Neurodegenerative diseases are a group of disorders characterized by progressive and chronic degeneration of neurons in the central or peripheral nervous system,primarily including conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,frontotemporal dementia,Alzheimer's disease,Parkinson's disease,multiple sclerosis,Huntington's disease and age-related macular degeneration.The condition worsens over time,ultimately leading to neuronal loss and synaptic dysfunction.Despite significant advances in medical research,the diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases still face major challenges.There is an urgent need for effective and innovative treatment strategies as well as early monitoring methods.This involves not only new drug targets but also research into disease mechanisms.Neuronal pentraxin 2(NPTX2)is a protein expressed in the nervous system,highly expressed in synaptic regions of the brain,where it plays a critical role in synaptic plasticity and the formation and maintenance of neural networks.This paper reviews the role of NPTX2 in neurodegenerative diseases and summarizes recent research progress.

Objective To observe the effects of electroacupuncture at"Neiguan"and"Gongsun"on autophagy and apoptosis related indexes of interstitial cells of Cajal(ICC)in rats with functional dyspepsia(FD);To explore its possible mechanism on improving gastrointestinal motility of FD.Methods Totally 32 SPF grade SD rats were randomly divided into blank group,model group,electroacupuncture group and Western medicine group,with 8 rats in each group.An FD model was constructed using a composite etiology modeling method.The electroacupuncture group received electroacupuncture at"Neiguan"and"Gongsun",while the Western medicine group received oral administration of mosapride once a day for 7 consecutive days.The general condition,body mass and average daily intake of rats were observed every week,and gastric emptying rate and small intestine propulsion rate were detected,transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the structure of gastric antrum ICC,Western blot was used to observe the expressions of c-kit,Beclin1,LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ,p62,Caspase-3 protein in gastric antrum tissue,qPCR was used to observe the mRNA expressions of Beclin1,LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ,p62 and c-kit in gastric antrum tissue,TUNEL staining was used to detect the apoptosis rate of cells in gastric antrum tissue.Results Compared with the blank group,the model group rats were mentally lethargic,clustered and curled up,with reduced activity,rough and dull hair,loose and unformed feces,reduced body mass and daily food intake(P<0.05),and gastric emptying rate and small intestine propulsion rate decreased(P<0.01),ICC mitochondria swelled and dissolved,with varying degrees of vacuolar formation,rough endoplasmic reticulum dilation and destruction,and a large number of autophagosomes,the expressions of Beclin1 and LC3 Ⅱ/Ⅰ protein and mRNA in gastric antrum tissue increased(P<0.01),the expressions of p62,c-kit protein and mRNA decreased(P<0.01),while Caspase-3 protein expression increased(P<0.01),and the apoptosis rate of gastric antral tissue cells increased(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the condition of rats in electroacupuncture group and the Western medicine group were improved,with increased responsiveness,increased mobility,neat hair,formed feces,increased body mass and daily food intake(P<0.01),and gastric emptying rate and small intestine propulsion rate increase(P<0.01),a normal ICC structure,and a small amount of autophagosomes were still visible,the expressions of Beclin1,LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ protein and mRNA in gastric antrum tissue decreased(P<0.01),the expressions of p62,c-kit protein and mRNA increased(P<0.01),while Caspase-3 protein expression decreased(P<0.01),and the apoptosis rate of gastric antral tissue cells decreased(P<0.01).There was no statistically significant difference in various indicators between electroacupuncture group and Western medicine group(P>0.05).Conclusion Electroacupuncture at"Neiguan"and"Gongsun"can restore the number and structure of ICC and improve gastrointestinal motility,and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of autophagy and apoptosis levels.

Objective To observe the effects of electroacupuncture at"Neiguan"and"Gongsun"on autophagy and apoptosis related indexes of interstitial cells of Cajal(ICC)in rats with functional dyspepsia(FD);To explore its possible mechanism on improving gastrointestinal motility of FD.Methods Totally 32 SPF grade SD rats were randomly divided into blank group,model group,electroacupuncture group and Western medicine group,with 8 rats in each group.An FD model was constructed using a composite etiology modeling method.The electroacupuncture group received electroacupuncture at"Neiguan"and"Gongsun",while the Western medicine group received oral administration of mosapride once a day for 7 consecutive days.The general condition,body mass and average daily intake of rats were observed every week,and gastric emptying rate and small intestine propulsion rate were detected,transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the structure of gastric antrum ICC,Western blot was used to observe the expressions of c-kit,Beclin1,LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ,p62,Caspase-3 protein in gastric antrum tissue,qPCR was used to observe the mRNA expressions of Beclin1,LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ,p62 and c-kit in gastric antrum tissue,TUNEL staining was used to detect the apoptosis rate of cells in gastric antrum tissue.Results Compared with the blank group,the model group rats were mentally lethargic,clustered and curled up,with reduced activity,rough and dull hair,loose and unformed feces,reduced body mass and daily food intake(P<0.05),and gastric emptying rate and small intestine propulsion rate decreased(P<0.01),ICC mitochondria swelled and dissolved,with varying degrees of vacuolar formation,rough endoplasmic reticulum dilation and destruction,and a large number of autophagosomes,the expressions of Beclin1 and LC3 Ⅱ/Ⅰ protein and mRNA in gastric antrum tissue increased(P<0.01),the expressions of p62,c-kit protein and mRNA decreased(P<0.01),while Caspase-3 protein expression increased(P<0.01),and the apoptosis rate of gastric antral tissue cells increased(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the condition of rats in electroacupuncture group and the Western medicine group were improved,with increased responsiveness,increased mobility,neat hair,formed feces,increased body mass and daily food intake(P<0.01),and gastric emptying rate and small intestine propulsion rate increase(P<0.01),a normal ICC structure,and a small amount of autophagosomes were still visible,the expressions of Beclin1,LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ protein and mRNA in gastric antrum tissue decreased(P<0.01),the expressions of p62,c-kit protein and mRNA increased(P<0.01),while Caspase-3 protein expression decreased(P<0.01),and the apoptosis rate of gastric antral tissue cells decreased(P<0.01).There was no statistically significant difference in various indicators between electroacupuncture group and Western medicine group(P>0.05).Conclusion Electroacupuncture at"Neiguan"and"Gongsun"can restore the number and structure of ICC and improve gastrointestinal motility,and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of autophagy and apoptosis levels.

