AIM: To study the effect of recombinant bovine basic fibroblast growth factor(re-bFGF)on cataract patients with low endothelial cell density(ECD)after phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation.METHODS: Prospective study. A total of 82 patients(82 eyes)with cataract and low ECD who received phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation in the hospital from January 2021 to December 2023 were selected and divided into observation group(41 eyes)and control group(41 eyes)by random coin tossing method. Both groups were treated with phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation, and received postoperative routine treatment. The control group was administrated with recombinant human epidermal growth factor(rhEGF)eye drops(1-2 drops each time, 4 times/day)on the basis of routine treatment, while the observation group was given re-bFGF eye drops(1-2 drops each time, 4 times/day)on the basis of routine treatment, and both groups were treated continuously for 3 mo. The postoperative uncorrected visual acuity recovery, cornea-related indicators [ECD, central corneal thickness(CCT), coefficient of variation in cell area(CV), percentage of corneal endothelial hexagonal cells(HEX)], serum inflammatory factors [tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and interleukin-6(IL-6)before and after surgery] and complications were compared between the two groups of patients.RESULTS: There were no differences in preoperative general data between the two groups. At 1 wk, 1 and 3 mo after surgery, the visual acuity in the two groups was improved compared with that before surgery(all P<0.05). The levels of corneal ECD and HEX in the observation group at 1 wk, 1 and 3 mo after surgery were higher than those in the control group, while the levels of CCT and CV were lower than those in the control group(all P<0.05). At 3 mo after surgery, levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in tears were lower in the observation group compared to the control group(all P<0.05). The total incidence rate of complications in the observation group was lower than that in the control group, with no statistical significance(P>0.05).CONCLUSION: The application of re-bFGF in cataract patients with low ECD after phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation has good clinical value. Additionally, it can relieve the corneal injury, and reduce the burden of inflammation.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of 2,6-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone (2,6-DMBQ) in a mouse model of asthma. METHODS: SPF-grade BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 7 groups (n=8 each group): normal control group, ovalbumin (OVA) group, dimethyl sulfoxide+corn oil group, budesonide (BUD) group, and low, medium, and high dose 2,6-DMBQ groups. An asthma mouse model was established by OVA induction, followed by corresponding drug interventions. Non-invasive lung function tests were performed to measure airway hyperresponsiveness, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine levels of interleukin (IL)-17, IL-10, and serum immunoglobulin E in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. A cell counter was employed to detect eosinophil counts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, while hematoxylin-eosin staining and periodic acid-Schiff staining were used to assess lung tissue pathological changes. Western blot was conducted to examine the expression of proteins related to the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway (p-AKT/AKT and p-p70S6K/p70S6K), and a fully automated biochemical analyzer was used to evaluate liver and kidney functions. RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group, the OVA group showed increased enhanced pause values, inflammation scores from hematoxylin-eosin staining, positive area from periodic acid-Schiff staining, percentage of eosinophils, IL-17/IL-10 ratio, serum immunoglobulin E levels, and relative expression levels of p-AKT/AKT and p-p70S6K/p70S6K (P<0.05). The BUD group and the medium and high dose 2,6-DMBQ groups exhibited decreased values for these indicators compared to the OVA group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS 2,6-DMBQ can inhibit the mTOR pathway to alleviate airway inflammation in asthmatic mice, possibly by mitigating the imbalance between Th17 and regulatory T cells.
Animals ; Asthma/pathology* ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Mice ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/physiology* ; Female ; Benzoquinones/pharmacology* ; Immunoglobulin E/blood* ; Interleukin-10/analysis* ; Interleukin-17/analysis* ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Lung/pathology*

