The BTB (broad-complex, tramtrack, and bric-à-brac) domain is a highly conserved protein interaction motif in eukaryotes. They are widely involved in transcriptional regulation, protein degradation and other processes. Recently, an increasing number of studies have shown that these genes play important roles in plant growth and development, biotic and abiotic stress processes. Here, we summarize the advances of these proteins ubiquitination-mediated development and abiotic stress responses in plants based on the protein structure, which may facilitate the study of this type of gene in plants.
Eukaryota ; Plant Development/genetics* ; Proteolysis ; Ubiquitination

Objective To investigate the risk factors for portopulmonary hypertension(POPH)in liver cirrhosis,and to construct a noninvasive predictive model.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 310 cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension who were hospitalized in The Third Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2013 to August 2022,and according to whether pulmonary artery systolic pressure was≥40 mmHg on ultrasound,the patients were divided into POPH group with 31 patients and non-POPH group with 279 patients.The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups,and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups;the chi-square test or the Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups.A binary Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent risk factors for POPH,and a nomogram prediction model was constructed.The Bootstrap resampling method was used for internal validation,and C-index and calibration curve were used to assess the discriminatory ability and consistency of the model.The rms package was used to plot the nomogram.Results Compared with the non-POPH group,the POPH group had a significantly younger age,a significantly higher proportion of women or patients with hepatic encephalopathy or Child-Pugh class C disease,and significantly higher levels of direct bilirubin,Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score,albumin-bilirubin(ALBI)score,international normalized ratio,prothrombin time,FIB-4 index,LOK score,and Forns index,as well as significantly lower levels of serum albumin,alanine aminotransferase,gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase,hemoglobin,total cholesterol,and triglycerides(all P<0.05).The multivariate analysis showed that sex(odds ratio[OR]=0.172,95%confidence interval[CI]:0.064-0.462,P<0.001),age(OR=0.944,95%CI:0.901-0.989,P=0.016),ALBI score(OR=3.091,95%CI:1.100-8.687,P=0.032),and hepatic encephalopathy(OR=3.466,95%CI:1.331-9.031,P=0.011)were independent risk factors for POPH.A predictive model for POPH in liver cirrhosis was established based on the above independent risk factors,with a C-index of 0.796(95%CI:0.701-0.890),suggesting that the model had good discriminatory ability,and the calibration curve showed that the model had good calibration ability,suggesting that the model had certain predictive efficacy.Conclusion Young female individuals,elevated ALBI score,and comorbidity with hepatic encephalopathy are independent risk factors for POPH in patients with liver cirrhosis,and the predictive model established based on these factors has a certain clinical application value.

Objective To investigate the mechanisms that mediate the neuroprotective effect of the intestinal microbial metabolite sodium butyrate(NaB)in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease(PD)via the gut-brain axis.Methods Thirty-nine 7-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were randomized equally into control group,PD model group,and NaB treatment group.In the latter two groups,PD models were established by intraperitoneal injection of 30 mg/kg 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine(MPTP)once daily for 5 consecutive days,and normal saline was injected in the control group.After modeling,the mice received daily gavage of NaB(300 mg/kg)or an equal volume of saline for 14 days.Behavioral tests were carried out to assess the changes in motor function of the mice,and Western blotting was performed to detect the expressions of tyrosine hydroxylase(TH)and α-synuclein(α-syn)in the striatum and nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB),tumor necrosis factor(TNF-α),interleukin 6(IL-6),and the tight junction proteins ZO-1,Occludin,and Claudinin the colon.HE staining was used to observe inflammatory cell infiltration in the colon of the mice.RNA sequencing analysis was performed to identify the differentially expressed genes in mouse colon tissues,and their expressions were verified using qRT-PCR and Western blotting.Results The mouse models of PD with NaB treatment showed significantly increased movement speed and pulling strength of the limbs with obviously upregulated expressions of TH,Occludin,and Claudin and downregulated expressions of α-syn,NF-κB,TNF-α,and IL-6(all P<0.05).HE staining showed that NaB treatment significantly ameliorated inflammatory cell infiltration in the colon of the PD mice.RNA sequencing suggested that Bmal1 gene probably mediated the neuroprotective effect of NaB in PD mice(P<0.05).Conclusion NaB can improve motor dysfunction,reduce dopaminergic neuron loss in the striatum,and ameliorate colonic inflammation in PD mice possibly through a mechanism involving Bmal1.

