Relationship between dry eye disease and physical and mental health in primary and secondary school teachers / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM:To evaluate the relationship between dry eye disease(DED)and physical and mental health in teachers, and to explore its mechanism and propose intervention measures.METHODS:Cross-sectional study. A total of 183 teachers from three primary and secondary schools in the urban area of Linyi City, Shandong Province were enrolled in the study. DED symptoms were quantified using the ocular surface disease index(OSDI)questionnaire. A compact version of the depression, anxiety, and stress scale(DASS-21)was used to evaluate psychological state. The relationship between potential influencing factors and DED was evaluated by independent sample t-test of quantitative variables and χ2test of classified variables. Logistic regression analysis was used for multivariate analysis to determine the influencing factors of DED. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlation between OSDI score and depression, anxiety and stress.RESULTS: There were 183 teachers, including 44 males(24.0%)and 139 females(76.0%), aged from 22 to 57 years, with an average age of(34.2±8.6)years. The prevalence of DED was 60.0%(109/183; 95%CI 52.4%-66.7%). The prevalence of depression was 26.2%(48/183; 95%CI 19.8%-32.7%); anxiety prevalence was 39.3%(72/183; 95%CI 32.2%-46.5%); and stress prevalence was 23.0%(42/183; 95%CI 16.8%-29.1%). The univariate analysis showed that increased age, increased working years, increased visual display terminal(VDT)application time, longer written working hours, reduced sleep hours, less alcohol consumption, and high scores of depression, anxiety and stress were all factors affecting DED(all P<0.05). Using depression scores as the psychological index, multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that years of work, VDT application time, written working hours, sleep time, alcohol consumption and depression score were the influencing factors of DED(all P<0.05); Using anxiety scores as the psychological index, multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that years of work, VDT application time, written working hours and stress scores were the influencing factors of DED(all P<0.05); Using stress scores as the psychological index, multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that years of work, VDT application time, written working hours and stress scores were the influencing factors of DED(all P<0.05). OSDI scores were positively correlated with depression, anxiety, and stress scores in the DED group(P<0.05)and across all participants(P<0.05). In the severe DED group, OSDI scores were positively related to depression, anxiety, and stress scores(P<0.05).CONCLUSION: The prevalence of DED is high among the teachers. Alcohol consumption, reduced sleep, longer working years, longer VDT usage and longer written working hours are the influencing factors of DED. In severe DED group, DED is highly correlated with depression, anxiety, and stress. We should pay attention to teachers' DED and related physical and mental health problems, and actively prevent and make early diagnosis and treatment.

Nervous tract-bioinspired multi-nanoyarn model system regulating neural differentiation and its transcriptional architecture at single-cell resolution.

Bioinspired by native nervous tracts, a spinal cord-mimicking model system that was composed of multiple nanofibrous yarns (NYs) ensheathed in a nanofibrous tube was constructed by an innovative electrospinning-based fabrication and integration strategy. The infilling NYs exhibited uniaxially aligned nanofibrous architecture that had a great resemblance to spatially-arranged native nervous tracts, while the outer nanofibrous tubes functioned as an artificial dura matter to provide a stable intraluminal microenvironment. The three-dimensional (3D) NYs were demonstrated to induce alignment, facilitate migration, promote neuronal differentiation, and even phenotypic maturation of seeded neural stem and progenitor cells (NSPCs), while inhibiting gliogenesis. Single-cell transcriptome analysis showed that the NSPC-loaded 3D NY model shared many similarities with native spinal cords, with a great increase in excitatory/inhibitory (EI) neuron ratio. Curcumin, as a model drug, was encapsulated into nanofibers of NYs to exert an antioxidant effect and enhanced axon regeneration. Overall, this study provides a new paradigm for the development of a next-generation in vitro neuronal model system via anatomically accurate nervous tract simulation and constructs a blueprint for the research on NSPC diversification in the biomimetic microenvironment.

Evaluating the efficacy and safety of transcranial pulse stimulation on adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Study protocol of a pilot randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial.

