Efficacy comparison between acupuncture and other modalities in the treatment of rotator cuff diseases: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze the efficacy of acupuncture alone or combined with physical therapy compared to other treatment interventions for relieving pain and improving function in rotator cuff diseases. METHODS: Our study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. After PROSPERO (CRD42023396740) registration, all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published from the inception of the databases to October 10, 2023, evaluating the efficacy of acupuncture either alone or in combination with physical therapy for treating rotator cuff diseases, were extracted from seven databases, including PubMed, Embase, the Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), the VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals (VIP), and the Wanfang Date. Two independent researchers assessed the quality of the included studies and extracted relevant data. Furthermore, a meta-analysis was conducted using Stata 14 software. RESULTS: We included 13 RCTs - 12 published in English and 1 in Chinese - that enrolled 1,371 patients. The meta-analysis results demonstrated that acupuncture alone or in combination with physical therapy was superior to other interventions for short-term shoulder joint function improvement (standardized mean difference [SMD] = -0.82, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: -1.28 to -0.35, P = 0.001), medium-term shoulder joint function improvement (SMD = -1.00, 95% CI: -1.62 to -0.38, P = 0.002), short-term pain relief (weighted mean difference [WMD] = -1.37, 95% CI: -2.39 to -0.38, P = 0.006), medium-term pain relief (WMD = -1.66, 95% CI: -2.70 to -0.63, P = 0.002), and post-treatment shoulder joint abduction improvements (SMD = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.20 to 1.16, P = 0.005), external rotation (SMD = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.13 to 1.11, P = 0.012), and forward flexion (SMD = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.44 to 0.97, P < 0.001), with significant differences (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Based on the current clinical data, meta-analysis showed that acupuncture alone or combined with physical therapy is efficacious for short- and medium-term (< 3 months) pain relief and functional improvements. However, compared to other interventions, the efficacy of the long-term (3 to 12 months) period did not significantly differ. After treatment, these modalities displayed advantages such as improved shoulder joint abduction, external rotation, and forward flexion movements. However, no significant difference was noted in internal rotation movement. Thus, future studies might further investigate whether different acupuncture methods affect the efficacy of treating rotator cuff diseases and improving long-term outcome.

Research on the construction of a "full-chain" rapid response system for power emergencies.

A crucial industry for improving society's sustainable development is the power sector. To address issues with the ineffectiveness of electric power emergency response during emergencies and the unclear division of duty among emergency subjects. A prefecture-level city power supply company to respond to the "In-Fa" typhoon, for example, to build a "1 + N" two-level emergency rapid response unit. Furthermore, it is proposed from the emergency response, emergency coordination, emergency material reserves, etc., to build a "full-chain" type of power emergency quick reaction system. Case studies have revealed that the quick response system's emergency combat capability, catastrophe preventive and mitigation capability, and emergency security capability have all improved. The construction of a "full-chain" type of power emergency rapid response system specialized and standardized the power emergency response system and provided a reference basis for the power industry's emergency response.

Pediatric tuina for recurrent respiratory tract infection in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the effects and safety of pediatric tuina for recurrent respiratory tract infections (RRTIs). METHODS: Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, CNKI, Wanfang Data, VIP, and CBM databases were searched from inception to September 20 2023. Two authors independently selected studies, collected data, and evaluated methodological quality using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Revman 5.4 was used for the meta-analysis. RESULTS: Fifteen randomized controlled trials involving 1420 pediatric patients were included in this meta-analysis. The meta-analysis indicated that pediatric tuina significantly reduced the incidence of RRTIs [MD -1.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) (-1.77, -0.46)], decreased infection duration (MD -1.16 days, 95% CI [- 1.66, - 0.66]), improved IgA (MD 0.25 g/L, 95% CI [0.09, 0.41]), IgG (MD 1.64 g/L; 95% CI [0.82, 2.45]), CD3+ (MD 3.33%, 95% CI [0.74, 5.92]), CD4+ (MD 4.78%, 95% CI [2.08, 7.48]), CD4+/CD8+ ratio (MD 0.27%, 95% CI [0.08, 0.47]), and total effective rate (RR 1.19, 95% CI [1.13, 1.25]). However, IgM levels (MD 0.26 g/L, 95% CI [-0.26, 0.81]) and CD8+ (MD -1.36%, 95% CI [- 3.12, 0.41]) were not significantly different between the groups. Moreover, no Tuina-linked adverse reactions were observed. CONCLUSION: Pediatric tuina has shown positive effects in RRTIs treatment. However, these results should be interpreted with caution owing to study quality. Further large-scale and high-quality randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm these findings.

