OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the biological functions and clinical value of mothers against decapentaplegic homolog (SMAD) 7 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) through bioinformatics analysis and basic experiments. METHODS: The expression of SMAD7 in HNSCC in public databases was studied. Western blot was used to detect the expression of SMAD7 in HNSCC cell lines and normal epithelial cells. The SMAD7 highly expressed HNSCC cell line HSC-4 was silenced, and CCK-8, Transwell assays, and cell scratch experiments were conducted to study the effect of SMAD7 on the biological functions of HSC-4 cells. HNSCC expression profile data were obtained from UCSC xena, and genes related to SMAD7 were selected for gene ontology and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes gene enrichment analysis, construction of a co-expression gene interaction network, and screening of related cell signaling pathways. Western blot was used to detect the expression changes of proteins in the related cell signaling pathways in HNSCC cells with silenced SMAD7. cBioPortal was utilized to analyze the mutation rate of the SMAD7 gene, and the MethSurv database was used to analyze the methylation level of the SMAD7 gene and its correlation with prognosis. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to assess the diagnostic value of SMAD7 for HNSCC. TIMER2.0 was used to analyze the correlation between SMAD7 expression and immune cell infiltration. RESULTS: SMAD7 was highly expressed in HNSCC tumor tissues and some cell lines. Silencing the expression of SMAD7 can significantly inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cancer cells. Silencing SMAD7 can induce the downregulation of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1). The bioinformatics analysis showed that the mutation rate of the SMAD7 gene and the methylation level were significantly correlated with the prognosis of patients with HNSCC. The expression of SMAD7 was related to the level of immune cell infiltration in HNSCC. CONCLUSIONS SMAD7 promotes the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HNSCC cells by regulating the expression of VCAM-1. It may be a potential tumor biomarker and therapeutic target for HNSCC.
Humans ; Smad7 Protein/metabolism* ; Prognosis ; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck ; Head and Neck Neoplasms/pathology* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement ; Cell Proliferation ; Signal Transduction ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Gene Silencing ; Computational Biology

ObjectiveTo investigate the bactericidal effect of loaded multifunctional povidoneiodine-nanometer selenium （PVP-I@Se） disinfectant on Staphylococcus aureus （SA） and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus （MRSA）， and to provide an experimental basis for the reduction of surgical site infection （SSI）. MethodsThe control group was the povidone iodine （PVP-I） group with different concentrations of iodine （50， 75， 100， 200 and 400 μg/mL）. The PVP-I@Se group （experimental group） was the PVP-I group further supplemented with 2 μg/mL Selenium nanoparticles （SeNPs）. Then we compared the bactericidal effect of the two groups of disinfectant solutions on SA and MRSA by examining the minimum inhibitory concentration （MIC）， minimum bactericidal concentration （MBC）， the shortest sterilization time at a concentration of 50 μg/mL iodine and the inhibition zone diameters at concentrations of 200 μg/mL and 400 μg/mL iodine. ResultsMIC values of PVP-I against SA and MRSA were both 79.17 μg/mL， and those of PVP-I@Se were 54.17 and 70.83 μg/mL， respectively. MBC values of PVP-I against SA and MRSA were 129.17 and 150.00 μg/mL， respectively， and those of PVP-I@Se were 70.83 and 87.50 μg/mL， respectively. At a concentration of 50 μg/mL iodine， the shortest sterilization time of PVP-I for SA and MRSA was 130 s and 140 s， respectively， and that of PVP-I@Se was 65 s and 75 s， respectively. At a concentration of 200 μg/ml iodine， the inhibition zone diameters of PVP-I for SA and MRSA were 7.67 mm and 8.33 mm， and those of PVP-I@Se were both 9.50 mm. At a concentration of 400 μg/mL iodine， the inhibition zone diameters of PVP-I for SA and MRSA were 9.00 mm and 9.33 mm， and those of PVP-I@Se were 11.67 mm and 12.00 mm， respectively. ConclusionsPVP-I with different concentrations of 50， 75， 100， 200 and 400 μg/mL iodine supplemented with 2 μg/mL SeNPs have better and faster bactericidal effect on SA and MRSA. When combined with SeNPs， PVP-I can enhance the bactericidal activity against SA and MRSA， but with better sensitizing effect on SA than MRSA and higher demand of iodine concentration （400 μg/mL） for sensitizing effect on MRSA. This study provides a theoretical basis for selecting optimal concentration and action time of the disinfectant， thus reducing SSI.

