Objective To investigate the modulatory effects of transcranial direct current stimulation(tDCS)on directional informa-tion flow within the α-band functional brain networks in patients with disorders of consciousness(DoC).Methods From October,2023 to October,2024,30 patients with DoC were recruited from Binzhou Medical University Hospital.They were assigned to minimally conscious state(MCS)group(n=15)and unresponsive wakefulness syndrome(UWS)group(n=15).All the patients received conventional rehabilitation and tDCS at left dorsolater-al prefrontal cortex for four weeks.Ten-minute electroencephalography data were collected before and after treat-ment.Results Two cases dropped out from MCS group.Granger causality(GC)connectivity between the prefrontal and pari-etal regions enhanced in both groups after treatment,particularly in bidirectional pathways between bilateral pre-frontal and parietal regions,as well as between frontocentral and parietal regions,and limbic-central connections.GC connectivity was extensive and bidirectional in MCS group,and localized and unidirectional in UWS group.Conclusion tDCS can enhance directional information flow between bilateral prefrontal and parietal regions in patients with DoC,for promoting recovery of consciousness.Neural plasticity was better in MCS patients than in UWS patients.

Objective To investigate the modulatory effects of transcranial direct current stimulation(tDCS)on directional informa-tion flow within the α-band functional brain networks in patients with disorders of consciousness(DoC).Methods From October,2023 to October,2024,30 patients with DoC were recruited from Binzhou Medical University Hospital.They were assigned to minimally conscious state(MCS)group(n=15)and unresponsive wakefulness syndrome(UWS)group(n=15).All the patients received conventional rehabilitation and tDCS at left dorsolater-al prefrontal cortex for four weeks.Ten-minute electroencephalography data were collected before and after treat-ment.Results Two cases dropped out from MCS group.Granger causality(GC)connectivity between the prefrontal and pari-etal regions enhanced in both groups after treatment,particularly in bidirectional pathways between bilateral pre-frontal and parietal regions,as well as between frontocentral and parietal regions,and limbic-central connections.GC connectivity was extensive and bidirectional in MCS group,and localized and unidirectional in UWS group.Conclusion tDCS can enhance directional information flow between bilateral prefrontal and parietal regions in patients with DoC,for promoting recovery of consciousness.Neural plasticity was better in MCS patients than in UWS patients.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to use Arginine-gingipain A gene vaccine (pVAX1-rgpA) to immunize adult Beagle dogs and to evaluate its effect during peri-implantitis progression and development. METHODS: Plasmid pVAX1-rgpA was constructed. The second and third bilateral mandible premolars of 15 adult Beagle dogs were extracted, and the implants were placed immediately. After 3 months, the animals were randomly divided into groups A, B, and C. Afterward, the animals were immunized thrice with plasmid pVAX1-rgpA, with heat-killed Porphyromonas gingivalis, or pVAX1, respectively. IgG in the serum and secretory IgA (sIgA) in saliva were quantitatively analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay before and after 2 weeks of immunization. Peri-implantitis was induced with cotton ligatures fixed around the neck of implants. Probing depth (PD) and bleeding on probing were recorded. All animals were sacrificed after ligaturation for 6 weeks. Decalcified sections with thickness of 50 μm were prepared and dyed with methylene blue to observe the bone phenotype around implants. RESULTS: Levels of serum IgG and sIgA in saliva were higher in groups A and B after immunization than before the process (P<0.05) and higher than those in group C (P<0.05). However, no difference was observed between groups A and B (P>0.05). At 4 and 6 weeks after ligaturation, PD of the ligatured side in group C was higher than that in groups A and B (P<0.05). On the other hand, no difference was identified between groups A and B (P>0.05). Bone loss in group A was significantly lower than that of the other groups (P<0.05). Abundant inflammatory cells and bacteria were present in the bone loss area around the implants in the three groups, as identified through hard tissue section observation. However, group C presented the most number of inflammatory cells and bacteria in the bone loss area around the implants. CONCLUSIONS IgG and sIgA can be generated by immunity with rgpA DNA vaccine, which can significantly slow down bone loss during experimental peri-implantitis in dogs.
Adhesins, Bacterial ; therapeutic use ; Alveolar Bone Loss ; Animals ; Arginine ; Cysteine Endopeptidases ; therapeutic use ; Dental Implants ; Dogs ; Peri-Implantitis ; prevention & control ; Porphyromonas gingivalis ; chemistry ; Vaccines ; therapeutic use

Gynura divaricata polysaccharide was extracted from Gynura divaricata with the method of microwave-assisted extraction. Based on the results of single factor experiments, the extraction process was optimized by response surface analysis. The results indicated that the influencing factors during extraction were: liquid-solid ratio, microwave time, and microwave power, among which the influence of liquid-solid ratio was the most significant. The optimal conditions were as follows: liquid-solid ratio of 45∶1(mL/g), microwave power of 390 W, microwave time of 22 min. Under optimal extraction conditions, the extraction rate of Gynura divaricata polysaccharide was 15. 36%, which was pretty close to the predicted result. The optimized response surface methodology had some practical value for the process.