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) load in different lymphocyte subsets, as well as clinical characteristics and outcomes in patients with hematologic malignancies experiencing EBV reactivation. METHODS: Peripheral blood samples from patients were collected. B, T, and NK cells were isolated sorting with magnetic beads by flow cytometry. The EBV load in each subset was quantitated by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Clinical data were colleted from electronic medical records. Survival status was followed up through outpatient visits and telephone calls. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 25.0. RESULTS: A total of 39 patients with hematologic malignancies were included, among whom 35 patients had undergone allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). The median time to EBV reactivation was 4.8 months (range: 1.7-57.1 months) after allo-HSCT. EBV was detected in B, T, and NK cells in 20 patients, in B and T cells in 11 patients, and only in B cells in 4 patients. In the 35 patients, the median EBV load in B cells was 2.19×10⁴ copies/ml, significantly higher than that in T cells (4.00×10³ copies/ml, P <0.01) and NK cells (2.85×10² copies/ml, P <0.01). Rituximab (RTX) was administered for 32 patients, resulting in EBV negativity in 32 patients with a median time of 8 days (range: 2-39 days). Post-treatment analysis of 13 patients showed EBV were all negative in B, T, and NK cells. In the four non-transplant patients, the median time to EBV reactivation was 35 days (range: 1-328 days) after diagnosis of the primary disease. EBV was detected in one or two subsets of B, T, or NK cells, but not simultaneously in all three subsets. These patients received a combination chemotherapy targeting at the primary disease, with 3 patients achieving EBV negativity, and the median time to be negative was 40 days (range: 13-75 days). CONCLUSION In hematologic malignancy patients after allo-HSCT, EBV reactivation commonly involves B, T, and NK cells, with a significantly higher viral load in B cells compared to T and NK cells. Rituximab is effective for EBV clearance. In non-transplant patients, EBV reactivation is restricted to one or two lymphocyte subsets, and clearance is slower, highlighting the need for prompt anti-tumor therapy.
Humans ; Hematologic Neoplasms/virology* ; Herpesvirus 4, Human/physiology* ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Virus Activation ; Lymphocyte Subsets/virology* ; Flow Cytometry ; Killer Cells, Natural/virology* ; Male ; Female ; B-Lymphocytes/virology* ; Viral Load ; Adult ; T-Lymphocytes/virology* ; Middle Aged

Objective To explore the neuroprotective effects of osteocalcin(OCN)on an Alzheimer's disease(AD)cell model and its potential mechanisms,providing a scientific basis for new therapeutic targets for AD.Methods Human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y was treated with 40 nmol/L okadaic acid(OA)for 24 h to establish an AD cell model.The cells were divided into a normal group(untreated SH-SY5Y cells),a model group(40 nmol/L OA intervention),and an OCN intervention group(intervention with various concentrations of OCN in the AD cell model),and AKT knockout/overexpression groups(AKT-KO group and AKT-OE group),and AKT-KO OCN group and AKT-OE OCN group.CCK-8 assay was used to detect the changes in cell viability.Wright's staining was employed to observe the morphological changes of AD cells.Western blotting was utilized to detect the protein levels of Tau,p-Tau,Bax,Bcl-2,Caspase-3 and their lytic types,as well as the expression of Tau,p-Tau,mTOR,AKT and p-AKT in each group after AKT knockout/overexpression.TUNEL staining and flow cytometry were applied to detect the changes in early and late apoptotic cells and the apoptotic rate in the OCN-treated AD cell model.Results ①Compared to the normal group,the model group exhibited a significant decrease in cell viability,noticeable morphological and structural damage,upregulation of p-Tau and Caspase-3,increased early and late apoptosis,and a significantly higher apoptotic rate(P<0.05).②After treatment of different concentrations of OCN for 24 h,cell viability was increased to varying degrees compared to the AD model group,with the 100 pg/mL OCN group showing a significant increase in cell viability(P<0.01)and marked improvement in cell number and morphology(P<0.01).③ Compared to the AD cell model group,the p-Tau/Tau ratio was decreased in all OCN treatment groups,particularly in the 100 pg/mL OCN intervention group,where the p-Tau/Tau ratio was significantly lower than that of the model group(P<0.01).④ Compared to the model group,a significant concentration-dependent decrease in the Cleaved Caspase-3/Caspase-3 ratio was observed when OCN concentrations ranged from 1 to 100 pg/mL,with a significant reduction in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in the 100 pg/mL group(P<0.000 1).⑤ The results of TUNEL staining and flow cytometry showed that,compared to the model group,all concentrations of OCN effectively inhibited the apoptosis in the AD model cells,with a significant reduction in early and late apoptotic cells and apoptotic rate in the 100 pg/mL OCN group.⑥ Compared with the control group and the model group,the P-AKT was significantly increased in the AKT-OE group after AKT overexpression(P<0.05).The expression level of AKT protein was decreased in the AKT-KO group after AKT knockout(P<0.05).When the AKT pathway was inhibited,the expression level of p-Tau was higher in the AKT-KO group than the control group(P<0.05),and when the AKT was overexpressed,the expression level was significantly inhibited(P<0.05).Conclusion OCN may inhibit cell apoptosis and reduce p-tau protein level by regulating the ratio of Caspase-3/Caspase-3 and Bax/Bcl-2,and thereby improve the morphology of AD model cells and effectively protect nerve cells,which may be related to the regulation of the AKT/mTOR pathway.

