AIM: To develop a novel gene-delivery therapeutic based on CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology capable of specifically targeting and knocking out the VEGFA gene, thereby achieving sustained suppression of VEGFA expression in retinal pigment epithelial(RPE)cells and providing a new strategy for gene therapy in retinal neovascular diseases.METHODS:Single guide RNAs targeting the human VEGFA gene for knockout were designed, and corresponding recombinant plasmids were constructed. A novel polymer(PTEE)was used to encapsulate the plasmids to prepare a PTEE-loaded anti-VEGFA plasmid(PLAP)gene delivery system. PTEE materials at concentrations of 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, and 1.6 μg/μL were co-incubated with ARPE-19 cells, and the biocompatibility of PTEE was evaluated using the cell counting kit-8(CCK-8)assay. Recombinant plasmids expressing green fluorescent protein(GFP)were constructed. Lipofectamine 3000 and jetOPTIMUS®DNA transfection reagents were used as control groups, and PTEE nanomaterials were used as the experimental group to encapsulate the plasmids. When the cell confluence reached 80%, the formulations were transfected into ARPE-19 and 293T cells. GFP expression was observed under light microscopy, and the transfection efficiencies of each group were compared. ARPE-19 cells were induced under hypoxia, and PLAP was transfected into the cells. The expression level of VEGFA was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)to evaluate the efficacy of this novel gene delivery system.RESULTS: After co-incubation of ARPE-19 cells with different concentrations of PTEE for 24 h and 48 h, no significant effect on cell viability was observed in any group. The transfection efficiency of PLAP in ARPE-19 cells was higher than that in the Lipo3000 and jetOPTIMUS groups, with statistically significant differences(P<0.01). Hypoxia for 6 h significantly induced the upregulation of VEGFA mRNA expression in ARPE-19 cells, and under hypoxic conditions, the PTEE group exhibited a significant inhibitory effect on VEGFA expression(P<0.01).CONCLUSION:PLAP exhibits favorable biocompatibility and prominent VEGFA inhibitory effects in vitro, making it a potential candidate drug for gene therapy of retinal neovascular diseases.

Objective To investigate the association between polymorphic susceptibility loci for diabetes mellitus and clinical characteristics of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)in the Han Chinese population in the Qinghai region.Methods A total of 286 T2DM patients treated in Qinghai Provincial People's Hospital from December 2021 to July 2023 were selected as the study subjects.DNA samples were sequenced by Illumina sequencing.LASSO regression model and Kolmogorov-Smirnov(K-S)test were used to analyze the association between SNP and age of onset in T2DM patients.Logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between SNP and DM family history,FPG,HbA1c,HOMA-IR and HOMA-β.Results The age of onset,smoking history,drinking history and WC of male patients were higher than those of female patients(P<0.05),and the HOMA-β,HDL-C,LDL-C and TC were lower than those of female patients(P<0.05).LASSO regression model and K-S test analysis showed that 7 SNPs were associated with the age of onset of T2DM(P<0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that 13 SNPs were correlated with family history of DM(P<0.05),13 SNPs were correlated with FPG(P<0.05),11 SNPs were correlated with HbA1c(P<0.05),20 SNPs were correlated with HOMA-IR(P<0.05),16 SNPs were associated with HOMA-β(P<0.05).Conclusions In Chinese Han patients with T2DM in Qinghai province,multiple SNPs variants may affect the disease phenotype through different biological pathways,including age of onset,blood glucose index and islet function.

