Objective: To explore the longitudinal associations between dietary macronutrients and lung function in schoolaged children, so as to provide the nutritional research evidence for promoting children s lung health. Methods: In November 2021, two primary schools located in Chengdu, Sichuan Province were selected from the Southwest China Childhood Nutrition and Growth (SCCNG) cohort by a stratified cluster random sampling method, enrolling a total of 1 112 school aged children aged 8 to 13 years. At baseline, the dietary and sociodemographic characteristics of the children were assessed. One year later, the forced vital capacity (FVC) of the children was measured and converted into Z scores (FVC- Z ), while the vital capacity index (VCI) was also calculated. Generalized linear regression analysis was employed to examine the associations between dietary macronutrients and lung function, considering interactions with gender and age, followed by stratified analysis. Results: After adjusting for confounding factors, the analysis results of the generalized linear regression model showed that the carbohydrate energy ratio was negatively correlated with FVC- Z ( β =-0.02) and VCI ( β =-0.16), while the fat energy ratio showed a positive correlation with FVC- Z ( β =0.03) and VCI ( β =0.23) ( P <0.05). The protein energy ratio was positively correlated with FVC- Z ( β =0.09) and VCI ( β =0.60) specifically in girls ( P <0.05). Additionally, there was an interaction effect of age on the associations between macronutrients and lung function ( P <0.01); in children aged 8-9 and 10-11, the carbohydrate energy supply ratio was negatively correlated with FVC- Z ( β =-0.04, -0.03) and VCI ( β =-0.29, -0.21), and fat energy supply ratio was positively correlated with FVC- Z ( β =0.07, 0.05) and VCI ( β =0.46, 0.32) ( P <0.05). Conclusions There are age and sex differences in the association of dietary macronutrients with lung function, with a low carbohydrate, high fat diet promoting lung function in children. Additionally, protein intake appears to have a positive influence on the lung function of girls. The early school age period may represent a critical window for dietary interventions aimed at promoting lung health.

Objective: To investigate the effects of Erianin on cell proliferation and apoptosis in human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells, providing a research foundation for the clinical treatment of OSCC. Methods: Erianin was applied to OSCC cells (CAL27 and SCC9) at concentrations of 0, 2.5, 5, and 10 μmol/L. The inhibitory effect of Erianin on OSCC cell proliferation was evaluated using CCK-8 and soft agar colony formation assays. Western blotting (WB) was employed to analyze the expression levels of anti-apoptotic proteins B-cell lymphoma-extra large (Bcl-xL), B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1), and apoptotic protein cleaved-Caspase 3 (c-Caspase 3) in OSCC cells. Caspase 3 activity was further assessed using a caspase 3 activity detection kit to examine the pro-apoptotic effect of Erianin in OSCC cells. Mcl-1 overexpression was induced in CAL27 cells via plasmid transfection, and the influence of Mcl-1 on the effects of Erianin in CAL27 cells was analyzed by WB and caspase 3 activity measurement. All animal experiments were approved by the Ethics Committee of Hunan Cancer Hospital. A CAL27 xenograft mouse model was established and randomly divided into two groups (n = 5): the treatment group received intraperitoneal injection of Erianin (25 mg/kg), while the control group was injected with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) as the vehicle. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to detect the expression levels of Ki67 and Mcl-1 in the tumor tissues. Results: Erianin inhibited the proliferation of CAL27 and SCC9 cells in a dose-dependent manner and downregulated the protein expression of Mcl-1, with minimal effects on Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. Furthermore, Erianin induced apoptosis in OSCC cells, as evidenced by increased expression of c-Caspase 3 and enhanced caspase 3 activity (P<0.001). Overexpression of Mcl-1 inhibited the Erianin-induced increase in c-Caspase 3 protein levels and caspase 3 activity. In vivo results were consistent with the in vitro findings. After Erianin treatment, CAL27 cell growth in nude mice was suppressed (P<0.001), and the expression levels of the proliferation marker Ki67 and the anti-apoptotic protein Mcl-1 in the tumor tissues were downregulated (P<0.001). Conclusion Erianin exhibits potent anti-tumor effects, effectively inhibiting the proliferation of OSCC cells and inducing apoptosis. The underlying mechanism may involve the downregulation of the pro-survival protein Mcl-1.