BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that patients with premature ovarian failure have changes in the structure of intestinal flora and that imbalance of intestinal microbiota may be one of the important mechanisms in the development of premature ovarian failure. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of Liuwei Dihuang Wan on oxidative stress and intestinal microbiota in premature ovarian failure mice induced by cyclophosphamide. METHODS:Forty-five female ICR mice were randomized into three groups:blank group(normal mice),model group(premature ovarian failure mice),and Liuwei Dihuang Wan group.A mouse model of premature ovarian failure was prepared by one-time intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide(120 mg/kg)in the latter two groups.After successful modeling,the Liuwei Dihuang Wan group was intragastrically administered for 28 continuous days,and the other two groups were intragastrically administered with the same amount of normal saline for 28 days.Mouse body mass was recorded weekly and ovarian index was calculated.The development of mouse follicles was observed using hematoxylin-eosin staining.ELISA method was used to detect serum levels of anti-Mullerian hormone,estradiol,follicle stimulating hormone,superoxide dismutase,glutathione peroxidase,and malondialdehyde.Meanwhile,the gut microbiome of all mice was detected through 16S rDNA sequencing. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The mice in the model group had loose hair,decreased vigor and grip strength,almost no increase in body mass,and decreased ovarian index.Whereas,the mouse body mass and ovarian index were increased after treatment with Liuwei Dihuang Wan(P<0.05).The estrous cycle of mice in the model group was disorganized;Liuwei Dihuang Wan could restore the estrous cycle and reduce the number of atretic follicles in mice with premature ovarian failure.The serum levels of follicle stimulating hormone and malondialdehyde in the model group significantly increased(P<0.01),while the levels of estradiol,anti-Mullerian hormone,superoxide dismutase,and glutathione peroxidase significantly decreased(P<0.01).Liuwei Dihuang Wan could significantly decrease the serum levels of follicle stimulating hormone and malondialdehyde(P<0.01),and increase the levels of estradiol,anti-Mullerian hormone,superoxide dismutase,and glutathione peroxidase.According to the 16S rDNA sequencing results,Liuwei Dihuang Wan could regulate the abundance and diversity of intestinal microbiota,and increase the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria.KEGG pathway analysis showed that the intestinal microbiota and metabolic pathways,biosynthesis of secondary metabolites,microbial metabolism in different environments,and biosynthesis of amino acids were regulated by Liuwei Dihuang Wan.To conclude,the changes in the structure of intestinal microbiome may be one of the potential mechanisms of Liuwei Dihuang Wan in treating premature ovarian failure.Liuwei Dihuang Wan can regulate the structure of intestinal microbiome,increase the number of beneficial bacteria,reduce the number of harmful bacteria,and thus improve the balance of intestinal microbiota.This regulatory effect helps to reduce oxidative stress levels and further inhibit ovarian oxidative stress in mice with premature ovarian failure.

Intervention in chronically activated microglia-mediated neuroinflammation is a novel approach to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD). The low permeability of the blood‒brain barrier (BBB) and non-selective distribution in the brain severely restrict AD drugs' disease-modifying efficacy. Here, an immunosuppressant TREM2-lowing antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and resveratrol co-loaded cationic liposome is developed as an immune reprogramming nanomodulator modified by acid-cleavable BBB-targeting peptide and microglia-targeting peptide (Res@TcMNP/ASO) for AD management. Res@TcMNP/ASO can enter brain endothelial cells via D-T7 peptides. Then D-T7 undergoes an acid-responsive cleavage, facilitating the escape of Res@MNP/ASO from endo/lysosomes to cross the BBB. The detached Res@MNP/ASO specifically targets M1-phenotype microglia via exposed MG1 peptides to prompt the simultaneous delivery of two drugs into activated microglia. This nanomodulator can not only restore the immune function of microglia through TREM2-lowing ASO but also mitigate the immune stimulation to microglia caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) through resveratrol, thereby synergistically inhibiting the chronic activation of microglia to alleviate neuroinflammation in AD. Our results indicate that this combination treatment can achieve significant behavioral and cognitive improvements in late APP/PS1 mice.

