AIM:To investigate the protective effect and mechanism of zinc ions on lung ischemia/reperfusion injury(LIRI)in rats.METHODS:SPF SD rats aged 6～8 weeks were divided randomly into 4 groups:control(control)group,ischemia/reperfusion(I/R)group,zinc chloride(ZnCl2)+I/R group,and PI3K inhibitor(LY294002)+ZnCl2+I/R group.Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS)was used to measure the concentration of zinc ions in lung tissues,while the degree of lung tissue injury was assessed by HE staining,the alveolar damage index,and the lung wet/dry weight ratio.qPCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of solute carrier family 39 member 8(SLC39A8/ZIP8),with the TUNEL assay used to determine the level of apoptosis in lung tissue.The phosphorylation levels of caspase3,PI3K,AKT,GSK-3β,ZIP8,and solute carrier family 30 member 9(SLC30A9/ZNT9)were detected by Western blot,while the mitochondrial membrane potential was measured by the mitochondrial extraction kit and JC-1 mitochondrial mem-brane potential detection kit.RESULTS:Compared with the I/R group,the zinc ion level in the ZnCl2+I/R group in-creased(P<0.01),with the qPCR results showing that the expression level of ZIP8 also increased(P<0.01).The West-ern blot results demonstrated that the phosphorylation levels of PI3K/AKT/GSK-3β and cleaved caspase-3/pro were both in-creased(P<0.01 or P<0.05).In addition,the level of caspase-3 was decreased(P<0.01),the ZIP8 level was increased(P<0.05),whereas the level of ZNT9 was not significantly different(P>0.05).The mitochondrial membrane potential was increased(P<0.01)and the level of apoptosis was decreased(P<0.01).The results of HE staining,total lung water(TLW),lung index of quantitative assessment of histology(IQA),and lung tissue wet/dry weight ratio showed that the de-gree of injury was reduced significantly(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Compared with the ZnCl2+I/R group,the LY294002+Zn-Cl2+I/R group had a significant reduction in zinc ion levels(P<0.05),while qPCR showed a significant reduction in ZIP8 expression(P<0.01).Western blot showed that the phosphorylation level of PI3K/AKT/GSK-3β was decreased(P<0.01),the level of caspase-3/pro-caspase-3 was increased(P<0.01)the level of ZIP8 was decreased(P<0.05),al-though there was no significant difference in ZNT9(P>0.05).Measurements of the mitochondrial membrane potential demonstrated a significant decrease(P<0.01),while the TUNEL results showed that the level of apoptosis had increased(P<0.05).HE staining,TLW,IQA and lung tissue wet/dry weight ratio indicated that the degree of injury was aggravated significantly(P<0.05 or P<0.01).CONCLUSION:Administration of zinc chloride in rats has a protective role in lung ischemia/reperfusion injury by activating the PI3K/AKT pathway,leading to inactivation of GSK-3β,stabilization of the mitochondrial membrane potential level,and inhibition of cell apoptosis.

