Objective: To explore the mechanism of cistanche deserticola(meat cistanche) in treating Alzheimer′s disease(AD) through network pharmacology, molecular docking, and animal experiments. Methods : Effective components of meat cistanche were mined from the TCMSP database, and AD-related targets were filtered using the SwissTargetPrediction, DisGeNET, and GeneCards databases. The intersection of these targets was analyzed using protein-protein interaction(PPI) networks. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were conducted via the Metascape database. Molecular docking of meat cistanche′s active components with core targets was performed using AutoDock Vina. Based on network pharmacology predictions, an AD model was established using 8-month-old SAMP8 mice, with Morris water maze tests assessing learning and cognitive functions, Nissl staining observing hippocampal neuron morphology, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and Western blotting detecting the expression levels of cAMP signaling pathway-related proteins in hippocampal tissues. Results : Network pharmacology analysis predicted that meat cistanche might act on 74 AD targets through 8 active components. Molecular docking showed high affinity of active components like acteoside with core targets such as ESR1, BDNF, MAPK1, and APP. KEGG analysis indicated involvement in pathways related to cancer, cAMP signaling, and AD. Animal experiments demonstrated that meat cistanche effectively improved learning and cognitive impairments in AD mice and alleviated hippocampal neuron damage. ELISA and Western blotting results indicated that meat cistanche significantly increased the expression levels of cAMP, PKA, P-CREB in the cAMP pathway and promoted the expression of downstream neurotrophic factor BDNF. Conclusion Meat cistanche can improve learning and cognitive disorders in AD model mice and may exert therapeutic effects on AD by up-regulating the cAMP signaling pathway and the expression of downstream BDNF protein targets, thereby improving hippocampal neuron injury.

Objective:To improve the understanding of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with pulmonary cryptococcosis.Methods:The clinical data of 1 DLBCL patient with pulmonary cryptococcosis in the Central Hospital of Fengxian District of Shanghai in May 2023 were retrospectively analyzed, and the relevant literatures were reviewed.Results:This 75-year-old female patient was asymptomatic after 2 cycles of R-CHOP chemotherapy. The high-resolution CT of lung showed that lung nodules were progressively enlarged. Antibacterial treatment was ineffective. Pulmonary cryptococcosis was confirmed by bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) targeted high-throughput sequencing (tNGS) and cryptococcus capsular antigen (CrAg) detection. The central nervous system was not involved. And the long-term adequate-dose fluconazole was prescribed for 6 months, and the treatment against lymphoma was given synchronously. The lung nodule lesions reduced after antifungal therapy for 1 month. The lung nodules disappeared after the follow-up of 6 months after completion of final chemotherapy. The evaluation of lymphoma indicated complete remission.Conclusions:Pulmonary cryptococcosis occurs insidiously and shows no specific symptoms; its imaging manifestations are variable and routine anti-infection is ineffective. Immunochemotherapy for lymphoma patients is a high-risk factor for cryptococcal infection. tNGS and CrAg testing for BALF are effective methods of the confirmed diagnosis. The early and long-term adequate-dose antifungal treatment is the key to preventing the recurrence or progression.

Objective To explore the role of Schlafen4(SLFN4)in acute pneumonia induced by hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae(hvKp)via intratracheal aerosolization.Methods Differential expression gene Slfn4 was identified after infection with hvKp based on RNA sequencing(RNA-seq)and single-cell RNA sequencing(scRNA-seq)data before Slfn4-/-mice were obtained via CRISPR/Cas gene editing technology.Slfn4-/-mice and wild mice were challenged via intratracheal aerosolization.Mortality and weight changes were recorded for 14 d,while pathological changes and expression levels of interleukin-6(IL-6),IL-17A,IL-1β,and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)were detected at 48 h post-infection.Results SLFN4 expression was significantly increased in wild mice after infection with hvKp.Survival was significantly increased,and weight loss was mitigated before gradual recovery in Slfn4-/-mice after infection.The knockout of SLFN4 attenuated alveolar wall thickening,diminished neutrophil infiltration,and suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokine production(IL-6,IL-17A,IL-1β,TNF-α)in the lung at 48 h post-infection.Conclusion The deletion of SLFN4 may suppress the expression of specific pro-inflammatory cytokines and attenuate neutrophil over-recruitment in the lung,thereby alleviating pneumonia in mice after hvKp infection.