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of "olfactory three needles" on cognition, learning and memory abilities, as well as hippocampal microglia (MG) phagocytic activity in vascular dementia (VD) rats, and explore the mechanisms of acupuncture in regulating MG activation and improving remyelination, so as to ameliorate VD. METHODS: Among 38 SD rats meeting experimental requirements, 9 rats were randomly assigned to a sham-operation group, and the remaining rats underwent permanent bilateral common carotid artery ligation to establish VD model. Eighteen successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into a model group and an electroacupuncture (EA) group, with 9 rats in each one. In the EA group, EA was performed at "olfactory three needles" ("Yintang" [GV24⁺] and bilateral "Yingxiang" [LI20]), at disperse-dense wave, the frequency of 2 Hz/15 Hz and the current intensity of 1 mA, for 15 min per intervention, once daily. One course was composed of 7 days, and 2 courses were required, with the interval of 2 days. The novel object recognition test was employed to assess the cognition of rats, and the Morris water maze was adopted to observe learning and memory abilities. Luxol fast blue (LFB) staining was performed to evaluate myelin sheath loss in the hippocampus, the Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-2 (TREM2) and proteolipid protein (PLP) in the hippocampus; and the immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the positive expression of PLP, sex determining region Y-box 10 (SOX10), ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1)⁺ TREM2⁺ and Iba1⁺ lysosome-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP1)⁺ in the hippocampus. RESULTS: Compared with the sham-operation group, the rats in the model group exhibited the prolonged escape latency on day 3 and 4 (P<0.05, P<0.01), the increase of the total distance traveling (P<0.01) and the decrease of the recognition index (RI) and platform crossing frequency (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the rats in the EA group showed the shortened escape latency on day 3 and 4 (P<0.05), the decrease of total distance traveling (P<0.01) and the increase of RI and platform crossing frequency (P<0.05, P<0.01). When compared with the sham-operation group, the rats of the model group presented uneven staining, sparse arrangement of myelin sheath fibers, unclear contours, and prominent vacuole-like changes in the hippocampal CA1 region. When compared with the model group, the EA group showed more dense staining, the increase of myelin sheath fibers with more orderly alignment, and fewer vacuolar changes in the hippocampal CA1 region. Compared with the sham-operation group, the model group exhibited the increase of TREM2 protein expression and the decrease of PLP protein expression in the hippocampus (P<0.01), whereas the EA group showed the up-regulation of TREM2 and PLP protein expression when compared with the model group (P<0.01, P<0.05). The positive expression of the hippocampal PLP, SOX10, and Iba1⁺LAMP1⁺ in the model group was reduced in comparison with the sham-operation group (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the positive expression of Iba1⁺ TREM2⁺ was elevated (P<0.05). In the EA group, the positive expression of PLP, SOX10, Iba1⁺TREM2⁺, and Iba1⁺ LAMP1⁺ was higher compared with that in the model group (P<0.05, P<0.01). CONCLUSION "Olfactory three needles" can improve the learning and memory, and cognitive functions of VD rats, and its mechanism may be associated with the up-regulation of TREM2 and LAMP1 to adjust MG phagocytic activity and intracellular degradation, and promote remyelination.
