BACKGROUND:The traditional surgical treatment for stromal corneal dystrophy is penetrating keratoplasty.In recent years,more and more doctors are considering using deep lamellar keratoplasty to treat stromal corneal dystrophy.Few studies comparing penetrating keratoplasty and deep lamellar keratoplasty for stromal corneal dystrophy have been reported in China. OBJECTIVE:To compare the clinical efficacy of deep lamellar keratoplasty and penetrating keratoplasty in the treatment of stromal corneal dystrophy. METHODS:Fifty-seven patients(57 eyes)diagnosed with stromal corneal dystrophy and admitted at the General Hospital of Northern Theater Command from January 2000 to January 2018 were selected,including 18 males and 39 females,aged(52.9±20.0)years.They were divided into two groups based on the surgical procedure:21 cases(21 eyes)in the deep lamellar keratoplasty group and 36 cases(36 eyes)in the penetrating keratoplasty group.A 12-month follow-up was conducted to observe the best-corrected visual acuity,corneal endothelial cell density,corneal grafttransparency,intraoperative and postoperative complications,and recurrence of the original disease. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Visual acuity at 1,3,6,and 12 months postoperatively was higher than preoperatively in both groups(P<0.05).The postoperative best-corrected visual acuity between the two groups showed no significant difference(P>0.05).With the prolongation of postoperative time,the corneal endothelial cell density gradually decreased in the two groups,and the annual loss rate of corneal endothelial cell density in the penetrating keratoplasty group was higher than that of the deep lamellar keratoplasty group at 6 and 12 months postoperatively(P<0.05),while there was no significant difference in corneal grafttransparency between the two groups at 12 months postoperatively(P>0.05).There were six cases of complications in the deep lamellar keratoplasty group and 14 cases of complications in the penetrating keratoplasty group.There was no recurrence in 57 cases within 12 months after surgery,and the difference in recurrence rates between the two groups at 5 years after surgery was not significant(P>0.05).The graftsurvival rates at 5 years after surgery in the penetrating keratoplasty group and the deep lamellar keratoplasty group were 83%and 86%,respectively,and there was no significant difference between the two groups(P>0.05).To conclude,deep lamellar keratoplasty could be considered as an alternative to penetrating keratoplasty in the treatment of stromal corneal dystrophy.

Insufficient alveolar bone thickness increases the risk of periodontal dehiscence and fenestration, especially in orthodontic tooth movement. Abaloparatide (ABL), a synthetic analog of human PTHrP (1-34) and a clinical medication for treating osteoporosis, has recently demonstrated its potential in enhancing craniofacial bone formation. Herein, we show that intraoral submucosal injection of ABL, when combined with mechanical force, promotes in situ alveolar bone thickening. The newly formed bone is primarily located outside the original compact bone, implying its origin from the periosteum. RNA sequencing of the alveolar bone tissue revealed that the focal adhesion (FA) pathway potentially mediates this bioprocess. Local injection of ABL alone enhances cell proliferation, collagen synthesis, and phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in the alveolar periosteum; when ABL is combined with mechanical force, the FAK expression is upregulated, in line with the accomplishment of the ossification. In vitro, ABL enhances proliferation, migration, and FAK phosphorylation in periosteal stem cells. Furthermore, the pro-osteogenic effects of ABL on alveolar bone are entirely blocked when FAK activity is inhibited by a specific inhibitor. In summary, abaloparatide combined with mechanical force promotes alveolar bone formation via FAK-mediated periosteal osteogenesis. Thus, we have introduced a promising therapeutic approach for drug-induced in situ alveolar bone augmentation, which may prevent or repair the detrimental periodontal dehiscence, holding significant potential in dentistry.
Osteogenesis/drug effects* ; Periosteum/cytology* ; Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein/administration & dosage* ; Animals ; Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/metabolism* ; Alveolar Process/drug effects* ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Phosphorylation ; Rats ; Male ; Humans ; Focal Adhesion Kinase 1/metabolism* ; Cell Movement/drug effects*

