Ghrelin is a hormone produced by the stomach that regulates energy metabolism after acting on the central nervous system.Cocaine amphetamine-regulated transcriptional peptide(CART)neurons participate in the regulation of feeding behavior and energy balance.It is known that CART neurons are influenced by hormones to regulate energy homeostasis,but whether ghre-lin exerts its pro-appetite function by influencing CART neurons is unknown.Therefore,this study focuses on the role of VMHCART neurons in the regulation of feeding and relative body weight by ghrelin.Firstly,the whole brain expression of CART was determined by immunofluorescence.Then the effect of intraperitoneal injection of ghrelin on the expression of DMHCART neurons was evalua-ted.Finally,the ghrelin was delivered to DMH and the changes of food intake and relative body weight of mice were measured.CART immunoreactive neurons were detected in medial preoptic nucleus(MPA),arcuate nucleus(ARC),dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus(DMH),thalamic pa-raventricular nucleus(PVT)and raphe nucleus(ROb).Compared with the control group,periph-eral injection of ghrelin significantly increased the expression of DMHC ART immunoreactive neurons(P=0.037 3).DMH long-term injection of ghrelin resulted in an increase in body weight(P=0.004 0)and feed intake(P=0.023 1).The results provide anatomical evidence for the whole brain distribution of CART,which proves that ghrelin affects feed intake and body weight of mice through CART neurons in DMH,suggesting that specific neuron types and regional specificity are involved in ghrelin regulation of feed intake and energy homeostasis.

Vesicular glutamate transporter 2(VGlut2)is expressed in the PVN of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus(PVNVG1ut2)as an excitatory neurotransmitter,which regulates food intake and energy metabolism and plays an important role in maintaining homeostasis.However,it is not clear that the upstream and downstream projection network of PVNVGut2 neurons hinders the anal-ysis of glutamatergic neuron circuit function.Anterograde and retrograde tracer viruses were injec-ted into the PVN of VGlut2 mice by stereotactic brain injection technique to find the input and output nuclei of PVNVGlut2 neurons.Anterograde tracing results showed that PVNVGlut2 neurons pro-jected to the downstream medial amygdala(MeAD)and arcuate nucleus(ARC).Retrograde trac-ing results showed that PVNVGlut2 received input from the prefrontal nucleus(Pr),the reticular tegmental nucleus(RtTg),and the hypoglossal nucleus(12N).In addition,VGlut2 was found to be co-expressed with neuronal nitric oxide synthase(nNOS)neurons in the PVN.The anatomical net-work of PVNVG1ut2 neurons was analyzed by virus tracking tool,which laid the anatomical founda-tion for further study on the functional regulation of PVNVGlut2.

BACKGROUND:Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis is a common oral disease with a high incidence.However,temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis is not easy to be detected in the early stage,and it is difficult to obtain clinical pathological specimens,so it is difficult to carry out related research.The application of digital 3D printing technology to animal models of Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis increases the consistency of the animal models,thus promoting the study of temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis. OBJECTIVE:To establish a standardized animal model of temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis using novel digital technology. METHODS:According to the different modeling methods of unilateral anterior crossbite,30 female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into traditional model group,digital model group,and control group(n=10 per group).Cartilage specimens of the condyles were collected at 4 and 8 weeks after modeling.The apparent morphology was observed by stereoscopic microscope.The pathological morphology was observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining and Safranin O/fast green staining.Changes in the expression of interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α were observed by ELISA,and changes in the expression of aggrecan,type Ⅱ collagen and matrix metalloproteinase-13 were observed by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Different degrees of degeneration were observed in the digital and traditional model groups.The body mass of rats in both the model groups decreased during the 1st week after intervention and subsequently demonstrated growth trend and were significantly lower than that in the control group.The results of stereoscopic microscope showed that at 4 and 8 weeks after modeling,the deformation and defect degree of the digital model group was significantly higher than that of the traditional model group.At these two time points,the Osteoarthritis Research Society International scores of the digital model group and the traditional model group were higher than those of the control group,and the Osteoarthritis Research Society International score of the digital model group was higher than that of the traditional model group(P＜0.05).Histopathological observation showed that the modified Mankin score and Osteoarthritis Research Society International score of the two model groups were significantly higher than those of the control group of the same age at 4 and 8 weeks after modeling(P＜0.05).Immunohistochemical staining results showed that at two time points,compared with the control group of the same age,the expression of aggrecan and type Ⅱ collagen decreased in the traditional model group and the digital model group,while the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 13 increased(P＜0.05).ELISA results showed that the expression levels of inflammatory factors interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α in the traditional and digital model groups were higher than those in the control group at 8 weeks,and the expression levels of interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α in the digital model group were higher than those in the traditional model group(P＜0.05).To conclude,the personalized metal tube designed and produced by 3D printing technology can quickly guide the osteoarthritis-like lesions of the temporomandibular joint without repeated trial and adjustment,which is reproducible and suitable for promotion and application.

