The impact of demographic dynamics on food consumption and its environmental outcomes:Evidence from China

With increasing population and changing demographics,food consumption has experienced a significant transition in quantity and quality.However,a dearth of knowledge remains regarding its environmental impacts and how it responds to demographic dynamics,particularly in emerging economies like China.Using the two-stage Quadratic Almost Demand System(QUAIDS)model,this study empirically examines the impact of demographic dynamics on food consumption and its environmental outcomes based on the provincial data from 2000 to 2020 in China.Under various scenarios,according to changes in demographics,we extend our analysis to project the long-term trend of food consumption and its environmental impacts,including greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions,water footprint(WF),and land appropriation(LA).The results reveal that an increase in the proportion of senior people significantly decreases the consumption of grain and livestock meat and increases the consumption of poultry,egg,and aquatic products,particularly for urban residents.Moreover,an increase in the proportion of males in the population leads to higher consumption of poultry and aquatic products.Correspondingly,in the current scenario of an increased aging population and sex ratio,it is anticipated that GHG emissions,WF,and LA are likely to decrease by 1.37,2.52,and 3.56%,respectively.More importantly,in the scenario adhering to the standards of nutritional intake according to the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents in 2022,GHG emissions,WF,and LA in urban areas would increase by 12.78,20.94,and 18.32%,respectively.Our findings suggest that changing demographics should be considered when designing policies to mitigate the diet-environment-health trilemma and achieve sustainable food consumption.

Reservoir characteristics and controlling factor of tight sandstone in Shuixigou Group in Taibei depression,Turpan-Hami basin

The positive structure belts surrounding the Taibei Sag,Turpan-Hami Basin,have been the main targets for oil and gas exploration for years and are now left with remaining resources scattering in reservoirs adjacent to source rocks in the sag,where the Shuixigou Group with substantial oil and gas potential constitutes the primary focus for near-source exploration.Consequently,characterization of development and key controlling factors of reservoir space becomes a must for future exploration in the area.This study investigates the development traits,genesis,and controlling factors of the Xishanyao and Sangonghe formations in the Shengbei and Qiudong Sub-sags of the Taibei Sag with techniques such as cast thin-section observation,porosity and permeability tests,high-pressure mercury injection,and saturation fluid NMR analysis of reservoir rocks.The findings reveal that the Shuixigou Group in the Taibei Sag consists of lithic sandstone.Reservoirs in the group are mostly poor in terms of physical properties,with undeveloped primary pores dominated by intergranular dissolved pores as a result of a strong compaction.Comparative analysis of key controlling factors of the Sangonghe Formation reveals significant distinctions in sandstone particle size,sand body thickness,genesis and distribution,provenance location,and source rock type between the Qiudong area and Shengbei area.Vertically,the coal seams of the Xishanyao Formation exhibit heightened development with shallower burial depth and lower maturity compared to those of the Sangonghe Formation.Consequently,this environment fosters the formation of organic acids,which have a stronger dissolution effect on minerals to develop secondary dissolution pores,and ultimately resulting in better reservoir physical properties.Overall,the reservoirs within the Qiudong area of the Taibei Sag demonstrate superior characteristics compared to those in the Shengbei area.Furthermore,the reservoir physical properties of the Xishanyao Formation are better than those of the Sangonghe Formation.The research findings will provide valuable guidance for the exploration and development of lithological oil and gas reservoirs within the Taibei Sag.

The anti-inflammatory effects of exercise on autoimmune diseases:A 20-year systematic review

Background:The anti-inflammatory effect of exercise may be an underlying factor in improving several autoimmune diseases.The aim of this systematic review was to examine the evidence on the role of exercise training in mitigating inflammation in adolescents and adults with autoimmune disease.Methods:PubMed,Web of Science,and Embase databases were systematically reviewed for related studies published between January 1,2003,and August 31,2023.All randomized and non-randomized controlled trials of exercise interventions with autoimmune disease study participants that evaluated inflammation-related biomarkers were included.The quality of evidence was assessed using the Tool for the assEssment of Study qualiTy and reporting in EXercise scale and Cochrane bias risk tool.Results:A total of 14,565 records were identified.After screening the titles,abstracts,and full texts,87 were eligible for the systematic review.These studies were conducted in 25 different countries and included a total of 2779 participants(patients with autoimmune disease,in exercise or control groups).Overall,the evidence suggests that inflammation-related markers such as C-reactive protein,interleukin 6,and tumor necrosis factor a were reduced by regular exercise interventions.Regular exercise interventions combined with multiple exercise modes were associated with greater benefits.Conclusion:Regular exercise training by patients with autoimmune disease exerts an anti-inflammatory influence.This systematic review provides support for the promotion and development of clinical exercise intervention programs for patients with autoimmune disease.Most patients with autoimmune disease can safely adopt moderate exercise training protocols,but changes in inflammation biomarkers will be modest at best.Acute exercise interventions are ineffective or even modestly but transiently pro-inflammatory.