Animals ; Dementia, Vascular/metabolism* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Microglia/metabolism* ; Male ; Acupuncture Therapy/instrumentation* ; Acupuncture Points ; Humans ; Remyelination ; Memory ; Hippocampus/cytology* ; Cognition ; Electroacupuncture ; Needles

Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) have become prominent global health threats, escalating the burden on public health systems. The increasing occurrence of invasive fungal infections is due primarily to the extensive application of chemotherapy, immunosuppressive therapies, and broad-spectrum antifungal agents. At present, therapeutic practices utilize multiple categories of antifungal agents, such as azoles, polyenes, echinocandins, and pyrimidine analogs. Nevertheless, the clinical effectiveness of these treatments is progressively weakened by the emergence of drug resistance, thereby substantially restricting their therapeutic utility. Consequently, there is an imperative need to expedite the discovery of novel antifungal agents. This review seeks to present an exhaustive synthesis of novel antifungal drugs and candidate agents that are either under current clinical investigation or anticipated to progress into clinical evaluation. These emerging compounds exhibit unique benefits concerning their modes of action, antimicrobial spectra, and pharmacokinetic characteristics, potentially leading to improved therapeutic outcomes relative to conventional antifungal regimens. It is anticipated that these novel therapeutic agents will furnish innovative treatment modalities and enhance clinical outcomes in managing invasive fungal infections.

Abstract Ring finger protein 183(RNF183) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that catalyzes the covalent attachment of ubiquitin molecules to substrate proteins. RNF183 is expressed in tissues such as kidney and testis, and it is mainly localized to the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, and lysosomes in cells. As one of the components of the endoplasmic reticulum membrane, it participates in the endoplasmic reticulum stress-responsive pathway that affects cellular and protein ubiquitination. In recent years, the study of E3 ubiquitin ligase member-RNF183 with various diseases such as colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer and bladder cancer has gradually increased. In this review, the role of RNF183 in colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease and other diseases, as well as biological functions such as endoplasmic reticulum stress are summarized, aiming to provide reference ideas for the study of related diseases.

Objective:To investigate the role and possible mechanism of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1(TREM-1)in the inflammatory response of rat vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs)mediated by trimethylamine N-oxide(TMAO).Methods:VSMCs were treated with TMAO at different concentrations(0,100,300,600,900,1 200,1 500 μmol/L)for 24 hours.VSMCs were transfected with the siRNA interference plasmid targeting the TREM-1 gene(si-TREM-1)and its negative control interference plas-mid(si-NC),and 600 μmol/L TMAO was used to induce inflammatory response in VSMCs,combined with the intervention with the nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB)activator phorbol myristate acetate(PMA)for 24 hours.CCK-8 assay was used to measure cell prolif-erative activity;ELISA was used to measure the levels of interleu-kin-1β(IL-1β),interleukin-6(IL-6),and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)in cell supernatant;qRT-PCR was used to measure the mRNA expression levels of TREM-1,cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2),intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1),IL-1β,IL-6,and TNF-α in cells,and Western blot was used to measure the protein expression levels of TREM-1,COX-2,ICAM-1,NF-κB p65,and p-NF-κB p65(Ser536)in cells.Results:Treatment with TMAO at different concentrations had no significant impact on the prolifera-tive activity of VSMCs(P=0.375),but it significantly upregulated the levels of IL-1β,IL-6,and TNF-α in supernatant and the mRNA and protein expression levels of TREM-1,COX-2,and ICAM-1 in cells(all P<0.01)in a concentration-dependent manner.Silencing of the TREM-1 gene significantly inhibited the increases in the levels of IL-1β,IL-6,and TNF-α in the supernatant of VSMCs in-duced by TMAO,and it also suppressed the upregulation of the mRNA expression levels of COX-2,ICAM-1,IL-1β,IL-6,and TNF-α and the ratio of p-NF-kB p65/NF-kB p65 in VSMCs(all P<0.01).However,PMA intervention significantly reversed the role of si-lencing the TREM-1 gene on TMAO-induced inflammatory response in VSMCs.Conclusion:Silencing of the TREM-1 gene can in-hibit TMAO-induced inflammatory response in VSMCs,possibly by inhibiting the activation of the NF-κB pathway.