Comprehensively prognostic and immunological analysis of VRK Serine/Threonine Kinase 1 in pan-cancer and identification in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: VRK1 is a member of the vaccinia-related kinase (VRK) family of serine/threonine protein kinases, which is related to the occurrence and development of malignant tumors. The expression pattern, predictive value, and biological function of VRK1 in various cancers remain largely elusive and warrant further investigation. METHODS: Public databases, such as TCGA, GTEx, and UCEC, were utilized to comprehensively analyze the expression of VRK1 across multiple cancer types. Prognostic significance was assessed through Univariate Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses. Additionally, Spearman's correlation analysis was employed to explore the potential associations between VRK1 expression and various factors, including tumor microenvironment scores, immune cell infiltration, and immune-related genes. Moreover, to validate the findings, differential expression of VRK1 in HCC tissues and cell lines was further confirmed using qPCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry techniques. RESULTS: The upregulation of VRK1 was observed in most cancer types, and was associated with worse prognosis in ACC, KICH, KIRP, LGG, LIHC, LUAD, MESO, and PCPG. In various cancers, VRK1 expression exhibited positive correlations with immune infiltrating cells, immune checkpoint-related genes, TMB, and MSI. Furthermore, the promoter methylation status of VRK1 varied across different tumor types, and this variation was associated with patient prognosis in certain cancers. In our experimental analyses, we observed significantly elevated expression of VRK1 in both HCC tissues and HCC cells. Functionally, we found that the downregulation of VRK1 had a profound impact on HCC cells, leading to a significant decrease in their proliferation, migration, and invasion capabilities. CONCLUSION: The expression of VRK1 exerts a notable influence on the prognosis of several tumors and exhibits a strong correlation with tumor immune infiltration. Moreover, in the context of HCC, VRK1 may act as an oncogene, actively promoting tumor progression.

Sensorineural hearing loss induced by gefitinib: A CARE-compliant case report and literature reviews.

RATIONALE: Gefitinib is a potent and selective orally active growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor that is commonly used to treat advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients with activating EGFR mutations. Hearing impairment with gefitinib was sparsely reported. In this report, we describe a case of sensorineural deafness associated with the administration of gefitinib, with a Naranjo score of 7. PATIENT CONCERNS: An 81-year-old female was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma with bone metastasis and an EGFR-activating mutation. The patient was prescribed gefitinib tablets at a daily dose of 250 mg for lung adenocarcinoma treatment. However, the patient experienced moderate to severe bilateral sensorineural deafness, primarily in her right ear, after taking gefitinib. Following the cessation of gefitinib administration, the patient exhibited partial restoration of auditory function. Upon resuming the medication, she experienced a worsening of deafness. DIAGNOSES: The otoscopic audiogram and hearing test indicated moderate to severe bilateral sensorineural deafness. INTERVENTIONS: The otolaryngologist recommended bilateral hearing aids to enhance hearing function. OUTCOMES: Throughout our follow-up period, the patient did not receive a hearing aid implant. LESSONS: This article first reported the ototoxicity caused by gefitinib. While rare, our report highlights that gefitinib-induced sensorineural deafness is possible and its mechanisms are still unclear. This adverse reaction should be monitored closely during clinical application of gefitinib to improve patient outcomes.

Approaching High-Performance TS-1 Zeolites in the Presence of Alkali Metal Ions via Combination of Adjusting pH Value and Modulating Crystal Size.

