes. A pangenome-wide survey and characterization of the NAC genes in sunflower species were conducted. In total, 139 HaNAC genes are identified, of which 114 are core and 25 are variable. Phylogenetic analysis of sunflower NAC proteins categorizes these proteins into 16 subgroups. 138 HaNACs are randomly distributed on 17 chromosomes. SNP-based haplotype analysis shows haplotype diversity of the HaNAC genes in wild accessions is richer than in landraces and modern cultivars. Ten HaNAC genes in the basal stalk rot (BSR) resistance quantitative trait loci (QTL) are found. A total of 26 HaNAC genes are differentially expressed in response to Sclerotinia head rot (SHR). A total of 137 HaNAC genes are annotated in Gene Ontology (GO) and are classified into 24 functional groups. GO functional enrichment analysis reveals that HaNAC genes are involved in various functions of the biological process. CONCLUSIONS: We identified NAC genes in H. annuus (HaNAC) on a pangenome-wide scale and analyzed S. sclerotiorum resistance-related NACs. This study provided a theoretical basis for further genomic improvement targeting resistance-related NAC genes in sunflowers.

Age affects vascular morphology and predictiveness of anatomical landmarks for aortic zones in trauma patients: implications for resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta.

PURPOSE: Understanding the vascular morphology is fundamental for resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of aging on length and diameter of aorta and iliac arteries in trauma patients, and to investigate the predictiveness of anatomical landmarks for aortic zones. METHODS: A total of 235 patients in a regional trauma center registry from September 1, 2018, to January 3, 2024, participated in the study. Reconstruction of computed tomography was applied to the torso area. The marginal diameter and length of aorta and iliac arteries were measured. Anatomical landmark distances and aortic marginal lengths were compared. RESULTS: The length and diameter of aorta and iliac arteries increased with age, and a tortuous and enlarged morphology was observed in older patients. There was a good regression between age and diameter of the aorta. Neither the jugular notch, the xiphisternal joint, nor the umbilicus could reliably represent specific margins of aortic zones. The distance between the mid-sternum and femoral artery (427 ± 25 to 442 ± 25 mm for right, and 425 ± 28 to 440 ± 26 mm for left) was predictive for zone 1 in all groups. The distance between the lower one-third junction of the xiphisternum to the umbilicus and femoral artery (232 ± 19 to 240 ± 17 mm for right, and 229 ± 20 to 237 ± 19 mm for left) was predictive for zone 3 aorta. CONCLUSION: Aging increases the length and diameter of aorta and iliac arteries, with a tortuous and enlarged morphology in geriatric populations. The mid-sternum and the lower one-third junction of the xiphisternum to the umbilicus were predictive landmarks for zone 1 and zone 3, respectively.

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation of humeral adductors in subjects with rotator cuff tear.

INTRODUCTION: In symptomatic patients with rotator cuff tear, MRI and radiographic studies have ascribed the pain symptom to insufficient humeral head depression during arm elevations. The arm adductors such as the teres major and pectoralis major may contribute to depression of the humerus head during arm elevations. Researchers have demonstrated that neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) of the serratus anterior and lower trapezius can control scapular motions and improve acromiohumeral distance. It is unknown, however, if adductor neuromuscular training could help patients with rotator cuff tear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study of NMES of the teres major and pectoralis major was conducted on 30 symptomatic subjects with rotator cuff tear. We measured the acromiohumeral distance by ultrasonography and scapular kinematics during arm elevation with a three-dimensional motion tracking system. RESULTS: The acromiohumeral distance significantly increased during NMES of the teres major (0.73 mm, p < 0.001). However, the distance significantly decreased with NMES of the pectoralis major (0.78 mm, p < 0.001). Additionally, scapular upward rotation was greater during NMES of the teres major than during NMES of the pectoralis major (3.4°, p < 0.001). Scapular external rotation decreased significantly more during NMES of the pectoralis major than during NMES of the teres major (1.6°, p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: NMES of the teres major can increase acromiohumeral distance and scapular upward rotation during arm elevation. However, the decreased upward and external rotation of the scapula during arm elevation with NMES of the pectoralis major may be associated with subacromial impingement.