Neurodegenerative diseases are a group of disorders characterized by progressive and chronic degeneration of neurons in the central or peripheral nervous system,primarily including conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,frontotemporal dementia,Alzheimer's disease,Parkinson's disease,multiple sclerosis,Huntington's disease and age-related macular degeneration.The condition worsens over time,ultimately leading to neuronal loss and synaptic dysfunction.Despite significant advances in medical research,the diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases still face major challenges.There is an urgent need for effective and innovative treatment strategies as well as early monitoring methods.This involves not only new drug targets but also research into disease mechanisms.Neuronal pentraxin 2(NPTX2)is a protein expressed in the nervous system,highly expressed in synaptic regions of the brain,where it plays a critical role in synaptic plasticity and the formation and maintenance of neural networks.This paper reviews the role of NPTX2 in neurodegenerative diseases and summarizes recent research progress.

Objective:To observe the effects of moxibustion on the levels of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase(G6PD)and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate(NADPH)in the plasma and spleen and the CD4+T-cell number in the spleen of rats with adjuvant arthritis,thus to explore the mechanism in rheumatoid arthritis(RA)treatment with moxibustion by regulating the CD4+T-cell proliferation through G6PD-mediated pentose phosphate pathway. Methods:Twenty-seven male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a blank group,a model group,and a moxibustion group,with 9 rats in each group.Incomplete Freund's adjuvant was used to induce inflammation in the model group and the moxibustion group.The blank group and the model group were not intervened.In the moxibustion group,suspended moxibustion was performed at bilateral Zusanli(ST36),Guanyuan(CV4),and Ashi points for 30 min,once a day for 24 times in total.Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to evaluate the histopathological changes of rat synovial tissue;the swelling degree of the rat toes was observed by measuring the toe volume;G6PD and NADPH in the spleen and plasma were detected by Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Flow cytometry was used to detect the CD4+T-cell number in the spleen. Results:Compared with the blank group,the levels of G6PD and NADPH in the plasma and spleen and the CD4+T-cell number in the spleen were significantly increased in the model group(P<0.01 or P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the NADPH level in the spleen and plasma and the CD4+T-cell number in the spleen in the moxibustion group decreased significantly(P<0.05 or P<0.01),and the G6PD level in the plasma decreased significantly(P<0.05),but there was no significant difference in the G6PD level in the spleen(P>0.05). Conclusion:Moxibustion can regulate immunity and improve joint synovial inflammation in RA.The mechanism may be that the G6PD-mediated pentose phosphate pathway reduces the production of metabolite NAPDH in CD4+T cells,thereby inhibiting the proliferation of naive CD4+T cells.

Resveratrol (RES), a natural polyphenolic phytochemical, has been suggested as a putative anti-aging molecule for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) by the activation of sirtuin 1 (Sirt1/Sir2). In this study, we tested the effects of RES and Sirt1/Sir2 on sleep and courtship memory in a Drosophila model by overexpression of amyloid precursor protein (APP), whose duplications and mutations cause familial AD. We found a mild but significant transcriptional increase of Drosophila Sir2 (dSir2) by RES supplementation for up to 17 days in APP flies, but not for 7 days. RES and dSir2 almost completely reversed the sleep and memory deficits in APP flies. We further demonstrated that dSir2 acts as a sleep promotor in Drosophila neurons. Interestingly, RES increased sleep in the absence of dSir2 in dSir2-null mutants, and RES further enhanced sleep when dSir2 was either overexpressed or knocked down in APP flies. Finally, we showed that Aβ aggregates in APP flies were reduced by RES and dSir2, probably via inhibiting Drosophila β-secretase (dBACE). Our data suggest that RES rescues the APP-induced behavioral deficits and Aβ burden largely, but not exclusively, via dSir2.
Animals ; Alzheimer Disease/metabolism* ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor/metabolism* ; Drosophila/physiology* ; Drosophila Proteins/metabolism* ; Resveratrol/pharmacology* ; Sirtuin 1 ; Sleep

Bladder and bowel dysfunction affects the quality of life of children and their families, and scientific and effective assessment tools are crucial for identifying and managing symptoms. This article reviews the basic characteristics, testing population, reliability, validity, and clinical application of bladder and bowel dysfunction assessment tools for children both domestically and internationally, analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of assessment tools, so as to provide reference for the selection of suitable assessment tools in clinical practice and the development of localized assessment tools.