Objective To explore the mechanism of Bushen Zhupai Decoction in treating ovarian fibrosis in polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS)model rats based on IL-17/TRAF6/NF-κB signaling pathway.Methods Totally 60 SPF grade female SD rats were randomly divided into blank group,model group,Yousiyue group and TCM low-,medium-and high-dosage groups,with 10 rats in each group.The PCOS model was replicated by gavage of 1 mg/kg letrozole for 21 days.The Yousiyue group was given a 10 mg/kg solution of drospirenone ethinylestradiol tablets by gavage,TCM low-,medium-and high-dosage groups were given 8.82,17.64 and 35.28 g/kg of Bushen Zhupai Decoction by gavage,once a day for 28 consecutive days.HE and Masson staining were used to observe the morphology of ovarian tissue and ovarian fibrosis,the contents of serum IL-17,IL-18 and IL-1β were detected by ELISA,the mRNA expression of IL-17,TRAF6,NF-κB p65 and TGF-β1 in ovarian tissue were determined by RT-qPCR,the protein expression of TRAF6,NF-κB p65,TGF-β1,α-SMA,E-cadherin and the positive expression of IL-17RA,TRAF6,NF-κB p65,TGF-β1 and α-SMA in ovarian tissue were detected by Western blot and immunohistochemical staining respectively.Results Compared with the blank group,the body mass,ovarian mass and ovarian index significantly increased of rats in model group,with follicular cystic dilation,thinning of granulosa cell layer,and significant increase in fibrosis positive range(P<0.01),the serum contents of IL-17,IL-18 and IL-1β significantly increased(P<0.01),the expressions of IL-17,TRAF6,NF-κB p65,TGF-β1 mRNA and IL-17RA,TRAF6,NF-κB p65,TGF-β1 and α-SMA proteins significantly increased(P<0.01,P<0.05),the expression of E-cadherin protein significantly decreased(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the ovarian index of rats in Yousiyue group and TCM medium-and high-dosage groups significantly decreased(P<0.01,P<0.05),the rats in TCM high-dosage group showed dominant follicles,increased thickness of granulosa cell layer,and significantly reduced fibrosis positive range(P<0.01),the serum contents of IL-17,IL-18 and IL-1β significantly decreased in Yousiyue group and TCM low-,medium-and high-dosage groups(P<0.01),the mRNA expressions of IL-17,TRAF6,NF-κB p65,TGF-β1,and the protein expressions of IL-17RA,TRAF6,NF-κB p65,TGF-β1 and α-SMA in ovarian tissue significantly decreaed in TCM high-dosage group(P<0.01,P<0.05),the expression of E-cadherin protein significantly increased(P<0.01).Conclusion Bushen Zhupai Decoction can decrease the body mass,improve the ovarian index,decrease the expressions of inflammatory factors and improve the status of ovarian fibrosis in PCOS rats.The mechanism may be related to the regulation of IL-17/TRAF6/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Objective:To analyze the developmental trajectories of depressive symptoms in middle school students and their relationship with school connection and self-efficacy,and to provide evidence for the prevention of early adolescent depressive symptoms.Methods:In March(T1),June(T2),December(T3),809 middle school students were followed up in 2023 using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9(PHQ-9),School Connection Scale(SCS)and General Self-Efficacy Scale(GSES).The heterogeneity of the developmental trajectory of depressive symptoms in early adolescents was analyzed by the latent variable growth mixed model(LGMM),and the relation-ship between the developmental trajectory of depressive symptoms and school connection and self-efficacy was ana-lyzed by multiple logistic regression.Results:LGMM results showed that the development trajectory of early de-pressive symptoms in adolescents could be divided into:"low level-remission group"(65.3％),"low level-stable group"(28.6％)and"medium level-worsening group"(6.1％).Logistic regression analysis showed that male students(OR=0.62,95％CI=0.44-0.86)and school connection(OR=0.91,95％CI=0.88-0.94)were the protective factors in the"low level-stable group".Boys(OR=0.26,95％CI=0.13-0.53),school connection(OR=0.93,95％CI=0.88-0.98),and self-efficacy(OR=0.90,95％CI=0.85-0.96)were the protective fac-tors in the"medium level-worsening".Conclusion:There is heterogeneity in the developmental trajectory of early adolescent depressive symptoms,and school connection and self-efficacy are protective factors for the development of early adolescent depressive symptoms.

