OBJECTIVES: To investigate the causal relationship between gut microbiota and kidney stones. METHODS: Mendelian randomization analysis was conducted based on data from the MiBioGen consortium gut microbiota GWAS (exposure factors) and the IEU Open GWAS kidney stone dataset ukb-b-8297 (outcome variables) using the inverse variance weighted, MR-Egger regression, weighted median, weighted mode, and simple mode methods. Heterogeneity, pleiotropy, and leave-one-out sensitivity analyses were also performed. In the animal experiment, 12 male SD rats were randomized into control group with saline treatment and kidney stone model group treated with 1% ethylene glycol and 2% ammonium chloride for 28 consecutive days. Urine, blood, and intestinal samples of the rats were collected for testing the changes in renal function and intestinal barrier-related indicators, and kidney and colon pathologies were examined with histological staining and immunohistochemistry. The changes in diversity and abundance of gut microbiota were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. RESULTS: Mendelian randomization analysis showed that decreased abundances of Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group (OR=0.9974, 95% CI: 0.9948-0.9999, P=0.0393) and Gordonibacter (OR=0.9987, 95% CI: 0.9974-0.9999, P=0.0403) were associated with an increased risk of kidney stones without significant heterogeneity or horizontal pleiotropy, and sensitivity analyses suggested robustness of the results. The rat models of kidney stones exhibited significant renal function impairment and calcium oxalate crystal deposition, accompanied by decreased expressions of intestinal barrier-related proteins with lowered intestinal α- and β-diversity indices. Intestinal Gordonibacter abundance was significantly reduced in the rat models while the Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group did not differ significantly between the control and model groups. CONCLUSIONS Decreased Gordonibacter abundance in gut microbiota is associated with an increased risk of kidney stones. The protective role of the Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group against kidney stones as suggested by Mendelian randomization analysis fails to be supported by the experimental evidence and awaits further investigation.
Animals ; Kidney Calculi/microbiology* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Mendelian Randomization Analysis ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; Male ; Disease Models, Animal ; Intestines/microbiology* ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics*

Background: Inactivated vaccines are limited in preventing foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) due to safety problems. Recombinant virus-like particles (VLPs) are an excellent candidate for a novel vaccine for preventing FMD, given that VLPs have similar immunogenicity as natural viruses and are replication- and infection-incompetent. Objectives: The 3C protease and P1 polyprotein of type O FMD virus (FDMV) was expressed in yeast Hansenula polymorpha to generate self-resembling VLPs, and the potential of recombinant VLPs as an FMD vaccine was evaluated. Methods: BALB/c mice were immunized with recombinant purified VLPs using CpG oligodeoxynucleotide and aluminum hydroxide gel as an adjuvant. Cytokines and lymphocytes from serum and spleen were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, enzyme-linked immunospot assay, and flow cytometry. Results: The VLPs of FMD were purified successfully from yeast protein with a diameter of approximately 25 nm. The immunization of mice showed that animals produced high levels of FMDV antibodies and a higher level of antibodies for a longer time. In addition, higher levels of interferon-γ and CD4 + T cells were observed in mice immunized with VLPs. Conclusions The expression of VLPs of FMD in H. polymorpha provides a novel strategy for the generation of the FMDV vaccine.

Background and Objectives: Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are usually generated by reprogramming differentiated cells through the introduction of specific transcription factors, but this is a difficult and inefficient process.Valproic acid (VPA) is a histone deacetylase inhibitor that significantly improves the efficiency of iPSC generation.But its role and mechanism are still unclear. Methods: and Results: We transduced Bactrian camel fetal fibroblasts (BCFFs) with retroviruses carrying defined factors (OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, c-MYC and EGFP; OSKMG) in the presence of VPA. Cells were collected (Day 7) and analyzed using RNA-seq technology. Afterwards, different groups of cells and transcriptomics results were detected by PCR and qRT-PCR technology. The results showed that VPA promoted the expression of the endogenous gene c-Myc and inhibited cell proliferation; at the same time, it promoted the expression of VEGF and other genes related to angiogenesis. Conclusions When VPA is added to the culture medium, only the cells that have begun to reprogram can break the G2/M repression through the expression of the endogenous gene c-Myc, and use the nutrients and space in the culture dish to proliferate normally, which can achieve the purpose of directly improving the efficiency of reprogramming.Another new discovery for Bactrian camels, VPA significantly increased the expression of VEGFC and other genes, promoting the transformation of fibroblasts to endothelial cells (different from the mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition process of other species) to accelerate the early induction of Bactrian camels iPSc process. Overall, this study proved the new mechanism of VPA in enhancing the induction of pluripotency from the transcriptome level.

