OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of acupuncture on the neurotransmitter levels and gut microbiota in a mouse model of Tourette syndrome (TS). METHODS: Thirty-six male C57/BL6 mice were randomly divided into 4 groups using a random number table method: 3,3'-iminodipropionitrile (IDPN) group, control group, acupuncture group, and tiapride group, with 9 mice in each group. In the IDPN group, acupuncture group, and tiapride group, mice received daily intraperitoneal injections of IDPN (300 mg/kg body weight) for 7 consecutive days to induce stereotyped behaviors. Subsequently, in the acupuncture intervention group, standardized acupuncture treatment was administered for 14 consecutive days to IDPN-induced TS model mice. The selected acupoints included Baihui (DU 20), Yintang (DU 29), Waiguan (SJ 5), and Zulinqi (GB 41). In the tiapride group, mice were administered tiapride (50 mg/kg body weight) via oral gavage daily for 14 consecutive days. The control group, IDPN group, and acupuncture group received the same volume of saline orally for 14 consecutive days. Stereotypic behaviors were quantified through behavioral assessments. Neurotransmitter levels, including dopamine (DA), glutamate (Glu), and aspartate (ASP) in striatal tissue were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Dopamine transporter (DAT) expression levels were additionally quantified through quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Gut microbial composition was analyzed through 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing, while metabolic profiling was conducted using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). RESULTS: Acupuncture administration significantly attenuated stereotypic behaviors, concurrently reducing striatal levels of DA, Glu and ASP concentrations while upregulating DAT expression compared with untreated TS controls (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Comparative analysis identified significant differences in Muribaculaceae (P=0.001), Oscillospiraceae (P=0.049), Desulfovibrionaceae (P=0.001), and Marinifilaceae (P=0.014) following acupuncture intervention. Metabolomic profiling revealed alterations in 7 metabolites and 18 metabolic pathways when compared to the TS mice, which involved various amino acid metabolisms associated with DA, Glu, and ASP. CONCLUSIONS Acupuncture demonstrates significant modulatory effects on both central neurotransmitter systems and gut microbial ecology, thereby highlighting its dual therapeutic potential for TS management through gut-brain axis regulation.
Animals ; Tourette Syndrome/metabolism* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Neurotransmitter Agents/metabolism* ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Male ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between serum chloride levels and prognosis in patients with hepatic coma in the intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS: We analyzed 545 patients with hepatic coma in the ICU from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database. Associations between serum chloride levels and 28-day and 1-year mortality rates were assessed using restricted cubic splines (RCSs), Kaplan-Meier (KM) curves, and Cox regression. Subgroup analyses, external validation, and mechanistic studies were also performed. RESULTS: A total of 545 patients were included in the study. RCS analysis revealed a U-shaped association between serum chloride levels and mortality in patients with hepatic coma. The KM curves indicated lower survival rates among patients with low chloride levels (< 103 mmol/L). Low chloride levels were independently linked to increased 28-day and 1-year all-cause mortality rates. In the multivariate models, the hazard ratio ( HR) for 28-day mortality in the low-chloride group was 1.424 (95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.041-1.949), while the adjusted hazard ratio for 1-year mortality was 1.313 (95% CI: 1.026-1.679). Subgroup analyses and external validation supported these findings. Cytological experiments suggested that low chloride levels may activate the phosphorylation of the NF-κB signaling pathway, promote the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and reduce neuronal cell viability. CONCLUSION Low serum chloride levels are independently associated with increased mortality in patients with hepatic coma.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Intensive Care Units ; Prognosis ; Chlorides/blood* ; Aged ; Coma/blood* ; Adult