A randomized controlled study investigating the efficacy of electro-acupuncture and exercise-based swallowing rehabilitation for post-stroke dysphagia: Impacts on brainstem auditory evoked potentials and cerebral blood flow.

BACKGROUND: Swallowing rehabilitation behavioral therapy and traditional Chinese acupuncture therapy are widely used in the treatment of post-stroke dysphagia (PSD). This study investigated the therapeutic effect of electro-acupuncture combined with exercise-based swallowing rehabilitation on PSD and its effect on brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) and cerebral blood flow. METHODS: The 120 PSD patients were divided into 2 groups (n = 60 each) by simple random grouping method, that is, an experimental and control group, receiving routine swallowing training, or additional intervention with electro-acupuncture at a frequency of 5 times/week. Data in swallowing function, BAEP, and cerebrovascular color Doppler ultrasound parameters were collected before treatment, as well as after treatment. An intergroup comparison was conducted using an independent sample t-test, and an intra-group comparison was conducted among different time points using a paired t-test. The data were analyzed using the SPSS Statistics 22.0 software; P < .05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The therapeutic effects were significantly better in the experimental group compared with the control group (P < .05). The standard swallowing function assessment scores were significantly lower in both groups after treatment (P < .05), and the score in the observation group was lower than in the control group (P < .05). The peak latency of BAEP waves III and IV, and the inter-peak latency between peaks III to V and I to V in the 2 groups changed significantly (P < .05). The peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV), and mean velocity (MV) were significantly increased in both groups after treatment (P < .05). The pulsatility index decreased significantly in both groups (P < .05), and the PSV, EDV, and MV were higher in the experimental group than in the control group (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Electro-acupuncture, combined with swallowing training in the treatment of Post-stroke Dysphagia, effectively improved cerebral microcirculation and conduction velocity, enhanced the motor function of swallowing muscles, and promoted the recovery of swallowing function.

Discovery of the tryptanthrin-derived indoloquinazoline as an anti-breast cancer agent via ERK/JNK activation.

Tryptanthrin, an alkaloid applied in traditional Chinese medicine, exhibits a variety of pharmacological activities. This study aimed to investigate the anti-tumor activity of the tryptanthrin derivative (8-cyanoindolo[2,1-b]quinazoline-6,12-dione [CIQ]) in breast cancer cells. In both MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells, CIQ inhibited cell viability and promoted caspase-dependent apoptosis. At the concentration- and time-dependent ways, CIQ increased the levels of p-ERK, p-JNK, and p-p38 in breast cancer cells. We found that exposure to the JNK inhibitor or the ERK inhibitor partially reversed CIQ's viability. We also observed that CIQ increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and upregulated the phosphorylation and expression of H2AX. However, the pretreatment of the antioxidants did not protect the cells against CIQ's effects on cell viability and apoptosis, which suggested that ROS does not play a major role in the mechanism of action of CIQ. In addition, CIQ inhibited the invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells and decreased the expression of the prometastatic factors (MMP-2 and Snail). These findings demonstrated that the possibility of this compound to show promise in playing an important role against breast cancer.

Development and Validation of a Nomogram for Predicting Obstructive Sleep Apnea Severity in Children.

Purpose: The clinical presentation of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) in children is insidious and harmful. Early identification of children with OSA, particularly those at a higher risk for severe symptoms, is essential for making informed clinical decisions and improving long-term outcomes. Therefore, we developed and validated a risk prediction model for severity in Chinese children with OSA to effectively identify children with moderate-to-severe OSA in a clinical setting. Patients and Methods: From June 2023 to September 2023, we retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 367 Children diagnosed with OSA through portable bedside polysomnography (PSG). Predictor variables were screened using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and logistic regression techniques to construct nomogram to predict the severity of OSA. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), calibration curve, decision curve analysis (DCA), and clinical impact curve (CIC) were used to determine the discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness of the nomogram. Results: A total of 367 children with a median age of 84 months were included in this study. Neck circumference, ANB, gender, learning problem, and level of obstruction were identified as independent risk factors for moderate-severe OSA. The consistency indices of the nomogram in the training and validation cohorts were 0.841 and 0.75, respectively. The nomogram demonstrated a strong concordance between the predicted probabilities and the observed probabilities for children diagnosed with moderate-severe OSA. With threshold probabilities ranging from 0.1 to 1.0, the predictive model demonstrated strong predictive efficacy and yielded improved net benefit for clinical decision-making. ROC analysis was employed to classify the children into high and low-risk groups, utilizing the Optimal Cutoff value of 0.39. Conclusion: A predictive model using LASSO regression was developed and validated for children with varying levels of OSA. This model identifies children at risk of developing OSA at an early stage.