The KCNQ potassium channels play a crucial role in modulating neural excitability, and their dysfunction is closely associated with epileptic disorders. While variants in KCNQ2 have been extensively studied, KCNQ3-related disorders have rarely been reported. With advances in next-generation sequencing technologies, an increasing number of cases of KCNQ3-related disorders have been identified. However, the correlation between genotype and phenotype remains poorly understood. In this study, we established a variant library consisting of 24 missense mutations in KCNQ3 and introduced these mutations into three different template types: KCNQ3, KCNQ3-A315T (Q3*), and KCNQ3-KCNQ2 tandem (Q3-Q2). We then analyzed the effects of these mutations on the KCNQ3 channel function using patch-clamp recording. The most informative parameter across all three backgrounds was the current density of the mutant channels. The current density patterns in the Q3* and Q3-Q2 backgrounds were similar, with most mutations resulting in an almost complete loss of function (LOF), they were concentrated in the pore-forming domain of KCNQ3. In contrast, mutations in the voltage-sensing domain or C-terminus did not show significant differences from the wild-type channel. Interestingly, these LOF mutations were typically associated with self-limited familial neonatal epilepsy, while neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) were more closely associated with mutations that did not significantly differ from the wild-type. V_1/2, another important parameter of the electrophysiological properties, could not be accurately determined in the majority of KCNQ3 mutations due to its nearly complete LOF in the Q3* and Q3-Q2 backgrounds. Intriguingly, the V_1/2 of functional mutations were primarily leftward shifted, indicating a gain-of-function (GOF) effect, which was typically associated with NDD. In addition to previously reported mutations, we identified G553R as a novel GOF mutation. In the co-transfection background, parameters such as V_1/2 could be determined, but the dysfunctional effects of these mutations were mitigated by the co-expression of wild-type KCNQ3 and KCNQ2 subunits, resulting in no significant differences between most mutations and the wild-type channel. Furthermore, we applied KCNQ modulators to reverse the electrophysiological abnormalities caused by KCNQ3 variants. The LOF mutations were reversed by the application of Pynegabine (HN37), a KCNQ opener, while the GOF mutation responded well to Amitriptyline (AMI), a KCNQ inhibitor. These findings provide essential insights into the pathogenic mechanisms underlying KCNQ3-related disorders and may inform clinical decision-making.
KCNQ3 Potassium Channel/genetics* ; Humans ; Mutation, Missense/genetics* ; KCNQ2 Potassium Channel/genetics* ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; HEK293 Cells ; Animals ; Phenylenediamines/pharmacology* ; Carbamates

Objective:To evaluate the accuracy, completeness, and reproducibility of domestic open-source large language models (LLM) in diabetic retinopathy (DR) patient education, and to explore their potential as intelligent virtual assistants for DR patient education.Methods:A total of 41 questions and answers related to the diagnosis and treatment of DR in five categories, namely risk factors, screening and examination, symptoms and staging, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.All questions were repeated twice as a " new dialogue" in the LLM, and all the answers were recorded.Three senior fundus physicians independently evaluated the answers on a 6-point Likert scale for accuracy and a 3-point Likert scale for completeness and repeatability, and for each answer, the evaluator was asked to make a recommendation between the LLM and the manual answers.Five questions were randomly selected to evaluate the three open source LLM, ERNIE Bot 3.5, Qwen and Kimi chat, and the LLM with the best overall performance was selected for further evaluation in the full question bank.Results:Among the three LLM, Kimi chat had the best overall performance, Kimi chat performed best, with percentages of 6 for accuracy, 3 for completeness, and 3 for repeatability among the 5 questions at 90%, 90%, and 100%, respectively.For all questions answered, the number of words in manual replies was 106 (70, 202), which was significantly lower than 505 (386, 600) in Kimi chat ( Z=-7.866, P<0.001).There was no significant correlation between the number of Kimi chat replies and the accuracy score ( rs=-0.044, P=0.492), but it was positively correlated with the integrity score ( rs=0.239, P<0.001).The interclass correlation coefficient for accuracy and completeness scores were above 0.700 among three evaluators, with the highest agreement for repeatability at 0.853, followed by completeness of the first response at 0.771.The proportion of responses ≥5 points for accuracy was 87.0%(214/246), the proportion ≥2 points for completeness was 98.0%(241/246), and the proportion higher than 70% for repeatability was 78.5%(193/246).Kimi chat excelled in answering basic questions about the disease such as disease definition, staging, frequency of screening, and common risk factors, but performed poorly on questions involving treatment choices that require a doctor's professional judgment.The proportion of evaluators choosing Kimi chat responses as superior was 69.5% (171/246), and the reasons for non-selection included lack of characteristic answers, inclusion of too much irrelevant information, and lack of responses to questions requiring a high degree of medical expertise. Conclusions:Kimi chat answers DR-related diagnostic questions in a detailed and well-organized manner, with a high degree of accuracy, completeness and reproducibility.