Objective To investigate the geographical distribution and seasonal fluctuations of visceral leishmaniasis vectors sandflies in Henan Province in 2023, so as to provide insights into the prevention and control of visceral leishmaniasis vectors. Methods A total of 23 counties (districts) were sampled from 18 cities of Henan Province from May to September, 2023 as sandfly surveillance sites, and sandflies were captured using human capture and light trapping methods. Following morphological identification, the changes in the sandfly density were calculated at different months and in different breeding habitats. Results A total of 406 light traps were set at sandfly surveillance sites in Henan Province from May to September, 2023, and a total of 3 137 female sandlies were captured, with an average density of 7.73 sandlies/(light·night). A total of 1 494 Phlebotomus chinensis sandflies were captured, including 1 222 female sandflies, with an average density of 3.01 sandflies/(light·night), and the highest density of P. chinensis was found in Gongyi City [17.00 sandflies/(light·night)]. A total of 5 544 sandflies were captured using the human capture method, including 230 P. chinensis, and the density of P. chinensis appeared a unimodal distribution, with a peak in early July [5.81 sandflies/(light·night)]. Among different breeding habitats, the highest P. chinensis density was detected in pigpens [4.50 sandflies/(light·night)]. Conclusions P. chinensis was predominantly distributed in hilly areas of northern and central-western Henan Province in 2023, and the sandfly density appeared a unimodal distribution. Intensified monitoring of visceral leishmaniasis vectors is recommended.

Objective To analyze the characteristics of visceral leishmaniasis cases in Henan Province, so as to provide insights into formulation of the visceral leishmaniasis control srtrategy. Methods All epidemiological data of reported visceral leishmaniasis cases in Henan Province from 2021 to 2023 were retrieved from the National Notifiable Disease Report Information Management System of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the epidemiological features and diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis cases were descriptively analyzed. Results A total of 93 visceral leishmaniasis cases were reported in Henan Province from 2021 to 2023, with a male to female ratio of 2.58∶1, and including 2 imported cases from other provinces and 91 local cases. The number of visceral leishmaniasis cases peaked during the period between March and May, and between July and October. The reported visceral leishmaniasis cases had ages of 7 months to 74 years, with the largest number of cases found at ages of 0 to 9 years (26 cases, 27.96%), followed by at ages of 60 to 70 years (24 cases, 25.81%). Farmer (47 cases, 50.54%) and diaspora children (19 cases, 20.43%) were predominant occupations, and 91 local visceral leishmaniasis cases were found in 6 cities of Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Anyang, Hebi, Sanmenxia and Xuchang. The median duration from onset of visceral leishmaniasis to diagnosis was 20 days, and there were 25.81% (24/93) cases with 10 days and less duration from onset to diagnosis, 38.71% (36/93) cases receiving diagnosis at 11 to 30 days following onset, and 35.48% (33/93) cases receiving diagnosis for more than 30 days following onset. All cases were predominantly diagnosed in province- (60.00%) and city-level (28.89%) medical institutions. Conclusions The number of visceral leishmaniasis is on the rise in Henan Province, with a gradually expanding coverage. Intensified monitoring of visceral leishmaniasis cases, dogs, and vectors, dog management, sandflies control and improved individual protection are recommended to prevent the spread of visceral leishmaniasis.

