Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a hemorrhagic autoimmune disease characterized by antibody-mediated platelet injury. ITP has complicated immunopathological mechanisms that need further elucidation. It is well known that the costimulatory molecules OX40 ligand (OX40L) and OX40 play essential roles in the immunological mechanisms of autoimmune diseases. Previously, we discovered that the expression of OX40L and OX40 is significantly increased in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of ITP patients. In our present study, OX40L-induced follicular helper T (Tfh) cells exhibited an activated phenotype with elevated expression of inducible T-cell costimulator (ICOS), programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1), and cluster of differentiation 40 ligand (CD40L) in vitro. Moreover, aberrant OX40L‒OX40 expression might promote the Tfh1-to-Tfh2 shift in vivo, inducing the generation of autoantibodies by enhancing the helper function of Tfh cells for B lymphocytes in a mouse model, which might accelerate the progression of ITP. Additionally, signal transduction through the OX40L‒OX40 axis might be related to the activation of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor (TRAF)‒nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and Janus kinase (JAK)‒signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling pathways. Overall, OX40L‒OX40 signaling is proposed as a potential novel therapeutic target for ITP.
Animals ; OX40 Ligand/physiology* ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic/immunology* ; Cell Differentiation ; Mice ; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer/cytology* ; T Follicular Helper Cells/cytology* ; Signal Transduction ; Receptors, OX40 ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Humans ; Female

Temporal interference (TI) is a form of stimulation that epitomizes an innovative and non-invasive approach for profound neuromodulation of the brain, a technique that has been validated in mice. Yet, the thin cranial bone structure of mice has a marginal influence on the effect of the TI technique and may not effectively showcase its effectiveness in larger animals. Based on this, we carried out TI stimulation experiments on rats. Following the TI intervention, analysis of electrophysiological data and immunofluorescence staining indicated the generation of a stimulation focus within the nucleus accumbens (depth, 8.5 mm) in rats. Our findings affirm the viability of the TI methodology in the presence of thick cranial bones, furnishing efficacious parameters for profound stimulation with TI administered under such conditions. This experiment not only sheds light on the intervention effects of TI deep in the brain but also furnishes robust evidence in support of its prospective clinical utility.
Animals ; Deep Brain Stimulation/methods* ; Nucleus Accumbens/physiology* ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate factors influencing dental arch development in patients aged 0-6 years with cleft palate after Sommerlad-Furlow (SF) palatoplasty. METHODS: A total of 183 patients who underwent primary SF repair for cleft lip and palate before 18 months of age were included. Follow-ups were conducted at different ages, and digital dental casts of the maxillary dental arch were obtained using 3-matic Research 12.0 software. The length and width of the dental arch and palate were measured to explore developmental changes in the maxillary dental arch of the patients after the procedure. The study also investigated the influence of gender, age, cleft palate type, and relaxation incision on maxillary dental arch development. RESULTS: After SF, maxillary dental arch measurements showed statistically significant differences between children aged 0-2 years and those aged 3-6 years (P<0.05). However, no statistically significant differences were observed among different age groups within the 3-6 years range. Statistically significant differences were detected between males and females, with males having greater width of the posterior dental arch and palate (P=0.001) and shorter length of the anterior dental arch and entire dental arch (P<0.05). The unilateral cleft lip and palate group had shorter dental arch length (P<0.01) and wider posterior palate (P<0.01) than the cleft palate only group. Maxillary dental arch measurements had no statistically significant differences between groups with or without a relaxing incision. CONCLUSIONS Gender and age influence the width of the maxillary dental arch in children aged 0-6 years after SF, while age and cleft palate type affect dental arch length.
Humans ; Child, Preschool ; Male ; Cleft Palate/surgery* ; Female ; Child ; Infant ; Dental Arch/growth & development* ; Maxilla/growth & development* ; Cleft Lip/surgery* ; Age Factors ; Sex Factors ; Palate/surgery* ; Infant, Newborn

