Transcription factor STAT4 counteracts radiotherapy resistance in breast carcinoma cells by activating the MALAT1/miR-21-5p/THRB regulatory network.

Considering the limited research and the prevailing evidence of STAT4's tumor-suppressing role in breast carcinoma (BC) or in breast radiotherapy (RT) sensitivity requires more in-depth exploration. Our study delves into how STAT4, a transcription factor, affects BC cell resistance to radiotherapy by regulating the MALAT1/miR-21-5p/THRB axis. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to predict the regulatory mechanisms associated with STAT4 in BC. Subsequently, we identified the expression profiles of STAT4, MALAT1, miR-21-5p, and THRB in various tissues and cell lines, exploring their interactions and impact on RT resistance in BC cells. Moreover, animal models were established with X-ray irradiation for further validation. We discovered that STAT4, which is found to be minimally expressed in breast carcinoma (BC) tissues and cell lines, has been associated with a poorer prognosis. In vitro cellular assays indicated that STAT4 could mitigate radiotherapy resistance in BC cells by transcriptional activation of MALAT1. Additionally, MALAT1 up-regulated THRB expression by adsorbing miR-21-5p. As demonstrated in vitro and in vivo, overexpressing STAT4 inhibited miR-21-5p and enhanced THRB levels through transcriptional activation of MALAT1, which ultimately contributes to the reversal of radiotherapy resistance in BC cells and the suppression of tumor formation in nude mice. Collectively, STAT4 could inhibit miR-21-5p and up-regulate THRB expression through transcriptional activation of MALAT1, thereby mitigating BC cell resistance to radiotherapy and ultimately preventing BC development and progression.

The effectiveness of intermittent theta burst stimulation for upper limb motor recovery after stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) is a promising noninvasive therapy to restore the excitability of the cortex, and subsequently improve the function of the upper extremities. Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of iTBS in restoring upper limb function and modulating cortical excitability. We aimed to evaluate the effects of iTBS on upper limb motor recovery after stroke. Objective: The purpose of this article is to evaluate the influence of intermittent theta-burst stimulation on upper limb motor recovery and improve the quality of life. Method: A literature search was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and CBM, including only English studies, to identify studies that investigated the effects of iTBS on upper limb recovery, compared with sham iTBS used in control groups. Effect size was reported as standardized mean difference (SMD) or weighted mean difference (WMD). Results: Ten studies were included in the meta-analysis. The results of the meta-analysis indicated that when compared to the control group, the iTBS group had a significant difference in the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) and Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) (WMD: 3.20, 95% CI: 1.42 to 4.97; WMD: 3.72, 95% CI: 2.13 to 5.30, respectively). In addition, there was also a significant improvement in the modified Ashworth scale (MAS) compared to the sham group (WMD: -0.56; 95% CI: -0.85 to -0.28). More evidence is still needed to confirm the effect of Barthel Index (BI) scores after interventions. However, no significant effect was found for the assessment of Motor Evoked Potential (MEP) amplitude and MEP latency (SMD: 0.35; 95% CI: -0.21 to 0.90; SMD: 0.35, 95% CI: -0.18 to 0.87; SMD: 0.03, 95% CI: -0.49 to 0.55; respectively). Conclusion: Our results showed that iTBS significantly improved motor impairment, functional activities, and reduced muscle tone of upper limbs, thereby increasing the ability to perform Activities of Daily Living (ADL) in stroke patients, while there were no significant differences in MEPs. In conclusion, iTBS is a promising non-invasive brain stimulation as an adjunct to therapy and enhances the therapeutic effect of conventional physical therapy. In the future, more randomized controlled trials with large sample sizes, high quality, and follow-up are necessary to explore the neurophysiological effects. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42023392739.

Hollow Microfiber Assembly-Based Endocrine Pancreas-on-a-Chip for Sugar Substitute Evaluation.