Tetramerization of pyruvate kinase M2 attenuates graft-versus-host disease by inhibition of Th1 and Th17 differentiation.

Lethal graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is the major complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (Allo-HSCT). Pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) is essential for CD4+ T-cell differentiation. Using the well-characterized mouse models of Allo-HSCT, we explored the effects of TEPP-46-induced PKM2 tetramerization on GVHD and graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) activity. TEPP-46 administration significantly improved the survival rate of GVHD. The severity of GVHD and histopathological damage of GVHD-targeted organs were obviously alleviated by PKM2 tetramerization. Additionally, tetramerized PKM2 inhibited the activation of NF-κB pathway and decreased the inflammation level of GVHD mice. PKM2 tetramerization blocked Th1 and Th17 cell differentiation and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokine (IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-17). Meanwhile, differentiation of Treg cells and IL-10 secretion were promoted by tetramerized PKM2. These findings demonstrated that PKM2 enhanced the augment of Th1 and Th17 cells to accelerate the progression of GVHD, and allosteric activation of PKM2 targeted Th1 and Th17 cells attenuated GVHD. Furthermore, we also confirmed that TEPP-46 administration did not compromise GVL activity and resulted in slightly improvement of leukemia-free survive. Thus, targeting Th1 and Th17 cell response with PKM2 allosteric activator may be a promising therapeutic strategy for GVHD prevention while preserving the GVL activity in patients receiving Allo-HSCT.

Prehospital ultrasound scanning for abdominal free fluid detection in trauma patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Focused assessment with sonography for trauma helps detect abdominal free fluid. Prehospital ultrasound scanning is also important because the early diagnosis of hemoperitoneum may reduce the time to definitive treatment in the hospital. This study investigated whether prehospital ultrasound scanning can help detect abdominal free fluid. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this systematic review, relevant databases were searched for studies investigating prehospital ultrasound examinations for abdominal free fluid in trauma patients. The prehospital ultrasound results were compared with computed tomography, surgery, or hospital ultrasound examination data. The pooled sensitivity and specificity values were analyzed using forest plots. The overall predictive power was calculated by the summary receiver operating characteristic curve. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the quality assessment of diagnostic accuracy studies tool. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) was performed to assess the certainty of evidence. RESULT: This meta-analysis comprised six studies that included 1356 patients. The pooled sensitivity and specificity values were 0.596 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.345-0.822) and 0.970 (95% CI = 0.953-0.983), respectively. The pooled area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.998. The quality assessment tool showed favorable results. In the GRADE analysis, the quality of evidence was very low for sensitivity and high for specificity when prehospital ultrasound was used for hemoperitoneum diagnosis. CONCLUSION: The specificity of abdominal free fluid detection using prehospital ultrasound examinations in trauma patients was very high.

Determination of suspended erythrocyte volume range and establishment of its internal control standard / 中国输血杂志