Objective To analyze the evaluation results of health enterprises in Beijing City and their influencing factors. Methods A total of 40 enterprises that passed the health enterprise evaluation in Beijing from 2021 to 2022 were selected as the study subjects using the judgment sampling method. The total evaluation scores and influencing factors were analyzed based on the size, nature, industry classification, and establishment time of the enterprises. Results The total evaluation score of the 40 health enterprises was (553.1±18.4) points. Scores for the primary evaluation indicators, including management organization and system, occupational disease prevention measures, health environment, health promotion measures, prevention measures for occupational stress caused damage, and musculoskeletal injury prevention measures, were (94.0±4.8), (94.0±4.3), (94.5±3.8), (89.7±4.8), (89.6±4.6), and (91.4±5.9) points, respectively. The result of multiple linear regression analysis showed that, large enterprises had higher total evaluation scores than medium enterprises and micro and small enterprises after controlling for confounding factors such as industry classification and establishment time (all P<0.10). The total evaluation scores of private enterprises and foreign-funded enterprises were lower than that of state-owned or state-participated enterprises (all P<0.10). Conclusion Enterprise size and nature are influencing factors for the total evaluation score of health enterprises. It is necessary to enhance resource and policy support for medium-sized, micro and small enterprises and private enterprises to improve the development of the health enterprises.

ObjectiveTo investigate the prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome （PCOS） among female college students at a university in Fuzhou City， Jiangxi Province， and to facilitate early detection and intervention of PCOS. MethodsUsing a stratified sampling method， a total of 450 female freshmen were randomly selected for PCOS screening. A self-designed questionnaire was used for data collection， covering menstrual status， high androgen signs， lifestyle， dietary habits， and awareness of PCOS. Sample t test and χ² test were used to compare the basic information and dietary habits between PCOS and non-PCOS cases. The correlation between various indicators and the prevalence of PCOS was analyzed by a logistic regression model. ResultsA total of 12 PCOS cases were identified， with a prevalence rate of 2.99%. PCOS cases exhibited statistically significant differences compared to non-PCOS cases in terms of waist-to-hip ratio， waist circumference， abdominal obesity， the proportion of overweight or obese individuals， and a preference for sweet food （all P<0.05）. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed a significant correlation between preference for sweet food and the occurrence of PCOS （OR=4.858， 95%CI=1.199‒19.675，P=0.027）， as well as a significant correlation with PCOS accompanied by abdominal obesity （OR=7.083， 95%CI=0.773‒64.937， P=0.048）. Among the female college students surveyed， 37.90% had never heard of PCOS， 51.62% were only familiar with the name of the disease， and 10.47% had attempted to search for PCOS-related information. ConclusionThe prevalence of PCOS among female college students should not be overlooked and unhealthy dietary habits may be a crucial factor contributing to the occurrence of PCOS during this period. Early screening for PCOS during puberty is crucial.

ObjectiveTo provide more basic information of comparative medicine for the study of biological changes and pathogenesis of COVID-19 by systematical sorting and analyzing the transcriptome data.MethodsFollowing a retrieval strategy, using COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 as key words, transcriptome datasets related to COVID-19 from January 2020 to May 2023 were collected from GEO, ArrayExpress and GEN Transcriptome databases. The composition, distribution, and research application of COVID-19 transcriptome data resources were analyzed. Data distribution was visually displayed and correlation analysis was performed. The research applications and limitations of existing COVID-19 transcriptome data were analyzed from the perspectives of clinical medicine and comparative medicine, focusing on clinical-related molecular mechanisms, biomarkers and related immune responses, treatment intervention strategies, etc. The research value and application prospects were discussed.Results A total of 975 sets of COVID-19 transcriptome data were included. Among three databases, datasets from humans accounted for the highest proportion, namely 71.9%, 77.9%, and 90%, respectively. Species other than humans, such as mice, were the main sources of data, with the respiratory and nervous systems having the highest distribution of data. Twenty-seven datasets were associated with clinical significance. Analysis revealed that respiratory tract injury and other related molecular mechanisms were obtained through transcriptome data mining. Biomarkers such as cfDNA could be used as therapeutic targets. The severity of COVID-19 infection was associated with cell changes and disorders represented by M1 macrophages. Comparative medical analysis showed that mice, hamsters, and other animals were susceptible to SARS-CoV-2. Rhesus monkeys and cynomolgus monkeys exhibited infection characteristics highly similar to human. Apart from respiratory symptoms, hamsters also exhibited digestive system symptoms. SARS-CoV-2 can replicate in the respiratory organs of various susceptible animals, the intestines of ferrets and the ears of minks, resulting in interstitial pneumonia, diffuse lung injury and other pathological changes of varying degrees. Based on the differences in immune responses, hamsters can be used for neutralizing antibody reaction research.Conclusion Currently there is a wealth of COVID-19 transcriptome data, but there is a lack of comparative transcriptome research. Transcriptomics can be combined with comparative medicine to further explore the differences in comparative medicine of COVID-19.