Objective To investigate the relationship between serum histone deacetylase 3(HDAC3),solu-ble programmed death molecule-1(sPD-1)and Omentin-1 levels with periodontal indexes and prognosis after combined periodontal-orthodontic treatment in patients with periodontitis.Methods A total of 102 patients with periodontitis who were treated in a hospital from September 2018 to May 2020 were selected as the study group.Another 95 healthy subjects who underwent periodontal examination in the same period were selected as the control group.After 6 months of combined periodontal-orthodontic treatment,the patients were divided into poor prognosis group(n=39)and good prognosis group(n=63)according to the results of review.Ser-um levels of HDAC3,sPD-1 and Omentin-1 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The corre-lation between serum HDAC3,sPD-1,Omentin-1 and periodontal indexes in patients with periodontitis was analyzed by Pearson method.The prognostic value of serum HDAC3,sPD-1 and Omentin-1 in patients with periodontitis after treatment was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results The ser-um levels of sPD-1,sulcus bleeding index(SBI),plaque index(PLI),loss of attachment(AL)and periodontal probing depth(PD)in the study group were significantly higher than those in the control group,while the ser-um levels of HDAC3 and Omentin-1 were significantly lower than those in the control group,with statistical significance(P＜0.05).Serum sPD-1 levels were positively correlated with periodontal indicators SBI,PLI,AL and PD,while serum HDAC3 and Omentin-1 levels were negatively correlated with periodontal indicators SBI,PLI,AL and PD(P＜0.05).Before treatment,PD,PLI,alveolar bone height and serum sPD-1 level in the poor prognosis group were significantly higher than those in the good prognosis group,while serum HDAC3 and Omentin-1 levels were significantly lower than those in the good prognosis group,with statistical signifi-cance(P＜0.05).ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve(AUC)predicted the prognosis of periodontitis patients after treatment by the combination of serum HDAC3,sPD-1 and Omentin-1 was better than the AUC predicted by serum HDAC3,SPD-1 and Omentin-1 alone(Z three combination-HDAC3=2.754,Z three combination-sPD-1=3.415,Z three combination-Omentin-1=3.355,P=0.006,0.001,0.001).Conclusion The serum level of sPD-1 in patients with periodontitis is significantly increased,and the serum levels of HDAC3 and Omentin-1 are significantly decreased,which are closely related to periodontal indexes.The combination of the three has a good predictive value for the prognosis of patients with periodontitis after treatment.

Objective:A mineralized gelatin methacryloyl/hyaluronic acid methacryloyl (GelMA/HAMA) double network hydrogel was constructed, its performance was characterized, and its cell compatibility was studied.Methods:The hydrogel was constructed by photocrosslinking technology, and the biomimetic mineralized hydrogel was prepared by alternating mineralization with calcium and phosphorus solution. The hydrogel was mineralized for three times, for 24 h each time. The control groups were the non-mineralized groups, named the GelMA-0 group and GelMA/HAMA-0 group, respectively. The experimental groups were the mineralized treatment groups. The GelMA hydrogel and GelMA/HAMA double network hydrogel mineralized for 1, 2 and 3 times were named the GelMA-1, 2 and 3 group and GelMA/HAMA-1, 2 and 3 group, respectively. The microstructure of the mineralized hydrogel was characterized by scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The chemical composition of the mineralized hydrogel was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The mineralization rate of the mineralized hydrogel was evaluated by the ashing method. The compressive strength of the mineralized hydrogel was evaluated by a compression test. The cell compatibility of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on the mineralized hydrogel surface was evaluated by a cell counting kit-8 assay and living/dead cell staining experiment. The datas were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance and Tukey test.Results:With the increase in the number of mineralization cycles, the mineralized layer gradually