Objective:To evaluate the autogenous arteriovenous fistula(AVF) insufficiency by ultrasound monitoring of brachial artery resistance index(RI).Methods:The brachial artery RI and blood flow volume(FV) data of 828 patients who underwent color-Doppler ultrasound detection after AVF in the General Hospital of Western Theater Command from January 2019 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were grouped according to the adequacy of clinical dialysis, including 668 patients in the group with normal AVF function and 160 patients in the group with insufficient AVF function. The general information and ultrasonic measurement parameters were compared between the two groups. The correlation between brachial artery FV and RI was analyzed. The evaluation of brachial artery flow RI for AVF insufficiency was analyzed by ROC curve.Results:There were statistically significant differences between the two groups in brachial artery RI and FV(both P<0.001). The results of Pearson correlation analysis showed that brachial artery FV was negatively correlated to RI ( r=-0.657, P<0.001). The area under ROC curve for assessing AVF function by brachial artery RI was 0.970, with 95% CI was 0.955-0.986, the optimal cut-off value was 0.665, and the sensitivity and specificity were 0.888 and 0.955, respectively. Conclusions:Brachial artery RI in patients with AVF insufficiency is significantly higher than that in patients with normal AVF function. The optimal cutoff value of brachial artery RI can be used as an evaluation parameter for rapid screening of AVF function.

Multi-species solid-state fermentation in a mud pit is one of the typical features of strong-flavor baijiu, in which archaea plays important roles, however, the archaeal community distribution and diversity during fermentation are still lack of research. The biomass, composition and succession of archaea communities in fermented grains and pit mud were analyzed by high throughput sequencing. The potential interaction between archaea and bacteria was analyzed by co-occurrence network. Results demonstrate that the average biomass of archaea in pit mud was about 200 times higher than that of fermented grains. There was no significant difference in archaeal community structure between fermented grains and pit mud (r=0.017, P=0.074), but succession patterns between them showed significant correlation (r=0.30, P=0.03). Methanobacterium was the most abundant archaea in fermented grains and pit mud, and other dominant groups included Methanosarcina, Methanocorpusculum, Methanoculleus, and Methanobrevibacter. The co-occurrence network analysis showed that Methanobacterium was positively correlated with most bacteria in fermented grains and pit mud, especially with Hydrogenispora and Caproiciproducens, the dominant bacteria in pit mud. Our results revealed the temporal and spatial distribution characteristics and potential functions of the archaeal community in the mud pit of strong-flavor baijiu.
Alcoholic Beverages/analysis* ; Archaea/genetics* ; Bacteria ; Fermentation ; Taste

Objective: To analyse the mental state of patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) in Chengdu. Methods: One thousand five hundred and thirty-six AR patients from Sichuan Provincial Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan People′s Hospital, Sichuan Second Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine were selected from July 2013 to January 2018. Eight hundred and twenty-seven patients were screened into study group by inclusion and exclusion standards. The symptom check list 90 (SCL-90) was used to group and score the mental state of these patients according to nine classification criteria: gender, BMI, age, marital status, monthly salary, disease duration, living environment, education level and working environment. Then, the scores were compared within groups. Inter-group comparison was made between the study group and the Chinese norm, and the positive factors for psychological disorders were extracted. Four symptoms in the study group, i.e. nasal itching, sneezing, clear discharge and nasal congestion, were scored on the visual analogue scale (VAS). SPSS 19.0 software was used to carry out statistical analysis. Partial correlation analysis was performed between the positive factors and the symptom scores by multiple regression statistical method. Results: The total score of SCL-90 in the study group was 2.64±0.25, which was accorded with mild to moderate mental health impairment. There were 124 (15.0%) without mental health damage, 176 (21.3%) with mild damage, 474 (57.3%) with mild to moderate damage, 41 (5.0%) with moderate to severe damage and 12 (1.4%) with severe damage. The in-group comparison showed that the top three categories of different items were the living environment, gender and working environment. The scores of somatization, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, psychosis, other (sleep, diet) and total average score of urban residents were higher than that of country residents (3.29±0.61 vs 2.65±0.50, 2.81±0.77 vs 2.05±0.38, 3.10±0.19 vs 2.49±0.67, 3.40±0.84 vs 2.49±0.70, 3.04±0.64 vs 2.33±0.51, 3.02±0.55 vs 2.40±0.77, 3.40±0.41 vs 2.52±0.77, 2.91±0.11 vs 2.29±0.40, Z value was 4.88, 5.25, 4.57, 5.91, 5.09, 4.63, 5.55, -4.55, respectively, all P<0.05). Women scored higher than man for somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, depression and others (2.66±0.51 vs 2.00±0.45, 3.37±0.47 vs 2.63±0.51, 3.44±0.57 vs 2.85±0.52, 3.47±0.36 vs 2.76±0.45, Z value was -5.10, -5.51, -4.86, -5.28, respectively, all P<0.05). The scores of somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, psychosis and other (sleep, diet) were higher in the indoor group than those in the outdoor group (3.49±0.64 vs 2.78±0.46, 3.33±0.30 vs 2.56±0.68, 3.28±0.60 vs 2.67±0.31, 3.50±0.85 vs 2.85±0.37, Z value was 5.31, 5.79, 4.89, 5.00, respectively, all P<0.05). The outdoor group scored higher on obsessive-compulsive symptoms, anxiety and hostility (3.44±0.40 vs 2.83±0.35, 3.40±0.50 vs 2.57±0.93, 3.34±0.88 vs 2.69±0.56, Z value was 4.96, 6.22, 5.08, respectively, all P<0.05). The inter-group comparison found that depression, anxiety, psychosis and other (sleep, diet) could be partially correlated with VAS scores as 4 positive factors. The results of partial correlation analysis showed that depression was positively correlated with sneezing and nasal runny discharge, anxiety was positively correlated with nasal itching and nasal obstruction, psychosis was positively correlated with nasal itching and sneezing, and other (sleep, diet) was positively correlated with nasal runny discharge and nasal obstruction. Conclusion AR patients have mild to moderate mental health impairments, which are correlated with AR symptoms.