Objective This study analyzes the omics data resources in human-infecting coronavirus animal models collected from various public databases,focusing on data distribution,dataset quantity,data types,species,strains,and research content.It aims to enhance our understanding of biological characteristics and pathogenic mechanisms of coronaviruses,thereby providing a solid foundation for devising effective therapeutic strategies and preventive measures.Methods Query strategies,including specific virus names,time ranges,and inclusion and exclusion criteria,were defined to retrieve data from major public omics databases such as GEO and ArrayExpress.Secondary filtering was performed based on different field types to obtain a more accurate data list.An omics data text database was established for bibliometric analysis.Co-occurrence networks were constructed for the analysis of the correlation strengths between different research themes,technical methods,and involved species.The cell types,organs,and biological pathways involved in studies were examined to further elucidate the pathogenic interplay between pathogens and hosts.Results About twenty public databases containing coronavirus-related omics data were identified,with a primary focus on novel coronavirus infection.Commonly used species include humans,mice,hamsters,and monkeys,while the commonly used virus strains are Wuhan-Hu-1 and USA-WA1/2020.Lung tissues are primarily used in animal models such as mice,macaques,and ferrets,while airway epithelial cells and Calu-3 cells are predominantly employed in human-related studies.Expression profiling data indicate that gene pathways involved in inflammation,cytokine response,complement pathway,cell damage,proliferation,and differentiation are significantly upregulated after infection.Proteomics studies reveal significant changes in phosphoproteome,ubiquitinome,and total proteome of patient samples at different infection stages.Specific protein categories,including viral receptors and proteases,transcription factors,cytokines,proteins associated with coagulation system,angiogenesis-related proteins,and fibrosis markers,show alterations after coronavirus infection.In addition,metabolomics data suggest that phosphocholine,phosphoethanolamine,arachidonic acid,and oleic acid could serve as potential metabolic markers.Epigenomics research indicates m6A methylation plays a role in SARS-CoV-2 replication,infection,and transmission,affecting host cell-virus interactions.Among these,N,S,and non-structural proteins 2 and 3 exhibit the most significant ubiquitination.Trends in microbiomics research suggest that microbial communities in the gut and wastewater are emerging as new research focuses.Conclusion The data types of coronavirus omics are diverse,with a wide variety of models and cell types used.The selection of species and technical methods for modelling varies based on the characteristics of different viruses.Multi-omics data from animal models of coronavirus infection can reveal key interactions between hosts and pathogens,identifying biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets,and provide valuable information for a deeper understanding of biological characteristics and infection mechanisms of coronaviruses.

