An exploration of the origin and flow of the development of traditional Chinese medicine orthopedic and chiropractic massage

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)chiropractic massage is a kind of orthopedic therapy that corrects the abnormal anatomical position of bone or joint and corrects the dislocation of joint by manipulation so that the bone is soft and the Qi and blood are reconciled(Qi:The intangible,high-mobility nutritive substance that maintains vital activities).Manipulation treatment is the first of the four major orthopedic diseases.At the same time,TCM chiropractic massage is also an essential part of TCM.TCM orthopedic chiropractic practice originated from the struggle between humanity and nature,sprouted from the Warring States period to the two Han Dynasty,formed in the Sui,Tang,and Song Dynasties,matured in the Ming and Qing Dynasties,and flourished in the modern era.In more than 2,000 years of development,many practical techniques have been produced,which have profoundly influenced the inheritance and development of modern techniques,making the TCM orthopedic chiropractic massage in the contemporary era form the characteristics of“tendon and bone”and“point-line-face combination”.At present,the development of TCM chiropractic massage is facing the great challenges of modern medicine and modern advanced science and technology such as American chiropractic and the limitations of its development.Therefore,in the future,the development direction of Chinese medicine orthopedic chiropractic massage should be“hybrid to treat”.In the face of modern medicine,we should take its essence to its dross,eclectic,organically integrate its advantages into itself,enrich its theoretical framework,and strengthen the construction of disciplines and departments to enhance its competitiveness.It is believed that Chinese medicine orthopedic chiropractic massage can have better development in the future and can make more contributions to the health of the world’s people.

Analysis of sleep characteristics and clinical outcomes of 139 adult patients with infective endocarditis after surgery

BACKGROUND Little is known about the postoperative sleep quality of infective endocarditis patients during hospitalization and after discharge.AIM To investigate the sleep characteristics of infective endocarditis patients and to identify potential risk factors for disturbed sleep quality after surgery.METHODS The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI)and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale were used to assess patient sleep quality.Logistic regression was used to explore the potential risk factors.RESULTS The study population(n=139)had an average age of 43.40±14.56 years,and 67.6%were men(n=94).Disturbed sleep quality was observed in 86 patients(61.9%)during hospitalization and remained in 46 patients(33.1%)at 6 mo after surgery.However,both PSQI and Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores showed significant improvements at 6 mo(P<0.001 and P=0.001,respectively).Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the potential risk factors were age(odds ratio=1.125,95%confidence interval:1.068-1.186)and PSQI assessed during hospitalization(odds ratio=1.759,95%confidence interval:1.436-2.155).The same analysis in patients with PSQI≥8 during hospitalization suggested that not using sleep medication(odds ratio=15.893,95%confidence interval:2.385-105.889)may be another risk factor.CONCLUSION The incidence of disturbed sleep after infective endocarditis surgery is high.However,the situation improves significantly over time.Age and early postoperative high PSQI score are risk factors for disturbed sleep quality at 6 mo after surgery.

Current status and prospects of basic research and clinical application of mesenchymal stem cells in acute respiratory distress syndrome

Acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS)is a common and clinically devastating disease that causes respiratory failure.Morbidity and mortality of patients in intensive care units are stubbornly high,and various complications severely affect the quality of life of survivors.The pathophysiology of ARDS includes increased alveolar–capillary membrane permeability,an influx of protein-rich pulmonary edema fluid,and surfactant dysfunction leading to severe hypoxemia.At present,the main treatment for ARDS is mechanical treatment combined with diuretics to reduce pulmonary edema,which primarily improves symptoms,but the prognosis of patients with ARDS is still very poor.Mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)are stromal cells that possess the capacity to self-renew and also exhibit multilineage differentiation.MSCs can be isolated from a variety of tissues,such as the umbilical cord,endometrial polyps,menstrual blood,bone marrow,and adipose tissues.Studies have confirmed the critical healing and immunomodulatory properties of MSCs in the treatment of a variety of diseases.Recently,the potential of stem cells in treating ARDS has been explored via basic research and clinical trials.The efficacy of MSCs has been shown in a variety of in vivo models of ARDS,reducing bacterial pneumonia and ischemia-reperfusion injury while promoting the repair of ventilator-induced lung injury.This article reviews the current basic research findings and clinical applications of MSCs in the treatment of ARDS in order to emphasize the clinical prospects of MSCs.