【Objective】 To determine the volume range of suspended erythrocyte and establish its internal control standard. 【Methods】 The theoretical value of suspended erythrocyte volume was calculated according to the screening criteria of healthy blood donors and Quality Requirements for Whole Blood and Blood Components. A total of 2 410 bags of 1 U and 2 U suspended erythrocyte were randomly selected and weighed, and the volume range were formulated by ±2S and ±10% respectively and then compared to determine the volume range in line with the actual situation of our center. 【Results】 The theoretical volume range of 1 U and 2 U suspended erythrocyte were 117-160 mL vs 234-320 mL, and the actual volume range were 142-180 mL vs 276-393 mL. The volume range of 1 U and 2 U suspended erythrocyte formulated by ±2S were 145-181 mL vs 298-358 mL, and by ±10% were 147-179 mL vs 295-361 mL. The hematocrit and hemoglobin content of suspended erythrocyte within the actual volume range met the quality requirements. There were fluctuations in the volume of suspended erythrocyte from different regions. 【Conclusion】 Based on the actual situation of our center and the sampling results of suspended erythrocytes in recent two years, 163 mL±10% and 328 mL±10% were determined as the internal control standards of 1 U and 2 U suspended erythrocyte, respectively. Blood centers should establish accurate and feasible standard of suspended erythrocyte according to the actual situation.

Application of in vivo brain imaging technology in the basic research of acupuncture-moxibustion for encephalopathy / 中国针灸

Acupuncture-moxibustion is remarkably effective on encephalopathy, but its mechanism is unclear. With the continuous development of imaging technology, the in vivo brain imaging technology has been used increasingly in life science research and it also becomes a more effective tool for the basic research of acupuncture-moxibustion in treatment of encephalopathy. The paper summarizes the application of its technology in the basic research of acupuncture-moxibustion for encephalopathy and the characteristics of imaging, as well as the advantages and shortcomings. It is anticipated that the references may be provided for the basic research of acupuncture-moxibustion in treatment of encephalopathy and be conductive to the modernization of acupuncture-moxibustion.

Mechanism of VPS26 gene promoting implant osseointegration through Wnt/β-catenin pathway in hyperlipidemia rats / 中华口腔医学杂志

Objective: To investigate the mechanism of VPS26 effect on osteogenesis and adipogenesis differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC) in high fat environment, and to explore the effect of VPS26 on implants osseointegration of high fat rats and ectopic osteogenesis in nude mice. Methods: BMSC were cultured under normal osteogenic induction (osteogenic group) and high-fat osteogenic induction (high-fat group).High-fat group was transfected with VPS26 enhancer and inhibitor, and the expression levels of osteogenesis related genes and adipogenesis related genes were examined. Osteogenesis and adipogenesis of BMSC were detected by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and oil red O staining after 7 and 14 days of induction.In osteogenic group,the binding of VPS26 to β-catenin was detected by immunofluorescence staining and immunoprecipitation, and dual luciferase reporter assay (TOP Flash) was used to analyze the TOP/FOP ratio. Eighteen male 12-week hyperlipidemic Wista rats (160-200 g) were implanted with implants, and six in each group were injected with VPS26 overexpression lentivirus (LV-VPS26 group), negative control lentivirus (LV-nc group) and saline (blank control group).Micro-CT analysis , HE and oil red O staining were used to evaluate the osseointegration of the implants and lipid droplets formation of the femur samples. Twenty female 6-week nude mice (30-40 g) were divided into five groups and subcutaneously implanted with osteogenic BMSC non-transfected and transfected LV-VPS26, LV-nc, shVPS26, and shscr lentivirus on the back. Samples were used to observe ectopic osteogenesis. Results: The mRNA expression levels of ALP in the high-fat group BMSC after overexpression of VPS26 (1.56±0.09) were significantly higher than those of the negative control (1.01±0.03) (t=10.09, P<0.001), while those of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) (t=6.44, P<0.001) and fatty acid-binding protein4 (FABP4) (t=10.01, P<0.001) were lower than those of the negative control. Western blotting results showed that compared with the negative control, protein expression of ALP and Runt-related transcription gene 2 was enhanced in the high-fat group BMSC after overexpression of VPS26 while PPAR-γ and FABP4 were inhibited. ALP activity of BMSC in the high-fat group was stronger after overexpression of VPS26, and the formation of lipid droplets was weaker than that in negative control. The results of immunofluorescence, immunoprecipitation and dual luciferase reporter assays showed co-localization and interaction of VPS26 with β-catenin and a significant 43.10% increase in the TOP/FOP ratio (t=-3.17, P=0.034). VPS26 overexpression enhanced osseointegration and decreased the number of lipid droplets in high-fat rat and enhanced ectopic osteogenesis of nude mice. Conclusions: VPS26 activated osteogenesis differentiation and inhibited adipogenic differentiation of BMSCs through Wnt/β-catenin pathway, promoting osseointegration of high-fat rat implants and ectopic osteogenesis of nude mice.