Background: Traditional treatment alone might not effectively control the severity of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms. Transcranial pulse stimulation (TPS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) technology used on older adults with mild neurocognitive disorders and adults with major depressive disorder. However, there has been no study conducted on young adolescents with ADHD. This will be the first nationwide study evaluating the efficacy and safety of TPS in the treatment of ADHD among young adolescents in Hong Kong. Methods: This study proposes a double-blinded, randomized, sham-controlled trial including TPS as an intervention group and a sham TPS group. Both groups will be measured at baseline (T1), immediately after the intervention (T2), and at the 1-month (T3) and 3-month follow-ups (T4). Recruitment: A total of 30 subjects aged between 12 and 17 years, diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), will be recruited in this study. All subjects will be computer randomized into either the intervention group or the sham TPS group on a 1:1 ratio. Intervention: All subjects in each group will have to undertake functional MRI (fMRI) before and after six 30-min TPS sessions, which will be completed in 2 weeks' time. Outcomes: Baseline measurements and post-TPS evaluation of the ADHD symptoms and executive functions will also be conducted on all participants. The 1- and 3-month follow-up periods will be used to assess the long-term sustainability of the TPS intervention. For statistical analysis, ANOVA with repeated measures will be used to analyze data. Missing data were managed by multiple imputations. The level of significance will be set to p < 0.05. Significance of the study: Results emerging from this study will generate new knowledge to ascertain whether TPS can be used as a top-on treatment for ADHD. Clinical trial registration: clinicaltrails.gov, identifier: NCT05422274.

Humulus lupulus L. extract and its active constituent xanthohumol attenuate oxidative stress and nerve injury induced by iron overload via activating AKT/GSK3ß and Nrf2/NQO1 pathways.

Hops, the dried female clusters from Humulus lupulus L., have traditionally been used as folk medicines for treating insomnia, neuralgia, and menopausal disorders. However, its pharmacological action on iron overload induced nerve damage has not been investigated. This study aims to evaluate the protective effects of hops extract (HLE) and its active constituent xanthohumol (XAN) on nerve injury induced by iron overload in vivo and in vitro, and to explore its underlying mechanism. The results showed that HLE and XAN significantly improved the memory impairment of iron overload mice, mainly manifested as shortened latency time, increased crossing platform times and spontaneous alternation ratio, and increased the expression of related proteins. Additionally, HLE and XAN significantly increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) activities, and remarkably decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) level in hippocampus. Also, HLE and XAN apparently reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) content of PC12 cells induced by iron dextran (ID), and improved the oxidative stress level. Moreover, HLE and XAN significantly upregulated the expression of nuclear factor E2-related factor (Nrf2), NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), SOD, phosphorylated AKT (p-AKT), and phosphorylated GSK3ß (p-GSK3ß) both in hippocampus and PC12 cells. These findings demonstrated the protective effect of HLE and XAN against iron-induced memory impairment, which is attributed to its antioxidant profile by activation of AKT/GSK3ß and Nrf2/NQO1 pathways. Also, it was suggested that hops could be a potential candidate for iron overload-related neurological diseases treatment.

Clinical study of intra-articular injection of autologous PRP combined with Tongbi San fumigation in the treatment of early knee osteoarthritis / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of intra-articular injection of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) combined with Tongbi Powder fumigation in the treatment of early knee osteoarthritis (KOA).Methods:Randomized controlled trial. Totally 160 patients with KOA in Tai'an Second Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine were enrolled between March 2021 and March 2022. According to random number table method, they were divided into two groups, with 80 cases in each group. The control group was given routine treatment, while observation group was given intra-articular injection of autologous PRP combined with Tongbi Powder fumigation. All were treated for 3 weeks. The knee function was evaluated by Western Ontario and McMaster University (WOMAC) osteoarthritis index. The activities of daily living were evaluated by Lysholm knee scale (LKS). The pain degree was evaluated by VAS. The levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were detected by ELISA. The adverse reactions during treatment were observed and recorded. The clinical efficacy was evaluated.Results:The total effective rate of the observation group was 95.0% (76/80), and that of the control group was 77.5% (62/80), with statistical significance ( χ2=10.33, P<0.01). At 1, 3 and 6 months after treatment, the WOMAC score of the observation group was lower than that of the control group ( F=15.63, P<0.01), the LKS score was higher than that of the control group ( F=55.23, P<0.01), and the VAS score was lower than that of the control group ( F=11.93, P<0.01). After treatment, the observation group IL-1β [(51.75±2.74)μg/L vs. (63.38±3.31) μg/L, t=24.21], TNF- α [(10.58±1.25) μg/L vs. (11.62±1.84) μg/L, t=4.18] were lower than those in the control group ( P<0.01). The incidence of adverse reactions was 10.0% (8/80) in the observation group and 7.5% (6/80) in the control group, without statistical significance ( χ2=0.31, P=0.576). Conclusion:Intra-articular injection of autologous PRP combined with Tongbi San fumigation can effectively improve knee function and activities of living ability, relieve pain symptoms, reduce inflammatory response and improve clinical curative effect in early KOA.