Prospects for clinical applications of butyrate-producing bacteria

As the major source of energy for colonic mucosal cells and as an important regulator of gene expression,inflammation,differentiation,and apoptosis in host cells,microbiota-derived butyrate can enhance the intestinal mucosal immune barrier,modulate systemic immune response,and prevent infections.Maintaining a certain level of butyrate production in the gut can help balance intestinal microbiota,regulate host immune response,and promote the development and maintenance of the intestinal mucosal barrier.Butyrate-producing bacteria act as probiotics and play important roles in a variety of normal biological functions.Bacteriotherapeutic supplementation by using fecal microbiota transplantation to restore butyrate-producing commensal bacteria in the gut has been very successful in the treatment of recurrent and refractory Clostridium difficile(C.difficile)infection or C.difficile-negative nosocomial diarrhea.Administration of probiotics that include butyrate-producing bacteria may have a role in the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases and in the prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis and late-onset sepsis in premature infants.Furthermore,modulating gut microbiota with dietary approaches may improve intestinal dysbiosis commonly seen in patients with obesity-associated metabolic disorders.Supplementation with a butyrate-producing bacterial stain might be used to increase energy expenditure,improve insulin sensitivity,and to help control obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Association of accelerometer-measured sleep duration and different intensities of physical activity with incident type 2 diabetes in a population-based cohort study

Purpose:The aim of the current study was to investigate the association of accelerometer-measured sleep duration and different intensities of physical activity(PA)with the risk of incident type 2 diabetes in a population-based prospective cohort study.Methods:Altogether,88,000 participants(mean age=62.2±7.9 years,mean±SD)were included from the UK Biobank.Sleep duration(short:<6 h/day;normal:6-8 h/day;long:>8 h/day)and PA of different intensities were measured using a wrist-won accelerometer over a 7-day period between 2013 and 2015.PA was classified according to the median or World Health Organization-recommendation:total volume of PA(high,low),moderate-to-vigorous PA(MVPA)(recommended,not recommended),and light-intensity PA(high,low).Incidence of type 2diabetes was ascertained using hospital records or death registries.Results:During a median follow-up of 7.0 years,1615 incident type 2 diabetes cases were documented.Compared with normal sleep duration,short(hazard ratio(HR)=1.21,95%confidence interval(95%CI):1.03-1.41)but not long sleep duration(HR=1.01,95%CI:0.89-1.15)was associated with excessive type 2 diabetes risk.This increased risk among short sleepers seems to be protected against by PA.Compared with normal sleepers with high or recommended PA,short sleepers with low volume of PA(HR=1.81,95%CI:1.46-2.25),not recommended(below the World Health Organization-recommended level of)MVPA(HR=1.92,95%CI:1.55-2.36),or low light-intensity PA(HR=1.49,95%CI:1.13-1.90)had a higher risk of type 2 diabetes,while short sleepers with a high volume of PA(HR=1.14,95%CI:0.88-1.49),recommended MVPA(HR=1.02,95%CI:0.71-1.48),or high light-intensity PA(HR=1.14,95%CI:0.92-1.41)did not.Conclusion:Accelerometer-measured short but not long sleep duration was associated with a higher risk of incident type 2 diabetes.A higher level of PA,regardless of intensity,potentially ameliorates this excessive risk.

Reliability and validity of the hidden hunger assessment scale in China-revised for high school students