Objective To investigate the correlation between the expression levels of serum calcitonin gene related peptide(CGRP),macrophage clearance receptor 1(Msr1)and pulmonary function and blood gas inde-xes in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD).Methods A to-tal of 114 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)who visited the hospital from June 2019 to June 2021 were selected as study subjects,including 47 patients with AECOPD as AECOPD group and 67 patients with stable condition as COPD stable group.The gender,body mass index(BMI),age,smoking history,white blood cell count(WBC),pulmonary function index[ratio of forced expiratory volume in the first second to forced vital capacity(FEV1/FVC),and percentage of forced expiratory volume in the first sec-ond to predicted value(FEV1％pred)],blood gas indexes[arterial partial pressure of oxygen(PaO2),arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide(PaCO2)]and other basic data of patients were collected,114 healthy volun-teers who were examined in the hospital at the same time were selected as the control group.The levels of ser-um CGRP and Msr1 were detected by enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay(ELISA).The correlation be-tween the expression levels of CGRP and Msr1 in serum of patients with AECOPD and lung function and blood gas indexes was analyzed.The diagnostic value of CGRP and Msr1 expression levels in AECOPD was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Multivariate Logistic regression was used to ana-lyze the influencing factors of AECOPD.Results The proportion of smoking history,WBC and PaCO2 levels in AECOPD group were higher than those in stable COPD group and control group,PaO2,FEV1/FVC and FEV1％pred levels were lower in stable COPD group and control group,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).The levels of serum CGRP and Msr1 in the control group,stable COPD group and AE-COPD group increased in turn,the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).Serum CGRP and Msr1 expression levels in AECOPD patients were positively correlated with smoking history,WBC and PaCO2(P＜0.05),and negatively correlated with PaO2,FEV1/FVC,FEV1％pred(P＜0.05).The area under the curve(AUC)of the combination of CGRP and Msr1 in the diagnosis of AECOPD was 0.927(95％CI:0.863-0.967),which was greatly higher than that of single detection of CGRP and Msr1(Z combination vs.cGRP=2.417,P=0.016;Z combination vs.Msr1=2.3 84,P=0.017).Smoking history,CGRP and Msr1 were risk factors for AECOPD in COPD patients(P＜0.05),FEV1/FVC and FEV1％pred were protective factors(P＜0.05).Conclusion CGRP and Msr1 are highly expressed in the serum of patients with AECOPD.Both of them are closely related to the lung function and blood gas indexes of patients,and have certain value in clinical diagno-sis of AECOPD.

Objective Under the background of"breaking the Five-Only"and the evaluation reform of healthcare professionals'titles,it analyzed the willingness of healthcare professionals in public hospitals to disseminate health knowledge and its incentives and constraints.Furthermore,it explored potential pathways to improve the willingness of healthcare professionals to popular science and disseminate health knowledge.Methods From November to Decem-ber 2022,a self-designed online questionnaire was used to survey healthcare professionals in four tertiary hospitals in Shanghai.The questionnaire included basic information of healthcare professionals,analysis of the current situa-tion and demands of healthcare professionals in health knowledge dissemination,willingness of healthcare profes-sionals to disseminate health knowledge and influencing factors.Results A total of 762 healthcare professionals partici-pated in this survey,79.9%(608/762)expressed willingness to promote the dissemination of health knowledge.A multiple-factor logistic regression analysis revealed that intermediate professional title,achieving personal value and so-cial responsibility,increasing patient resources,professional title promotion,science promotion-related awards,being included in performance appraisals,and difficulty in capturing science promotion skills were the influential factors affecting the dissemination of health knowledge among healthcare professionals(P＜0.05).Conclusion The willing-ness of healthcare professionals to disseminate health knowledge was strong,and hospitals should motivate health-care professionals to disseminate health knowledge through building a long-term incentive mechanism,strengthening training in science popularization ability,and improving humanistic qualities.