Objective To investigate the mechanisms that mediate the neuroprotective effect of the intestinal microbial metabolite sodium butyrate(NaB)in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease(PD)via the gut-brain axis.Methods Thirty-nine 7-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were randomized equally into control group,PD model group,and NaB treatment group.In the latter two groups,PD models were established by intraperitoneal injection of 30 mg/kg 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine(MPTP)once daily for 5 consecutive days,and normal saline was injected in the control group.After modeling,the mice received daily gavage of NaB(300 mg/kg)or an equal volume of saline for 14 days.Behavioral tests were carried out to assess the changes in motor function of the mice,and Western blotting was performed to detect the expressions of tyrosine hydroxylase(TH)and α-synuclein(α-syn)in the striatum and nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB),tumor necrosis factor(TNF-α),interleukin 6(IL-6),and the tight junction proteins ZO-1,Occludin,and Claudinin the colon.HE staining was used to observe inflammatory cell infiltration in the colon of the mice.RNA sequencing analysis was performed to identify the differentially expressed genes in mouse colon tissues,and their expressions were verified using qRT-PCR and Western blotting.Results The mouse models of PD with NaB treatment showed significantly increased movement speed and pulling strength of the limbs with obviously upregulated expressions of TH,Occludin,and Claudin and downregulated expressions of α-syn,NF-κB,TNF-α,and IL-6(all P<0.05).HE staining showed that NaB treatment significantly ameliorated inflammatory cell infiltration in the colon of the PD mice.RNA sequencing suggested that Bmal1 gene probably mediated the neuroprotective effect of NaB in PD mice(P<0.05).Conclusion NaB can improve motor dysfunction,reduce dopaminergic neuron loss in the striatum,and ameliorate colonic inflammation in PD mice possibly through a mechanism involving Bmal1.

Conventional administration methods have problems including low bioavailability, complex operation process, and discomfort of patients with fear of needles. Transdermal delivery can avoid these problems, whereas most drugs are difficult to directly penetrate the skin cuticle and reach the diseased site. Microneedling is an emerging method of local drug delivery, enabling the drug penetration through the stratum corneum of the skin in a minimally invasive manner and delivering the drug directly to the diseased site, thereby improving the treatment effect. Stimuli-responsive microneedles have attracted much attention because of the spatiotemporal controllability, high drug delivery efficiency, and mild potential side effects. This review introduced the commonly used materials and various types of stimuli-responsive microneedles and the drug release mechanisms. In addition, this paper expounded the biomedical applications of stimuli-responsive microneedles as drug delivery systems in response to different stimuli and discusses the challenges and potential solutions for stimuli-responsive microneedles.
Needles ; Drug Delivery Systems/instrumentation* ; Microinjections/instrumentation* ; Humans ; Administration, Cutaneous

ObjectiveThe hygroscopic properties of Mume Flos decoction pieces were studied from the perspectives of macroscopic［water activity（A_w）］ and microscopic（water molecular mobility）， which provided a theoretical basis for the determination of the safe storage moisture content. MethodAdsorption isotherm of Mume Flos decoction pieces was obtained by static weighing method， and seven common hygroscopic models were fitted and estimated. The best model was selected according to the principle that determination coefficient（R²） was closer to 1， residual sum of squares（RSS） was closer to 0 and Akaike information criterion（AIC） was smaller. According to the optimal model， the absolute and relative safe moisture contents of Mume Flos decoction pieces at 25， 35， 45 ℃ was calculated. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance（LF-NMR） was used to measure the water molecular mobility in the hygroscopic process of Mume Flos decoction pieces. ResultThe best model to describe the adsorption isotherm of Mume Flos decoction pieces was the Peleg model. According to the model expression， the absolute safe moisture contents of Mume Flos decoction pieces at 25， 35， 45 ℃ were 9.59%， 7.96% and 7.68%， and the relative safe moisture contents were 13.05%， 11.99%， 11.77%， respectively. Mume Flos decoction pieces all contained two water states during the process of hygroscopic absorption at different temperatures， namely bound water T₂₁ and free water T₂₂. During the process of hygroscopic absorption， bound water had the largest increase in peak area. The sum of peak areas of the bound water and free water had a good linear relationship with the moisture contents， and the R² were 0.959 9， 0.911 8 and 0.974 7 at 25， 35， 45 ℃， respectively. When A_w<0.57， T₂₁ did not change， and the water molecular mobility remained unchanged. When A_w>0.57， T₂₁ showed an increasing trend， and the water molecular mobility increased. The moisture contents of Mume Flos decoction pieces were 8.44%， 6.81% and 6.25% when the water molecular mobility increased at 25， 35， 45 ℃， respectively. ConclusionCombined with the theory of water activity and water molecular mobility， 6.25% is recommended as the safe storage moisture content of Mume Flos decoction pieces， this study can provide reference for determining the safe storage moisture content of other decoction pieces.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of remimazolam combined with propofol for sedation in the pediatric patients undergoing outpatient root canal treatment.Methods:Seventy pediatric patients of either sex, aged 2-6 yr, of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Ⅰ or Ⅱ, with an expected treatment time<1 h, scheduled for elective outpatient root canal treatment, were divided into 2 groups ( n=35 each) using a random number table method: propofol group (P group) and remimazolam plus propofol group (RP group). Induction of anesthesia was as follows: propofol 1-3 mg/kg was intravenously injected until BIS value was less than 60 in group P, and remimazolam 0.2 mg/kg and propofol 1-3 mg/kg were intravenously injected until BIS value was less than 60 in group RP.Anesthesia maintenance was as follows: propofol 6-12 mg·kg -1·h -1 was intravenously infused in group P, and remimazolam 0.3 mg·kg -1·h -1 and propofol 6-12 mg·kg -1·h -1 were intravenously infused in group RP.The BIS value was maintained at 50-70 during operation.Spontaneous breathing was kept, and oxygen was inhaled through a nasal catheter with oxygen flow rate of 2-3 L/min in both groups.The amount of propofol consumed during induction and maintenance periods and the total consumption were recorded.The onset time of sedation, duration of operation, emergence time and duration of post-anesthesia care unit stay were recorded.The adverse reactions such as intraoperative respiratory depression, hypotension, bradycardia, coughing and body movement, emergence agitation and postoperative nausea and vomiting were recorded. Results:Compared with group P, the amount of propofol consumed during induction and maintenance periods and the total consumption were significantly reduced, the onset time of sedation was prolonged, the emergence time and duration of post-anesthesia care unit stay were shorted, the incidence of respiratory depression was decreased ( P<0.05), and no significant change was found in the incidence of duration of operation, hypotension, bradycardia, body movement or emergence agitation in group RP ( P>0.05). No intraoperative coughing or postoperative nausea and vomiting was found in two groups. Conclusions:The combination of remimazolam and propofol provides better efficacy than propofol alone when used for sedation in the pediatric patients undergoing outpatient dental root canal treatment.

