BACKGROUND:Nerve growth factor is a protein that induces nerve growth and regulates biological behaviors such as proliferation and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the promoting effect of nerve growth factor on chondrogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. METHODS:Rabbit bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were isolated and cultured,and nerve growth factor was transfected into bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by lentiviral transfection.The effects of nerve growth factor on the proliferation,migration,hypertrophic differentiation,and chondrogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were detected by CCK-8 assay,cell scratch assay,alizarin red staining,and western blot assay,using the transfected null-loaded virus as control.To further investigate the promoting effect of nerve growth factor on the chondrogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells,interleukin 1β was added in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells transfected with empty virus and nerve growth factor for 14 days.The expression of proteins related to chondrogenic differentiation and hypertrophic differentiation was detected by western blot assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)CCK-8 assay results showed that nerve growth factor had no significant effect on the proliferation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.(2)Compared with the control group,overexpression of nerve growth factor enhanced the migration ability of the cells,and the expression of cartilage-associated proteins type II collagen and SOX9 was up-regulated(P<0.05),while the expression of hypertrophic-associated proteins type X collagen and Runx2 was down-regulated(P<0.05).(3)Compared with the empty virus+interleukin 1β group,the expression of cartilage-associated proteins type II collagen and Sox9 was up-regulated(P<0.05),and the expression of hypertrophy-associated proteins type X collagen and Runx2 was down-regulated after overexpression of nerve growth factor(P<0.05).(4)The results indicated that nerve growth factor could promote the chondrogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.

ObjectiveTo investigate the incidence and trends of thyroid cancer in Wujiang District, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, from 2008 to 2022, and to provide a scientific evidence for the prevention and control of thyroid cancer. MethodsData on thyroid cancer incidence from 2008 to 2022 were collected from the Wujiang District Cancer Registry System. The data were stratified by year of diagnosis and age group, and indicators such as crude incidence rate, standardized incidence rate (SIR), age-specific incidence rate, and the average annual percentage change (AAPC) were calculated. ResultsBetween 2008 and 2022, a total of 2 244 new cases of thyroid cancer reported in Wujiang District. The overall crude incidence rate was 18.07/100 000, and the SIR was 16.02/100 000, with AAPCs of 28.30% and 30.59%, respectively. Among males, 543 new cases were reported, with a crude incidence rate of 8.88/100 000, a SIR of 7.98/100 000, and AAPCs of 24.99% and 28.19%, respectively. Among females, 1 701 new cases were reported, with a crude incidence rate of 27.00/100 000, a SIR of 23.80/100 000, and AAPCs of 30.06% and 31.97%, respectively. Both crude and standardized incidence rates increased significantly for the overall population as well as for males and females (P<0.05). The number and rates of age-specific incidences increased with age up to 55 years, peaking between 50 and <55 years. ConclusionThe incidence rate of thyroid cancer in Wujiang District is rapidly increasing. It is necessary to strengthen the prevention and control of thyroid cancer, especially among females, to mitigate the rapid increase in the incidence rate of thyroid cancer.

OBJECTIVE To establish the fingerprint of Gerbera delavayi and the methods for the content determination of 11 components in G. delavayi. METHODS High-performance liquid chromatography（HPLC）was adopted to establish the fingerprints of 13 batches of G. delavayi（No. S1-S13）， and the similarities were evaluated according to Similarity Evaluation System of Chromatographic Fingerprint of TCM （2012 edition）， while the common peaks were identified. Hierarchical clustering analysis （HCA）， principal component analysis （PCA） and orthogonal partial least square-discriminant analysis （OPLS-DA） were carried out by using SPSS 25.0 software and SIMCA 14.1 software. The contents of neochlorogenic acid， chlorogenic acid， cryptochlorogenic acid， 3，8-dihydroxy-4-methoxy-2-oxo-2H-1-benzopyran-5-carboxylic acid， caffeic acid， 3-hydroxy-4-methoxy-2- oxo-2H-1-benzopyran- 5-carboxylic acid， luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucoside， isochlorogenic acid A， apigenin-7-O-β-D-glucoside， isochlorogenic acid C and xanthotoxin were determined by HPLC. RESULTS The similarities in HPLC fingerprint of 13 batches of G. delavayi were 0.801-0.994； a total of 38 common peaks were identified and 13 common peaks were identified. The results of HCA showed that S1-S5 and S7 were clustered into one group， S6 into one category， S8 into one category， S9 and S11 into one category， S10， S12 and S13 into one category， and the results of PCA were consistent with them. The results of OPLS-DA showed that variable importance values for the projection of peak 7 （chlorogenic acid）， peak 21 （isochlorogenic acid A）， peak 26 （xanthotoxin）， peak 19 （isochlorogenic acid B）， peak 33， peak 13， peak 23 （isochlorogenic acid C）， peak 2 （new chlorogenic acid）， peak 17 （luteolin-7-O-β-D- glucoside） were greater than 1. The above 11 components had good linearity in their respective detection concentration ranges （r was greater than 0.999）. RSDs of precision， repeatability， and stability tests were not more than 2% （n＝6）. The average recovery rates were 92.54%-105.55%， and the RSDs were 0.83%-1.93% （n＝6）. The average contents of 11 components were 0.744， 5.014， 0.646， 0.431， 0.069， 0.582， 0.979， 2.754， 0.157， 1.284 and 2.943 mg/g， respectively. CONCLUSIONS The constructed HPLC fingerprint and content determination methods are simple， accurate and stable， which can provide reference for quality control of G. delavayi. Xanthotoxin， chlorogenic acid， isochlorogenic acid A， luteolin-7-O- β -D-glucoside， isochlorogenic acid C and new chlorogenic acid can be used as markers for G. delavayi.