Background and Objectives: Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are usually generated by reprogramming differentiated cells through the introduction of specific transcription factors, but this is a difficult and inefficient process.Valproic acid (VPA) is a histone deacetylase inhibitor that significantly improves the efficiency of iPSC generation.But its role and mechanism are still unclear. Methods: and Results: We transduced Bactrian camel fetal fibroblasts (BCFFs) with retroviruses carrying defined factors (OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, c-MYC and EGFP; OSKMG) in the presence of VPA. Cells were collected (Day 7) and analyzed using RNA-seq technology. Afterwards, different groups of cells and transcriptomics results were detected by PCR and qRT-PCR technology. The results showed that VPA promoted the expression of the endogenous gene c-Myc and inhibited cell proliferation; at the same time, it promoted the expression of VEGF and other genes related to angiogenesis. Conclusions When VPA is added to the culture medium, only the cells that have begun to reprogram can break the G2/M repression through the expression of the endogenous gene c-Myc, and use the nutrients and space in the culture dish to proliferate normally, which can achieve the purpose of directly improving the efficiency of reprogramming.Another new discovery for Bactrian camels, VPA significantly increased the expression of VEGFC and other genes, promoting the transformation of fibroblasts to endothelial cells (different from the mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition process of other species) to accelerate the early induction of Bactrian camels iPSc process. Overall, this study proved the new mechanism of VPA in enhancing the induction of pluripotency from the transcriptome level.

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics and the cause of misdiagnosis of child suffering from cerebral parago-nimiasis with intracranial hemorrhage as initial symptom,and to improve the diagnosis and treatment level of cerebral paragonimiasis.Methods The clinical data of the children who suffered from cerebral paragonimiasis with intracranial hemorrhage as initial symptom were collected from January 2011 to December 2015 in Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical College.The clinical manifestation,imageology and laboratory tests,outcome of therapy were analyzed and then the effect of treatment and the prognosis were followed up.Results There were 7 patients meeting the inclusion criteria for cerebral paragonimiasis,including 4 male and 3 female.They were from 6 to 13 years old with the average age of 9.3 years old.All patients presented with headache and vomiting,and showed intracranial hemorrhage through CT or MRI of brain.All of the 7 patients were misdiagnosed as cerebrovascular malformation by the neurosurgeons.Three of them showed typical imaging pattern including tunnel sign and the ring-like shape of cerebral paragonimiasis.Five of these cases were attacked by pulmonary distomiasis at the same time.Six of them had an increasing eosinophil,and the paragonimus antibody was positive.They were treated with Praziquantel.Six patients recovered completely,and 1 patient had the dysfunction of left extremities.Conclusions The childhood cerebral paragonimiasis has strong clinical heterogeneity and diversity in manifestation.Intracranial hemorrhage may be the initial symptom,which should be paid more attention to.Cerebral paragonimiasis can be diagnosed and treated early according to the clinical characteristics,the increase of eosinophil,the typical changes in imageology and the specific antibody test.

AIM:We investigated how AT 1-R stimulated by mechanical stresses induces cardiac fibrosis .METHODS:We produced in vivo cardiac pressure overload model in angiotensinogen knockout ( ATG-/-) mice and in vitro mechanically-stretched cell model in cultured neonatal cardiac cells of ATG-/-mice both lack the participation of Ang II .RESULTS: Pressure overload for 4 weeks in ATG-/-mice induced myocardial hypertrophy accompanied by the significant interstitial fibrosis , however , the TGF-β, a key regulatory factor of fibrosis, was not significantly increased in these ATG-/-mice.Meanwhile, the inhibitor for AT1-R significantly inhibited mechani-cal stress-induced cardiac fibrosis in these ATG-/-models whereas inhibition of TGF-βdid not.CONCLUSION:The results showed that mechanical stress-induced fibrotic responses through AT 1-R required the phosphorylation of Smad 2 but not the involvement of TGF-β.

The paper explicitly defines and classifies the medical quality evaluation indexes from the aspects of uses, sources and nature and analyzes problems and shortcomings in the current medical quality evaluation index system from such perspectives as the coverage, specificity, sensitivity, reliability, and scientificalness of the index system and the collection and application of the indexes. On the basis of this, the paper expounds the future development trends of the index system and the principles and methods employed in determining the indexes. It points out that it is necessary ① to further strengthen the integration between the medical quality evaluation indexes and the evaluation units, ② to reinforce the quality evaluation of the links, ③to evaluate medical quality in a comprehensive way from different angles, ④ to further develop mathematical evaluation models related to the statistical indexes, ⑤ to enhance the applicability of the quality evaluation index system in institutions of different grades and scales.