Objective:Hidden hunger remains a severe public health problem that affects millions of people worldwide.In China,challenges related to dietary imbalance and hidden hunger persist.Micronutrient inadequacy deserves more attention among adolescents,given its vital role in their growth and development;however,this problem appears to have been largely ignored.High school students,in particular,are often at a high risk of hidden hunger but have limited assessment tools available.Therefore,this study aims to revise the hidden hunger assessment scale for high school students(HHAS-HSS)in China and assess its reliability and validity.Methods:Based on a literature review,expert consultation,pre-experiment,and formal survey,a hidden hunger assessment scale was revised for high school students.The formal survey involved 9336 high school students in 11 of the 16 cities in Anhui Province,China,and 9038 valid questionnaires were collected and included in the analysis.The item analysis,internal consistency reliability,test-retest reliability,content validity,exploratory factor analysis,and confirmatory factor analysis of the HHAS-HSS were examined.Results:The HHAS-HSS included a total of 4 dimensions and 12 items:"vegetables and food diversity"(three items),"fruits and dairy products"(three items),"micronutrient-dense foods"(four items),and"health condition and eating habits"(two items).The results showed a Cronbach's alpha of 0.758,a split-half reliability of 0.829,and a test-retest reliability of o.793,indicating good internal consistency.Using the Bartlett's test and Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test(KMO)to test the exploratory factor analysis presented a four-factor model of the HHAS-HSS,the KMO0 value was 0.820(P<0.001),which indicated the possibility for factor confirmatory factor analysis.Using the maximum variance rotation method,four factors were obtained,and the cumulative variance explained rate was 57.974%.Confirmatory factor analysis also supported the division of the scale into four dimensions,and the fitting indices were x^(2)=1417.656,x^(2)/df=29.534,goodness-of-fit index=0.974,adjusted goodnessof-fit index=0.958,parsimonious goodness-of-fit index=0.600,normed fit index=0.938,incremental fit index=0.940,Tucker-Lewis index=0.917,comparative fit index=0.939,and root mean square error of approximation=0.056.Except for x^(2)/df,all the indices reached the fitting standard,and the above results showed that the construct validity of the scale reached an acceptable level.Conclusions:The HHAS-HSS has good validity and reliability for Chinese high school students.It is a convenient self-report measure of hidden hunger risk.

Gender Differences in the Relationships between Pubertal Stages and the Perpetration of Self-inflicted and Interpersonal Violence among Middle School Students in China

Self-inflicted and interpersonal violence are the two main types of adolescent violence.Individuals involved in self-inflicted violence both cause and receive the harm,while those who engage in interpersonal violence often aim to harm others.Self-harm and suicide are common types of selfinflicted violence.Non-fatal violence,such as aggression,bullying,and physical fighting,are common forms of interpersonal violence between adolescents[1].

Early detection of colorectal cancer based on circular DNA and common clinical detection indicators

BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer(CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide, and it is the second leading cause of death from cancer in the world, accounting for approximately 9% of all cancer deaths. Early detection of CRC is urgently needed in clinical practice.AIM To build a multi-parameter diagnostic model for early detection of CRC.METHODS Total 59 colorectal polyps(CRP) groups, and 101 CRC patients(38 early-stage CRC and 63 advanced CRC) for model establishment. In addition, 30 CRP groups,and 62 CRC patients(30 early-stage CRC and 32 advanced CRC) were separately included to validate the model. 51 commonly used clinical detection indicators and the 4 extrachromosomal circular DNA markers NDUFB7, CAMK1D, PIK3CD and PSEN2 that we screened earlier. Four multi-parameter joint analysis methods:binary logistic regression analysis, discriminant analysis, classification tree and neural network to establish a multi-parameter joint diagnosis model.RESULTS Neural network included carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA), ischemia-modified albumin(IMA),sialic acid(SA), PIK3CD and lipoprotein a(LPa) was chosen as the optimal multi-parameter combined auxiliary diagnosis model to distinguish CRP and CRC group, when it differentiated 59CRP and 101 CRC, its overall accuracy was 90.8%, its area under the curve(AUC) was 0.959(0.934,0.985), and the sensitivity and specificity were 91.5% and 82.2%, respectively. After validation,when distinguishing based on 30 CRP and 62 CRC patients, the AUC was 0.965(0.930-1.000), and its sensitivity and specificity were 66.1% and 70.0%. When distinguishing based on 30 CRP and 32early-stage CRC patients, the AUC was 0.960(0.916-1.000), with a sensitivity and specificity of 87.5% and 90.0%, distinguishing based on 30 CRP and 30 advanced CRC patients, the AUC was 0.970(0.936-1.000), with a sensitivity and specificity of 96.7% and 86.7%.CONCLUSION We built a multi-parameter neural network diagnostic model included CEA, IMA, SA, PIK3CD and LPa for early detection of CRC, compared to the conventional CEA, it showed significant improvement.

Development of an iron status biomarker-based sepsis prognostic model using MIMIC-IV data

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by the host’s dysregulated response to infection.[1]With an estimated 48.9 million cases globally each year,sepsis accounts for 19.7%of the total global deaths.[2]Early identification of sepsis patients with poor prognosis is crucial for personalized treatment and precision intervention.