Effect of panretinal photocoagulation combined with intravitreal Conbercept in the treatment of proliferative diabetic retinopathy with different stages / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To investigate the effectiveness of panretinal photocoagulation(PRP)combined with intravitreal conbercept(IVC)for patients with different stages of proliferative diabetic retinopathy(PDR).METHODS: Retrospective study. The medical records for 100 patients(100 eyes)with PDR treated with PRP combined with IVC from January 2018 to June 2020 were reviewed, including 34 eyes with early PDR(group A), 43 with high-risk PDR(group B), and 23 with fibrovascular PDR(group C). The baseline information, best corrected visual acuity(BCVA), central macular thickness(CMT), the rate of vitrectomy and retinal detachment of the patients in the three groups at 1, 3, 6mo and the last follow-up after combination treatment were observed.RESULTS: The patients were followed up for 14.60±11.64mo(6-52mo), with a mean age of 54.22 ±9.32 years. We found 15 eyes(15.0%)who underwent vitrectomy after the combination treatment. The vitrectomy rates of the three groups were 2.9% in group A, 13.9% in group B, and 34.7% in group C. We found no instances of retinal detachment after the treatments. Most patients demonstrated improved BCVA and CMT values with the treatments.CONCLUSION: PRP combined with IVC is safe and effective in patients with different PDR stages.

Application of DynaCT combined with 3D iGuide puncture technique to microwave ablation of lung cancer / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To investigate the feasibility and safety of DynaCT microwave ablation (MWA) guided by 3D iGuide puncture technology for lung cancer. Methods    The clinical data of 19 patients with primary or metastatic lung cancer who underwent DynaCT MWA from June 2019 to December 2020 in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed, including 15 males and 4 females with an average age of 64.9±11.7 years. The technical success rates, adverse reactions and complications, postoperative hospital stay, and local therapeutic efficacy were recorded. Results    Technical success rate was 100.0%. The mean time required to target and place the needle was 15.7±3.7 min and the mean ablation time was 5.7±1.6 min. Thirteen patients underwent biopsy synchronously before the ablation, and 10 (76.9%) patients had positive pathological results. The main adverse reactions were pain (7/19, 36.8%), post-ablation syndrome (4/19, 21.1%) and cough (2/19, 10.5%). The minor complications were pneumothorax (6/19, 31.6%), hemorrhage (5/19, 26.3%), pleural effusion (2/19, 10.5%) and cavity (1/19, 5.3%). Three patients had moderate pneumothorax and received closed thoracic drainage. The median hospitalization time after ablation was 2.0 (2.0, 3.0) d, and no patient died during the perioperative period. The initial complete ablation rate was 89.5% (17 patients) and the incomplete ablation rate was 10.5% (2 patients) at 1-month follow-up, and no local progression was observed. Conclusion    DynaCT MWA of lung cancer under the guidance of 3D iGuide system is safe and feasible with a high short-term local control rate, but the long-term efficacy remains to be further observed.

Analysis of the of Pb, Cd and As in decoction of Lindera aggregata (Sims) Kosterm. by PBET digestion in vitro/Caco-2 cell model and their cumulative risk assessment / 药学学报

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was applied to determine the concentrations of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) in Lindera aggregata (Sims) Kosterm. The physiologically based extraction test (PBET) digestion in vitro/Caco-2 cell model was established to investigate the bioaccessible contents of Pb, Cd and As in decoction of Lindera aggregata (Sims) Kosterm. The target-organ toxicity dose modification of HI method (TTD) was used to evaluate the cumulative risk caused by the combined exposure of the total levels of Pb, Cd and As in Lindera aggregata (Sims) Kosterm. and the bioaccessible contents in the decoction. The results showed that the total contents of Pb, Cd and As in 4 batches of samples were in the range of 2.901-3.872, 1.299-1.800 and 0.062-0.216 mg·kg-1, respectively. After transportation by Cacco-2 cells, the bioaccessible contents of Pb, Cd, and As in the decoction were in the range of 0.045-0.080, 0.070-0.112 and 0.004-0.018 mg·kg-1. The results of risk assessment showed that calculated by the total amounts of heavy metals in the Lindera aggregata (Sims) Kosterm., for the end points of nervous system, the cumulative risks of co-exposure of heavy metals in 3 batches of samples were of concern. After decoction and transportation by Caco-2 cells, for the end points of cardiovascular system, blood, nervous system, kidney and testis, the TTD modification of HI values of all batches of samples were less than 1, and the health risks were acceptable. The study provided methodology basis for a more objective assessment of the health risks of heavy metals and harmful elements in traditional Chinese medicine and for a more scientific limit standard of heavy metals and harmful elements.

