Objective: To investigate the effects of acupotomy on skeletal muscle fibrosis and collagen deposition in a rabbit knee osteoarthritis (KOA) model. Methods: Rabbits (n = 18) were randomly divided into control, KOA, and KOA + acupotomy (Apo) groups (n = 6). The rabbits in the KOA and Apo groups were modeled using the modified Videman's method for 6 weeks. After modeling, the Apo group was subjected to acupotomy once a week for 3 weeks on the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, biceps femoris, and anserine bursa tendons around the knee. The behavior of all animals was recorded, rectus femoris tissue was obtained, and histomorphological changes were observed using Masson staining and transmission electron microscopy. The expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), Smad 3, Smad 7, fibrillar collagen types I (Col-I) and III (Col-III) was detected using Western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: Histological analysis revealed that acupotomy improved the microstructure and reduced the collagen volume fraction of rectus femoris, compared with the KOA group (P = .034). Acupotomy inhibited abnormal collagen deposition by modulating the expression of fibrosis-related proteins and mRNA, thus preventing skeletal muscle fibrosis. Western blot and RT-PCR analysis revealed that in the Apo group, Col-I, and Col-III protein levels were significantly lower than those in the KOA group (both P < .01), same as Col-I and Col-III mRNA levels (P = .0031; P = .0046). Compared with the KOA group, the protein levels of TGF-β1 and Smad 3 were significantly reduced (both P < .01), as were the mRNA levels of TGF-β1 and Smad 3 (P = .0007; P = .0011). Conversely, the levels of protein and mRNA of Smad 7 were significantly higher than that in the KOA group (P < .01; P = .0271). Conclusion Acupotomy could alleviate skeletal muscle fibrosis and delay KOA progress by inhibiting collagen deposition through the TGF-β/Smad pathway in the skeletal muscle of KOA rabbits.

From September 26 to 28,2024,the 11th Korean International Gastric Cancer Week(KINGCA WEEK 2024),a prestigious academic conference in the field of gastric cancer,was held in Seoul.Organized by the Korean Gastric Cancer Association,the conference featured one main venue,18 sub-venues,and 16 thematic symposiums,including 100 invited presentations and four keynote speeches,attracting 788 experts and scholars from around the world.Additionally,the conference set 16 themes and received 425 submissions from 24 countries,including Republic of Korea,China,Japan,and the United States.After a review process,365 submissions were accepted,which included eight plenary oral presentations,78 oral reports,and 279 poster presentations.The conference covered many hot topics in gastric cancer diagnosis and treatment,with a particular focus on surgical-related areas such as treatment strategies for metastatic gastric cancer,an international consensus meeting on the conversion therapy for stage Ⅳgastric cancer,future research directions of the Korean Laparoendoscopic Gastrointestinal Surgery Study Group,the development of new surgical instruments and equipment,and key issues in lymph node dissection,resection,and reconstruction during minimally invasive gastric cancer surgeries.Furthermore,our team was invited to present two oral reports on"the application of artificial intelligence in minimally invasive gastric cancer surgery".This report aims to detail the dynamics and hotspots related to surgical treatment for gastric cancer,providing valuable references and insights for domestic surgical peers.

Single-cell transcriptome sequencing (scRNA-seq) can resolve the expression characteristics of cells in tissues with single-cell precision, enabling researchers to quantify cellular heterogeneity within populations with higher resolution, revealing potentially heterogeneous cell populations and the dynamics of complex tissues. However, the presence of a large number of technical zeros in scRNA-seq data will have an impact on downstream analysis of cell clustering, differential genes, cell annotation, and pseudotime, hindering the discovery of meaningful biological signals. The main idea to solve this problem is to make use of the potential correlation between cells and genes, and to impute the technical zeros through the observed data. Based on this, this paper reviewed the basic methods of imputing technical zeros in the scRNA-seq data and discussed the advantages and disadvantages of the existing methods. Finally, recommendations and perspectives on the use and development of the method were provided.
Cluster Analysis ; Transcriptome

Objective:To investigate the effects of laparoscopic surgery versus open surgery on acute appendicitis in children. Methods:We retrospectively analyzed the data of 50 children with acute appendicitis who underwent surgery in Zhoushan Women and Children Hospital from December 2016 to December 2019. They were randomly divided into observation ( n = 27) and control ( n = 23) groups. The observation group underwent three-port laparoscopy. The control group underwent open surgery. Operation-related indicators, postoperative recovery, parental satisfaction, and complications were compared between the two groups. Results:Operative time was significantly longer in the observation group than in the control group [(56.57 ± 5.35) minutes vs. (40.23 ± 6.31) minutes, t = 9.78, P < 0.001). Intraoperative blood loss was significantly less in the observation group than in the control group [(10.11 ± 2.36) mL vs. (18.36 ± 3.21) mL, t = 10.45, P < 0.001]. Duration of pain was significantly shorter in the observation group than in the control group [(1.23 ± 0.23) days vs. (2.98 ± 0.87) days, t = 10.06, P < 0.001). Time to postoperative exhaust was significantly shorter in the observation group than in the control group [(21.39 ± 4.35) minutes vs. (39.88 ±5.39) minutes, t = 13.35, P < 0.001]. Time to defection was significantly shorter in the observation group than in the control group [(50.12 ± 3.35) minutes vs. (61.23 ± 4.21) minutes, t = 10.33, P < 0.001]. Time to first diet was significantly shorter in the observation group than in the control group [(13.25 ± 2.56) hours vs. (19.96 ± 2.67) hours, t = 9.07, P < 0.001]. Length of hospital stay in the observation group was significantly shorter in the observation group than in the control group [(4.13 ± 1.12) days vs. (7.98 ± 1.96) days, t = 8.53, P < 0.001). Parental satisfaction was significantly higher in the observation group than in the control group [96.30% vs. 47.83%, χ2 = 13.360, P < 0.001]. The incidence of complications was significantly lower in the observation group than in the control group [7.41% vs. 52.17%, χ2 = 10.58, P < 0.001]. Conclusion:Laparoscopic surgery is superior and safer to open surgery in the treatment of acute appendicitis in children.