Objective:To explore the role and mechanism of P311 in the differentiation of mouse skin fibroblasts (Fbs) into myofibroblasts.Methods:The study was an experimental research. Six 2-day-old male C57BL/6 mouse were used to extract skin Fbs by enzymatic hydrolysis method and routinely cultured. The 1 st to 3 rd passage cells were taken and divided into empty vector group transfected with empty adenovirus and P311 group transfected with P311 high expression adenovirus, and P311+myocardin-related transcription factor A (MRTF-A) small interfering RNA (siMRTF-A) group transfected with P311 high expression adenovirus and siMRTF-A according to the random number table. After 72 h of culture, the cell proliferation vitality of cells in 3 groups was detected by cell counting kit 8, the protein expressions of MRTF-A, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and serum response factor (SRF) in cells in 3 groups were detected by Western blotting, the collagen gel contraction assay was performed and the 72 h gel contraction rates in 3 groups were calculated. The sample numbers in the above experiments were all 3. The protein expressions of MRTF-A and SRF in cells, cytoplasm, and nucleus in cells in empty vector group and P311 group were detected by Western blotting, with sample number of 4. Results:After 72 h of culture, the cell proliferation vitality of cells in empty vector group, P311 group, and P311+siMRTF-A group was similar ( P>0.05). After 72 h of culture, compared with those in empty vector group, the protein expressions of MRTF-A, α-SMA, and SRF in cells in P311 group were significantly increased ( P<0.05), while the protein expressions of MRTF-A and SRF in cells in P311+siMRTF-A group were significantly decreased ( P<0.05). Compared with those in P311 group, the protein expressions of MRTF-A, SRF, and α-SMA in cells in P311+siMRTF-A group were significantly decreased ( P<0.05). The 72 h gel contraction rate showing cell contractility in P311 group was (84.8±6.2)%, which was significantly higher than (27.8±2.6)% in empty vector group and (24.7±3.2)% in P311+siMRTF-A group (with P values all <0.05). The 72 h gel contraction rates in empty vector group and P311+siMRTF-A group were similar ( P>0.05). After 72 hours of culture, the protein expressions of MRTF-A (with t values of 5.86 and 3.77, respectively, P<0.05) and SRF (with t values of 3.95 and 3.97, respectively, P<0.05) in cells and cytoplasm in P311 group were significantly higher than those in empty vector group, while the protein expressions of MRTF-A and SRF in the nucleus of cells were similar between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:P311 can promote the differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts through MRTF-A, and then participate in scar formation.

BACKGROUND:Most of the formulas for the clinical treatment of premature ovarian insufficiency have evolved from the basic formula of Liuwei Dihuang Pills,and have achieved good therapeutic efficacy.Currently,most of the experimental studies on Liuwei Dihuang Pills focus on morphological observations and physiological and biochemical detection of in vivo animal models,while fewer studies on molecular mechanisms have been reported. OBJECTIVE:To explore the molecular mechanism of Liuwei Dihuang Pills in the treatment of premature ovarian insufficiency based on the receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha/mitochondrial transcription factor A/reactive oxygen species pathway. METHODS:Premature ovarian insufficiency model was established in mice by intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide 120 mg/kg combined with busulfan 12 mg/kg,and then Liuwei Dihuang Pill suspension was used to intervene in premature ovarian insufficiency mice.After 12 weeks of intervention,the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone,luteinizing hormone,estradiol,anti-Mullerian hormone,8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine,total antioxidant capacity and reactive oxygen species in serum of mice were detected by ELISA method.The morphological changes in mouse ovaries were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining.The ultrastructure of mouse follicular granulosa cells and the apoptosis of granulosa cell mitochondria were observed by transmission electron microscopy.The expression levels of receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha and mitochondrial transcription factor A in mouse ovarian granulosa cells were detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the model group,serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone,luteinizing hormone,reactive oxygen species,and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine were decreased in the experimental group(P＜0.05),and the levels of estradiol,anti-Mullerian hormone,and total antioxidant capacity were increased(P＜0.05).Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that in the model group,there were more atretic follicles and corpus luteum forms,some secondary follicles,and interstitial fibrosis and hyperplasia;in the experimental group,a large number of atretic follicles,few corpus luteum forms,primordial follicles were observed at the edges but there were few secondary follicles and no mature follicles.Transmission electron microscopy showed that the organelles in ovarian granulosa cells of mice in the experimental groups were relatively intact.Immunohistochemical results showed that compared with the model group,the expression level of receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha in the ovarian tissue of mice increased slightly in the experimental group at the 4th week,and there was no significant change at the 8th and 12th weeks.The expression level of mitochondrial transcription factor A in the ovarian tissues of mice in the experimental group was transiently increased at the 4th week,and then slightly decreased,which were all significantly different from those of the model group.To conclude,Liuwei Dihuang Pills inhibit ovarian granulosa cell apoptosis in mice with premature ovarian insufficiency to a certain extent through the receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha/mitochondrial transcription factor A/reactive oxygen species signaling pathway,thereby improving the endocrine function of the ovary,enhancing the antioxidant capacity,and attenuating the degree of oxidative stress damage.

