ObjectiveTo explore the effect of modified Lianpoyin formula （LPYJWF） in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori （Hp）-associated gastric mucosal damage based on mitochondrial autophagy and NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway. MethodsA total of 60 eight-week-old Balb/c male mice were assigned via the random number table method into control， model， high-dose LPYJWF （LPYJWF-H， 27.3 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， medium-dose LPYJWF （LPYJWF-M， 13.65 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， low-dose LPYJWF （LPYJWF-L， 6.83 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， and quadruple therapy groups. Except the control group， other groups were modeled for Hp infection. Mice were administrated with LPYJWF at corresponding doses by gavage. Quadruple therapy group was given omeprazole （6.06 mg·kg^-1·d^-1） + amoxicillin （303 mg·kg^-1·d^-1） + clarithromycin （151.67 mg·kg^-1·d^-1） + colloidal pectin capsules （30.3 mg·kg^-1·d^-1） by gavage. The control group was given an equal volume of 0.9% NaCl for 14 days. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the pathological changes of gastric mucosa， and Warthin-Starry （W-S） silver staining was used to detect Hp colonization. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to observe the mitochondrial ultrastructure of the gastric tissue， and immunofluorescence co-localization assay was adopted to detect the expression of mitochondrial transcription factor A （TFAM） and translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane member 20 （TOMM20）. The water-soluble tetrazolium salt method and thiobarbituric acid method were used to determine the levels of superoxide dismutase （SOD） and malondialdehyde （MDA）， respectively， in the gastric tissue. Western blot was employed to measure the protein levels of PTEN-induced kinase 1 （PINK1）， Parkin， p62， microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 （LC3）， NOD-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3）， apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD （ASC）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and interleukin-18 （IL-18）. Real-time quantitative PCR was employed to assess the mRNA levels of PINK1， Parkin， p62， and LC3. ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group presented obvious gastric mucosal damage， colonization of a large number of Hp， severe mitochondrial damage， vacuolated structures due to excessive autophagy， reduced TOMM20 and TFAM co-expression in the gastric mucosal tissue， and reduced SOD and increased MDA （P<0.01）. In addition， the gastric tissue in the model group showed up-regulated protein and mRNA levels of PINK1， Parkin， and LC3 and down-regulated protein and mRNA levels of p62 （P<0.01， as well as increased expression of inflammasome-associated proteins NLRP3， ASC， IL-1β， and IL-18 （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the LPYJWF and quadruple therapy groups showed alleviated pathological damage of gastric mucosa， reduced Hp colonization， mitigated mitochondrial damage， and increased co-expression of TOMM20 and TFAM. The SOD level was elevated in the LPYJWF-L group （P<0.01）， and the MDA levels became lowered in the LPYJWF and quadruple therapy groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Furthermore， the LPYJWF and quadruple therapy groups showed down-regulated mRNA levels of PINK1， Parkin， and LC3 and protein levels of PINK1 and Parkin， and up-regulated mRNA level of p62 （P<0.01）. The LPYJWF-M， LPYJWF-H， and quadruple therapy groups showcased down-regulated LC3 Ⅱ/LC3 Ⅰ level （P<0.05， P<0.01） and up-regulated protein level of p62 （P<0.01）. The expression of inflammasome-associated proteins NLRP3， ASC， IL-1β， and IL-18 were reduced in the LPYJWF and quadruple therapy groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionLPYJWF ameliorates gastric mucosal damage and exerts mucosa-protective effects in Hp-infected mice， which may be related to the inhibition of excessive mitochondrial autophagy， thereby inhibiting the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway.