Lewis acid zeolites play an important role in industrially important green reactions closely related to fine chemical and biomass conversion. Titanium-doped TS-1 zeolite is a milestone Lewis acid zeolite widely used in industrially significant green oxidation processes with hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant under mild conditions. TS-1 zeolites are normally synthesized in basic conditions under hydrothermal treatment. Up to now, there has still been no success in synthesizing active TS-1 Lewis acid zeolites by using inorganic alkali, e.g., NaOH or KOH as base, which is cheaper and more stable compared to the quaternary ammonium hydroxide or organic amines used in traditional synthesis. Here, an inorganic base of NaOH was employed in synthesizing active TS-1 zeolites for the first time. The crucial factor was the control of adverse effects of sodium cations on the incorporation of active titanium cations. Higher catalytic activity was achieved by further reducing the size of the TS-1 crystal by using the seed-added strategy, which uses the catalytic activity of a commercial catalyst, the production cost being much lower than commercial TS-1 catalysts, indicating great commercial potential and the possibility of preparing other cheap Lewis acid catalysts by using inorganic alkali.

Nano-Cavities within Nano-Zeolites: The Influencing Factors of the Fabricating Process on Their Catalytic Activities.

Titanium silicalite-1 (TS-1) is a milestone heterogeneous catalyst with single-atom tetrahedral titanium incorporated into silica framework for green oxidation reactions. Although TS-1 catalysts have been industrialized, the strategy of direct hydrothermal synthesis usually produces catalysts with low catalytic activities, which has still puzzled academic and industrial scientists. Post-treatment processes were widely chosen and were proven to be an essential process for the stable production of the high-activity zeolites with hollow structures. However, the reasons why post-treatment processes could improve catalytic activity are still not clear enough. Here, high-performance hollow TS-1 zeolites with nano-sized crystals and nano-sized cavities were synthesized via post-treatment of direct-synthesis nano-sized TS-1 zeolites. The influencing factors of the fabricating processes on their catalytic activities were investigated in detail, including the content of alkali metal ions, the state of titanium centers, hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties, and accessibility of micropores. The post-treatment processes could effectively solve these adverse effects to improve catalytic activity and to stabilize production. These findings contribute to the stable preparation of high-performance TS-1 catalysts in both factories and laboratories.

Comprehensive prognostic and immunological analysis of Ubiquitin Specific Peptidase 28 in pan-cancers and identification of its role in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines.

BACKGROUND: Ubiquitin Specific Peptidase 28 (USP28), as a member of the DUBs family, has been reported to regulate the occurrence and development of some tumors, but its oncogenic role in tumor immunity is still unknown. METHODS: The comprehensive view of USP28 expression in tumor and normal samples was obtained from public databases, including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx), and Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE). We analyzed the genomic alterations of USP28 in various cancers using the cBioPortal dataset. Besides, gene set enrichment analysis was used to analyze the associated cancer hallmarks with USP28 expression, and TIMER2.0 was taken to investigate the immune cell infiltrations related to the USP28 level. RESULTS: USP28 is highly expressed in most tumors and has prognostic value across various cancer types. Moreover, a significant correlation exists between USP28 and immune regulators, clinical staging, checkpoint inhibitor response, MSI, TMB, CNV, MMR defects, and DNA methylation. Additionally, USP28 expression is strongly associated with the infiltration levels of neutrophils and NK cells in most tumor types. One of the most significant findings of our study was that USP28 could serve as a significant predictor of anti-CTLA4 therapy response in melanoma patients. Additionally, our molecular biology experiments validated that the knockdown of USP28 substantially reduced the proliferative and invasive abilities of the HCC cell lines. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that USP28 could potentially serve as a biomarker for cancer immunologic infiltration and poor prognosis, with potential applications in developing novel cancer treatment strategies.

Monoarsine-protected icosahedral cluster [Au13(AsPh3)8Cl4]+: comparative studies on ligand effect and surface reactivity with its stibine analogue.