Objective: To observe the efficacy of herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion for lumbar disc herniation (LDH) due to kidney deficiency and blood stasis and observe the influence of this method on lumbar functions and inflammatory factors in patients with this condition. Methods: A total of 120 LDH patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into three groups, including a herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion group, a flour cake-partitioned moxibustion group, and a Western medication group, with 40 patients in each group. The patients in the Western medication group were treated with diflunisal tablets, 0.5 g per dose, 2 doses a day. Those in the herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion group were treated with additional herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion group at Back-Shu Points and Jiaji (EX-B2) Points once a day. Those in the flour cake-partitioned moxibustion group were treated with the same methods as in the herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion group, except that the herbal cake was replaced by a flour cake. All the patients were treated for 10 d. After treatment, the scores of the visual analog scale (VAS) and Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) and the changes of the interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and substance P (SP) levels were observed, and the efficacy was evaluated. Results: After treatment, the VAS score and the levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and SP were lower than those before treatment, and the JOA score was higher than that before treatment in the three groups, indicating intra-group statistical significance (P<0.05). The VAS score and the levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and SP of the herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion group were lower than those of the flour cake-partitioned moxibustion group and the Western medication group, while the JOA score of the herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion group was higher than that of the other two groups, indicating inter-group statistical significance (P<0.05). The total effective rate of the herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion group was 92.5％, higher than that of the flour cake-partitioned moxibustion group (80.0％) and the Western medication group (72.5％), indicating inter-group statistical significance (P<0.05). Conclusion: On the basis of Western oral medication, additional herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion can alleviate the pain and improve the lumbar functions in patients with LDH due to kidney deficiency and blood stasis. The efficacy of the integrated method is better than that of either flour cake-partitioned moxibustion or Western medication alone, which may be related to the reduction of serum inflammatory factors.

Objective:The investigation and research on the application status of Hepatic Venous Pressure Gradient (HVPG) is very important to understand the real situation and future development of this technology in China.Methods:This study comprehensively investigated the basic situation of HVPG technology in China, including hospital distribution, hospital level, annual number of cases, catheters used, average cost, indications and existing problems.Results:According to the survey, there were 70 hospitals in China carrying out HVPG technology in 2021, distributed in 28 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central Government). A total of 4 398 cases of HVPG were performed in all the surveyed hospitals in 2021, of which 2 291 cases (52.1%) were tested by HVPG alone. The average cost of HVPG detection was (5 617.2±2 079.4) yuan. 96.3% of the teams completed HVPG detection with balloon method, and most of the teams used thrombectomy balloon catheter (80.3%).Conclusion:Through this investigation, the status of domestic clinical application of HVPG has been clarified, and it has been confirmed that many domestic medical institutions have mastered this technology, but it still needs to continue to promote and popularize HVPG technology in the future.

Objective:To investigate the value of 18F-fluorodeoxy glucose ( 18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET-CT) in predicting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma. Methods:We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data and 18F-FDG PET-CT imaging data of 206 patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma confirmed by pathology and underwent EGFR mutation test in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from June 2013 to October 2018. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to quantify the predictive value of maximum standard uptake value (SUV max), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), total lesion glycolysis (TLG). The Chi- squared test was used to assess the difference in PET parameters. A multivariate Logistic regression analysis was performed to yield the parameters with statistic difference. Results:All of 206 patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma showed a high 18F-FDG uptake. The median of SUV max, MTV and TLG were 19.14, 37.69 cm 3 and 291.73, respectively. Among the 206 patients, EGFR mutations were identified in 14 cases, including 7 with exon 21 (L858R) mutation, 6 with exon 19 mutation and 1 with exon 20 mutation. ROC curve showed that the AUC of SUV max, MTV and TLG were 0.624 (95% CI=0.454-0.794, P=0.122), 0.892 (95% CI=0.811-0.973, P<0.001) and 0.860 (95% CI=0.768-0.952, P<0.001), respectively. The median SUV max (19.14) was used as the cutoff points due to the small value of AUC. The cutoff point of MTV was 20.09 cm 3, the cutoff point of TLG was 211.07. Univariate analysis showed that the sex, smoking history, M stage, MTV and TLG were associated with EGFR mutations (all P<0.05). Logistic multivariate analysis showed that the sex, smoking history and TLG were the independent predictors of EGFR mutation (all P<0.05). Conclusion:TLG detected by 18F-FDG PET/CT is an independent factor for predicting EGFR mutation in patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma, and has certain reference value for predicting EGFR mutation.