With the increasing demand for low-sugar, low-calorie healthy diets, artificial sweeteners are widely used as substitutes for sugar in the food industry. Therefore, developing models that can better predict the effects of sugar substitutes on the human body is necessary. Here, a new type of endocrine pancreas-on-a-chip is developed based on a microfiber assembly and its stimulation of pancreatic secretion by glucose or sugar substitutes is evaluated. This new endocrine pancreas-on-a-chip is assembled using two components: (1) a cell-loaded hollow methacrylate gelatin (GelMA)/calcium alginate (CaA) composite microfiber prepared by microfluidic spinning to achieve vascular simulation and material transport, and (2) a 3D pancreatic islet culture layer, which also serves as a fiber assembly microchip. Using this established organ chip, the effects of five sweeteners (glucose, erythritol, xylitol, sodium cyclamate, and sucralose) were investigated on pancreatic islet cell viability and insulin and glucagon secretion. The constructed endocrine pancreas-on-a-chip has potential for the safety evaluation of sugar-substituted food additives, which can expand the application of organ chips in the field of food safety and provide a new platform for evaluating various food additives.

A novel automated planning approach for multi-anatomical sites cancer in Raystation treatment planning system.

PURPOSE: To develop an automated planning approach in Raystation and evaluate its feasibility in multiple clinical application scenarios. METHODS: An automated planning approach (Ruiplan) was developed by using the scripting platform of Raystation. Radiotherapy plans were re-generated both automatically by using Ruiplan and manually. 60 patients, including 20 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), 20 patients with esophageal carcinoma (ESCA), and 20 patients with rectal cancer (RECA) were retrospectively enrolled in this study. Dosimetric and planning efficiency parameters of the automated plans (APs) and manual plans (MPs) were statistically compared. RESULTS: For target coverage, APs yielded superior dose homogeneity in NPC and RECA, while maintaining similar dose conformity for all studied anatomical sites. For OARs sparing, APs led to significant improvement in most OARs sparing. The average planning time required for APs was reduced by more than 43% compared with MPs. Despite the increased monitor units (MUs) for NPC and RECA in APs, the beam-on time of APs and MPs had no statistical difference. Both the MUs and beam-on time of APs were significantly lower than that of MPs in ESCA. CONCLUSIONS: This study developed a new automated planning approach, Ruiplan, it is feasible for multi-treatment techniques and multi-anatomical sites cancer treatment planning. The dose distributions of targets and OARs in the APs were similar or better than those in the MPs, and the planning time of APs showed a sharp reduction compared with the MPs. Thus, Ruiplan provides a promising approach for realizing automated treatment planning in the future.

[Clinical research of acupuncture therapy combined with domperidone in treatment of diabetic gastroparesis of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of shuanggu yitong acupuncture therapy (the therapy for both replenishment and unblocking) combined with domperidone on diabetic gastroparesis (DGP) of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency pattern and explore its effect mechanism. METHODS: DGP patients differentiated as liver stagnation and spleen deficiency pattern were divided into a control group (n=42) and an observation group (n=42) according to the random number table. The patients in the control group took domperidone tablets orally, 10 mg each time, 3 times a day for 28 days. In the observation group, on the base of the treatment as the control group, shuanggu yitong acupuncture therapy was applied to Baihui (GV20), Shenting (GV24), Zhongwan (CV12), bilateral Zusanli (ST36), Hegu (LI4)and Taichong (LR3), stimulated for 30 min in each treatment. Acupuncture was given once daily, 3 times a weeks for 28 days consecutively. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), 2-hour postprandial blood glucose (2 h PBG) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were detected before and after treatment in the patients of two groups separately. The score of symptom severity index of gastroparesis (GCSI), traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome score and gastric emptying rate were assessed in the patients of two groups. Using ELISA, radioimmunoassay and colorimentry methods, the contents of motilin in plasma, gastrin, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and interferon-gamma (INF-γ) in serum, as well as the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the serum were determined in the two groups. The clinical curative effect was evaluated. RESULTS: After treatment, the levels of FBG, 2 h PBG and HbA1c, the scores of GCSI and TCM syndrome, the contents of motilin in plasma, gastrin, TNF-α and MDA, as well as the activity of ROS in serum were all reduced when compared with those before treatment in each group (P<0.05, P<0.01), while gastric emptying rate and SOD activity in the serum were higher than those before treatment (P<0.05, P<0.01). After treatment, the serological content of INF-γ was lower than that before treatment in the control group (P<0.05), and the contents of IL-6 and IL-1ß were reduced than those before treatment in the observation group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the levels of FBG, 2 h PBG and HbA1c, the scores of GCSI and TCM symptoms, the contents of motilin in plasma, gastrin, TNF-α, MDA, IL-6 and IL-1ß, and the activity of ROS in serum in the observation group were all lower significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01), while the SOD activity and gastric emptying rate in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01). The total effective rate was 90.5% (38/42) in the observation group, better than the control group (73.8%, 31/42, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Shuanggu yitong acupuncture therapy combined with domperidone remarkably relieves the clinical symptoms and improves the gastric emptying rate, effectively reduces motilin and gastrin and regulates oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in the patients with DGP of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency.