Near infrared spectroscopy(NIRS)analysis technology has become an important process analysis tool in industrial and agricultural production,and has been widely used for qualitative and quantitative analysis in the fields of tobacco,agriculture,and pharmaceuticals.To address issues such as poor generalization ability and low prediction accuracy in NIRS modeling,a two-dimensional convolutional neural network(2DCNN)quantitative analysis model based on competitive adaptive reweighted sampling(CARS)and Gramian angular difference field(GADF)(CARS-GADF-2DCNN)was proposed.CARS-GADF-2DCNN used the CARS method to select an optimal wavelength set from the full spectrum,then employed GADF to encode the selection results into two-dimensional images,and finally used 2DCNN for prediction analysis.The 2DCNN model consisted of convolutional layers,parallel convolution modules,flattening layer,and fully connected layers.Simulation experiments were conducted on three public near-infrared(NIR)spectral datasets encompassing soil,tablet,and grain datasets to evaluate the CARS-GADF-2DCNN model.The results demonstrated that,compared to the one-dimensional convolutional neural network(1DCNN),the GADF-2DCNN model achieved 16.74％,23.40％,and 7.13％improvement in prediction accuracy for the soil,tablet,and grain datasets,respectively.Compared to GADF-2DCNN,VCPA-GADF-2DCNN,and IRIV-GADF-2DCNN models,the CARS-GADF-2DCNN model further improved prediction accuracy.For the soil dataset,prediction accuracy improved by 39.00％,30.78％and 4.13％;for the tablet dataset,the improvements were 9.52％,6.94％and 2.56％;for the grain dataset,the improvements were 20.57％,9.85％and 15.66％.In conclusion,CARS-GADF-2DCNN effectively selected the optimal wavelength subset from near infrared spectra,and revealed the latent features between different wavelengths.CARS-GADF-2DCNN addresses the issues of high complexity in prediction models and low prediction accuracy in near infrared spectral modeling,and could be effectively applied to near infrared spectral prediction analysis of different substances.

Objective To understand the application of skin disinfectant in neonatal intensive care units(NICUs)nationwide.Methods From April to May 2023,application of skin disinfectant in 93 NICUs nationwide was sur-veyed with convenience sampling method by a self-designed questionnaire.Questionnaire contents included types of disinfectant,disinfection tools,cleaning and disinfection frequency,disinfectant drying status,removal of disinfec-tant,and adverse reactions caused by disinfectant.Results A total of 93 nursing units in 71 medical institutions from 25 provinces/municipalities were included in this study.In NICUs,three most commonly used disinfectants were ethanol(79.57％),iodophor(74.19％),and anerdian(62.37％).In nursing units for neonates＜2 months of age,chlorhexidine was prohibited in 28 units(30.11％),used with caution in 23 units(24.73％),allowed in 9 units(9.68％),and there was no unified requirement in 33 units(35.48％).When using ethanol,staff only wiped once in 13(17.57％)nursing units.In some nursing units,there was no unified requirements on the wiping fre-quency of disinfectant.As for the removal of residual iodine,saline was used in 29(42.03％)nursing units,ethanol in 8(11.59％),and 19(27.54％)did not have unified requirements.The adverse reactions of disinfectant mainly included rash and contact dermatitis.Disinfectants that caused adverse reactions included ethanol,iodophor,aner-dian,and chlorhexidine.Conclusion In clinical practice,unified standards for the use of neonatal skin disinfectant remain absent.Selection and use of neonatal skin disinfectant vary considerably.Neonatal skin disinfectants have common adverse reactions.It is necessary to strengthen the training of health care workers on the standardized use of disinfectant,as well as carry out large-scale and rigorous randomized controlled trial designs to provide scientific basis for the correct selection of disinfectant.

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are major outer membrane components of Gram-negative bacteria. Unlike most Gram-negative bacteria, Acinetobacter baumannii can still survive and acquire polymyxin resistance after complete loss of LPS. Previous studies of LPS-deficient Acinetobacter baumannii mostly focused on LPS-deficient strains induced by polymyxin, whose background was complex and unstable. To investigate LPS loss-mediated polymyxin resistant-Acinetobacter baumannii, this study constructed a stable and clear background LPS-deficient strain by knocking out lpxC gene in Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC 19606 with CIRSPR/Cas9, and then studied the phenotypic changes of the lpxC-deficient strain including morphology, growth rate, antibiotic susceptibility, virulence, membrane permeability, and membrane potential. Animal experiments were approved by the Animal Care and Welfare Committee Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, CAMS and PUMC (approval number: IMB-20240119D₉). The results indicated that the lpxC gene of Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC 19606 was successfully knocked out. After losing the lpxC, the strain underwent the morphological change from rod-shaped to spherical. Furthermore, it leads to reduced growth rate, enhanced membrane permeability, decreased membrane potential, lower virulence, and increased antibiotic susceptibility to β-lactams, quinolones, aminoglycosides, macrolides, glycopeptides. The lpxC deletion results in significant changes in membrane homeostasis and adaptability of Acinetobacter baumannii. Understanding the phenotypic changes of colistin-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii mediated by LPS loss is useful for exploring the resistance mechanism of Acinetobacter baumannii and developing new therapeutic strategies.