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of cervical vagus nerve cross-sectional area(CAS)for Parkinson's disease(PD).Methods Thirty patients with PD admitted to the People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University from October 2019 to October 2022 were selected as PD group,25 patients with multiple system atrophy(MSA)admitted to the People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University during the same period were selected as the MSA group,and 30 healthy individuals who underwent physical examination in the People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University during the same period were selected as healthy control group.Cervical vagus CAS of subjects in the three groups were measured by high-resolution ultrasound,and the difference of CAS of cervical vagus nerve was compared among the three groups.The degree of impairment of autonomic nervous function of subjects in the three groups was evaluated by PD autonomic symptom scale(SCOPA-AUT).The diagnostic value of cervical vagus nerve CAS for PD was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results The CAS of the right cervical vagus nerve of subjects was significantly larger than that of the left in the healthy control group and PD group(P＜0.05);there was no significant difference in CAS of bilateral cervical vagus nerve of subjects in the MSA group(P＞0.05).The CAS and average CAS of bilateral cervical vagus nerve of subjects in the PD group and MSA group were significantly lower than those in the healthy control group(P＜0.01).The CAS of the right vagus nerve of subjects in the MSA group was significantly lower than that in the PD group(P＜0.05);there was no significant difference in CAS and the average CAS of the left vagus nerve between the MSA group and the PD group(P＞0.05).The total score of SCOPA-AUT and gastrointestinal(GI),cardiovascular(CV),urinary(UR)and sexual(SX)scores of subjects in the PD group and MSA group were significantly higher than those in the healthy control group(P＜0.01).The total score of SCOPA-AUT and UR,SX scores of subjects in the MSA group were significantly higher than those in the PD group(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in temperature(TH)and pupil(PU)of subjects among the three groups(P＞0.05).Pearson correlation analysis showed that the CAS of cervical vagus nerve of PD patients was not correlated with the total score of SCOPA-AUT and the UR,TH,PU,SX scores(r=-0.143,0.281,0.297,0.265,0.312;P＞0.05).The CAS of cervical vagus nerve of PD patients was negatively correlated with GI and CV scores(r=-0.683,-0.373;P＜0.05).ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of cervical vagus nerve for diagnosing PD was 0.870(95％confidence interval:0.773-0.966,P＜0.05);the critical value was 3.064 mm2,the sensitivity was 96％,and the specificity was 67％.The area under the curve of CAS of cervical vagus nerve in differential diagnosis of PD,MSA was 0.680(95％confidence interval:0.537-0.823,P＜0.05).The sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of MSA were 68％and 70％when the CAS of the cervical vagus nerve＜2.709 mm2.Conclusion The CAS of cervical vagal nerve has high clinical diagnostic value for PD,and it provides a new way to improve the diagnosis rate of PD.

Traditional pig breeding has a long cycle and high cost, and there is an urgent need to use new technologies to revitalize the pig breeding industry. The recently emerged CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technique shows great potential in pig genetic improvement, and has since become a research hotspot. Base editor is a new base editing technology developed based on the CRISPR/Cas9 system, which can achieve targeted mutation of a single base. CRISPR/Cas9 technology is easy to operate and simple to design, but it can lead to DNA double strand breaks, unstable gene structures, and random insertion and deletion of genes, which greatly restricts the application of this technique. Different from CRISPR/Cas9 technique, the single base editing technique does not produce double strand breaks. Therefore, it has higher accuracy and safety for genome editing, and is expected to advance the pig genetic breeding applications. This review summarized the working principle and shortcomings of CRISPR/Cas9 technique, the development and advantages of single base editing, the principles and application characteristics of different base editors and their applications in pig genetic improvement, with the aim to facilitate genome editing-assisted genetic breeding of pig.
Animals ; Swine/genetics* ; Gene Editing ; CRISPR-Cas Systems/genetics* ; DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded

In recent years,the effective management of patients with chronic kidney disease(CKD)is gaining growing attention.In 2014,our hospital established the CKD generalist-specialist combination management model,which incorporates a set of CKD management processes.The generalist component incorporates the following,general practitioners from 6 community health centers in the surrounding areas(with about 650 000 permanent residents in the region)joining hands,setting up a management team composed of doctors and nurses,and formulating management protocols for patient follow-up,patient record management,screening,risk assessment,examination and treatment,nutrition and exercise,and two-way referrals.The specialist component of the model incorporates the following,providing trainings for general practitioners in the in the community in the form of lectures on special topics and case discussion sessions,and organizing 7 national-level workshops for continuing medical education in the past decade,covering about 1 400 participants.In addition,regular meetings of the support groups of patients with renal diseases were organized to carry out information and education activities for patients.We have set up 4 community-based training centers and 6 specialized disease management centers,including one for diabetic nephropathy.We have retrospectively analyzed the risk factors of elderly CKD patients by establishing the elderly physical examination database(which has a current enrollment of 26 000 people),the elderly community CKD cross-sectional survey database,and the elderly CKD information management system.After 10 years of management practice,the level of institutionalization and standardization of CKD specialty management in our hospital has been improved.Moreover,we have expanded the management team and extended the management base from the hospital to community.We have improved the level of CKD management in community health centers and improved the specialty competence of the general practitioners in the communities.The generalist-specialist combination management model makes it possible for CKD patients to receive early screening and treatment,obtain effective and convenient follow-up and referral services,and improve their quality of life.Patients with complications such as diabetes,hypertension,and sarcopenia could access treatments with better precision.It is necessary to carry out the generalist-specialist integrated management of CKD,which is worthy of further development and improvement.

Bariatric surgery are recognized worldwide for the treatment of morbid obesity and related comorbidities. Therapeutic guidelines have been issued from many countries. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass are used widely at present. However, both have shortcomings including insufficient weight loss, weight regain, diabetes relapse and high rate of long-term malnutrition. In recent years, operations of sleeve gastrectomy plus various gastrointestinal bypass have been performed increasingly and showed some advantages in order to overcome the shortcomings of above mentioned both procedures. Among these surgical procedures, sleeve gastrectomy with transit bipartition has the potential advantages of simple operation, satisfactory results and low rate of long-term complications. The authors firstly carried out this operation in China and summarized the surgical process and technical points in this article aiming at providing some references to the colleagues of bariatric and metabolic surgery.

The vagina contains at least a billion microbial cells,dominated by lactobacilli.Here we perform metagenomic shotgun sequencing on cervical and fecal samples from a cohort of 516 Chinese women of reproductive age,as well as cervical,fecal,and salivary samples from a second cohort of 632 women.Factors such as pregnancy history,delivery history,cesarean section,and breastfeeding were all more important than menstrual cycle in shaping the microbiome,and such information would be necessary before trying to interpret differences between vagino-cervical micro-biome data.Greater proportion of Bifidobacterium breve was seen with older age at sexual debut.The relative abundance of lactobacilli especially Lactobacillus crispatus was negatively associated with pregnancy history.Potential markers for lack of menstrual regularity,heavy flow,dysmenor-rhea,and contraceptives were also identified.Lactobacilli were rare during breastfeeding or post-menopause.Other features such as mood fluctuations and facial speckles could potentially be predicted from the vagino-cervical microbiome.Gut and salivary microbiomes,plasma vitamins,metals,amino acids,and hormones showed associations with the vagino-cervical microbiome.Our results offer an unprecedented glimpse into the microbiota of the female reproductive tract and call for international collaborations to better understand its long-term health impact other than in the settings of infection or pre-term birth.