Ligand shells of gold nanoclusters play important roles in regulating their molecular and electronic structures. However, the similar but distinct impacts of the homologous analogues of the protecting ligands remain elusive. The C2v symmetric monoarsine-protected cluster [Au13(AsPh3)8Cl4]+ (Au13As8) was facilely prepared by direct reduction of (Ph3As)AuCl with NaBH4. This cluster is isostructural with its previously reported stibine analogue [Au13(SbPh3)8Cl4]+ (Au13Sb8), enabling a comparative study between them. Au13As8 exhibits a blue-shifted electronic absorption band, and this is probably related to the stronger π-back donation interactions between the Au13 core and AsPh3 ligands, which destabilize its superatomic 1P and 1D orbitals. In comparison to the thermodynamically less stable Au13Sb8, Au13As8 achieves a better trade-off between catalytic stability and activity, as demonstrated by its excellent catalytic performance towards the aldehyde-alkyne-amine (A3) coupling reaction. Moreover, the ligand exchange reactions between Au13As8 with phosphines, as exemplified by PPh3 and Ph2P(CH2)2PPh2, suggest that Au13As8 may be a good precursor cluster for further cluster preparation through the "cluster-to-cluster" route.

Analysis of Pollution Characteristics and Sources in Surface Water in Typical Crop-Producing Areas of Qinghai Province.

Currently used pesticides and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), nitrogen and phosphorus were analyzed in surface water from 26 sampling sites of agricultural areas in Qinghai Province to elucidate their pollution characteristics and sources. The results showed that most of these currently used pesticides, with the exception of chlorpyrifos, were generally not detected. However, two OCPs were commonly detected in surface water from four typical crop-producing areas. The residual concentrations of hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) measured 0~1.68 ng/L and 0.41~2.41 ng/L, respectively, in the water from the four crop-producing areas. The residues of these two OCPs pesticides were much lower than the standard limit of surface water environmental quality. The main forms of HCHs and DDTs were ß-HCH and pp'-DDE, respectively, indicating that the residues of HCHs and DDTs in the surface water of the four crop-producing areas in Qinghai were mainly derived from historical drugs that had degraded for a long time. The average concentrations of TN, NO3--N and NH4+-N in the surface water of 26 sampling sites of four typical crop areas in Qinghai Province were 2.95, 1.71 and 0.17 mg/L, respectively. According to the national surface water environmental quality standards, TN concentrations in 57.7% of these sampling sites exceeded the Class V water standards. The average concentration of NO3--N was more than 70 times that of NH4+-N. Nonetheless, there were no significant differences in the concentrations of TN, NO3--N and NH4+-N in the four crop-producing areas. The concentrations of NO3--N and NO3--N in the surface water were positively correlated with the TN concentration (p < 0.05), indicating that the sources of nitrogen in the surface water were relatively consistent. The average value of TP concentrations in the surface water from these sampling sites was 0.034 mg/L, with no significant differences among different producing areas. The N/P values in surface water from the four crop-producing areas of Qinghai Province had a range of 9.2~302. Phosphorus was the limiting factor for the proliferation of plankton in water. Reducing the input of phosphorus in these areas may be the key to preventing the deterioration of water quality. Significant negative and positive correlations exist between HCHs and nitrate nitrogen, and total phosphorus, respectively, which may be attributed to the proliferation of degrading microorganisms caused by the eutrophication of water. The research results will help to identify the characteristics and sources of surface water pollution in the crop-producing areas of Qinghai Province, and provide data support for Qinghai Province to build an export area for green organic agricultural and livestock products.

Abdominal Massage Improves the Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome by Regulating Mast Cells via the Trypase-PAR2-PKCε Pathway in Rats.