Chemoradiotherapy plus tislelizumab for mismatch repair proficient rectal cancer with supraclavicular lymph node metastasis:A case report

BACKGROUND According to the latest report,colorectal cancer is still one of the most prevalent cancers,with the third highest incidence and mortality worldwide.Treatment of advanced rectal cancer with distant metastases is usually unsatisfactory,especially for mismatch repair proficient(pMMR)rectal cancer,which leads to poor prognosis and recurrence.CASE SUMMARY We report a case of a pMMR rectal adenocarcinoma with metastases of multiple lymph nodes,including the left supraclavicular lymph node,before treatment in a 70-year-old man.He received full courses of chemoradiotherapy(CRT)followed by 4 cycles of programmed death 1 inhibitor Tislelizumab,and a pathologic complete response(pCR)was achieved,and the lesion of the left supraclavicular lymph node also disappeared.CONCLUSION pMMR advanced rectal cancer with preserved intact distant metastatic lymph nodes may benefit from full-course CRT combined with immunotherapy.

Socioeconomic support, quality of life, and prognosis of frailty among the older adults

Background: Although socioeconomic support is recommended for frailtymanagement, its association with the prognosis of frailty is unclear.Methods: Using data from participants aged ≥65 years in the ChineseLongitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (2008–2018), the associations betweensocioeconomic support (source of income, medical insurance, communitysupport, living status), onset of prefrailty/frailty, and worsening of prefrailty,were analyzed using multinominal logistic regression models. The associationsbetween self-reported low quality of life (QoL) and reversion of prefrailty/frailty were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression models. Associationswith mortality risk were analyzed using Cox proportional hazardregression models.Results: A total of 13,859 participants (mean age: 85.8 ± 11.1 years) containing2056 centenarians were included. Financial dependence was a risk factor for lowQoL among prefrail/frail individuals, but not among robust individuals. Havingcommercial or other insurance, and receiving social support from the communitywere protective factors for low QoL among prefrail/frail individuals and for theworsening of prefrailty. Continuing to work was a risk factor for low QoL, but aprotective factor for worsening of prefrailty. A negative association betweencontinuing to work and mortality existed in prefrail individuals aged <85 yearsand ≥85 years. Living alone was a risk factor for low QoL, but was notsignificantly associated with frailty prognosis.Conclusions: Prefrail and frail individuals were vulnerable to changes insocioeconomic support and more sensitive to it compared with robustindividuals. Preferential policies regarding financial support, social support,and medical insurance should be developed for individuals with frailty.

Human leukocyte antigen and donor-specific antibodies in liver transplantation

In this article,we comment on an article published in a recent issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology.We specifically focus on the roles of human leukocyte antigen(HLA)and donor-specific antibodies(DSAs)in pediatric liver transpl-antation(LT),as well as the relationship between immune rejection after LT and DSA.Currently,LT remains the standard of care for pediatric patients with end-stage liver disease or severe acute liver failure.However,acute and chronic re-jection continues to be a significant cause of graft dysfunction and loss.HLA mismatch significantly reduces graft survival and increases the risk of acute rejection.Among them,D→R one-way mismatch at three loci was significantly related to graft-versus-host disease incidence after LT.The adverse impact of HLA-DSAs on LT recipients is already established.Therefore,the evaluation of HLA and DSA is crucial in pediatric LT.

Hsa-miR-214-3p inhibits breast cancer cell growth and improves the tumor immune microenvironment by downregulating B7H3