新型硅胶管治疗泪小管断裂的临床疗效(英文)

目的:评价新型硅胶管(RS一次性使用泪道引流管)治疗泪小管断裂的临床效果。方法:回顾性研究。收集2013-01/2015-10来我院就诊的47例47眼泪小管断裂患者完整的临床资料。在泪小管断裂吻合术中,新型硅胶管从上、下泪小点"U"形置入,在泪道中保留3mo。拔管后,观察泪道通畅率、是否伴有泪溢和其他并发症发生情况。结果:所有患者,泪小管吻合成功,新型硅胶管顺利植入。未发生硅胶管相关的并发症,如眼部刺激、泪小点外翻和撕裂、过早脱落等。治愈41例(87%),泪道冲洗通畅,无泪溢。部分治愈4例(9%),患眼轻微泪溢,但泪道冲洗通畅。失败2例(4%),患眼泪溢,泪道冲洗不畅。结论:在泪小管断裂吻合术中,新型硅胶管是一种安全、有效、无创的置入物,其操作过程简单,易于掌握,术者学习曲线短。

Micro,Small,and Medium Enterprises’Cross-Border Business Strategies

This paper explores the operational strategies of cross-border micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Against the backdrop of globalization and digitalization, cross-border trade has become one of the important pathways for many MSMEs to achieve growth and competitive advantage. Firstly, the paper outlines the concept and characteristics of cross-border MSMEs, as well as the analysis of their operational environment in the context of globalization, including political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal factors. Secondly, the paper proposes operational strategies for cross-border MSMEs, including international market selection and positioning, cross-border marketing strategies, supply chain management, cross-border financial management, and cross-border risk management. Finally, the paper summarizes the importance of effectively implementing these strategies for cross-border MSMEs to seize international market opportunities, reduce operational risks, and enhance competitiveness and profitability.

Protective effect of glycyrrhetinic acid against cantharidin-induced hepatotoxicity through reducing oxidative stress in mice

Background:Cantharidin(CTD)is a commonly used natural product with anticancer properties;however,it has significant adverse effects,particularly hepatotoxicity.Glycyrrhetinic acid(GA),the active component of licorice,shows potential hepatoprotective effects.The protective effects and mechanism of GA against CTD-induced hepatotoxicity are still unclear.Objective:This study aims to elucidate the effect and mechanism of GA on CTD-induced hepatotoxicity in mice experiments.Methods:Construction of CTD-induced hepatotoxicity models and oral gavage GA intervention for 14 d.The liver index,ALT,AST and LDH levels in the serum of the mice were examined;HE staining was performed to observe pathological changes in the liver.The MDA level and SOD activities in liver tissue were tested.Western blot was conducted to determine Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway-related protein expression.Results:The results showed that GA significantly reduced the levels of ALT,AST,and LDH in the serum,which were increased by CTD.Additionally,it also exerted a substantial inhibitory effect on the reduction of SOD activity and the elevation of malondialdehyde content in liver tissue.Notably,the phenomena of nuclear swelling,necrosis,and inflammatory infiltration of liver tissue were significantly attenuated following oral administration of GA in mice.Subsequent research has demonstrated that GA effectively suppressed the CTD-triggered upregulation of Keap1 while increasing the CTD-induced downregulation of Nrf2,HO-1,and NQO1.Conclusion:These findings suggested that GA may protect against CTD-induced hepatotoxicity in mice by exerting antioxidative stress through the Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Research of Anti-Cancer Components in Traditional Chinese Medicine on Hollow Fibre Cell Fishing and Hollow Fibre Liquid Phase Microextraction

