Objective : To investigate the antidepressant effects and the underlying mechanisms of tetrahydrocurcumin(THC) and its nanoparticle formulation(THCN). Methods : Forty-six male ICR mice were randomly divided into Con group, LPS group, THC group, THCN group and SER group. A mouse depression model was established by intraperitoneal administration of LPS. The anxiety and depression-like behaviors of mice were evaluated by open field test(OFT) and forced swimming test(FST). Myelin staining was applied to assess the extent of demyelination in the prefrontal cortex of the mice. The prefrontal cortex and hippocampus were further examined for the expression levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) and Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4) through quantitative immunofluorescence assays. Results : Compared with the Con group, the LPS group showed increased anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviors in both the long-term and short-term experiments(P<0.05); the degree of demyelination increased in the LPS group of the long-term experiment(P<0.01); the expression of GFAP was reduced in the LPS group of the short-term experiment(P<0.01), while the expression of TLR4 increased(P<0.05); the expression of TLR4 decreased in the THC group(P<0.01); the expression of GFAP in the prefrontal cortex of the THCN group was reduced(P<0.01), while the expression of TLR4 increased(P<0.05). Compared with the LPS group, the THC group showed reduced depressive-like behaviors in the long-term experiment(P<0.05), while the anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviors of the THCN group and the SER group were reduced(P<0.05), and the anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviors of the THC group and the THCN group were reduced in the short-term experiment(P<0.05); the degree of demyelination was reduced in the THC group, THCN group and SER group in the long-term experiment(P<0.05); the expression of GFAP increased in the THC group of the short-term experiment(P<0.05), while the expression of TLR4 was reduced(P<0.05), and the expression of GFAP increased in the THCN group(P<0.05). Compared with the THC group, the THCN group and the SER group showed reduced anxiety-like behaviors in the long-term experiment(P<0.05); the expression of GFAP in the prefrontal cortex of the THCN group was reduced in the short-term experiment(P<0.05), while the expression of TLR4 in the hippocampal DG area increased in the short-term experiment(P<0.01). Conclusion Tetrahydrocurcumin and its nanoparticle formulation both exert significant ameliorative effects on depression-like behaviors and demyelination in mice induced by lipopolysaccharide. The antidepressant mechanism of THC appears to be mediated through the down-regulation of TLR4 and the up-regulation of GFAP. The mechanism underlying the antidepressant action of THCN seems predominantly focused on the enhancement of GFAP expression.

ObjectiveTo investigate the anti-Alzheimer's disease （AD） effect of Dipsacus asper（DA） in the Caenorhabditis elegans model， and decipher the underlying mechanism via the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α （PPARα）/transcription factor EB （TFEB） pathway. MethodsFirst， transgenic AD C. elegans individuals were assigned into the blank control， model， positive control （WY14643， 20 µmol·L^-1）， and low-， medium-， and high-dose （100， 200， and 400 mg·L^-1， respectively） DA groups. The amyloid β-42 （Aβ₄₂） formation in the muscle cells， the paralysis time， and the deposition of amyloid β-protein （Aβ） in the head were detected. The lysosomal autophagy in the BV2 cell model was examined by Rluc-LC3wt/G120A. The expression levels of lysosomal autophagy-related proteins LC3Ⅱ， LC3I， LAMP2， and TFEB were detected by Western blot. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was employed to determine the mRNA levels of autophagy-related genes beclin1 and Atg5 and lysosome-related genes LAMP2 and CLN2 downstream of PPARα/TFEB. A reporter gene assay was used to detect the transcriptional activities of PPARα and TFEB. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the fluorescence intensity of PPARα， and the active components of the ethanol extract of DA were identified by UPLC-MS. RCSB PDB， Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCMSP）， and Autodock were used to analyze the binding between the active components and PPARα-ligand-binding domain （LBD）. ResultsCompared with the model group， the positive control group and 200 and 400 mg·L^-1 DA groups showed prolonged paralysis time （P<0.05）， and all the treatment groups showed decreased Aβ deposition in the head （P<0.01）. DA within the concentration range of 50-500 mg·L^-1 did not affect the viability of BV2 cells. In addition， DA enhanced the autophagy flux （P<0.05）， up-regulated the mRNA levels of beclin1， Atg5， LAMP2， and CLN2 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， promoted the nuclear translocation of TFEB （P<0.05）， increased LAMP2 expression and autophagy flux （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and enhanced the transcriptional activities of PPARα and TFEB （P<0.01）. The positive control group and 200 and 400 mg·L^-1 DA groups showed enhanced fluorescence intensity of PPARα in the BV2 nucleus （P<0.01）. UPLC-MS detected nine known compounds of DA， from which 8 active components of DA were screened out. The docking results suggested that a variety of components in DA could bind to PPARα-LBD and form stable hydrogen bonds. ConclusionDA may reduce the pathological changes in AD by regulating the PPARα-TFEB pathway.