After the wooden shipwreck was recovered from the marine underwater environment,the wooden components undergo varying degrees of degradation,therefore,accurately determining the extent of degradation is a fundamental scientific issue for implementing effective preservation strategies.In this work,the wooden remains of Pinus massoniana excavated from the"Nanhai No.1"shipwreck(Southern Song Dynasty)were investigated and compared with the modern wood to discriminate the degradation levels of archaeological wood using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared(ATR-FTIR)spectroscopy.The residual sugar content within wood cell walls was determined using a non-invasive automated microscale ATR-FTIR method to extract chemical information from the wood tangential section.Microstructural characterization of wood samples was conducted by super depth of field microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.FTIR spectral analysis was performed to evaluate the degradation state and elucidate changes in cellulose crystallinity.Finally,the combination of FTIR spectroscopy with the sparse partial least squares discriminant analysis(sPLS-DA)model facilitated the rapid discrimination of degradation levels in shipwreck archaeological wood,and the performance of the model was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves and area under the curve(AUC).The results showed that the higher the degree of wood degradation,the lower the residual sugar content in the wood cell wall,and the residual glucose content of highly degraded wood was only 4.7％.Significant differences were observed in both the tangential section microstructure and FTIR characteristic absorption patterns across degradation levels,and as the degradation advanced,progressive cell wall loosening occurred alongside selective removal of polysaccharide components,and the relative lignin content was increased,resulting in an elevated A1509/A1370 ratio in FTIR spectra.The sPLS-DA model achieved excellent discrimination performance with AUC values exceeding 0.9,confirming that the combination of FTIR spectroscopy with sPLS-DA enabled accurate assessment of degradation levels in shipwreck archaeological wood.This study developed a rapid and accurate methodology for assessing degradation levels in shipwreck archaeological wood based on microscale ATR-FTIR spectroscopy,which would help to promote the accurate assessment of the preservation state of waterlogged wooden artifacts.

Lung cancer has the highest incidence and mortality among malignant tumors in China.Persistent subsolid nodules(SSNs)are closely associated with early-stage lung adenocarcinoma.Artificial intelligence(AI),as an emerging technology,is capable of performing in-depth analysis of large-scale imaging data through autonomous learning and possesses the ability to predict outcomes from new data,demonstrating great potential and application prospects in the assessment of SSNs.AI can not only effectively assist radiologists in diagnosis and treatment,but also improve work efficiency while reducing misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis rates.This review summarizes the recent applications and research progress of AI in the assessment of SSNs,to provide new insights for the diagnosis and treatment of SSNs.

Objective To explore an experimental protocol for differentiating human-induced pluripotent stem cells(iPSCs)into highly pure midbrain dopaminergic(DA)neurons.Methods By optimizing a blend of small molecules and recombinant human growth factors,iPSCs were induced to differentiate into ventral midbrain floor plate DA progenitor cells and subsequently into mature substantia nigra pars compacta DA neurons.Throughout the differentiation process,Real-time PCR and immunofluorescent staining were utilized as a method for quality assessment.Results iPSCs firstly differentiate into dopaminergic precursor cells,and then gradually differentiate into DA neurons expressing tyrosine hydroxylase(TH).Conclusion The protocol successfully yields approximately high purity tyrosine hydroxylase-positive(TH+)DA neurons.This differentiation technique offers an effective cellular model for studying the physiological mechanisms and pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease,providing valuable insights for future research and potential therapeutic strategies.