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of modified Lianpoyin formula （LPYJWF） in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori （Hp）-associated gastric mucosal damage based on mitochondrial autophagy and NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway. MethodsA total of 60 eight-week-old Balb/c male mice were assigned via the random number table method into control， model， high-dose LPYJWF （LPYJWF-H， 27.3 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， medium-dose LPYJWF （LPYJWF-M， 13.65 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， low-dose LPYJWF （LPYJWF-L， 6.83 g·kg^-1·d^-1）， and quadruple therapy groups. Except the control group， other groups were modeled for Hp infection. Mice were administrated with LPYJWF at corresponding doses by gavage. Quadruple therapy group was given omeprazole （6.06 mg·kg^-1·d^-1） + amoxicillin （303 mg·kg^-1·d^-1） + clarithromycin （151.67 mg·kg^-1·d^-1） + colloidal pectin capsules （30.3 mg·kg^-1·d^-1） by gavage. The control group was given an equal volume of 0.9% NaCl for 14 days. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the pathological changes of gastric mucosa， and Warthin-Starry （W-S） silver staining was used to detect Hp colonization. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to observe the mitochondrial ultrastructure of the gastric tissue， and immunofluorescence co-localization assay was adopted to detect the expression of mitochondrial transcription factor A （TFAM） and translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane member 20 （TOMM20）. The water-soluble tetrazolium salt method and thiobarbituric acid method were used to determine the levels of superoxide dismutase （SOD） and malondialdehyde （MDA）， respectively， in the gastric tissue. Western blot was employed to measure the protein levels of PTEN-induced kinase 1 （PINK1）， Parkin， p62， microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 （LC3）， NOD-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3）， apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD （ASC）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and interleukin-18 （IL-18）. Real-time quantitative PCR was employed to assess the mRNA levels of PINK1， Parkin， p62， and LC3. ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group presented obvious gastric mucosal damage， colonization of a large number of Hp， severe mitochondrial damage， vacuolated structures due to excessive autophagy， reduced TOMM20 and TFAM co-expression in the gastric mucosal tissue， and reduced SOD and increased MDA （P<0.01）. In addition， the gastric tissue in the model group showed up-regulated protein and mRNA levels of PINK1， Parkin， and LC3 and down-regulated protein and mRNA levels of p62 （P<0.01， as well as increased expression of inflammasome-associated proteins NLRP3， ASC， IL-1β， and IL-18 （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the LPYJWF and quadruple therapy groups showed alleviated pathological damage of gastric mucosa， reduced Hp colonization， mitigated mitochondrial damage， and increased co-expression of TOMM20 and TFAM. The SOD level was elevated in the LPYJWF-L group （P<0.01）， and the MDA levels became lowered in the LPYJWF and quadruple therapy groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Furthermore， the LPYJWF and quadruple therapy groups showed down-regulated mRNA levels of PINK1， Parkin， and LC3 and protein levels of PINK1 and Parkin， and up-regulated mRNA level of p62 （P<0.01）. The LPYJWF-M， LPYJWF-H， and quadruple therapy groups showcased down-regulated LC3 Ⅱ/LC3 Ⅰ level （P<0.05， P<0.01） and up-regulated protein level of p62 （P<0.01）. The expression of inflammasome-associated proteins NLRP3， ASC， IL-1β， and IL-18 were reduced in the LPYJWF and quadruple therapy groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionLPYJWF ameliorates gastric mucosal damage and exerts mucosa-protective effects in Hp-infected mice， which may be related to the inhibition of excessive mitochondrial autophagy， thereby inhibiting the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway.

Extensive epigenetic reprogramming involves in memory CD8+ T-cell differentiation. The elaborate epigenetic rewiring underlying the heterogeneous functional states of CD8+ T cells remains hidden. Here, we profile single-cell chromatin accessibility and map enhancer-promoter interactomes to characterize the differentiation trajectory of memory CD8+ T cells. We reveal that under distinct epigenetic regulations, the early activated CD8+ T cells divergently originated for short-lived effector and memory precursor effector cells. We also uncover a defined epigenetic rewiring leading to the conversion from effector memory to central memory cells during memory formation. Additionally, we illustrate chromatin regulatory mechanisms underlying long-lasting versus transient transcription regulation during memory differentiation. Finally, we confirm the essential roles of Sox4 and Nrf2 in developing memory precursor effector and effector memory cells, respectively, and validate cell state-specific enhancers in regulating Il7r using CRISPR-Cas9. Our data pave the way for understanding the mechanism underlying epigenetic memory formation in CD8+ T-cell differentiation.
CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/metabolism* ; Cell Differentiation ; Chromatin/immunology* ; Animals ; Mice ; Immunologic Memory ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; SOXC Transcription Factors/immunology* ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/immunology* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Gene Regulatory Networks ; Enhancer Elements, Genetic

Fetal structural anomalies and birth defects are primarily caused by genetic variants such as chromosomal number abnormalities, copy number variations (CNV), single nucleotide variants (SNV), and small insertions and deletions (indel). Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) based on next-generation sequencing (NGS) as an emerging technology for genetic disease diagnosis can detect the aforementioned types of variants. In recent years, high-depth WGS (> 30×) for prenatal diagnosis has also become available, and proved to be practical for unraveling the genetic etiology of fetal developmental abnormalities. To fascilitate clinical practice, test development and preliminary implementation of WGS for diagnosing fetal structural anomalies, we have formulated a consensus over the application of WGS in prenatal diagnosis by compiling previously published consensuses, guidelines, and research findings to provide a guidance on data analysis, reporting recommendations, and consultation of prenatal WGS results.