Objective Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of disability attitude scales(DAS-CN)toward disabled persons were created and tested to provide an assessment instrument for measuring the attitude of medical staff toward disabled persons in China.Methods Authorised by the author of DAS in August 2020,based on BRISLIN translation model,the English version of DAS was translated into Chinese followed by back translation,cultural debugging and then put it into pre-experiment in September 2020.The reliability and validity of the finalised DAS-CN were further tested in a survey with 400 randomly selected medical staff in rehabilitation from 8 general hospitals in Jinzhou,Panjin,Yingkou and Fushun in Liaoning Province,China by using the convenience sampling method in March 2021.Results A total of 357 surveyees completed the survey.The localised DSA-CN was composed of 4 dimensions with a total of 20 items,including 4 items in clinical knowledge and skills,4 in clinical responsibility,8 in clinical behaviour and 4 in emotional response.The Cronbach α coefficient of the scales was 0.943,with the split-half reliability and test-retest reliability at 0.824 and 0.899,respectively.The Cronbach α coefficient of each dimension was 0.843～0.944,and the split half reliability was 0.854～0.904.The test-retest reliability ranged from 0.701 to 0.913.The KMO value of exploratory factor analysis was 0.921.The Bartrett spherical test value was 5534.981(P<0.01).The total explanatory rate of variation was 73.050%.Conclusion The Chinese version of Disability Attitude Scales(DSA-CN)has good reliability and validity.Therefore,DSA-CN can be used as an instrument in investigation of the current status about the attitudes towards the disabled persons among the medical staff in China.

Objective To analyze the status of the bacteria in the operative area of transnasal skull base surgery and its correlation with postoperative intracranial infection.Methods The procedure of transnasal skull base surgery was divided into three stages:nasal passage preparation(stage 1),tumor resection(stage 2),and skull base reconstruction(stage 3).Bacterial sampling was taken from the mucosa of the anterior wall of sphenoid sinus or clival recess of sellar floor at the beginning of each stage;and the positive rate of bacterial culture in different stages of operation and its correlation with postoperative intracranial infection were analyzed.Results A total of 105 patients were enrolled in this study,and 315 samples were taken.The average time point of sampling in the three stages was 20.3,45.1 and 131.3 min after the beginning of operation,respectively.The positive results were 9 cases(2.9％)in the stage 1,8 cases(2.5％)in the stage 2,and 23 cases(7.3％)in the stage 3,which were 24 cases of Staphylococcus epidermidis,7 cases of Staphylococcus aureus,3 cases of hemolytic streptococcus,2 cases of Klebsiella pneumonia,and 4 cases of Escherichia coli.There was no significant difference in the positive cases between stage 1 and stage 2(P=0.955),but there were significant differences between stage 1 or 2 and stage 3(P=0.013;P=0.007).There were 36(11.4％)patients with at least one positive result in the three stages,17(16.2％)with cerebrospinal fluid leakage,and 12(11.4％)with intracranial infection.The risk of intracranial infection was 3.1 times higher in patients with positive bacterial culture than patients with negative bacterial culture(OR=3.1,95％CI:0.9-10.6),which was not statistically significant;patients with CSF leakage were 61.4 times higher than those without CSF leakage(OR=61.4,95％CI:11.2-337.1),which was statistically significant(P＜0.001).The consistency rate of bacteria in nasal cavity and postoperative cerebrospinal fluid culture was 57.1％.Conclusion The positive rate of bacterial culture in the operative area of transnasal skull base surgery increases significantly with the extension of operation time,which is a potential risk index of postoperative intracranial infection.