Characteristics of kidney diseases in children aged 0-3 years old / 中华肾脏病杂志

Objective:To investigate the characteristics of renal disease spectrum in children aged 0-3 years old, and to evaluate the clinical value of renal biopsy in children aged 0-3 years old with renal diseases.Methods:It was a retrospective analysis study. The children aged 0-3 years old with kidney diseases receiving renal biopsy and having complete clinical data in Shanghai Children's Hospital from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2020 were enrolled. The clinical and pathological data of the children were collected. The spectrum of renal diseases, clinical phenotype, renal pathology, and the relationship between renal pathology/genotype and clinical phenotype were analyzed.Results:A total of 117 children aged 0-3 years old with kidney diseases were enrolled in the study, accounting for 6.5% (117/1 790) of all children (0-18 years old) with renal biopsies during the same period. There were 77 males and 40 females. The age was (2.20±0.51) years old (5-35 months). All cases of renal biopsies in children aged 0-3 years old were successful without serious complications. Nephrotic syndrome was the common clinical phenotype of kidney diseases in children aged 0-3 years old (59.0%, 69/117), followed by hematuria and proteinuria (29.1%, 34/117). Primary glomerular disease (69.2%, 81/117) was the major clinical type of renal diseases, followed by hereditary kidney diseases (29.1%, 34/117), in which Alport syndrome was the main hereditary kidney disease (79.4%, 27/34). Renal pathological types of children aged 0-3 years old were mainly distributed in minimal change disease (30.8%, 36/117), followed by glomerular minor lesion (26.5%, 31/117), mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (15.4%, 18/117), and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (10.3%, 12/117). Among 40 children aged 0-3 years old with hematuria with/without proteinuria, 25 cases were diagnosed as Alport syndrome by abnormal immunofluorescence of type IV collagen in renal tissues. Among the 28 children with kidney diseases who underwent genetic testing, 23 cases had gene mutations, mainly in COL4A5 gene (60.9%, 14/23), among which 4 children had gene mutations in 8 children with refractory nephrotic syndrome. Among the children aged 0-3 years old with clinical manifestations of hematuria, the proportion of gross hematuria in children diagnosed with Alport syndrome (59.3%, 16/27) was significantly higher than that in children without Alport syndrome (20.0%, 3/15, χ2=5.999, P=0.014). Conclusions:Primary glomerular disease is the principal type of kidney diseases in children aged 0-3 years old, followed by hereditary kidney disease. Attention should be paid to children aged 0-3 years old with gross hematuria. Renal biopsy in children aged 0-3 years old is safe and reliable, and it is an essential means for the diagnosis of renal diseases. Renal biopsy combined with gene testing can better understand the etiology of kidney diseases and guide treatment in children aged 0-3 years old.

Utilization of health management services in new urban population and its influence factors / 中华健康管理学杂志

Objective:To investigate the utilization of health management services and its influencing factors among new urban population.Methods:It is a cross-sectional study. From July 2020 to March 2021, a stratified random sampling method was used to extract 1978 new urban population in Jining city, and an anonymous self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted using a self-made questionnaire ′Residents Health Questionnaire′. The survey included general demographic characteristics, personal behavior lifestyle and medical care status. The χ2 test and binary logistic regression were used to analyze the factors influencing the utilization of health management services by new urban population. Results:The overall utilization of health management services in the new urban population was 47.22%. There were significant differences in utilization of health management services among new urban population with different gender, age, education level, occupation and monthly income. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that female ( OR=1.354, 95% CI: 1.094-1.676), people aged over 60 years ( OR=1.873, 95% CI: 1.413-2.483), people with a mean monthly income over 3 000 yuan ( OR=1.498, 95% CI: 1.123-1.997), people engaged in light manual labor ( OR=1.596, 95% CI: 1.003-2.539), people who exercise regularly( OR=2.400, 95% CI: 2.028-2.841) and people having social basic medical insurance ( OR=2.633, 95% CI: 2.042-3.394) had better utilization of health management projects. People who sat more than 3 hours a day ( OR=0.630, 95% CI: 0.532-0.745) had lower utilization of health management care. Conclusion:The utilization of health management projects in the new urban population is low. Gender, age, monthly income, physical exercise, sedentary time, daily labor intensity and social basic medical insurance status are the main influencing factors.