Microfiber Fabricated via Microfluidic Spinning toward Tissue Engineering Applications.

Microfibers, a type of long, thin, and flexible material, can be assembled into functional 3D structures by folding, binding, and weaving. As a novel spinning method, combining microfluidic technology and wet spinning, microfluidic spinning technology can precisely control the size, morphology, structure, and composition of the microfibers. Particularly, the process is mild and rapid, which is suitable for preparing microfibers using biocompatible materials and without affecting the viability of cells encapsulated. Furthermore, owing to the controllability of microfluidic spinning, microfibers with well-defined structures (such as hollow structures) will contribute to the exchange of nutrients or guide cell orientation. Thus, this method is often used to fabricate microfibers as cell scaffolds for cell encapsulation or adhesion and can be further applied to biomimetic fibrous tissues. In this review, the focus is on different fiber structures prepared by microfluidic spinning technology, including solid, hollow, and heterogeneous structures, generated from three essential elements: spinning platform, fiber composition, and solidification methods. Furthermore, the application of microfibers is described with different structures in tissue engineering, such as blood vessels, skeletal muscle, bone, nerves, and lung bronchi. Finally, the challenges and future development prospects of microfluidic spinning technology in tissue engineering applications are discussed.

Biomimetic lung-on-a-chip to model virus infection and drug evaluation.

Viral infectious diseases remain a global public health problem. The rapid and widespread spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV­2) has had a severe impact on the global economy and human activities, highlighting the vulnerability of humans to viral infectious diseases and the urgent need to develop new technologies and effective treatments. Organ-on-a-chip is an emerging technology for constructing the physiological and pathological microenvironment of human organs in vitro and has the advantages of portability, high throughput, low cost, and accurate simulation of the in vivo microenvironment. Indeed, organ-on-a-chip provides a low-cost alternative for investigating human organ physiology, organ diseases, toxicology, and drug efficacy. The lung is a main target organ of viral infection, and lung pathophysiology must be assessed after viral infection and treatment with antiviral drugs. This review introduces the construction of lung-on-a-chip and its related pathophysiological models, focusing on the in vitro simulation of viral infection and evaluation of antiviral drugs, providing a developmental direction for research and treatment of viral diseases.