Objective: To understand the changes of serum transient receptor potential channel 1(TRPC1) in patients with vascular depression. Methods: 58 patients with vascular depression, 49 patients with major depressive disorder and 38 healthy controls were recruited.The TRPC1 of all subjects were detected by ELISA.Patients with vascular depression and patients with primary depression were scaled by HAMD-17.The level of TRPC1 was contrasted in different ages groups and in different nosogenesis (cerebral infarction, ischemic cerebrovascular disease, old cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral microbleeds, vascular risk factors, etc.) of vascular depression.The relationship between TRPC1 level and severity of depressive symptoms was further analyzed. Results: (1)The level of TRPC1 of serum((643.76±118.43)pg/ml) was decreased in patients with vascular depression compared with that in healthy controls ((712.48± 98.75) pg/ml). The level of TRPC1 in patients with vascular depression over 60 years ((601.43±113.55)pg/ml)was lower than that in patients with major depressive disorder over 60 years ((626.32±125.46)pg/ml) and healthy controls over 60 years((721.84± 99.62)pg/ml) .(2) Among the various causes of vascular depression, the level of TRPC1 in patients with cerebral infarction, ischemic cerebrovascular disease and cerebral microbleeds was significantly lower (P<0.05). (3) The levels of TRPC1 in the patients with vascular depression (r=-0.962, P<0.05) and patients with major depressive disorder (r=-0.674, P<0.05) were negatively correlated with HAMD-17 score. Conclusion The level of TRPC1 is lower in patients with vascular depression, which is more obvious in patients with cerebral infarction, ischemic cerebrovascular disease, and cerebral microhaemorrhage.The lower the level of TRPC1, the more severe the depression.The neuroprotective effect of TRPC1 is reduced in patients with vascular depression.The TRPC1 can be used as a biomarker for vascular depression.

This paper elaborated the research progress on transduction mechanisms of obese polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and insulin resistance (IR). The action mechanisms of kidney-tonifying, spleen-invigorating and phlegm-resolving in the treatment of obese PCOS and IR were explored. It provided new ideas for the treatment of obese PCOS patients in the clinical practice of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) gynecology. Literatures on TCM theories and modern signal pathways were used in the analysis of spleen-kidney deficiency and phlegm-dampness retention, which were the key pathogenesis of obese PCOS and IR. The scientific nature of treating obese PCOS and IR from the method of kidney-tonifying, spleen-invigorating and phlegm-resolving was demonstrated. The results showed that the scientific nature of treating obese PCOS and IR from the method of kidney-tonifying, spleen-invigorating and phlegm-resolving was initially demonstrated by the organic combination of TCM and modern medicine theories. It innovatively proposed that the treatment study strategy of transduction molecular mechanism took the interactive dialogue between PI-3K/Akt signal pathway and TNF-α signal pathway as its target. The regulatory role and action mechanism of this method in the treatment of obese PCOS and IR were discussed.