Objective To analyze the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) of infants over 6 months of age and exclusive breastfeeding and calcium nutrition guidance during pregnancy in Baoding area, and to provide evidence for clinical application. Methods A total of 308 infants over 6 months of age were selected from Baoding Maternal and Child Health Hospital from January 2020 to January 2023, and their BMD was measured by ultrasound. The level of 25 (OH) D3 in subjects' blood was detected. spearman correlation test was used to analyze the correlation between infant bone mineral density and exclusive breastfeeding and calcium nutritional guidance during pregnancy, and logistics regression model was used to analyze the independent factors affecting infant bone mineral density. Results The level of serum 25 (OH) D3 in normal BMD group was significantly higher than that in abnormal BMD group (P<0.05). The rate of exclusive breastfeeding and the guidance rate of calcium nutrition during pregnancy in normal BMD group were significantly higher than those in abnormal BMD group (P<0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between different bone mineral density and exclusive breastfeeding and calcium nutrition guidance during pregnancy (P<0.05). Serum 25 (OH) D3 level, exclusive breastfeeding rate and calcium nutritional guideline rate during pregnancy were independent protective factors for bone mineral density (P<0.05). Conclusion Bone mineral density (BMD) of infants over 6 months of age is positively correlated with exclusive breastfeeding and calcium nutrition guidance during pregnancy, and exclusive breastfeeding and calcium nutrition guidance during pregnancy are independent protective factors affecting BMD of infants over 6 months of age.

Objective To understand the present situation of the standardization of separate serving chopsticks and ladles provided by catering service providers in Shanghai,and to analyze the influencing factors.Methods A total of 971 catering service providers from extra large,medium and small restaurant in 16 administrative districts of Shanghai were investigated with a self-designed questionnaire using stratified two-stage sampling method between Sep and Nov 2023,mainly concentrate on thesituation and reasons of providing separate serving chopsticks and ladles and their compliance with standards.Logistic regression was used to explore the influencing factors.Results Among the 971 units surveyed,there were 911 catering service(93.8%)providers that provided separate serving chopsticks and ladles.The main reason for providing separate serving chopsticks and ladles is for improving high quality of catering service.Binary Logistic analysis showed that catering service providers with large scale restaurant(large:OR=2.08,95%CI:2.03-2.12;medium:OR=1.99,95%CI:1.96-2.02),good quantitative level of food safety(OR=1.84,95%CI:1.83-1.85),named Shanghai Green Restaurant(OR=1.11,95%CI:1.09-1.12),known as time-honored brand(OR=1.20,95%CI:1.17-1.22),regularly acceptance of law enforcement inspections(OR=6.99,95%CI:6.91-7.07),knowledge of relevant regulation(OR=5.77,95%CI:5.70-5.85)and more channels for understanding standards(OR=1.23,95%CI:1.21-1.25)were more likely to provide separate serving chopsticks and ladles.The situation that strictly follow the fully standard requirements of separate serving chopsticks and ladles to provide 8 types of catering conducts was unsatisfactory(14.1%).Logistic analysis showed that catering service providers with large scale restaurant(extra large:OR=6.42,95%CI:2.52-16.33;large:OR=4.29,95%CI:2.24-8.21;medium:OR=3.21,95%CI:1.76-5.87)and the provision of separate serving chopsticks and ladles for more than 3 years(OR=3.1,95%CI:1.09-9.02)had a higher percentage of providing separate serving chopsticks and ladles in accordance with specification.Conclusion The overall provision of separate serving chopsticks and ladles by catering service providers in Shanghai is satisfactory.The scale of restaurant,quantitative level of food safety and named Shanghai Green Restaurant are possible main factors for providing separate serving chopsticks and ladles of catering service providers.However,the implementation is not good according to the standardization.The different scale of restaurant and the time of the provision of separate chopsticks and ladles are possible factors for providing separate serving chopsticks and ladles in accordance with specification.