BACKGROUND:The induced membrane technique(Masquelet technique)is a novel two-stage surgical approach for the reconstruction of large bone defects,gaining increasing popularity in clinical applications.However,the precise mechanism underlying its bone defect repair is still not fully understood.OBJECTIVE:To review the background,repair mechanism and advantages of the induced membrane technique,the characteristics of the induced membrane,membrane-bone graft communication,selection of animal models,types and morphology of bone cement,the effects of loaded antibiotics on the induced membrane,choice of fixation methods,and bone tissue engineering materials to provide new insights for the future treatment of critical-sized bone defects and the improvement of the induced membrane technique.METHODS:A literature search was conducted in PubMed,Web of Science,and CNKI databases,covering publications from 1986 to 2024.A total of 890 references were retrieved.Manual screening and analysis were performed based on inclusion criteria related to the fundamental research of induced membrane technique,excluding those with poor relevance to the topic and duplicates.The included literature comprised original experimental studies,reviews,meta-analyses and other relevant publications.Finally,72 articles were included for summary and analysis.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The mechanism underlying the bone defect repair using this technique remains unclear,but both the membrane and bone grafting are indispensable.(2)The induced membrane is a distinctively layered tissue rich in various bone-forming related cells,growth factors,and blood vessels,with its vascularization and secretion of growth factors dynamically changing overtime.(3)In terms of animal model selection,sheep are more similar to humans in anatomical structure,weight-bearing patterns,and bone remodeling.However,rats are more suitable considering their lower feeding costs,easier handling,and shorter modeling period.(4)Polymethyl methacrylate is not the only material that can be used to induce a biomembrane,and there may be more suitable materials capable of inducing higher-quality biomembranes.The recommended dose of antibiotics(primarily vancomycin)is 1-4 g per 40 g polymethyl methacrylate.(5)For animal fixation,especially in rats,the use of steel plates is more widespread,providing a more reliable and reproducible fixation method.(6)In the future,there is potential for new materials to replace autogenous bone and enhance the bone repair capabilities of the Masquelet technique.

Objective·To evaluate the detection efficacy and clinical value of non-invasive prenatal testing(NIPT)for identifying copy number variations(CNVs)in the recurrent 17p12 region,including the peripheral myelin protein 22(PMP22)gene.Methods·Pregnant women who underwent NIPT in the International Peace Maternity & Child Health Hospital,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine between July 2020 and April 2024 were enrolled.Clinical data of individuals indicated as high-risk for microdeletions/duplications in the 17p12 region based on NIPT results were collected.Follow-up was conducted to assess the results of subsequent prenatal diagnosis and chromosomal microarray analysis(CMA)performed on peripheral blood from both the pregnant women and their husband.The positive predictive value(PPV)of NIPT for detecting microdeletions/duplications in the 17p 12 region,as well as the underlying causes of false positives,was analyzed.Pregnancy outcomes and related clinical phenotypes of fetuses and pregnant women diagnosed with 17p12 CNVs were followed up.Results·A total of 61 858 pregnant women underwent NIPT testing.NIPT identified 24 cases(0.04％)as high-risk for CNVs in the 17p12 region,including six cases of high-risk 17p12 microduplication and 18 cases of high-risk 17p12 microdeletion.All 24 pregnant women received genetic counseling,and 21(87.50％)underwent invasive prenatal diagnosis.Invasive prenatal diagnostic confirmed four fetuses with 17p12 microduplications,nine fetuses with 17p12 microdeletions,and eight fetuses with no abnormalities,yielding a PPV of 61.90％(13/21).CMA analysis of maternal peripheral blood in the eight false-positive cases revealed that all mothers carried 17p12 CNVs.Further analysis of pregnant women with NIPT-indicated maternal CNVs revealed that all of them carried relevant CNVs.Among the 20 women with successful follow-up,the majority had normal deliveries,with only one case choosing to terminate the pregnancy due to a de-novo fetal 17p12 microduplication.Normally delivered fetuses(average age:1.5 years)were followed up without reporting any significant abnormalities.Of the 16 pregnant women carrying 17p12 CNVs,only two exhibited clinical phenotypes associated with these CNVs,while the others remained asymptomatic.Conclusion·NIPT demonstrates favorable detection efficacy for CNVs in the 17p12 region.Maternal CNVs are the primary cause of false-positive NIPT results for this region.

Objective To explore the value of radiomics model and deep learning model based on unenhanced MRI in predicting microvascular invasion(MVI)of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)preoperatively.Methods A total of 189 patients with postopera-tive pathologically confirmed HCC from two centers were retrospectively selected,of which 119 cases from Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University were used as the training set[60 cases with negative MVI,59 cases with positive MVI],and 70 cases from Shenzhen People's Hospital were used as the external test set[38 cases with negative MVI and 32 cases with positive MVI].Clinical indicators were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis and the independent predictors of positive MVI were screened.Deep transfer learning(DTL)and traditional radiomics methods were used to construct radiomics model and deep learning model based on unenhanced MRI.The predictive performances of each model were compared using receiver operating charac-teristic(ROC)curves and area under the curve(AUC).DeLong test was employed to compare statistical differences in performance of the models.Results Alkaline phosphatase(ALP)and prothrombin time(PT)were independent predictors of positive MVI(P<0.05).The deep learning model based on T2WI had the best predictive efficacy,with AUC of 0.779[95%confidence interval(CI)0.696-0.863]and 0.741(95%CI 0.620-0.861)in the training set and external test set,respectively,and there were statistically significant differences compared with the radiomics model and the clinical model based on T1WI(P<0.05).Conclusion Deep learning model based on T2WI has a certain application value in preoperative noninvasive prediction of MVI status in HCC patients.