To construct a recombinant fowl adenovirus 4(FAdV-4)expressing the Cap protein of goose astrovirus genotype 2(GoAstV-2),the expression cassette of Cap gene was inserted into the natural 1 966 bp deletion region of the FAdV-4 genome in the infectious clone p15A-cm-FAdV4-HNJZ.The resulted recombinant plasmid p15A-cm-FAdV4-HNJZ-Cap/GoAstV-2 was linearized with restriction enzyme and transfected into chicken hepatoma cell line(LMH)to rescue the recombinant FAdV-4 expressing the Cap protein of GoAstV-2,rF Ad V4-Cap/GoAstV-2.After 15 passages in LMH cells,the recombinant rFAdV4-Cap/GoAstV-2 was identified by PCR using primers flanking the insertion site of the Cap gene expression cassette and using viral genome DNA extracted from rFAdV4-Cap/GoAstV-2 infected LMH cells as template.LMH cells were in-fected with 15th passage rFAdV4-Cap/GoAstV-2 and indirect immunofluorescence was performed with a polyclonal antibody against Cap protein as the primary antibody.Western blot was carried out with lysates of rFAdV4-Cap/GoAstV-2 infected LMH cells.The in vitro replication dynamic of the 15th passage of the rFAdV4-Cap/GoAstV-2 was also investigated in LMH cells.The results demonstrated that the Cap gene of GoAstV-2 was presented in the genome of the recombinant vi-rus rF AdV4-Cap/Go Ast V-2,and could be expressed stably.The prepared recombinant virus in this study will lay a foundation for developing inactivated bivalent vaccine candidate against co-in-fection of FAdV-4 and GoAstV-2 in goose.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the value of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight-mass spectrometry(MALDI-TOF MS)in direct identification of carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae positive for blood culture.METHODS The blood culture bottles that were positive for E.coli or K.pneumoniae were collected from the patients with bloodstream infection who were treated in Zhongshan Hospi-tal,Fudan University from Jul.2021 to Jun.2023.The isolates were collected by using a gel-contact clotting tube,then the tested strains were respectively mixed with 4 μg/ml of imipenem,4 μg/ml of meropenem and 2 μg/ml of ertapenem for coculture and were incubated at 35 ℃ for 4 and 5 hours,finally,the strains were i-dentified by using the mass spectrum.The minimum inhibitory concentrations(MICs)of the three types of drugs were tested by microbroth dilution method and were set as the golden standards for the test.RESULTS Totally 31 strains of E.coli and 28 strains of K.pneumoniae that were positive in blood culture bottles were collected,both of the effective rates of controlled growth of the E.coli strains were 100.00％after the incuba-tion for 4 and 5 hours,and the effective rates of controlled growth of the K.pneumoniae strains were 9 6.43％and 100.00％after the incubation for 4 and hours,respectively.The sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the K.pneumoniae strains against the three types of drugs were 100.00％after the incubation for 5 hours.The specificity and positive predictive value of the E.coli strains against imipenem,meropenem and ertapenem were 100.00％after the incubation for 5 hours;the sensitivities were 73.58％,78.93％and 78.93％,respectively;the negative predictive values were 70.60％,75.00％and 75.00％,respectively.CONCLUSIONS MALDI-TOF MS is rapid and accurate for direct identification of the carbapenem-resistant E.coli and K.pneumoniae strains positive in blood culture bottles,and the accuracy reaches at 100.00％for the test of drug-resistant K.pneumoniae strains after the incubation for 5 hours.The method may provide evidence for clinical treatment of bloodstream infections induced by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae.

Objective To optimize the extraction process of Ziziphusjujube polysaccharides and study their hypoglycemic effect in vitro.Methods Using deep eutectic solvent as the extraction solvent,the optimal extraction condition for Ziziphusjujube polysaccharides was selected using single factor experiments and Box Behnken experiments.The selected factors were water content,solid-liquid ratio,and ultrasound time.At the same time,the content of Ziziphusjujube polysaccharideswas determined,and the in vitro hypoglycemic effect of polysaccharides and the hypoglycemic ability of different parts of Ziziphusjujube were investigated.Results After Box-Behnken response surface optimization,the optimal extraction condition for Ziziphusjujube polysaccharides was as follows:after ultrasonic treatment for 41.68 minutes,solid-to liquid ratio of 1∶20,and the water content in the deep eutectic solvent was 19.96%,under these conditions,the Ziziphusjujube polysaccharide content reach(571.31±3.84)mg·g-1 α-amylase inhibition rate of Ziziphusjujube polysaccharides was 76.08%,the content of polysaccharide in whole fruit of Ziziphusjujube was the highest,while the pulp exhibited the strongest hypoglycemic activity.Conclusion The optimized process can providea areference for the development in industry and clinical application of Ziziphusjujube.