Background:Immune checkpoint inhibitors play an important role in the treatment of solid tumors,but the currently used immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting programmed cell death-1(PD-1),programmed cell death ligand-1(PD-L1),and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4(CTLA-4)show limited clinical efficacy in many breast cancers.B7H3 has been widely reported as an immunosuppressive molecule,but its immunological function in breast cancer patients remains unclear.Methods:We analyzed the expression of B7H3 in breast cancer samples using data from the Cancer Genome Atlas Program(TCGA)and the Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)databases.MicroRNAs were selected using the TarBase,miRTarBase,and miRBase databases.The regulatory role of the microRNA hsa-miR-214-3p on B7H3 was investigated through dual-luciferase reporter assays,which identified the specific action sites of interaction.The expression levels of B7H3 and hsa-miR-214-3p in human breast cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues were quantified using Western blotting and quantitative PCR(qPCR).In vitro experiments were performed to observe the effects of modulating the expression of B7H3 or hsa-miR-214-3p on breast cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis.Additionally,the regulatory impact of hsa-miR-214-3p on B7H3 was examined.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays(ELISA)and flow cytometry were employed to assess the effects of co-cultured breast cancer cells and normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs)on immune cells and associated cytokines.Results:In breast cancer tissues,the expression level of B7H3 is inversely correlated with that of hsa-miR-214-3p,as well as with the regulatory effects on breast cancercell behavior.Hsa-miR-214-3p was found to inhibit breast cancer cell growth by downregulating B7H3.Importantly,our research identified,for the first time,two binding sites for hsa-miR-214-3p on the 3’UTR of B7H3,both of which exert similar effects independently.Co-culture experiments revealed that hsamiR-214-3p obstructs the suppressive function of B7H3 on CD8^(+)T cells and natural killer cells.Conclusions:This study confirms the existence of two hsa-miR-214-3p binding sites on the 3’UTR of B7H3,reinforcing the role of hsamiR-214-3p as a regulatory factor for B7H3.In breast cancer,hsa-miR-214-3p reduces tumor cell proliferation and enhances the tumor immune microenvironment by downregulating B7H3.These findings suggest new potential targets for the clinical treatment of breast cancer.

Epidemiological trends of urinary tract infections,urolithiasis and benign prostatic hyperplasia in 203 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019

Background:Urinary tract infections(UTI),urolithiasis,and benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH)are three of the most common nonmalignant conditions in urology.However,there is still a lack of comprehensive and updated epidemiological data.This study aimed to investigate the disease burden of UTI,urolithiasis,and BPH in 203 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019.Methods:Data were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease 2019,including incident cases,deaths,disabilityadjusted life-years(DALYs)and corresponding age-standardized rate(ASR)from 1990 to 2019.Estimated annual percentage changes(EAPC)were calculated to evaluate the trends of ASR.The associations between disease burden and social development degrees were analyzed using a sociodemographic index(SDI).Results:Compared with 1990,the incident cases of UTI,urolithiasis,and BPH increased by 60.40%,48.57%,and 105.70%in 2019,respectively.The age-standardized incidence rate(ASIR)of UTI increased(EAPC=0.08),while urolithiasis(EAPC=–0.83)and BPH(EAPC=–0.03)decreased from 1990 to 2019.In 2019,the age-standardized mortality rate(ASMR)of UTI and urolithiasis were 3.13/100,000 and 0.17/100,000,respectively.BPH had the largest increase(110.56%)in DALYs in the past three decades,followed by UTI(68.89%)and urolithiasis(16.95%).The burden of UTI was mainly concentrated in South Asia and Tropical Latin America,while the burden of urolithiasis and BPH was recorded in Asia and Eastern Europe.Moreover,the ASIR and SDI of urolithiasis in high-SDI regions from 1990to 2019 were negatively correlated,while the opposite trend was seen in low-SDI regions.In 2019,the ASIR of UTI in females was 3.59 times that of males,while the ASIR of urolithiasis in males was 1.96 times higher than that in females.The incidence was highest in the 30–34,55–59,and 65–69 age groups among the UTI,urolithiasis,and BPH groups,respectively.Conclusions:Over the past three decades,the disease burden has increased for UTI but decreased for urolithiasis and BPH.The allocation of medical resources should be based more on the epidemiological characteristics and geographical distribution of diseases.

Stromal cell-derived factor-1α promotes recruitment and differentiation of nucleus pulposus-derived stem cells