[Clinical efficacy and time-effect relationship of dynamic qi acupuncture for acute lumbar sprain].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of dynamic qi acupuncture for acute lumbar sprain, and to explore the differences of different needle retention time on the improvement of pain, lumbar mobility and lumbar dysfunction. METHODS: A total of 160 patients with acute lumbar sprain were randomly divided into an observation group A (40 cases, 4 cases dropped off), an observation group B (40 cases, 2 cases dropped off), an observation group C (40 cases, 4 cases dropped off) and a medication group (40 cases, 6 cases dropped off). The patients in the observation group A, the observation group B and the observation group C were treated with acupuncture at "lumbago point" and Sanjian (LI 3) on the left side, and during the needles were kept for 10, 20 and 30 min respectively, the patients were required to take tolerable lumbar active activities, once a day; the patients in the medication group were treated with celecoxib capsules, 0.2 g each time, twice a day. All the patients were treated for 5 d. Before and after treatment, the scores of numerical rating scale-11 (NRS-11), lumbar range of motion (ROM) and modified Oswestry disability index (ODI) were observed, and the clinical efficacy of each group was evaluated. RESULTS: After treatment, the scores of NRS-11, ROM and ODI in each group were decreased compared before treatment (P<0.01). The decreased degree of NRS-11, ROM and ODI in each observation group was greater than that in the medication group (P<0.05), and the decreased degree of ROM and ODI in the observation group B and the observation group C was greater than that in the observation group A (P<0.05). The total effective rates were 94.4% (34/36) in the observation group A, 94.7% (36/38) in the observation group B and 97.2% (35/36) in the observation group C, respectively, which were higher than 79.4% (27/34) in the medication group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Dynamic qi acupuncture with needle retention for 10, 20 and 30 min all could effectively improve the pain, lumbar mobility and lumbar dysfunction in patients with acute lumbar sprain. If the lumbar dysfunction is severe, needle retention for 20 min or more is recommended.

A simple nomogram for assessing the risk of IgA vasculitis nephritis in IgA vasculitis Asian pediatric patients.

A nomogram for assessing the risk of IgA vasculitis nephritis (originally termed Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis, HSPN) in IgA vasculitis (originally termed Henoch-Schönlein purpura, HSP) pediatric patients can effectively improve early diagnosis and prognosis of IgA vasculitis nephritis. However, currently, no nomogram is available. 246 IgA vasculitis and 142 IgA vasculitis nephritis Asian pediatric patients confirmed by renal biopsy were enrolled. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were performed to identify the independent risk factors and construct a series of predictive models. The receiver operating characteristic curve, calibration plot, decision curve analysis, net reclassification index and integrated discrimination index were used to screen the best model. Stratification analysis was applied to optimize model's clinical utility. An external validation set was introduced to verify the predictive efficiency. The final predictive model was converted to nomogram for visual use. We identified age, duration of rash (Dor), D-dimer and IgG as independent risk factors and constructed four models as follows: AIDD (Age + IgG + Dor + D-dimer), AIDi (Age + IgG + D-dimer), AIDo (Age + IgG + Dor) and ADD (Age + Dor + D-dimer), which achieved the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.931, 0.920, 0.856 and 0.907, respectively. Finally, AIDi model with an AUROC of 0.956 and 0.897 in internal and external validating sets was proposed as a novel predictive model. In stratification analysis by gender and histological grade, the AUROC of AIDi was 0.949 in female, 0.926 in male, 0.933 in mild histological grades and 0.939 in severe histological grades, respectively. AIDi nomogram is an effective and visual tool for assessing the risk of nephritis in IgA vasculitis Asian pediatric patients, regardless of IgA vasculitis nephritis histological grades and gender.

Trametenolic Acid Ameliorates the Progression of Diabetic Nephropathy in db/db Mice via Nrf2/HO-1 and NF-κB-Mediated Pathways.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a fatal complication of diabetes and the main cause of end-stage renal disease. Due to the suboptimal effects of current treatments, there is an urgent need to develop new therapeutic strategies for DN. Trametenolic acid (TA), a lanostane-type tetracyclic triterpenoid, is one of the main active ingredients extracted from the natural product Inonotus obliquus. Our study was aimed at clarifying the potential protective effects of TA on DN and its underlying mechanism. In this research, C57BLKS/db (db/db) mice were used as the spontaneous DN model, and TA (10 mg/kg/d) was intraperitoneally injected for 4 consecutive weeks. Ratio of right kidney weight/body weight was calculated, and the contents of serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and urine albumin were detected. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) and the contents of reductive glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured. The histopathological changes of renal tissues were observed by hematoxylin and eosin (HE), periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), and Masson staining. The protein expressions of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase-1 (NQO-1), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), proinflammation cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), Nephrin, and Podocin were detected by western blot assay. Immunohistochemistry was utilized to detect expressions of collagen III (COL-III) and fibronectin (FN). Our results showed that TA administration significantly reduced the ratio of right kidney weight/body weight, BUN, Scr, and urine albumin levels and alleviated the histopathological changes of DN mice. Moreover, TA administration remarkably increased GSH content and SOD and CAT activities and decreased MDA content. Western blot assay demonstrated that TA activated Nrf2 signaling and increased the expression of downstream antioxidant enzymes HO-1 and NQO-1. Further studies illustrated that NF-κB signaling was inhibited, and downstream proinflammation cytokine expressions of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß were also downregulated. In addition, we also found that TA administration significantly increased the expression of nephrin and podocin proteins and reduced the protein expression of COL-III and FN. These findings suggested that TA exhibited a renoprotective effect by ameliorating oxidative stress and inflammation via Nrf2/HO-1 and NF-κB signaling pathways.

