How root system responds to various environmental factors has not yet been fully elucidated. In root, the expression of OsPK1 is mainly in the maturation zone and the root-hair zone of root tip. It is unknown whether the uptake of exogenous sugars by rice seedlings is affected by downregulation of OsPK1. In this study, we used wild-type (WT) and ospk1 rice mutant plants to investigate the uptake of exogenous sugars and the responses of rice seedlings by adding sucrose to 1/2 MS medium or not. The contents of sucrose, glucose, fructose and galactose in leaf blades, sheathes and roots of rice seedlings were measured by GC-MS analysis. The result revealed that direct contact between root and exogenous sugars greatly elevates sugar levels of rice seedlings. And the root length of these seedlings is much longer than that of the seedlings grown in medium omitting exogenous sugars, suggesting that uptake of exogenous sugars by root promotes root elongation. Downregulation of OsPK1 has effects on sugar metabolism and the uptake of exogenous sugars. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR result showed that the expressions of OsPIP2;4, OsPIP2;5 and OsTIP2;1 (three aquaporin genes) in root were greatly upregulated by the direct contact between root and exogenous sugars.
Absorption ; Aquaporins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Carbohydrate Metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Genes, Plant ; Genetic Variation ; Oryza ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plant Roots ; metabolism ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Seedlings ; genetics ; metabolism

Purpose To investigate the application value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in the diagnosis and staging of tongue cancer,in order to improve the accuracy of preoperative staging.Materials and Methods The 18F-FDG PET/CT findings of 52 patients with pathologically confirmed tongue cancer were retrospectively analyzed.The tumor location,size,FDG metabolic characteristics and tumor staging were observed,and compared with postoperative pathology.Results PET/CT showed that most patients were at middle or late stage when initially diagnosed (28/52).The lesions were mostly located on middle or middle-back region of tongues,and the average SUVmax was 6.81 ± 3.81.The sensitivity of PET/CT diagnosing tongue cancer was 94.2％.There was no significant difference in SUVmax between high,medium-high and medium differentiated tongue cancer primary lesions (P＞0.05).The SUVmax of tongue cancer at stage Ⅲ and Ⅳ was obviously higher than that at stage Ⅰ and Ⅱ,and the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.008).The diagnose and staging of tongue cancer using preoperative PET/CT and postoperative pathology were in excellent consistence (Kappa=0.859,P＜0.01).The staging accuracy reached 90.4％ (47/52).Conclusion Higher SUVmax value indicates worse tongue cancer staging,but it is of little significance in predicting differentiation.PET/CT can provide an objective imaging basis for preoperative diagnosis and accurate staging of tongue cancer.

Objective To explore the clinical metabolic characteristics and the blood glucose variability in the insulin resistance polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients.Methods Totally 69 cases of PCOS patients were divided into two groups:PCOS with insulin resistance (PCOS-IR) group and PCOS without insulin-resistance (PCOS-NIR) group.Their clinical and metabolic characteristics were analyzed,and continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) was used to monitor the glucose concentration of subcutaneous interstitial fluid to reflect the blood glucose level.Mean blood glucose level (MBG) and its standard deviation (SDBG),mean amplitude of glycemic excursion (MAGE),peak level of postprandial plasma glucose as well as its peaking time during a 48-hour period CGMS were calculated.Results MBG,SDBG,large amplitude of glycemic excursions (LAGE),MAGE level in PCOS-IR group,were significantly higher than those in PCOS-NIR (P ＜ 0.05).Body mass index (BMI),triglycerides,glycated hemoglobin Alc (HbAlc),fasting blood glucose (FBG),2 hours glucose,free androgen index (FAI) level in PCOS-IR group were higher than in PCOS-NIR group (P ＜ 0.01).The difference of total cholesterol,low-density lipoprotein,mean of daily difference (MODD) level were not statistically significant (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions PCOS-IR patients suffer from more serious metabolic disorder and blood glucose variability.

As a natural extension of One Belt and One Road Initiative in Africa, the Republic of Mozambique plays an important role in the spread of Chinese medicine in Africa. By searching for the materials from the official foreign aid agencies of China, Japan, the United States and Europe, this paper compares and analyzes the current situation of medical aid to Mozambique by China, Japan, the United States and Europe. It is found that Japan, the United States and Europe focus on basic health facilities, social vulnerable groups, local epidemic diseases and other grassroots assistance. Finally, it proposes to set up projects that cater to the needs of recipient countries and strengthen the exchange of traditional medicine to seek multilateral aid cooperation and develop medical aid based on project audience. We hope that we can learn from others, so that China’s medical aid to Mozambique and thus to Africa could be more comprehensive, and the spread of Traditional Chinese Medicine could be spreaded in Africa.