As a commonly used tool in obstetrics, fetal growth curves play an important role in screening for small for gestational age infants and predicting fetal growth restriction. However, a high-quality fetal growth standard curve based on the Chinese population has not yet been established. Compared to fetal growth reference values, fetal growth standards have higher requirements. This article discusses several key elements in establishing fetal growth standards in China, including the selection of research sites, the inclusion of low-risk pregnant women, the implementation of longitudinal study, the determination of sample size, the standardization of measurements, and quality control, aiming to ensure the scientific validity and accuracy of the fetal growth standards.

China prospective multicenter birth cohort (Prospective Omics Health Atlas birth cohort, POHA birth cohort) study was officially launched in 2022. This study, in collaboration with 12 participating units, aims to establish a high-quality, multidimensional cohort comprising 20 000 naturally conceived families and assisted reproductive families. The study involves long-term follow-up of parents and offspring, with corresponding biological samples collected at key time points. Through multi-omics testing and analysis, the study aims to conduct multi-omics big data research across the entire maternal and infant life cycle. The goal is to identify new biomarkers for maternal and infant diseases and provide scientific evidence for risk prediction related to maternal diseases and neonatal health.

The increasing number of pulmonary nodules being detected by computed tomography scans significantly increase the workload of the radiologists for scan interpretation. Limitations of traditional methods for differential diagnosis of pulmonary nodules have been increasingly prominent. Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to increase the efficiency of discrimination and invasiveness classification for pulmonary nodules and lead to effective nodule management. Chinese Experts Consensus on Artificial Intelligence Assisted Management for Pulmonary Nodule (2022 Version) has been officially released recently. This article closely follows the context, significance, core implications, and the impact of future AI-assisted management on the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary nodules. It is hoped that through our joint efforts, we can promote the standardization of management for pulmonary nodules and strive to improve the long-term survival and postoperative life quality of patients with lung cancer.

Objective:To investigate the clinical profile of primary bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia(PBMAH) and sex difference.Methods:One hundred and forty cases of PBMAH were recruited in our center from 2014, and all patients were evaluated for hormone secretion, adrenal imaging, and metabolic parameters.Results:Overt Cushing′s syndrome accounted for 76.4% of PBMAH cohort and 47.9% were female. The overt group had higher serum cortisol and 24 h urinary free cortisol levels, lower adrenocorticotropic hormone, higher serum cortisol after low-dose dexamethasone suppression tests, larger total adrenal size, and a higher percentage of obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hypokalemia than the subclinical group(all P<0.05). When compared with the male group, the female group had smaller adrenal size( P<0.001), lower HbA 1C( P=0.003), higher total cholesterol( P=0.005), and lower density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels( P=0.035). Further, 24 h urinary free cortisol in the male group was found to be positively correlated with diastolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, 2 h postprandial glucose after oral glucose tolerance test(OGTT), and HbA 1C after adjusted for age, body mass index, and onset duration, and was negatively correlated with body mass index and potassium levels. While 24 h urinary free cortisol in the female group was positively correlated only with diastolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, and 2 h postprandial glucose after OGTT(all P<0.05). During follow-up, 80.0% of patients achieved remission after unilateral adrenalectomy, with a recurrence rate of 17.9%. Conclusion:PBMAH related metabolic disorder is more pronounced in overt Cushing′s syndrome and males. Unilateral adrenalectomy as an effective treatment can benefit the majority of patients.

As an independent subspecialty, fetal medicine started late in China but is developing vigorously. In the process of rapid development of new techniques in fetal medicine, it is inevitable to encounter many confusions, obstacles, and setbacks. This article reviews the development history of fetal medicine in China, focuses on the difficulties and challenges to address, and discusses the ideas and countermeasures for the discipline construction in the new era.

Humans ; Perinatology ; Delivery of Health Care