3D printing of heterogeneous microfibers with multi-hollow structure via microfluidic spinning.

Tissues with tubular structures play important roles in the human bodies, such as mass transport, nutrition exchange, and waste filtration. However, it remains a challenge to generate micro-scaffolds with well-defined luminal structure in biomedical field. In this study, we proposed a novel method to fabricate multi-component microfibers with multi-hollow structure via microfluidic spinning, which can subsequently be integrated with 3D printing for tissue-like block assembling. To achieve this goal, we fabricated a microchip using a 3D printed template with adjustable heights. Utilizing this microchip, we successfully generated the Calcium alginate microfibers with multi-components and defined hollow structures in a controllable manner. Then this microfluidic spinning method was integrated with a 3D mobile platform to assemble the microfibers into a grid-like 3D architecture. The resulted 3D scaffolds exhibited good organization and maintained the hollow structure of the fibers. Furthermore, we successfully developed a bronchus model utilizing this strategy by loading pulmonary bronchial epithelium cells and endothelial cells into microfibers with two hollow structures. The present strategy provides a potential platform to rebuild the lumen-like tissues using microfibers.

[Clinical observation on filiform-fire needling of "Biaoben acupoint combination" for 33 cases of sequelae of coronavirus disease 2019 during recovery period].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical therapeutic effect of filiform-fire needling of "Biaoben acupoint combination" on the sequelae of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the recovery period. METHODS: A total of 33 patients with COVID-19 during the recovery period were treated with filiform-fire needling at the acupoints of Mingmen (GV 4), Shenzhu (GV 12), Gaohuang (BL 43), Zusanli (ST 36) and Shangjuxu (ST 37), etc., once every other day, 3 times a week, and 3 times was one course of treatment and totally 2 courses of treatment were required. The TCM symptom, Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) and Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) scores, pulmonary function indexes (forced vital capacity [FVC], forced expiratory volume in one second [FEV1], peak expiratory flow [PEF]) and chest CT imaging change were observed before and after treatment, and the therapeutic effect was evaluated. RESULTS: After treatment, the scores of TCM symptom, HAMA and HAMD were decreased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), and the levels of FVC, FEV1 and PEF were increased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), and the recovery rate of 22 patients with pulmonary ventilation dysfunction was 86.4% (19/22). After treatment, the lung shadow area was smaller than that before treatment (P<0.05). The effective rate of 25 patients with lung CT abnormalities was 84.0% (21/25). After treatment, 23 cases were cured, 5 cases were markedly effective, 4 cases were effective, 1 case was ineffective, the cured and markedly effective rate was 84.8%. CONCLUSION: The filiform-fire needling of "Biaoben acupoint combination" could significantly reduce the sequelae of cough, fatigue, chest tightness, etc. and mental symptoms such as anxiety and depression in patients with COVID-19 during the recovery period, and promote inflammatory exudation absorption of pulmonary lesion and improve lung ventilation function.

Gut Microbes in Immunoglobulin A Nephropathy and Their Potential Therapeutic Applications.

