Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) technology originated in China during the Eastern Jin Dynasty and has rapidly developed over the past two decades, becoming a primary method for studying the causal relationship between gut microbiota and the occurrence and progression of diseases. At the same time, the therapeutic effects of FMT in the field of gastrointestinal diseases have gained widespread recognition and are gradually expanding into other disease areas. The FMT procedure is relatively complex, and there is currently no standardized method; its success is influenced by various factors, including the donor, recipient, processing of the fecal material, and the method of implantation. Given the increasingly recognized relationship between gut microbiota and various diseases, FMT has become a research hotspot in both scientific studies and clinical applications, achieving a series of significant advancements. To help researchers better understand this technology, this paper will outline the development history of FMT, summarize common operational methods in research and clinical settings, review its application progress, and look forward to future development directions.

BACKGROUND:Previous studies have confirmed that Wen-Shen-Tong-Du Decoction can promote the recovery of spinal cord injury by inhibiting pyroptosis of splenic B cells,promoting the phagocytosis of myelin debris by microvascular endothelial cells,affecting the migration and infiltration of microglia,promoting the recovery of damaged neurons,and decreasing neuronal apoptosis after spinal cord injury,but the mechanism of this is still not clear. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of Wen-Shen-Tong-Du Decoction on the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2(TREM2)and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways in mice following spinal cord injury. METHODS:Thirty-six C57BL/6 mice were selected and randomly divided into a sham-operation group,a model group and a Wen-Shen-Tong-Du Decoction group,with 12 mice in each group.In the model and Wen-Shen-Tong-Du Decoction groups,mouse models of T10 spinal cord injury were prepared by the modified Allen's method.On the 1st day after modeling,the Wen-Shen-Tong-Du Decoction group was given Wen-Shen-Tong-Du Decoction by gavage,and the sham-operation group and the model group were given saline by gavage once a day for 28 days.During the drug administration period,mouse motor function was evaluated by Basso Mouse Scale score and inclined plane test.On the 7th and 28th days after modeling,hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the histopathological changes in the spinal cord tissue of the mice;immunofluorescence double staining was used to detect the protein expression of ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1(IBA1)and TREM2;and western blot assay was used to detect the expression of TREM2,PI3K,p-PI3K,Akt,p-Akt,Bcl2,Bax and Caspase3 in spinal cord tissue. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Basso Mouse Scale scores and inclined plane test results indicated that the motor function of the mouse hindlimbs was declined after spinal cord injury,and Wen-Shen-Tong-Du Decoction significantly improved motor function in mice with spinal cord injury.Hematoxylin-eosin staining results revealed that Wen-Shen-Tong-Du Decoction significantly ameliorated the pathological structure of spinal cord tissue compared with the model group,manifesting as reduced degrees of dorsal white matter and neuronal atrophy,decreased cytoplasmic vacuolization,and reduced inflammatory cell infiltration.Immunofluorescence double staining results showed that on the 7th day after modeling,the protein expression of IBA1 and TREM2 in the model group was lower than that in the sham-operation group(P＜0.05),and the protein expression of IBA1 and TREM2 in the Wen-Shen-Tong-Du Decoction group was higher than that in the model group(P＜0.05);on the 28th day after modeling,the protein expression of TREM2 in the model group was lower than that in the sham-operation group(P＜0.05),and the protein expression of TREM2 in the spinal cord tissue of the mice in the Wen-Shen-Tong-Du Decoction group was higher than that in the model group(P＜0.05).Western blot results analysis demonstrated that on the 7th day after modeling,compared with the sham-operation group,the model group exhibited a significant reduction in TREM2,PI3K,and Bcl2/Bax(P＜0.05),as well as a significant increase in p-Akt,Bax and p-Akt/Aktp-PI3K(P＜0.05);compared with the model group,the Wen-Shen-Tong-Du Decoction group showed a significant increase in TREM2,PI3K,p-PI3K,Akt,p-Akt,Bcl2,p-PI3K/PI3K,p-Akt/Ak,and Bcl2/Bax(P＜0.05),as well as a significant decrease in Bax and Caspase3 protein expression(P＜0.05).On the 28th day after modeling,compared with the sham-operation group,the model group exhibited a significant reduction in TREM2,PI3K,p-PI3K,Akt,p-Akt,Bcl2 and Bcl2/Bax(P＜0.05),as well as a significant increase in Bax protein expression(P＜0.05);compared with the model group,the Wen-Shen-Tong-Du Decoction group showed a significant increase in TREM2,PI3K,Akt,p-Akt,Bcl2,and Bcl2/Bax(P＜0.05),as well as a significant decrease in Bax protein expression(P＜0.05).To conclude,Wen-Shen-Tong-Du Decoction may activate the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway by up-regulating the expression of TREM2 protein in microglia,and then inhibit neuronal apoptosis,thus exerting neuroprotective effects and promoting the repair of spinal cord injury.