Hollow fibre cell fishing with HPLC (HFCF-HPLC) based on the human ovarian cancer cell line SKOV-3, human renal tubular cell line ACHN or hepatoma cell line HepG-2 was employed to screen active groups of coumarin and volatile oil in Radix angelicae sinensis, Radix angelicae dahuricae and Fructus citri sarcodactylis. Simultaneously, hollow fibre liquid phase microextraction with HPLC (HFLPME-HPLC) was conducted to enrich and determine the contents of active components in the same sample solution. Before application, for HFCF-HPLC, cells growth states and survival rates on the fibre, effect of ethanol concentration in the extract of samples on cell survival rates, non-specific binding between fibre active centres and the target components, positive and negative controls and repeatabilities were validated;for HFLPME, extraction solvent, sample phase pH, agitation speed, extraction time and sample phase volume were investigated. Many active components were screened from three medicines. Some of them, such as scoparone, psoralen, bergapten, oxypeucedanin, imperatorin, ligustilide, were identified by MS. The target fishing factors of active components and the cell apoptosis rates of three cells under the medicines effect were researched. The binding sites of active groups on HepG-2 cells were preliminarily determined. The results demonstrated that HFCF-HPLC, coupled with HFLPME-HPLC, is a simple and universal approach to find bioactive components at the cellular level, determine their content and research traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) entirety effect of multi-component and multi-target. The approach may provide us a new and good solution to clarify the material basis of anti-cancer effect and conduct personalized quality control for the components associated with efficacy in TCMs.

基于网络药理学探讨“黄芪-白术-熟地黄”组方防治肾病综合征的作用机制

本研究旨在通过网络药理学方法和分子对接技术探讨黄芪-白术-熟地黄组方(HBS)治疗肾病综合征的作用机制。通过多个数据库获取肾病综合征基因并进行功能模块分解,找出肾病综合征基因参与的主要生物学过程。通过文献以及数据库查找HBS活性成分和基因靶点,筛选出HBS治疗肾病综合征的有效靶点。通过有效靶点的KEGG和GO富集分析,找出其参与的主要生物学过程和信号通路,并以此构建靶点-生物功能(TF)网络和靶点-信号通路(TP)网络,综合分析后得到HBS治疗肾病综合征的机制网络,最后使用分子对接技术将HBS化合物和关键靶蛋白进行对接验证。肾病综合征基因主要与细胞增殖、凋亡以及肾脏发育有关。共筛选出18个有效靶点,有效靶点主要与免疫反应、炎症反应、细胞增殖和凋亡的调节有关,主要富集在IL-17、NF-κB、PI3K/Akt、FoxO、p53和Jak/STAT等信号通路上,这些信号通路是HBS调节免疫反应、炎症反应、细胞增殖和凋亡的主要途径。此外,分子对接结果证实HBS化合物与TGFβ1、PTGS2、IL1B、IL2、IL4、IL10、TNF和CD40LG等炎性细胞因子具有较好的结合活性。本研究表明HBS调控IL-17、NF-κB、PI3K/Akt、FoxO、p53和Jak/STAT信号通路上关键蛋白的表达,可能通过调节免疫反应和炎症反应,改善系膜细胞和足细胞的增殖、凋亡水平,进而对包括蛋白尿和肾小球硬化在内的肾病综合征病理改变发挥治疗作用。

益气化瘀柔肝方通过调控NLRP3炎性小体活性缓解CCl4诱导的大鼠肝纤维化

目的研究益气化瘀柔肝方(Yiqi Huayu Rougan Recipe,YHR)对CCl4诱导的大鼠肝纤维化的影响及分子机制。方法将SD大鼠随机分为正常组,模型组,秋水仙碱组,YHR低、中、高剂量(5.4、10.8、21.6 g/kg)组。末次给药后,收集大鼠血清和新鲜肝脏组织,运用生化法检测大鼠血清ALT、AST、ALP含量;ELISA法检测血清HA、LN、Hyp和促炎性因子(TNF-α、IL-6、IL-1β)水平;采用HE染色和Masson染色法观察大鼠肝组织病理变化;采用RT-qPCR和Western blot法检测肝组织TLR4、NF-κB和炎性小体相关分子的mRNA和蛋白表达水平。结果秋水仙碱和各剂量组的YHR均能不同程度的减少大鼠血清酶谱含量以及肝纤维化指标水平,降低促炎性因子水平,且YHR高剂量组最为明显;秋水仙碱组和YHR各剂量组均能显著改善肝纤维化大鼠的病变程度,且肝组织中的TLR4、NF-κB和炎性小体相关分子的表达均减少。结论YHR具有缓解CCl4诱导的大鼠肝纤维化的作用,其药效作用机制可能与调控NLRP3炎性小体信号通路活性有关。