Microbial ecosystem consists of a complex community of bacterial interactions and its host microenvironment (tissue, cell, metabolite). Because the interaction between gut microbiota and host involves many diseases and seriously affects human health, the study of the interaction mechanism between gut microbiota and host has attracted great attention. The gut microbiome is made up of 100 trillion bacteria that have both beneficial and adverse effects on human health. The development of IgA Nephropathy results in changes in the intestinal microbial ecosystem that affect host physiology and health. Similarly, changes in intestinal microbiota also affect the development of IgA Nephropathy. Thus, the gut microbiome represents a novel therapeutic target for improving the outcome of IgA Nephropathy, including hematuria symptoms and disease progression. In this review, we summarize the effect of intestinal microbiota on IgA Nephropathy in recent years and it has been clarified that the intestinal microbiota has a great influence on the pathogenesis and treatment of IgA Nephropathy.

Potential Small Molecules for Therapy of Lupus Nephritis Based on Genetic Effect and Immune Infiltration.

Lupus nephritis (LN) is the most common and significant complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) due to its poor prognosis and mortality rates in SLE patients. There is a critical need for new drugs as the pathogenesis of LN remains to be elucidated and immunosuppressive therapy comes with many deficiencies. In this study, 23 hub genes (IFI6, PLSCR1, XAF1, IFI16, IFI44, MX1, IFI44L, IFIT3, IFIT2, IFI27, DDX58, EIF2AK2, IFITM1, RTP4, IFITM3, TRIM22, PARP12, IFIH1, OAS1, HERC6, RSAD2, DDX60, and MX2) were identified through bioinformatics and network analysis and are closely related to interferon production and function. Interestingly, immune cell infiltration analysis and correlation analysis demonstrate a positive correlation between the expression of 23 hub genes and monocyte infiltration in glomeruli and M2 macrophage infiltration in the tubulointerstitium of LN patients. Additionally, the CTD database, DsigDB database, and DREIMT database were used to explore the bridging role of genes in chemicals and LN as well as the potential influence of these chemicals on immune cells. After comparison and discussion, six small molecules (Acetohexamide, Suloctidil, Terfenadine, Prochlorperazine, Mefloquine, and Triprolidine) were selected for their potential ability in treating lupus nephritis.

[Thumb-tack needles based on "Biaoben acupoint compatibility" for sequela of COVID-19 during recovery period].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of thumb-tack needles based on "Biaoben acupoint compatibility" on sequela symptoms, mental state and pulmonary ventilation function in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during recovery period. METHODS: Fifty cases of COVID-19 during recovery period were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 25 cases in each group. The patients in the observation group were treated with thumb-tack needles at Guanyuan (CV 4), Zusanli (ST 36) and Taiyuan (LU 9). The patients in the control group were treated with sham thumb-tack needles at identical acupoints as the observation group. The treatment in the two groups was given once a day, 7-day treatment was taken as a course of treatment, and totally two courses of treatment were given. The TCM symptom score, Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) score, Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) score, pulmonary function (forced vital capacity [FVC], forced expiratory volume in the first second [FEV1], peak expiratory flow [PEF]), the severity of pulmonary ventilation dysfunction and pulmonary imaging changes in the two groups were compared before and after treatment. RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the total scores and each item scores of TCM symptom scale, HAMA scores and HAMD scores in the two groups were reduced after treatment (P<0.05). Except for the symptom scores of dry throat and dry stool, the total score and each item score of TCM symptom scale, HAMA score and HAMD score in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). Compared before treatment, FVC, FEV1 and PEF in the two groups were increased after treatment (P<0.05), and those in the observation group were higher than the control group (P<0.05). The severity of pulmonary ventilation dysfunction in the two groups was reduced after treatment (P<0.05), and the severity in the observation group was better than that in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the lung shadow area in the two groups was decreased (P<0.05), and that in the observation group was smaller than the control group (P<0.05). The improvement of imaging change in the observation group was better than that in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The thumb-tack needles based on "Biaoben acupoint compatibility" could significantly reduce the sequela symptoms, anxiety and depression in patients with COVID-19 during recovery stage, and improve the pulmonary ventilation function.