A N-acetylneuraminate lyase gene (shnal) from Staphylococcus hominis was cloned into pET-28a and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) host cells. The recombinant enzyme was purified and characterized. It is a homotetrameric enzyme with the optimum pH at 8.0 for the cleavage direction and the optimum pH and temperature were 7.5 and 45 degrees C for the synthetic direction. The activity of ShNAL is stable when incubated at 45 degrees C for 2 h but decreased rapidly over 50 degrees C. ShNAL showed high stability in a wide range pH from 5.0 to 10.0 with the residual activity being > 70% when the enzyme was incubated in different buffers at 4 degrees C for 24 h. Its K(m) towards N-acetylneuraminic acid, pyruvate and ManNAc were (4.0 +/- 0.2) mmol/L, (35.1 +/- 3.2) mmol/L and (131.7 +/- 12.1) mmol/L, respectively. The k(cat)/K(m) value of Neu5Ac, ManNAc, and Pyr for ShNAL were 1.9 L/(mmol x s), 0.08 L/(mmol x s) and 0.08 L/(mmol x s), respectively.
Bacterial Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cloning, Molecular ; Enzyme Stability ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Oxo-Acid-Lyases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Staphylococcus hominis ; enzymology ; Temperature

Objective To explore the effect of hepatitis B virus(HBV) on the expression of apolipoprotein B(ApoB) and its regulatory mechanism. Methods mRNA and protein expression of ApoB in HepG2 and HepG2.2.15 cells was measured by RT-PCR and Western blot, serum ApoB levels in patients with HBV infection and in healthy individuals were measured by biochemical analyzer Olympus 5400, the expression of ApoB difference among healthy individuals, patients with chronic hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma were analyzed, HBV infectious clone pHBV1.3 was tranfected into HepG2 cells,and expression of ApoB and microsomal triglyceride transfer protein(MTP) was measured by RT-PCR and Western blot. Results Expression of ApoB mRNA and protein was lower in HepG2.2.15 cells than in HepG2 cells, serum apoB levels was much lower in patients with chronic hepatitis B and liver cirrhosis as compared to healthy individuals( P ＜0.05 ), HBV could inhibit the expression of ApoB and MTP at mRNA and protein levels. Conclusion HBV may downregulate the synthesis and secretion of ApoB via inhibits the expression of MTP.

Objective To illustrate the evaluation effect of bivariate analysis of sensitivity and specificity meta-analysis model in diagnosis test to provide basis for selecting better evaluation method of diagnostic test.Methods Bivariate model was presented by reanalyzing the data from a published meta-analysis of two diagnostic techniques in diagnosis of schistosomiasis japonica.Results The bivariate model could directly provide summary estimates of(logit)sensitivity,specificity and DOR with corresponding 95% CI for two diagnostic tests(IHA and ELISA).Also,it could elicit any significant difference that existed among sensitivity,specificity and DOR between the two diagnostic methods,and incorporate any correlation that existed between sensitivity;specificity.Conclusion The bivariate model preserves the two dimensional nature of the original data,and separates effects of sensitivity and specificity,which is more rational than a net effect on diagnostic odds ratio scale as in SROC approach.The bivariate model is appropriate and agile,and can be used as an extension and improvement of the traditional SROC method.

Objective To develop a combination of molluscicide/insecticide with a good molluscicidal effect, especially an inhibitory effect on climbing upward of Oncomelania hupensis . Methods Experiments on molluscicidal and snail climbing inhibition effect of the combination of niclosamide and shachongding [(dimethylamine) trithacyclohexane hydrochloride] were conducted by immersion and spraying in laboratory. Results The combination of niclosamide (0.2 mg/L) and shachongding (0.1 mg/L) showed an inhibition of 92.67% of snails to climb up. There was no significant difference in molluscicidal effect between the combination (LC 90 0.198 mg/L) and niclosamide alone (LC 90 0.207 mg/L). Conclusion The combination showed an effective inhibition on the climbing upward of snails in water so as to improve the molluscicidal effect and reduce the cost of mollusciciding.