ObjectiveAutoimmune thyroiditis （AIT） is a complex and immune-mediated disorder， with no established treatment protocol. Both Western and traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） focus on the pathogenesis and treatment of AIT. This study evaluated the clinical consistency of existing AIT animal models based on the diagnostic criteria of both Western and TCM， using a novel evaluation method. Additionally， it proposed recommendations and future prospects for improving these models. MethodsA comprehensive literature review was conducted on existing AIT animal models， using databases and the diagnostic criteria of both Western and TCM. Core and accompanying symptoms of these models were scored based on the diagnostic criteria of both Western and TCM， and clinical consistency was assessed. ResultsMice are the primary experimental animals used in AIT modeling. Modeling methods include vaccine immunization， iodine induction， heterologous thyroid antigen immunization， and a combination of high iodine water and antigen immunization. The average consistency of clinical syndromes based on TCM and Western medicine is 40%， 60%， 54%， and 63%， with the highest consistency observed in the combined high iodine water and antigen immunization model. Pathological models based on TCM are less common， with the liver-stagnation-spleen-deficiency rat model showing high clinical consistency. While most models are designed according to Western medical theory， meeting the surface and structural effectiveness criteria of Western medicine. However， there is a lack of fine-tuning and clear differentiation of TCM syndromes. ConclusionCurrent AIT syndrome-disease combination animal models primarily reflect the pathological features of Western medicine， with limited integration of TCM syndromes. Future research should aim to combine the syndrome characteristics of TCM with the pathological features of Western medicine， creating multi-factor and dynamic syndrome-disease models. Such models would better facilitate an experimental platform that conforms to the theories of TCM， providing more comprehensive support and guidance for the pathogenesis and treatment strategies of AIT.

[摘 要] 目的：探讨甲硫氨酸限制对肺腺癌（LUAD）细胞增殖、凋亡及磷酸戊糖途径的影响。方法：将H1299、A549细胞分为Met+组和Met−组，分别用含100 μmol/L或不含甲硫氨酸的培养基连续培养4 d，采用细胞计数法评估甲硫氨酸处理对H1299和A549细胞增殖的影响，PI染色法检测细胞周期分布，Annexin Ⅴ-PE/7AAD标记细胞凋亡，利用DCFH-DA探针检测细胞内ROS水平，WST-8法和DTNB法分别测定细胞内NADPH与GSH含量；通过癌症基因组图谱（TCGA）数据库分析葡萄糖-6-磷酸脱氢酶（G6PD）和6-磷酸葡萄糖酸脱氢酶（6PGD）表达与甲硫氨酸代谢通路的关系；采用WB法检测甲硫氨酸处理及回补甲硫氨酸下游代谢产物S-腺苷甲硫氨酸（SAM）对LUAD细胞中磷酸戊糖途径关键酶G6PD和6PGD表达的影响。结果：甲硫氨酸限制显著抑制H1299和A549细胞增殖（均P < 0.01），将细胞周期阻滞于G2/M期（均P < 0.05），显著升高细胞内总ROS水平（均P < 0.001）并促进细胞凋亡（均P < 0.001）；同时，甲硫氨酸限制显著降低了细胞内NADPH和GSH水平（均P < 0.01），抑制DNA合成（均P < 0.01）。分析TCAG数据发现，G6PD和6PGD表达水平与甲硫氨酸代谢通路呈正相关（均P < 0.001），甲硫氨酸限制下调G6PD和6PGD蛋白表达（均P < 0.01），而回补SAM可部分逆转甲硫氨酸限制对G6PD和6PGD的表达的抑制（均P < 0.01），提示甲硫氨酸通过SAM合成调控磷酸戊糖途径。结论：甲硫氨酸限制通过抑制磷酸戊糖途径抑制LUAD细胞增殖，为甲硫氨酸限制疗法治疗LUAD提供实验依据。