Dynamic changes in moisture content and applicability analysis of a typical litter prediction model in Yunnan Province.

BACKGROUND: Forest fire risk predictions are based on the most conservation daily predictions, and the lowest litter moisture content of each day is often used to predict the day's fire risk. Yunnan Province is the area with the most frequent and serious forest fires in China, but there is almost no research on the dynamic changes and model predictions of the litter moisture content in this area. Therefore, to reduce the occurrence of forest fires and improve the accuracy of forest fire risk predictions, it is necessary to understand these dynamic changes and establish an appropriate prediction model for the typical litter moisture content in Yunnan Province. METHOD: During the fire prevention period, daily dynamic changes in the litter moisture content are obtained by monitoring the daily step size, and the relationships between the litter moisture content and meteorological elements are analyzed. In this study, the meteorological element regression method, moisture code method and direction estimation method are selected to establish litter moisture content prediction models, and the applicability of each model is analyzed. RESULTS: We found that dynamic changes in the litter moisture content have obvious lags compared with meteorological elements, and the litter moisture content is mainly related to the air temperature, relative humidity and wind speed. With an increase in the sampling interval of meteorological elements, the significances of these correlations first increase and then decrease. The moisture content value obtained by directly using the moisture code method in the Fire Weather Index (FWI) significantly different from the measured value, so this method is not applicable. The mean absolute error (MAE) and mean relative error (MRE) values obtained with the meteorological element regression method are 2.97% and 14.06%, those from the moisture code method are 3.27% and 14.07%, and those from the direct estimation method are 2.82% and 12.76%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The direct estimation method has the lowest error and the strongest extrapolation ability; this method can meet the needs of daily fire forecasting. Therefore, it is feasible to use the direct estimation method to predict litter moisture contents in Yunnan Province.

Design of Novel Perovskite-Based Polymeric Poly(l-Lactide-Co-Glycolide) Nanofibers with Anti-Microbial Properties for Tissue Engineering.

: There is a growing need for anti-microbial materials in several biomedical application areas, such are hernia, skin grafts as well as gynecological products, owing to the complications caused by infection due to surgical biomaterials. The anti-microbial effects of silver in the form of nanoparticles, although effective, can be toxic to surrounding cells. In this study, we report, for the first time, a novel biomedical application of Ag0.3Na1.7La2Ti3O10-layered perovskite particles, blended with poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), aimed at designing anti-microbial and tissue engineering scaffolds. The perovskite was incorporated in three concentrations of 1, 5, 10 and 15 w/w% and electrospun using dimethylformamide (DMF) and chloroform. The morphology of the resultant nanofibers revealed fiber diameters in the range of 408 to 610 nm by scanning electron microscopy. Mechanical properties of perovskite-based nanofibers also matched similar mechanical properties to human skin. We observed impressive anti-microbial activity, against Gram-negative, Gram-positive bacteria and even fungi, to Ag0.3Na1.7La2Ti3O10 in powder as well as nanofiber-incorporated forms. Furthermore, cytotoxicity assay and immunocytochemistry revealed that perovskite-based nanofibers promoted the proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts whist maintaining normal cellular protein expression. Our study shows that perovskite-nanofibers have potential as scaffolds for biomedical applications with anti-microbial needs.

Fabrication, mechanical property and in vitro evaluation of poly (L-lactic acid-co-ε-caprolactone) core-shell nanofiber scaffold for tissue engineering.