Efficacy evaluation of novel oral anticoagulants in patients with cirrhosis accompanied with portal vein thrombosis: a meta-analysis / 中华肝脏病杂志

Objective: To analyze the safety and efficacy of using novel oral anticoagulants (rivaroxaban and others) in patients with cirrhosis accompanied with portal vein thrombosis (PVT). Methods: Clinical research literature published from the establishment of the database to June 20, 2021, was retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, and Weipu databases by combining subject terms and free words. RevMan software was used for the random group meta-analysis model. Results: In terms of PVT recanalization, the novel oral anticoagulants (such as low molecular weight heparin and others) had a higher recanalization rate than traditional anticoagulants (OR = 13.75, 95%CI 3.58-52.9, P = 0.000 1). In terms of bleeding, the novel oral anticoagulants did not increase the risk of bleeding compared with traditional anticoagulants (OR = 2.42, 95%CI 0.62-9.41, P = 0.20). Conclusion: The novel oral anticoagulant drugs are superior to traditional anticoagulants in terms of the occurrence of PVT recanalization; however, there is no statistically significant difference in terms of the occurrence of bleeding between the two groups.

Isolation and identification of dominant strains in the fermentation process of HuaFengDan YaoMu and investigation of their growth under different temperature and pH value / 中成药

AIM To isolate and identify the dominant strains in the fermentation process of the HuaFengDan YaoMu,and to investigate the effects of different temperatures and pH values upon their growth.METHODS During the 0-6 weeks fermentation process of HuaFengDan YaoMu in the selective medium,the cultured bacteria,the molds and the yeasts had the colonies counted,and the dominant strains isolated and purified,particularly the dominant bacteria and fungi determined by 16S rDNA and 26S rDNA sequences.The optimal growth temperature and pH value of Bacillus aryabhattai,Debaryomyces hansenii,Aspergillus oryzae were investigated respectively.RESULTS HuaFengDan YaoMu found its bacterial counts increased from 0 to 4 weeks and stabilized from 4 to 6 weeks;its yeast counts increased during 0-3 weeks,and decreased continuously during 4-6 weeks;and its mold counts remained unchanged at 0 week,but increased steadily from 1 to 4 weeks,and decreased at 5 to 6 weeks of the fermentation.In the fermentation process of HuaFengDan YaoMu,the dominant strains of Bacillus aryabhattai,Debaryomyces hansenii and Aspergillus oryzae,identified and screened out by the phylogenetic tree,adapted best to the growth temperature of 35℃,25-30℃and 35℃,at pH value of 8,6 and 7,respectively.CONCLUSION In the fermentation process of HuaFengDan YaoMu,the dominant microorganisms of Bacillus aryabhattai,Debaryomyces hansenii,Aspergillus oryzae are identifiable and separable.

Acupoints compatibility rules of acupuncture for depression disease based on data mining technology / 中国针灸