In recent years, significant progress has been made in the field of liver transplantation in terms of donor expansion, technological innovation and perioperative management. Machine perfusion technology, through dynamic repair and assessment of donor liver quality, can effectively reduce postoperative complications and increase the utilization rate of marginal donor livers. The optimization of split liver transplantation technology combined with normothermic perfusion further alleviates the shortage of donors, but its promotion is still limited by technical barriers. Xenotransplantation has achieved preclinical breakthroughs in the field of genetically modified pig livers, but ethical and immune barrier issues need to be urgently resolved. In the field of liver cancer liver transplantation, the focus is on neoadjuvant treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors and the development of recurrence prediction models, which promotes precise treatment. For perioperative management, the optimization of individualized immunosuppressive regimens, artificial liver support, and strategies for the prevention and control of vascular complications has significantly improved patients’ survival rates. Personalized treatment for children, elderly recipients, and recipients with multiple comorbidities provides new ideas for liver transplantation in special populations. In the future, liver transplantation research may focus on the integration of multidisciplinary approaches, individualized treatment and emerging technologies to advance the global liver transplantation cause to new heights.

Objective To investigate the effects of Echinococcus multilocularis infection on levels of memory T (Tm) cells and their subsets in lymph nodes of mice at different stages of infection, so as to provide new insights into immunotherapy for alveolarechinococcosis. MethodsTwenty-four C57BL/6J mice aged 6 to 9 weeks were randomly divided into the infection group and the control group, of 12 mice in each group. Mice in the infection group were administered with 3 000 E. multilocularis protoscoleces via portal venous injection, while animals in the control group were administered with an equal volume of physiological saline. Three mice from each group were sacrificed 4, 12 weeks and 24 weeks post-infection, and lymph nodes were sampled and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) to investigate the histopathological changes of mouse lymph nodes in the infection group. The expression and localization of T lymphocyte surface markers CD3, CD4, and CD8 were observed in mouse lymph nodes using immunohistochemical staining. In addition, lymphocyte suspensions were prepared from mouse lymph nodes in both groups at different time points post-infection, and the levels of Tm cell subsets and their secreted cytokines were detected using flow cytometry. Results HE staining showed diffuse structural alterations in the subcapsular cortical and paracortical regions of mouse lymph nodes in the infection group 4 weeks post-infection with E. multilocularis. Immunohistochemical staining detected CD3, CD4 and CD8 expression in mouse lymph nodes in both groups. Flow cytometry revealed higher proportions of CD4⁺ Tm cells [(55.3 ± 4.8)% vs. (38.8 ± 6.1)%; t = -4.259, P < 0.05] and CD4⁺ tissue-resident Tm (Trm) cells [(57.7 ± 3.7)% vs. (34.1 ± 11.2)%; t = -3.990, P < 0.05] in mouse lymph nodes in the infection group than in the control group 4 weeks post-infection, and higher proportions of CD4⁺ Tm cells [(34.6 ± 3.2)% vs. (23.3 ± 7.5)%; t = -2.764, P < 0.05] and CD4⁺ Trm cells [(44.0 ± 1.9)% vs. (31.2 ± 1.5)%; t = -4.039, P < 0.05] in mouse lymph nodes in the infection group than in the control group 24 weeks post-infection. The proportions of CD8⁺ Tm cells were higher in the infection group than in the control group 4 weeks [(56.8 ± 2.7)% vs. (43.9 ± 5.2)%; t = -4.416, P < 0.01] and 12 weeks post-infection [(25.4 ± 2.7)% vs. (12.0 ± 2.6)%; t = -2.552, P < 0.05], while the proportions of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α⁺ CD4⁺ T cells [(15.7 ± 5.0)% vs. (49.4 ± 6.4)%; t = 7.150, P < 0.01], TNF-α⁺CD8⁺ T cells [(20.7 ± 5.5)% vs. (57.5 ± 8.4)%; t = -6.694, P < 0.01], and TNF-α⁺ CD8⁺ Tm cells [7.0% (1.0%) vs. 31.0% (11.0%); Z = -2.236, P < 0.05] were lower in the infection group than in the control group 24 weeks post-infection. Conclusions Tm cells levels are consistently increased in lymph nodes of mice at different stages of E. multilocularis infection, with Trm cells as the predominantly elevated subset. The impaired capacity of CD8⁺ Tm cells to secrete the effector molecule TNF-α in mouse lymph nodes at the late-stage infection may facilitate chronic parasitism of E. multilocularis.