Coaxial electrospinning, in which Poly (L-lactic acid-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLC) with different Lactic acid (LA) to caprolactone (CL) ratio (75:25 and 50:50) were employed to electrospin core-shell nanofibers which could mimic the native extracellular matrix for tissue engineering applications. Core-shell nanofibrous scaffolds of PLC (50:50)/BSA (426 ±â€¯157 nm) and PLC (75:25)/BSA (427 ±â€¯197 nm) were fabricated and model drug bovine serum albumin (BSA) was entrapped in the core layer. The morphology, core-shell structure and sustained release behaviors were evaluated by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), inverted fluorescence microscopy, water contact angle test and in vitro release test, respectively. The effect of core-shell structure and shell layer materials on the variation tendency of mechanical characterization in dry and wet situation were also investigated by tensile testing. The in vitro biocompatibility of scaffolds were investigated by growing human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) on scaffolds surface and the proliferation of cells were evaluated with Alamar Blue tests. In vitro cultivations of hMSCs showed that PLC (50:50)/BSA scaffolds supported a significantly higher proliferation rate of seeded cells than scaffolds prepared by polymer PLC (75:25)/BSA. Overall, the PLC core-shell nanofibers possessed potentially regulable mechanical properties useful for tissue engineering as well as sustained release potential for medical applications.

Electrospun nanofibers facilitate better alignment, differentiation, and long-term culture in an in vitro model of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ).

The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a specialized synapse between motor neurons and the muscle fibers they innervate. Due to the complexity of various signalling molecules and pathways, in vivo NMJs are difficult to study. Therefore, in vitro motor neuron-muscle co-culture plays a pivotal role in studying the mechanisms of NMJ formation associated with neurodegenerative diseases. There is a growing need to develop novel methodologies that can be used to develop long-term cultures of NMJs. To date, there have been few studies on NMJ development and long-term maintenance of the system, which is also the main challenge for the current in vitro models of NMJs. In this study, we demonstrate a long-term co-culture system of primary embryonic motor neurons from Sprague-Dawley rats and C2C12 cells on both random and aligned electrospun polylactic acid (PLA) nanofibrous scaffolds. This is the first study to explore the role of electrospun nanofibers in the long-term maintenance of NMJs. PLA nanofibrous scaffolds provide better contact guidance for C2C12 cells aligning along the fibers, thus guiding myotube formation. We can only maintain the co-culture system on a conventional glass substrate for 2 weeks, whilst 55% and 70% of the cells still survived on random and aligned PLA substrates after 7 weeks. Our nanofiber-based long-term co-culture system is used as an important tool for the fundamental research of NMJs.

The cellular response of nerve cells on poly-l-lysine coated PLGA-MWCNTs aligned nanofibers under electrical stimulation.

Tissue engineering scaffold provide an effective alternative for peripheral nerve repair. Nanofibrous nerve conduits fabricated with various synthetic and natural materials have great potential to support nerve regeneration as a bridge between adjacent ends. The physical, chemical and electrical properties of the scaffolds affect the outcome of nerve regeneration and recovery of function. In this paper, a surface modified, electrically conductive, aligned nanofibrous scaffold composed of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), referred to as L-PC_A was fabricated for nerve regeneration. The morphology, surface chemistry and hydrophilicity of nanofibers were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) and water contact angle, respectively. The mechanical property of the nanofibrous scaffold was also evaluated using a universal materials tester. The effects of these scaffolds on PC12 cell adhesion, proliferation and neuronal differentiation were all evaluated. A hydrophilic surface was created by poly-l-lysine coating, which was able to provide a better environment for cell attachment. Furthermore aligned fibers were proved to be able to guide PC12 cells and DRG neurons growing along the fiber direction and be beneficial for neurite outgrowth. The cellular responses of PC12 cells and DRG neurons on L-PC_A scaffold under electrical stimulation were evaluated by neurofilament proteins expression. As a result, the PC12 cells and DRG neurons stimulated with electrical shock showed longer neurite length, indicating that electrical stimulation with a voltage of 40 mV based on the scaffold with MWCNTs could enhance the neurite extension. Moreover, the cellular response of Schwann cells including cell attachment, proliferation and MBP expression were also enhanced with the synergistic effect of aligned nanofibers and electrical stimulation. In summary, the L-PC_A nanofibrous scaffold supported the cellular response of nerve cells in terms of cell proliferation, differentiation, neurite outgrowth, and myelination in the presence of electrical stimulation, which could be a potential candidate for nerve regeneration application.