DNA double-strand breaks represent a common type of serious DNA damage in living organisms, causing instability of the genome and leading to cell death. Homologous recombination and non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) are the two main ways to repair DNA double-strand breaks. The core components involved in the NHEJ pathway are highly conserved in both yeast and humans. A few bacteria such as Mycobacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus subtilis also have the NHEJ mechanism. NHEJ plays a key role in the double strand repair of Mycobacterium in latency. This paper summarizes the mechanism and important components of NHEJ in Mycobacterium, introduces the application of NHEJ in gene editing, and reviews the research progress of the NHEJ pathway in Mycobacterium. We hope to bring new insights into the molecular mechanism and provide clues for the application of NHEJ in Mycobacterium.
DNA End-Joining Repair/physiology* ; Gene Editing/methods* ; Mycobacterium/physiology* ; DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded ; Humans

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) are one of the major populations susceptible to tuberculosis. However, little is known about the unique characteristics and diagnostic biomarkers of tuberculosis in this population. In this study, 81 AYAs were recruited, and the high-quality serum proteome of the AYAs with tuberculosis was profiled by quantitative proteomics. The data of serum proteomics indicated that the relative abundance of hemoglobin and apolipoprotein was significantly reduced in the patients with active tuberculosis (ATB). The pathway enrichment analysis showed that the downregulated proteins in the ATB group were mainly involved in the antioxidant and cell detoxification pathways, indicating extensive oxidative stress damage. Random forest (RF) and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) were employed to evaluate protein importance, which yielded a set of candidate proteins that can distinguish between ATB and non-ATB. The analysis with the support vector machine algorithm (recursive feature elimination) suggested that the combination of apolipoprotein A-I (APOA1), hemoglobin subunit beta (HBB), and hemoglobin subunit alpha-1 (HBA1) had the highest accuracy and sensitivity in diagnosing ATB. Meanwhile, the levels of hemoglobin (HGB) and albumin (ALB) can be used as blood biochemical indicators to evaluate changes in the protein levels of APOA1 and HBB. This study established the serum proteome landscape of AYAs with tuberculosis and identified new biomarkers for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in this population.
Humans ; Proteomics/methods* ; Biomarkers/blood* ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; Apolipoprotein A-I/blood* ; Machine Learning ; Tuberculosis/blood* ; Proteome/analysis* ; Male ; Hemoglobins/analysis* ; Female ; Blood Proteins/analysis* ; Adult

Objective : To investigate the therapeutic effects and underlying mechanisms of cannabidiol(CBD) and its nano-formulations on depression-like behaviors in mice. Methods : A murine model of acute anxiety and depression was established by intraperitoneal administration of lipopolysaccharide(LPS). A total of 55 mice were randomly assigned into several groups: for the long-term study, a control group(Con), a model group(LPS), a cannabidiol group(CBD), a nano-cannabidiol group(NCBD), and a sertraline(SER) group, each consisting of 7 mice. In the short-term study, mice were divided into four groups: the Con group, LPS group, CBD group, and NCBD group, with 5 mice in each group. Except for the Con group and LPS group, which were given distilled water, the remaining groups were administered 25 and 50 mg/kg of cannabidiol and its nano-formulationviaoral gavage. The open field and forced swimming tests were employed to assess anxiety-and depression-like behaviors inmice. Luxol Fast Blue myelin staining was employed to evaluate myelin sheath morphology in the prefrontal cortex, and immunofluorescence staining was utilized to quantify the protein expression levels of silencing information regulator(SIRT2), ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule-1(Iba-1), and interleukin-1β(IL-1β) in the prefrontal cortex. Results : In the long-term experiment, the LPS group exhibited a significant reduction in shuttle times(P<0.05), an increase in immobility time(P<0.01), and a decrease in the number and length of myelin sheaths(P<0.05) compared to the Con group. Compared to the LPS group, the depressive behaviors in the CBD, NCBD, and SER groups were significantly alleviated(P<0.01), and the number and length of myelin sheaths increased(P<0.05). In the short-term experiment, compared to the Con group, the LPS group exhibited significantly increased anxiety-and depression-like behaviors(P<0.05), downregulated SIRT2 expression(P<0.01), and upregulated Iba-1 and IL-1β expression(P<0.01). The CBD and NCBD groups demonstrated a reduction in anxiety and depression-like behaviors(P<0.05), an increase in SIRT2 expression(P<0.01), and a decrease in Iba-1 and IL-1β expressions(P<0.05) compared to the LPS group. Conclusion CBD and its nano-formulations effectively mitigate anxiety and depression-like behaviors in mice. The underlying mechanisms may be associated with the reversal of SIRT2 protein expression, demyelination changes, microglial activation, and the levels of inflammatory factors in the prefrontal cortex.

