Addressing the challenge of traditional physical/semi physical simulation methods being difficult to achieve full process and full element simulation of extravehicular activities,virtual reality technology is utilized to break through the limitations of physical environments and establish a virtual reality simulation system for extravehicular activities.Based on the application characteristics of space station extravehicular activity engineering,with the goal of improving system practicality and usability,integrating the visual immersion of virtual images,the ontology of real operation,and the consistency of virtual and real space perception,a three-dimensional scene simulation,multi-mode joystick interaction paradigm,continuous operation actions simulation of extravehicular operations,and interactive operation virtual/real space consistency method that were proposed and designed for the realistic visual perception and extravehicular operation.The system has been successfully applied to astronaut training,program validation,joint exercise,and flight control support for sixteen extravehicular activities from SZ-12 to SZ-18.The results showed that the complete reproduction of the static/dynamic realistic comprehensive scene was achieved on the ground for the human-machine operation in the entire process of extravehicular activity,and the system is an essential and important means of ground simulation for extravehicular activity.

Aim To investigate the effects of rutae-carpine(RUT)on lung inflammation in septic mice and the underlying mechanisms.Methods The sepsis mouse model was generated by intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)at 5 mg·kg-1.The mice were randomly divided into the Control group,Model group,Low-dose,Medium-dose,High-dose RUT(5,10,20 mg·kg-1)treatment group and dexamethasone(DEX,2 mg·kg-1),with 10 mice in each group.The mice were intraperitoneally injected with RUT 30 min before LPS injection.HE staining was used to observe the morphology of lung tissues,and activity of my-eloperoxidase was determined to assess the neutrophil infiltration.Wet/dry weight ratio and Evan's blue ex-travasation of lung tissues were examined to assess lung edema.Survival analysis was performed to determine the in vivo protective effects of RUT.ELISA and quan-titative RT-PCR analysis were employed to determine the contents and gene expression of pro-inflammatory mediators,including tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-1 β(IL-1 β),IL-6,and IL-18 in lung tis-sues.Western blot was used to detect the protein levels of p38 MAPK,NF-κB,Caspase-1,NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3)and IL-18.Results RUT at 10-20 mg·kg-1 could dose-de-pendently inhibit leukocyte infiltration,reduce pro-in-flammatory mediator production,vascular permeability and wet/dry weight ratio in lungs,similar to the effects induced by DEX.The mice treated with RUT exhibited increased survival,down-regulated expressions of p-p38 MAPK,p-NF-κB,Caspase-1,NLRP3,and IL-18 pro-teins in lungs,with decreased IL-18 mRNA level.Conclusions RUT exhibits protective effects on sep-sis-induced lung injury,manifested by reduced inflam-mation and edema,potentially via inhibition of p38 MAPK signaling pathway and inflammasome formation.

Hypertrophic scar is a fibrous hyperplastic disorder that arises from skin injuries. The current therapeutic modalities are constrained by the dense and rigid scar tissue which impedes effective drug delivery. Additionally, insufficient autophagic activity in fibroblasts hinders their apoptosis, leading to excessive matrix deposition. Here, we developed an active microneedle (MN) system to overcome these challenges by integrating micromotor-driven drug delivery with autophagy regulation to remodel the scar microenvironment. Specifically, sodium bicarbonate and citric acid were introduced into the MNs as a built-in engine to generate CO₂ bubbles, thereby enabling enhanced lateral and vertical drug diffusion into dense scar tissue. The system concurrently encapsulated curcumin (Cur), an autophagy activator, and triamcinolone acetonide (TA), synergistically inducing fibroblast apoptosis by upregulating autophagic activity. In vitro studies demonstrated that active MNs achieved efficient drug penetration within isolated scar tissue. The rabbit hypertrophic scar model revealed that TA-Cur MNs significantly reduced the scar elevation index, suppressed collagen I and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) expression, and elevated LC3 protein levels. These findings highlight the potential of the active MN system as an efficacious platform for autonomous augmented drug delivery and autophagy-targeted therapy in fibrotic disorder treatments.

The continuous emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants as well as other potential future coronavirus has challenged the effectiveness of current COVID-19 vaccines. Therefore, there remains a need for alternative antivirals that target processes less susceptible to mutations, such as the formation of six-helix bundle (6-HB) during the viral fusion step of host cell entry. In this study, a novel high-throughput screening (HTS) assay employing a yeast-two-hybrid (Y2H) system was established to identify inhibitors of HR1/HR2 interaction. The compound IMB-9C, which achieved single-digit micromolar inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 and its Omicron variants with low cytotoxicity, was selected. IMB-9C effectively blocks the HR1/HR2 interaction in vitro and inhibits SARS-CoV-2-S-mediated cell-cell fusion. It binds to both HR1 and HR2 through non-covalent interaction and influences the secondary structure of HR1/HR2 complex. In addition, virtual docking and site-mutagenesis results suggest that amino acid residues A930, I931, K933, T941, and L945 are critical for IMB-9C binding to HR1. Collectively, in this study, we have developed a novel screening method for HR1/HR2 interaction inhibitors and identified IMB-9C as a potential antiviral small molecule against COVID-19 and its variants.