BACKGROUND Intervertebral disc(IVD) degeneration is a condition characterized by a reduction in the water and extracellular matrix content of the nucleus pulposus(NP) and is considered as one of the dominating contributing factors to low back pain. Recent evidence suggests that stromal cell-derived factor 1α(SDF-1α) and its receptor CX-C chemokine receptor type 4(CXCR4) direct the migration of stem cells associated with injury repair in different musculoskeletal tissues.AIM To investigate the effects of SDF-1α on recruitment and chondrogenic differentiation of nucleus pulposus-derived stem cells(NPSCs).METHODS We performed real-time RT-PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to examine the expression of SDF-1α in nucleus pulposus cells after treatment with pro-inflammatory cytokines in vitro. An animal model of IVD degeneration was established using annular fibrosus puncture in rat coccygeal discs. Tissue samples were collected from normal control and degeneration groups.Differences in the expression of SDF-1α between the normal and degenerative IVDs were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. The migration capacity of NPSCs induced by SDF-1α was evaluated using wound healing and transwell migration assays. To determine the effect of SDF-1α on chondrogenic differentiation of NPSCs, we conducted cell micromass culture and examined the expression levels of Sox-9, aggrecan, and collagen II. Moreover, the roles of SDF-1/CXCR4 axis in the migration and chondrogenesis differentiation of NPSCs were analyzed by immunofluorescence, immunoblotting, and real-time RT-PCR.RESULTS SDF-1α was significantly upregulated in the native IVD cells cultured in vitro with pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α, mimicking the degenerative settings. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the level of SDF-1α was also significantly higher in the degenerative group than in the normal group. SDF-1α enhanced the migration capacity of NPSCs in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, SDF-1α induced chondrogenic differentiation of NPSCs, as evidenced by the increased expression of chondrogenic markers using histological and immunoblotting analyses. Realtime RT-PCR, immunoblotting, and immunofluorescence showed that SDF-1αnot only increased CXCR4 expression but also stimulated translocation of CXCR4 from the cytoplasm to membrane, accompanied by cytoskeletal rearrangement.Furthermore, blocking CXCR4 with AMD3100 effectively suppressed the SDF-1α-induced migration and differentiation capacities of NPSCs.CONCLUSION These findings demonstrate that SDF-1α has the potential to enhance recruitment and chondrogenic differentiation of NPSCs via SDF-1/CXCR4 chemotaxis signals that contribute to IVD regeneration.

Functional anatomical hepatectomy guided by indocyanine green fluorescence imaging in patients with localized cholestasis:Report of four cases

BACKGROUND Liver cancer is a malignant tumor with a high incidence.At present,the most effective treatment is laparoscopic hepatectomy(LH).Indocyanine green fluorescence imaging(ICG-FI)has become an important tool in LH,and the most common fluorescent types of tumors are total fluorescence,partial fluorescence,and rim fluorescence.CASE SUMMARY We presented four cases of LH guided by ICG-FI in which we also observed the fourth special fluorescent type.When the tumor or intrahepatic stone compresses the adjacent bile duct to cause local cholestasis,the liver segment or subsegment with obstructed bile drainage will show strong fluorescence.Complete removal of the lesion together with the fluorescent liver parenchyma may help reduce the risk of tumor or stone recurrence.CONCLUSION This type of partial fluorescence can indicate local biliary compression,and the resection method is related to bile drainage,which may be called functional anatomical hepatectomy and ensures radical resection of the lesion.

Comprehensive circRNA-microRNA-mRNA network analysis revealed the novel regulatory mechanism of Trichosporon asahii infection

Background:Invasive Trichosporon asahii(T.asahii)infection frequently occurs with a high mortality in immunodeficient hosts,but the pathogenesis of T.asahii infection remains elusive.Circular RNAs(circRNAs)are a type of endogenous noncoding RNA that participate in various disease processes.However,the mechanism of circRNAs in T.asahii infection remains completely unknown.Methods:RNA sequencing(RNA-seq)was performed to analyze the expression profiles of circRNAs,microRNAs(miRNAs),and mRNAs in THP-1 cells infected with T.asahii or uninfected samples.Some of the RNA-seq results were verified by RT-qPCR.Gene Ontology(GO)enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway analyses were used to analyze the differentially expressed mRNAs.A circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network was constructed and verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay and overexpression experiments.Results:A total of 46 circRNAs,412 mRNAs and 47 miRNAs were differentially expressed at 12 h after T.asahii infection.GO and KEGG analyses showed that the differentially expressed mRNAs were primarily linked to the leukocyte migration involved in the inflammatory response,the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway,and the TNF signaling pathway.A competing endogenous RNA(ceRNA)network was constructed with 5 differentially expressed circRNAs,5 differentially expressed miRNAs and 42 differentially expressed mRNAs.Among them,hsa_circ_0065336 was found to indirectly regulate PTPN11 expression by sponging miR-505-3p.Conclusions:These data revealed a comprehensive circRNA-associated ceRNA network during T.asahii infection,thus providing new insights into the pathogenesis of the T.asahii-host interactions.