China and Tunisia have frequent exchanges and good relationship. Tunisia has the largest medical center of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) among Africa and Arab countries. The development of TCM in Tunisia has shown great potential. By searching the information and legal regulations of the Ministry of health of Tunisia, the West Asia and Africa Department of the Ministry of Commerce of China and the business office of the Chinese Embassy in Tunisia, this paper studies the development status, legislation and drug access, bilateral cooperation, market potential and risks of TCM in Tunisia. It is found that acupuncture and massage are widely used in Tunisia. However, Tunisia has strict control over the sources of TCM. It is proposed that the future development of TCM in Tunisia should be based on the advantages of good relations between China and Tunisia, obtain both government support, take acupuncture and massage as a pioneer, promote TCM, encourage and develop TCM industry.

Objective The MMV-Net,a deep learning framework based on mammogram multiple views,was constructed to evaluate the classification performance of the model for benign and malignant masses.Methods A retrospective analysis was conduc-ted on a dataset of 1 585 breast X-ray images from Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital from 2018 to 2020,including 806 be-nign cases and 779 malignant cases.The dataset was divided into the training set(n=1268)and the test set(n=317)according to an 8∶2 ratios,and the training set was stratified according to the 5-fold cross validation.The integrated DDSM dataset and INBreast dataset were used as external test sets(n=1645)to evaluate the model performance.Each case in the input layer contained 4 views.The MMV-Net model was constructed by removing the last two layers of the ResNet22 network structure and adding an average poo-ling layer as the feature extraction layer,as well as fully connection layer and softmax activation function as the decision layers.Bayes-ian hyperparameter optimization was used.The performance of MMV-Net,MFA Net,and ensemble inception V4 models in AUC val-ues,accuracy,precision,recall and F1 scores were compared.Results The AUC values of MMV-Net model for distinguishing benign and malignant masses on the test set were 0.913,0.882 for MFA-Net,and 0.865 for inception V4.The accuracy and precision evalu-ation metrics of the MMV-Net model were also higher than the other two models.Conclusion The deep learning MMV-Net model based on multiple views of mammogram is helpful for the classification of benign and malignant breast masses.

BACKGROUND:Scaffold materials serve as platforms that provide space and structure,playing a crucial role in the regeneration of cartilage tissue.Scholars from around the world are exploring different approaches to fabricate more ideal scaffold materials. OBJECTIVE:To review the design principles and preparation methods of cartilage scaffolds,and to further explore the advantages and limitations of various preparation methods. METHODS:Literature searches were conducted on the databases of CNKI,WanFang Data,PubMed,and FMRS from 1998 to 2023.The search terms were"cartilage repair,cartilage tissue engineering,cartilage scaffold materials,preparation"in Chinese and English.A total of 57 articles were ultimately reviewed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The articular cartilage has a unique structure and limited self-repair capacity after injury.Even if self-repair occurs,the newly formed cartilage is typically fibrocartilage,which is far inferior to normal articular cartilage in terms of structure and mechanical properties.It is difficult to maintain normal function and often leads to degenerative changes.Currently,the design and fabrication of scaffold materials for cartilage repair need to consider the following aspects:biocompatibility and biodegradability,suitable pore structure and porosity,appropriate mechanical properties,and bioactivity.(2)Research on the preparation of cartilage scaffolds has made significant progress,continuously introducing new preparation methods and optimization strategies.These methods have their advantages and disadvantages,providing more possibilities for customized preparation and functional design of cartilage scaffolds according to specific requirements.