Therapeutic resistance in cancer is responsible for numerous cancer deaths in clinical practice. While target mutations are well recognized as the basis of genetic resistance to targeted therapy, nontarget mutation resistance (or nongenetic resistance) remains poorly characterized. Despite its complex and unintegrated mechanisms in the literature, nongenetic resistance is considered from our perspective to be a collective response of innate or acquired resistant subpopulations in heterogeneous tumors to therapy. These subpopulations, e.g., cancer stem-like cells, cancer cells with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and drug-tolerant persisters, are protected by their resistance traits at cellular and molecular levels. This review summarizes recent advances in the research on resistant populations and their resistance traits. NOTCH signaling, as a central regulator of nongenetic resistance, is discussed with a special focus on its canonical maintenance of resistant cancer cells and noncanonical regulation of their resistance traits. This novel view of canonical and noncanonical NOTCH signaling pathways is translated into our proposal of reshaping therapeutic strategies targeting NOTCH signaling in resistant cancer cells. We hope that this review will lead researchers to study the canonical and noncanonical arms of NOTCH signaling as an integrated resistant mechanism, thus promoting the development of innovative therapeutic strategies.
Neoplasms/metabolism* ; Receptors, Notch/metabolism* ; Disease Resistance/physiology* ; Signal Transduction/physiology* ; Humans ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/physiology* ; Molecular Targeted Therapy/methods*

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a naturally occurring, low-toxicity, and hydrophilic bile acid (BA) in the human body that is converted by intestinal flora using primary BA. Solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) functions to uptake extracellular cystine in exchange for glutamate, and is highly expressed in a variety of human cancers. Retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RLPS) refers to liposarcoma originating from the retroperitoneal area. Lipidomics analysis revealed that UDCA was one of the most significantly downregulated metabolites in sera of RLPS patients compared with healthy subjects. The augmentation of UDCA concentration (≥25 μg/mL) demonstrated a suppressive effect on the proliferation of liposarcoma cells. [¹⁵N₂]-cystine and [¹³C₅]-glutamine isotope tracing revealed that UDCA impairs cystine uptake and glutathione (GSH) synthesis. Mechanistically, UDCA binds to the cystine transporter SLC7A11 to inhibit cystine uptake and impair GSH de novo synthesis, leading to reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and mitochondrial oxidative damage. Furthermore, UDCA can promote the anti-cancer effects of ferroptosis inducers (Erastin, RSL3), the murine double minute 2 (MDM2) inhibitors (Nutlin 3a, RG7112), cyclin dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) inhibitor (Abemaciclib), and glutaminase inhibitor (CB839). Together, UDCA functions as a cystine exchange factor that binds to SLC7A11 for antitumor activity, and SLC7A11 is not only a new transporter for BA but also a clinically applicable target for UDCA. More importantly, in combination with other antitumor chemotherapy or physiotherapy treatments, UDCA may provide effective and promising treatment strategies for RLPS or other types of tumors in a ROS-dependent manner.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to use 3D prin-ting technology based on the principle of stereo lithography apparatus (SLA) to shape dental lithium disilicate ceramics and study the effects of different slurry proportions on the microstructure and properties of heat-treated samples. METHODS: The experimental group comprised lithium disilicate ceramics manufactured through SLA 3D printing, and the control group comprised lithium disilicate ceramics (IPS e.max CAD) fabricated through commercial milling. An array of different particle sizes of lithium disilicate ceramic powder materials (nano and micron) was selected for mixing with photocurable acrylate resin. The proportion of experimental raw materials was adjusted to prepare five groups of ceramic slurries for 3D printing (Groups S1-S5) on the basis of rheological properties, stability, and other factors. Printing, debonding, and sintering were conducted on the experimental group with the optimal ratio, followed by measurements of microstructure, crystallographic information, shrinkage, and mechanical properties. RESULTS: Five groups of lithium disilicate ceramic slurries were prepared, of which two groups with high solid content (75%) (Groups S2 and S3) were selected for 3D printing. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy results showed that lithium disilicate was the main crystalline phase in Groups S2 and S3, and its microstructure was slender, uniform, and compact. The average grain sizes of Groups S2 and S3 were (559.79±84.58) nm and (388.26±61.49) nm, respectively (P<0.05). Energy spectroscopy revealed that the samples in the two groups contained a high proportion of Si and O elements. After heat treatment, the shrinkage rate of the two groups of ceramic samples was 18.00%-20.71%. Test results revealed no statistical difference in all mechanical properties between Groups S2 and S3 (P>0.05). The flexural strengths of Groups S2 and S3 were (231.79±21.71) MPa and (214.86±46.64) MPa, respectively, which were lower than that of the IPS e.max CAD group (P<0.05). The elasticity modulus of Groups S2 and S3 were (87.40±12.99) GPa and (92.87±19.76) GPa, respectively, which did not significantly differ from that of the IPS e.max CAD group (P>0.05). The Vickers hardness values of Groups S2 and S3 were (6.53±0.19) GPa and (6.25±0.12) GPa, respectively, which were higher than that of the IPS e.max CAD group (P<0.05). The fracture toughness values of Groups S2 and S3 were (1.57±0.28) MPa·m^0.5 and (1.38±0.17) MPa·m^0.5, respectively, which did not significantly differ from that of the IPS e.max CAD group (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS The combination of lithium disilicate ceramic powders with different particle sizes can yield a slurry with high solid content (75%) and suitable viscosity and stability. The dental lithium disilicate ceramic material is successfully prepared by using 3D printing technology. The 3D-printed samples show a small shrinkage rate after heat treatment. Their microstructure conforms to the crystal phase of lithium disilicate ceramics, and their mechanical properties are close to those of milled lithium disilicate ceramics.
Printing, Three-Dimensional ; Dental Porcelain/chemistry* ; Ceramics/chemistry* ; Materials Testing ; Particle Size