Clinical advantages of absorbable barbed wires in laparoscopy combined with choledochoscopy treatment of gallbladder polyps / 中国基层医药

Objective:To investigate the clinical advantages of absorbable barbed wires in laparoscopy combined with choledochoscopy treatment of gallbladder polyps.Methods:The clinical data of 103 patients with gallbladder polyps who received laparoscopy combined with choledochoscopy treatment in The First People's Hospital of Lianyungang from February 2016 to March 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Sixty-five patients in the observation group underwent gallbladder wall sutures with absorbable barbed wires, and thirty-eight patients in the control group underwent gallbladder wall sutures with common absorbable wires. The operative time, gallbladder wall suture time, intraoperative blood loss, average hospitalization time, and postoperative bile leakage were compared between the two groups.Results:There were no significant differences in intraoperative blood loss and average hospitalization time between the two groups ( P = 0.312, P = 0.114). In the observation group, gallbladder wall suture time and operative time were (5.58 ± 1.14) minutes and (60.71 ± 11.03) minutes, respectively, which were shorter than (6.32 ± 1.04) minutes and (68.24 ± 9.61) minutes in the control group ( t = 3.23, 3.50, P = 0.002, 0.001). No bile leakage occurred in the observation group and bile leakage occurred in four (10.5%) patients in the control group. There was a significant difference in bile leakage between the observation and control groups ( χ2 = 4.57, P = 0.032). Conclusion:Absorbable barbed wires for gallbladder wall sutures during operation in laparoscopy combined with choledochoscopy treatment of gallbladder polyps is safe and feasible. It can markedly shorten gallbladder wall suture time and operative time, decrease the incidence of bile leakage, and has a clinical advantage over common absorbable wires.

Serum iodine levels and influencing factors of adults with different thyroid health conditions / 中华地方病学杂志

Objective:To explore the medical reference values, distribution characteristics and influencing factors of serum iodine in adults with different thyroid health conditions, and to evaluate the importance of serum iodine in evaluating individual iodine nutrition.Methods:From February 2017 to November 2018, multi-stage stratified cluster sampling was used to select one community and one agricultural (fishing) village in the coastal Yingkou City and the inland areas of Shenyang City of Liaoning Province as survey sites. Cluster sampling of adults over 18 years old who had lived for five years were conducted with questionnaire survey, clinical physical examination and thyroid ultrasound examination. Fasting venous blood samples and one random urine sample were collected from all subjects for serum iodine, thyroid hormone, antibody and urine iodine detection. The 95% medical reference value of serum iodine was established by using the percentage quantile method, and the reference value, distribution characteristics and influencing factors of serum iodine in adults with different thyroid health status were analyzed. The diagnostic value of iodine nutritional indicators in thyroid diseases was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.Results:A total of 2 931 adults were surveyed, with serum iodine levels of 62.1 (53.6, 72.2) μg/L, ranging from 5.6 to 642.3 μg/L; urine iodine was 167.6 (111.2, 244.2) μg/L, and the overall iodine level was at an appropriate level. A total of 1 089 patients with thyroid diseases were examined, with a detection rate of 37.2% (1 089/2 931); among them, there were 597 cases of thyroid nodules, 56 cases of endemic goiter, 42 cases of hypothyroidism, 161 cases of subclinical hypothyroidism, 27 cases of hyperthyroidism, 18 cases of subclinical hyperthyroidism, and 474 cases of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD). There was a statistically significant difference in the detection of thyroid diseases among adults with different levels of serum iodine (χ 2 = 13.80, P < 0.05). The reference values of serum iodine in normal adults, hypothyroidism (without thyroid hormone intervention), hyperthyroidism (without anti thyroid hormone drug treatment), AITD, endemic goiter, and thyroid nodules were 37.2 - 103.0, 12.5 - 52.8, 49.9 - 163.1, 34.3 - 129.3, 27.3 - 92.8, and 37.9 - 119.5 μg/L, respectively. The ROC curve analysis results showed that the serum iodine area under curve(AUC) of patients with hyperthyroidism, subclinical hyperthyroidism, endemic goiter, thyroid nodules, and AITD were 0.94, 0.61, 0.55, 0.53, and 0.52, respectively. The results of univariate analysis showed that there were statistically significant differences in adult serum iodine levels among different positions, regions, age, education level, occupation, iodine intake, blood pressure, and body mass index ( P < 0.05). Conclusions:There are significant differences in serum iodine levels among adults with different thyroid health conditions, and evaluation standards and systems should be developed separately. Serum iodine is an important indicator for evaluating individual iodine nutrition.

Fortuitous Somatic Mutations during Antibody Evolution Endow Broad Neutralization against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variants

Striking antibody evasion by emerging circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants drives the identification of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs). However, how a bNAb acquires increased neutralization breadth during antibody evolution is still elusive. Here, we identified a clonally-related antibody family from a convalescent individual. One of the members, XG005, exhibited potent and broad neutralizing activities against SARS-CoV-2 variants, while the other members showed significant reductions in neutralization breadth and potency, especially against the Omicron sublineages. Structural analysis visualizing the XG005-Omicron spike binding interface revealed how crucial somatic mutations endowed XG005 with greater neutralization potency and breadth. A single administration of XG005 with extended half-life, reduced antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) effect, and increased antibody product quality, exhibited a high therapeutic efficacy in BA.2- and BA.5-challenged mice. Our results provided a natural example to show the importance of somatic hypermutation during antibody evolution for SARS-CoV-2 neutralization breadth and potency.