虹膜成像的研究进展

由于传统虹膜成像技术无法提供精准、可重复的测量,包括荧光素和吲哚青绿血管造影,因此我们对虹膜结构及其血管系统的了解非常有限。新近的相干光层析成像术(OCT)和相干光层析血管成像术(OCTA)的出现开启了虹膜形态学及血管成像的新纪元,最近已被应用于健康眼和病理条件下虹膜结构与血流的评估,为诊断和随访提供重要参考依据。然而,目前OCTA缺乏前节专用的跟踪系统与完善的图像处理软件,仍存在运动伪影与分割误差等局限性。本文总结了虹膜结构的特点及现有的虹膜成像技术,重点介绍OCT和OCTA的临床应用及局限性。

Jianpi Qingchang decoction alleviates ulcerative colitis by inhibiting nuclear factor-κB activation

To investigate the therapeutic effect of Jianpi Qingchang decoction (JPQCD) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice.METHODSC57BL/c mice were injected intragastrically with 5% DSS instead of drinking water for 7 d, and their body weight, diarrhea severity and fecal bleeding were monitored, while the mice in the control group were treated with standard drinking water, without DSS. After 7 d, the DSS drinking water was changed to normal water and the DSS group continued with DSS water. The control and DSS groups were given normal saline by intragastric injection. The 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) group was treated orally with 5-ASA at a dose of 100 mg/kg daily. The JPQCD group was treated orally with JPQCD at a dose of 17.1 g/kg daily. On day 14, the colon length was measured, the colorectal histopathological damage score was assessed, and protein levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in colon supernatants were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. mRNA expression of IL-1β, IL-8, TNF-α and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) was detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression of NF-κB and inhibitor of kappa B.RESULTSAcute inflammation occurred in the mice administered DSS, including the symptoms of losing body weight, loose feces/watery diarrhea and presence of fecal blood; all these symptoms worsened at 7 d. The colons of mice treated with DSS were assessed by histological examination, and the results confirmed that acute inflammation had occurred, as evidenced by loss of colonic mucosa and chronic inflammatory cell infiltration, and these features extended into the deeper layer of the colon walls. The expression levels of IL-1β, IL-8 and TNF-α in the DSS group were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05), and the expression levels of IL-1β, IL-8 and TNF-α in the JPQCD and 5-ASA groups were lower than those in the DSS group after treating with JPQCD and 5-ASA. Comparing with the DSS group, the mRNA level of IL-1β, IL-8, TNF-α and NF-κB was significantly reduced by 5-ASA and JPQCD. The difference between JPQCD and 5-ASA groups was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Comparing with the DSS group, due to using JPQCD and 5-ASA, significant suppression of activation in DSS-induced NF-κB and increased phosphorylation of IκB in mice with experimental colitis occurred (P < 0.05). The difference between the JPQCD group and the 5-ASA group was not statistically significant (P > 0.05).CONCLUSIONActivation of the NF-κB signaling pathway is inhibited by JPQCD, which shows the potential mechanism by which JPQCD treats UC.

Jianpi Qingchang decoction regulates intestinal motility of dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis through reducing autophagy of interstitial cells of Cajal