Objective:To investigate the difference in brain activity intensity between methamphetamine (MA) dependent patients (MA group) and healthy controls (control group) using fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF), and to establish a classification model between these two groups using support vector machine (SVM).Methods:From February 2014 to October 2019, a total of 46 male MA-dependent patients and 46 male healthy controls were recruited from the Affiliated Kangning Hospital of Ningbo University. The study collected resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data and analyzed the differences in brain functional activity between the two groups. This analysis was conducted using both static and dynamic fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (d-fALFF). Additionally, the study examined the correlation between fALFF/d-fALFF values in specific brain regions and the total scores, as well as each factor score, of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). Furthermore, the relationship between fALFF/d-fALFF values and the age of first use and total dose of MA in the MA group was investigated. Finally, the fALFF map and d-fALFF map of brain regions with significant differences between groups were used as features for constructing classification.Results:Compared to the healthy control group, those dependent on MA showed significantly increased fALFF mainly in the nucleus accumbens, caudate nucleus, thalamus, and amygdala nucleus( t=-5.21--2.72, all P<0.05). The MA group exhibited decreased fALFF in the superior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, orbital gyrus, and cingulate gyrus( t=3.59-5.00, all P<0.05). Most of the brain regions with decreased d-fALFF overlapped with those exhibiting decreased fALFF( t=3.33-4.87, all P<0.05). The results of the correlation analysis showed that the fALFF value of the right nucleus accumbens was positively correlated with the age of first use of MA ( r=0.537, P<0.001). There is no significant relationship between the abnormal fALFF and d-fALFF values in the MA group and the total scores and each factor scores of BPRS, as well as the total dose of MA taken (after removing outliers). Based on fALFF and d-fALFF values, the SVM classifier achieved accuracies of 90.33%±6.89% and 71.56%±7.80%, respectively. Conclusions:There are significant abnormalities in the low-frequency fluctuation of the resting brain in patients dependent on MA. These abnormalities reflect the rigidity of prefrontal cortex activity, functional impairment, and dysfunction of the anti-reward system. These factors may be one of the causes for MA dependent behavior and repeated episodes. In addition, the fALFF values may be helpful for distinguishing MA dependent individuals from the control group.

BACKGROUND:The induced membrane technique(Masquelet technique)is a novel two-stage surgical approach for the reconstruction of large bone defects,gaining increasing popularity in clinical applications.However,the precise mechanism underlying its bone defect repair is still not fully understood.OBJECTIVE:To review the background,repair mechanism and advantages of the induced membrane technique,the characteristics of the induced membrane,membrane-bone graft communication,selection of animal models,types and morphology of bone cement,the effects of loaded antibiotics on the induced membrane,choice of fixation methods,and bone tissue engineering materials to provide new insights for the future treatment of critical-sized bone defects and the improvement of the induced membrane technique.METHODS:A literature search was conducted in PubMed,Web of Science,and CNKI databases,covering publications from 1986 to 2024.A total of 890 references were retrieved.Manual screening and analysis were performed based on inclusion criteria related to the fundamental research of induced membrane technique,excluding those with poor relevance to the topic and duplicates.The included literature comprised original experimental studies,reviews,meta-analyses and other relevant publications.Finally,72 articles were included for summary and analysis.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The mechanism underlying the bone defect repair using this technique remains unclear,but both the membrane and bone grafting are indispensable.(2)The induced membrane is a distinctively layered tissue rich in various bone-forming related cells,growth factors,and blood vessels,with its vascularization and secretion of growth factors dynamically changing overtime.(3)In terms of animal model selection,sheep are more similar to humans in anatomical structure,weight-bearing patterns,and bone remodeling.However,rats are more suitable considering their lower feeding costs,easier handling,and shorter modeling period.(4)Polymethyl methacrylate is not the only material that can be used to induce a biomembrane,and there may be more suitable materials capable of inducing higher-quality biomembranes.The recommended dose of antibiotics(primarily vancomycin)is 1-4 g per 40 g polymethyl methacrylate.(5)For animal fixation,especially in rats,the use of steel plates is more widespread,providing a more reliable and reproducible fixation method.(6)In the future,there is potential for new materials to replace autogenous bone and enhance the bone repair capabilities of the Masquelet technique.