Morchella esculenta mushroom polysaccharide attenuates diabetes and modulates intestinal permeability and gut microbiota in a type 2 diabetic mice model.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a health issue that causes serious worldwide economic problems. It has previously been reported that natural polysaccharides have been studied with regard to regulating the gut microbiota, which plays an important role in T2DM. Here, we investigate the effects of Morchella esculenta polysaccharide (MEP) on a high-fat diet (HFD) and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced T2DM in BALB/c mice. The administration of MEP effectively regulated hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia and improved insulin sensitivity. We also determined an improvement in gut microbiota composition by 16sRNA pyrosequencing. Treatment with MEP showed an increase in beneficial bacteria, i.e., Lactobacillus and Firmicutes, while the proportion of the opportunistic bacteria Actinobacteria, Corynebacterium, and Facklamia decreased. Furthermore, the treatment of T2DM mice with MEP resulted in reduced endotoxemia and insulin resistance-related pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin 6 (IL-6). Moreover, MEP treatment improved intestinal permeability by modulating the expression of the colon tight-junction proteins zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), occludin, claudin-1, and mucin-2 protein (MUC2). Additionally, MEP administration affects the metagenome of microbial communities in T2DM mice by altering the functional metabolic pathways. All these findings suggested that MEP is a beneficial prebiotic associated with ameliorating the gut microbiota and its metabolites in T2DM.

Characterization of SOD and GPX Gene Families in the Soybeans in Response to Drought and Salinity Stresses.

Plant stresses causing accumulation of reactive oxidative species (ROS) are scavenged by effective antioxidant defense systems. Therefore, the present study performed genome-wide identification of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) gene families in cultivated and wild soybeans, and 11 other legume species. We identified a total of 101 and 95 genes of SOD and GPX, respectively, across thirteen legume species. The highest numbers of SODs and GPXs were identified in cultivated (Glycine max) and wild (Glycine soja). A comparative phylogenetic study revealed highest homology among the SODs and GPXs of cultivated and wild soybeans relative to other legumes. The exon/intron structure, motif and synteny blocks were conserved in both soybean species. According to Ka/Ks, purifying the selection played the major evolutionary role in these gene families, and segmental duplication are major driving force for SODs and GPXs expansion. In addition, the qRT-PCR analysis of the G. max and G. soja SOD and GPX genes revealed significant differential expression of these genes in response to oxidative, drought and salinity stresses in root tissue. In conclusion, our study provides new insights for the evolution of SOD and GPX gene families in legumes, and provides resources for further functional characterization of these genes for multiple stresses.

A potent SARS-CoV-2 antibody neutralizes Omicron variant by disassembling the spike trimer

The continuous emergence of novel SARS-CoV-2 variants poses new challenges to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The newly emerging Omicron strain caused serious immune escape and raised unprecedented concern all over the world. The development of antibody targeting conserved and universal epitope is urgently needed. A subset neutralizing antibody(nAbs) against COVID-19 from convalescent patients were isolated in our previous study. Here in this study, we investigated the accommodation of these nAbs to SARS-CoV-2 variants of concerns (VOCs), revealing that IgG 553-49 neutralizes pseudovirus of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. In addition, we determined the cryo-EM structure of SARS-CoV-2 spike complexed with three antibodies targeting different epitopes, including 553-49, 553-15 and 553-60. Notably, 553-49 targets a novel conserved epitope and neutralizes virus by disassembling spike trimers. 553-15, an antibody that neutralizes all the other VOCs except omicron, cross-links two spike trimers to form trimer dimer, demonstrating that 553-15 neutralizes virus by steric hindrance and virion aggregation. These findings suggest the potential to develop 49 and other antibody targeting this highly conserved epitope as promising cocktail therapeutics reagent for COVID-19. ImportanceThe newly emergence of Omicron strain caused higher immune escape, raising unprecedented concerns about the effectiveness of antibody therapies and vaccines. In this study, we identified a SARS-CoV-2 Omicron neutralizing antibody 553-49, which neutralizes Omicron variant by targeting a completely conserved novel epitope. Besides, we revealed that IgG 553-15 neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 by crosslinking virions and 553-60 functions by blocking receptor binding. Comparison of different RBD epitopes revealed that the epitope of 553-49 is hidden in the S trimer and keeps high conservation during SARS-CoV-2 evolution, making 553-49 a promising therapeutics reagent to fight against the emerging Omicron and future variant of SARS-CoV-2.