Objective:To explore the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) related to SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data of 11 children with MIS-C, who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics of Peking University First Hospital from December 2022 to January 2023. Clinical characteristics, treatment, and follow-up of MIS-C were summarized in this study.Results:The 11 cases contained 7 boys and 4 girls, with an age of 4.4 (2.0, 5.5) years on admission. All the patients had fever, with a duration of 7(5, 9) days. Other clinical manifestations included rash in 7 cases, conjunctival hyperemia in 5 cases, red lips and raspberry tongue in 3 cases, lymphadenopathy in 3 cases, and swollen fingers and toes in 2 cases. There were 8 cases of digestive symptoms, 8 cases of respiratory symptoms, and 3 cases of nervous system symptoms. Eight patients had multi-system injuries, and one of them had shock presentation. All 11 patients were infected with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BF.7 variant. The laboratory examination results showed that all cases had elevated inflammatory indicators, abnormal coagulation function and myocardial damage. Six patients had elevated white blood cell counts, 5 cases had liver function abnormalities, 3 cases had kidney function abnormalities, and 8 cases had coronary artery involvement. All 11 patients received anti-infection treatment, of which 3 cases received only 2 g/kg intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), while the remaining 8 cases received a combination of IVIG and 2 mg/(kg·d) methylprednisolone. Among the 8 cases with coronary artery disease, 6 cases received low molecular weight heparin anticoagulation therapy. All patients were followed up in 2 weeks after being discharged, and their inflammatory markers had returned to normal by that time. The 8 cases with coronary artery disease and 3 cases with pneumonia showed significant improvement or back to normal at the 4-week follow-up. All patients had no new complications or comorbidities during follow-up of more than 3 months.Conclusions:MIS-C may present with Kawasaki disease-like symptoms, with or without gastrointestinal, neurological, or respiratory symptoms. Elevated inflammatory markers, abnormal coagulation function, and cardiac injury contribute to the diagnosis of MIS-C. IVIG and methylprednisolone were the primary treatments for MIS-C, and a favorable short-term prognosis was observed during a follow-up period of more than 3 months.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the influence of depression severity, disease course, treatment status, and other factors on cognitive function in adolescents with depressive disorders. Methods: Participants who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study. Sociodemographic data of each participant were recorded, including age, sex, and family history of mental disorders. Zung’s Self-Rating Depression Scale was used to assess depression status in adolescents. Moreover, P300 and mismatch negativity (MMN) were used to objectively evaluate the participants’ cognitive function. Results: Only 26.8% of the adolescents with depression received standard antidepressant treatment. The latencies of N2 (267.80±23.34 ms), P3 (357.71±32.09 ms), and MMN (212.10±15.61 ms) in the adolescent depression group were longer than those in the healthy control group (p<0.01). Further analysis revealed that the latency of MMN was extended with increased levels of depression in adolescents.The MMN latency was short in participants with depression receiving standardized treatment. Furthermore, the latency of MMN was positively correlated with the severity and duration of depression (correlation coefficients were 0.465 and 0.479, respectively) (p<0.01). Conclusion Receiving standardized treatment and shortening the course of depression can reduce cognitive impairment in adolescents with depression.

Humans ; Asthma/drug therapy* ; Biological Therapy

The kidney is the body's most important organ and the protein components in urine could be detected for diagnosing certain diseases. The amount of IgG protein in urine could be used to determine the degree of kidney function damage. IgG protein in human urine was detected by vertical flow paper-based microfluidic chip, double-antibody sandwich immunoreaction, and cell phone image processing. The results showed that using an IgG antibody concentration of 500 μg/mL and a gold standard antibody concentration of 100 μg/mL, the image signal showed a good linear relationship in the range of IgG concentration of 0.2-3.2 μg/mL, with R²=0.973 3 achieved. A complete set of detection devices were designed and the detection method showed good non-specificity.
Humans ; Microfluidics ; Immunoglobulin G ; Kidney ; Microfluidic Analytical Techniques

Panax ginseng(PG)and Panax notoginseng(PN)are highly valuable Chinese medicines(CM).Although both CMs have similar active constituents,their clinical applications are clearly different.Over the past decade,RNA sequencing(RNA-seq)analysis has been employed to investigate the molecular mechanisms of extracts or monomers.However,owing to the limited number of samples in standard RNA-seq,few studies have systematically compared the effects of PG and PN spanning multiple conditions at the transcriptomic level.Here,we developed an approach that simultaneously profiles transcriptome changes for multiplexed samples using RNA-seq(TCM-seq),a high-throughput,low-cost workflow to molecularly evaluate CM perturbations.A species-mixing experiment was conducted to illustrate the accuracy of sample multiplexing in TCM-seq.Transcriptomes from repeated samples were used to verify the robustness of TCM-seq.We then focused on the primary active components,Panax notoginseng sa-ponins(PNS)and Panax ginseng saponins(PGS)extracted from PN and PG,respectively.We also char-acterized the transcriptome changes of 10 cell lines,treated with four different doses of PNS and PGS,using TCM-seq to compare the differences in their perturbing effects on genes,functional pathways,gene modules,and molecular networks.The results of transcriptional data analysis showed that the tran-scriptional patterns of various cell lines were significantly distinct.PGS exhibited a stronger regulatory effect on genes involved in cardiovascular disease,whereas PNS resulted in a greater coagulation effect on vascular endothelial cells.This study proposes a paradigm to comprehensively explore the differences in mechanisms of action between CMs based on transcriptome readouts.