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has historically played a pivotal role in the prevention and treatment of warm diseases, establishing a comprehensive theoretical framework that underpins its practices. The distinctive and indispensable contributions of aromatic Chinese herbs in dispelling harmful influences and mitigating the spread of these diseases are well recognized; however, further investigation is warranted to elucidate their systematic properties and regularities, and the theory of aromatic Chinese herbs in preventing and treating warm diseases still needs to be comprehensively summarized. This study employs the principles rooted in TCM, with particular emphasis on the framework for warm diseases. An analysis of the disease mechanisms, transmission dynamics, and preventive strategies is conducted during the early stage of infection, throughout the course of the disease, and in the post-illness phase. Furthermore, the characteristics and applications of aromatic Chinese herbs are integrated with insights drawn from modern pharmacological research to explore their specific roles in the prevention and management of warm diseases. The utilization of aromatic Chinese herbs manifests in a variety of therapeutic effects: aromatic medicinals purging filth and dispelling pathogens for preventing epidemic disease, aromatic medicinals regulation for relieving superficies syndrome and dispersing evils, aromatic medicinals ventilation the lung to relieve cough and asthma, aromatic medicinals resolving the dampness to awaken the spleen and stomach, aromatic medicinals opening the orifices to restore consciousness, aromatic and pungent medicinals to regulate qi, aromatic medicinals dredging the vessels to activate blood circulation and dissipate blood stasis, and aromatic medicinals clearing latent heat from the yin level. These properties facilitate tailored approaches to address the diverse manifestations of warm diseases and their associated symptoms, providing clear guidance for clinical application to achieve pre-disease prevention, active disease treatment, complication prevention, and post-recovery relapse avoidance. The use of aromatic Chinese herbs in preventing and treating warm diseases demonstrates theoretical, practical, systematic, and regular characteristics. The theory of the properties of aromatic Chinese herbs has been expanded and sublimated in clinical practice, and its scientific connotation has been expounded in modern research. Under the guidance of the theory of treatment based on syndrome differentiation, and by taking into account the distinct stages and pathologies of warm diseases, the rational selection of aromatic Chinese herbs can improve the clinical efficacy.

Artificial intelligence-enhanced brain-computer interfaces (BCI) are expected to significantly improve the performance of traditional BCIs in multiple aspects, including usability, user experience, and user satisfaction, particularly in terms of intelligence. However, such AI-integrated or AI-based BCI systems may introduce new ethical issues. This paper first evaluated the potential of AI technology, especially deep learning, in enhancing the performance of BCI systems, including improving decoding accuracy, information transfer rate, real-time performance, and adaptability. Building on this, it was considered that AI-enhanced BCI systems might introduce new or more severe ethical issues compared to traditional BCI systems. These include the possibility of making users' intentions and behaviors more predictable and manipulable, as well as the increased likelihood of technological abuse. The discussion also addressed measures to mitigate the ethical risks associated with these issues. It is hoped that this paper will promote a deeper understanding and reflection on the ethical risks and corresponding regulations of AI-enhanced BCIs.
Brain-Computer Interfaces/ethics* ; Artificial Intelligence/ethics* ; Humans ; Deep Learning ; User-Computer Interface ; Electroencephalography

Psoriasis is an incurable chronic inflammatory disease that requires new interventions. Here, we found that fibroblasts exacerbate psoriasis progression by promoting macrophage recruitment via CCL2 secretion by single-cell multi-omics analysis. The natural small molecule celastrol was screened to interfere with the secretion of CCL2 by fibroblasts and improve the psoriasis-like symptoms in both murine and cynomolgus monkey models. Mechanistically, celastrol directly bound to the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) β-chain and abolished its binding to the transcription factor c-Jun in the nucleus, which in turn inhibited CCL2 production by skin fibroblasts, blocked fibroblast-macrophage crosstalk, and ameliorated psoriasis progression. Notably, fibroblast-specific LRP1 knockout mice exhibited a significant reduction in psoriasis like inflammation. Taken together, from clinical samples and combined with various mouse models, we revealed the pathogenesis of psoriasis from the perspective of fibroblast-macrophage crosstalk, and provided a foundation for LRP1 as a novel potential target for psoriasis treatment.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2018.08.009.].

Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy achieved advanced progress in the treatment of hematological tumors. However, the application of CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors still faces many challenges. Competition with tumor cells for metabolic resources in an already nutrient-poor tumor microenvironment is a major contributing cause to CAR-T cell therapy’s low effectiveness. Abnormal metabolic processes are now acknowledged to shape the tumor microenvironment, which is characterized by increased interstitial fluid pressure, low pH level, hypoxia, accumulation of immunosuppressive metabolites, and mitochondrial dysfunction. These factors are important contributors to restriction of T cell proliferation, cytokine release, and suppression of tumor cell-killing ability. This review provides an overview of how different metabolites regulate T cell activity, analyzes the current dilemmas, and proposes key strategies to reestablish the CAR-T cell therapy’s effectiveness through targeting metabolism, with the aim of providing new strategies to surmount the obstacle in the way of solid tumor CAR-T cell treatment.

Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) is a condition comprising ectopic bone formation from spinal ligaments. This disease is a leading cause of myelopathy in the Asian population. However, the molecular mechanism underlying OPLL and efficient preventive interventions remain unclear. Here, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing and revealed that type I interferon (IFN) signaling was activated in the ossified ligament of patients with OPLL. We also observed that IFN-β stimulation promoted the osteogenic differentiation of preosteoblasts in vitro and activated the ossification-related gene SPP1, thereby confirming the single-cell RNA sequencing findings. Further, blocking the IFN-α/β subunit 1 receptor (IFNAR1) using an anti-IFNAR1 neutralizing antibody markedly suppressed osteogenic differentiation. Together, these results demonstrated that the type I IFN signaling pathway facilitated ligament ossification, and the blockade of this signaling might provide a foundation for the prevention of OPLL.
Humans ; Signal Transduction ; Interferon Type I/metabolism* ; Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament/genetics* ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Single-Cell Analysis ; Osteogenesis/genetics* ; Receptor, Interferon alpha-beta/metabolism* ; Male ; Female ; Cell Differentiation ; Middle Aged

Aspergillus niger is an important industrial strain which has been widely used for production of enzymes and organic acids. Genome modification of A. niger is required to further improve its potential for industrial production. CRISPR/Cas9 is a widely used genome editing technique for A. niger, but its application in industrial strains modification is hampered by the need for integration of a selection marker into the genome or low gene editing efficiency. Here we report a highly efficient marker-free genome editing method for A. niger based on CRISPR/Cas9 technique. Firstly, we constructed a co-expression plasmid of sgRNA and Cas9 with a replication initiation region fragment AMA1 (autonomously maintained in Aspergillus) by using 5S rRNA promoter which improved sgRNA expression. Meanwhile, a strain deficient in non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) was developed by knocking out the kusA gene. Finally, we took advantage of the instability of plasmid containing AMA1 fragment to cure the co-expression plasmid containing sgRNA and Cas9 through passaging on non-selective plate. With this method, the efficiency of gene editing reached 100% when using maker-free donor DNA with a short homologous arm of 20 bp. This method may facilitate investigation of gene functions and construction of cell factories for A. niger.
Gene Editing ; Aspergillus niger/genetics* ; CRISPR-Cas Systems/genetics* ; Plasmids/genetics*

【Objective】 To construct an in-vitro model of erythrocyte antibody-mediated complement activation, and establish quantitative detection methods based on flow cytometry and spectrophotometry, so as to explore the correlation of anti-body titers and complement activation speed, and provide a methodological basis for studying the adverse transfusion reactions of anti-body mediated complement hemolysis. 【Methods】 Mouse monoclonal antibody that recognized human C3b and fluorescent secondary antibody were used to label C3b fragments on erythrocytes, and the deposition of C3b fragments after complement activation was detected by flow cytometry. The absorbance at 540 nm of the supernatant in the complement activation reaction system was measured by spectrophotometry as the amount of hemoglobin released was related to the absorbance. 【Results】 The complement activation system was constructed according to the ratio of 3% red blood cell suspension (mixed for 6 people) 1∶anti-Tj^a 1∶complement 2. The repeatability was good (P value>0.05) as different red blood cell mixtures had been used to repeat the detection reaction system. When using 32×, 64× and 128× dilutions of anti-Tj^a mediated complement activation, the deposition of C3b fragments has been detected by flow cytometry at 30 s, 1 min and 2 min, respectively, and MFI peaked at 5 min, 10 min and 30 min, respectively. No obvious hemolysis has been observed within 1.5 h. 【Conclusion】 In vitro model of anti-Tj^a-mediated complement activation demonstrates the speed of complement activation is related to the concentration of antibody. At a certain antibody concentration, the speed of complement activation has been slowed down, and no obvious hemolysis observed.