BACKGROUND:The micro/nanostructured gradient biomimetic surface of implant materials can simulate the structure of the extracellular environment in human bone tissue,thereby achieving perfect bone integration function.However,further research is needed on the mechanisms by which the surface microstructure of bone implant materials regulates cell function and promotes osteogenesis. OBJECTIVE:To analyze the effect of titanium sheet microstructure surface on osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts. METHODS:(1)At a constant voltage of 5 V or 20 V,nanotube arrays of different diameters were prepared on the surface of titanium sheets by acid etching and anodic oxidation techniques,and were recorded as group R5 and group R20,respectively.The surface morphology,roughness,and hydrophilicity of pure titanium sheet(without acid etching or anodizing treatment)were measured in group R5 and group R20.(2)MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts of logarithmic growth stage were inoculated on the surface of pure titanium sheets,R5 group and R20 group respectively.After 24 hours of osteogenic induction culture,the expression of mechanical sensitive channel protein 1 was analyzed by RT-PCR and immunofluorescence staining.Osteoblast inducible base with or without the mechanosensitive channel protein 1 activator Yada1 was added,and alkaline phosphatase staining was performed after 7 days of culture.Alizarin red staining was performed after 14 days of culture. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The surface of pure titanium sheets was smooth under scanning electron microscope.Relatively uniform and orderly nanotube arrays with average diameters of about 30 nm and 100 nm were observed on the surface of titanium sheets of groups R5 and R20,respectively.The results of scanning electron microscope were further verified by atomic force microscopy.The surface roughness of titanium sheet of group R5 was higher than that of pure titanium(P<0.05),and the water contact angle was lower than that of pure titanium(P<0.05).The surface roughness of titanium sheet in group R20 was higher than that in group R5(P<0.05),and the water contact angle was lower than that in group R5(P<0.05).(2)RT-PCR and immunofluorescence staining showed that the expression of mechanosensitive channel protein 1 in group R5 was higher than that in pure titanium group(P<0.05),and the expression of mechanosensitive channel protein 1 in group R20 was higher than that in group R5(P<0.05).Under the osteogenic induction,compared with the condition without Yada1,there were no significant changes in the activity of alkaline phosphatase and the deposition of calcified nodules in pure titanium group after Yada1 addition,while the activity of alkaline phosphatase and the deposition of calcified nodules in groups R5 and R20 after Yada1 addition were significantly increased(P<0.05).With or without Yada1,the alkaline phosphatase activity and calcified nodule deposition in group R5 were higher than those in pure titanium group(P<0.05),and the alkaline phosphatase activity and calcified nodule deposition in group R20 were higher than those in group R5(P<0.05).(3)The results show that the surface microstructure of titanium sheet can promote the osteogenic differentiation of osteoblast MC3T3-E1 by activating mechanosensitive channel protein 1.

Lung cancer exhibits the highest incidence and mortality rates among cancers globally,with a five-year overall survival rate alarmingly below 20％.Targeting autophagy,though a controversial therapeutic strategy,is extensively employed in clinical practice.Current research is actively pursuing various therapeutic strategies using small molecules to exploit the dual function of autophagy.Nevertheless,the pivotal question of enhancing or inhibiting autophagy in cancer therapy merits further attention.This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms of autophagy in lung cancer.It also explores recent advances in targeting cytotoxic autophagy and inhibiting protective autophagy with small molecules to induce cell death in lung cancer cells.Notably,most autophagy-targeting drugs,primarily natural small molecules,have demonstrated that activating cytotoxic autophagy effectively induces cell death in lung cancer,as opposed to inhibiting protective autophagy.These insights contribute to identifying druggable targets and drug candidates for potential autophagy-related lung cancer therapies,offering promising approaches to combat this disease.