Objective    To explore the clinical applications of 3D-CT reconstruction combined with 3D printing in the analysis of anatomical types and variations of bilateral pulmonary arteries. Methods    From January 2019 to February 2022, the clinical data of 547 patients who underwent anatomical lung lesion resection in our hospital were retrospectively collected. They were divided into a 3D-CT reconstruction plus printing technology group (n=298, 87 males and 211 females aged 53.84±12.94 years), a 3D-CT reconstruction group (n=148, 55 males and 93 females aged 54.21±11.39 years), and a non-3D group (n=101, 28 males and 73 females aged 53.17±10.60 years). Results    In the 3D-CT reconstruction plus printing technology group, the operation time of patients (right: 125.61±20.99 min, left: 119.26±28.44 min) was shorter than that in the 3D-CT reconstruction group (right: 130.48±11.28 min, left: 125.51±10.59 min) and non-3D group (right: 134.45±10.20 min, left: 130.44±9.53 min), which was not associated with the site of surgery; intraoperative blood loss (right: 20.92±8.22 mL, left: 16.85±10.43 mL) was not statistically different compared with the 3D-CT reconstruction group (right: 21.13±8.97 mL, left: 19.09±7.01 mL), but was less than that of the non-3D group (right: 24.44±10.72 mL, left: 23.72±11.45 mL). Variation was found in the right pulmonary artery of 7 (3.91%) patients and in the left pulmonary artery of 21 (17.65%) patients. We first found four-branched lingual pulmonary artery in 2 patients. Conclusion    Preoperative CT image computer-assisted 3D reconstruction combined with 3D printing technology can help surgeons to formulate accurate surgical plans, shorten operation time and reduce intraoperative blood loss.

LIN28 is an RNA binding protein with important roles in early embryo development, stem cell differentiation/reprogramming, tumorigenesis and metabolism. Previous studies have focused mainly on its role in the cytosol where it interacts with Let-7 microRNA precursors or mRNAs, and few have addressed LIN28's role within the nucleus. Here, we show that LIN28 displays dynamic temporal and spatial expression during murine embryo development. Maternal LIN28 expression drops upon exit from the 2-cell stage, and zygotic LIN28 protein is induced at the forming nucleolus during 4-cell to blastocyst stage development, to become dominantly expressed in the cytosol after implantation. In cultured pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), loss of LIN28 led to nucleolar stress and activation of a 2-cell/4-cell-like transcriptional program characterized by the expression of endogenous retrovirus genes. Mechanistically, LIN28 binds to small nucleolar RNAs and rRNA to maintain nucleolar integrity, and its loss leads to nucleolar phase separation defects, ribosomal stress and activation of P53 which in turn binds to and activates 2C transcription factor Dux. LIN28 also resides in a complex containing the nucleolar factor Nucleolin (NCL) and the transcriptional repressor TRIM28, and LIN28 loss leads to reduced occupancy of the NCL/TRIM28 complex on the Dux and rDNA loci, and thus de-repressed Dux and reduced rRNA expression. Lin28 knockout cells with nucleolar stress are more likely to assume a slowly cycling, translationally inert and anabolically inactive state, which is a part of previously unappreciated 2C-like transcriptional program. These findings elucidate novel roles for nucleolar LIN28 in PSCs, and a new mechanism linking 2C program and nucleolar functions in PSCs and early embryo development.
Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Embryo, Mammalian/metabolism* ; Embryonic Development ; Mice ; Pluripotent Stem Cells/metabolism* ; RNA, Messenger/genetics* ; RNA, Ribosomal ; RNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism* ; Transcription Factors/metabolism* ; Zygote/metabolism*