ObjectiveTo assess the current status of medical waste management in Jinshan District of Shanghai, China, to identify existing issues, and to provide a scientific basis for formulating targeted strategies. MethodsData were collected from the routine supervision and inspection records of the Jinshan District Health Commission Supervision Institute from 2017 to 2021, covering all aspects of medical waste management, including collection, classification, transportation, storage, and administrative penalties. ResultsThe compliance rates for the establishment of institutional frameworks, staffing, internal handover, and registration in medical and healthcare institutions all exceeded 95.00%. However, only 2.31% of the medical and healthcare institutions met the 48-hour storage limit requirement for medical waste. Private institutions had significantly lower compliance rates (P<0.05) in aspects such as proper classification and collection, maintaining records for three years, adhering to the 48-hour storage limit, refraining from commercial transactions, timely disinfection and cleaning, and implementing emergency measures for waste loss. Compliance rates also varied among different types of institutions regarding the establishment of temporary storage facilities and the implementation of the transfer manifest system, with community healthcare institutions exhibiting relatively lower compliance rates (P<0.05). Over the past five years, private medical and healthcare institutions accounted for 63.33% of administrative penalty cases. ConclusionWhile medical waste management in Jinshan District, Shanghai, has gradually become more standardized, challenges remain. To address the issue of medical waste being stored for over 48 hours, medical waste transfer stations should be established to improve transfer efficiency and ensure complete waste collection. Additionally, for private and community healthcare institutions, weak links in management should be addressed by establishing medical waste quality control teams, enhancing supervision through digital tools, and optimizing management processes to comprehensively elevate medical waste management.

AIM: To explore the relationship between hyperopia reserve and ocular biometric parameters in 4-14 year-old Uyghur students from Hotan County, Xinjiang, and to provide scientific evidence for myopia prevention.METHODS: From September 1 to October 31, 2023, a stratified random cluster sampling method was used to select 3 264 students(3 264 eyes)from 6 schools in Hotan County. Participants underwent uncorrected distance visual acuity testing, cycloplegic refraction, and ocular biometric measurements. The correlation between spherical equivalent(SE)and ocular biometric parameters was analyzed by multiple linear regression.RESULTS: A total of 1 998 non-myopic students(1 998 eyes)were included in the study, with 1 354 students(67.77%)showing insufficient hyperopia reserve. The detection rate of insufficient hyperopia reserve decreased with age, from 94.12% at age 4 to 18.13% at age 14(P<0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that in the group with sufficient hyperopia reserve, age, gender, uncorrected distance visual acuity, axial length(AL), and keratometry(K)explained 66.5% of the variance in SE; while in the group with insufficient hyperopia reserve, these factors explained only 28.0% of the SE variance.CONCLUSION: In non-myopic Uyghur students aged 4-14 in Hotan County, Xinjiang, the detection rate of insufficient hyperopia reserve was 67.77%. In the group with insufficient hyperopia reserve, age, gender, AL, and K explained only a small portion of the SE variance, suggesting that the refractive status of this population may be influenced by more complex factors.