BACKGROUND:The cryopreservation technology enables tissues/cells to be stored for a long time in a low-temperature environment while maintaining the integrity of their activity and function,which is of great significance for the construction of cell therapy,tissue engineering and biological sample banks.Cryoprotective agents often contain dimethyl sulfoxide and serum.To avoid the toxic side effects of dimethyl sulfoxide,the complexity of serum components and immune responses,although some finished cryoprotective agents have been marketed,they are faced with many difficulties such as high cost and limited application.Therefore,there is an urgent need to develop a cryoprotective agent with clear components and the ability to solve the above problems.OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the effects of a novel cryoprotectant on cryopreservation efficiency of different tissue and cell sources.METHODS:By applying the novel cryoprotectant as an experimental group with the commercially available and widely used cryoprotectant(control group)to umbilical cord Wharton's jelly tissue,umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells,umbilical cord blood/peripheral blood mononuclear cells,NK and CIK cells,comparative analyses were conducted in terms of cell morphology,number,viability,surface markers,differentiation potential,and cell-killing toxicity assay before cryopreservation and after resuscitation thawing.We confirmed the cryopreservation effect of the new cryoprotectant and its potential application value.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The novel cryoprotectant facilitated the normal growth of cryopreserved Wharton's jelly tissue upon recovery,exhibiting mesenchymal stem cell morphology.No significant differences were observed between the experimental and control groups in terms of cell recovery rate,surface markers,and differentiation potential.(2)There was no significant difference in the number and viability of cells between the experimental group and the control group after cryopreservation of cord blood/peripheral blood mononuclear cells,and the cryo-resuscitated cell numbers and viability of derived NK cells/CIK cells did not show significant difference between the experimental and control groups.(3)For NK cells derived and differentiated from cord blood/peripheral blood mononuclear cells,there was no significant difference in the proportion of CD56+CD16+cell subpopulations between the experimental group and the control group.For CIK cells derived and differentiated from cord blood/peripheral blood mononuclear cells,there was no significant difference in the proportions of CD3+CD8+and CD3+CD56+cell subpopulations between the experimental group and the control group.(4)In terms of cytotoxicity testing,when the effective-target ratio of immune cells and melanoma cell line Mel624 was 20:1,whether it was NK cells/CIK cells derived from cord blood or peripheral blood mononuclear cells,there was no significant difference in the tumoricidal activity of cells between the experimental group and the control group.These findings suggest that the novel cryoprotectant can replace existing commercially available and widely used cryoprotectants,and is applicable to Wharton's jelly tissue,umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells,umbilical cord blood/peripheral blood mononuclear cells,as well as NK and CIK cells,providing a solid technical foundation for the scaling,standardization,and commercialization of universal cryoprotectants.

Objective To re-evaluate systematic reviews on the application of virtual reality(VR)technology in limb rehabilitation for stroke patients,providing evidence to support the implementation of VR.Methods Systematic searches were conducted in Web of Science,PubMed,CINAHL,Cochrane Library,Embase,CNKI,CBM,WanFang,and VIP databases from their inception until March 2025,identifying systematic reviews/meta-analyses investigating VR for limb rehabilitation in stroke patients.2 researchers independently screened the literature.Methodological quality was evaluated using the Assessment of Mutiple System Reviews 2(AMSTAR 2)tool;reporting quality was evaluated according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses(PRISMA)guidelines;evidence quality was graded using the Grades of Recommendations Assessment,Development,and Evaluation(GRADE)system;literature overlap was assessed using the Corrected Covered Area(CCA)method.Results A total of 15 articles were included.According to AMSTAR 2,totally 3 reviews were of moderate quality,while the remainder were rated as low or very low quality.PRISMA scores ranged from 19.5 to 27.0 points.Based on GRADE,a review was classified as high quality,6 as moderate quality,and the remainder as low or very low quality.The CCA was 5.3％,indicating slight overlap.Conclusion VR contributes to the improvement of indicators such as upper limb motor function/mobility and lower limb balance in stroke patients.However,methodological limitations,including weak control of bias and inadequate handling of heterogeneity among included studies,restrict the overall quality of evidence.Further standardized,high-quality studies are needed to provide more reliable evidence to support clinical decision-making.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism by which Feixin decoction treats hypoxic pulmonary hypertension （HPH） by regulating the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma （PPARγ）/nuclear factor-kappa B （NF-κB）/NOD-like receptor pyrin domain containing 3 （NLRP3） signaling pathway. MethodsForty-eight male SD rats were randomly allocated into normal， hypoxia， and low-， medium- and high-dose （5.85， 11.7， 23.4 g·kg^-1， respectively） Feixin decoction groups， with 8 rats in each group. Except the normal group， the remaining five groups were placed in a hypoxia chamber with an oxygen concentration of （10.0±0.5）% for 8 h per day， 28 days， and administrated with corresponding drugs during the modeling process. After 4 weeks of treatment， echocardiographic parameters ［pulmonary artery acceleration time （PAT）， pulmonary artery ejection time （PET）， right ventricular anterior wall thickness （RVAWd）， and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion （TAPSE）］ were measured for each group. The right ventricular systolic pressure （RVSP） was measured by the right heart catheterization method， and the right ventricular hypertrophy index （RVHI） was calculated by weighing the heart. The pathological changes in pulmonary arterioles were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The co-localization of α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA） with NLRP3， N-terminal gasdermin D （N-GSDMD）， and cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-1 （Caspase-1） in pulmonary arteries was detected by immunofluorescence. The protein levels of PPARγ， NF-κB， NLRP3， apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD （ASC）， N-GSDMD， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， interleukin-18（IL-18）， and cleaved Caspase-1 in the lung tissue was determined by Western blot. The ultrastructural changes in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells （PASMCs） were observed by transmission electron microscopy. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the hypoxia group showed increased RVSP and RVHI （P<0.01）， decreased right heart function （P<0.01）， increased pulmonary vascular remodeling （P<0.01）， increased co-localization of α-SMA with NLRP3， N-GSDMD， and Caspase-1 in pulmonary arterioles （P<0.01）， up-regulated protein levels of NF-κB， NLRP3， ASC， N-GSDMD， IL-1β， IL-18， and cleaved Caspase-1 in the lung tissue （P<0.05， P<0.01）， a down-regulated protein level of PPARγ （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and pyroptosis in PASMCs. Compared with the hypoxia group， Feixin decoction reduced RVSP and RVHI， improved the right heart function and ameliorated pulmonary vascular remodeling （P<0.05， P<0.01）， decreased the co-localization of α-SMA with NLRP3， N-GSDMD， and Caspase-1 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， down-regulated the protein levels of NF-κB， NLRP3， ASC， N-GSDMD， IL-1β， IL-18， and cleaved Caspase-1 in the lung tissue （P<0.05， P<0.01）， up-regulated the protein level of PPARγ （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and alleviated pyroptosis in PASMCs. ConclusionFeixin decoction can ameliorate pulmonary vascular remodeling and right heart dysfunction in chronically induced HPH rats by regulating pyroptosis in PASMCs through the PPARγ/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway.