Heilongjiang Province has unique geographical environment, which makes the difference in population morbidity. This paper summarizes the physiological and pathological characteristics of stroke in Longjiang area from the regional factors and dietary factors. The paper also summarizes the treatment thoughts of acupuncture and moxibustion doctors in Longjiang area, mainly including five aspects: Knowing all diseases but treating the essence one, combining theory and practice, combining Chinese and western medicine, combining acupuncture and Chinese medicine, preventing diseases through learning and observing tiny clues. This article aims to summarize the experience of Longjiang acupuncture scholars and enriches the medical connotation of Longjiang area.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of a SARS-CoV-2 recombinant protein vaccine as a booster dose.Methods:A new immunogen, namely RBD-sc-trimer, was designed by tandem repeating of single receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein to mimic the trimeric form of RBD presented by the virus. The RBD-sc-trimer protein was expressed as a His-tagged fusion protein using a baculovirus expression system and purified by nickel affinity column. The purified protein was identified by Western blot. Its in vitro binding activity to human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) was analyzed by ELISA. The immunogenicity of RBD-sc-trimer as well as RBD proteins of other forms including RBD dimer (RBD-Fc), RBD monomer (RBD) and S protein trimer (S trimer) as a booster dose was evaluated in BALB/c mice. Results:In terms of both binding and neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, RBD-sc-trimer showed an immunogenicity that was superior to that of RBD-Fc and RBD and close to the level of S trimer. The antibody response induced by RBD-sc-trimer was characterized as Th1-biased. Moreover, it displayed a stronger cross-neutralization activity against SARS-CoV-2 Beta, Delta and Omicron variants. The titer of neutralizing antibody against Omicron induced by RBD-sc-trimer only decreased by 9.1 folds relative to the prototype strain, while the antibody response induced by RBD-Fc and S trimer decreased by 68.4 and 70.8 folds, respectively.Conclusions:The recombinant protein, RBD-sc-trimer, which was capable of eliciting stronger humoral response in mice as a booster dose and showed the superiority in raising cross-reactive antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 variants over non-trimeric RBD forms, should be considered as an optimal immunogen for the development of more effective SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.

Objective To investigate the expression of LncRNA LINC00857 in pancreatic cells and the effect of lncRNA LINC00857 down-regulation on proliferation, migration and apoptosis of pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells and possible mechanism. Methods The lentiviral vector GV112 was constructed and infected PANC-1 cells to obtain experimental group, while the blank plasmid was transfected as a negative control group and the cells without intervention were taken as normal control group. CCK-8 assay, Transwell assay, scratch test, flow cytometry, Western blot were used to detect the effect of LINC00857 down-regulation on cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis, cell cycle and EMT-related proteins. Results LINC00857 expression in pancreatic cancer cells were significantly higher than that in normal pancreatic epithelial cells (P < 0.001). Knockdown of LINC00857 could significantly inhibit the proliferation and migration of PANC-1 cells (P < 0.0001); compared with the negative control group, the apoptosis rates of cells in the experimental groups were significantly increased (P < 0.05), the number of cells in G₀/G₁ phase increased (P < 0.01), the number of cells in S phase decreased (P < 0.05), and the cells were blocked in the G₁ phase, E-cadherin expression was significantly up-regulated (P < 0.05) and N-cadherin and Vimentin expression were significantly down-regulated (N-cadherin: P < 0.01, Vimentin: P < 0.05). Conclusion LINC00857 can promote proliferation and migration of PANC-1 cells and inhibit its apoptosis by regulating G₁/S phase transition and EMT signaling pathway.

Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy of consolidation chemotherapy combined with microtransplantation in the treatment of elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).Methods:The clinical data of 45 elderly patients with AML in Suzhou Yongding Hospital from January 2016 to December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. After 1 or 2 courses of induced chemotherapy, the patients achieved complete response (CR). Among them, 20 patients were given consolidation chemotherapy (single group), and 25 patients were given consolidation chemotherapy combined with microtransplantation (combined group). After 3 courses of treatment, the minimal residual disease (MRD), quantitative expression of WT1 gene and adverse reactions were compared between 2 groups; the quality of life before treatment and after treatment was evaluated by quality of life-BREF (QOL-BREF). The patients were followed up to November 1, 2020, and the median follow-up was 30 months. The overall survival and progress-free survival (PFS) were recorded.Results:The MRD negative rate and WT1 gene negative rate after treatment in combined group were significantly higher than those in single group: 60.00% (15/25) vs. 25.00% (5/20) and 52.00% (13/25) vs. 20.00% (4/20), and there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). The recovery times of neutrophils and platelets in combined group were significantly shorter than those in single group: 10 (8, 12) d vs. 16 (13, 20) d and 14 (11, 17) d vs. 24 (19, 30) d, and there were statistical differences ( Z = 3.152 and 4.285, P<0.05). No adverse reactions such as liver and kidney abnormalities or gastrointestinal reactions occurred in 2 groups; and no specific graft versus host disease (GVHD) occurred in the combined group. The each item scores of QOL-BREF after treatment in combined group were significantly higher than those in single group, and there were statistical differences ( P<0.01). The 2-year overall survival rate and PFS rate in combined group were significantly higher than those in single group: 60.00% (15/25) vs. 35.00% (7/20) and 52.00% (13/25) vs. 25.00% (5/20), and there were statistical differences ( χ2 = 4.235 and 4.742, P = 0.040 and 0.029). Conclusions:Consolidation chemotherapy combined with microtransplantation is effective and safe in the treatment of elderly patients with AML. It can significantly improve the quality of life, and improve the overall survival rate and PFS rate.