Objective:Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most common cause of adult blindness in China. Screening of DR is important for early detection, prevention, and treatment. However, there is still controversy in the research on the prevalence and risk factors of DR in China. This study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of DR and related risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Beijing City.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted in in Dongcheng District and Tongzhou District, Beijing City. Patients with type 2 diabetes aged 18-80 years were selected from four communities, and all subjects underwent questionnaires, physical examinations, laboratory examinations and fundus photography. The logistic regression model was used to analyze the associated factors of DR.Results:A total of 1 531 subjects were included, with the median age of 66 years old and the average age of (65.6±7.4) years old, and the glycosylated hemoglobin level in the subjects was 7.2%±1.3%, and the glycosylated hemoglobin compliance rate was 56.0%(857/1 531). A total of 254 patients with diabetic retinopathy were detected, and the prevalence of DR was 16.6%(254/1 531). Among them, there were 218 cases of non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and 36 cases of proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Compared with the non-DR group, there were statistically significant differences in fasting blood glucose ( Z=-3.74, P<0.001), glycosylated hemoglobin( Z=-10.664, P<0.001), urinary microalbumin excretion rate( Z=-7.767, P<0.001), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol( Z=-2.589, P=0.01), and duration of diabetes( Z=-10.189, P<0.001) between the DR group and the non-DR group. Multivariate regression analysis showed that the duration of diabetes ( OR=1.08, 95% CI: 1.06-1.10, P<0.001), glycosylated hemoglobin ( OR=1.38, 95% CI: 1.23-1.55, P<0.001), and FPG ( OR=1.11, 95% CI: 1.03-1.19, P=0.008) were associated factors for DR. Conclusion:In this study, the prevalence of DR in 4 communities of type 2 diabetes in Beijing City was 16.6%. Besides, this study further confirmed that the duration of diabetes, fasting blood glucose levels, and glycosylated hemoglobin are associated factors for DR in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Objective:Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most common cause of adult blindness in China. Screening of DR is important for early detection, prevention, and treatment. However, there is still controversy in the research on the prevalence and risk factors of DR in China. This study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of DR and related risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Beijing City.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted in in Dongcheng District and Tongzhou District, Beijing City. Patients with type 2 diabetes aged 18-80 years were selected from four communities, and all subjects underwent questionnaires, physical examinations, laboratory examinations and fundus photography. The logistic regression model was used to analyze the associated factors of DR.Results:A total of 1 531 subjects were included, with the median age of 66 years old and the average age of (65.6±7.4) years old, and the glycosylated hemoglobin level in the subjects was 7.2%±1.3%, and the glycosylated hemoglobin compliance rate was 56.0%(857/1 531). A total of 254 patients with diabetic retinopathy were detected, and the prevalence of DR was 16.6%(254/1 531). Among them, there were 218 cases of non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and 36 cases of proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Compared with the non-DR group, there were statistically significant differences in fasting blood glucose ( Z=-3.74, P<0.001), glycosylated hemoglobin( Z=-10.664, P<0.001), urinary microalbumin excretion rate( Z=-7.767, P<0.001), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol( Z=-2.589, P=0.01), and