ObjectiveTransfer RNA-derived fragments (tRFs) are a recently characterized and rapidly expanding class of small non-coding RNAs, typically ranging from 13 to 50 nucleotides in length. They are derived from mature or precursor tRNA molecules through specific cleavage events and have been implicated in a wide range of cellular processes. Increasing evidence indicates that tRFs play important regulatory roles in gene expression, primarily by interacting with target messenger RNAs (mRNAs) to induce transcript degradation, in a manner partially analogous to microRNAs (miRNAs). However, despite their emerging biological relevance and potential roles in disease mechanisms, there remains a significant lack of computational tools capable of systematically predicting the interaction landscape between tRFs and their target mRNAs. Existing databases often rely on limited interaction features and lack the flexibility to accommodate novel or user-defined tRF sequences. The primary goal of this study was to develop a machine learning based prediction algorithm that enables high-throughput, accurate identification of tRF:mRNA binding events, thereby facilitating the functional analysis of tRF regulatory networks. MethodsWe began by assembling a manually curated dataset of 38 687 experimentally verified tRF:mRNA interaction pairs and extracting seven biologically informed features for each pair: (1) AU content of the binding site, (2) site pairing status, (3) binding region location, (4) number of binding sites per mRNA, (5) length of the longest consecutive complementary stretch, (6) total binding region length, and (7) seed sequence complementarity. Using this dataset and feature set, we trained 4 distinct machine learning classifiers—logistic regression, random forest, decision tree, and a multilayer perceptron (MLP)—to compare their ability to discriminate true interactions from non-interactions. Each model’s performance was evaluated using overall accuracy, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and the corresponding area under the ROC curve (AUC). The MLP consistently achieved the highest AUC among the four, and was therefore selected as the backbone of our prediction framework, which we named tRF Prospect. For biological validation, we retrieved 3 high-throughput RNA-seq datasets from the gene expression omnibus (GEO) in which individual tRFs were overexpressed: AS-tDR-007333 (GSE184690), tRF-3004b (GSE197091), and tRF-20-S998LO9D (GSE208381). Differential expression analysis of each dataset identified genes downregulated upon tRF overexpression, which we designated as putative targets. We then compared the predictions generated by tRF Prospect against those from three established tools—tRFTar, tRForest, and tRFTarget—by quantifying the number of predicted targets for each tRF and assessing concordance with the experimentally derived gene sets. ResultsThe proposed algorithm achieved high predictive accuracy, with an AUC of 0.934. Functional validation was conducted using transcriptome-wide RNA-seq datasets from cells overexpressing specific tRFs, confirming the model’s ability to accurately predict biologically relevant downregulation of mRNA targets. When benchmarked against established tools such as tRFTar, tRForest, and tRFTarget, tRF Prospect consistently demonstrated superior performance, both in terms of predictive precision and sensitivity, as well as in identifying a higher number of true-positive interactions. Moreover, unlike static databases that are limited to precomputed results, tRF Prospect supports real-time prediction for any user-defined tRF sequence, enhancing its applicability in exploratory and hypothesis-driven research. ConclusionThis study introduces tRF Prospect as a powerful and flexible computational tool for investigating tRF:mRNA interactions. By leveraging the predictive strength of deep learning and incorporating a broad spectrum of interaction-relevant features, it addresses key limitations of existing platforms. Specifically, tRF Prospect: (1) expands the range of detectable tRF and target types; (2) improves prediction accuracy through multilayer perceptron model; and (3) allows for dynamic, user-driven analysis beyond database constraints. Although the current version emphasizes miRNA-like repression mechanisms and faces challenges in accurately capturing 5'UTR-associated binding events, it nonetheless provides a critical foundation for future studies aiming to unravel the complex roles of tRFs in gene regulation, cellular function, and disease pathogenesis.