Objective:To investigate the clinical application value of expanded non-invasive prenatal testing(NIPT-plus)in screening for fetal chromosome copy number variations(CNV).Methods:From January 2021 to December 2023,141 pregnant women who voluntarily underwent amniocentesis at the Prenatal Diagnostic Centre of Urumqi Maternal and Child Health Hospital due to NIPT-plus suggesting a high risk of fetal CNV were selected.Amniotic fluid samples were collected for fetal chromosome karyotyping and chromosome microarray analysis(CMA).Pregnant women who underwent the above tests signed an informed consent form,and all cases were followed up forpregnancy outcome.Results:Among 141 NIPT-plus screen positive pregnant women,41 true posi-tive cases were detected by chromosomal karyotype analysis and CMA.The positive predictive value(PPV)for NIPT-plus screening for CNV was 29.08％(41/141).There was no statistically significant difference(P＞0.05)in the PPV of CNV detected by NIPT plus among different ages,indications and variant types.However,the PPV of CNV size＜10 Mb was significantly higher than that of CNV size≥ 10 Mb,and the difference was statistically signif-icant(39.62％vs.22.73％,P＜0.05).Among the 41 true positive cases,in addition to CNV,the CMA also detec-ted 7 cases of regions of Homozygosity(ROH),accounting for 17.07％(7/41)of the cases,two of which involved imprinted genes located on chromosomes 6 and 7.All continued pregnancy after genetic counselling and no signif-icant abnormalities were seen at neonatal follow-up after birth.Conclusions:NIPT-plus screening for fetal CNV has some clinical value,especially for CNV with fragment size＜10Mb,but accuracy needs to be further improved;CMA as a molecular diagnostic technique can detect ROH in cases where NIPT-plus suggests CNV abnormali-ties,and the combined use of the two techniques also opens new avenues for screening and diagnosis of prenatal imprinted diseases.

Objective:To analyze the developmental trajectories of depressive symptoms in middle school students and their relationship with school connection and self-efficacy,and to provide evidence for the prevention of early adolescent depressive symptoms.Methods:In March(T1),June(T2),December(T3),809 middle school students were followed up in 2023 using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9(PHQ-9),School Connection Scale(SCS)and General Self-Efficacy Scale(GSES).The heterogeneity of the developmental trajectory of depressive symptoms in early adolescents was analyzed by the latent variable growth mixed model(LGMM),and the relation-ship between the developmental trajectory of depressive symptoms and school connection and self-efficacy was ana-lyzed by multiple logistic regression.Results:LGMM results showed that the development trajectory of early de-pressive symptoms in adolescents could be divided into:"low level-remission group"(65.3％),"low level-stable group"(28.6％)and"medium level-worsening group"(6.1％).Logistic regression analysis showed that male students(OR=0.62,95％CI=0.44-0.86)and school connection(OR=0.91,95％CI=0.88-0.94)were the protective factors in the"low level-stable group".Boys(OR=0.26,95％CI=0.13-0.53),school connection(OR=0.93,95％CI=0.88-0.98),and self-efficacy(OR=0.90,95％CI=0.85-0.96)were the protective fac-tors in the"medium level-worsening".Conclusion:There is heterogeneity in the developmental trajectory of early adolescent depressive symptoms,and school connection and self-efficacy are protective factors for the development of early adolescent depressive symptoms.