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a clinical disease mainly characterized as a syndrome of abdominal pain and discomfort, which frequently occurs in humans aged 20-50. Abdomen massage is of great medical significance for the health of the human body, including promoting intestinal peristalsis, relieving constipation, and facilitating weight loss. However, its potential benefits in alleviating IBS and the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Methods: In this study, we established an IBS model in rats to evaluate the effects of abdomen massage. Forty male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly assigned into 4 groups: the normal (control) group, IBS group, abdominal massage group, and abdominal massage + ketotifen treatment group (n = 10 rats in each group). Abdominal massage was performed once a day for 5 minutes for 14 days. On day 14, the rats were euthanized and the tissues were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), immunohistochemistry or immunofluorescence staining, and laser confocal focus to visualize the micromorphology of the intestinal mucosa. The expression of TRPV1 and the release of trypase were determined by RT-qPCR and western blot. Results: We found that compared with the control group, the mast cells in the IBS group were significantly increased and the increased MC was partially decreased by an abdominal massage with or without ketotifen treatment. We also found that TRPV1 was upregulated in the IBS group. Abdominal massage with or without ketotifen treatment could attenuate the upregulation of TRPV1 in IBS. Mechanically, results of IHC and western Blot suggested that abdominal massage reduces the sensitivity of IBS by regulating the trypase-PAR2-PKCε pathway. Conclusion: Overall, our results suggested that abdominal massage produces a beneficial effect in improving the symptoms of IBS through reducing mast cell recruitment and attenuating the trypase-PAR2-PKCε pathway. Ketotifen could promote the effect of abdominal massage on IBS treatment, which can serve as a potential therapeutic strategy for IBS.

Characterization of stem cell landscape and identification of stemness-relevant prognostic gene signature to aid immunotherapy in colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: It is generally accepted that colorectal cancer (CRC) originates from cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are responsible for CRC progression, metastasis and therapy resistance. The high heterogeneity of CSCs has precluded clinical application of CSC-targeting therapy. Here, we aimed to characterize the stemness landscapes and screen for certain patients more responsive to immunotherapy. METHODS: Twenty-six stem cell gene sets were acquired from StemChecker database. Consensus clustering algorithm was applied for stemness subtypes identification on 1,467 CRC samples from TCGA and GEO databases. The differences in prognosis, tumor microenvironment (TME) components, therapy responses were evaluated among subtypes. Then, the stemness-risk model was constructed by weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA), Cox regression and random survival forest analyses, and the most important marker was experimentally verified. RESULTS: Based on single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) enrichments scores, CRC patients were classified into three subtypes (C1, C2 and C3). C3 subtype exhibited the worst prognosis, highest macrophages M0 and M2 infiltrations, immune and stromal scores, and minimum sensitivity to immunotherapies, but was more sensitive to drugs like Bosutinib, Docetaxel, Elesclomol, Gefitinib, Lenalidomide, Methotrexate and Sunitinib. The turquoise module was identified by WGCNA that it was most positively correlated with C3 but most negatively with C2, and five hub genes in turquoise module were identified for stemness model construction. CRC patients with higher stemness scores exhibited worse prognosis, more immunosuppressive components in TME and lower immunotherapeutic responses. Additionally, the model's immunotherapeutic prediction efficacy was further confirmed from two immunotherapy cohorts (anti-PD-L1 in IMvigor210 cohort and anti-PD-1 in GSE78220 cohort). Mechanistically, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) results revealed high stemness score group was enriched in interferon gamma response, interferon alpha response, P53 pathway, coagulation, apoptosis, KRAS signaling upregulation, complement, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and IL6-mediated JAK-STAT signaling gene sets. CONCLUSIONS: Our study characterized three stemness-related subtypes with distinct prognosis and TME patterns in CRC patients, and a 5-gene stemness-risk model was constructed by comprehensive bioinformatic analyses. We suggest our stemness model has prospective clinical implications for prognosis evaluation and might facilitate physicians selecting prospective responders for preferential use of current immune checkpoint inhibitors.

CAF promotes chemoresistance through NRP2 in gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Fibroblasts are the predominant cell type in the stroma of tumor, and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) promote cancer chemoresistance by secreting various bioactive molecules. However, the differential expression between CAFs and normal fibroblasts (NFs) and how can CAFs uniquely impact cancer cells are still unexplored. METHODS: Primary CAFs and NFs were cultured from gastric cancer specimens, and their variant expression was analyzed by RNA-sequencing. Chemoresistance was evaluated by measuring cell viability, apoptosis, and 3D-coculture techniques. RESULTS: CAFs were isolated from gastric cancers and defined by specific cell-surface markers. CAFs decreased the sensitivity of gastric cancer cells to 5-FU. RNA-sequencing showed that CAFs expressed a higher level of NRP2 than NFs. And the high expression of NRP2 was correlated with worse oncological outcomes in gastric cancer patients. Further study showed that the knockdown of NRP2 eradicated the resistance to 5-FU. And the secretion of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) was reduced following NRP2 knockdown. Furthermore, we found that the increased sensitivity to 5-FU was induced by DNA damage. And this process was mediated by predominant effectors of the Hippo pathway, YAP/TAZ. CONCLUSIONS: The present study indicated that CAFs within gastric cancers promote chemoresistance through the expression of NRP2. The secretion of SDF-1 that mediated by VEGF/NRP2 signaling in CAFs and the activation of Hippo pathway in cancer cells in large part participated in this project.