Based on data mining technology, the acupoints compatibility rules of acupuncture for depression diseases were explored. The randomized controlled trial (RCT) articles regarding acupuncture for depression diseases published from establishment of database to September 2nd, 2022 were searched in CNKI database, Wangfang database, VIP database, SinoMed database, PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library. The use frequency of acupoints, meridian tropism, selection of special acupoints and acupoint association rules for five common depression diseases, including primary depression, post-stroke depression, menopausal syndrome, psychoneurosis and anxiety disorder, were analyzed by Python programming language. Cytoscape software was used to analyze the acupoint association and the disease-acupoint co-occurrence network. As a result, totally 387 articles were included, and 319 acupoints prescriptions for the above five common depression diseases were extracted, involving 159 acupoints. The use frequency of acupoints was 2 574 times in total. The frequently-used acupoints were Baihui (GV 20), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Taichong (LR 3), Neiguan (PC 6), Shenmen (HT 7), Yintang (GV 24+), Zusanli (ST 36), Hegu (LI 4), Sishencong (EX-HN 1) and Taixi (KI 3), etc. The frequently involved meridians were the governor vessel, foot-taiyang bladder meridian, foot-taiyin spleen meridian, and foot-jueyin liver meridian. The frequency of the special acupoints from high to low was crossing points, five-shu points, yuan-primary points, back-shu points, luo-connecting points, and eight confluent points, etc, which were often used in combination with "Baihui (GV 20)-Yintang (GV 24+)" (the highest degree of association). At the same time, the analysis of the co-occurrence network of depression diseases and acupoints showed that the core acupoints group of acupuncture for depression diseases were Baihui (GV 20), Taichong (LR 3), Shenmen (HT 7), Zusanli (ST 36), Neiguan (PC 6) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6). In conclusion, acupuncture treatment for depression diseases has gradually formed a rule of acupoint compatibility, with special acupoint as the main body and "unblocking the governor vessel, and regulating the spirit and qi " as the main therapeutic principle.

Determination of fibrinogen content in cryoprecipitated antihemophilic factor by fluorescence quenching method / 中国输血杂志

【Objective】 To establish a new method for the determination of fibrinogen content in cryoprecipitated antihemophilic factor. 【Methods】 Fibrinogen (Fib) could bind with sheep anti-human fibrinogen (anti-Fib) specifically and further form antigen-antibody complex. When the Fib was present in the solution, the fluorescence of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) labeled on the anti-Fib (FITC-anti-Fib) was quenched due to the formation of immune complex. The fluorescence quenching degree of FITC-anti-Fib was positively correlated with Fib concentration (cFib) in a certain concentration range. 【Results】 The linear relationship between fluorescence quenching degree [(I0-I)/I0] of FITC-anti-Fib and ln(cFib) was (I0-I)/I0=15.53ln(cFib)+ 80.79 (R2=0.99) when the cFib was in the range of (0.007 8-0.560 0) g/L. The recovery of Fib was (96.77-102.43) %. When the method was applied to determine Fib at high, medium, and low concentrations, the obtained intra-day variation coefficients were 0.31%, 0.56%, and 0.49%, respectively, and the inter-day variation coefficients were 3.81%, 3.06%, and 4.13%, respectively. There was no significant difference between the results measured by fluorescence quenching method and coagulation method (t=-0.075, P>0.05). 【Conclusion】 In this work, a new fluorescence method for the determination of Fib in cryoprecipitated antihemophilic factor was successfully established based on the specific combination of fib and FITC-anti-Fib. The method is simple and rapid. The obtained results were accurate and reliable by using this method to determine Fib.

Determination of methylene blue release in plasma virus inactivation bag by fluorescence energy transfer method / 中国输血杂志

【Objective】 To establish a simple, economical and rapid method for the determination of methylene blue (MB) release in virus inactivation bag. 【Methods】 Based on the fluorescence energy transfer between MB and BSA-stabilized gold nanoclusters (BSA-AuNCs), the standard curve of MB determination was established by measuring the fluorescence quenching degree of MB to BSA-AuNCs in different concentrations to conduct the determination of MB release in virus inactivation bag. 【Results】 There was a good linear relationship between the MB concentration (cMB) and the fluorescence quenching degree of BSA-AuNCs[ (I0-I)/I0=0.018cMB+ 0.021(r=0.996)] when the fluorescence emission wavelength was about 620 nm and the cMB was in the range of (0.9-36) μmoL/L. The recovery of MB was 98.00% -101.95 % when applied to determine MB at high, medium, and low concentrations, the obtained intra-day variation coefficients were 0.73%, 0.81% and 0.77% respectively, and the obtained inter-day variation coefficients were 3.92%, 3.81%, and 4.73% respectively. There was no significant difference between the results measured by this method and those measured by combination of solid-phase extraction and spectrophotometry(P>0.05). 【Conclusion】 The fluorescence energy transfer method could achieve simple and rapid determination of MB release in virus inactivation bag with accurate and reliable results.