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture at the pterygopalatine region on nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3)-mediated pyroptosis and inflammatory factors in rats with allergic rhinitis (AR). METHODS: Twenty-four SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group, an acupuncture group and an electroacupuncture group, 6 rats in each group. Except for the blank group, OVA-induced AR model was established in the remaining groups. In the electroacupuncture group, the rats were treated with electroacupuncture at the bilateral pterygopalatine region, with disperse-dense wave, in frequency of 2 Hz/100 Hz and current of 0.5-1 mA, 15 min each time, once every other day, for 3 times. In the acupuncture group, the rats were treated with acupuncture at bilateral pterygopalatine region simply, without electrical stimulation. The rhinitis symptom score was observed, the pathomorphology of the nasal mucosa was observed by HE staining; the serum levels of OVA-specific immunoglobulin E (OVA-sIgE), interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6 and IL-1β were detected by ELISA; the mRNA expression of NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing CARD (ASC), cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-1 (caspase-1) and IL-18 in the nasal mucosa was detected by real-time PCR; the protein expression of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1 and IL-18 in the nasal mucosa was detected by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the blank group, in the model group, the rhinitis symptom score was increased (P<0.01), the serum levels of OVA-sIgE, IL-4, IL-6 and IL-1β were increased (P<0.05), the nasal mucosa showed pathomorphology of inflammatory infiltration; the mRNA and protein expression of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1 and IL-18 in the nasal mucosa was increased (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, in the electroacupuncture group, the rhinitis symptom score was reduced (P<0.01), the pathology of the nasal mucosa was improved; the serum levels of OVA-sIgE, IL-4, IL-6 and IL-1β were decreased (P<0.05); the mRNA and protein expression of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1 and IL-18 in the nasal mucosa was decreased (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Electroacupuncture at the pterygopalatine region can exerting the anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis and inflammatory factor imbalance, thus alleviate rhinitis symptoms in AR rats.
Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/immunology* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rhinitis, Allergic/physiopathology* ; Pyroptosis ; Male ; Acupuncture Points ; Humans ; Female ; Interleukin-1beta/genetics* ; Interleukin-18/immunology* ; Interleukin-6/genetics* ; Caspase 1/immunology*

BACKGROUND: At present, biopsy is essential for the diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa) before radical prostatectomy (RP). However, with the development of prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PSMA PET/CT) and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI), it might be feasible to avoid biopsy before RP. Herein, we aimed to explore the feasibility of avoiding biopsy before RP in patients highly suspected of having PCa after assessment of PSMA PET/CT and mpMRI. METHODS: Between December 2017 and April 2022, 56 patients with maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of ≥4 and Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) ≥4 lesions who received RP without preoperative biopsy were enrolled from two tertiary hospitals. The consistency between clinical and pathological diagnoses was evaluated. Preoperative characteristics were compared among patients with different pathological types, T stages, International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grades, and European Association of Urology (EAU) risk groups. RESULTS: Fifty-five (98%) patients were confirmed with PCa by pathology, including 49 (89%) with clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa, defined as ISUP grade ≥2 malignancy). One patient was diagnosed with high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN). CsPCa patients, compared with clinically insignificant prostate cancer (cisPCa) and HGPIN patients, were associated with a higher level of prostate-specific antigen (22.9 ng/mL vs . 10.0 ng/mL, P = 0.032), a lower median prostate volume (32.2 mL vs . 65.0 mL, P = 0.001), and a higher median SUVmax (13.3 vs . 5.6, P <0.001). CONCLUSIONS It might be feasible to avoid biopsy before RP for patients with a high probability of PCa based on PSMA PET/CT and mpMRI. However, the diagnostic efficacy of csPCa with PI-RADS ≥4 and SUVmax of ≥4 is inadequate for performing a procedure such as RP. Further prospective multicenter studies with larger sample sizes are necessary to confirm our perspectives and establish predictive models with PSMA PET/CT and mpMRI.
Humans ; Male ; Prostatectomy/methods* ; Prostatic Neoplasms/diagnosis* ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography/methods* ; Biopsy ; Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Prostate-Specific Antigen/metabolism*