OBJECTIVE To develop a pharmaceutical service model for discharge medication order review and medication education （hereinafter referred to as the “proactive pharmaceutical service model”）， and evaluate its effects. METHODS The data of discharged patients were collected retrospectively from Rheumatology and Immunology Department of our hospital during January to June 2023 and January to June 2024. Patients discharged from January to June 2024 were classified as the intervention group （489 cases）， while patients discharged from January to June 2023 were classified as the control group （535 cases） based on the different pharmaceutical service models they received. The control group received traditional service model， and the intervention group additionally got proactive pharmaceutical service model based on the control group. The primary outcome measures [the number of discharge medications， the number of medication errors， and the occurrence of adverse drug-drug interaction （DDI）] and follow-up outcome measures （the adjustment of medication regimen due to intolerance， unplanned hospital admissions， and proactive seeking of pharmaceutical services after discharge） were compared between the two groups. The discharge medication order review status， the occurrence of adverse DDI in patients with polypharmacy， and bedside medication education status for patients receiving the proactive pharmaceutical service model were all recorded. RESULTS From January to June 2024， a total of 1 052 discharge medication order review for inpatients were reviewed， and 174 instances of medication errors were identified. Polypharmacy was observed in 579 patients， with an incidence rate of 55.04%. The incidence of adverse DDI was significantly higher in patients with polypharmacy compared to those without polypharmacy （P＜0.001）. Pharmacists completed medication guidance for 394 instances of high-risk patients prone to the incidence rate of medication errors at home. The number of discharge medications， the incidence rate of medication errors， instances of medication not matching the diagnosis， dosage and administration errors， adverse DDI， and the incidence rate of patients who required adjustment of medication regimen due to intolerance were all significantly lower in the intervention group compared to the control group （P＜0.05）. Additionally， the incidence rate of patients who proactive seeking of pharmaceutical services after discharge was significantly higher in the intervention group compared to the control group （P＜0.05）. However， there was no significant difference in the incidence rate of unplanned hospital admissions between the two groups （P＞0.05）. CONCLUSIONS The established proactive pharmaceutical service model can reduce medication errors， enhance patient recognition of pharmaceutical services， and ensure medication safety for discharged patients at home.

BACKGROUND: The contraction behaviors of cardiomyocytes (CMs), especially contraction synchrony, are crucial factors reflecting their maturity and response to drugs. A wider field of view helps to observe more pronounced synchrony differences, but the accompanied greater computational load, requiring more computing power or longer computational time. METHODS: We proposed a method that directly correlates variations in optical field brightness with cardiac tissue contraction status (CVB method), based on principles from physics and photometry, for rapid video analysis in wide field of view to obtain contraction parameters, such as period and contraction propagation direction and speed. RESULTS: Through video analysis of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived CMs labeled with green fluorescent protein (GFP) cultured on aligned and random nanofiber scaffolds, the CVB method was demonstrated to obtain contraction parameters and quantify the direction and speed of contraction within regions of interest (ROIs) in wide field of view. The CVB method required less computation time compared to one of the contour tracking methods, the LucasKanade (LK) optical flow method, and provided better stability and accuracy in the results. CONCLUSION This method has a smaller computational load, is less affected by motion blur and out-of-focus conditions, and provides a potential tool for accurate and rapid analysis of cardiac tissue contraction synchrony in wide field of view without the need for more powerful hardware.