Objective To optimize the extraction process of Ziziphusjujube polysaccharides and study their hypoglycemic effect in vitro.Methods Using deep eutectic solvent as the extraction solvent,the optimal extraction condition for Ziziphusjujube polysaccharides was selected using single factor experiments and Box Behnken experiments.The selected factors were water content,solid-liquid ratio,and ultrasound time.At the same time,the content of Ziziphusjujube polysaccharideswas determined,and the in vitro hypoglycemic effect of polysaccharides and the hypoglycemic ability of different parts of Ziziphusjujube were investigated.Results After Box-Behnken response surface optimization,the optimal extraction condition for Ziziphusjujube polysaccharides was as follows:after ultrasonic treatment for 41.68 minutes,solid-to liquid ratio of 1∶20,and the water content in the deep eutectic solvent was 19.96%,under these conditions,the Ziziphusjujube polysaccharide content reach(571.31±3.84)mg·g-1 α-amylase inhibition rate of Ziziphusjujube polysaccharides was 76.08%,the content of polysaccharide in whole fruit of Ziziphusjujube was the highest,while the pulp exhibited the strongest hypoglycemic activity.Conclusion The optimized process can providea areference for the development in industry and clinical application of Ziziphusjujube.

Objective To investigate the association between polymorphic susceptibility loci for diabetes mellitus and clinical characteristics of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)in the Han Chinese population in the Qinghai region.Methods A total of 286 T2DM patients treated in Qinghai Provincial People's Hospital from December 2021 to July 2023 were selected as the study subjects.DNA samples were sequenced by Illumina sequencing.LASSO regression model and Kolmogorov-Smirnov(K-S)test were used to analyze the association between SNP and age of onset in T2DM patients.Logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between SNP and DM family history,FPG,HbA1c,HOMA-IR and HOMA-β.Results The age of onset,smoking history,drinking history and WC of male patients were higher than those of female patients(P<0.05),and the HOMA-β,HDL-C,LDL-C and TC were lower than those of female patients(P<0.05).LASSO regression model and K-S test analysis showed that 7 SNPs were associated with the age of onset of T2DM(P<0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that 13 SNPs were correlated with family history of DM(P<0.05),13 SNPs were correlated with FPG(P<0.05),11 SNPs were correlated with HbA1c(P<0.05),20 SNPs were correlated with HOMA-IR(P<0.05),16 SNPs were associated with HOMA-β(P<0.05).Conclusions In Chinese Han patients with T2DM in Qinghai province,multiple SNPs variants may affect the disease phenotype through different biological pathways,including age of onset,blood glucose index and islet function.

Objective:To systematically integrate the best available evidence on non-pharmacological management of functional gastrointestinal symptoms (FGIDs) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), providing evidence-based support for clinical practice.Methods:Evidence related to non-pharmacological management of FGIDs in IBD patients, including guidelines, clinical decision documents, evidence summaries, expert consensus statements, and systematic reviews, was systematically retrieved from domestic and international professional websites and databases. The search period covered February 27, 2016 to February 27, 2025. Literature was screened and appraised for quality.Results:A total of 15 studies were included. A total of 32 items of evidence were summarized across 10 aspects: multidisciplinary management, screening, assessment, dietary management, exercise management, psychological management, skin care, traditional Chinese medicine interventions, physical interventions, and health education and follow-up.Conclusions:The summarized best evidence for non-pharmacological management of FGIDs in IBD patients provides scientific and systematic guidance for healthcare professionals, helping them better identify and manage FGIDs in this population.