AIM To investigate the underlying effect of Jianpi Qingchang decoction(JQD) regulating intestinal motility of dextran sulfate sodium(DSS)-induced colitis in mice. METHODS C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups: the control group, the DSS group, the JQD group, and the 5-aminosalicylic acid group. Except for the control group, colitis was induced in other groups by giving distilled water containing 5% DSS. Seven days after modeling, the mice were administered corresponding drugs intragastrically. The mice were sacrificed on the 15^(th) day. The disease activity index, macroscopic and histopathologic lesions, and ultrastructure of colon interstitial cells of Cajal(ICC) were observed. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α), interleukin(IL)-1β, IL-10 and interferon gamma(IFN-γ), the expression of nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB) p65, c-kit, microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3(LC3-Ⅱ) and Beclin-l m RNA, and the colonic smooth muscle tension were assessed. RESULTS Acute inflammation occurred in the mice administered DSS. Compared with the control group, the levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-10 and IFN-γ, the expression of LC3-Ⅱ, Beclin-1 and NF-κB p65 m RNA, and the contractile frequency increased(P < 0.05), the expression of c-kit m RNA and the colonic smooth muscle contractile amplitude decreased in the DSS group(P < 0.05). Compared with the DSS group, the levels of IL-10 and IFN-γ, the expression of c-kit m RNA, and the colonic smooth muscle contractile amplitude increased(P < 0.05), the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β, the expression of LC3-Ⅱ, Beclin-1 and NF-κB p65 m RNA, and the contractile frequency decreased in the JQD group(P < 0.05).CONCLUSION JQD can regulate the intestinal motility of DSS-induced colitis in mice through suppressing intestinal inflammatory cascade reaction, reducing autophagy of ICC, and regulating the network path of ICC/smooth muscle cells.

A Multi-Feature Learning Model with Enhanced Local Attention for Vehicle Re-Identification

Vehicle re-identification(ReID)aims to retrieve the target vehicle in an extensive image gallery through its appearances from various views in the cross-camera scenario.It has gradually become a core technology of intelligent transportation system.Most existing vehicle re-identification models adopt the joint learning of global and local features.However,they directly use the extracted global features,resulting in insufficient feature expression.Moreover,local features are primarily obtained through advanced annotation and complex attention mechanisms,which require additional costs.To solve this issue,a multi-feature learning model with enhanced local attention for vehicle re-identification(MFELA)is proposed in this paper.The model consists of global and local branches.The global branch utilizes both middle and highlevel semantic features of ResNet50 to enhance the global representation capability.In addition,multi-scale pooling operations are used to obtain multiscale information.While the local branch utilizes the proposed Region Batch Dropblock(RBD),which encourages the model to learn discriminative features for different local regions and simultaneously drops corresponding same areas randomly in a batch during training to enhance the attention to local regions.Then features from both branches are combined to provide a more comprehensive and distinctive feature representation.Extensive experiments on VeRi-776 and VehicleID datasets prove that our method has excellent performance.

Vehicle Re-Identication Model Based on Optimized DenseNet121 with Joint Loss

With the increasing application of surveillance cameras,vehicle re-identication(Re-ID)has attracted more attention in the eld of public security.Vehicle Re-ID meets challenge attributable to the large intra-class differences caused by different views of vehicles in the traveling process and obvious inter-class similarities caused by similar appearances.Plentiful existing methods focus on local attributes by marking local locations.However,these methods require additional annotations,resulting in complex algorithms and insufferable computation time.To cope with these challenges,this paper proposes a vehicle Re-ID model based on optimized DenseNet121 with joint loss.This model applies the SE block to automatically obtain the importance of each channel feature and assign the corresponding weight to it,then features are transferred to the deep layer by adjusting the corresponding weights,which reduces the transmission of redundant information in the process of feature reuse in DenseNet121.At the same time,the proposed model leverages the complementary expression advantages of middle features of the CNN to enhance the feature expression ability.Additionally,a joint loss with focal loss and triplet loss is proposed in vehicle Re-ID to enhance the model’s ability to discriminate difcult-to-separate samples by enlarging the weight of the difcult-to-separate samples during the training process.Experimental results on the VeRi-776 dataset show that mAP and Rank-1 reach 75.5%and 94.8%,respectively.Besides,Rank-1 on small,medium and large sub-datasets of Vehicle ID dataset reach 81.3%,78.9%,and 76.5%,respectively,which surpasses most existing vehicle Re-ID methods.

面向小样本SAR图像识别的自注意力多尺度特征融合网络

合成孔径雷达(Synthetic Aperture Radar,SAR)图像标签难以大量获取,存在着大量小样本SAR数据集。SAR图像充满着散斑噪声,直接将卷积神经网络(Convolutional Neural Network,CNN)应用在小样本SAR数据集上难以提取有效特征。针对以上问题,本文提出了一种面向小样本SAR图像识别的自注意力多尺度特征融合网络。首先,将自注意力机制与幽灵模块相结合构建自注意力幽灵模块,并利用该模块替代经典的卷积操作提取SAR图像特征。其次,在网络中添加通道混洗单元以构建多尺度信息融合支路。最后,引入知识蒸馏对设计的网络进行压缩,进一步控制网络参数量。实验结果表明,本文方法在不同工作条件下采集的MSTAR数据集上具有出色的识别性能,在构建的小样本SAR数据集上也表现出良好的鲁棒性。