BACKGROUND:Bone formation is the process by which osteoblasts synthesize and secrete osteoid and promote its mineralization,which generally involves mechanical signal transduction.Osteoblasts are primarily regulated by mechanical factors such as gravity,compressive stress,tensile stress,fluid shear stress,and hydrostatic pressure in vivo,and different mechanical stimuli modulate the proliferation,differentiation,and apoptosis of osteoblasts through various mechanisms,including hormones,cytoskeletal proteins,and microRNAs.By clarifying the effects of biomechanical forces on osteoblasts,it provides ideas and a reference basis for the treatment of osteometabolic diseases involving osteoblasts. OBJECTIVE:To review the effects of different biomechanical forces on the biological characteristics of osteoblasts. METHODS:We conducted a literature search using PubMed,Web of Science,FMRS,CNKI,and WanFang databases for relevant publications published from 2000 to 2023,covering basic research and tissue engineering studies related to the effects of biomechanical forces on osteoblasts.Ultimately,a total of 70 articles were reviewed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Different biomechanical forces have an impact on the biological characteristics of osteoblasts,including proliferation,differentiation,and apoptosis,and these effects are dependent on the intensity and duration of the applied force.Specifically,the effects are as follows:(1)Under microgravity conditions,osteoblast proliferation and differentiation are inhibited,resulting in a decrease in bone density and the development of osteoporosis.(2)Compared to microgravity,hypergravity has a promoting effect on osteoblast proliferation.(3)The effects of compressive stress on osteoblasts are dependent on the loading intensity and time.Appropriate compressive stress can promote osteoblast proliferation and differentiation,which is beneficial for bone tissue formation and repair,while excessive compressive stress can cause osteoblast apoptosis and bone tissue destruction.(4)The biological effects of different types of tensile stress on osteoblasts differ.Studies have shown that a strain rate within the range of 0-12%has a promoting effect on osteoblast proliferation.(5)Fluid shear stress can promote osteoblast proliferation and differentiation and enhance the bone-inducing effect of biomaterials.(6)Static hydrostatic pressure can affect the biological behavior of osteoblasts,including proliferation,differentiation,and apoptosis,and these effects are closely related to the time and intensity of the pressure.Understanding the effects of different biomechanical forces on osteoblasts is of great significance for a deeper understanding of bone growth and maintenance mechanisms.

Objective:To investigate the effect of 125I-RSOAds-hTERT/PSA oncolytic adenovirus on targeted therapy of prostate cancer and its effect on tumor microenvironment. Methods:125I-RSOAds-hTERT/PSA ( 125I-virus complex) oncolytic adenovirus was constructed by PCR amplification and double restriction enzyme ligation. TUNEL staining, flow cytometry and Caspase-3 immunoblotting assay were used to detect the killing effect of 125I-RSOAds-hTERT/PSA oncolytic adenovirus on prostate cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, respectively. To explore the effect of 125I-virus complex on tumor tissue cytokine secretion levels, interleukin 2 (IL-2), IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in the culture supernatant of human prostate cancer cell line PC3, mouse prostate adenocarcinoma cell line RM-1, and mice serum were detected by ELISA. We explored the regulation of 125I-virus complex on the expression of CD24, CD44 and prostate stem cell antigen (PSCA) in prostate tumor tissues and tumor cells through immunohistochemistry. Meanwhile, the expression levels of CD32 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), as well as CD4+ , CD8+ and macrophage infiltration in tumor tissue were detected through immunofluorescence experiments. Results:125I-virus complex oncolytic adenovirus significantly increased tumor cell apoptosis in vitro and in vivo that was significantly higher than that of 125I group and virus complex group. Meanwhile, IL-2 ( t=-183.30, -38.20, P<0.05), IL-10 ( t=113.80, 92.71, P<0.05), TNF-α ( t=-73.20, -73.91, P<0.05), IFN-γ ( t=-65.37, -139.70, P<0.05) increased in vitro and in vivo. 125I-virus complex reduced the expression of CD24, CD44 and PSCA in tumor cells and tumor tissue, reduced the weight of tumor tissue, inhibited angiogenesis of tumor tissue ( t=8.55, P<0.05), and regulated the immune response in tumor tissue. Conclusions:125I-virus complex targeting prostate cancer can significantly kill cancer cells, reduce the weight and angiogenesis of tumor, and improve tumor microenvironment.

Objective: To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of Bifidobacteria in preventing caries. Methods : Databases including PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, Clinicaltrials. gov, CNKI, WanFang Data and VIP were electronically searched from inception to April 2020 to collect randomized controlled trials of Bifidobacterium for caries. Meta-analysis was performed using Revman 5.4 software. Results: In total, 10 randomized controlled trials (RCT) of 518 patients, including 262 in the test group and 256 in the control group, were included. Meta-analysis results reveal no statistically significant differences in salivary Streptococcus mutans counts (SMD=-0.31, 95%CI -0.66 to 0.04, P=0.08) (RR=0.53, 95%CI 0.17 to 1.66, P=0.28) and salivary Lactobacilli counts (SMD=-0.07, 95%CI -0.39 to 0.26, P=0.69) (RR=0.87, 95%CI 0.59 to 1.29, P=0.50). No statistical differences in the counts of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus counts were noted in dental plaque, and no statistical difference in the occurrence of caries in deciduous teeth. Three of the 10 RCTS included in this study did not report adverse events, 5 had no adverse reactions, and 2 reported gastrointestinal discomfort. Conclusion Current evidence suggests that Bifidobacteria do not effectively reduce Streptococcus mutans counts and Lactobacillus counts in saliva and dental plaque, or reduce the occurrence of caries in deciduous teeth. The safety of this treatment also requires further investigation.