Long noncoding RNA CRART16 confers 5-FU resistance in colorectal cancer cells by sponging miR-193b-5p.

BACKGROUND: The emergence of chemoresistance to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based chemotherapy is the main cause of treatment failure in advanced and metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to be involved in 5-FU resistance. Previously, we first detected that lncRNA cetuximab resistance-associated RNA transcript 16 (CRART16) could contribute to cetuximab resistance by upregulating V-Erb-B2 erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homologue 3 (ERBB3) expression by sponging miR-371a-5p in CRC cells. The current study aimed to explore the role of CRART16 in acquired 5-FU resistance in CRC cells and its possible mechanism. METHODS: Quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to measure the expression levels of CRART16 in a 5-FU-resistant CRC cell subline (SW620/5-FU) and the parent cell line. Lentivirus transduction was performed to establish SW620 and Caco-2 cells stably overexpressing CRART16. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assays and colony formation assays were applied to measure cell chemosensitivity to 5-FU. Flow cytometric and immunofluorescence staining were adopted to assess cell apoptosis induced by 5-FU. The dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to validate the direct interactions between CRART16 and miR-193b-5p and between miR-193b-5p and high-mobility group AT-hook-2 (HMGA2). The expression levels of HMGA2, apoptosis-associated proteins and p-ERK were examined by western blotting. The statistical differences within any two groups were used Student's t test. RESULTS: CRART16 was upregulated in SW620/5-FU cells. Overexpression of CRART16 reduced the sensitivity of CRC cells to 5-FU by attenuating apoptosis. In addition, CRART16 promoted 5-FU resistance by suppressing the expression of miR-193b-5p. Furthermore, CRART16 modulated the expression of HMGA2 by inhibiting miR-193b-5p and activated the MAPK signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: CRART16 confers 5-FU resistance in CRC cells through the CRART16/miR-193b-5p/HMGA2/MAPK pathway.

Lactobacillus johnsonii BS15 combined with abdominal massage on intestinal permeability in rats with nonalcoholic fatty liver and cell biofilm repair.

This study aimed to analyze the effect of lactobacillus johnsonii BS15 (isolation of homemade yogurt from Ahu Hongyuan Grassland) combined with abdominal massage on intestinal permeability in rats with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and cell biofilm repair. Forty-five rats were divided randomly into five groups, four of which were fed with high-fat diet to establish NAFLD models. According to the treatment methods, they were grouped into group A (lactic acid bacteria feeding), group B (abdominal massage), group A + B (a combination of the two methods), model group (distilled water feeding), and normal group (distilled water feeding). Then, the pathological indexes of liver and intestinal permeability were observed. FITC-Dextran content of the model group elevated markedly compared with normal group (P < 0.01), indicating that the intestinal permeability of NAFLD rats fed with high-fat diet increased. The intestinal permeability of groups A, B, and A + B was lower sharply than that of model group (P < 0.01), and the effect of group A + B was the most obvious. HE staining of liver tissues showed that combined treatment could improve structural changes in liver cells caused by modeling and restore the normal structure of intestinal cells. Lactobacillus combined with abdominal massage was better than two treatments alone, further promoting the permeability of intestinal mucosa in NAFLD rats and repair biofilm of hepatocytes. The results initially verified the intervention effect of abdominal massage on intestinal mucosal permeability, and further revealed the mechanism of abdominal massage in treatment of NAFLD by improving intestinal mucosal barrier permeability.