Objective:To investigate the normal reference values of spinal bone mineral density measured by quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and the differences of bone mineral density (BMD) in different regions of in Chinese adult males.Methods:Men who underwent low-dose CT lung scan for cancer screening in regions of Northeast, North, East, South, Central and Southwest of China from January 2018 to December 2019 were selected. And the lumbar vertebrae BMD values in the male subjects were measured by the QCT system (Mindways Software, Inc.). The mean BMD values and their decline rates were calculated at an age interval of 10 years, and the prevalence of osteoporosis was calculated according to the American College of Radiology spine QCT osteoporosis diagnostic criteria.Results:A total of 50 682 males with a mean age of (50.22±12.79) years (ranged 20 to 98 years) were included in this study. The peak BMD of (173.11±28.56) mg/cm 3 in the healthy Chinese adult male population appeared in the age group of 20 to 29 years and then declined with age. Before the age of 70 years, the BMD was relatively higher in males in South China, and it was lower in Central China and Southwest China, and it was intermediate in Northeast, North and East of China, with statistically significant differences. There was no significant differences in BMD in the males in the two age groups of 70 to 79 years and 80 and older among the regions in China. The overall decline rate of spinal BMD in Chinese males under QCT was about 46.92% over the lifetime, and it declined obviouslyin the 40-49 age group. The overall prevalence of osteoporosis in Chinese male population aged 50 years and above was approximately 11.42%, with the highest prevalence in Southwest China and Central China (14.72% and 13.87%, respectively) and the lowest in North China and South China (8.53% and 7.71%, respectively). Conclusions:A reference of lumbar spine BMD values for healthy males in China based on QCT is established. BMD values were highest in South China and Lowest in Central China.

Talents constitute core resource in the development of healthcare sector. Based on the situation of the talent team in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, the authors systematically constructed the hierarchical and classified system for talent cultivation, centering on three key areas of talent cultivation, evaluation and assessment. The authors analyzed the achievements since the implementation in 2016, namely the innovation of talent evaluation, the construction of discipline echelon, and the communication and inter-departmental cooperation. At the same time, the authors further put forward targeted suggestions to promote the development of talent teams in terms of transforming the human resource management model, increasing policy support and funding, implementing refined management, and improving talent evaluation indicators by the levels and types.

Talents constitute key resources for the development of healthcare sector, and studying abroad is an important and effective means for their training. Based on the analysis of the current status of China′s international talents training project of hospitals, this study summarized existing problems in such training. The authors covered such six aspects as lawful standardization of project management methods, selection of trainees by levels and by types, innovation of the process tracking management mechanisms and strengthened full-process assessment, all dimensional institutional support, consolidation of the responsibilities by individual disciplines in talent team building, and measures to cope with the impact of COVID-19. In accordance with the research results, the study analyzed the exploration and practice of the international training project under the " Elite Talents Cultivation Project" of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, and raised targeted recommendations on attention to the strategic and forward-looking planning, precise setup of training goal categories, classified evaluation of study results, and lawful management among others.