Objective To establish dynamic nomogram models for postoperative recurrence and survival risk of patients with AFP-negative hepatocellular carcinoma(ANHC)based on multimodal clinical data,to identify ANHC-specific prognostic biomarker combinations by integrating tumor biological characteristics and treatment response parameters through machine learning,and to provide an individualized risk assessment tool for overcoming the limitations of traditional serum biomarkers.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for 421 ANHC patients who underwent hepatectomy in Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital from April 2012 to December 2018,and they were randomly divided into training group with 210 patients and validation group with 211 patients.The univariate and multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression models were used to identify independent prognostic factors and establish a nomogram model,and the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve,the calibration curve,and the decision curve analysis were used to assess the performance of the model.Related indicators were measured,including prealbumin(PA),white blood cell count(WBC),tumor size,and microvascular invasion.The chi-square test or the Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of categorical variables between two groups,and the independent-samples t test or the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous variables between two groups.Results The multivariate analysis showed that multiple tumors(hazard ratio[HR]=3.30,P<0.001),WBC(HR=1.05,P=0.005),blood glucose(HR=1.15,P=0.026),CA19-9(HR=1.17,P=0.005),and tumor size(HR=1.17,P<0.001)were independent risk factors for disease-free survival(DFS),while PA(HR=0.99,P=0.022)was a protective factor.Incomplete tumor capsule(HR=0.60,P=0.009),age(HR=1.02,P=0.035),prothrombin time(PT)(HR=1.27,P=0.023),CA19-9(HR=1.01,P<0.001),and tumor size(HR=1.15,P<0.001)were independent risk factors for overall survival(OS).The DFS nomogram achieved an AUC of 0.74(95%confidence interval[CI]:0.64-0.84)in the training group and 0.67(95%CI:0.57-0.77)in the validation group,while the OS nomogram had an AUC of 0.76(95%CI:0.64-0.88)and 0.73(95%CI:0.60-0.87),respectively.The calibration curve and the decision curve analysis showed that the models had good predictive accuracy and clinical practicability.Conclusion Preoperative indicators,including tumor number,PA,WBC,and tumor size,can effectively predict postoperative recurrence in ANHC patients,while tumor capsule integrity,age,and PT are significantly associated with OS.The nomogram models established have good performance and can provide a basis for individualized prognostic assessment.

Objective To establish dynamic nomogram models for postoperative recurrence and survival risk of patients with AFP-negative hepatocellular carcinoma(ANHC)based on multimodal clinical data,to identify ANHC-specific prognostic biomarker combinations by integrating tumor biological characteristics and treatment response parameters through machine learning,and to provide an individualized risk assessment tool for overcoming the limitations of traditional serum biomarkers.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for 421 ANHC patients who underwent hepatectomy in Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital from April 2012 to December 2018,and they were randomly divided into training group with 210 patients and validation group with 211 patients.The univariate and multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression models were used to identify independent prognostic factors and establish a nomogram model,and the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve,the calibration curve,and the decision curve analysis were used to assess the performance of the model.Related indicators were measured,including prealbumin(PA),white blood cell count(WBC),tumor size,and microvascular invasion.The chi-square test or the Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of categorical variables between two groups,and the independent-samples t test or the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous variables between two groups.Results The multivariate analysis showed that multiple tumors(hazard ratio[HR]=3.30,P<0.001),WBC(HR=1.05,P=0.005),blood glucose(HR=1.15,P=0.026),CA19-9(HR=1.17,P=0.005),and tumor size(HR=1.17,P<0.001)were independent risk factors for disease-free survival(DFS),while PA(HR=0.99,P=0.022)was a protective factor.Incomplete tumor capsule(HR=0.60,P=0.009),age(HR=1.02,P=0.035),prothrombin time(PT)(HR=1.27,P=0.023),CA19-9(HR=1.01,P<0.001),and tumor size(HR=1.15,P<0.001)were independent risk factors for overall survival(OS).The DFS nomogram achieved an AUC of 0.74(95%confidence interval[CI]:0.64-0.84)in the training group and 0.67(95%CI:0.57-0.77)in the validation group,while the OS nomogram had an AUC of 0.76(95%CI:0.64-0.88)and 0.73(95%CI:0.60-0.87),respectively.The calibration curve and the decision curve analysis showed that the models had good predictive accuracy and clinical practicability.Conclusion Preoperative indicators,including tumor number,PA,WBC,and tumor size,can effectively predict postoperative recurrence in ANHC patients,while tumor capsule integrity,age,and PT are significantly associated with OS.The nomogram models established have good performance and can provide a basis for individualized prognostic assessment.