AIM:To investigate the role of BRCA2 and CDKN1A interacting protein(BCCIP)in gastric can-cer(GC)and elucidate its mechanism in mediating cisplatin resistance.METHODS:The BCCIP mRNA expression was assessed in GC tissues(n=415)and normal tissues(n=34)using The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)database.In an in-ternal cohort(n=36 for RT-qPCR;n=5 for Western blot;n=30 for immunohistochemistry),BCCIP expression at both mRNA and protein levels was examined in GC tissues and paired adjacent normal tissues.Human GC cell lines AGS and HGC27 were cultured in vitro and treated with cisplatin in a dose(0,2,4,6,8 and 10 μmol/L)-and time(0,6,24 and 48 h)-dependent manner,followed by Western blot analysis of BCCIP expression.Stable BCCIP knockdown cell lines(shRNA#1 and shRNA#2 groups)were generated via lentiviral transfection,with empty vector-transfected cells serving as controls(vector group).Flow cytometry and colony formation assay were performed to evaluate the effects of BCCIP on apoptosis and colony-forming ability of GC cells treated with cisplatin.Western blot was utilized to detect the changes of BCCIP protein expression levels in the cytoplasm and nucleus of GC cells after cisplatin(2.5 and 1.0 μmol/L)treatment,as well as the effects of BCCIP on the expression of DNA damage marker γ-H2AX and apoptosis-related proteins cleaved caspase-9 and cleaved caspase-3,and the activation of checkpoint kinase 1(CHK1)after cisplatin(2.5 and 1.0 μmol/L)treatment.Immunofluorescence was conducted to observe the effect of BCCIP on γ-H2AX expression in GC cells treated with cisplatin(2.5 and 1.0 μmol/L).RESULTS:The BCCIP expression was significantly up-regulated in GC tissues compared with normal tissues(P<0.01).Cisplatin induced up-regulation of BCCIP expression in a dose-and time-depen-dent manner.Knockdown of BCCIP significantly enhanced cisplatin-induced apoptosis(P<0.01)and reduced colony-forming ability(P<0.05)of GC cells.Knockdown of BCCIP promoted the expression of γ-H2AX,but inhibited the activa-tion of CHK1 after cisplatin treatment,with increased protein levels of cleaved caspase-9 and cleaved caspase-3(P<0.01).CONCLUSION:Cisplatin promotes the expression of BCCIP in GC cells.BCCIP confers cisplatin resistance in GC cells by suppressing apoptosis through modulation of DNA damage response pathways.

AIM:To investigate the role of BRCA2 and CDKN1A interacting protein(BCCIP)in gastric can-cer(GC)and elucidate its mechanism in mediating cisplatin resistance.METHODS:The BCCIP mRNA expression was assessed in GC tissues(n=415)and normal tissues(n=34)using The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)database.In an in-ternal cohort(n=36 for RT-qPCR;n=5 for Western blot;n=30 for immunohistochemistry),BCCIP expression at both mRNA and protein levels was examined in GC tissues and paired adjacent normal tissues.Human GC cell lines AGS and HGC27 were cultured in vitro and treated with cisplatin in a dose(0,2,4,6,8 and 10 μmol/L)-and time(0,6,24 and 48 h)-dependent manner,followed by Western blot analysis of BCCIP expression.Stable BCCIP knockdown cell lines(shRNA#1 and shRNA#2 groups)were generated via lentiviral transfection,with empty vector-transfected cells serving as controls(vector group).Flow cytometry and colony formation assay were performed to evaluate the effects of BCCIP on apoptosis and colony-forming ability of GC cells treated with cisplatin.Western blot was utilized to detect the changes of BCCIP protein expression levels in the cytoplasm and nucleus of GC cells after cisplatin(2.5 and 1.0 μmol/L)treatment,as well as the effects of BCCIP on the expression of DNA damage marker γ-H2AX and apoptosis-related proteins cleaved caspase-9 and cleaved caspase-3,and the activation of checkpoint kinase 1(CHK1)after cisplatin(2.5 and 1.0 μmol/L)treatment.Immunofluorescence was conducted to observe the effect of BCCIP on γ-H2AX expression in GC cells treated with cisplatin(2.5 and 1.0 μmol/L).RESULTS:The BCCIP expression was significantly up-regulated in GC tissues compared with normal tissues(P<0.01).Cisplatin induced up-regulation of BCCIP expression in a dose-and time-depen-dent manner.Knockdown of BCCIP significantly enhanced cisplatin-induced apoptosis(P<0.01)and reduced colony-forming ability(P<0.05)of GC cells.Knockdown of BCCIP promoted the expression of γ-H2AX,but inhibited the activa-tion of CHK1 after cisplatin treatment,with increased protein levels of cleaved caspase-9 and cleaved caspase-3(P<0.01).CONCLUSION:Cisplatin promotes the expression of BCCIP in GC cells.BCCIP confers cisplatin resistance in GC cells by suppressing apoptosis through modulation of DNA damage response pathways.