Objective:To observe the correlation between blood cell-related inflammatory markers and diabetic retinopathy (DR).Methods:A cross-sectional study. From June 2020 to February 2022, the phase Ⅰ data of Beichen Eye Study in Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital were included in the study. The research contents included questionnaires, routine systemic and ocular examinations, and laboratory blood cell-related indicators including mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), neutrophils, and lymphocytes were performed. Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were calculated. The diagnosis and classification of DR referred to the international clinical classification standard of DR. Monocular or binocular DR was defined as DR patients. Participants were categorized into different groups based on whether they had diabetes and whether they had DR. The groups included the no-diabetes group, the diabetes without DR group, and the DR group. The Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for the comparison of quantitative data among multiple groups. Wilcoxon test was used for comparison between the two groups. The χ2 test was used to compare the categorical variables between groups. The variables was adjusted step by step, an unadjusted univariate model was built and the different parameters of the model Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ were adjusted. The correlation between MPV, PDW, NLR, PLR, and DR in different models was analyzed by logistic regression. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the diagnostic efficacy of different NLR models for DR. Results:A total of 3 328 subjects were recruited. Among them, 1 121 (33.68 %, 1 121/3 328) were males and 2 207 (66.32 %, 2 207/3 328) were females. The median age of the included participants was 61.84 (6.05) years. The no-diabetes group, the diabetes without DR group, and the DR group were 2 679, 476, and 173, respectively. There was no significant difference in MPV and PLR among the three groups ( H=5.98, 1.94; P=0.051, 0.379). However, compared with no-diabetes group and the diabetes without DR group, PDW and NLR in the DR group showed an upward trend. In model Ⅲ with completely adjusted related factors, NLR was an independent risk factor for DR in no-diabetes group and DR group [odds ratio ( OR)=1.440, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 1.087-1.920, P=0.041], diabetes without DR group and DR group [ OR=1.990, 95% CI 1.440-2.749, P<0.001]. The results of ROC curve analysis showed that the diagnostic efficiency of NLR model Ⅲ was the highest, the area under the curve was 0.751 (95% CI 0.706-0.796, P<0.001), the optimal cutoff value was 0.390, and the sensitivity and specificity were 74.3% and 64.8%, respectively. Conclusions:The NLR of the DR group is significantly higher than that of the no-diabetes group and diabetes without DR group. NLR is an independent risk factor for DR.

Objective:To analyze the application effect of narrow elastic disposable tourniquet in liposuction reduction surgery for the lower extremity lymphedema,and to provide the basis for its clinical application.Methods:The retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 309 patients who underwent liposuction reduction surgery for the lower extremity lymphedema.The patients were divided into non-narrow elastic disposable tourniquet group(n=163)and narrow elastic disposable tourniquet group(n=146).The intraoperative blood loss,rates of allogenic blood transfusion,incidence of adverse reactions related to dilation fluid into blood,incidence of blood pressure fluctuations,and preoperative and postoperative 24 h levels of hemoglobin(Hb)and albumin(Alb)of the patients in two groups were compared.Results:Compared with non-narrow elastic disposable tourniquet group,the intraoperative blood loss,allogenic blood transfusion rate,and incidence of adverse reactions related to dilation fluid into blood of the patients in narrow elastic disposable tourniquet group were decreased(P<0.05),while the incidence of intraoperative blood pressure fluctuations was increased(P<0.05).Compared with non-narrow elastic disposable tourniquet group,the ΔHb level(preoperative Hb level-postoperative 24 h Hb level)and ΔAlb level(preoperative Alb level-postoperative 24 h Alb level)of the patients in narrow elastic disposable tourniquet group were decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Conclusion:The application of narrow elastic disposable tourniquet in liposuction reduction surgery for the lower extremity lymphedema can effectively reduce the intraoperative bleeding and the need for allogenic transfusions,decrease the level of ΔAlb,and prevent the occurrence of adverse reactions related to dilation fluid into blood.However,attention should be given to the potential adverse reactions related to intraoperative circulatory fluctuations.