Background and Objectives: The Fractional Flow Reserve and Intravascular UltrasoundGuided Intervention Strategy for Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Intermediate Stenosis (FLAVOUR) trial demonstrated non-inferiority of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided PCI. We sought to investigate the cost-effectiveness of FFR-guided PCI compared to IVUS-guided PCI in Korea. Methods: A 2-part cost-effectiveness model, composed of a short-term decision tree model and a long-term Markov model, was developed for patients who underwent PCI to treat intermediate stenosis (40% to 70% stenosis by visual estimation on coronary angiography).The lifetime healthcare costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were estimated from the healthcare system perspective. Transition probabilities were mainly referred from the FLAVOUR trial, and healthcare costs were mainly obtained through analysis of Korean National Health Insurance claims data. Health utilities were mainly obtained from the Seattle Angina Questionnaire responses of FLAVOUR trial participants mapped to EQ-5D. Results: From the Korean healthcare system perspective, the base-case analysis showed that FFR-guided PCI was 2,451 U.S. dollar lower in lifetime healthcare costs and 0.178 higher in QALYs compared to IVUS-guided PCI. FFR-guided PCI remained more likely to be cost-effective over a wide range of willingness-to-pay thresholds in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Conclusions Based on the results from the FLAVOUR trial, FFR-guided PCI is projected to decrease lifetime healthcare costs and increase QALYs compared with IVUS-guided PCI in intermediate coronary lesion, and it is a dominant strategy in Korea.

BACKGROUND:Repetitive trans-spinal magnetic stimulation(rTSMS)can inhibit inflammatory responses following spinal cord injury.rTSMS applies magnetic field stimulation to the spinal cord region to modulate neuronal excitability and synaptic transmission,thereby promoting plasticity and repair of the nervous system. OBJECTIVE:To observe the effects of rTSMS on the Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/nuclear factor(NF)-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway after spinal cord injury and explore its mechanism in promoting motor function recovery. METHODS:Male C57BL/6J mice,SPF grade,were randomly divided into sham surgery group,spinal cord injury group,and rTSMS group.The latter two groups of mice were anesthetized and the T9 vertebral plate was removed using rongeur forceps to expose the spinal cord,and the spinal cord was clamped using a small aneurysm clip for 20 seconds to establish the spinal cord injury model.Mice in the rTSMS group underwent a 21-day rTSMS intervention starting on day 1 after spinal cord injury.The stimulation lasted 10 minutes per day,5 days per week with an interval of 2 days.Basso Mouse Scale scores were used to assess motor function recovery in mice after spinal cord injury at 1,3,7,14,and 21 days after spinal cord injury.Western blot was employed to detect the expression of AQP4,apoptotic factors Bax,Bcl-2,CL-Caspase-3,inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor-α,interferon-γ,interleukin-6,interleukin-4,and the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway related proteins in the injured spinal cord.Oxidative stress assay kit was used to measure the activity of superoxide dismutase,glutathione peroxidase,and malondialdehyde content at the site of spinal cord injury.Immunofluorescence staining was performed to detect the expression of neuronal nuclei(NeuN). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The Basso Mouse Scale score in the rTSMS group was significantly higher than that in the spinal cord injury group(P<0.05).Compared with the spinal cord injury group,the rTSMS group showed a reduction in spinal cord water content.The expression of AQP4 protein,malondialdehyde content,and expression of Bax,Bcl-2,CL-Caspase-3,tumor necrosis factor-α,interferon-γ,interleukin-6,and TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway related proteins were all decreased in the rTSMS group,while the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase,as well as the expression of Bcl-2,interleukin-4,and NeuN,were all increased(P<0.05).These results suggest that rTSMS downregulates the expression of proteins related to the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway,alleviating symptoms after spinal cord injury such as spinal cord edema,oxidative stress,apoptosis,and inflammation,exerting neuroprotective effects,and thereby promoting the recovery of hindlimb motor function after spinal cord injury.

Background: The association of changes in metabolic syndrome (MetS) with cognitive function remains unclear. We explored this association using prospective and Mendelian randomization (MR) studies. Methods: MetS components including high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), systolic blood pressure (SBP), waist circumference (WC), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and triglycerides were measured at baseline and two follow-ups, constructing a MetS index. Immediate, delayed memory recall, and cognitive function along with its dimensions were assessed by immediate 10- word recall test (IWRT) and delayed 10-word recall test (DWRT), and mini-mental state examination (MMSE), respectively, at baseline and follow-ups. Linear mixed-effect model was used. Additionally, the genome-wide association study (GWAS) of MetS was conducted and one-sample MR was performed to assess the causality between MetS and cognitive function. Results: Elevated MetS index was associated with decreasing annual change rates (decrease) in DWRT and MMSE scores, and with decreases in attention, calculation and recall dimensions. HDL-C was positively associated with an increase in DWRT scores, while SBP and FPG were negatively associated. HDL-C showed a positive association, whereas WC was negatively associated with increases in MMSE scores, including attention, calculation and recall dimensions. Interaction analysis indicated that the association of MetS index on cognitive decline was predominantly observed in low family income group. The GWAS of MetS identified some genetic variants. MR results showed a non-significant causality between MetS and decrease in DWRT, IWRT, nor MMSE scores. Conclusion Our study indicated a significant association of MetS and its components with declines in memory and cognitive function, especially in delayed memory recall.