The advanced development of molecular targeted therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),one of the most common malignant tumors in China,severely threatens the life and health of patients.In recent years,precision medicine,clinical diagnoses,treatments,and innovative research have led to important breakthroughs in HCC care.The discovery of new biomarkers and the promotion of liquid biopsy technologies have greatly facilitated the early diagnosis and treatment of HCC.Progress in targeted therapy and immunotherapy has provided more choices for precise HCC treatment.Multiomics technologies,such as genomics,transcriptomics,and metabolomics,have enabled deeper understanding of the occurrence and development mechanisms,heterogeneity,and genetic mutation characteristics of HCC.The continued promotion and accurate typing of HCC,accurate guidance of treatment,and accurate prognostication have provided more treatment opportunities and prolonged survival timelines for patients with HCC.Innovative HCC research providing an in-depth understanding of the biological characteristics of HCC will be translated into accurate clinical practices for the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

B Vitamins Supplementation Can Improve Cognitive Functions and May Relate to the Enhancement of Transketolase Activity in A Rat Model of Cognitive Impairment Associated with High-fat Diets

Objective:To determine whether B vitamin treatment was sufficient to reduce cognitive impairment associated with high-fat diets in rats and to modulate transketolase(TK)expression and activity.Methods:To test this,we separated 50 rats into five groups that were either fed a standard chow diet(controls)or a high-fat diet(experimental groups HO,HI,H2,and H3).HO group animals received no additional dietary supplementation,while H1 group animals were administered 100 mg/kg body weight(BW)thiamine,100 mg/kg BW riboflavin,and 250 mg/kg BW niacin each day,and group H2 animals received daily doses of 100 mg/kg BW pyridoxine,100 mg/kg BW cobalamin,and 5 mg/kg BW folate.Animals in the H3 group received the B vitamin regimens administered to both H1 and H2 each day.Results:Over time,group HO exhibited greater increases in BW and fat mass relative to other groups.When spatial and memory capabilities in these animals were evaluated via conditioned taste aversion(CTA)and Morris Water Maze(MWM),we found B vitamin treatment was associated with significant improvements relative to untreated HO controls.Similarly,B vitamin supplementation was associated with elevated TK expression in erythrocytes and hypothalamus of treated animals relative to those in HO(P<0.05).Conclusion:Together,these findings suggest B vitamin can modulate hypothalamic TK activity to reduce the severity of cognitive deficits in a rat model of obesity.As such,B vitamin supplementation may be a beneficial method for reducing cognitive dysfunction in clinical settings associated with high-fat diets.

Coupling radiomics analysis of CT image with diversification of tumor ecosystem: A new insight to overall survival in stage Ⅰ-Ⅲ colorectal cancer

Objective: This study aimed to establish a method to predict the overall survival(OS) of patients with stage Ⅰ-Ⅲ colorectal cancer(CRC) through coupling radiomics analysis of CT images with the measurement of tumor ecosystem diversification.Methods: We retrospectively identified 161 consecutive patients with stage Ⅰ-Ⅲ CRC who had underwent radical resection as a training cohort. A total of 248 patients were recruited for temporary independent validation as external validation cohort 1, with 103 patients from an external institute as the external validation cohort 2. CT image features to describe tumor spatial heterogeneity leveraging the measurement of diversification of tumor ecosystem, were extracted to build a marker, termed the EcoRad signature. Multivariate Cox regression was used to assess the EcoRad signature, with a prediction model constructed to demonstrate its incremental value to the traditional staging system for OS prediction.Results: The EcoRad signature was significantly associated with OS in the training cohort [hazard ratio(HR)=6.670;95% confidence interval(95% CI): 3.433-12.956;P<0.001), external validation cohort 1(HR=2.866;95% CI: 1.646-4.990;P<0.001) and external validation cohort 2(HR=3.342;95% CI: 1.289-8.663;P=0.002).Incorporating the EcoRad signature into the prediction model presented a higher prediction ability(P<0.001) with respect to the C-index(0.813, 95% CI: 0.804-0.822 in the training cohort;0.758, 95% CI: 0.751-0.765 in the external validation cohort 1;and 0.746, 95% CI: 0.722-0.770 in external validation cohort 2), compared with the reference model that only incorporated tumor, node, metastasis(TNM) system, as well as a better calibration,improved reclassification and superior clinical usefulness.Conclusions: This study establishes a method to measure the spatial heterogeneity of CRC through coupling radiomics analysis with measurement of diversification of the tumor ecosystem, and suggests that this approach could effectively predict OS and could be used as a supplement for risk stratification among stage Ⅰ-Ⅲ CRC patients.