Iron is an essential element for living organisms that plays critical roles in the process of bacterial growth and metabolism. However, it remains to be elucidated whether piuB encoding iron-uptake factor is involved in iron uptake and pathogenicity of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. glycines (Xag). To investigate the function of piuB, we firstly generated a piuB deletion mutant (ΔpiuB) by homologous recombination. Compared with the wild-type, the piuB mutant exhibited significantly reduced growth and virulence in host soybean. The mutant displayed markedly increased siderophore secretory volume, and its sensitivity to Fe³⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺ and Mn²⁺ was significantly enhanced. Additionally, the H₂O₂ resistance, exopolysaccharide yield, biofilm formation, and cell mobility of ΔpiuB were significantly diminished compared to that of the wild-type. The addition of exogenous Fe³⁺ cannot effectively restore the above characteristics of ΔpiuB. However, expressing piuB in trans rescued the properties lost by ΔpiuB to the levels in the wild-type. Taken together, our results demonstrated that PiuB is a potential factor for Xag to assimilate Fe³⁺, and is necessary for Xag to be pathogenic in host soybean.
Iron ; Glycine max ; Virulence ; Xanthomonas axonopodis/genetics* ; Hydrogen Peroxide

Objective Network pharmacology was used to explore the mechanism of action of Yixin Jianpi prescription in the treatment of coronary heart disease and chronic heart failure.Methods With the help of traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology(TCMSP),traditional Chinese medicine integrated database(TCMID)and other databases combined with literature data to screen the active ingredient targets of Yixin Jianpi prescription,the human gene database(GeneCards),online mendelian inheritance in man(OMIM)and other databases were used to search for disease targets.The STRING platform combines Cytoscape software to construct a"component-target-disease"network diagram and protein interaction network.Gene ontology(GO)functionality and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway analysis using the DAVID database.The key components are taken and the target is molecularly docked with AutoDuck tools.Results 265 potential targets of Yixin Jianpi Prescription were obtained,and 106 of them were common targets of"homotherapy for heteropathy";The key active ingredients were quercetin,kaempferol,β-sitosterol,etc.and the core targets were SRC,AKT1,MAPK1,TP53,etc.Biological processes involve positive regulation of gene expression,negative regulation of apoptosis,signal transduction,etc.involving lipid and atherosclerosis,fluid shear stress,atherosclerosis and inflammatory response.Molecular docking verified the stable docking of key components quercetin and kaempferol with SRC,AKT1 and MAPK1 targets.Conclusion The study reveals the multi-component,multi-target,and multi-pathway mechanism of"homotherapy for heteropathy"of coronary heart disease and chronic heart failure by Yixin Jianpi prescription,and provides a basis for exploring its new clinical applications.