To express recombinant carboxypeptidase from Thermus aquaticus (Cpase Taq) in Pichia pastosis, the open reading frame coding thermostable Cpase Taq was optimized based on the preference of P. pastoris codon usage and synthesized in vitro. The novel gene was cloned into P. pastoris expression vector pHBM905A and the sequence coding 6xHis tag was fused with the ORF of Cpase Taq gene. The recombinant plasmid was named pHBM905A-Cpase Taq and transformed into P. pastoris GS 115. Transformants were induced with 1% methanol for 72 h until the enzyme yield reached 0.1 mg/ml. The enzyme was purified and its enzymatic properties were analyzed. The results showed that the specific enzyme activity reached maximum at 75 °C and pH 7.5, which was about 80 U/mg. It was the first report about the secretory expression of Cpase Taq in P. pastoris GS115. Because of its large-scale preparation, this enzyme may be applied in industrial hydrolysis of peptides into amino acids in the future.
Bacterial Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Carboxypeptidases ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Cloning, Molecular ; Codon ; Hydrolysis ; Open Reading Frames ; Pichia ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Thermus ; enzymology

Objective To explore the changes of programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with different baseline of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels after treatment with adefovir dipivoxil (ADV).Methods One hundred CHB patients with positive hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg),1 × 104 copy/mL≤HBV DNA≤1 × 107 copy/mL,and positive human leukocyte antigen-A2 were divided into two groups according to the baseline HBV DNA level:47 cases in low virus load group whose HBV DNA level was ≤1 × 105 copy/mL; 53 cases in high virus load group whose HBV DNA level was＞1 × 105 copy/mL.Both groups were treated with ADV 10 mg/d.Serum HBV DNA,HBeAg seroconversion rate,alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and total bilirubin (TBil) levels of both groups before treatment and 12 months after treatment were compared.Flow cytometry was used to test peripheral blood HBV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) surface PD-1 and peripheral blood HBV-specific CTL level.Categorical data were tested by x2 test; quantitative data was compared with t-test.Results Peripheral blood HBV-specific CTL surface PD-1 of CHB patients in low virus load group was 20.17 ％±1.69％,which was lower than that in high virus load group (41.38％±2.30％,t =53.02,P＜0.01) ; peripheral blood HBV specific CTL levels in two groups were 0.37％±0.02％ and 0.17％± 0.02％,respectively (t=50.47,P＜0.01) ; ALT and TBil levels in low virus load group were both lower than those of high virus load group (t=13.07,P＜0.01; t=5.06,P＜0.01).Twelve months after treatment,HBV DNA of 25 cases (53.2％) in low virus load group and 10 cases (18.9％) in high virus load group were lower than the detectable level (HBV DNA＜500 copy/mL,x2 =12.89,P＜0.01);HBeAg seroconversion was achieved in 15 cases(31.9％) and 1 case (1.9％),respectively (x2 =16.72,P＜0.01) ; peripheral blood HBV-specific CTL surface PD-1 expression levels were 9.00 ％ ±1.38 ％ and 29.40 ％ ± 3.76 ％,respectively (t =36.80,P＜ 0.01) ; peripheral blood HBV-specific CTL levels were 0.65％±0.10％ and0.48％±0.07％,respectively (t=9.61,P＜0.01).Conclusions After treatment with ADV,along with the decrease of HBV DNA load,HBV-specific CTL surface PD-1 expression decreases,while HBV-specific CTL level increases.The changes in low virus load group are much more remarkable.

Objective To explore relationship between different HBV genotypes and peripheral blood follicular helper T lymphocyte (Tfh) and interleukin-21 (IL-21) and its significance in patients with HBV-induced hepatic cirrhosis.Methods HBV genotypes were tested in 59 cases of cirrhotic hepatitis B with positive human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A2,differences of Tfh and IL-21 between patients infected with genotype B and genotype C were compared and its significance was investigated.Results In 59 cases of cirrhotic hepatitis B,36 cases (61.02％) were infected with genotype C,22 cases (37.29％) were infected with genotype B and 1 case (1.69％) was infected with genotype B and C.Peripheral blood Tfh level of genotype C was(2.89％ ± 1.44％),lower than that of genotype B (4.65％ ± 1.37％),t =3.01,P ＜0.01,IL-21 level of genotype C was (14.62 ± 2.12 ng/L),lower than that of genotype B (32.27 ± 11.25ng/L),t =4.12,P ＜0.01,HBV specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte(CTL)level of genotype C was (0.17％ ±0.02％),lower than that of genotype B(0.37％ ±0.03％),t =3.12,P ＜0.01,HBV DNA level of genotype C was (6.95 ± 0.75log10copies/ml),higher than that of genotype B (5.02 ± 0.36 log10 copies/ml),t =3.03,P ＜ 0.01.Conclusion Compared with cirrhotic hepatitis B patients infected with genotype B,peripheral blood Tfh level of patients infected with genotype C was lower,causing lower IL-21 level and lower HBV specific CTL level,which result in higher HBV DNA level.