The effect of porcine SIRT5 on replication of foot and mouth disease virus type O(FMDV-O)and the underlying regulatory mechanism were investigated.Western blot and RT-qPCR analyses were employed to monitor expression of endoge-nous SIRT5 in PK-15 cells infected with FMDV-O.Three pairs of SIRT5-specific siRNAs were synthesized.Changes to SIRT5 and FMDV-O protein and transcript levels,in addition to virus copy numbers,were measured by western blot and RT-qPCR analyses.PK-15 cells were transfected with a eukaryotic SIRT5 expression plasmid.Western blot and RT-qPCR analyses were used to explore the impact of SIRT5 overexpression on FMDV-O replication.Meanwhile,RT-qPCR analysis was used to detect the effect of SIRT5 overexpression on the mRNA expression levels of type I interferon-stimulated genes induced by SeV and FMDV-O.The results showed that expression of SIRT5 was up-regulated in PK-15 cells infected with FMDV-O and siRNA interfered with SIRT5 to inhibit FMDV-O replication.SIRT5 overexpression promoted FMDV-O replication.SIRT5 over-expression decreased mRNA expression levels of interferon-stimulated genes induced by SeV and FMDV-O.These results suggest that FMDV-O infection stimulated expression of SIRT5 in PK-15 cells,while SIRT5 promoted FMDV-O rep-lication by inhibiting production of type I interferon-stimula-ted genes.These findings provide a reference to further ex-plore the mechanism underlying the ability of porcine SIRT5 to promote FMDV-O replication.

Objective:To explore the prevalence and independent associated factors of vascular calcification (VC) in non-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients of stage 3-5.Methods:It was a single-center cross-sectional observational study. Non-dialysis stage 3-5 CKD patients ≥18 years old who were admitted to the Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from May 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022 with VC evaluation were enrolled. The patients' general information, laboratory examination and imaging data were collected. Coronary artery calcification (CAC), thoracic aorta calcification (TAC), abdominal aorta calcification (AAC), carotid artery calcification and aortic valve calcification (AVC) were evaluated by cardiac-gated electron-beam CT (EBCT) scans, lateral lumbar x-ray, cervical macrovascular ultrasound and echocardiography, respectively. The differences in clinical data and the prevalence of VC at different sites of patients with different CKD stages were compared, and the prevalence of VC at different sites of patients in different age groups [youth group (18-44 years old), middle-aged group (45-64 years old) and elderly group (≥65 years old)] and patients with or without diabetes were compared. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyse the independent associated factors of VC for different areas.Results:A total of 206 patients aged (51±14) years were included, including 129 (62.6%) males. There were 44 patients with CKD stage 3 (21.4%), 51 patients with CKD stage 4 (24.8%), and 111 patients with CKD stage 5 (53.9%). CKD was caused by chronic glomerulonephritis [104 cases (50.5%)], diabetic kidney damage [35 cases (17.0%)], hypertensive kidney damage [29 cases (14.1%)] and others [38 cases (18.4%)]. Among 206 patients, 131 (63.6%) exhibited cardiovascular calcification, and the prevalence of CAC, TAC, AAC, carotid artery calcification, and AVC was 37.9%, 43.7%, 37.9%, 35.9% and 9.7%, respectively. The overall prevalence of VC in young, middle-aged and elderly patients was 24.6%, 73.6% and 97.4%, respectively. With the increase of age, the prevalence of VC in each site gradually increased, and the increasing trend was statistically significant (all P<0.001). The overall prevalence of VC in CKD patients with diabetes was 92.5% (62/67), and the prevalence of VC at each site in the patients with diabetes was significantly higher than that in the patients without diabetes (all P<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age (every 10 years increase, OR=2.51, 95% CI 1.77-3.56, P<0.001), hypertension ( OR=5.88, 95% CI 1.57-22.10, P=0.009), and diabetes ( OR=4.66, 95% CI 2.10-10.35, P<0.001) were independently correlated with CAC; Age (every 10 years increase, OR=6.43, 95% CI 3.64-11.36, P<0.001) and hypertension ( OR=6.09, 95% CI 1.33-27.84, P=0.020) were independently correlated with TAC; Female ( OR=0.23, 95% CI 0.07-0.72, P=0.011), age (every 10 years increase, OR=3.90, 95% CI 2.42-6.29, P<0.001), diabetes ( OR=5.37, 95% CI 2.19-13.19, P<0.001) and serum magnesium ( OR=0.01,95% CI 0-0.35, P=0.014) were independently correlated with AAC. Moreover, age and diabetes were independently correlated with carotid artery calcification, AVC and overall VC Conclusions:The prevalence of VC in non-dialysis CKD patients of stage 3-5 is 63.59%, of which CAC reaches 37.9%, TAC is the most common one (43.7%), while AVC is the least one (9.7%). Age and diabetes are the independent associated factors for VC of all sites except TAC, while hypertension is an independent associated factor for both CAC and TAC.