duration of diabetes( Z=-10.189, P<0.001) between the DR group and the non-DR group. Multivariate regression analysis showed that the duration of diabetes ( OR=1.08, 95% CI: 1.06-1.10, P<0.001), glycosylated hemoglobin ( OR=1.38, 95% CI: 1.23-1.55, P<0.001), and FPG ( OR=1.11, 95% CI: 1.03-1.19, P=0.008) were associated factors for DR. Conclusion:In this study, the prevalence of DR in 4 communities of type 2 diabetes in Beijing City was 16.6%. Besides, this study further confirmed that the duration of diabetes, fasting blood glucose levels, and glycosylated hemoglobin are associated factors for DR in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Objective:To investigate the effects and mechanism of Jinlong Bushen Mixture against lipid metabolism disorders induced by high-sugar and high-fat diet in rats with metabolic syndrome by combining network pharmacology and experimental validation.Methods:TCMSP and related literature were retrieved to obtain the active components and targets of wolfberry, golden cherry, longan meat, jujube, gynostemma, rosmarinus officinalis, and motherwort in Jinlong Bushen Mixture, and GeneCards online database was retrieved to obtain metabolic syndrome-related targets. Venny 2.1.0 was used to obtain the intersection targets of Jinlong Bushen Mixture and metabolic syndrome, and STRING online STRING online database was used to construct the PPI network of intersecting targets. Core targets in the top 50 degree values were screened using the Cyto NCA plugin in Cytoscape 3.9.0. The DAVID Bioinformatics Resources 6.8 online analysis platform was used for GO functional enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis. Metabolic syndrome rat model was established using high sugar, high salt, and high fat feed for 20 weeks. The successfully modeling rats were divided into model groups, positive control group and Jinlong Bushen Mixture group according to random number table, and a blank control group was also set up, with 8 rats in each group. Jinlong Bushen Mixture group was gavaged with Jinlong Bushen Mixture 1.8 ml/kg, a positive control group was gavaged with Metformin 90 mg/kg, and the blank and model groups were gavaged with an equal volume of saline, 1 time/d, for 4 weeks. The changes in body weight, abdominal circumference, and fasting blood glucose in rats were observed. The blood lipid level in rats was detected. The pathological changes of liver tissues were detected by HE staining. The levels of ATP, IL-1β, and IL-6 in liver tissues were determined by ELISA. The mRNA expression of liver kinase B1 (LKB1), AMPK, Akt1, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A), and downregulated lactate dehydrogenase A (LDH-A) in liver tissue were detected by qRT-PCR. Western blot was used to determine the expression of p-LKB1, LKB1, p-AMPK, AMPK, p-Akt1, and Akt1 in liver tissue were detected by Western blotting.Results:A total of 141 main active components, 841 active targets, 18 763 metabolic syndrome targets, and 820 drug-disease intersection targets of Jinlong Bushen Mixture were obtained. The KEGG pathway enrichment analysis yielded 173 entries, including mainly the PI3K-Akt, and HIF-1 signalling pathway. The experimental results showed that the weight, fasting blood glucose, and lipid levels of rats in the Jinlong Bushen mixture group decreased, and the disorder of liver glucose and lipid metabolism in rats improved; the levels of ATP, IL-1β and IL-6 decreased ( P<0.05); The mRNA expression of LKB1, AMPK, Akt1, and CPT1A in liver tissue increased ( P<0.05), while LDH-A mRNA expression decreased ( P<0.05). The p-LKB1/LKB1, p-AMPK/AMPK, and p-Akt1/Akt1 ratio increased ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Jinlong Bushen Mixture may restore lipid metabolism disorders in the metabolic syndrome through multiple targets and pathways. Its mechanism may exert pharmacological effects through the LKB1/AMPK/Akt signaling pathway.