Paleoenvironment and organic matter enrichment of the Carboniferous volcanic-related source rocks in the Malang Sag,Santanghu Basin,NW China

Volcanic activity was quite frequent during the deposition of the Late Carboniferous Ha’erjiawu Formation in the Santanghu Basin.The petrology and organic and inorganic geochemical indicators were used to investigate hydrocarbon potential,paleoenvironmental conditions and organic matter enrichment of the mudstones.The results show that the oil generation capacity of the Ha’erjiawu Formation mudstones,which has abundant oil-prone organic matter(TypeⅡkerogen with hydrogen index values mainly ranging from 250 to 550 mg HC/g TOC)in mature stage(Tmax values mainly ranging from 435 to 450℃),is considerable.The Ha’erjiawu Formation was deposited in a dysoxic,freshwater-mildly brackish,and warm-humid environment.During its deposition,the Ha’erjiawu Formation received hydrothermal inputs.The volcanic hydrothermal activities played an important role in the organic matter enrichment.In addition,the total organic carbon(TOC)is significantly positively correlated with the felsic mineral content,but it is negatively correlated with the carbonate mineral content and C27/C29 ratios,indicating that terrigenous organic matter input also contributed to the primary productivity in the surface water.Therefore,the formation of the high-quality source rocks in the Ha’erjiawu Formation was jointly affected by the hydrothermal activity and the terrigenous organic matter input.

Transcriptomic analyses identify albino-associated genes of a novel albino tea germplasm ‘Huabai 1’

Albinism in shoots of tea plants is a common phenotypic expression which gives the tea infusion a pleasant umami taste.A novel natural albino mutant tea germplasm containing high amino acids content was found and named as‘Huabai 1’.‘Huabai 1’has white jade tender shoots under low temperature and turns green with increased temperature.In order to understand the molecular mechanism of color change in leaf of‘Huabai 1’,transcriptome analysis was performed to identify albino-associated differentially expressed genes(DEGs).A total of 483 DEGs were identified from white shoots of‘Huabai 1’compared to its green shoots.There were 15 DEGs identified to be involved in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis,which account for the majority of characterized DEGs.The metabolites related to phenylpropanoid biosynthesis revealed similar expression pattern of DEGs.Furthermore,metabolic pathways such as ubiquonone,tyrosine,and flavonoid biosynthesis associated with phenylpropanoid biosynthesis could also contribute to the color change in‘Huabai 1’tender shoots.Protein–protein interaction analysis revealed a hub protein NEDD8(CSA009575)which interacted with many regulated genes in spliceosome,nitrogen metabolism,phenylpropanoid biosynthesis,and other pathways.In conclusion,the findings in this study indicate that the color change of‘Huabai 1’tender shoots is a combined effect of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway and other metabolic pathways including flavonoid biosynthesis in tea plants.Chlorophyll biosynthesis-related genes LHCII and SGR may also play some roles in color change of‘Huabai 1’.

Effects of Granule Dendrobii on chronic atrophic gastritis induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine in rats