A study on the medical reference value of serum iodine and its correlation with thyroid function indicators in adults with normal thyroid function in Liaoning Province / 中华地方病学杂志

Objective:To learn about the levels of serum iodine and thyroid function indicators in adults with normal thyroid function in Liaoning Province, to establish the medical reference value range of serum iodine, and to explore the relationship between serum iodine and thyroid function indicators.Methods:From February 2017 to December 2018, one subdistrict and one rural township were selected as the survey sites in the coastal area (Gaizhou City of Yingkou) and inland area (Kangping County of Shenyang) of Liaoning Province, respectively. Permanent residents aged 18 and older who have lived there for 5 years or more were selected as the survey subjects. Blood samples were collected to test the levels of serum iodine and thyroid function indicators [thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (FT 3), free thyroxine (FT 4), thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) and thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb)]. The percentile method was used to establish the 95% medical reference value range of serum iodine in adults with normal thyroid function, and Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between serum iodine and thyroid function indicators. Results:A total of 1 621 adults with normal thyroid function were examined, the median serum iodine was 62.0 μg/L, and the 95% medical reference value range was preliminarily determined as 37.0-103.0 μg/L. Among them, the medians serum iodine of males and females (826 and 795 cases) were 62.3 and 61.0 μg/L, respectively, and there was no significant difference between genders ( Z=- 1.26, P = 0.210). The medians serum iodine of adults in coastal and inland areas (827 and 794 cases) were 61.7 and 61.9 μg/L, respectively, and there was no significant difference between areas ( Z = - 0.16, P = 0.870). The medians serum iodine of adults aged 18 - 29, 30 - 39, 40 - 49, 50 - 59 and 60 - 80 (385, 392, 378, 253 and 213 cases) were 61.0, 61.0, 63.0, 65.0 and 62.0 μg/L, respectively, and the difference between ages was statistically significant ( H = 14.52, P = 0.006). Pearson correlation analysis showed that serum iodine was weakly correlated with the level of FT 4 ( r = 0.17, P < 0.001), but not with the levels of TSH, TPOAb and TgAb ( P > 0.05). Conclusions:This study has established the medical reference value range of serum iodine in adults with normal thyroid function in Liaoning Province. Serum iodine is not correlated with the levels of TSH, TPOAb and TgAb.

Research progress and coping strategy of the drug resistant mechanism of platinum anti-tumor drugs / 药学实践杂志

Platinum anti-tumor drugs are currently the most widely used first-line chemotherapeutic drugs in clinical practice, and their curative effects are remarkable. However, the problems of platinum drug resistance in non-small cell lung cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer and others seriously limit effectiveness and clinical application of platinum drugs. The occurrence of platinum drug resistance is caused by many factors. At present, the resistance mechanism of platinum drugs mainly includes the following aspects: decreasing the accumulation of platinum in cells, increasing the inactivation of platinum in cells, repairing DNA damage and tumor cell apoptosis inactivation. This article reviews the drug resistance mechanism and coping strategy of platinum anti-tumor drugs, providing ideas for the development of platinum anti-tumor drugs and references for overcoming clinical platinum drug resistance.

Analysis of the long-term prognosis of patients with cervical and upper thoracic esophageal cancer treated with simultaneous integrated boost intensity-modulated radical radiotherapy / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

Objective:To evaluate the effects of simultaneous integrated boost intensity-modulated radical radiotherapy (SIB-IMRT) on the long-term prognosis of patients with cervical and upper thoracic esophageal cancer.Methods:From January 2011 to December 2014, a retrospective analysis was performed in 172 patients with cervical and upper thoracic esophageal cancer who were eligible for IMRT. First, the prognosis of all the patients was evaluated using single factor and multivariate analyses. According to the different irradiation method of the patients, the patients were divided into two groups, one of which received conventional IMRT (C-IMRT) and the other of which received SIB-IMRT. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was applied to match the two groups of patients and to determine the treatment efficacy of patients after PSM, prognostic factors, failure modes, and side effects. SPSS19.0 statistical software was used to conduct statistical analysis.Results:The median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) times of all the patients were 30 months and 20 months, respectively. The fact whether the surrounding tissues and organs of esophageal lesions were invaded, clinical node staging (cN staging), chemotherapy, and GTV-maximum transverse diameter were observed to be independent influencing factors of OS and PFS in all the patients ( P<0.001, P=0.013, 0.005, 0.002; P<0.001, P=0.017, 0.034, 0.002). In addition, the independent influencing factors of PFS showed short-term efficacy ( P=0.036). After PSM, there were 54 patients in each of the two groups. The result of multivariate analysis showed that the fact whether the surrounding tissues and organs of esophageal lesions were invaded, cN staging, cTNM staging, prescribed dose, GTV-maximum transverse diameter, and irradiation method were independent factors affecting the OS ( P<0.001, P=0.008, 0.014, 0.021, 0.010, 0.008). Similarly, the fact whether the surrounding tissues and organs of esophageal lesions were invaded, cN staging, and GTV-maximum transverse diameter were observed to be independent factors that affect the PFS of patients ( P<0.001, P=0.044, 0.013). The difference in the total failure rate (70.4% vs. 50.0%) and the local regional recurrence rate (61.1% vs. 31.5%) between the C-IMRT and SIB-IMRT groups after treatment was significant ( χ2=4.68, 9.53, P=0.031, 0.002). The incidence of radiation pneumonitis of grade ≥ 1 in the C-IMRT group was significantly higher than that of the SIB-IMRT group ( χ2=6.16, P=0.046), whereas the leukocyte suppression of grade ≥ 2 in the C-IMRT group was significantly lower than that in the SIB-IMRT group ( χ2=12.77, P=0.005). Conclusions:As shown by the result of this study, compared with C-IMRT, SIB-IMRT can improve the OS of patients with cervical and upper thoracic esophageal cancer to a certain extent. Whether SIB-IMRT can improve the PFS of patients requires further research.