Objective: To investigate the effect of hirsutine combined with oxaliplatin on the antitumor activity of HGC-27 mice with gastric cancer. Methods: Gastric cancer HGC-27 tumor-bearing mice model was established. The successfully established tumor-bearing mice were randomly divided into normal control group, model group, oxaliplatin group(10 mg/kg), hirsutine group(10 mg/kg) and combination group(10 mg/kg hirsutine + oxaliplatin 10 mg/kg). The intervention lasted for 2 weeks. The tumor growth of mice in each group was recorded, and the tumor inhibition rate, thymus index and spleen index were calculated. The proportion of CD4+T cells and CD8+T cell subsets in peripheral blood was detected by flow cytometry, and the CD4+/CD8+ratio was calculated. ELISA was used to measure the serum levels of interleukin(IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes in tumor tissues. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of cleaved Caspase-3, Bcl-2 associated X protein(Bax), B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2)and tumor proliferation antigen(Ki67), proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA) in tumor tissues. Results: Compared with the control group, the spleen index, thymus index, CD4+T cell ratio and CD4+/CD8+ratio in peripheral blood of the model group decreased(P<0.05), while the proportion of CD8+T cells in peripheral blood and the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in serum increased(P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the tumor growth in oxaliplatin group, hirsutine group and combined group was significantly inhibited, the volume of tumor cells decreased, the heteromorphism was smaller, and the nucleosomes decreased less. The inhibitory rate, spleen index, thymus index, CD4+T cell ratio and CD4+/CD8+ratio in peripheral blood of the model group increased(P<0.05), the proportion of CD8+T cells in peripheral blood and the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in serum decreased(P<0.05), while the protein expression levels of Bcl-2, Ki67 and PCNA in tumor tissues decreased and the cleaved Caspase-3 and Bax levels increased(P<0.05). Among them, the combination group of rhynchophylline and oxaliplatin had the most obvious intervention effect. Conclusion Hirsutine can inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells in gastric cancer bearing mice and promote their apoptosis, and has a more significant effect when combined with oxaliplatin.

Chronic temporomandibular joint disorders(TMD)patients usually suffer from persistent pain and physical, behavioral, psychological, and social symptoms. Effective control and treatment method are needed to restore their jaw function and manage pain. With the concept of biosupplementation proposed, plasma matrix products have gradually become popular in articular disease treatment and have become one of the core method of regenerative therapy. This paper mainly introduces the application characteristics and action mechanism of injectable platelet-rich plasma fibrin. It analyzes several research reports on the effect of injectable platelet-rich fibrin on pain control, mouth opening improvement and joint morphology restoration in TMD patients. It proposes that differences exist in current clinical trials such as different centrifugation schemes for plasma matrix products, injection times, and disease classification selection, providing a reference for the research and application of injectable platelet-rich fibrin in the treatment of TMD.

Objective To monitor the susceptibility of clinical isolates to antimicrobial agents in tertiary hospitals in major regions of China in 2022.Methods Clinical isolates from 58 hospitals in China were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility using a unified protocol based on disc diffusion method or automated testing systems.Results were interpreted using the 2022 Clinical &Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI)breakpoints.Results A total of 318 013 clinical isolates were collected from January 1,2022 to December 31,2022,of which 29.5％were gram-positive and 70.5％were gram-negative.The prevalence of methicillin-resistant strains in Staphylococcus aureus,Staphylococcus epidermidis and other coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species(excluding Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Staphylococcus schleiferi)was 28.3％,76.7％and 77.9％,respectively.Overall,94.0％of MRSA strains were susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and 90.8％of MRSE strains were susceptible to rifampicin.No vancomycin-resistant strains were found.Enterococcus faecalis showed significantly lower resistance rates to most antimicrobial agents tested than Enterococcus faecium.A few vancomycin-resistant strains were identified in both E.faecalis and E.faecium.The prevalence of penicillin-susceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae was 94.2％in the isolates from children and 95.7％in the isolates from adults.The resistance rate to carbapenems was lower than 13.1％in most Enterobacterales species except for Klebsiella,21.7％-23.1％of which were resistant to carbapenems.Most Enterobacterales isolates were highly susceptible to tigecycline,colistin and polymyxin B,with resistance rates ranging from 0.1％to 13.3％.The prevalence of meropenem-resistant strains decreased from 23.5％in 2019 to 18.0％in 2022 in Pseudomonas aeruginosa,and decreased from 79.0％in 2019 to 72.5％in 2022 in Acinetobacter baumannii.Conclusions The resistance of clinical isolates to the commonly used antimicrobial agents is still increasing in tertiary hospitals.However,the prevalence of important carbapenem-resistant organisms such as carbapenem-resistant K.pneumoniae,P.aeruginosa,and A.baumannii showed a downward trend in recent years.This finding suggests that the strategy of combining antimicrobial resistance surveillance with multidisciplinary concerted action works well in curbing the spread of resistant bacteria.