Influence of Aerobic Fitness on White Matter Integrity and Inhibitory Control in Early Adulthood: A 9-Week Exercise Intervention.

Previous cross-sectional studies have related aerobic fitness to inhibitory control and white matter (WM) microstructure in young adults, but there is no longitudinal study to confirm whether these relationships exist. We carried out a longitudinal study comparing aerobic fitness, inhibitory control, and WM integrity across time points, before versus after completing an exercise intervention in young adults (18-20 years old) relative to a control group. The exercise group (n = 35) participated in a 9-week exercise protocol, while the control group (n = 24) did not receive any regular exercise training. Behavioral data and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data were collected prior to and following the intervention. After the exercise intervention, aerobic fitness and inhibitory control performance were significantly improved for the exercise group, but not for the control group. Analyses of variance (ANOVA) of the DTI data demonstrated significantly increased fractional anisotropy (FA) in the right corticospinal tract and significantly decreased FA in the left superior fronto-occipital fasciculus in the exercise group after the intervention versus before. The enhanced aerobic fitness induced by exercise was associated with better inhibitory control performance in the incongruent condition and lower FA in the Left superior fronto-occipital fasciculus (SFOF). Regression analysis of a mediation model did not support Left SFOF FA as a mediator of the relationship between improvements in aerobic fitness and inhibitory control. The present data provide new evidence of the relationship between exercise-induced changes in aerobic fitness, WM integrity, and inhibitory control in early adulthood. Longer-duration intervention studies with larger study cohorts are needed to confirm and further explore the findings obtained in this study.

The Combination of Electroacupuncture and Massage Therapy Alleviates Myofibroblast Transdifferentiation and Extracellular Matrix Production in Blunt Trauma-Induced Skeletal Muscle Fibrosis.

Complementary therapies, such as acupuncture and massage, had been previously reported to have therapeutic effects on skeletal muscle contusions. However, the recovery mechanisms on skeletal muscles after blunt trauma via the combination of electroacupuncture (EA) and massage therapy remain unclear. In the present study, a rat model of the skeletal muscle fibrosis following blunt trauma to rat skeletal muscle was established, and the potential molecular mechanisms of EA + massage therapy on the skeletal muscle fibrosis were investigated. The results suggested that EA + massage therapy could significantly decrease inflammatory cells infiltration and collagenous fiber content and ameliorate the disarrangement of sarcomeres within myofibrils compared to the model group. Further analysis revealed that EA + massage therapy could reduce the degree of fibrosis and increase the degree of myofibroblast apoptosis by downregulating the mRNA and protein expression of transforming growth factor- (TGF-) ß1 and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). Furthermore, the fibrosis of injured skeletal muscle was inhibited after treatment through the normalization of balance between matrix metalloproteinase- (MMP-) 1 and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP). These findings suggested that the combination of electroacupuncture and massage therapy could alleviate the fibrotic process by regulating TGF ß1-CTGF-induced myofibroblast transdifferentiation and MMP-1/TIMP-1 balance for extracellular matrix production.

Effects of Mini-Basketball Training Program on Social Communication Impairment and Executive Control Network in Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

This study evaluated the effect of a 12-week mini-basketball training program (MBTP) on social communication (SC) and the executive control network (ECN) in preschool children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We finally assigned 30 preschool children with ASD to an experiment group (n = 15, 12 males, 3 females) or a control group (n = 15, 13 males, 2 females). The experiment group participated in a 12-week MBTP (40-min sessions per day, 5 days a week), while the control group only received the institutional routine behavioral rehabilitation intervention. The SC of preschool children with ASD was measured using the Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition (SRS-2), whereas functional connectivity (FC) of the ECN was assessed using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) at pre-and post-test. Our results showed that SC exhibited significant improvement in the intervention group, especially in SRS-2 total score, social cognition, and social communication. We found significantly enhanced functional connectivity between the right cerebellum and left inferior frontal gyrus in the experimental group, while functional connectivity between the left middle temporal gyrus and right cerebellum were decreased in the control group. Furthermore, there were no significant correlations between the change in SC scores and FC of the ECN. Altogether, this study provides valuable insights that a 12-week MBTP improves SC and functional connectivity of the ECN in preschool children with ASD. We further inferred that neural mechanisms might be associated with changing the ECN of preschool ASD children caused by the 12-week MBTP.

Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis Identifies CALD1 as a Biomarker Related to M2 Macrophages Infiltration in Stage III and IV Mismatch Repair-Proficient Colorectal Carcinoma.

Immunotherapy has achieved efficacy for advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with a mismatch-repair-deficient (dMMR) subtype. However, little immunotherapy efficacy was observed in patients with the mismatch repair-proficient (pMMR) subtype, and hence, identifying new immune therapeutic targets is imperative for those patients. In this study, transcriptome data of stage III/IV CRC patients were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The CIBERSORT algorithm was used to quantify immune cellular compositions, and the results revealed that M2 macrophage fractions were higher in pMMR patients as compared with those with the dMMR subtype; moreover, pMMR patients with higher M2 macrophage fractions experienced shorter overall survival (OS). Subsequently, weighted gene co-expression network analysis and protein-protein interaction network analysis identified six hub genes related to M2 macrophage infiltrations in pMMR CRC patients: CALD1, COL6A1, COL1A2, TIMP3, DCN, and SPARC. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses then determined CALD1 as the independent prognostic biomarker for OS. CALD1 was upregulated specifically the in CMS4 CRC subtype, and single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA) revealed that CALD1 was significantly correlated with angiogenesis and TGF-ß signaling gene sets enrichment scores in stage III/IV pMMR CRC samples. The Estimation of STromal and Immune cells in MAlignant Tumor tissues using Expression data (ESTIMATE) algorithm and correlation analysis revealed that CALD1 was significantly associated with multiple immune and stromal components in a tumor microenvironment. In addition, GSEA demonstrated that high expression of CALD1 was significantly correlated with antigen processing and presentation, chemokine signaling, leukocyte transendothelial migration, vascular smooth muscle contraction, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, cell adhesion molecules, focal adhesion, MAPK, and TGF-beta signaling pathways. Furthermore, the proliferation, invasion, and migration abilities of cancer cells were suppressed after reducing CALD1 expression in CRC cell lines. Taken together, multiple bioinformatics analyses and cell-level assays demonstrated that CALD1 could serve as a prognostic biomarker and a prospective therapeutic target for stage III/IV pMMR CRCs.

TREM1 Blockade Ameliorates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Intestinal Dysfunction through Inhibiting Intestinal Apoptosis and Inflammation Response.

OBJECTIVE: The lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced acute intestinal dysfunction model has been widely applied in recent years. Here, our aim was to investigate the effect of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM1) inhibitor in LPS-induced acute intestinal dysfunction. METHODS: Male rats were randomly assigned into normal (saline injection), model (LPS and saline injection), and LP17 (LPS and LP17 (a synthetic TREM1 inhibitor) injection) groups. The levels of intestinal TREM1 expression were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and western blot. Intestinal permeability and apoptosis were separately assessed by the lactulose/mannitol (L/M) ratio and TUNEL assay. The levels of soluble TREM1 (sTREM1), TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß were measured in the plasma and intestinal tissues by ELISA. The expression levels of NF-κB, high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) were measured with RT-qPCR and western blot. After transfection with si-TREM1 in LPS-induced intestinal epithelium-6 (IEC-6) cells, p-p65 and p-IκBα levels were detected by western blot. RESULTS: LP17-mediated TREM1 inhibition alleviated the intestine tissue damage in rats with LPS-induced acute intestinal dysfunction. LP17 attenuated the LPS-induced increase in sTREM1, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß levels in the plasma and intestinal tissues. Furthermore, intestine permeability and epithelial cell apoptosis were ameliorated by LP17. LP17 attenuated the LPS-induced increase in the expression of TREM1, HMGB1, TLR-4, and NF-κB in the intestine tissues. In vitro, TREM1 knockdown inactivated the NF-κB signaling in LPS-induced IEC-6 cells. CONCLUSION: LP17 could ameliorate LPS-induced acute intestinal dysfunction, which was associated with inhibition of intestinal apoptosis and inflammation response.