Morphology and distribution characteristics of subchondral bone cysts in the talus based on CT three-dimensional reconstruction / 中华创伤杂志

Objective:To analyze the morphology and distribution characteristics of subchondral bone cysts of the talus by CT three-dimensional reconstruction.Methods:A total of 176 patients diagnosed with subchondral bone cyst of the talus after CT scan of the ankle or foot from 2015 to 2020 were retrieved from the imaging report database of Tianjin Hospital, including 77 males and 99 females, aged 14-84 years［(56.1±14.0)years］. After three-dimensional reconstruction of the talus and cyst area by Mimics 20.0 software, an equal 2×2 grid configuration was constructed to divide the domed articular surface into four regions: anteromedial, anterolateral, posteromedial and posterolateral. For subchondral cyst of the talus, area involved under grid localization, gender, age and side of the onset were recorded. The anteroposterior diameter, transverse diameter, depth, surface area and volume of the subchondral bone cyst of the talus were measured.Results:Subchondral cyst of the talus was anteromedial in 131 patients (74.4%), anterolateral in 5(2.8%), posteromedial in 34(19.3%), and posterolateral in 6(3.4%). Subchondral cyst of the talus occurred in the older aged (≥60 years) for 78 patients (44.3%), in the middle aged (45-59 years) for 62(35.2%), in young adults for 32(18.2%), and in preadolescents for 4(2.3%). The age composition of the subchondral cyst of the talus involving the anteromedial, anterolateral, posteromedial and posterolateral regions was 59(49, 64)years, 44(39, 45)years, 61(54, 68)years and 40(22, 58) years, respectively (all P<0.01). There were no statistically significant differences in gender and side of the onset (all P>0.05). The anteroposterior diameter of the subchondral bone cysts located anteromedially, anterolaterally, posteromedially and posterolaterally was (9.7±4.4)mm, (3.5±1.1)mm, (10.3±4.4)mm and (2.1±0.8)mm, respectively; the transverse diameter was (5.4±1.7)mm, (3.9±1.8)mm, (5.9±2.2)mm and (3.4±1.1)mm, respectively; the depth was (7.1±2.4)mm, (3.2±2.2)mm, (8.2±3.0)mm and (3.9±1.9)mm, respectively; the surface area was 156.1(82.6, 198.2)mm 2, 23.0(21.4, 28.9)mm 2, 180.0(75.1, 230.4)mm 2 and 28.0(20.3, 36.7)mm 2, respectively; the volume was 77.1(37.1, 129.1)mm 3, 23.9(14.2, 37.8)mm 3, 104.6(37.7, 157.4)mm 3 and 13.0(10.4, 16.0)mm 3, respectively. When comparing the anteroposterior diameter, transverse diameter, depth, surface area and volume of the subchondral bone cysts in the anteromedial and posteromedial regions with the anterolateral and posterolateral regions, the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.01) except for the transverse diameter of the subchondral bone cysts in the anteromedial region and the anterolateral region ( P>0.05). In addition, the depth of subchondral bone cysts in the anteromedial region was significantly greater than that in the posteromedial region ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Subchondral bone cysts of the talar are commonly found in the middle- and old-aged population. Anteromedial lesions of the talar dome are the most commonly seen, with large and deeply involved cysts, followed by posteromedial lesions of the dome, while anterolateral and posterolateral lesions of the dome are less common and have smaller cyst sizes. An equal 2×2 grid configuration for talar cysts is useful in positioning and characterizing bone cysts, and can assist clinicians in accurately diagnosing and treating bone cysts.