BACKGROUND Dendrobium officinale is an herb of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)commonly used for treating stomach diseases.One formula of Granule Dendrobii(GD)consists of Dendrobium officinale and American Ginseng(Radix Panacis quinquefolii),and is a potent TCM product in China.Whether treatment with GD can promote gastric acid secretion and alleviate gastric gland atrophy in chronic atrophic gastritis(CAG)requires verification.AIM To determine the effect of GD treatment on CAG and its potential cellular mechanism.METHODS A CAG model was induced by feeding rats N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine(MNNG)for 12 wk.After oral administration of low,moderate,and high doses of GD in CAG rats for 8 wk,its effects on body weight,gastric mucosa histology,mucosal atrophy,intestinal metaplasia,immunohistochemical staining of proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA)and B-cell lymphoma-2,and hemoglobin and red blood cells were examined.RESULTS The body weights of MNNG-induced CAG model rats before treatment(143.5±14.26 g)were significantly lower than that of healthy rats(220.2±31.20 g,P<0.01).At the 8th week of treatment,the body weights of rats in the low-,moderate-,and high-dose groups of GD(220.1±36.62 g)were significantly higher than those in the untreated group(173.3±28.09 g,all P<0.01).The level of inflammation in gastric tissue of the high-dose group(1.68±0.54)was significantly reduced(P<0.01)compared with that of the untreated group(3.00±0.00,P<0.05).The number and thickness of gastric glands in the high-dose group(31.50±6.07/mm,306.4±49.32μm)were significantly higher than those in the untreated group(26.86±6.41/mm,244.3±51.82μm,respectively,P<0.01 and P<0.05),indicating improved atrophy of gastric mucosa.The areas of intestinal metaplasia were significantly lower in the high-dose group(1.74%±1.13%),medium-dose group(1.81%±0.66%)and low-dose group(2.36%±1.08%)than in the untreated group(3.91%±0.96%,all P<0.01).The expression of PCNA in high-dose group was significantly reduced compared with that in untreated group(P<0.01).Hemoglobin level in the high-dose group(145.3±5.90 g/L),medium-dose group(139.3±5.71 g/L)and low-dose group(137.5±7.56 g/L)was markedly increased compared with the untreated group(132.1±7.76 g/L;P<0.01 or P<0.05).CONCLUSION Treatment with GD for 8 wk demonstrate that GD is effective in the treatment of CAG in the MNNG model by improving the histopathology of gastric mucosa,reversing gastric atrophy and intestinal metaplasia,and alleviating gastric inflammation.

Morphological and functional changes in the macular area in diabetic macular edema after a single intravitreal injection of aflibercept

AIM:To evaluate the changes in macular morphology and function after a single intravitreal injection of aflibercept in diabetic macular edema(DME)using optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)and MP-3 microperimetry.METHODS:Twenty-eight patients(42 eyes)diagnosed with DME were treated with intravitreal injection of aflibercept.The changes in best corrected visual acuity(BCVA),central retinal thickness(CRT),foveal avascular zone(FAZ)area,vessel density of superficial retinal capillary plexus(SVD),vessel density of deep retinal capillary plexus(DVD),mean light sensitivity(MLS),2°fixation rate(P1),4°fixation rate(P2),and other indicators 1mo after treatment were compared;of these,BCVA was conver ted into logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution(logMAR),and the correlation among the factors was analyzed.RESULTS:After treatment,logMAR BCVA was 0.47±0.24,which was significantly better than that before treatment(0.63±0.28,P<0.001).The CRT was 359.21±107.87μm after treatment,which was significantly lower than before treatment(474.10±138.20μm,P<0.001).The FAZ area,SVD,and DVD were not significantly changed after treatment compared with the baseline.MLS was 22.16±4.20 dB after treatment,which was significantly higher than before treatment(19.63±4.23 dB,P<0.001).P2 significantly increased after treatment than before treatment(P=0.007).P1 had no significant change after treatment than before treatment(P=0.086).CONCLUSION:A single intravitreal injection of aflibercept effectively reduces macular edema and improves retinal sensitivity,fixation stability,and visual acuity,possibly without causing significant changes in the retinal vascular condition in a short time.

Diverse microbiota in palatal radicular groove analyzed by Illumina sequencing:Four case reports

BACKGROUND A palatal radicular groove is an unusual developmental deformity of the tooth,which may serve as a channel linking the periodontal and periapical inflammation,and yet no literature could be obtained analyzing microbiota within the palatal radicular grooves.CASE SUMMARY Four patients diagnosed with palatal radicular groove and concomitant periodontal-endodontic deformity in permanent maxillary lateral incisors were enrolled in this work.Twelve bacterial samples from 4 patients were collected from different parts of the palatal radicular groove during intentional replantation surgery.Illumina sequencing was performed to analyze the taxonomical composition and microbiome structure inside the palatal grooves,and 1162 operational taxonomic units were obtained.The phyla of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria predominated in most of the samples.An unknown genus from the Bacillaceae family,Lactococcus,and Porphyromonas were the most abundant genera identified.There was no difference in the microbiota richness and diversity in three sections of the groove.CONCLUSION The unique ecological niches inside the palatal grooves harbored bacterial communities that shared some component features of both the endodontic and periodontal infections.The existence of palatal groove may play an interaction bridge between the root apex and tooth cervix and thus impair the outcome of traditional therapeutic methods such as root canal treatment and periodontal management.