Objective: To investigate an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis at a vocational and technical school in Shaanxi Province in 2024, ao as to provide the reference for the handling of school outbreaks. Methods: The conducted case searches, individual case investigations, and on-site hygienic investigations were established in accordance with the Guidelines on outbreak investigation, prevention and control of Norovirus infection (2015). The potential risk factors were analyzed by case-control study. Anal swab samples from cases and all canteen staff, as well as environmental swab samples were collected to detect common intestinal pathogens. All reserved food samples in canteen were collected to test for common pathogenic bacteria. Results: From October 26 to November 5, 2024, a cumulative total of 53 cases were reported, with an attack rate of 1.47%. The main clinical symptoms included vomiting (83.02%), abdominal pain (56.60%), diarrhea (30.19%), and fever (26.42%). The epidemic curve suggested an intermittent common-source outbreak, with no obvious clustering characteristics in terms of the population and spatial distribution of cases. The case-control analysis revealed that having dinner at the rice-with-dishes-on-top stall on the first floor of the canteen on October 28 was a risk factor for illness (OR=11.025, 95%CI: 2.186-55.601). GⅡ norovirus was detected as positive in anal swab samples from 6 cases and 2 asymptomatic infected canteen staff, as well as in 3 environmental swab samples from the rice-with-dishes-on-top stall. The test results for common pathogenic bacteria in the reserved food samples were all negative. Conclusions This outbreak was caused by an acute gastroenteritis epidemic induced by GⅡ norovirus infection, with a transmission pattern consistent with an intermittent homologous outbreak. The possible source of infection was asymptomatic infected canteen staff mainly through foodborne trasmission, and having meals at the rice-with-dishes-on-top stall was the primary risk factor for this outbreak.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

Lung cancer exhibits the highest incidence and mortality rates among cancers globally, with a five-year overall survival rate alarmingly below 20%. Targeting autophagy, though a controversial therapeutic strategy, is extensively employed in clinical practice. Current research is actively pursuing various therapeutic strategies using small molecules to exploit the dual function of autophagy. Nevertheless, the pivotal question of enhancing or inhibiting autophagy in cancer therapy merits further attention. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms of autophagy in lung cancer. It also explores recent advances in targeting cytotoxic autophagy and inhibiting protective autophagy with small molecules to induce cell death in lung cancer cells. Notably, most autophagy-targeting drugs, primarily natural small molecules, have demonstrated that activating cytotoxic autophagy effectively induces cell death in lung cancer, as opposed to inhibiting protective autophagy. These insights contribute to identifying druggable targets and drug candidates for potential autophagy-related lung cancer therapies, offering promising approaches to combat this disease.

OBJECTIVE: Humans are exposed to complex mixtures of environmental chemicals and other factors that can affect their health. Analysis of these mixture exposures presents several key challenges for environmental epidemiology and risk assessment, including high dimensionality, correlated exposure, and subtle individual effects. METHODS: We proposed a novel statistical approach, the generalized functional linear model (GFLM), to analyze the health effects of exposure mixtures. GFLM treats the effect of mixture exposures as a smooth function by reordering exposures based on specific mechanisms and capturing internal correlations to provide a meaningful estimation and interpretation. The robustness and efficiency was evaluated under various scenarios through extensive simulation studies. RESULTS: We applied the GFLM to two datasets from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). In the first application, we examined the effects of 37 nutrients on BMI (2011-2016 cycles). The GFLM identified a significant mixture effect, with fiber and fat emerging as the nutrients with the greatest negative and positive effects on BMI, respectively. For the second application, we investigated the association between four pre- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and gout risk (2007-2018 cycles). Unlike traditional methods, the GFLM indicated no significant association, demonstrating its robustness to multicollinearity. CONCLUSION GFLM framework is a powerful tool for mixture exposure analysis, offering improved handling of correlated exposures and interpretable results. It demonstrates robust performance across various scenarios and real-world applications, advancing our understanding of complex environmental exposures and their health impacts on environmental epidemiology and toxicology.
Humans ; Environmental Exposure/analysis* ; Linear Models ; Nutrition Surveys ; Environmental Pollutants ; Body Mass Index