thickened, and the mineral layer on the cross section of the hydrogel uniformly penetrated into the interior of the hydrogel, with the amount of internal mineral deposition increased. The microstructure of the hydrogel and the distribution of inorganic particles also changed. The surface of the GelMA-3 group and the GelMA/HAMA-3 group contained Ca and P elements, and the distribution was consistent. The inorganic particles generated by mineralization may be immature hydroxyapatite (HAP) crystal precursors. To further verify the chemical composition of inorganic particles, the GelMA-0 and 3 groups as well as the GelMA/HAMA-0 and 3 groups of hydrogels showed GelMA amide Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ bands. The GelMA-3 group and GelMA/HAMA-3 group hydrogels contained phosphate, and the diffraction peaks confirmed that the inorganic particles are mainly HAP crystal precursors with low crystallinity. The mineralization rates of the GelMA-1, 2 and 3 groups were (12.48±1.06)%, (21.12±0.62)% and (27.31±0.45)%, while those of the GelMA/HAMA-1, 2 and 3 groups were (15.54±1.03)%, (23.39±0.25)% and (32.26±0.62)%, and the compressive elastic modulus of the GelMA-0, 1, 2 and 3 groups were (69.01±1.04, 91.76±2.05, 105.16±2.95, 131.65±2.21) kPa, and those of the GelMA/HAMA-0, 1, 2 and 3 groups were (270.76±4.56, 347.47±4.60, 388.98±6.96, 430.6±15.47) kPa. Under the same cyclic mineralization times, the mineralization rates and compressive elastic modulus of the GelMA/HAMA double network hydrogel were significantly higher than those of the GelMA hydrogel (all P<0.01). The cell proliferation rates of BMSCs on the GelMA/HAMA-0, 1, 2 and 3 hydrogel surfaces were (49.80±3.38)%, (52.32±1.28)%, (58.00±4.64)% and (62.46±2.74)% on the first day of culture, (58.86±3.36)%, (58.26±3.45)%, (73.08±2.61)% and (76.40±3.45)% on the third day of culture, and (85.89±4.23)%, (90.75±3.21)%, (103.35±4.11)% and (113.42±3.40)% on the fifth day of culture. The cell proliferation rates of the GelMA/HAMA-3 group were significantly higher than those of GelMA/HAMA-0 and 1 groups (all P<0.01). Living/dead cell staining experiment showed that BMSCs on the surface of the GelMA/HAMA-0, 1, 2 and 3 groups were dominated by living cells on the third and fifth days of culture. Conclusions:The mineralized GelMA/HAMA double network hydrogel was constructed, which significantly improved the mineralization rate, mechanical performance and cell compatibility of the biomimetic mineralized hydrogel.

In vivo, cells exist within the mechanical microenvironment of the extracellular matrix (ECM), and their biological processes are regulated by various mechanical factors. However, existing technology limits the direct study of the interaction between cells and ECM in vivo. Using hydrogel to mimic the natural ECM and to construct a suitable mechanical microenvironment for isolated cells, which indirectly reflects the cell-ECM interactions in real organisms through in vitro studies. Thus, in this review, the effects of mechanical factors in hydrogel on different types of cells were summarized, and the development of cell mechanical detection technology using hydrogel as carriers was introduced. Moreover, the future work of using hydrogel to study cell mechanical behavior and related detection technology, as well as standardized preparation, was discussed.

Dynamic hydrogel is three-dimensional networks of hydrophilic polymer formed by dynamic reversible cross-linked bonds. It is widely used in the field of bone repair therapy. The dynamic reversible cross-linked bonds in the dynamic hydrogel endows it with shear-thinning rheological properties, resulting in excellent self-healing, injectability and tunable mechanical properties. In this review, the formation mechanism of dynamic hydrogel was summarized, including non-covalent interaction and dynamic covalent interaction. The advantages and disadvantages of the various cross-linked methods used to form dynamic hydrogel were discussed. The applications of dynamic hydrogel in bone repair therapy were summarized, including haemostasis for filling bone defects, drug delivery, modulation of stem cell behavior, and biomimetic mineralization, to provide a reference for the future development of dynamic hydrogel for bone repair therapy.