Objective To analyze the outcomes of catheter ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation(AF)and the independent risk factors for its recurrence in the elderly.Methods A total of 194 patients with persistent AF who underwent catheter ablation at our department from January 2019 to December 2021 were enrolled in this study.They were divided into elderly group(≥60 years old,99 cases)and non-elderly group(＜60 years old,95 cases).Their surgical characteris-tics,postoperative complications and recurrence were compared between the two groups,and the independent risk factors for postoperative recurrence were analyzed in the elderly group.Results Advanced age,higher B-type natriuretic peptide,larger proportions of hypertension and coronary heart disease,and increased CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED scores,while lower male ratio and estimated glomerular filtration rate were observed in the elderly group than the non-elderly group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The elderly group had a higher proportion of left atrial fibrosis than the non-elderly group(30.3％vs 8.4％,P=0.001).Postoperative complications in the elderly group in-cluded 1 case of pericardial effusion and 2 cases of hematoma at the puncture site,and all of these were improved after treatment.There were no significant differences in the 1-year success rate(71.7％vs 69.5％,P=0.763)or recurrence rate during blanking period(21.2％vs 21.1％,P=0.981)between the elderly and non-elderly groups.AF duration(HR=1.020,95％CI:1.007-1.032,P=0.002)and recurrence during blanking period(HR=6.781,95％CI:3.078-14.935,P=0.001)were independent risk factors for postoperative recurrence in the elderly group.Conclu-sion Catheter ablation is safe and effective in the treatment of persistent AF in the elderly.The elderly patients with long duration of AF and recurrences during blanking period are more likely to experience recurrences within 1 year after ablation.

Objective:To develop a robotic digestive endoscope system (RDES) and to evaluate its feasibility, safety and control performance by experiments.Methods:The RDES was designed based on the master-slave control system, which consisted of 3 parts: the integrated endoscope, including a knob and button robotic control system integrated with a gastroscope; the robotic mechanical arm system, including the base and arm, as well as the endoscopic advance-retreat control device (force-feedback function was designed) and the endoscopic axial rotation control device; the control console, including a master manipulator and an image monitor. The operator sit far away from the endoscope and controlled the master manipulator to bend the end of the endoscope and to control advance, retract and rotation of the endoscope. The air supply, water supply, suction, figure fixing and motion scaling switching was realized by pressing buttons on the master manipulator. In the endoscopy experiments performed on live pigs, 5 physicians each were in the beginner and advanced groups. Each operator operated RDES and traditional endoscope (2 weeks interval) to perform porcine gastroscopy 6 times, comparing the examination time. In the experiment of endoscopic circle drawing on the inner wall of the simulated stomach model, each operator in the two groups operated RDES 1∶1 motion scaling, 5∶1 motion scaling and ordinary endoscope to complete endoscopic circle drawing 6 times, comparing the completion time, accuracy (i.e. trajectory deviation) and workload.Results:RDES was operated normally with good force feedback function. All porcine in vivo gastroscopies were successful, without mucosal injury, bleeding or perforation. In beginner and advanced groups, the examination time of both RDES and ordinary endoscopy tended to decrease as the number of operations increased, but the decrease in time was greater for operating RDES than for operating ordinary endoscope (beginner group P=0.033; advanced group P=0.023). In the beginner group, the operators operating RDES with 1∶1 motion scaling or 5∶1 motion scaling to complete endoscopic circle drawing had shorter completion time [1.68 (1.40, 2.17) min, 1.73 (1.47, 2.37) min VS 4.13 (2.27, 5.16) min, H=32.506, P<0.001], better trajectory deviation (0.50±0.11 mm, 0.46±0.11 mm VS 0.82±0.26 mm, F=38.999, P<0.001], and less workload [42.00 (30.00, 50.33) points, 43.33 (35.33, 54.00) points VS 52.67 (48.67, 63.33) points, H=20.056, P<0.001] than operating ordinary endoscope. In the advanced group, the operators operating RDES with 1∶1 or 5∶1 motion scaling to complete endoscopic circle drawing had longer completion time than operating ordinary endoscope [1.72 (1.37, 2.53) min, 1.57 (1.25, 2.58) min VS 1.15 (0.86, 1.58) min, H=13.233, P=0.001], but trajectory deviation [0.47 (0.13, 0.57) mm, 0.44 (0.39, 0.58) mm VS 0.52 (0.42, 0.59) mm, H=3.202, P=0.202] and workload (44.62±21.77 points, 41.24±12.57 points VS 44.71±17.92 points, F=0.369, P=0.693) were not different from those of the ordinary endoscope. Conclusion:The RDES enables remote control, greatly reducing the endoscopists' workload. Additionally, it gives full play to the cooperative motion function of the large and small endoscopic knobs, making the control more flexible. Finally, it increases motion scaling switching function to make the control of endoscope more flexible and more accurate. It is also easy for beginners to learn and master, and can shorten the training period. So it can provide the possibility of remote endoscopic control and fully automated robotic endoscope.