Objective:To investigate the central mechanism of moxibustion in treating chronic inflammatory visceral pain(CIVP)and its analgesic effect from the perspective of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)/Ets-like transcription factor 1(ELK1)signaling pathway in the spinal cord. Methods:Clean-grade male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a normal group,a model group,a herb-partitioned moxibustion(HPM)group,a sham-HPM group,a p38 MAPK inhibitor group,and a dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO)group.CIVP rat models were prepared using an enema mixture of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid solution and 50%ethanol.The HPM group was treated with HPM;the sham-HPM group was treated the same as the HPM group,but the moxa cones were not ignited;rats in the p38 MAPK inhibitor group received L5-L6 intrathecal injection of p38 MAPK inhibitor(SB203580);rats in the DMSO group received L5-L6 intrathecal injection of 2%DMSO.Abdominal withdrawal reflex(AWR),mechanical withdrawal threshold(MWT),and thermal withdrawal latency(TWL)were used to observe pain-related behaviors in each group.Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the morphological changes in rat colon tissue.Western blotting and real-time quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction were used to detect the phosphorylated protein and mRNA expression of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1(ASK1),MAPK kinase(MKK)3/6,p38 MAPK,ELK1,and mitogen and stress-activated protein kinase 1(MSK1)in the spinal cord. Results:Compared with the normal group,CIVP rats had severe colonic inflammatory injuries,and the pathological injury scores increased significantly,along with increased AWR scores under different colorectal distension(CRD)stimulation pressures and decreased MWT and TWL;the mRNA and phosphorylated protein expression of p38 MAPK,ELK1,MSK1,ASK1,MKK3,and MKK6 all increased in the spinal cord(P<0.01).After HPM treatment,the colon injuries were repaired,and the pathological injury scores decreased;under different CRD stimulation pressures,the AWR scores decreased,and the MWT and TWL increased;the mRNA and phosphorylated protein expression of p38 MAPK,ELK1,ASK1,and MKK3 in the spinal cord also decreased,with statistically significant differences compared with the model group and the sham-HPM group(P<0.01).There were no significant differences in the above indicators between the HPM group and the p38 MAPK inhibitor group(P>0.05),and the same was true regarding the comparisons between the model group and the DMSO group. Conclusion:HPM exerted analgesic effects via downregulating the mRNA and phosphorylated protein expression of ASK1,MKK3,p38 MAPK,and ELK1 in the spinal cord of CIVP rats.The inhibition of spinal p38 MAPK/ELK1 signaling pathway activation may be one of the mechanisms by which HPM relieves pain in CIVP.

Objective:To discuss the clinical efficacy and plausible mechanism of Tiao Yang Qu Xie(regulating Yang to eliminate pathogenic factors)needling method plus paroxetine in treating mild-to-moderate depression. Methods:Sixty-six patients with mild-to-moderate depression were divided into an observation group and a control group using the random number table method,each consisting of 33 cases.Another 25 healthy subjects were recruited as a healthy group.The control group took oral paroxetine tablets for treatment,and the observation group received additional acupuncture treatment 3 times weekly.Both groups underwent 4-week treatment.Before treatment,after 2-week and 4-week treatment,and 2 weeks after treatment(follow-up),the patients were assessed using the Hamilton depression scale-17-item(HAMD-17),self-rating depression scale(SDS),self-rating anxiety scale(SAS),and traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)pattern element identification scale for depression.The two groups each randomly contributed 25 cases to detect the protein content of brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF)before treatment and after 4-week treatment,and compared with the healthy group. Results:After 2-week treatment,the markedly effective and total effective rates were significantly higher in the observation group than in the control group(P<0.05);after 4-week treatment,the observation group significantly surpassed the control group in comparing the markedly effective rate(P<0.05).After 2 and 4 weeks of treatment and at the follow-up,the HAMD-17 total score and sleep disorder factor score were lower in the observation group than in the control group(P<0.05);the anxiety-somatic score was lower in the observation group than in the control group after 2-week treatment(P<0.05).After 2 and 4 weeks of treatment and at the follow-up,the observation group was lower than the control group in comparing the scores of SDS,SAS,and TCM pattern element identification scale for depression(P<0.05).After 4-week treatment,the observation group had an increased serum BDNF protein content,higher than that in the control group(P<0.05)and had no significant difference compared to the healthy group(P>0.05). Conclusion:Compared to the use of oral paroxetine alone,acupuncture plus paroxetine can produce more significant efficacy in treating mild-to-moderate depression and act faster in improving sleep disorder and anxiety-somatic symptoms;increasing the serum BDNF protein content may be a part of the mechanism underlying its antidepressant actions.

The microsphere drug delivery systems have been extensively exploited for providing controllable drug release kinetics, enhancing drug stability and localized drug delivery. In past decade, dozens of microsphere drug delivery systems have been developed for clinical therapy of cancer, schizophrenia and neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer's disease and Parkinsonism). In this review article, we comprehensively summarized the fabrication methods of drug delivery systems and highlighted their advances for clinical application. Furthermore, we analyzed the potential and the challenges for clinical translation of the drug delivery systems.