Aim To investigate the effects of rutae-carpine(RUT)on lung inflammation in septic mice and the underlying mechanisms.Methods The sepsis mouse model was generated by intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)at 5 mg·kg-1.The mice were randomly divided into the Control group,Model group,Low-dose,Medium-dose,High-dose RUT(5,10,20 mg·kg-1)treatment group and dexamethasone(DEX,2 mg·kg-1),with 10 mice in each group.The mice were intraperitoneally injected with RUT 30 min before LPS injection.HE staining was used to observe the morphology of lung tissues,and activity of my-eloperoxidase was determined to assess the neutrophil infiltration.Wet/dry weight ratio and Evan's blue ex-travasation of lung tissues were examined to assess lung edema.Survival analysis was performed to determine the in vivo protective effects of RUT.ELISA and quan-titative RT-PCR analysis were employed to determine the contents and gene expression of pro-inflammatory mediators,including tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-1 β(IL-1 β),IL-6,and IL-18 in lung tis-sues.Western blot was used to detect the protein levels of p38 MAPK,NF-κB,Caspase-1,NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3)and IL-18.Results RUT at 10-20 mg·kg-1 could dose-de-pendently inhibit leukocyte infiltration,reduce pro-in-flammatory mediator production,vascular permeability and wet/dry weight ratio in lungs,similar to the effects induced by DEX.The mice treated with RUT exhibited increased survival,down-regulated expressions of p-p38 MAPK,p-NF-κB,Caspase-1,NLRP3,and IL-18 pro-teins in lungs,with decreased IL-18 mRNA level.Conclusions RUT exhibits protective effects on sep-sis-induced lung injury,manifested by reduced inflam-mation and edema,potentially via inhibition of p38 MAPK signaling pathway and inflammasome formation.

Objective:To assess the efficiency and safety of combining lenvatinib with DEB-TACE for the treatment of unresectable large hepatocellular carcinoma,accompanied by PVTT,in order to provide insights into its potential as a therapeutic approach.Method:Patients with hepa-tocellular carcinoma and portal vein tumor thrombus,who were diagnosed and treated at Linyi Can-cer Hospital between June 2019 and June 2021,were chosen as the subjects of this study.Patient allocation into the experimental group(23 cases)and control group(27 cases)was based on indi-vidual preferences,ensuring a random distribution of participants.The DEB-TACE treatment was administered to the control group,while the experimental group received a combination of DEB-TACE and lenvatinib.The effectiveness of lenvatinib was assessed in the immediate post-surgery period,the patients'survival was monitored,and any associated side effects were documented.Result:3 months after treatment,the objective remission rates of the experimental group and the control group were 91.31％and 66.67％,and the disease control rates were 100％and 77.78％.The difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).3 months after treatment,the regression rates of tumor thrombus in the experimental group and the control group were 60.87％and 29.63％,the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).The progression free survival time of the experi-mental group and the control group was 11 months and 8 months,the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05);The median survival time of the experimental group and the control group was 20 months and 14 months,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).The main ad-verse reactions of the experimental group were hypertension,diarrhea,hand foot syndrome,rash,fatigue,loss of appetite,etc.,all of which were less than or equal to grade 3,and could be basically relieved after symptomatic treatment.Conclusion:The combination of DEB-TACE and lenvatinib is proven to be a safe and well-tolerated treatment for unresectable large hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus.This therapy not only effectively controls tumor progression but also prolongs survival time.

Aim To screen and study the effects of Tao Hong Si Wu decoction(THSWD)-mediated treat-ment on circular RNA(circRNA)expression profiles in rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO),and investigate the possible roles and molecular mecha-nisms of THSWD.Methods Next-generation RNA sequencing was conducted to identify circRNA expres-sion profiles in MCAO rats after treatment with THSWD and compared with the MCAO model group and control group.Bioinformatics analysis was performed to predict the potential target microRNAs and mRNAs.Gene On-tology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway analyses for the potential target mRNAs were applied to explore the potential roles of differentially expressed circRNAs.RT-qPCR was performed to verify circRNAs with significant differences in expression.Results We identified 87 significantly differentially expressed circRNAs between the MCAO group versus the control group,and 86 sig-nificantly differentially expressed circRNAs between the MCAO group versus the THSWD group.respective-ly.Among them,17 circRNAs induced by the MCAO model were reversed via treatment with THSWD.To demonstrate the roles of mRNAs targeted by DECs,the GO and KEGG databases were used.Further analysis revealed that five circRNAs may play important roles in the development of MCAO.Conclusions The com-prehensive expression profile of circRNAs in rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion after THSWD treat-ment is determined for the first time,suggesting that the therapeutic effect of THSWD on MCAO may be a-chieved by regulating the expression of circRNAs.